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Articles containing the keyword 'direct seeding'

Category : Research article

article id 298, category Research article

Ulfstand Wennström, Urban Bergsten, Jan-Erik Nilsson. (2007). Seedling establishment and growth after direct seeding with Pinus sylvestris: effects of seed type, seed origin, and seeding year. Silva Fennica vol. 41 no. 2 article id 298. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.298

Keywords: Scots pine; direct seeding; orchard seed; stand seed

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The early effects of seed type, seed origin, and seeding year on seedling emergence, survival, and growth after one to four years was quantified and examined. Two experimental series of Scots pine located at 61°N and 64°N and six orchard seed lots and six stand seed lots of adequate geographical origins in each series were used. Both series were replicated at five sites for up to five years. On average, orchard seed lots had 16% and 12% higher seedling emergence, in relation to sown germinable seeds, than stand seed lots in the northern and southern series. The survival from year 1 to year 4 was also higher for orchard seedlings than for stand seedlings; there was a 77% and 72% survival rate in the northern series and a 58% and 49% survival rate in the southern series for orchard and stand seedlings respectively. On average, after four years orchard seedlings were 26% taller in the northern series and 13% taller in the southern series. The gain in height growth for the orchard seeds was positive at all seeding years, at all sites, and at all seedling ages. If survival was calculated to the height of a four-year-old seedling, the survival of orchard seedlings increased by 3% in the northern and 1% in the southern series as the result of the higher growth of orchard seedlings. Using orchard seeds resulted in 6 percent units higher growth gain when the clear cuts were regenerated with direct seeding than with plants using the same seed material. Changes in the ranking of seed lots and seed types at different sites and seeding years for seedling emergence is an effect of external factors such as grazing and foraging that cannot be related directly to the tested factors.

Wennström, Skogforsk, Box 3, SE-918 21 Sävar, Sweden E-mail: ulfstand.wennstrom@skogforsk.se
Bergsten, SLU, Dept. of Forest Ecology and Management, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden & SLU, Vindeln Experimental Forest, SE-922 91 Vindeln, Sweden E-mail: ub@nn.se
Nilsson, SLU, Dept. of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology E-mail: jen@nn.se

article id 509, category Research article

Michelle de Chantal, Laura Eskola, Hannu Ilvesniemi, Kari Leinonen, Carl Johan Westman. (2003). Early establishment of Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies sown on soil freshly prepared and after stabilisation. Silva Fennica vol. 37 no. 1 article id 509. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.509

Keywords: Norway spruce; site preparation; Scots pine; direct seeding; soil properties

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The aim of this study is to investigate the early establishment of Pinus sylvestris L. (Scots pine) and Picea abies (L.) Karst. (Norway spruce) seedlings on soil freshly prepared and soil left to stabilise for one year after preparation. Three site preparation treatments were studied: exposed C horizon, mound (broken O/E/B horizon piled upside down over undisturbed forest floor), and exposed E/B horizon. The years investigated were different in terms of weather, one being rainy and the other one dry. As such, emergence was very low in the dry year. Content of fine silt particles, bulk density, water retention, air-filled porosity, loss-on-ignition, and near saturated hydraulic conductivity did not differ statistically between fresh and stabilised soil. Nevertheless, early establishment of P. sylvestris seedlings was improved on exposed C and E/B horizon after one year of soil stabilisation. In contrast, early establishment of P. sylvestris on mounds, and that of P. abies on all types of site preparation treatments were not improved by soil stabilisation. In addition, mortality due to frost heaving did not differ significantly between freshly prepared and stabilised soil. Considering the fact that growing season climate had a great influence on the sowing outcome, and that early establishment is also affected by other factors that vary yearly, such as predation, seedbed receptivity, and competition from vegetation, it may not be advantageous to wait for soil to stabilise before regenerating from seeds.

