Long-Term Growth Responses of a Jeffrey Pine Stand to Mechanized Thinning and Prescribed Fire

Forest thinnings implemented with cut-to-length and whole-tree harvesting systems followed by underburning were evaluated for their effects on individual tree and stand level growth responses in pure, uneven-aged Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) accompanied by isolated California white fir (Abies concolor var. lowiana [Gord.] Lemm.). Based on both dimension and volume measures, trees of the unburned whole-tree treatment combination exhibited the greatest individual growth responses. At the stand level, a diminished volume growth response in the whole-tree treatment was especially pronounced in the burned portion, mostly attributable to exaggerated stocking losses, while a superior response in the unburned cut-to-length combination likely reflected not only the absence of detrimental fire impacts but also benefits of on-site slash retention. For stand level biomass, diminished growth in the whole-tree treatment was again evident, with that in the burned portion again most pronounced, while biomass accrual in the unburned cut-to-length treatment combination was generally comparable to that in the unthinned control. Increasingly utilized in forest restoration efforts in the western USA, the responses presented herein to these thinning and burning practices provide natural resource managers insight into potential compromised outcomes when implemented in Jeffrey pine and similar dry site forest types.     

Bark Beetle Demography in a Jeffrey Pine Stand as Influenced by Mechanized Thinning and Prescribed Fire

Forest thinnings implemented with cut-to-length and whole-tree harvesting systems followed by underburning were evaluated for their effects on bark beetle prevalence in pure, uneven-aged Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) interspersed with isolated California white fir (Abies concolor var. lowiana [Gord.] Lemm.). Based on pitch tube counts in a stand with a moderate bark beetle population in its pine component, the Jeffrey pine beetle (Dendroctonus jeffreyi Hopkins) generally preferred larger trees before treatment implementation, but after exhibiting mixed pretreatment tendencies concerning stand density demonstrated a posttreatment proclivity toward higher density. Cut-to-length thinning followed by underburning increased the pine beetle population while whole-tree thinning unaccompanied by burning reduced it. Tree mortality was induced by the bark beetle infestation but was not its sole cause. Pitch tube abundance on white fir far exceeded that on Jeffrey pine, and the greatest influence on the fir engraver (Scolytus ventralis LeConte) population was the prevalence of its host tree. The responses presented herein to these thinning and burning practices, which are being increasingly utilized in forest restoration efforts in the western USA, provide natural resource managers insight into potential forest health outcomes when implemented in Jeffrey pine and similar dry site forest types.     

Evaluation of Mechanized Thinning and Prescribed Fire Effects on Long-Term Fuels Accumulations in Uneven-Aged Jeffrey Pine

Forest thinnings implemented through cut-to-length and whole-tree harvesting followed by underburning were evaluated for their effects on long-term downed and dead fuels accumulations in pure, uneven-aged Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) accompanied by isolated California white fir (Abies concolor var. lowiana [Gord.] Lemm.). Based on an initial inventory consisting of dry weight and fuel bed depth measurements conducted posttreatment, accumulations in the cut-to-length treatment were elevated according to most measures. Burned stand portions exhibited smaller quantities of fuels initially in individual timelag categories and in total as well as reduced fuel bed depths compared to their unburned counterparts except for the 1,000-hr fuels in the whole-tree treatment where postburn mortality of small stems nullified this effect. A linkage between initial mortality resulting from prescribed fire and final 1,000-hr fuels, as measured 8 yr later, was established but was probably attributable to combined thinning and burning effects. Over the course of the study, either greater accruals or diminished reductions in loading were apparent within burned stand portions compared to unburned portions, most notably in the whole-tree treatment. Results presented here provide insight into potentially compromised fuels reduction outcomes when implemented in uneven-aged stands on dry forest sites.     

Effects of Mechanized Thinning and Prescription Fire on Stand Structure,Live Crown,and Mortality in Jeffrey Pine

