Growth Of Slash Pine Research Articles

Slash pine growth and nitrogen leaching potential following fertilization and pinestraw removal

AbstractCommercial pine plantations in the southern United States are commonly fertilized to enhance growth and to replenish nutrients following timber harvests or repetitive raking of pinestraw, an important secondary product. We examined the effects of pinestraw removal and fertilization on pine growth and N leaching potential in an 8‐yr‐old slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) plantation in North Florida. Raking treatments (raked or nonraked) were applied annually in February 2014–2017. Fertilization treatments (controlled‐release polymer‐coated urea at 0, 28, 56, 140, or urea at 56 kg N ha–1 yr–1) were applied annually in June 2014–2016. Pinestraw removal had no effect on stand growth. Fertilization did not enhance pine growth and increased mortality at the highest application rate. All fertilized treatments raised ammonium N (NH4–N) and nitrate–nitrite N (NOx–N) concentrations in soil solution at 30‐cm depth, indicating increased leaching potential. The period of elevated NH4–N concentrations occurred from 1 to 4 wk after fertilization, and the period of elevated NOx–N concentrations occurred from 1 to 13 or 26 wk following fertilization, with NOx–N concentration peaks (up to 98 mg L–1) at 4 or 8 wk. Soil solution NH4–N and NOx–N concentrations increased with increasing N application rate and with consecutive fertilizations. Polymer‐coated urea had no advantage over urea in terms of pine growth but resulted in slightly lower soil solution NOx–N concentrations in raked plots.

Seasonal climate and its differential impact on growth of co-occurring species

Co-occurring species may have differing growth responses to the seasonal timing of climatic events. In this study, we used dendrochronology to examine the importance of seasonal climate on radial stem growth of three co-occurring species in Florida scrub, myrtle oak (Quercus myrtifolia Willd.), Chapman oak (Quercus chapmanii Sarg.), and south Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelmann var. densa Little & K.W. Dorman). Response to seasonal climatic events varied for the co-occurring scrub species. Radial growth of both oaks was influenced strongly by spring precipitation. Spring droughts decreased oak growth, but growth increased with large spring precipitation events. Slash pine growth was influenced strongly by precipitation in both the spring and late summer. Spring droughts decreased slash pine total and latewood growth, but increased summer precipitation resulted in greater than normal growth. Earlywood growth of slash pine was correlated positively with the Nino 3.4 index: colder, wetter winters tended to be associated with increased earlywood growth. These differences between species in growth responses to seasonal climate may be explained by differences in growth phenology. If spring precipitation decreases as predicted by climate models for central Florida, decreased growth would be expected for all three species. Precipitation events later in the year may offset growth reductions caused by spring droughts for slash pine because slash pine growth occurs throughout the year.

The Dendrochronology of Pinus elliottii in the Lower Florida Keys: Chronology Development and Climate Response

South Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa) is the southernmost pine species in the United States and the foundation species of the globally endangered pine rockland communities in south Florida. To test if slash pine produces annual growth rings in the Lower Florida Keys, we counted the number of rings on samples collected from the North Big Pine Key site (NBP), which contained a fire scar from a known wildfire and a known date for hurricane-induced tree mortality (2006 or 2007). In addition, a crossdated tree-ring chronology (1871–2009) was developed from living trees and remnant wood found at the site and compared to divisional climate data to determine how the regional climate regime influences radial growth. Our analyses demonstrated that slash pine forms anatomically distinct, annual growth rings with the consistent year-to-year variability necessary for rigorous dendrochronological studies. Response-function and correlation analysis showed that annual growth of slash pine at NBP is primarily influenced by water availability during the growing season. However, no significant correlations were found between tree growth and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation

Long-Term Effects of Site Preparation Treatments, Complete Competition Control, and Repeated Fertilization on Growth of Slash Pine Plantations in the Flatwoods of the Southeastern United States