Chantal, University of Helsinki, Dept. of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 27, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: michelle.dechantal@helsinki.fi
Eskola, University of Helsinki, Dept. of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 27, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: le@nn.fi
Ilvesniemi, University of Helsinki, Dept. of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 27, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: hi@nn.fi
Leinonen, University of Helsinki, Dept. of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 27, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: kl@nn.fi
Westman, University of Helsinki, Dept. of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 27, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: cjw@nn.fi

Category : Research note

article id 974, category Research note

Kristina Ahnlund Ulvcrona, Lars Karlsson, Ingegerd Backlund, Urban Bergsten. (2013). Comparison of silvicultural regimes of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) in Sweden 5 years after precommercial thinning. Silva Fennica vol. 47 no. 3 article id 974. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.974

Keywords: direct seeding; forest production; corridor thinning; biomass harvest; PCT

Highlights: Management regimes can serve different purposes such as biomass production, pulp and timber production or a combination of those; 30 tons biomass or 38–45 m³ stem volume ha^–1 could be derived by schematic corridor thinning (70%) at year 20; Producing large amounts of biomass early in the rotation period does not exclude a conversion into pulp and timber production.

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

Early effects (stem volume, mean diameter at breast height weighted against basal area (Dgv) (Dgv), biomass and damage frequency) of different silvicultural regimes 18-19 years after direct seeding of lodgepole pine in northern Sweden were analysed. A Conventional regime, (i) precommercial thinning (PCT) to 2200 stems ha^-1, was compared to: (ii) High biomass production (15 300 stems ha^-1, no PCT) with and without corridor thinning at year 20, (iii) production of Large dimension trees (PCT to 1700 stems ha^-1), (iv), Combined high biomass production and production of conventional round wood (PCT to 4500 stems ha^-1). PCT was done 15 yrs after direct seeding for all PCT treatments. Local biomass functions showed that the regimes aiming at High biomass production displayed ca 144-157% more biomass and 134-143% more stem volume than the Conventional and Large dimension regimes (ca 21 tons and 31 m³ ha^-1). Dgv for the 1000 (9.2 cm) and 2000 (8.3 cm) largest trees ha^-1 appeared unaffected by regime. By schematic corridor thinning (70% of the total area) at year 20 in the High biomass regime, 27-32 tons of biomass ha^-1 and 38-45 m³ ha^-1 could be derived while still having a Dgv of the 1000 largest trees ha^-1 of about 8 cm. Therefore, this study indicates that it is possible to produce and harvest large amounts of biomass and stem volume early in the rotation period without excluding later pulp and timber production. This initial regime comparison should be continued over time.

Ahnlund Ulvcrona, SLU, Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Skogsmarksgränd, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: kristina.ulvcrona@slu.se
Karlsson, SLU, Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Skogsmarksgränd, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: lars.karlsson@slu.se
Backlund, SLU, Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Skogsmarksgränd, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: ingegerd.backlund@slu.se
Bergsten, SLU, Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Skogsmarksgränd, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: urban.bergsten@slu.se

article id 914, category Research note

Ingegerd Backlund, Urban Bergsten. (2012). Biomass production of dense direct-seeded lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) at short rotation periods. Silva Fennica vol. 46 no. 4 article id 914. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.914

Keywords: biomass production; lodgepole pine; direct seeding; Pinus contorta; biorefinery; short rotation

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) is a fast-growing species that is suitable for producing woody biomass in Nordic countries. Direct seeding of this species is cheaper than planting and creates dense, stable stands. The objective of this study was to quantify the stem volume and biomass production of direct seeded lodgepole pine stands grown under different site conditions with different stem densities, at an age that would permit extensive harvesting of biomass. A circle-plot inventory was performed in 16 of the oldest direct seeded lodgepole pine stands in mid-northern Sweden. Stemwood production of almost 200 m³/ha was achieved on average on the best sites, rising to about 300 m³/ha for the best circle-plots within 30 years of direct seeding despite the fact that pre-commercial thinning was made once or twice. This corresponds to 100 and 140 tons of dry weight biomass/ha, respectively. Higher stand stem densities (≥3000 st/ha) yielded more biomass with only slight reductions in diameter at breast height. The development of stem volume with respect to dominant height in direct seeded stands was becoming comparable to that in planted stands with similar spacing. It therefore seems that there is an unutilized potential for cost-effectively growing lodgepole pine in dense stands for biomass production after direct seeding. It may be possible to devise regimes for short(er) rotation forestry that would yield substantial amount of inexpensive biomass for biorefineries within a few decades.

Backlund, Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: ingegerd.backlund@slu.se
Bergsten, Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: urban.bergsten@slu.se

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