Long-term development of regeneration under longleaf pine seedtree and shelterwood stands

Abstract

Well-stocked mature longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) stands were cut tofive residual basal areas in 1957, namely 9,18,2 7.36, and 45 ft² per ac, to observe the effect of stand density on seed production and seedling establishment. Seedlings, mainly from the 195.5 or 1961 seed crops, were established in treated stands. All pines on net 0.9 ac plots were remeasured in 1991 to determine rhe effect of residual pine density on development of the regeneration. Even the lightest residual overstory converted the structure of 29- to 35-yr- old ingrowth into rhe reverse-diameter class distribution characteristic of uneven-aged stands. Four or six residual trees, now comprising 7 yo 10 ft² basal area (ba)lac, reduced ingrowth basal area to about half that of same-aged stands releasedfrom overstory competition. Merchantable volume of ingrowth under these low residual densities averaged 40% of that in released stands. Mean annual per ac volume increment of ingrowth averaged 21 to 22 ft³ under the 9 ft²Desity but did not exceed 7ft³ under any residual density above this. The potential impact of significant growth reductions should be taken into account when considering uneven-aged management methods for longleaf pine.

Citation

Boyer, William D. 1993. Long-term development of regeneration under longleaf pine seedtree and shelterwood stands. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry 17(1993):10-15.