Lodgepole pine and trembling aspen competition: Neighbourhood studies within 22 to 39 year-old pine plantations of northern British Columbia

Six lodgepole pine plantations located within the Sub Boreal Spruce (SBS) biogeoclimatic zone of the northern interior of British Columbia were chosen to study the impacts of neighbourhood aspen competition on the growth of planted lodgepole pine (22–39 years old). At each site, 30 pine trees (CP) w...

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Main Author: by George Harper
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Canadian Institute of Forestry 2017-10-01
Series:The Forestry Chronicle
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pubs.cif-ifc.org/doi/10.5558/tfc2017-031
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author by George Harper
author_facet by George Harper
author_sort by George Harper
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description Six lodgepole pine plantations located within the Sub Boreal Spruce (SBS) biogeoclimatic zone of the northern interior of British Columbia were chosen to study the impacts of neighbourhood aspen competition on the growth of planted lodgepole pine (22–39 years old). At each site, 30 pine trees (CP) were selected as plot centres across the observed range of aspen competition. Information on the six nearest neighbours (NN) and a variety of competition indices were evaluated using linear and nonlinear models. Competition indices based on diameter or height relative to size were found as the best overall predictors of CP growth. Proximity of NN to the CP was found to be inconsistent as a predictor of growth. Individual pine and aspen NN modelling suggested aspen competition had the greatest influence on CP growth restriction. The results do not support aspen thresholds for optimizing the growth of free growing pine plantations. It is recommended that performance-based standards be developed that account for aspen competition intensity and provide guidance for the management of pine stand productivity.
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spelling doaj-art-c018af6de1f6494e98e9a4706afa80d52025-08-20T03:44:04ZengCanadian Institute of ForestryThe Forestry Chronicle0015-75461499-93152017-10-01930322624010.5558/tfc2017-031Lodgepole pine and trembling aspen competition: Neighbourhood studies within 22 to 39 year-old pine plantations of northern British Columbiaby George Harper0Resource Practices Branch, B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 9C2Six lodgepole pine plantations located within the Sub Boreal Spruce (SBS) biogeoclimatic zone of the northern interior of British Columbia were chosen to study the impacts of neighbourhood aspen competition on the growth of planted lodgepole pine (22–39 years old). At each site, 30 pine trees (CP) were selected as plot centres across the observed range of aspen competition. Information on the six nearest neighbours (NN) and a variety of competition indices were evaluated using linear and nonlinear models. Competition indices based on diameter or height relative to size were found as the best overall predictors of CP growth. Proximity of NN to the CP was found to be inconsistent as a predictor of growth. Individual pine and aspen NN modelling suggested aspen competition had the greatest influence on CP growth restriction. The results do not support aspen thresholds for optimizing the growth of free growing pine plantations. It is recommended that performance-based standards be developed that account for aspen competition intensity and provide guidance for the management of pine stand productivity.https://pubs.cif-ifc.org/doi/10.5558/tfc2017-031Lodgepole pineaspenboreal mixedwoodsnearest neighboursstem volumecompetition
spellingShingle by George Harper
Lodgepole pine and trembling aspen competition: Neighbourhood studies within 22 to 39 year-old pine plantations of northern British Columbia
The Forestry Chronicle
Lodgepole pine
aspen
boreal mixedwoods
nearest neighbours
stem volume
competition
title Lodgepole pine and trembling aspen competition: Neighbourhood studies within 22 to 39 year-old pine plantations of northern British Columbia
title_full Lodgepole pine and trembling aspen competition: Neighbourhood studies within 22 to 39 year-old pine plantations of northern British Columbia
title_fullStr Lodgepole pine and trembling aspen competition: Neighbourhood studies within 22 to 39 year-old pine plantations of northern British Columbia
title_full_unstemmed Lodgepole pine and trembling aspen competition: Neighbourhood studies within 22 to 39 year-old pine plantations of northern British Columbia
title_short Lodgepole pine and trembling aspen competition: Neighbourhood studies within 22 to 39 year-old pine plantations of northern British Columbia
title_sort lodgepole pine and trembling aspen competition neighbourhood studies within 22 to 39 year old pine plantations of northern british columbia
topic Lodgepole pine
aspen
boreal mixedwoods
nearest neighbours
stem volume
competition
url https://pubs.cif-ifc.org/doi/10.5558/tfc2017-031
work_keys_str_mv AT bygeorgeharper lodgepolepineandtremblingaspencompetitionneighbourhoodstudieswithin22to39yearoldpineplantationsofnorthernbritishcolumbia