Influence of early thinning in broadleaved stands on development of remaining stems

Abstract

Precommercial thinning studies were performed in eight hardwood stands in southern Sweden. Birch (Betula pendula Roth and B. pubescens Ehrh.) was the dominating tree species, but aspen (Populus tremula L.), black alder [Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.] and lime (Tilia cordata Mill.) were also present. Main stems were selected before thinning. Three treatments were applied in each stand: (1) no thinning (control), (2) standard thinning, and (3) strong thinning, i.e. leaving about two-thirds of the stem number of treatment 2. Each treatment was replicated three times on all sites. The development of the main stems were recorded during the five consecutive years. Breast height diameter and green crown size (length and width) developed significantly more slowly in the control treatment than in the thinned ones, whereas tree height development was little affected by treatment. Simulation of 10 years’ future growth from the time of the end of the study indicated that future diameter growth will be lower in initially non-thinned stands than in immediately thinned ones. The study results stress the importance for future growth of proper early silviculture in young broadleaved stands (i.e. early and high intensity thinning), a topic that has not been fully evaluated before.     

抚育间伐对鲁中山区油松人工林生长的影响

以淄博市鲁山林场的油松人工林为研究对象,从胸径、单株材积和单位面积蓄积量3个林木生长指标来分析抚育间伐对林分生长的影响。结果表明,与对照样地相比,2000年抚育间伐的油松人工林在2001—2004,2005—2008和2009—2012年的平均胸径生长量分别提高了7.28%,78.95%和205.00%,平均单株材积生长量分别提高了15.38%,101.75%和312.24%。此外,与对照样地相比,2000年抚育间伐的油松人工林在2005—2008和2009—2012年的单位面积蓄积量分别提高了84.18%和294.50%。可见,抚育间伐可有效促进油松的生长,该研究为人工林抚育间伐提供了科学依据。     

Growth and thinning effects during a rotation period of hybrid aspen in southern Sweden

Hybrid aspen is an interesting tree species for wood production in northern Europe. In this study we examined growth dynamics over the whole rotation period. Height and diameter development, as well as annual growth of stem volume and stem biomass, were repeatedly recorded in 14 planted and 2 root sucker stands, aged up to 26 years, in southern Sweden. A main aim was to study the productivity level for hybrid aspen forestry with an expected rotation period of about 25 years. The study verified earlier prognoses, showing a mean annual increment (MAI) of 19.5 m³ of stem wood ha^?1 yr^?1 after 25 years. This corresponds to a dry weight of stem biomass of 7.2 tons dry matter (DM) ha^?1 yr^?1. Maximum MAI was still not reached after 25 years, although the growth curve was flattening out. If branch biomass is included, MAI is estimated to about 9 tons DM ha^?1 yr^?1 and further improvements in growth is expected by using the best genotypically selected clones available. Results from three different thinning regimens showed that thinning intensity provided significantly larger diameter growth, while no significant yield effects were seen among the thinning regimens.     

Impact of intraspecific competition on growth and financial development of loblolly pine plantations

Five stocking levels of 2,471, 1,483, 741, 494, and 247 trees/ha (TPH) were established to study competition among young loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Growth comparisons were made between pairs of adjacent densities, which had measurement trees of similar characteristics but had differing stocking densities. Measurable competition, inferred by reduction in diameter increment, began shortly after age 6 at 2,471 TPH, at approximately age 7 at 1,483 TPH, age 8 at 741 TPH, and age 9 at 494 TPH. By age 21, total merchantable volume was the same for all density levels, (209 m³/ha) but sawtimber volume was inversely related to density level. Competitive growth pressures exerted by the higher stand densities through age 21 affected crop tree growth between ages 21 and 31. Although densities were thinned at ages 21 and 26, crop tree growth on the 2,471, 1,483, and 741 TPH densities was less than the 494 and 247 TPH densities.