Eight years of seasonal burning and herbicidal brush control influence sapling longleaf pine growth,understory vegetation,and the outcome of an ensuing wildfire

To study how fire or herbicide use influences longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) overstory and understory vegetation, five treatments were initiated in a 5–6-year-old longleaf pine stand: check, biennial arborescent plant control by directed herbicide application, and biennial burning in March, May, or July. The herbicide or prescribed fire treatments were applied in 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2005. All prescribed fires were intense and averaged 700 kJ/s/m of fire front across all 12 burns. Using pretreatment variables as covariates, longleaf pine survival and volume per hectare were significantly less on the three prescribed fire treatments than on checks. Least-square means in 2006 for survival were 70, 65, 64, 58, and 56% and volume per hectare was 129, 125, 65, 84, and 80 m³/ha on the check, herbicide, March-, May-, and July-burn treatments, respectively. A wildfire in March 2007 disproportionately killed pine trees on the study plots. In October 2007, pine volume per hectare was 85, 111, 68, 98, and 93 m³/ha and survival was 32, 41, 53, 57, and 55% on the check, herbicide, March-, May-, and July-burn treatments, respectively, after dropping trees that died through January 2009 from the database. Understory plant cover was also affected by treatment and the ensuing wildfire. In September 2006, herbaceous plant cover averaged 4% on the two unburned treatments and 42% on the three prescribed fire treatments. Seven months after the wildfire, herbaceous plant cover averaged 42% on the two previously unburned treatments and 50% on the three prescribed fire treatments. Before the wildfire, understory tree cover was significantly greater on checks (15%) than on the other four treatments (1.3%), but understory tree cover was similar across all five treatments 7 months after the wildfire averaging 1.1%. The greater apparent intensity of the wildfire on the previously unburned treatments most likely resulted from a greater accumulation of fuels on the check and herbicide plots that also collectively had a higher caloric content than fuels on the biennially prescribed burned plots. These results showed the destructive force of wildfire to overstory trees in unburned longleaf pine stands while also demonstrating the rejuvenating effects of wildfire within herbaceous plant communities. They caution for careful reintroduction of prescribed fire even if fire was excluded for less than a decade.     

Structure and composition changes following restoration treatments of longleaf pine forests on the Gulf Coastal Plain of Alabama

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) forests of the Gulf Coastal Plain historically burned every 2–4 years with low intensity fires, which maintained open stands with herbaceous dominated understories. During the early and mid 20th century however, reduced fire frequency allowed fuel to accumulate and hardwoods to increase in the midstory and overstory layers, while woody shrubs gained understory dominance. In 2001, a research study was installed in southern Alabama to develop management options that could be used to reduce fuel loads and restore the ecosystem. As part of a nationwide fire and fire surrogates study, treatments included a control (no fire or other disturbance), prescribed burning only, thinning of selected trees, thinning plus prescribed burning, and herbicide plus prescribed burning. After two cycles of prescribed burning, applied biennially during the growing season, there were positive changes in ecosystem composition. Although thinning treatments produced revenue, while reducing midstory hardwoods and encouraging growth of a grassy understory, burning was needed to discourage regrowth of the hardwood midstory and woody understory. Herbicide application followed by burning gave the quickest changes in understory composition, but repeated applications of fire eventually produced the same results at the end of this 8-year study. Burning was found to be a critical component of any restoration treatment for longleaf communities of this region with positive changes in overstory, midstory and understory layers after just three or four burns applied every 2 or 3 years.     

Restoring longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands: Effects of restoration treatments on natural loblolly pine regeneration

