Effects of cultural intensity and density regime treatment on post-thinning loblolly pine individual tree DBH increment in the lower coastal plain of the southeastern United States

Abstract

Thinning is a well understood concept used to manage density dependent factors at the stand level. This study evaluates the effect of planting density, cultural intensity, and thinning treatment on loblolly pine post-thinning individual tree development. The Lower Coastal Plain Culture/Density Study, has four initial densities, in combination with two cultural treatments, that were thinned at age 12 to the current density on the lowest initial density. Analysis of data six years post-thin for the Lower Coastal Plain focuses on the effects of cultural intensity and density regime effects alone or in combination on individual tree development in DBH. We evaluated thinning intensity effects on individual tree development. Results indicate that initial density has the largest effect on the development of diameter growth following the thinning with trees from higher densities having a higher greater response in diameter increment.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the 18th biennial southern silvicultural research conference

Citation

Perren, John T.; Kane, Michael; Zhao, Dehai; Daniels, Richard. 2016. Effects of cultural intensity and density regime treatment on post-thinning loblolly pine individual tree DBH increment in the lower coastal plain of the southeastern United States. In: Proceedings of the 18th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-212. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 5 p.