ABSTRACT

Forest thinning, using cut-to-length and whole-tree harvesting systems with subsequent underburning were assessed for their influence on stand structure, health, and fire resilience in uneven-aged Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf). Stand attributes, derived from measuring trees ≥ 10.2 cm diameter at breast height (DBH), were collected from permanent plots. Trees were divided into three size classes that generally corresponded to dominant/codominant, intermediate, and suppressed crown classes. Comparisons of post- to pre-burning mortality revealed significant thinning and fire main treatment effects as well as significant interaction between these two treatments in the two larger size classes. Mortality increased by 250% in the intermediate crown class within the burned stand portion of the whole-tree treatment, whereas among dominant/codominant trees mortality rose by 160% in the burned cut-to-length treatment combination. Pre- to post-burning shifts in live crown, expressed as a percentage of total tree height, were significantly influenced by both thinning and fire main treatments in the two larger size classes, while the interaction of these treatments was also significant among the largest trees. Within both of these size classes, decreases in live crown percentage were greatest in the burned portion of the unthinned treatment, where intermediate crown class trees lost over 20% of their crowns, while reductions in dominant/codominant trees averaged nearly 25%. The second highest losses for both size classes occurred within the burned cut-to-length treatment. In the smallest trees, mortality rose sharply and live crown decreased substantially after burning in both thinning treatments and in the unthinned control. Within the two larger size classes, preburn live crown size was negatively correlated with changes in crown size subsequent to underburning while DBH was negatively correlated with postburning changes in mortality, but only in intermediate crown class trees. These results present land managers with outcomes of differing management practices presently being evaluated for their potential to enhance forest health and reduce wildfire risk in the Sierra Nevada and similar dry forest regions.     

Wildfire Effects on Understory Vegetation,Natural Regeneration,and Forest Floor Fuels in a Sierran Mixed Conifer Stand

Wildfire effects on understory shrubs and herbs, regeneration of the seedling and sapling size classes, and downed and dead fuels were assessed in a mixed conifer stand located in the Lake Tahoe Basin in which California white fir (Abies concolor var. lowiana [Gord.] Lemm.) was most abundant but with Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) also prevalent. In burned and unburned stand portions, prefire measurements served as a basis of comparison for the postfire measurements pertinent to each study component. Fire severely suppressed the understory vegetation, which was dominated by shrubs such as bush chinquapin (Chrysolepis sempervirens [Kellogg] Hjelmqvist) and antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata [Pursh] DC.), while a tepid postfire recovery of most of the preexisting species in the burned stand portion was augmented by new ones, including shrubs such as snowbrush (Ceanothus velutinus Douglas ex Hook.) and whitethorn (Ceanothus cordulatus Kellogg) ceanothus and herbs such as Holboell's rockcress (Arabis holboellii Hornem.). Tree seedling abundance was also substantially reduced in the burned portion, but the postfire population was dominated by Jeffrey pine whereas white fir had been most prevalent originally. Sapling regeneration was eliminated from the burned stand portion regardless of species. Downed and dead fuel loading was severely diminished by the fire, especially regarding fine fuels, permitting subsequent sheet erosion to imperil new seedling regeneration. These results contribute to an understanding of the direction and pace of postwildfire succession on sites occupied by Sierra Nevada mixed conifer and similar forest cover types, which is critical in decisions concerning the need for, and extent of, postfire site rehabilitation measures.     

Fire Injury Severity in an Eastern Sierra Nevada Mixed Conifer Stand: Variability and Influencing Factors

Variability of postfire injury and stand and individual tree factors that affected survival responses of eastern Sierra Nevada conifers to wildfire were examined. Prefire measurements served as a basis of comparison for postfire conditions in a mixed conifer stand located in the eastern portion of the Lake Tahoe Basin and provided insight into predisposing influences on survival. Species composition consisted primarily of Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) and California white fir (Abies concolor var. lowiana [Gord.] Lemm.) along with a minor component of sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana Dougl.). Postfire survival was higher in Jeffrey pine than white fir but was highest overall in sugar pine. Catastrophic crown loss occurred less frequently in Jeffrey pine than in the fir but was least common in sugar pine. Survival generally increased with tree size, but this relationship did not extend to the largest trees in the stand. Among an array of regression models used to evaluate selected variables for their predictive capacity regarding postfire survival, prefire stand density was found to negatively influence that of Jeffrey and sugar pine, and survival of Jeffrey pine and white fir was negatively correlated with bole char. These results provide natural resource managers guidance in the selection of viable trees for retention during the salvage harvesting operations that often follow wildfire events.     

