home
focus and scope
journal policies
Focus and scope Peer review process Openness and transparency Publication frequency Archiving Article processing charges Criteria for authorship and contributors Conflicts of interest Allegations of misconduct Complaints process Sponsors Journal History
author instructions
General Metadata Article Categories Openness and transparency Submission of manuscripts Manuscript text Citation standards Tables and figures Acknowledgements, funding and availability of research materials and data Supplementary files Procedures for revised and accepted manuscripts
special issues
editors
open access
other journals
Metsätieteen aikakauskirja Dissertationes Forestales Suo - Mires and Peat
contact
financial information
Full text of this article is only available in PDF format.

Aaron R. Weiskittel (email), Laura S. Kenefic, Robert S. Seymour, Leah M. Phillips

Long-term effects of precommercial thinning on the stem dimensions, form and branch characteristics of red spruce and balsam fir crop trees in Maine, USA

Weiskittel A. R., Kenefic L. S., Seymour R. S., Phillips L. M. (2009). Long-term effects of precommercial thinning on the stem dimensions, form and branch characteristics of red spruce and balsam fir crop trees in Maine, USA. Silva Fennica vol. 43 no. 3 article id 196. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.196

Abstract

The effects of precommercial thinning (PCT) on stem dimensions, form, volume, and branch attributes of red spruce [Picea rubens Sarg.] and balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.] crop trees were assessed 25 years after treatment in an even-aged northern conifer stand. Treatments were a uniform 2.4 x 2.4-m spacing and a control (no PCT). The PCT treatment significantly increased individual tree diameter at breast height (DBH), height growth, crown ratio, and crown width, while it reduced the tree height to DBH ratio. PCT also significantly increased stem taper and consequently, regional volume equations overpredicted observed stem volume by 2 to 15%, particularly for the spaced trees. PCT also increased the number and maximum size of branches on the lower bole. The sizes of knots on half of the sampled spruce crop trees in the spaced plots precluded them from being used as select structural lumber; there were no other effects on log grade. Our findings indicate that PCT can have a long-term influence on the structural attributes of individual trees, and that improved stem-volume prediction equations are needed in the Acadian region of North America.

Keywords
Acadian Forest; growth and yield; Abies balsamea; Picea rubens; precommercial thinning

Author Info
  • Weiskittel, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA E-mail aaron.weiskittel@umit.maine.edu (email)
  • Kenefic, U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Bradley, ME 04411, USA E-mail lsk@nn.us
  • Seymour, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA E-mail rss@nn.us
  • Phillips, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA E-mail lmp@nn.us

Received 2 June 2008 Accepted 8 June 2009 Published 31 December 2009

Views 12739

Available at https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.196 | Download PDF

Creative Commons License CC BY-SA 4.0
Register
Click this link to register to Silva Fennica.
Log in
If you are a registered user, log in to save your selected articles for later access.
Contents alert
Sign up to receive alerts of new content
Export reference to EndNote / RefWorks
Related articles
Your selected articles
Send to email
Park B.-J., Morikawa T. et al. (2009) Physiological effects of ingesting eucalyptus es.. Silva Fennica vol. 43 no. 1 article id 223 (remove) | Edit comment
Suuriniemi I., Matero J. et al. (2012) Factors affecting enlargement of family forest h.. Silva Fennica vol. 46 no. 2 article id 58 (remove) | Edit comment
Westman C. J., Laine J. et al. (1985) A comparison of gravimetric and volumetric soil .. Silva Fennica vol. 19 no. 1 article id 5232 (remove) | Edit comment
Heikkilä J., Sirén M. et al. (2009) Energy wood thinning as a part of stand manageme.. Silva Fennica vol. 43 no. 1 article id 220 (remove) | Edit comment
Heikurainen L., (1957) Eutrophic pine bogs and their suitability for dr.. Silva Fennica vol. no. 93 article id 4672 (remove) | Edit comment
Kallio A. M. I., (2001) Interdependence of the sawlog, pulpwood and sawm.. Silva Fennica vol. 35 no. 2 article id 598 (remove) | Edit comment
Kalliokoski T., Nygren P. et al. (2008) Coarse root architecture of three boreal tree sp.. Silva Fennica vol. 42 no. 2 article id 252 (remove) | Edit comment
Kaitaniemi P., Riihimäki J. et al. (2007) Experimental evidence for associational resistan.. Silva Fennica vol. 41 no. 2 article id 295 (remove) | Edit comment
Lapointe B., Bradley R. et al. (2006) Nutrient and light availability to white spruce .. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 330 (remove) | Edit comment
Nurmi J., (1993) Heating values of the above ground biomass of sm.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 0 no. 236 article id 7682 (remove) | Edit comment
Kozlowski T. T., Sasaki S. et al. (1967) Effects of temperature on phytotoxicity of monur.. Silva Fennica vol. 1 no. 3 article id 4752 (remove) | Edit comment
Hellberg E., Josefsson T. et al. (2009) The transformation of a Norway spruce dominated .. Silva Fennica vol. 43 no. 5 article id 173 (remove) | Edit comment
Laurila J., Lauhanen R. (2010) Moisture content of Norway spruce stump wood at .. Silva Fennica vol. 44 no. 3 article id 140 (remove) | Edit comment
Monteleone I., Ferrazzini D. et al. (2006) Effectiveness of neutral RAPD markers to detect .. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 476 (remove) | Edit comment
Luoranen J., Konttinen K. et al. (2009) Frost hardening and risk of a second flush in No.. Silva Fennica vol. 43 no. 2 article id 209 (remove) | Edit comment
Sarkkola S., Hökkä H. et al. (2004) Natural development of stand structure in peatla.. Silva Fennica vol. 38 no. 4 article id 408 (remove) | Edit comment
Rosenberg O., Jacobson S. (2004) Effects of repeated slash removal in thinned sta.. Silva Fennica vol. 38 no. 2 article id 423 (remove) | Edit comment
Rouvinen S., Kouki J. (2011) Tree regeneration in artificial canopy gaps esta.. Silva Fennica vol. 45 no. 5 article id 88 (remove) | Edit comment
Katila M., (2006) Empirical errors of small area estimates from th.. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 324 (remove) | Edit comment
Kojola S., Penttilä T. et al. (2004) Impacts of different thinning regimes on the yie.. Silva Fennica vol. 38 no. 4 article id 407 (remove) | Edit comment
Martínez-Álvarez P., Alves-Santos F. M. et al. (2012) In vitro and in vivo interactions between Tricho.. Silva Fennica vol. 46 no. 3 article id 42 (remove) | Edit comment
Laamanen R., Kangas A. (2011) Large-scale forest owner’s information needs in .. Silva Fennica vol. 45 no. 4 article id 101 (remove) | Edit comment
Peltoniemi M., Thürig E. et al. (2007) Models in country scale carbon accounting of for.. Silva Fennica vol. 41 no. 3 article id 290 (remove) | Edit comment
Diaz-Balteiro L., Voces R. et al. (2011) Making sustainability rankings using compromise .. Silva Fennica vol. 45 no. 4 article id 103 (remove) | Edit comment
Oker-Blom P., (1986) Photosynthetic radiation regime and canopy struc.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 0 no. 197 article id 7643 (remove) | Edit comment
Repola J., (2006) Models for vertical wood density of Scots pine, .. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 322 (remove) | Edit comment
Weiskittel A. R., Kenefic L. S. et al. (2009) Long-term effects of precommercial thinning on t.. Silva Fennica vol. 43 no. 3 article id 196 (remove) | Edit comment
Your search results
Silva Fennica · Finnish Society of Forest Science