Les forêts tropicales couvrent environ 7% de la surface terrestre et stockent environ 25% du carbone terrestre. Elles jouent un rôle important dans les cycles biogéochimiques et fournissent divers services écosystémiques. Cependant, elles sont menacées par l’activité anthropique et le changement climatique. Il y a un besoin pressant de mieux comprendre les effets du changement climatique sur la croissance des arbres afin de mieux estimer son impact sur la composition des forêts et leur capacité à fournir leurs services.Jusqu’à récemment, les réponses des forêts aux changements climatiques ont été étudiées via des expérimentations en laboratoire ou en rapportant les changements à l’échelle des populations. Cependant, notre connaissance de l’influence des changements climatiques graduels sur la croissance ligneuse reste limitée. L’étude des cernes de croissance a permis la reconstruction du climat passé et l’étude de son influence sur la dynamique de croissance des arbres dans les régions tempérées. Son application dans un contexte tropical reste cependant limitée par l’absence d’une saisonnalité marquée des facteurs limitants la croissance. La distinction des cernes de croissance chez les espèces tropicales est très variable et des études supplémentaires sont nécessaires pour correctement les identifier et les utiliser dans les études dendrochronologiques.Dans cette thèse, nous explorons le potentiel d’utilisation de l’anatomie et de la densité du bois dans l’étude des réponses des arbres aux changements climatiques. Nous évaluons la variabilité anatomique du coeur à l’écorce et la manière dont le climat l’influence. Le travail est subdivisé en trois chapitres, chacun répondant à une question spécifique. Plus particulièrement, nous avons étudié (i) la variabilité de la distinction et de l’anatomie des cernes de croissance dans les tropiques, (ii) la relation entre l’anatomie et la densité du bois ainsi que son potentiel d’utilisation comme un proxy pour estimer variabilité anatomique et (iii) l’influence de la saisonnalité des précipitations sur la rythmicité de la croissance des arbres via leurs profils de densité du bois.En premier lieu, nous avons décrit les traits anatomiques impliqués dans la démarcation des limites des cernes de croissance et évalué leur contribution à la distinction des cernes. Nous avons constaté une grande variabilité intra et interspécifique et mis en avant le fait que les définitions actuelles de la distinction des cernes ne décrivent pas suffisamment la complexité de l’anatomie du bois dans les tropiques. Au lieu de se concentrer sur la détection des cernes, nous proposons d’étudier la variabilité des traits anatomiques depuis le coeur jusqu’à l’écorce dans le but de reconstruire la croissance ligneuse passée et estimer les effets du climat.Ensuite nous avons automatisé les mesures de proportions de parenchyme et de vaisseaux ainsi que le ratio lumen/diamètre total des fibres dans le plan transversal de la moelle à l’écorce. Nous les avons étudiés en parallèle avec des profils à haute résolution de la densité du bois de huit espèces. Nous avons montré que la densité du bois est influencée par l’anatomie des fibres et que la relation entre l’anatomie et la densité du bois dépend de l’espèce. Notre étude suggère qu’il est possible d’utiliser les profils de la densité du bois comme un proxy pour étudier la variabilité de l’anatomie du bois.Finalement, nous avons utilisé les profils de densité afin de comparer les patterns de croissance ligneuse de 13 espèces le long d’un gradient de précipitation. Nous avons utilisé l’analyse en ondelettes afin de dériver trois descripteurs de croissance :la régularité, la périodicité et l’amplitude des variations. Nous avons montré que la saisonnalité de précipitations influence la régularité de la croissance ligneuse et que les variations sont plus abruptes dans les sites avec une saisonnalité plus marquée. Nous avons aussi montré que les espèces décidues et sempervirentes ne réagissent pas de la même façon aux variations des patterns de précipitations.Nous pensons que ces résultats vont favoriser l’émergence d’outils prometteurs pour étudier la croissance des arbres et sa relation avec le climat. L’automatisation des mesures des traits anatomiques et l’utilisation des profils de densité du bois comme proxies vont aider à diminuer le temps de traitement des échantillons et augmenter leur nombre ainsi que la puissance des traitements statistiques. Par la description très fine des signaux cycliques qu’elle permet, l’analyse en ondelettes ouvre de nouvelles perspectives pour la description des profils de variation de la densité du bois et donc l’interprétation de la dynamique de croissance des arbres. / Doctorat en Sciences agronomiques et ingénierie biologique / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Purple-flowered rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum L.) and yellow-flowered rhododendron (R. flavum Don.) are two dominant shrub species of the eastern beech (Fagus orientalis L.) understories in the eastern and western Black Sea Region (BSR), respectively. These invasive woody species significantly reduce beech growth and can preclude tree regeneration. The ecological consequence is an aging beech overstory with little or no regeneration to replace the mature trees. Great rhododendron (R. maximum L.) has been increasing in the forests of the Southern Appalachians of the United States, reducing tree regeneration and growth. The BSR and Southern Appalachians bear noteworthy similarities in climate, topography, and the forest flora. Purple-flowered and great rhododendrons also show important similarities in their ecology and the forest vegetation problems they can cause. Current rhododendron-dominated and threatened BSR forests may provide an advanced ecological picture of the forests of the Southern Appalachians in which great rhododendron now thrives. Therefore, new information gained on the ecology and effective and cost-efficient control of purple-flowered rhododendron may significantly improve forest management practices, not only for the current rhododendron-invaded BSR ecosystem, but also for other parts of the world. This dissertation consists of five separate yet related chapters. The first gives relevant literature reviewed for the dissertation. The second chapter focuses on various environmental and disturbance factors that may have shaped the current purple-flowered rhododendron-dominated beech forests of the BSR of Turkey. Chapter 3 assesses the effects of various manual and herbicidal woody control techniques on purple-flowered and yellow-flowered rhododendron in two field experiments in the BSR. The fourth chapter relates a study of uptake and translocation behavior of triclopyr ester and imazapyr in great rhododendron. This information is used to determine the optimum herbicide-surfactant combinations for the greatest active ingredient uptake and root translocation in great rhododendron. The last chapter is a synthesis of the information gained in all of these different experiments. / Ph. D.