Abstract Data through age 26 from a well-designed study established in 1979 were analyzed with a repeated-measures analysis of variance approach to evaluate effects of site preparation treatments, complete competition control, and repeated fertilization on growth of slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) plantations on Spodosols and non-Spodosols in the flatwoods region of southern Georgia and northern Florida. Complete and sustained vegetation control and repeated fertilization consistently and significantly increased slash pine productivity, with greater responses occurring on Spodosols than on non-Spodosols; their combination had less than additive effects on Spodosols and additive effects on non-Spodosols. Complete and sustained vegetation control resulted in greater cumulative responses than repeated fertilization over more than 20 years, and then the gains from repeated fertilization had caught or surpassed the gains from complete vegetation control. Bedding resulted in significant responses in the early ages. Burning improved stand basal area and volume growth rather than average tree height and dbh on non-Spodosols and had little effect on Spodosols. Chopping had no significant effect on either soil group. Results of this study emphasize the need for site-specific silvicultural prescriptions.

Multivariate Multilevel Nonlinear Mixed Effects Models for Timber Yield Predictions

Nonlinear mixed effects models have become important tools for growth and yield modeling in forestry. To date, applications have concentrated on modeling single growth variables such as tree height or bole volume. Here, we propose multivariate multilevel nonlinear mixed effects models for describing several plot-level timber quantity characteristics simultaneously. We describe how such models can be used to produce future predictions of timber volume (yield). The class of models and methods of estimation and prediction are developed and then illustrated on data from a University of Georgia study of the effects of various site preparation methods on the growth of slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.).

Loblolly and Slash Pine Growth and Yield Prediction for Regional Timber Supply Projection Algorithms

Abstract Regional and national timber supply models require standing inventory update procedures. To date, most inventory update procedures used in regional timber supply algorithms have not made use of growth and yield methodology. We present growth and yield models to update standing inventories for natural and planted slash and loblolly pine stands in Georgia. These models were fitted to USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis data obtained from the sixth survey of Georgia and should prove useful in regional timber supply projection algorithms. South. J. Appl. For. 23(4):230-237.

Site Factors Affecting Growth of Slash Pine in the Texas Post Oak Belt

Abstract A study was conducted in the Post Oak Belt of East Texas to determine which site factors affected height growth of slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.). Height-age pairs were developed from stem analysis data. Nonlinear regression was implemented to develop a generalized height-age model. After curves were developed, stepwise regression was used to determine impacts of environmental variables on height growth. Environmental factors correlated with height growth included A horizon depth and those related to moisture relations including seasonal precipitation, average daily temperature, and texture of the A horizon. South. J. Appl. For. 21(2):71-74.

Site Preparation and Fertilization Effects on Growth of Slash Pine for Two Rotations

AbstractTwo replicated site preparation studies were used to examine the effect of management on pine height and volume growth in the next rotation on Paleudults. Treatments included no tillage, flat disking, bedding, and fertilization. The first rotation of planted slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii) was measured for 15 yr on one site and 20 yr at the other, harvested, and replanted without additional tillage. The second rotations were measured for 10 yr. At one site, 100 kg ha−1 P was applied to each rotation as a treatment variable. At one site, disking before the first rotation increased pine heights. Bedding before the first rotation increased pine heights at both sites. In the second rotation, the response was reversed, with pines planted on beds being the shortest. The P fertilization increased heights in both rotations but did not affect response to tillage. The P as well as N, applied only at age 7 in the second rotation, had a negative effect on the second rotation's volume, probably because of increased competition from shrubs and other understory plants. Across both sites and for all treatments, 10‐yr‐old slash pines averaged 7% less in height and 24% less in volume in the second rotation. These differences are statistically significant. Analysis at age 10 from both rotations indicates stable foliar concentrations of P and Ca, declining K, and increasing Mn and Al.

Aluminum sensitivity of loblolly pine and slash pine seedlings grown in solution culture.

