Abstract
Introduction of non-native species, such as Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), can be a means of mitigating the effects of climate change by meeting the growing demand for biomass and high quality wood. The aim of this study was to investigate early growth, survival and damage from late-spring frost and winter desiccation. A provenance trial with four coastal and three interior provenances of Douglas-fir originating from British Columbia, Canada, was established in Southwest Sweden (56°43′N, 13°08′E). Seedling height, length of the leading shoot, and occurrence of frost damage, were measured after one, three, and six growing seasons. Timing of bud break in spring was also observed. The interior Douglas-fir were more frequently damaged by late-spring frost compared to the coastal Douglas-fir. The interior Douglas-fir still had a higher survival after six growing seasons compared to the coastal variety. All provenances were damaged by winter desiccation, but the provenances originating from the coastal area were more severely damaged. Choice of variety may reduce the risk for either late-spring frost or winter desiccation.
Highlights
Climate change provides new challenges to Nordic forestry (IPCC 2014)
Survival of the coastal Douglas-fir provenances was low after six growing seasons (24–58%) compared with the interior provenances (73–78%)
In a provenance trial in the Netherlands, survival 4 years after planting ranged from 63 to 99% among 18 coastal provenances originating from latitudes between 44°N and 50°N (Eilmann et al 2013)
Summary
Asa Forest Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 360 30 Lammhult, Sweden. Tönnersjöheden Experimental Forest, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 17, 310 38 Simlångsdalen, Sweden. New Forests (2018) 49:723–736 of mitigating the effects of climate change and meeting the growing demand for biomass (Werner et al 2010; Lundmark et al 2014). Menziesii) has shown higher growth potential than the interior Douglas-fir variety Hybrids between the coastal and interior varieties have shown good performance in Saxony, Germany (Braun 1999). In Norway, Finland and Sweden, provenance trials found the interior variety to be superior to the coastal variety (Kurkela 1981; Magnesen 1987; Martinsson and Kollenmark 2001). In northern Sweden, only the most northern provenances of interior Douglas-fir survived (Martinsson and Kollenmark 2001)
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