Historical land use and management practices in the southeastern United States have resulted in the dominance of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) on many upland sites that historically were occupied by longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.). There is currently much interest in restoring high quality longleaf pine habitats to such areas, but managers may also desire the retention of some existing canopy trees to meet current conservation objectives. However, fast-growing natural loblolly pine regeneration may threaten the success of artificially regenerated longleaf pine seedlings. We evaluated the establishment and growth of natural loblolly pine regeneration following different levels of timber harvest using single-tree selection (Control (uncut, residual basal area ∼16 m²/ha), MedBA (residual basal area of ∼9 m²/ha), LowBA (residual basal area of ∼6 m²/ha), and Clearcut (complete canopy removal)) and to different positions within canopy gaps (approximately 2800 m²) created by patch cutting at two ecologically distinct sites within the longleaf pine range: Fort Benning, GA in the Middle Coastal Plain and Camp Lejeune, NC in the Lower Coastal Plain. The density of loblolly pine seedlings was much higher at Camp Lejeune than at Fort Benning at the end of the first growing season after harvesting. Following two growing seasons, there were no significant effects of canopy density or gap position on the density of loblolly pine seedlings at either site, but loblolly pine seedlings were taller on treatments with greater canopy removal. Prescribed fires applied following the second growing season killed 70.6% of loblolly pine seedlings at Fort Benning and 64.3% of seedlings at Camp Lejeune. Loblolly pine seedlings were generally less than 2 m tall, and completeness of the prescribed burns appeared more important for determining seedling survival than seedling size. Silvicultural treatments that include canopy removal, such as patch cutting or clearcuts, will increase loblolly pine seedling growth and shorten the window of opportunity for control with prescribed fire. Therefore, application of prescribed fire every 2-3 years will be critical for control of loblolly pine regeneration during restoration of longleaf pine in existing loblolly pine stands.     

Relating the survival and growth of planted longleaf pine seedlings to microsite conditions altered by site preparation treatments

Pine plantations in the southeastern United States are often created using site preparation treatments to alleviate site conditions that may limit survival or growth of planted seedlings. However, little is understood about how site preparations affect longleaf pine (Pinus palustris P. Miller) seedlings planted on wet sites. In a 2-year study (2004 and 2005) on poorly drained, sandy soils of Onslow County, North Carolina, we examined the effects of common site preparation treatments on microsite conditions and quantified relationships between microsite conditions and longleaf pine seedling survival and growth. Treatments used in the study included site preparations designed to control competing vegetation (chopping and herbicide) combined with those that alter soil conditions (mounding and bedding). During both years, mounding and bedding treatments reduced the amount of moisture within the top 6 cm of soil and increased soil temperatures when compared to flat planting (p < 0.001). Soil moisture was inversely related to seedling mortality in 2004 (r² = 0.405) and inversely related to root collar diameter in 2005 (r² = 0.334), while light was positively related to root collar diameter in 2005 (r² = 0.262). Light availability at the seedling level was highest on treatments that effectively reduced surrounding vegetation. Herbicides were more effective than chopping at controlling vegetation in 2004 (p < 0.001) and 2005 (p = 0.036). Controlling competing vegetation, especially shrubs, was critical for increasing early longleaf pine seedling growth.     

The role of herbicide in savanna restoration: Effects of shrub reduction treatments on the understory and overstory of a longleaf pine flatwoods

Woody plant encroachment is a threat to savanna ecosystems worldwide. By exploiting differences in the physiology and seasonality of herbaceous species and encroaching hardwoods, herbicides can be used to control woody shrubs in savannas without causing lasting harm to desirable vegetation. We applied three herbicides and one tank mix to control shrubs following removal of the slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) canopy and replanting with container-grown longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) seedlings in a mesic-wet savanna in the southeastern USA. The herbicides tested were imazapyr, sulfometuron methyl, hexazinone, and a hexazinone + sulfometuron methyl tank mix. 4 years after application, no negative effects on understory species richness, diversity, evenness, or community composition were evident in any of the herbicide treatments. Oaks (Quercus spp.), one of the dominant shrub genera on the study site, were resistant to sulfometuron methyl, and this herbicide was therefore ineffective both as a pine release treatment and for enhancing herbaceous species cover. Imazapyr was the most effective treatment overall, leading to significant improvements in longleaf pine seedling growth and also enhancing herbaceous species cover. Both hexazinone and the hexazinone + sulfometuron methyl tank mix provided some seedling growth and understory enhancement as well. In particular, the tank mix significantly increased wiregrass cover relative to the control. Shrubs resprouted quickly following a dormant-season prescribed fire in the fifth year after treatment, indicating that herbicide-related increases in herbaceous cover may be lost if an aggressive prescribed fire program is not implemented.     