To probe variation in Al sensitivity of two co-occurring pine species, seedlings from six full-sib families of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) were grown in solution culture containing 4.4 mM (high-Al) or 0.01 mM (low-Al) AlCl(3) at pH 4 for 58 days. On average, both pine species had 41% less total dry weight in the high-Al treatment than in the low-Al treatment. Stem volume growth of slash pine was more sensitive to the high-Al treatment than that of loblolly pine. In both species, the high-Al treatment inhibited root dry weight more than shoot dry weight. Within-species variation in Al sensitivity among families was greater in loblolly pine (24 to 52% inhibition of seedling dry weight) than in slash pine (35 to 47% inhibition of seedling dry weight). Foliar Al concentration was positively correlated with Al sensitivity in slash pine but not in loblolly pine; however, in both species, the concentration of Al in roots was 20-fold greater than in foliage.

Mineral nutrition of slash pine in subtropical australia. I. stand growth response to fertilization

Fertilization at plantation establishment and later age is often required to maximize stand growth of slash pine (Pinus elliottii) in subtropical Australia. A field experiment was conducted to examine stand growth response of slash pine in the first 11.5 years of plantation following (1) initial fertilization at plantation establishment with phosphorus (P) at 11, 22, 45 and 90 kg P ha−1 which were either banded or broadcast in the presence or absence of basal fertilizers containing 50 kg nitrogen (N) ha−1, 50 kg potassium (K) ha−1 and 5 kg copper (Cu) ha−1 and (2) additional application of 40 kg P ha−1 at age 10 years.

Mineral nutrition of slash pine in subtropical Australia. II. foliar nutrient response to fertilization

In the previous paper, we reported the stand growth of slash pine (Pinus elliottii) during the first 11.5 years of plantation in response to (1) initial fertilization at plantation establishment with P rates of 11, 22, 45 and 90 kg P ha−1 which were either banded or broadcast in the presence or absence of basal fertilizers containing 50 kg N ha−1, 50 kg K ha−1 and 5 kg Cu ha−1 and (2) application of additional 40 kg P ha−1 at age 10 years. Here we present the responses in foliar nutrient concentrations of slash pine in the first 11.5 years to the initial fertilization and the additional P applied at age 10 years.

Weed effects on early K and P nutrition and growth of slash pine on a Spodosol

Slash pine ( Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii) seedlings were grown on s Spodosol and without total weed control. During the 187 days after planting, shoots and roots of both trees and weeds were sampled four times to determine (1) the effects of weeds on early K and P nutrition and growth of slash pine, (2) the correlation between either above-ground weed biomass or live coverage and the root-length density of weeds, and (3) provide a data set to test a nutrient uptake model. During the initial 187 days, trees in the weed treatment lost half their initial K content, yet biomass and P content remained unchanged. Concentrations of K in needles from this treatment concurrently decreased from 7.7 to 2.5 mg K g −1. Even trees in the weed-free treatment lost K for the first 116 days before taking up significant amounts of K and P and increasing four-fold in biomass by Day 187. Tree root growth rates were also reduced in the presence of weeds. Grass root-length density was poorly correlated with above-ground biomass or live coverage ( r 2 values 0.37 and 0.47, respectively). Hence, above-ground attributes of weeds were considered poor surrogates for root-length density.

Long‐term effects of ozone and simulated acid rain on the foliage dynamics of slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. elliottii Engelm.)*

summarySeedlings from four half‐sib families of Pinus elliottii var. elliottii Engelm. were planted in open‐top chambers, and exposed to ozone and simulated acidic precipitation. Treatments were applied for 11 months per year for 28 months. The ozone concentrations were: charcoal filtered air (CF), nonfiltered ambient air (1×), twice the nonfiltered level (2 ×) and three times the nonfiltered level (3 ×). Ozone exposures were computer controlled to follow natural diurnal fluctuations in ambient ozone concentrations. Simulated acid rain at pH 3.3, 4.3 or 5.3 was delivered weekly at the same volume as average weekly rainfall to all chambers.Leaf area, bud number and fascicle survival were all highest in the CF chambers. Genetic differences between half‐sib families were apparent in both leaf area and the number of live buds. Leaf area and fascicle survival were reduced with every increase in ozone exposure from CF to 3 ×. Leaf litterfall increased significantly with increasing ozone exposure. Leaf growth, measured by mean leaf area and mean dry weight per needle, was not affected by ozone exposure or by acid rain. It was concluded that ozone reduced leaf area mainly by causing premature leaf senescence.The only significant effect of acidic precipitation was enhanced leaf retention in trees irrigated with pH 3.3 solution. The results indicate that the increasing levels of trophospheric ozone may significantly reduce the growth of slash pine through foliage loss. The increased leaf retention caused by acid rain is unlikely to compensate for the detrimental effect of ozone.

