Influence of spot mounding on height growth and tending of Norway spruce: case study in Latvia

Abstract

A., Jansons, J., Neimane, U., Jansons, Ā. 2016. Infl uence of spot mounding on height growth and tending of Norway spruce: case study in Latvia. -Forestry Studies | Metsanduslikud Uurimused 65, 24-33. ISSN 1406-9954. Journal homepage: http://mi.emu.ee/forestry.studies Abstract. Norway spruce is commonly regenerated by planting and disc trenching is by far the most widely used soil preparation method in Latvia; however, in specifi c site conditions other methods might be benefi cial. Therefore aim of our study was to assess infl uence of spot mounding on early growth and tending of Norway spruce in hemiboreal forests. Spot mounding was compared with disc trenching or no soil preparation in central part of Latvia (57° N 24° E) in fi ve different forest types, where two-year-old containerized Norway spruce seedlings were planted. Infl uence of soil preparation method on tending was assessed in the same region in two different sites in a single forest type on drained fertile mineral soil. Spot mounding had positive effect on the height increment of the dominant trees at the 6 th to 8 th growing season. Mean height of Norway spruce at the end of 8 th growing season on mounds signifi cantly exceeded that on unprepared soil: 179 ± 6.5 and 152 ± 6.2 cm, respectively. Similarly mean height on mounds was signifi cantly larger than on furrows: 209 ± 3.9 and 154 ± 4.0 cm, respectively. Projective vegetation cover before the tending was signifi cantly higher in spot-mounded, but after -in disc trenched sites. Networking time for brashsaw operators in spot-mounded (478 min/ha -1 ) and disc trenched (462 min/ha -1 ) sites was similar (p > 0.05). Overall, spot mounding ensured more suitable microenvironment resulting in higher productivity of planted trees and had no negative effect on quality or effi ciency of tending, therefore its wider use is recommended.

Classifying soil stoniness based on the excavator boom vibration data in mounding operations

“…The seedlings are later planted on top of the resulting mounds. This paper focuses on spot mounding as the soil preparation method because: it can be carried out using an excavator; it is one of the most commonly-used forest soil preparation methods in Finland (Äijälä et al 2014); and it is also widely used in other countries (Sutton 1993;Dzerina et al 2016;Londo and Mroz 2001). In addition to excavator-based spot mounding operations, there are also forwarder-mounted continuously advancing mounders (Löf et al 2015).…”

Effect of Stem Diameter, Genetics, and Wood Properties on Stem Cracking in Norway Spruce

“…Norway spruce is economically important, compared to other forest trees and fast-growing tree species, and it covers extensive areas of the Baltic Sea region [1,2]. A high rate of survival and reduced risks of damage are essential to ensure the financial viability of the increasing investments in regeneration (primarily planting), especially while using genetically improved seedlots [3][4][5]. Therefore, not only high-volume production and timber quality, but also adaptive traits, are important breeding objectives [6,7].…”

Adaptation Capacity of Norway Spruce Provenances in Western Latvia

“…Identification of both productive and robust provenances for utilisation in different climatic environments is in the focus of genetic adaptation to climate change [6]. The regeneration of Norway spruce almost exclusively by planting implies the importance of the adaptation of selected populations to their target planting locations through breeding and selection, thus reducing the potential risks for initial investments in stand establishment [7,8]. In general, a gain of ca.…”