Fertilizer stimulates growth and mortality in a young Populus–Betula stand: 10-year results

Abstract

Following a uniform thinning, a young bigtooth aspen (Populusgrandidentata Michx.), quaking aspen (Populustremuloides Michx.), paper birch (Betulapapyrifera Marsh.), and red maple (Acerrubrum L.) stand was treated with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and lime, singly and combined. Nitrogen increased the growth of all species. Lime and P also tended to increase the growth of bigtooth aspen and paper birch. Nitrogen increased mortality and lime reduced mortality. Quaking aspen suffered proportionally greater mortality than other species. The results suggest that both N and lime will be required for an optimum response of aspen and birch growing on acid spodosols in the Northeast, but the cause of and a means to avoid increased mortality caused by fertilizer needs to be determined before large-scale N fertilizer treatments are adopted.

Pre-commercial thinning effects on growth, yield and mortality in even-aged paper birch stands in British Columbia

“…Mean diameter increment averaged 12% greater on the two higher quality sites, Burton Creek and Eagle Bay, than the two lower quality sites, Barnes Creek and Lee Creek. Growth responses to thinning are well known to increase with site index, site fertility and nitrogen fertilisation (Safford and Czapowskyj, 1986;Harrington and Wierman, 1990;Mitchell et al, 1996;Hasenauer et al, 1997), presumably because of increased potential nutrient availability. Site quality differences are important because thinning prescriptions that are appropriate for sawlog production on high quality sites may be inappropriate on sites of low quality, where cutting too heavily may under-utilise growing space for a prolonged period of time (Strong and Erdemann, 2000;Smith et al, 1997).…”

“…Rate of self-thinning has been shown in other studies to increase with site productivity because of faster growth rates and increased inter-tree competition (Simard, 1990;Radtke and Burkhart, 1999). Mortality has also been shown to increase with fertilisation, possibly by increasing inter-tree competition (Mitchell et al, 1996) or virulence of root pathogens (Safford and Czapowskyj, 1986).…”

Impact of forest liming on growth and crown vigor of sugar maple and associated hardwoods

“…In some studies, lime treatments have been included to moderate soil acidity or augment supplies of Ca and Mg (Mader and Thompson 1969;Leaf and Bickelhaupt 1975;Safford 1973;Czapowskyj and Safford 1979;Lea et al 1979aLea et al , 1979bLea et al , 1980Safford and Czapowskyj 1986;Kedenburg 1987;Ouimet and Fortin 1992;Coté et al 1995). Application rates have ranged from 0.2 to 9.0 Mg⋅ha -1 , usually as dolomitic limestone and have been evaluated from 6 weeks to 10 years after treatment.…”

“…Application rates have ranged from 0.2 to 9.0 Mg⋅ha -1 , usually as dolomitic limestone and have been evaluated from 6 weeks to 10 years after treatment. Significant differences in nutritional status of soils and foliage have been reported frequently following lime application, though reports of positive tree-growth responses are less frequent and species specific (Safford 1973;Czapowskyj and Safford 1979;Safford and Czapowskyj 1986). Mader and Thompson (1969) were the first to apply fertilizers as a corrective treatment for maple decline.…”

Fourth year response of aspen seedlings to lime, nitrogen and phosphorus applied at planting and 1 year after planting

“…Consequently, application of Ca as dolomitic limestone (also containing Mg) might increase growth and improve stand establishment, particularly since young aspen regeneration in eastern USA increased growth following application of dolomitic limestone (Safford and Czapowskyj, 1986).…”