Influence of herbicides and felling, fertilization, and prescribed fire on longleaf pine growth and understory vegetation through ten growing seasons and the outcome of an ensuing wildfire

Autor: James D. Haywood
Rok vydání: 2010
Předmět:
Zdroj: New Forests. 41:55-73
ISSN: 1573-5095
0169-4286
DOI: 10.1007/s11056-010-9209-9
Popis: Restoring longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) over much of its original range requires artificial regeneration. In central Louisiana, USA, two fertilization levels—No (NF) or Yes (F-36 kg/ha N and 40 kg/ha P) in combination with three vegetation treatments—Check, four prescribed fires (PF), or multi-year vegetation control by herbicidal and mechanical means (IVM) were applied to container-grown longleaf pine plantings in a grass savanna. After 10 years, P concentration in longleaf pine foliage was less on NF plots than F plots, but fertilization did not significantly affect tree stature. Survival was greater on NF plots than F plots, and so, NF plots were more productive (NF—63 m3/ha and F—45 m3/ha). Pine trees on IVM plots (37 dm3/tree) were significantly larger than on Check and PF plots, which averaged 17 dm3/tree. Survival was better on IVM plots (88%) than PF plots (78%), which was better than Checks (58%). Consequently, IVM plots were most productive (99 m3/ha), followed by PF plots (44 m3/ha), and lastly Checks (28 m3/ha). PF plots had greater grass cover (38%) than Check and IVM plots, which averaged 5%, whereas PF and IVM plots had less understory arborescent cover (an average of 25%) than Checks (91%). A wildfire in March 2007 reduced pine survival by 22, 14, and 1 percentage points on IVM, Check, and PF plots, respectively. Seven months later, longleaf pine production had decreased to 92 m3/ha on IVM plots while increasing to 55 m3/ha on PF plots and 30 m3/ha on Checks. Overall, the wildfire rejuvenated the herbaceous plant community. Grass cover on Check and IVM plots averaged 20% while grass cover on PF plots was 36%. Forb cover increased on all treatments from 2% before the wildfire to 13% seven months after the wildfire. Understory arborescent cover decreased on Checks to 62% but increased slightly on PF and IVM plots and averaged 30%.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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