Site-Preparation Method and Early Cultural Treatments Affect Growth of Flatwoods Slash Pine Plantations

Abstract A study was established in 1979 to evaluate the effects of burning, chopping, and bedding on growth of slash pine (Pinus elliottii Elgelm.) plantations. In addition, a fertilizer and a complete vegetation control treatment were superimposed on the site preparation methods to test their impacts and to evaluate interactions. The study was balanced over two flatwoods soil groups; Spodosols and non-Spodosols. Complete vegetation control provided the most consistently dramatic improvement in slash pine growth. Fertilization and bedding were also significant treatments regardless of soil group. There was a significant soil group X treatment interaction for height, probably due to the adverse effects of burning on spodosols. Chopping improved pine height growth on non-Spodosols, but had no significant effect on Spodosol heights. Bedding, fertilization, and complete vegetation control continued to significantly improve growth on spodosols from ages 5 to 8. On non-Spodosols, only complete vegetation control continued to provide a significant growth response from age 5 to age 8. South. J. Appl. For. 14(4):183-188.

Importance of weed control, fertilization, irrigation, and genetics in slash and loblolly pine early growth on poorly drained spodosols

Research reported here has evaluated interactions of factors limiting the biological potential of slash pine ( Pinus elliottii var. elliottii Engelm.) and loblolly pine ( P. Taeda L.). Water and nutrients were manipulated by irrigation, weed control, and intensive fertilization. Genetic factors were incorporated as (1) improved loblolly seedlings from a commercial clonal seed orchard and (2) slash seedlings from four fast-growing, open-pollinated seed-orchard clones. Three replications of a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment were established on a Typic Haplaquod soil in northern Florida using four cultural treatments: no treatment (F0H0); weed control (F0H1); fertilizer (F1F0); and combination of weed control and fertilizer (F1H1) for each species. During the first year there were large, sustained responses to all cultural practices. Loblolly and slash pine showed similar growth responses and had a lengthened growing season (60–100 days). Slash pine growth was superior to that of loblolly. Growth responses observed during the first year continued. After 4 years, irrigation had no measurable effect on tree growth. Both pine species responded equally to F1H0 and F0H1, but slash retained a slight edge. Extra nutrients]available via fertilizer, reduced competition, or additional rooting space, increased slash-pine volume index from an average of 2.0 m 3 ha −1 (F0H0) to 11.90 and 13.59 m 3 ha −1 (F0H1 and F1H0, respectively). The F1H1 treatment produced the largest slash-pine response, diameter at breast height ( D bh) averaged 9.84 cm, height reached 5.02 m, and volume index rose to about 22.94 m 3 ha −1. With teh F1H1 treatment, average loblolly-pine height and volume exceeded that of the average slash pine. At age 4, the growth response due to increased nutrient supply was 13–29 times that of the best genetic response within F0H0 trees of the four slash-pine progenies. The best-growing slash-pine family (6–56) exceeded loblolly-pine growth under all four treatments and approximated the vigor shown by slash pine in the southern hemisphere.

Slash Pine Growth and Yield Responses to Sludge Applications

Abstract Sewage sludge was applied to forestland to test the effect of waste utilization on forest growth and yield improvement. Growth and yield improvement were associated with increased acidity and extractable phosphorus (P) in the surface sail. Heavy metal mobility was minimal. Slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) volume growth and yield improvement were significant at 0.035 ft3/yr and 8.0 ft3/ac/yr, respectively, for each 10 tons/ac of dry weight sludge. Sludge application after tree establishment improved growth by 0.054 ft3/yr and yield by 28.9 ft3/ac/yr. This was a two- to three-fold increase over sludge treatment before tree establishment. Differences were attributed to increased weed competition, disease, and seedling mortality in the pines planted after sludge treatment. Lower sludge rates frequently applied to established stand would be the best procedure for forest growth and yield improvement with a minimum of site problems. South. J. Appl. For. 10:142-45, Aug. 1986.

