Document: KAT-3-64-25

Early growth patterns of trees in a maple-basswood forest restoration.

VARRO, E.A.*, C.A.ROSENTHAL and K.L.SHEA

St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN 55057 ¹

Abstract:
Growth patterns and survival of trees in a restored maple-basswood forest in southeastern MN, USA, were examined over a nine year period. Data were collected on heights and diameters of 1,052 individually tagged trees planted in old fields. Tree size, growth curves, percent mortality and effects of plastic growth tubes were compared among species. Tree species with growth tubes were significantly taller than trees without tubes after two years of treatment, but after eight years trees with tubes were shorter or not significnatly different than trees growing without tubes. Tree mortality rates ranged from 7.1% in Acer rubrum, 17.6% in Tilia americana, and 32.8% in Quercus macrocarpa to 50.3 % in Acer saccharum and 49.5% in Quercus alba. The growth pattern of most species followed a power curve with an increasing rate of size increase over time. The mean heights of the taller species, Quercus rubra, Fraxinus americana and Tilia americana were just over 2.5 m while shorter species, Juglans nigra and Acer saccharum, had mean heights from 1.0-1.5 m. Results suggest that use of protective growth tubes is not recommended after the first three years unless herbivory levels are very high. Acer saccharum, with its low light tolerance and prolific reproduction, will become a more important component of the forest as trees reach reproductive age and the canopy closes over.

Keywords: Forest Restoration, Maple-Basswood Forest

This abstract is being presented at: 10:30 AM in session:
RESTORATION ECOLOGY AND INVASIONS