Twenty-six-year response of ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir plantations to woody competitor density in treated stands of madrone and whiteleaf manzanita

Abstract

Ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa Dougl.) grown in mixture with whiteleaf manzanita ( Arctostaphylos viscida Parry) and Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii) grown in mixture with Pacific madrone ( Arbutus menziesii Pursh) in southwestern Oregon showed an increase in growth with removal of competing woody cover. Both conifer species had roughly one-third the volume at plantation ages 26–27 when grown with uncontrolled competition compared to where woody competition was completely controlled at age 2. Intermediate levels of competitors usually led to intermediate levels of growth, but this was more evident with Douglas-fir than pine. When competition was reduced or removed, height/age relationships for Douglas-fir at plantation ages 23 and 27 reflected medium site quality rather than low quality as estimated from adjacent stands, indicating that these sites are potentially more productive than perceived with uncontrolled dense woody cover. These studies support the concept that competition management may allow some poor sites of ponderosa pine or Douglas-fir to be managed on the basis of a higher site potential.