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Long-Term Trends In Loblolly Pine Productivity And Stand Characteristics In Response To Stand Density And Fertilization In The Western Gulf Region

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Two levels each of fertilization and stand density were established to create four environments in a 7-year-old loblolly pine plantation on a N and P deficient western Gulf Coastal Plain site in Louisiana. Levels of fertilization were no fertilization and application of 120 lb N and 134 lb P/ac. Levels of stand density were the original stocking (1,210 trees/ac), and row thinning for a residual stocking of 303 trees/ac. Six years later (age 13), basal areas and relative stand densities on the non-thinned (NT) and thinned (T) plots were 176 and 79 ft2/ac and 90 and 37 percent, respectively. At age 14, 178 lb N, 45 lb P and 45 lb K/ac were broadcast on the previously fertilized (F) plots and a second thinning was conducted on the previously thinned plots to a residual relative density of 31 percent of maximum, which corresponded to 67 ft2/ac. Long-term measurements of climate, growth, leaf area dynamics and foliar nutrition were initiated at age 11. The objectives of this paper are to describe stand productivity between age 11 and 17 and offer ecophysiological explanations for these growth trends.

Citation

Sword, M.A.; Chambers, J. L.; Tang, Z.; Dean, T. J.; Goelz, J. C. 2002. Long-Term Trends In Loblolly Pine Productivity And Stand Characteristics In Response To Stand Density And Fertilization In The Western Gulf Region. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS–48. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. pp 589-590
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/3111