Predicting the effects of hardwood competition on red pine seedling growth

Abstract

Pin cherry (Prunuspensylvanica L.f.) and striped maple (Acerpensylvanicum L.) are potentially important competitors of red pine (Pinusresinosa Ait.) planted on recently clear-cut hardwood sites. By experimentally manipulating initial competitor densities on 2.0-m2 plots, we were able to quantify and compare the effects of competitor species on red pine seedlings 2 years after planting on two sites in western Maine. Various measures of competitor biomass and leaf area index (LAI) were highly correlated; thus, we used LAI to quantify competitor abundance. On the site with poorer growth for both competitors and red pine, the only red pine variable significantly correlated with competitor LAI was specific leaf area (SLA) of current needles. On the site with better growth for all species, various measures of red pine biomass as well as diameter at ground level and SLA were significantly correlated with competitor LAI. Seedling height was not significantly correlated with competitor LAI at either site. Although there were no significant differences between competitor species in terms of their effect per unit of LAI, pin cherry tended to achieve much higher LAI (and biomass) than did striped maple and thus had a greater negative impact on red pine seedling growth. We conclude that general predictions of the early effects of competition under field conditions are possible, but that the strength of the relationships may be influenced by the extent to which microsite factors and site characteristics are incorporated.