Effect of wood ash fertilization on soil chemical properties and stand nutrient status and growth of some coniferous stands in Finland

The effects of wood ash or wood ash plus nitrogen (N) fertilization on soil chemical properties, needle nutrient concentrations and tree growth were studied in five coniferous stands, aged 31–75 yrs, after 5 and 10 yrs. In each experiment 3 t ha^?1 of loose wood ash was applied to three replicated plots (30×30 m). In three of the experiments 120–150 kg N ha^?1 was applied together with the same wood ash (WAN). These three experiments also included a stand-specific fertilization (SSF) treatment, which consisted of 120, 150 or 180 kg N ha^?1. Five years after wood ash or WAN application the pH increase in the humus layer was 1–1.7 pH-units and in the 0–5 cm mineral soil layer 0.3–0.4 pH-units. The increase was approximately the same 10 yrs after application, and was also associated with an increase in pH in the 5–10 cm mineral soil layer. Wood ash or WAN significantly increased both the total and extractable calcium and magnesium concentrations in the humus layer on all the sites. Wood ash or WAN had an increasing effect on the boron concentrations, but a decreasing effect on the manganese concentrations in the needles. Wood ash had no significant effect on the volume growth. The trees on the WAN plots grew as well as or slightly better than those on the SSF plots.     

Short- and long-term effects of thinning and prescribed fire on carbon stocks in ponderosa pine stands in northern Arizona

Euro-American logging practices, intensive grazing, and fire suppression have increased the amount of carbon that is stored in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. Ex Laws) forests in the southwestern United States. Current stand conditions leave these forests prone to high-intensity wildfire, which releases a pulse of carbon emissions and shifts carbon storage from live trees to standing dead trees and woody debris. Thinning and prescribed burning are commonly used to reduce the risk of intense wildfire, but also reduce on-site carbon stocks and release carbon to the atmosphere. This study quantified the impact of thinning on the carbon budgets of five ponderosa pine stands in northern Arizona, including the fossil fuels consumed during logging operations. We used the pre- and post-treatment data on carbon stocks and the Fire and Fuels Extension to the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FEE-FVS) to simulate the long-term effects of intense wildfire, thinning, and repeated prescribed burning on stand carbon storage.The mean total pre-treatment carbon stock, including above-ground live and dead trees, below-ground live and dead trees, and surface fuels across five sites was 74.58 Mg C ha⁻¹ and the post-treatment mean was 50.65 Mg C ha⁻¹ in the first post-treatment year. The mean total carbon release from slash burning, fossil fuels, and logs removed was 21.92 Mg C ha⁻¹. FEE-FVS simulations showed that thinning increased the mean canopy base height, decreased the mean crown bulk density, and increased the mean crowning index, and thus reduced the risk of high-intensity wildfire at all sites. Untreated stands that incurred wildfire once within the next 100 years or once within the next 50 years had greater mean net carbon storage after 100 years compared to treated stands that experienced prescribed fire every 10 years or every 20 years. Treated stands released greater amounts of carbon overall due to repeated prescribed fires, slash burning, and 100% of harvested logs being counted as carbon emissions because they were used for short-lived products. However, after 100 years treated stands stored more carbon in live trees and less carbon in dead trees and surface fuels than untreated stands burned by intense wildfire. The long-term net carbon storage of treated stands was similar or greater than untreated wildfire-burned stands only when a distinction was made between carbon stored in live and dead trees, carbon in logs was stored in long-lived products, and energy in logging slash substituted for fossil fuels.     

Effects of prescribed fire and other plant community restoration treatments on tree mortality,bark beetles,and other saproxylic Coleoptera of longleaf pine, Pinus palustris Mill., on the Coastal Plain of Alabama

Treatments to restore understory plant communities of mature (50–80-year old) longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) and reduce risks of wildfire were applied to 10 ha plots that had a substantial shrub layer due to lack of fire. Plots were located in the Coastal Plain of Alabama and treatments consisted of: (1) untreated control, (2) growing season prescribed burn, (3) thin only, (4) thin plus growing season burn, and (5) herbicide plus growing season burn. Thin plus burn plots had significantly higher tree mortality compared to burn only and control plots and, overall, fire was the primary cause of tree death. Most tree mortality occurred within 1-year of treatment. From 2002 to 2004, we captured 75,598 Coleoptera in multiple funnel traps comprising 17 families and 130 species. Abundance of all Coleoptera combined was not different among treatments. Species richness was significantly higher on thin plus burn plots compared to thin only and control plots. Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were more abundant on thin plus burn plots compared to control plots in fall 2002 but in fall 2003 they were more abundant on thin plus burn, thin only, and herbicide plus burn compared to controls. Among Scolytinae, Dendroctonus terebrans (Olivier), Xyleborinus saxeseni (Ratzeburg), Xyleborus sp. 3, and Hylastes tenuis (Eichhoff), showed varying responses to the treatments. Other Curculionidae were significantly more abundant on thin only and herbicide plus burn plots compared to all other treatments in spring 2003 and in spring 2004 they were more abundant on herbicide plus burn plots compared to thin plus burn treatments. Among Cerambycidae, Xylotrechus sagittatus (Germar) was higher in abundance in fall 2003 on thin plus burn plots compared to all other treatments except herbicide plus burn plots. Within the predator complex, Trogositidae were higher on thin plus burn plots compared to all other treatments except thin only plots in spring 2003, and Cleridae abundance was higher in spring 2004 on burn only plots compared to all other treatments. Linear regression analyses of dead trees per plot versus various Coleoptera showed captures of Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Trogositidae, Acanthocinus nodosus (Fabricius), Temnochila virescens (Fabricius), and X. saxeseni increased with increasing number of dead trees. Our results show that the restoration treatments tested did not cause increased bark beetle-related tree mortality and they did not negatively affect populations of early successional saproxylic beetle fauna.     

