Evaluation of competitive effects of green alder,willow and other tall shrubs on white spruce and lodgepole pine in Northern Alberta |
| |
| Authors: | Francesco Cortini Philip G Comeau |
| |
| Institution: | University of Alberta, Department of Renewable Resources, 751 General Services Building, Edmonton, Alta., Canada T6G 2H1 |
| |
| Abstract: | In boreal forests of western Canada, lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex. Loud.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) often grow together with numerous tall shrubs such as green alder (Alnus crispa (Ait.) Pursh) and little-tree willow (Salix spp.). In an area south of Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, we examined the effects of shrubs, herbs and other trees on nutrient and light availability and growth of white spruce and lodgepole pine. For white spruce the best competition measure (tested against volume increments of the past 3 years) was visually estimated % ground cover times the height of the competitor (VCHT) with light (DIFN) ranking in third place. For lodgepole pine, DIFN was the best competition measure for predicting volume increment and the best competition index was again VCHT. Taller conifers had a stronger competitive effect than tall shrubs, with their effect on white spruce being larger than that on lodgepole pine. |
| |
| Keywords: | Interspecific plant competition Nutrients availability Nitrogen Tree growth Light transmittance Competition index Visual cover estimate Regeneration standard Green alder Willow Lodgepole pine White spruce |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
