Aspen Bibliography
Height to diameter ratio as a competition index for young conifer plantations in northern British Columbia, Canada
Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Forest Ecology and Management
Volume
137
Issue
1-3
First Page
245
Last Page
252
Publication Date
2000
Recommended Citation
Opio, C.; Jacob, N.; and Coopersmith, D., "Height to diameter ratio as a competition index for young conifer plantations in northern British Columbia, Canada" (2000). Aspen Bibliography. Paper 813.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/aspen_bib/813
Comments
Height to diameter ratio (HDR) was investigated as a potential alternative competition index for young lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. var. latifolia Engelm.) and spruce (Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii (Parry ex. Engel)) × white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss sp. glauca)) plantations in northern British Columbia (BC). A completely randomized factorial experimental design was used in the study, involving three replicates of four levels of removal of competing vegetation. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated significant (p < 0.01, F = 11.45) differences in HDRs between treatments for one study site, but treatments at all other study sites were not statistically different. Generally, higher HDRs were obtained where percentage cover of aspen was relatively high and lower HDRs were obtained where percentage cover of aspen was relatively low. Planting positions of crop trees on the raised areas created by disc trench mechanical site treatment, and timing of HDR measurements had significant influence on HDRs. It was concluded that HDR is a promising new addition to the field of vegetation competition indices.