1
The Effects of Plantation Density on the Growth of Lodgepole Pine: 20
year Results
W.D. Johnstone (emeritus scientist)F. J. van Thienen (retired)
Presented by G. Harper (Research Scientist, FPIB, MoFML)
2
EP 964
-What is the optimum pine management regime?
-Species espacement (planting density) trial :
-26 installations -(Pl, Sx/Sw, Lw, Fdi)
-Planted @ 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 sph
-144 trees /plot x 3 reps / site (CRBD)
3
Treatmentnumber
Treatment(trees/ha)
Intertreedistance (m)
Plot size (ha)
1 500 4.47 0.2420
2 1000 3.16 0.1210
3 1500 2.58 0.0807
4 2000 2.24 0.0605
5 2500 2.00 0.0484
4
Lodgepole pine
12 sites total
Only 5 - 20 years old ( )
Example: 20 years after
establishment at Crow Creek –
964.06
5
EP 964.06 – Lodgepole pineCrow Creek - Nadina Forest District
SBS mc2 / 01 (Sx, Pl, Bl)
970 m elevation
Lodgepole pine planted 1987
Fill planted mortality (88-91)
Brushed & ingress removed
1997
5-20 year data (1992, 1997, 2001, 2006)
Johnstone and van Thienen (2011, in press)
6
EP 964.06 – Lodgepole pine- diameter growth
0 5 10 15 200
5
10
15
500 tph
1000 tph
1500 tpht
2000 tph
2500 tph
Years after planting
Arit
hmet
ic m
ean
dbh
(cm
)
Johnstone and van Thienen (2011, in press)
7
EP 964.06 – Lodgepole pine- height growth
0 5 10 15 200
5
10
500 tph
1000 tph
1500 tph
2000 tph
2500 tph
Years after planting
Mea
n he
ight
(m
)
500 tphJohnstone and van Thienen (2011, in press)
8
EP 964.06 – Lodgepole pine
Individual tree total volume Stand total volume
Series10
20
40
60
80
100
500 tph
1000 tph
1500 tph
2000 tph
2500 tph
To
tal v
olu
me
(d
m3
)/tr
ee
Series10
20
40
60
80
100
500 tph
1000 tph
1500 tph
2000 tph
2500 tph
Tot
al v
olum
e (m
3/ha
)
Johnstone and van Thienen (2011, in press)
9
EP 964.06 – Lodgepole pine
Installation # 6 (Nadina)
Effects of espacement after 20 years: No effect on
height, periodic height growth, % survival
Significant effect on all other tree and per hectare valuesCrown sizeDBHVolume (tree & stand)
10
EP 964.06 – Lodgepole pine
20 year Response Summary from 5 installations
- the (%) difference between overall mean and treatment mean.
Installation # District BECdata - years post
treatment
2 Nadina SBSmc2 20
6 Nadina SBSmc2 20
7 Williams Lake SBSdw2 20
9 Rocky Mountain MS 20
11 Rocky Mountain MS 20
11
Lodgepole pine 1500 tph
EP 964.07 Williams Lake 2001SBSdw2
EP 964.02 Nadina 2003SBSmc2
EP 964.11 Rocky Mountain 2004MS
12
EP 964 – Lodgepole pine
20 year Response - 5 sites combined - the (%) difference from the overall mean.
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
-30.00
-20.00
-10.00
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
Height
13
EP 964 – Lodgepole pine
20 year Response - 5 sites combined - the (%) difference from the overall mean.
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
-30.00
-20.00
-10.00
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
DBH
Height
14
EP 964 – Lodgepole pine
20 year Response - 5 sites combined - the (%) difference from the overall mean.
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
-30.00
-20.00
-10.00
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
DBH
Height
5yr DBH inc
15
EP 964 – Lodgepole Pine
20 year Response - 5 sites combined
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
-30.00
-20.00
-10.00
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
DBH
Height
5yr DBH inc
crown width
% live crown
0 1000 2000 30000.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
70.00
80.00
90.00
100.00
% survival
% damage
% disease
16
EP 964 – Interior Spruce
0 1000 2000 3000
-15.00
-10.00
-5.00
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00DBH
Height
5yr DBH inc
5 yr Ht inc
crown width
% live crown
0 1000 2000 30000.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
70.00
80.00
90.00
100.00
% survival
% damage
% disease
17
The End
EP 962.01 2007 MPB damage