| Title: |
Effect of Aerial Fertilization
on Regeneration Stocking
|
| Objective: |
1) To provide a vivid demonstration of the effects of fertilization
on growth and development of young regeneration obtained after
harvest cutting.
2) To assess the impact of fertilization on production of wildlife
browse and its crude protein content.
3) To assess the impact on deer day usage.
4) To determine the degree of nutrient movement into stream
water and its effect on stream fauna. |
| Year Established: |
1974 |
| Year Completed: |
1978 |
| Site Description: |
Allegheny National Forest:
| District |
Compartment |
Stand
|
Location
|
Sheffield
Ridgway
Bradford
Bradford |
32
67
61
61
|
12
2
1
3
|
Cherry Grove Rd.
Rt. 185
Rt. 188 (unit 1)
Rt. 188 (unit 5) |
Forest Type is Cherry-Maple.
|
| Statistical Design: |
Three large area replications of fertilized vs. unfertilized
conditions.
A) 150 0.001-acre monitoring plots were selectively established
on 75 acres of forest. Plots were evenly distributed within
fertilized and unfertilized areas - about 1 plot per acre
of treated area.
B) 29 0.001-acre plots were established for regeneration study.
C) 114 6' x 25' pellet group plots were established 25' south
of the steel stakes marking the vegetation plot corners on
Bradford and Ridgway sites.
|
| Likelihood of Locating Study Areas: |
100% |
| Experimental Treatments: |
Bradford and Ridgway sites were fertilized May, 1974 with
Site preparation made during 1972.
|
District:
|
Compartment:
|
Stand:
|
Acres:
|
Growing
Seasons
Since Cut:
|
% of Area
Fertilized:
|
|
Sheffield
Ridgway
Bradford
Bradford
|
32
67
61
61
|
12
2
1
3
|
25
53
28
26
|
2
3
2
2
|
50
50
100
0
|
|
| Sampling Methods: |
A complete set of color slides, color photographs, and b &
w photographs were taken of the fertilizer operation. Additional
pictures were taken from permanent points established at Ridgway
to illustrate growth responses.
Pretreatment aquatic samples were obtained May, 1974.
Pretreatment water samples were taken weekly between March 19
and May 7, 1994.
Pretreatment tree height and diameter measurements were recorded
on 144 0.01-acre unenclosed plots on Ridgway and Bradford. 50%
were fertilized and 50% were unfertilized.
Pretreatment vegetation stocking tallies were made on 114 0.001-acre
plots on Ridgway and Bradford sites. Tallies included samples
to be used to predict above ground biomass, browsable material,
and crude protein. 50% of plots were fertilized and 50% were
unfertilized. Tree diameters were recorded at a height of 12"
above ground level. The tallest 15 trees per species on each
plot were measured during pretreatment height and diameter sampling.
Height and diameter measurements were made on the 50 tallest
black cherry seedlings within 2 separate 0.1-acre plots within
the enclosures on the Ridgway site. |
| Variables and Sampling Frequency: |
Regeneration seedling counts by species and height class:
<1', 1'-3', 3'-5', 5': 1974, 1975, 1976.
Herbaceous cover: 1974, 1975, 1976.
Independent: basal area growth, height growth, biomass, crude
protein content, deer day-use, nutrient concentrations in
stream water, aquatic population changes.
Dependent: fertilization (300 lbs/acre N, 100 lbs/acre P205).
|
| QA/QC Practices: |
Safety regulations were followed with all fertilizer use. |
| Data Storage: |
Raw data by plot reside on DG and tally sheets are kept with
written instructions and detailed maps to each stand. Annually,
the raw data are transformed using the REGEN1 program in DG
Info. System. Summarized data by plot and by stand reside in
a DG-based program that can output to ASCII text files. |
| Global Change Research Applications: |
Studies of Ecosystem Processes |
| Data Availability: |
unknown |
| Publications and Reports: |
Study plan. 1974. Lew Auchmoody, Steve Steele
Establishment report. 1974. Lew Auchmoody, Steve Steele.
The above are office reports of U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, Warren
PA.
|
| Contact: |
Susan Stout, USDA, Forest Service, P.O.
Box 267, Irvine PA 16329. (814) 563-1040 |
| Cooperation: |
Dr. A. L. Leaf, S.U.N.Y. College of Environmental Science
and Forestry; Allegheny National Forest, PA. |