Long-term effects of stump harvesting on soil properties and tree growth in Scots pine and Norway spruce stands

Abstract

Effects of stump harvesting on the properties of surface soil and on the density, structure and growth of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) stands were estimated in a field trial in western Finland. The experiment was established in 1977 and measured in 2010. Stems and logging residues were harvested after clear-cutting, and stumps were lifted and removed from half of the experimental area. Sixteen plots were planted with pine seedlings and 16 with spruce. The main effects of stump harvesting were improved survival of planted trees and an increase in natural regeneration. No clearly negative effects were noted in the stand development. Stump harvesting had no or minimal effects on the properties of the organic layer and those of the 0- to 10-cm mineral-soil layer. Soil properties did not differ between tree species. Pine production was higher on plots with stump removal compared to plots without soil treatment.     

Influence of conventional and chemical thinning on stand structure and diversity of plant and mammal communities in young lodgepole pine forest

Silvicultural practices that provide a wide variety of vegetative composition and structure (habitats) in young stands should help manage for biological diversity across forested landscapes. This study was designed to test the hypotheses that: (i) abundance and diversity of stand structure attributes (species diversity and structural diversity of herb, shrub and tree layers) and forest floor small mammal communities, and (ii) relative habitat use by large herbivores, will increase from unthinned to conventionally thinned to chemically thinned stands of young lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) forest. Replicate study areas were located near Summerland, Kelowna and Williams Lake in south-central British Columbia, Canada. Each study area had three treatments: a conventionally thinned, a chemically thinned and an unthinned stand. Pre-commercial thinning was conducted in 1993. Coniferous stand structure and understory vegetation were measured prior to thinning in 1993 and 5 years later in 1998. Small mammal populations were sampled intensively from 1993 to 1998. Relative habitat use by large herbivores was sampled in 1998.

Our results indicate that chemical thinning of young lodgepole pine stands produced an aggregated pattern of crop trees compared with stands subjected to conventional thinning. Diameter growth of crop trees in the chemically thinned stands was similar to that in the conventionally thinned, but also to that in unthinned stands. Although horizontal stratification (aggregates of trees) was enhanced, vertical stratification (structural diversity of vegetation) was less in the chemically than conventionally thinned stands. Abundance and diversity of understory vegetation and small mammal communities were generally unaffected by stand thinning in these particular installations. Relative habitat use by mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) occurred in a gradient from highest in the conventionally thinned stand to lowest in the unthinned stand. Habitat use by snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) tended to have the opposite trend. Moose (Alces alces) exhibited no difference in habitat use among stands. Thus, although there were few differences among treatment stands, chemical thinning could be used to develop an aggregated pattern of crop trees in pre-commercially thinned stands to maintain habitat for herbivores such as snowshoe hares and mule deer. Understory plant and forest floor small mammal communities would be maintained in these stands as well.     

The effects of thinning and burning treatments on within-canopy variation of leaf traits in hardwood forests of southern Ohio