Windrowing Affects Early Growth of Slash Pine

Abstract On the Bradford Experimental Watersheds, Morris et al. (1983) previously demonstrated that, contrary to appearances, windrows were composed primarily (>85%) of soil rather than wood, and they contained large amounts of nutrients (e.g., about 333 lb nitrogen/ac of plantation). The present study addressed the question: do planted pines respond to such nutrient translocations? At five years of age planted slash pine (Pinus elliottii) on beds nearest windrows had 9%, 33%, and 45% more height, basal area, and volume, respectively, than trees three beds away. These are probably conservative estimates of differences due to better soil nutrition near windrows̶because competing vegetation was much more abundant there. South J. Appl. For. 10:81-84, May 1986.

Effect of simulated acid rain on growth and yield of Valencia orange, floradade tomato and slash pine in Florida

Direct effects of simulated acidic deposition on vegetation were studied in the laboratory under controlled conditions for three commercially important resources: slash pine, Floradade tomato and Valencia orange. Treatment was similar to convective rain in Florida in ion composition, total volume, frequency and rate of application, intensity and sulfate/nitrate ratio. The surface of the growth medium was covered with plastic during application of the solution. Water and nutrients optimum for growth were provided directly to the growth medium. No visible injury resulted from application of the simulated rain. No effects of pH treatments on vegetative growth of slash pine, orange or tomato were observed. However, fruit yield of tomato and orange differed significantly between plants subjected to different pH treatments. The yield of tomato was lower and that of orange was higher at the lower pH treatments. Calcium and magnesium levels were highest in the foliage of tomato plants receiving the pH 5.5 treatment. No differences in element levels of orange foliage were observed.

Establishment and Growth of Slash Pine on Grazed Cutover Range in Central Louisiana

Abstract Slash pine (Pinus elliottii) was established by both planting and seeding on cutover range units prescribe-burned and grazed yearlong. Paired fenced and unfenced plots were used to compare survival and growth on both heavily and lightly grazed range with ungrazed plots. On planted sites, survival was significantly lower on heavily grazed than on ungrazed sites by May of the first growing season. No significant differences in survival were found between lightly grazed and ungrazed sites. In seeded stands, survival was not significantly different between grazed and ungrazed sites. Trees were thinned at an average age of 18 years Prethinning measurements indicated that plantations subjected to heavy grazing throughout their existence had fewer trees per acre, but had larger dbh than the ungrazed. Consequently, differences in volume were not significant, showing regulated yearlong grazing to be compatible with the establishment and early growth of slash pine.

Site Relations of Slash Pine on Dredge Mine Spoils

AbstractDredge mining for heavy minerals is carried out on large areas of Spodosol soils in the Georgia‐Florida coastal plain. Attempts to return these areas to productive slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliotii) forests have usually failed. This study was conducted to determine if changes in soil moisture regime or extremely low nutrient availability induced by the mining operation were the causes of such failure. Nutrient contents of the mined soils were low, but this did not appear to be the major cause of poor tree growth. Changes in topography and the removal of organic and sesquioxide coatings from the thick spodic horizon caused the mined soils' moisture regimes to be very different from those occurring in the coarse sandy soils prior to mining. Before mining, the soils were fairly uniform, somewhat poorly drained Spodosols. After mining, the soils ranged from Typic to Aquic Quartzipsamments, and only a small proportion of the area retained a moisture regime suitable for vigorous slash pine growth. Plantation failure on these sites could have been mitigated by grading the spoils to nearly level contours and increasing the organic matter content through additions of waste humate from the mining process or sewage sludge, or by planting a variety of tree species onto the various microsites present in the mined landscape.