Individuals’ Behaviors of Cone Production in Longleaf Pine Trees

Abstract

The sporadic cone production of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) challenges the restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem. While much has been learned about longleaf pine cone production at the stand level, little information exists at the tree level regarding cone production and energy allocational strategy. This study aims to analyze cone production and diameter growth of approximately ten sampled longleaf pine trees at seven sites across the southeastern USA over the past twenty years. The results indicate that three-year cycles dominated the cone production dynamics, but longer cycles (four years and more) also occurred. The dynamics of entropy in cone production varied among trees. Taylor’s law, which describes the correlation between average and variance, existed in cone production for the majority of trees. Lagged cone production at one and two years was not autocorrelated among trees across sites. No significant relationships existed between tree diameter (or basal area) growth and cone production among trees across sites. This study provides new information on cone production at the individual tree level and narrows down the possible mechanisms. The results will be helpful in developing strategies for the management and modeling of longleaf pine cone production.