Influences of Thinning and Prescribed Fire on Water Relations of Jeffrey Pine I. Xylem and Soil Water Potentials

Abstract

Forest thinning accomplished with cut-to-length and whole-tree harvesting systems, and prescribed underburning were assessed for their impacts on water relations in eastern Sierra Nevada Jeffrey pine (Pinus Jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) during a period of extended drought. Predawn and midday measurements of xylem water potential in dominant and codominant crown class trees more than a century old were made on six days spread over three growing seasons, accompanied by measurements of soil water potential completed between the predawn and midday sessions of each day. With the exception of a single predawn session, the only one of a total of 12 in which xylem water potentials did not differ among treatments, the potentials in trees of thinned stand subunits were 0.67 MPa higher on average during predawn sessions and 0.71 MPa higher during midday sessions than those in trees of the unthinned treatment. Differences between the cut-to-length and whole-tree treatments were marginal and uncommon, but when they occurred, potentials were higher in the former. Prescribed fire effects on xylem water potential were also uncommon, but when occurring generally indicated lower stress levels in the burned than in the unburned treatment. Soil water potentials largely coincided with those of xylem water, with higher potentials in either the cut-to-length or whole-tree treatments, and usually both, than in the unthinned treatment on each of the six days of measurement. Underburning influences on soil water were rare, but when evident, potentials were higher in the burned than in the unburned treatment by substantial margins. For a majority of the measurement sessions, xylem water potential was found to be negatively correlated with residual basal area but positively correlated with soil water potential. In turn, coarse fragments and organic matter in the soil profile intermittently influenced soil water potential, with the former a negative factor while the latter was positive. Overall, results of this study suggest that substantial ecophysiological advantages can be derived from density management in older, dry site forests, which at minimum are not compromised by subsequent implementation of controlled underburning.     

闽北天然异龄林林分结构规律的研究

本文对现有闽北天然异龄林的林分结构进行分析和模拟研究，得出了林分内部的树种及林分层次结构、林分直径分布结构、林分蓄积分布结构等规律，并对现有异龄林的合理经营和结构调整提出几点建议。     

Influences of Thinning,Chipping, and Fire on Understory Vegetation in a Sierran Mixed Conifer Stand

Thinning implemented with a cut-to-length harvesting system coupled with on-site slash chipping and redistribution and followed by prescribed underburning were assessed for their impacts on a shrub understory in an uneven-aged Sierra Nevada mixed conifer stand. Overstory species consisted of California white fir (Abies concolor var. lowiana [Gord.] Lemm.), Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.), sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana Dougl.), incense-cedar (Libocedrus decurrens Torr.), and red fir (Abies magnifica A. Murr.), while huckleberry oak (Quercus vacciniifolia Kellogg) was predominant among 10 understory shrubs. Herbaceous species were entirely absent from the site for the 4-yr duration of the study. The mechanized treatments exerted minimal detriment effects on overall understory cover and weight, and for prostrate ceanothus (Ceanothus prostratus Benth.) and creeping snowberry (Symphoricarpos mollis Nutt.)—two of the lesser shrubs—were stimulatory. In contrast, losses to the total understory from the underburn amounted to two-thirds of cover and weight in the absence of the mechanized treatments and more than three-quarters where they had been implemented, with huckleberry oak prevalence especially diminished. For almost all of the understory species individually as well as for the total, greater pretreatment abundance predisposed greater posttreatment prevalence. Results of this study provide insight into the understory impacts of restoration treatments that are deemed especially appropriate for sensitive sites in western U.S. forests.     

Mineral Nutrition in Sierra Nevada Mixed Conifer: Wildfire Effects,Species Distinctions,and Temporal Variation

An investigation of wildfire effects on mineral nutrition of Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) along with species comparisons of the nutrition of unburned specimens of this pine to those of unburned California white fir (Abies concolor var. lowiana [Gord.] Lemm.) were conducted in an eastern Sierran mixed conifer stand. Foliar Fe and Mn concentrations were frequently higher and Al was consistently so in burned than in the unburned pine as assessed in six sampling periods distributed over more than two postfire growing seasons while base cation/metallic element molar ratios consisting of Ca/Al, K/Al, K/Mn, Ca/Fe, Mg/Fe, K/Fe, and Ca/Zn were often lower in the former. Foliar N, P, Fe, Zn, and Cu were frequently higher in unburned pine than unburned fir while the reverse proved true concerning K, Ca, Mn, B, and Al; and likewise several molar ratios involving Al and Mn were higher in the former while several involving Fe, Zn, and Cu were higher in the latter. At midstudy, mineral soil in the burned stand portion had lower K but higher S, Mn, and Zn than that in the unburned portion, and the former had several molar ratios that were lower as well.     

