Long-term soil and shortleaf pine responses to site preparation ripping

Abstract

A shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) ripping study was established by the Missouri Department of Conservation in March 1988 at the Logan Creek Conservation Area, USA. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of ripping on soil chemical and physical properties, on free-to-grow status, and on survival and growth of planted shortleaf pine seedlings. After 16 years, ripping increased exchangeable calcium; however, it had no long-term effects on soil particle size, organic carbon, pH, exchangeable potassium and exchangeable magnesium. Ripping increased the percentage of free-to-grow saplings by 3.8% after two growing seasons. Ripping improved survival by 4% during the 1st three growing seasons and by 7.1% at age 16. After two growing seasons, ripping improved crown spread by 13.6%, height by 14.2%, diameter by 14%, and volume by 41.2%. At age 16, ripping no longer had an effect on shortleaf pine height and had reduced diameter by 5.3% and volume by 11.0%. Our results suggest that ripping 1) had no effect on long-term physical properties or chemical properties of the soil, 2) had no effect on the number of free-to-grow seedlings, and 3) produced short-term benefits on survival and growth of planted shortleaf pine.