1

The Effects of Plantation Density on the Growth of Lodgepole Pine: 20

year Results

W.D. Johnstone (emeritus scientist)F. J. van Thienen (retired)

Presented by G. Harper (Research Scientist, FPIB, MoFML)

2

EP 964

-What is the optimum pine management regime?

-Species espacement (planting density) trial :

-26 installations -(Pl, Sx/Sw, Lw, Fdi)

-Planted @ 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 sph

-144 trees /plot x 3 reps / site (CRBD)

3

Treatmentnumber

Treatment(trees/ha)

Intertreedistance (m)

Plot size (ha)

1 500 4.47 0.2420

2 1000 3.16 0.1210

3 1500 2.58 0.0807

4 2000 2.24 0.0605

5 2500 2.00 0.0484

4

Lodgepole pine

12 sites total

Only 5 - 20 years old ( )

Example: 20 years after

establishment at Crow Creek –

964.06

5

EP 964.06 – Lodgepole pineCrow Creek - Nadina Forest District

SBS mc2 / 01 (Sx, Pl, Bl)

970 m elevation

Lodgepole pine planted 1987

Fill planted mortality (88-91)

Brushed & ingress removed

1997

5-20 year data (1992, 1997, 2001, 2006)

Johnstone and van Thienen (2011, in press)

6

EP 964.06 – Lodgepole pine- diameter growth

0 5 10 15 200

5

10

15

500 tph

1000 tph

1500 tpht

2000 tph

2500 tph

Years after planting

Arit

hmet

ic m

ean

dbh

(cm

)

Johnstone and van Thienen (2011, in press)

7

EP 964.06 – Lodgepole pine- height growth

0 5 10 15 200

5

10

500 tph

1000 tph

1500 tph

2000 tph

2500 tph

Years after planting

Mea

n he

ight

(m

)

500 tphJohnstone and van Thienen (2011, in press)

8

EP 964.06 – Lodgepole pine

Individual tree total volume Stand total volume

Series10

20

40

60

80

100

500 tph

1000 tph

1500 tph

2000 tph

2500 tph

To

tal v

olu

me

(d

m3

)/tr

ee

Series10

20

40

60

80

100

500 tph

1000 tph

1500 tph

2000 tph

2500 tph

Tot

al v

olum

e (m

3/ha

)

Johnstone and van Thienen (2011, in press)

9

EP 964.06 – Lodgepole pine

Installation # 6 (Nadina)

Effects of espacement after 20 years: No effect on

height, periodic height growth, % survival

Significant effect on all other tree and per hectare valuesCrown sizeDBHVolume (tree & stand)

10

EP 964.06 – Lodgepole pine

20 year Response Summary from 5 installations

- the (%) difference between overall mean and treatment mean.

Installation # District BECdata - years post

treatment

2 Nadina SBSmc2 20

6 Nadina SBSmc2 20

7 Williams Lake SBSdw2 20

9 Rocky Mountain MS 20

11 Rocky Mountain MS 20

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Lodgepole pine 1500 tph

EP 964.07 Williams Lake 2001SBSdw2

EP 964.02 Nadina 2003SBSmc2

EP 964.11 Rocky Mountain 2004MS

12

EP 964 – Lodgepole pine

20 year Response - 5 sites combined - the (%) difference from the overall mean.

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

-30.00

-20.00

-10.00

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

Height

13

EP 964 – Lodgepole pine

20 year Response - 5 sites combined - the (%) difference from the overall mean.

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

-30.00

-20.00

-10.00

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

DBH

Height

14

EP 964 – Lodgepole pine

20 year Response - 5 sites combined - the (%) difference from the overall mean.

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

-30.00

-20.00

-10.00

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

DBH

Height

5yr DBH inc

15

EP 964 – Lodgepole Pine

20 year Response - 5 sites combined

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

-30.00

-20.00

-10.00

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

DBH

Height

5yr DBH inc

crown width

% live crown

0 1000 2000 30000.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

70.00

80.00

90.00

100.00

% survival

% damage

% disease

16

EP 964 – Interior Spruce

0 1000 2000 3000

-15.00

-10.00

-5.00

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00DBH

Height

5yr DBH inc

5 yr Ht inc

crown width

% live crown

0 1000 2000 30000.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

70.00

80.00

90.00

100.00

% survival

% damage

% disease

17

The End

EP 962.01 2007 MPB damage