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Forest Ecosystems 2014, 1(1): 4 https://doi.org/10.1186/2197-5620-1-4
Research | Open Access | Issue | Published: 26 February 2014

Height increment of understorey Norway spruces under different tree canopies

Show Author's Information Olavi Laiho1,  Timo Pukkala2( ),  Erkki Lähde1
Joen Forest Program Consulting, Rauhankatu 41, 80100 Joensuu, Finland
Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. 11180101 Joensuu, Finland
Keywords:
Growth model, Continuous cover forestry, Advance regeneration, Picea abies, Uneven-aged management
Cite this article:
Laiho O, Pukkala T, Lähde E. Height increment of understorey Norway spruces under different tree canopies. Forest Ecosystems, 2014, 1(1): 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/2197-5620-1-4
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Abstract Full text About this article
Background

Stands having advance regeneration of spruce are logical places to start continuous cover forestry (CCF) in fertile and mesic boreal forests. However, the development of advance regeneration is poorly known.

Methods

This study used regression analysis to model the height increment of spruce understorey as a function of seedling height, site characteristics and canopy structure.

Results

An admixture of pine and birch in the main canopy improves the height increment of understorey. When the stand basal area is 20 m2ha-1 height increment is twice as fast under pine and birch canopies, as compared to spruce. Height increment of understorey spruce increases with increasing seedling height. Between-stand and within-stand residual variation in the height increment of understorey spruces is high. The increment of 1/6 fastest-growing seedlings is at least 50% greater than the average.

Conclusions

The results of this study help forest managers to regulate the density and species composition of the stand, so as to obtain a sufficient height development of the understorey. In pure and almost pure spruce stands, the stand basal area should be low for a good height increment of the understorey.


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About this article

Height increment of understorey Norway spruces under different tree canopies

Show Author's information Olavi Laiho1, Timo Pukkala2( ), Erkki Lähde1
Joen Forest Program Consulting, Rauhankatu 41, 80100 Joensuu, Finland
Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. 11180101 Joensuu, Finland

Abstract

Background

Stands having advance regeneration of spruce are logical places to start continuous cover forestry (CCF) in fertile and mesic boreal forests. However, the development of advance regeneration is poorly known.

Methods

This study used regression analysis to model the height increment of spruce understorey as a function of seedling height, site characteristics and canopy structure.

Results

An admixture of pine and birch in the main canopy improves the height increment of understorey. When the stand basal area is 20 m2ha-1 height increment is twice as fast under pine and birch canopies, as compared to spruce. Height increment of understorey spruce increases with increasing seedling height. Between-stand and within-stand residual variation in the height increment of understorey spruces is high. The increment of 1/6 fastest-growing seedlings is at least 50% greater than the average.

Conclusions

The results of this study help forest managers to regulate the density and species composition of the stand, so as to obtain a sufficient height development of the understorey. In pure and almost pure spruce stands, the stand basal area should be low for a good height increment of the understorey.

Keywords: Growth model, Continuous cover forestry, Advance regeneration, Picea abies, Uneven-aged management

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Publication history

Received: 30 May 2013
Accepted: 13 August 2013
Published: 26 February 2014
Issue date: March 2014

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© 2014 Laiho et al.; licensee Springer.

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This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited.

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