Silva Šēnhofa, Mārtiņš Zeps, Roberts Matisons, Jānis Smilga, Dagnija Lazdiņa, Āris Jansons. (2015). Effect of climatic factors on tree-ring width of Populus hybrids in Latvia. Silva Fennica vol. 50 no. 1 article id 1442. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1442

Keywords: dendroclimatology; hybrid aspen; hybrid poplar; fast-growing hybrids; weather conditions

Highlights: Hybrid poplar and hybrid aspen were sensitive to temperature in summer and dormant periods, but none of the tested factors were strictly limiting; Hybrid poplar was sensitive to a higher number of climatic factors than hybrid aspen; Temperature showed a negative correlation with tree-ring width.

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Fast-growing hybrids of Populus L. have an increasing importance as a source of renewable energy and as industrial wood. Nevertheless, the long-term sensitivity of Populus hybrids to weather conditions and hence to possible climatic hazards in Northern Europe have been insufficiently studied, likely due to the limited age of the trees (short rotation). In this study, the climatic sensitivity of ca. 65-year-old hybrid poplars (Populus balsamifera L. × P. laurifolia Ledeb.), growing at two sites in the western part of Latvia, and ca. 55-year-old hybrid aspens (Populus tremuloides Michx. × P. tremula L.), growing in the eastern part of Latvia, have been studied using classical dendrochronological techniques. The high-frequency variation of tree-ring width (TRW) of hybrid poplar from both sites was similar, but it differed from hybrid aspen due to the diverse parental species and geographic location of the stands. Nevertheless, some common tendencies in TRW were observed for both hybrids. Climatic factors influencing TRW were generally similar for both hybrids, but their composition differed. The strength of climate-TRW relationships was similar, but the hybrid poplar was affected by a higher number of climatic factors. Hybrid poplar was sensitive to factors related to water deficit in late summer in the previous and current years. Hybrid aspen was sensitive to conditions in the year of formation of tree-ring. Both hybrids also displayed a reaction to temperature during the dormant period. The observed climate-growth relationships suggest that increasing temperatures might burden the radial growth of the studied hybrids of Populus.

Šēnhofa, LSFRI “Silava”, Rigas str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: silva.senhofa@gmail.com
Zeps, LSFRI “Silava”, Rigas str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: martins.zeps@silava.lv
Matisons, LSFRI “Silava”, Rigas str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: robism@inbox.lv
Smilga, LSFRI “Silava”, Rigas str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: janis.smilga@silava.lv
Lazdiņa, LSFRI “Silava”, Rigas str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: dagnija.lazdina@silava.lv
Jansons, LSFRI “Silava”, Rigas str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: aris.jansons@silava.lv

article id 1124, category Research article

Āris Jansons, Mārtiņš Zeps, Juris Rieksts-Riekstiņš, Roberts Matisons, Oskars Krišāns. (2014). Height increment of hybrid aspen Populus tremuloides x P. tremula as a function of weather conditions in central part of Latvia. Silva Fennica vol. 48 no. 5 article id 1124. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1124

Keywords: height growth; energy wood; tree growth; temperature; intra-annual dynamics; plantation silviculture

Highlights: Intra-annual height growth of hybrid aspen was monitored; Clones with early leaf flushing dates showed faster height growth; Height growth was generally controlled by temperature; Fast-growing hybrids were more robust to weather conditions than slow-growing ones; Potential evapotranspiration (moisture regime) negatively affected height growth of clones with delayed phenology.

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Height growth of young hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. × P. tremuloides Michx.) was studied in relation to weather conditions. Height of clones with different leaf flushing phenology (early, intermediate and late) was monitored during the growing periods of 2010 and 2011 in a plantation established on former agricultural land. Mean daily height increment (HI) was calculated. Multiple linear regression was used to determine which weather factors (variables) had significant effect on HI. Mean seasonal height growth (mean seasonal HI) between clones (groups) was compared by ANOVA. In both years, HI was significantly higher for clones with early and intermediate leaf flushing compared to clones with late leaf flushing. The effect of weather factors also differed between clones according to their leaf flushing phenology; it was the weakest for HI of clones with early leaf flushing compared to clones with intermediate and late leaf flushing. Mean temperature was the main factor, which positively affected HI of all clones, suggesting that warmer climate might be beneficial for height growth of young hybrid aspen in Latvia. Nevertheless, significant negative relationship between HI and potential evapotranspiration (PET) was observed for clones with delayed leaf flushing, suggesting negative effect of increasing variability of precipitation on growth. Thus, the differences in height growth intensity might be related to growth sensitivity to weather conditions. On the other hand, such differences in height growth between clones might be caused by competition (i.e. with herbs), as trees with early leaf flushing might conquer more resources and become more robust against the environmental fluctuation.

Jansons, LSFRI „SILAVA”, Rigas Str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: aris.jansons@silava.lv
Zeps, LSFRI „SILAVA”, Rigas Str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: martins.zeps@silava.lv
Rieksts-Riekstiņš, LSFRI „SILAVA”, Rigas Str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: Juris.Riekstins@silava.lv
Matisons, LSFRI „SILAVA”, Rigas Str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: robism@inbox.lv
Krišāns, LSFRI „SILAVA”, Rigas Str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: oskars.krisans@silava.lv

Category : Research note

article id 1346, category Research note

Āris Jansons, Roberts Matisons, Oskars Krišāns, Baiba Džeriņa, Mārtiņš Zeps. (2015). Effect of initial fertilization on 34-year increment and wood properties of Norway spruce in Latvia. Silva Fennica vol. 50 no. 1 article id 1346. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1346

Keywords: Picea abies; wood density; proportion of latewood; tree-rings; high-frequency densitometry; legacy effect

Highlights: The initial fertilization increased the productivity of Picea abies increasing stem volume by 17% at the age of 34 years; The tree-ring width was affected for up to15 years; The fertilization did not affect mean tree-ring density, although the latewood density was increased.

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

Initial fertilisation, when the fertilizer is supplied during the plantation, is applied to improve the competitive ability of the seedlings and hence to increase their growth and productivity; however, fertilization could also alter wood properties and timber quality. In this study, the dimensions and tree-ring parameters – width, proportion of latewood, maximum and mean density, mean earlywood and latewood density – of initially fertilized (by 14, 6 and 11 g of N, P and K per seedling, respectively) Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) growing in an experimental plantation in Kalsnava, Latvia (temperate climate region) were assessed. The fertilization significantly increased the dimensions of trees in long-term (ca. 17% increase of stemwood volume). The analysis of tree-ring width suggested that the duration of the effect was ca. 15 years. The maximum and latewood density were higher for the fertilized trees only in a few years. The mean and earlywood density of tree-rings were mainly similar for both treatments. Altogether, considering the one-time application of a limited amount of fertilizer, such treatment had notable and lasting effect on Norway spruce.

Jansons, LSRFI “Silava”, Rigas str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: aris.jansons@silava.lv
Matisons, LSRFI “Silava”, Rigas str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: robism@inbox.lv
Krišāns, LSRFI “Silava”, Rigas str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: oskars.krisans@silava.lv
Džeriņa, LSRFI “Silava”, Rigas str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: baiba.dzerina@silava.lv
Zeps, LSRFI “Silava”, Rigas str. 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV2169 E-mail: martins.zeps@silava.lv

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