Abstract
The ponderosa pine forests in the Davis Mountains of western Texas recently experienced a major mortality event caused, in part, by an extended regional drought that predisposed trees and stands to mortality from both western pine beetle and wildfires. The loss of many overstory pines and the scarcity of natural ponderosa pine regeneration pose a considerable challenge to restoration. A commissioned study investigated artificial regeneration using containerized ponderosa pine seedlings with multiple planting seasons and vegetation management alternatives. Early survival was statistically greater for dormant season plantings than monsoon season plantings. Vegetation management treatments influenced early growth, survival, and herbivory rates. Physical weed control, which consisted of fibrous weed mats around the base of planted seedlings, showed early advantages over some vegetation management treatments in growth, survival and herbivory deterrence, but all vegetation management treatments had similar survival and herbivory results after 2.5 years. Early survival was poor in all treatments, mainly due to herbivory, which was identified as the principal short-term obstacle to artificial regeneration of ponderosa pine in the Davis Mountains. The larger question regarding feasibility of recovery in this isolated population, particularly if local climatic conditions become increasingly unfavorable, remains.
Highlights
Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) is one of the most important and widely distributed pines on the North American continent [1]
Within the dormant season plantings, first-year survival varied among the vegetation treatments (p = 0.03), with the physical weed control (PWC) treatment having the highest average survival (34%, survival rate was 18% (SE): 6.4)
The results of the study indicate that early survival of ponderosa pine seedlings was statistically greater for dormant season plantings than monsoon season plantings
Summary
Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) is one of the most important and widely distributed pines on the North American continent [1]. The largest ponderosa pine population in Texas occurs in the Davis Mountains (Figure 1), much under ownership or conservation easement by The Nature. This isolated population is the southern-most extent of the species in the United States, some varietal taxonomic questions remain [2,3]. The nearest conspecific neighbors are a minor population in the Guadalupe Mountains, approx. 150 km away, and a major population approx. 250 km away in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico [4]. Forests 2019, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW Figure 1.
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