兴安落叶松天然林2种林型林分更新特征

分析了内蒙古大兴安岭林分结构对兴安落叶松林更新的影响。结果表明:1)年龄56~65 a草类-落叶松林平均更新密度达1 363株/hm2,较54~63 a杜香-落叶松林和36~48 a草类-落叶松林分别高12.8%,36.5%。2)年龄36~65 a,密度315~3 263株/hm2范围内的草类-落叶松和年龄54~63 a密度865~2 241株/hm2范围内的杜香-落叶松林,在其它条件相近情况下,随着林分年龄和密度增加,林分更新呈增加趋势;随着枯倒木数量和其腐烂程度的增加,更新密度增加;随着林下草本和灌木盖度增加,更新密度呈下降趋势。3)不同水平格局的林分更新不同,当聚集分布、随机分布和均匀分布时,平均更新密度分别为1 415株/hm2,1 165株/hm2,118株/hm2。     

麻池背油松天然林林分生长结构的研究

依据历年调查资料,对麻池背油松天然林的林分生长结构进行了研究.该林分的植物种类丰富;直径、树高、林龄等林分结构呈正态分布、近似正态分布和多峰状分布;近熟林的林分蓄积生长率为0.82%,材积生长量69年生时连年生长量仍大于平均生长量.由于林分密度过大,油松形状比值偏高,林木自然稀疏强烈,枯损率达32.7%,其中小径木占86.3%,病虫害感染枯死木占29.4%.油松天然更新不良,辽东栎不能成为更新树种,林下有青木杄、落叶松幼树分布.     

林分结构对辽东山区蒙古栎林天然更新的影响

目的 探讨林分结构与林下更新幼苗之间的关系,为人工促进天然更新提供理论依据。 方法 以辽东山区蒙古栎林为研究对象,采用拟合模型和Pearson相关分析法,研究了林分空间结构对蒙古栎天然更新的影响。 结果 （1）林分断面积对更新幼苗密度影响显著,随林分断面积的增加,幼苗密度呈增加趋势,当断面积达到31 m2·hm−2,幼苗密度增加逐渐放缓;（2）林分断面积与幼苗基径和苗高呈显著负相关关系（P < 0.05）;（3）林分竞争指数和密集度均与幼苗密度之间存在典型的抛物线关系,与密集度相比,竞争指数对幼苗密度的影响更显著;（4）林分空间结构对更新幼苗的物种多样性影响显著,林分的混交度越大,垂直结构越复杂,更新幼苗的种类和Shannon-Wiener多样性越高。（5）多元逐步回归分析结果显示：林分断面积、竞争指数和密集度是影响蒙古栎林更新幼苗密度的主要因子。 结论 人工促进蒙古栎林天然更新,改善林下物种多样性,可通过调控林分断面积、竞争指数和密集度的经营方式来实现。     

Review of Studies on Structural Features,Regeneration Features and Management of Natural Spruce-Fir Mixed Stand of Coniferous and Broadleaved Trees in China

Natural spruce-fir mixed stand is one of the main forest types in the world,and also has huge ecological,economic and social benefits.According to the structural characteristics and succession laws of natural spruce-fir forest,it is urgent and significant to develop scientific management measures for natural spruce-fir mixed stand in line with local conditions.The article outlined the characteristics of the distribution and structure, regeneration and succession laws of natural spruce-fir forest,and analyzed the current situation and existing problems of natural spruce-fir forest management.The following recommendations were eventually made:1) In no cutting area,all logging activities should be banned.In a restricted cutting area,the cutting intensity should be generally controlled within 15%of the stock volume before cutting.On the commodity forest management area, the appropriate cutting intensity should be determined according to the volume per hectare,determine and classification management should be implemented in accordance with the characteristics of forest,to ensure the scientific selective cutting.2) Closure for afforestation,planting and repair planting should be adopted on vegetation-intensive land,sparse shrubs covered land and harvesting slash,in order to accelerate natural regeneration.3) The in situ conservation should be conducted in nature reserves and scientific experiment stations of rare and endangered species,such as Abies chensiensis,Picea neoveitchii,Abies vuanbaoshanensis,to reduce human destruction.4) It is supposed to collect seeds in time,establish nursery,actively establish forest, expand artificial population and promote natural regeneration.     

