Growth response of coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirbel] Franco) in western Oregon following mechanical commercial thinning damage

Jim Donald Kiser

Abstract


Growth responses of coastal Pacific Northwest Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirbel] Franco) were quantified 14 years following mechanical damage from commercial thinning. Damaged and undamaged adjacent and non-adjacent trees were measured for total height, crown length, and diameter at breast height (DBH) to assess neighbor competitiveness between damaged and undamaged trees. Results indicated that mechanical damage had no significant effect between damaged and undammed trees relative to adjacent or non-adjacent trees on total tree height, height/diameter curves, basal area growth after thinning, height to crown base, or crown length. However, there was a significant difference in crown length between the damaged and adjacent trees. Trends in height to crown base over tree diameter curves were not significantly different between damaged and undamaged trees of either the adjacent (P = 0.90) or non-adjacent group (P = 0.76)


Keywords


Damage, Douglas-fir, Commercial thinning; growth response, growth and yield

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References


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