Third Year Survival, Growth, and Water Relations of West Gulf Coastal Plain Pines in East Texas

Abstract

Abstract West Gulf Coastal Plain provenance loblolly (Pinus taeda L.), longleaf (Pinus palustris Mill.), shortleaf (Pinus echinata Mill.), and slash pines (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) were planted in December 2015 on three east Texas sites to compare initial growth and survival. Three years after planting, survival ranged from 26.4% to 76.4%. Damage by Texas leafcutter ants (Atta texana) caused significant mortality on one site, and feral hog (Sus scrofa) herbivory and uprooting greatly affected survival at two other sites. Tree heights were greater in loblolly and slash pine than in shortleaf and longleaf pine, whereas diameters were greater in loblolly than in slash, shortleaf, and longleaf. Height and survival rates were greater in Shelby County and were lowest in Cherokee County. Midday leaf-level water potentials were most negative for shortleaf and loblolly pines and varied across the three sites. Tree heights were significantly but weakly (R = −0.23) correlated to leaf-level water potentials.