Aspen Bibliography

Stand Structure in Evenaged Northern Hardwoods: Development and Silvicultural Implications

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Northern Journal of Applied Forestry

Volume

16

Issue

2

Publisher

Society of American Foresters

First Page

115

Last Page

119

Publication Date

6-1-1999

Abstract

Stand structure was examined in evenaged northern hardwoods in New Hampshire in terms of diameter distribution (numbers of trees by dbh class) and spatial distribution of basal area by species. Diameter distributions by species and for all species combined were graphed for stands varying in age class from 7-9 yr up to 60-68 yr. Over time, these northern hardwood stands develop a layered canopy structure with the intolerant and short-lived paper birch and aspen dominating the larger size classes and exhibiting a bell-shaped diameter distribution. Longer lived species, most abundant in the smaller size classes, exhibit flat or very skewed bell-shaped distributions. The usual silvicultural recommendation in such stands is to thin to prescribed stocking levels, leaving adequate stocking in larger stems of the longer lived species and gradually removing the intolerants as they reach maturity. However, appreciable spatial variation in the abundance of aspen-birch and longer lived species may prevent uniform application of this approach; i.e., some areas in certain stands do not have adequate stocking of the longer lived species once the aspen-birch is removed.In variable stands such as this, a gradual transition to group selection may be a better tactic. North J. Appl. For. 16(2):115-119.

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