A Retrospective Study of Spatial and Temporal Recruitment Dynamics of Spruce in a Boreal Mixedwood Forest of BC

Event Website

http://www.nafew2009.org/

Start Date

6-23-2009 4:40 PM

End Date

6-23-2009 5:00 PM

Description

Understanding post fire white spruce recruitment and natural regeneration in mixed aspen spruce stands in the boreal forests of Northeast British Columbia has proved difficult. Proximity to seed source is generally considered to have one of the greatest influences on natural regeneration of these forests following disturbance by fire. In order to increase our understanding of the dynamics of recruitment following fire, we measured white spruce regeneration within a 59 year old aspen spruce stand in Northeast BC. One meter wide linear transects, 75 m in length, were established perpendicular to the forest edge seed source: three transects were oriented to the southeast and three were oriented to the west (into prevailing wind). The number of white spruce encountered along transects were counted at one meter intervals along each transect. Remnants and co-dominant spruce trees producing seed within a tree length distance (25m) of transects were identified to establish internal stand seed sources. No post fire internal spruce seed sources were detected near transects. White spruce regeneration declined with distance from the fire edge for both sampling orientations. Seedling recruitment was negatively correlated to the direction of the prevailing winds. This resulted in more spruce recruitment on the eastern edge of the stand than the western. However remnants of the original stand or germinant seedlings that maintained co-dominance in the regenerating stand may have contributed spruce seed resulting in internal recruitment. This would result in isolated internal patches of white spruce with densities similar to those found at the forest edge. White spruce seed sources external and internal to the regenerating spruce aspen stand contribute to observed stand dynamics and succession processes. The recruitment and regeneration of spruce in these stands determines the complex nature (species and structural), spatially and temporally, of mixed aspen white spruce stands in Northeast BC.

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Jun 23rd, 4:40 PM Jun 23rd, 5:00 PM

A Retrospective Study of Spatial and Temporal Recruitment Dynamics of Spruce in a Boreal Mixedwood Forest of BC

Understanding post fire white spruce recruitment and natural regeneration in mixed aspen spruce stands in the boreal forests of Northeast British Columbia has proved difficult. Proximity to seed source is generally considered to have one of the greatest influences on natural regeneration of these forests following disturbance by fire. In order to increase our understanding of the dynamics of recruitment following fire, we measured white spruce regeneration within a 59 year old aspen spruce stand in Northeast BC. One meter wide linear transects, 75 m in length, were established perpendicular to the forest edge seed source: three transects were oriented to the southeast and three were oriented to the west (into prevailing wind). The number of white spruce encountered along transects were counted at one meter intervals along each transect. Remnants and co-dominant spruce trees producing seed within a tree length distance (25m) of transects were identified to establish internal stand seed sources. No post fire internal spruce seed sources were detected near transects. White spruce regeneration declined with distance from the fire edge for both sampling orientations. Seedling recruitment was negatively correlated to the direction of the prevailing winds. This resulted in more spruce recruitment on the eastern edge of the stand than the western. However remnants of the original stand or germinant seedlings that maintained co-dominance in the regenerating stand may have contributed spruce seed resulting in internal recruitment. This would result in isolated internal patches of white spruce with densities similar to those found at the forest edge. White spruce seed sources external and internal to the regenerating spruce aspen stand contribute to observed stand dynamics and succession processes. The recruitment and regeneration of spruce in these stands determines the complex nature (species and structural), spatially and temporally, of mixed aspen white spruce stands in Northeast BC.

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/nafecology/sessions/recovery/7