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Radial and stand-level thinning treatments: 15-year growth response of legacy ponderosa and Jeffrey pine trees
Author(s): Sharon M. Hood; Daniel R. Cluck; Bobette E. Jones; Sean Pinnell
Date: 2017
Source: Society for Ecological Restoration. doi: 10.1111/rec.12638.
Publication Series: Scientific Journal (JRNL)
Station: Rocky Mountain Research Station
PDF: Download Publication (657.0 KB)Description
Restoration efforts to improve vigor of large, old trees and decrease risk to high-intensity wildland fire and drought-mediated insect mortality often include reductions in stand density. We examined 15-year growth response of old ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) trees in northeastern California, U.S.A. to two levels of thinning treatments compared to an untreated (control) area. Density reductions involved radial thinning (thinning 9.1m around individual trees) and stand thinning. Annual tree growth in the stand thinning increased immediately following treatment and was sustained over the 15 years. In contrast, radial thinning did not increase growth, but slowed decline compared to control trees. Available soil moisture was higher in the stand thinning than the control for 5 years post-treatment and likely extended seasonal tree growth. Our results show that large, old trees can respond to restoration thinning treatments, but that the level of thinning impacts this response. Stand thinning must be sufficiently intensive to improve old tree growth and health, in part due to increasing available soil moisture. Importantly, focusing stand density reductions around the immediate neighborhood of legacy trees was insufficient to elicit a growth response, calling into question treatments attempting to increase vigor of legacy trees while still maintaining closed canopies in dry, coniferous forest types. Although radial thinning did not affect tree growth rates, this treatment may still achieve other resource objectives not studied here, such as protecting wildlife habitat, reducing the risk of severe fire injury, and decreasing susceptibility to bark beetle attacks.Publication Notes
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Citation
Hood, Sharon M.; Cluck, Daniel R.; Jones, Bobette E.; Pinnell, Sean. 2017. Radial and stand-level thinning treatments: 15-year growth response of legacy ponderosa and Jeffrey pine trees. Society for Ecological Restoration. doi: 10.1111/rec.12638.Cited
Keywords
forest restoration, old-growth, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus ponderosa, release, thinning intensityRelated Search
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https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/55534