Effects of Site Preparation on Soil Physical Properties, Growth of Loblolly Pine, and Competing Vegetation

Abstract

Abstract Competing vegetation, seedling survival, and growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) were evaluated one year following four site-preparation techniques in north Louisiana. The treatments were chop and burn, windrow, fuelwood harvest, and fuelwood harvest followed by a herbicide. Physicalsoil properties were evaluated before and after treatment application. The study was designed as a randomized complete block and was installed on a Gore silt loam (Vertic Paleudalf) soil. Windrowing significantly increased surface bulk densities. Fuelwood had significantly higher bulk densityvalues for subsurface samples. In comparisons among treatments, surface bulk densities for the windrow treatment were significantly higher than both of the fuelwood treatments. The fuelwood treatment was significantly higher in competing vegetation while the fuelwood followed by a herbicidetreatment was significantly lowest. The fuelwood followed by a herbicide ranked significantly higher in seedling height, ground line diameter, and volume. Seedling growth was inversely related to competing vegetation dry weight. There were no significant differences among treatments in seedlingsurvival. South. J. Appl. For. 11(2):83-86.