Leaf nitrogen content (N_mass, %) and leaf mass per area (LMA, g m⁻²) are two important features that are closely linked to the photosynthetic performance of plants and, thus, the NPP of forest ecosystems. Forest management practices, such as burning and thinning, change stand structure and soil dynamics, which may result in changes in N_mass and LMA. The objective of this study was to understand how N_mass and LMA of seven canopy tree species/genus (Quercus alba, Q. coccinea, Q. prinus, Q. velutina, Carya spp., Acer rubrum, and Liriodendron tulipifera) responded to (i) thinning and/or burning treatments and to (ii) different landscape and soil properties in southern Ohio. We collected leaves from the top, and bottom, of five individuals of each taxa in each treatment unit. Leave traits (N_mass and LMA) were compared using analysis of variance followed by orthogonal contrasts. To further understand the factors that influence the canopy leaf traits, we used regression tree analysis (RTA) to examine how variations of LMA and N_mass were linked to thinning and/or burning treatments, soil, and landscape variables. Finally, we assessed the potential ramifications of changes in these traits on canopy carbon budgets using a PnET-Day model, which is a daily time-step canopy carbon exchange model. We found significant effects of thinning, burning, and their interactions on LMA at the bottom of the crown while none of the treatments showed significant effects on LMA at the top of the crown. N_mass responded significantly to only burning treatment. RTA results exhibited minor effects of landscape features and soil properties on N_mass and LMA. Interspecific differences accounted for most variations of both leaf traits. Sensitivity analysis of PnET-Day model suggested these subcanopy changes in LMA increased the annual net primary production (NPP) by 8%. In summary, our results suggest that forest management can substantially influence canopy leaf traits such as N_mass and LMA and that alteration of these traits can influence forest NPP. Given the role of forests as global carbon sinks, the potential influence of thinning and burning on canopy traits, and thus NPP, is an important consideration for forest management.     

Differences in soil properties in adjacent stands of Scots pine, Norway spruce and silver birch in SW Sweden

Soil properties were compared in adjacent 50-year-old Norway spruce, Scots pine and silver birch stands growing on similar soils in south-west Sweden. The effects of tree species were most apparent in the humus layer and decreased with soil depth. At 20-30 cm depth in the mineral soil, species differences in soil properties were small and mostly not significant. Soil C, N, K, Ca, Mg, and Na content, pH, base saturation and fine root biomass all significantly differed between humus layers of different species. Since the climate, parent material, land use history and soil type were similar, the differences can be ascribed to tree species. Spruce stands had the largest amounts of carbon stored down to 30 cm depth in mineral soil (7.3 kg C m⁻²), whereas birch stands, with the lowest production, smallest amount of litterfall and lowest C:N ratio in litter and humus, had the smallest carbon pool (4.1 kg C m⁻²), with pine intermediate (4.9 kg C m⁻²). Similarly, soil nitrogen pools amounted to 349, 269, and 240 g N m⁻² for spruce, pine, and birch stands, respectively. The humus layer in birch stands was thin and mixed with mineral soil, and soil pH was highest in the birch stands. Spruce had the thickest humus layer with the lowest pH.     

Stand density and fertilization effects on aboveground allocation patterns and stem form of Pinus sylvestris in young stands

The increasing demand for forest biomass for energy generation could be partially met by growing denser stands and use of fertilizer. Before this is done at large scale, more knowledge of the effects of stand density and fertilization on aboveground allocation patterns and stem form is needed. Therefore, effects of pre-commercial thinning (PCT) to 3000 stems ha^?1, an unthinned dense control (C), and PCT combined with two levels of fertilization (100 kg ha^?1 of nitrogen applied either during the establishment of the field experiment (F1) or annually (F2)) were examined in 23- to 26-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands six years after the establishment of the field experiment. In total, 114 sample trees were harvested using destructive biomass sampling. The growth allocation and stem form of trees with diameter at breast height (DBH; 1.3 m height) >5.0 cm were not affected by either the PCT or fertilization. Small trees (DBH < 5 cm) in denser, unthinned control plots had more slender stems (lower DBH/height ratios) and allocated less growth to branches and foliage than trees in PCT plots. Fertilization had little effect on the stem form and growth allocation of the smallest trees. Therefore, effects of stem density and fertilization on stem form and growth allocation to foliage were only found for small suppressed trees, and the treatments had very little influence on dominant and codominant trees.     

不同经营模式对马尾松天然次生林土壤理化性质的影响

以慈利县二坊坪乡马尾松天然次生林为研究对象,比较其在不同经营模式下土壤理化性质的变化规律。结果表明:马尾松次生林经过1年的经营改造,Ⅱ处理(马尾松密度为900株/hm2)的土壤理化性质得到了改善,表现在土壤养分的提高,特别是土壤速效养分得到了较大的增加;而传统经营模式的土壤理化性质基本上所有指标均存在递减趋势。这说明合理的经营模式对马尾松次生林土壤肥力的维持和提高起到了积极作用,过大或过小的林分密度不利于土壤结构的改良和养分的循环与累积。     

微红梢斑螟蛀害对马尾松幼林生长的影响及剪梢防治技术研究

通过标准地调查研究了微红梢斑螟蛀害对马尾松幼林生长的影响,并对剪梢防治微红梢斑螟的方法进行了简述.结果表明:微红梢斑螟蛀害对马尾松幼林生长产生了显著影响,受害后主梢当年生长量损失27.23%,树高下降13%,而地径增长7.23%.马尾松受害后除影响当年梢生长外还影响其次年梢生长.树高在141～180 cm左右的马尾松受...     

