Amy Wotherspoon, Nelson Thiffault, Robert L. Bradley. (2020). Resource availability and physiological response of black spruce to scarification in two climatic regions of Québec (Canada). Silva Fennica vol. 54 no. 4 article id 10375. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.10375

Keywords: Picea mariana; foliar δ18O; foliar δ13C; needle gas exchange; photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency; water use efficiency

Highlights: Mechanical scarification of clearcut sites in two climatic regions maintained high growth rates of regenerating black spruce 18 years after treatment; In both regions, scarification reduced soil moisture and increased water use efficiency; In the cooler-humid region, scarification improved soil nitrogen mineralization.

Abstract | Full text in HTML | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Scarification is a mechanical site preparation technique designed to create microsites that will favor the growth of planted tree seedlings after clearcutting. However, the positive growth response of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb.) to scarification varies across different sites. We hypothesized that this was due to different forms of physiological stress induced by different climates or by the severity of competition from ericaceous shrubs. We thus compared the effects of scarification on black spruce needle gas exchange and other foliar properties, as well as on indices of soil water and nitrogen availability, in relatively warm-dry (Abitibi) vs. cool-humid (Côte-Nord) climates in the province of Québec (Canada). We found a similar positive effect of scarification on tree height in Abitibi and Côte-Nord. Scarification reduced soil moisture in both climatic regions, but increased soil N mineralization in Côte-Nord only. Accordingly, scarification increased the instantaneous water use efficiency in both climate regions, but decreased photosynthetic N use efficiency in Côte-Nord only. In both regions, we found a positive relationship between foliar δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C on scarified plots, providing further evidence that increased growth due to scarification depends on a decrease in stomatal conductance. We conclude that scarification increases total evapotranspiration of trees evenly across the east-to-west moisture gradient in the province of Québec, but also improves long-term soil nutritional quality in a cooler-humid climate.

Wotherspoon, Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1K 2R1, Canada E-mail: amy.wotherspoon@usherbrooke.ca
Thiffault, Canadian Wood Fibre Centre, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, 1055 du. P.E.P.S., P.O. Box 10380, Québec, G1V 4C7, Canada E-mail: nelson.thiffault@canada.ca
Bradley, Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1K 2R1, Canada E-mail: robert.bradley@usherbrooke.ca

Click this link to register to Silva Fennica.

If you are a registered user, log in to save your selected articles for later access.

Contents alert

Your selected articles
Send to email

Linderholm H. W., (2001) Climatic influence on Scots pine growth on dry a.. Silva Fennica vol. 35 no. 4 article id 574 (remove) | Edit comment

Hänninen R. H., (1998) Exchange rate changes and the Finnish sawnwood d.. Silva Fennica vol. 32 no. 1 article id 700 (remove) | Edit comment

San José M. C., Janeiro L. V. et al. (2013) Micropropagation of threatened black alder Silva Fennica vol. 47 no. 1 article id 892 (remove) | Edit comment

Alig R. J., (2003) U.S. landowner behavior, land use and land cover.. Silva Fennica vol. 37 no. 4 article id 489 (remove) | Edit comment

Laturi J., Mikkola J. et al. (2008) Carbon reservoirs in wood products-in-use in Fin.. Silva Fennica vol. 42 no. 2 article id 259 (remove) | Edit comment

Karppinen H., (1998) Values and objectives of non-industrial private .. Silva Fennica vol. 32 no. 1 article id 699 (remove) | Edit comment

Ralston R., Buongiorno J. et al. (2004) Potential yield, return, and tree diversity of m.. Silva Fennica vol. 38 no. 1 article id 435 (remove) | Edit comment

Lõhmus A., Lõhmus P. (2011) Old-forest species: the importance of specific s.. Silva Fennica vol. 45 no. 5 article id 84 (remove) | Edit comment

Hytönen J., Aro L. (2012) Biomass and nutrition of naturally regenerated a.. Silva Fennica vol. 46 no. 3 article id 48 (remove) | Edit comment

Lippu J., (1998) Redistribution of 14C-labelled reserve carbon in.. Silva Fennica vol. 32 no. 1 article id 696 (remove) | Edit comment

de Mello A. A., Nutto L. et al. (2012) Individual biomass and carbon equations for Mimo.. Silva Fennica vol. 46 no. 3 article id 44 (remove) | Edit comment

Jalkanen A., (2001) The probability of moose damage at the stand lev.. Silva Fennica vol. 35 no. 2 article id 593 (remove) | Edit comment

Vellak K., Paal J. et al. (2003) Diversity and distribution pattern of bryophytes.. Silva Fennica vol. 37 no. 1 article id 508 (remove) | Edit comment

Jonsson B. G., Kouki J. et al. (2011) Northern Primeval Forests – Ecology, Conservatio.. Silva Fennica vol. 45 no. 5 article id 445 (remove) | Edit comment

Silfverberg K., Hartman M. (1999) Effects of different phosphorus fertilisers on t.. Silva Fennica vol. 33 no. 3 article id 656 (remove) | Edit comment

Follow @SilvaFennica