Overstory Canopy Influences on Height Development of Red Spruce and Balsam Fir Saplings
Problem Addressed: Effects of overstory canopy structure on height development of red spruce and balsam fir saplings is critical for managing multi-cohort forests in Maine.
Goal(s)/Objective(s): Use predictive models to develop and examine the relationships between gap fraction and pine overstory basal area, crown projection area, and projected leaf area, and height increment of open-grown and understory red spruce and balsam fir sapling and gap fraction.
Key Findings: On fair sites, spruce and fir height growth can be maximized if grown beneath approximately 65 percent gap fraction, which is equivalent to a pine leaf area index of 1.0 (m2/ha/ha), or a basal area of 10 (m2/ha). In addition, spruce and fir saplings growing beneath 30 percent gap fraction, a pine leaf area index of 2.0 (m2/ha/ha), or a basal area of 25 (m2/ha), will not suffer in decreased height growth compared with open-grown trees.
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