Abstract

Abstract Past harvesting in Northwest Ontario has produced increased regeneration and increased forest areas supporting trembling aspen stands, resulting in greatly increased utilization of aspen. Thus there is a critical need to accurately estimate site quality and growth and yield for trembling aspen and for identifying productive sites where more intensive aspen forest management can be practiced. Soil-site relations were studied using 95 plots located in mature, fully stocked, evenaged, undisturbed trembling aspen stands. On each plot site index (SIBH50) estimation was based on stem analysis of three to five dominant and codominant trees. Each plot also had soil profile descriptions and soil analyses for four major soil horizons (A, B, BC, C). Plots were located on morainal soils, glaciofluvial soils, and lacustrine soils. Multiple regression analyses showed: (a) for morainal soils site index was correlated (adj R² = 0.63) to depth to a root restricting layer, silt plus clay content of the A horizon, and coarse fragment content of the C horizon; (b) for glaciofluvial soils site index was correlated (adj R² = 0.64) to depth to a root restricting layer and to drainage class: and (c) for lacustrine soils site index was correlated (adj R² = 0.65) to depth to mottles and to clay content of the C horizon. Results are applicable only to medium and good sites where mature, fully stocked, merchantable trembling aspen stands commonly occur. North. J. Appl. For. 15(3):146-153.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.