Effect of soil temperature on root and shoot growth and on budburst timing in conifer seedling transplants

Root growth in seedling transplants of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis(Dougl.) Forbes), noble fir (Abies procera Rehd.), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud.) and ponderosa pine (Pines ponderosa Doug. ex Laws.) began when soil temperature exceeded 5 °C. Root growth increased rapidly after 10 °C and attained maximum values at 20 °C. At 30 °C, no root growth occurred in the firs; in the pines, root growth was 30 to 39% of maximum. Maximum shoot growth also occurred at 20 °C. In ponderosa pine, height growth of seedlings from a high-elevation source was unaffected by cold soil, but in low-elevation seedlings it was reduced. Budburst in Douglas-fir and the pines was delayed up to 11 days by cold soil, whereas in silver fir and noble fir, it was only slightly delayed. Prior to new root growth in ponderosa pine, xylem pressure potentials and stomatal conductances during the afternoon indicated reduced stomatal opening at all soil temperatures, whereas 23 days later, stomata were open to a greater degree when temperatures exceeded 10 °C.     

Effect of shifting cultivation on soil physical and chemical properties in Bandarban hill district, Bangladesh

This study reports the effects of shifting cultivation at slashing stage on soil physicochemical properties at Bandarban Sadar Upazila in Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. At this initial stage of ...     

桉树择伐后套种3种阔叶树的生长及土壤理化性状效应分析

为探讨桉树择伐后套种阔叶树的可行性和适生性,摸索适宜的桉树套种混交模式,对闽南山地桉树人工林择伐后分别套种米老排、卷荚相思、灰木莲所形成的复层异龄混交林分的生长量及土壤理化性状进行调查分析。结果表明:1)桉树择伐后,采用3桉∶3阔的行带状方式套种米老排、卷荚相思、灰木莲的不同混交林中,3个阔叶树种的保存率均较高且生长良好,均可达到速丰林的年均生长量标准;桉树—米老排、桉树—卷荚相思、桉树—灰木莲混交均可以有效促进桉树的生长,并在一定程度上改善土壤理化性状。2)套种后混交林中的桉树树高、胸径、材积分别比纯林提高3.35%～11.24%、4.05%～12.32%和11.85%～40.59%。3)米老排、卷荚相思和灰木莲与桉树的套种方式可作为桉树纯林择伐后套种混交的推荐模式。     

不同土壤水分胁迫格局对印度沙漠中的黄檀种苗营养吸收和生物量的影响

1998年7月,利用非称重式蒸渗池种植单一种源的一年生黄檀种苗,研究在印度沙漠地区培养黄檀种苗的合理灌水技术参数。当各处理（W1、W2、W3、W4）的土壤水分含量分别降低到7.56%、5.79%、4.44%和3.23%时,通过灌溉使苗木生长保持在一定的土壤的水分状况,如36.2mm（W1）、26.5mm（W2）、20.2mm（W3）和18.1mm（W4）。结果表明,在36.2mm（W1）水平时,种苗的株高、冠径、叶数和叶面积达到最大值（p〈0.01）。在W1和W2处理中,虽然上述参数没有明显差异,但在W2处理中,种苗的每升水分利用率的生物量最大。在W3、W4和W5灌溉水平下,不利于提高种苗的株高、生物量和营养积累。在W2水平以下（5.79%）,土壤水分有效率能提高根系生物量占总生物量的百分比。但在W3和W4处理中,叶干生物量百分比下降,同时在W5处理中,茎干生物量百分比下降。在W5处理中,土壤水势达到-196Mpa,种苗才可以成活。在W3和W4处理中,土壤水分有效率的限额影响黄檀种苗的生长和生物量。在W2处理中,土壤水分有效利用率最高,种苗的生长和生物量达到最高值。因此,在壤砂土条件下,通过灌溉维持幼苗土壤水分含量在5.79%以上时,可获得较好的黄檀种苗的生长和生物量产量。