|
|
|
Catalog
of Long Term Research Conducted by the Northeastern Research Station
|
 |
Catalog #31
| Title: |
Cultural Treatments Designed
to Reduce Spruce Sawlog Rotation Age
|
| Objective: |
To determine whether cultural treatments can reduce spruce
sawlog rotation age. |
| Year Established: |
1976 |
| Year Completed: |
expected to continue |
| Site Description: |
Penobscot Experimental Forest, Bradley, ME. USGS 15-min series
topo Orono ME Quadrangle. UL: 4969400mN 528800mE or 44deg, 48min,30
sec by 68deg,34min,00sec. LR: 4961300mN 534900mE or 44deg, 52min,
45sec by 68deg, 37min, 30sec.
Soils are derived from glacial till composed of slate and shale
geologic material. The stony fine sandy loam is poorly drained.
The study area is predominantly spruce-fir. |
| Statistical Design: |
Completely randomized 2-factor design with 4 treatments per
replication. The thinning-fertilizer combinations will be assigned
at random to the 32 80'x80' plots including 8 control plots.
(Subset of Compt Mgmt Study NE-4151-007 (compartment 21)). |
| Likelihood of Locating Study Areas: |
100% |
| Experimental Treatments: |
Pre-establishment treatments included: harvest 1957 of 46%
of original volume, final harvest in 1967. Establishment in
1976 of 32 80'x80' plots, 1/2 of these treated with inorganic
fertilizer. Plots received 8 treatments. Some plots may receive
additional thinning. The treatment combinations were:
Conventional spruce crop-tree release - no fertilizer,
Conventional spruce crop-tree release - fertilizer,
Mechanical row thinning - Spruce crop-tree release in the residual
strip - no fertilizer,
Mechanical row thinning - Spruce crop-tree release in the residual
strip - fertilizer,
Mechanical row thinning - no crop-tree release in the residual
strip - no fertilizer,
Mechanical row thinning - no crop-tree release in the residual
strip - fertilizer,
Control - no release - no fertilizer,
and Control - no release - fertilizer.
2-Stage shelterwood system was used to prep forests.
Removal of holdover trees > or = 5" d.b.h.: winter and spring
1976.
Thinning treatments: April through August 1976.
Removal of residual holdover trees older than 20 years: October
1976.
Fertilizer application: Spring 1977 and Spring 1978.
|
| Sampling Methods: |
100% sample of designated crop trees. |
| Variables and Sampling Frequency: |
Plot survey: 1975.
Independent: treatments.
Dependent:
The following measurements were taken in
1976,1979,1975,1986,1991,1994 (18.5 growing seasons)
Average annual d.b.h. growth of trees >0.5" d.b.h.,
Average annual height growth,
Crown length, average crown width, crown area and volume,
Average annual root collar growth,
Basal area per acre of trees >0.5" d.b.h.,
No. trees per acre >0.5" d.b.h.,
Average d.b.h. of trees >0.5" d.b.h.
Soil samples (3 soil samples per plot): October 1976.
|
| QA/QC Practices: |
Visual check of raw data and the use of error-checking computer
programs. |
| Data Storage: |
~5 mbytes on PC, paper, and diskettes. |
| Global Change Research Applications: |
Studies of Ecosystem Processes |
| Data Availability: |
1995 |
| Publications and Reports: |
Study plan. R.M. Frank
Establishment report. R.M. Frank, B.M. Blum, and M.M. Czapowskyj.
Supplement No. 1. March 1977. R.M. Frank, B.M. Blum, and M.M.
Czapowskyj.
Supplement No. 2. August 1986. R.M. Frank, BM Blum, and M.M.
Czapowskyj.
Office report. Frank, R.M. 1983. Summary Progress report
for the Period Mid-Growing Season of 1976 to the Mid-Growing
Season of 1983. (7 growing seasons).
Office report. Frank, R.M. 1987. Summary Progress report
for the Period Mid-Growing Season of 1976 to the Mid-Growing
Season of 1986. (10 growing seasons).
Office report. Frank, R.M. 1992. Summary Progress report
for the Period Mid-Growing Season of 1976 to the Mid-Growing
Season of 1991. (15.5 growing seasons).
The above are office reports of U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, Orono,
ME.
|
| Contact: |
John Brissette / Laura Kenefic, USDA Forest Service, P.O.
Box 640, Durham, NH 03824. (603) 868-7632 |
| Cooperation: |
none |
|
|