我国天然云冷杉针阔混交林结构特征、更新特点及经营管理

天然云冷杉林是世界主要森林类型之一, 具有重要的生态、经济和社会效益。探明天然云冷杉林结构特点和演替规律, 制定科学的经营管理措施, 因地制宜地合理经营云冷杉林意义深远而迫切。文中概述了我国天然云冷杉林的分布、结构和更新演替特征, 分析了经营管理现状及存在的问题, 并提出建议:1)对禁伐区内的云冷杉林分, 坚决杜绝一切采伐活动; 对限伐区要严格控制采伐强度, 一般控制在伐前蓄积量的15%以内; 对商品林经营区可按每公顷蓄积量的大小确定适宜采伐强度, 并按照林分特点进行经营, 做到科学择伐。2)对林地草本植被密集、灌木覆盖度不大、采伐迹地上有种源条件的进行封育、栽植或补植, 人工促进天然更新。3)建立秦岭冷杉、大果青杄、元宝山冷杉等珍稀濒危物种自然保护区和科学试验站, 积极开展就地保护, 减少人为破坏。4)适时采种, 就地建立苗圃, 开展育苗造林, 扩大人工种群, 促进天然更新。     

Nutritional Augmentation of Jeffrey Pine Saplings on a Harsh Sierran Site

Broadcast fertilization with an array of amendments was examined for its capacity to reinvigorate growth and enhance nutrition of a 12-yr-old Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) plantation growing on an acidic Sierra Nevada surface mine site. Selected amendments consisted of Viking Brand 21-7-14, Free Flow 29-3-4, High N 22-4-6 + Minors, and Milorganite 6-2-0 + Iron—formulations that differed substantially in critical characteristics including N sources and the duration of release, and each was administered using three rates of application. All formulations stimulated sapling growth during some stage of the study, especially when applied at the highest rates, but the Free Flow amendment, which features urea as the predominant N source, the High N formulation, which is a controlled release fertilizer, and Milorganite, an organic amendment based on municipal biosolids, sustained growth enhancement longer than the Viking amendment, which relies exclusively upon ammoniacal and nitrate N forms and lacks any provision for metering nutrient release. As indicated by foliar analysis, increased availability and uptake of N probably accounted for most of the added growth induced by fertilization, although improved P nutrition likely contributed as well. However, in addition to the N and P responses, fertilized saplings were frequently lower in Mn, B, and Al—all of which may be phytotoxic at elevated concentrations. Further support for the possible linkages between foliar concentrations noted above and sapling growth responses were provided by the concentrations of these elements in the mine soil, which was low in N and P but high in Mn, B, and Al. This study reports approaches to nutritional augmentation on degraded sites suitable for use during the sapling stage of tree development.     

Growth and Nutritional Responses of Juvenile Jeffrey Pine to Post-Planting Fertilization

Abstract

Broadcast fertilization of a three-year-old Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) plantation growing on an eroded Sierra Nevada site was examined for its capacity to enhance seedling growth. The amendments chosen for the study included controlled release and conventional soluble formulations that contained a variety of N forms, but all featured high N content along with other nutrients. Four application rates were used, and all amendments were distributed around the base of the seedlings as top dressing. Four seasons after treatment application, fertilized seedlings were 129% larger in height, 93% larger in diameter, and 865% greater in shoot volume than unfertilized seedlings overall. Seedling sizes generally increased with application rate, and by a small margin, the controlled release fertilizer outperformed the other formulations. Relative growth analysis suggested that stimulation by the amendments would continue beyond four seasons. Foliar analysis conducted early and again late during the study revealed that N and P concentrations were consistently raised by fertilization, which likely accounts for much of the accompanying growth gains, while Ca, Fe, Mn, B, and Al concentrations were consistently reduced. Either early or late, foliar K was also raised while Mg, S, Zn, and Cu were reduced. Collectively, these results indicate that fertilization with a variety of high N formulations can increase the availability and uptake of critical nutrients sufficiently to impart in Jeffrey pine on low quality sites a substantial growth advantage.     

长白山云冷杉针阔混交林林隙结构与更新研究

通过对金沟岭林场云冷杉针阔混交林36.5 hm2中的75个林隙的调查,研究了人工经营条件下天然云冷杉针阔混交林生态系统中的林隙大小结构,以及不同大小结构下的林隙更新情况。结果表明:该类森林内的林隙形成方式以择伐为主,40~60 m2的林隙数量最多,该类林隙多由2~3棵形成木构成,林隙密度是20.5%;在20~40 m2的林隙中更新情况最好,多由1~2株林木被伐形成。因此建议采伐作业时不要连续采伐2株以上,以保持好的天然更新环境,维护森林生态系统的连续性和稳定性。