Die großflächige Umwandlung von tropischen Wäldern hat zu dramatischen Verlusten von Biodiversität und assoziierten Ökosystemdienstleistungen und –funktionen geführt. Indonesien ist ein besonders schwerwiegendes Beispiel für den Verlust von Waldflächen und Biodiversität. Landumnutzungen, in starkem Maße durch den Anbau von Ölpalmen vorangetrieben, stellen eine erhebliche Bedrohung für die außergewöhnlich hohe Biodiversität des Landes dar. Landwirtschaftssysteme, wie Agroforstsysteme, können hingegen genutzt werden, um die Biodiversität und Ökosystemfunktionen in von Ölpalmen dominierten Landschaften zu erhöhen. In Regionen, in denen Ölpalmplantagen bereits die Landschaft dominieren, kann diese Erhöhung nur durch systematische Renaturierung erfolgen. Die zugrunde liegenden ökologischen und soziökonomischen Prozesse und damit verbundene Beschränkungen und Kompromisse von Renaturierungsmaßnahmen in von Ölpalmen dominierten Landschaften sind jedoch weitgehend unbekannt. Um diese Wissenslücke zu schließen, habe ich mit Kollegen aus Deutschland und Indonesien ein Langzeitexperiment zur Erhöhung der Biodiversität aufgebaut. Wir haben experimentell Bäume in Form von „Inseln“ in eine konventionelle Ölpalmplantage gepflanzt und hierbei systematisch die Flächengröße, das Diversitätslevel und die Artzusammensetzung variiert. Wir haben hierfür sechs multifunktionale heimische Baumarten ausgewählt. Auf der Fläche der Bauminseln haben wir einen Teil der Ölpalmen gefällt, um die Lichtverfügbarkeit für die gepflanzten Bäume durch eine reduzierte Ölpalmdichte zu erhöhen. In dieser Doktorarbeit stelle ich den Aufbau des Experiments vor und gebe einen breiten Einblick in anfängliche Auswirkungen des Experiments, indem ich ökologische Aspekte in Betracht ziehe, sowie Veränderungen hinsichtlich des Ernteertrags. Da die Zeit kurz nach der Pflanzung ein Nadelöhr für die Langzeitetablierung der Bäume darstellt, ist sie sehr kritisch, um die erwünschten Renaturierungserfolge in der Zukunft zu erzielen. Des Weiteren kann die Anfangszeit auch aus der Sicht der Landwirte eine entscheidende Hürde darstellen, da der Nutzen der Bauminseln erst lange Zeit nach ihrer Pflanzung entsteht. Zuerst beschreibe ich Umweltvariablen und biotische Charakteristika der den experimentellen Flächen assoziierten Vegetation, Invertebraten und Vögel vor der Errichtung des Experiments, sowie anfängliche Auswirkungen des Experiments auf die Fauna. Ein Jahr nach der Errichtung des Experiments hatten die Baumpflanzungen einen insgesamt positiven Effekt auf die Artengemeinschaften von Vögeln und Invertebraten in der Plantage. Die Größe der Bauminseln wirkte sich lediglich auf die Diversität und Abundanz von Invertebraten positiv aus, die somit auf kleinskalige Veränderungen reagierten. Ausgehend von diesen Ergebnissen erwarte ich einen weiteren Anstieg der Biodiversität und Ökosystemfunktionen in der Zukunft. Danach berichte ich über den Anwuchserfolg der Bäume und ermittle die wichtigsten Determinanten für den Wuchs und das Überleben der Bäume. Insgesamt sind die Bäume gut angewachsen, jedoch gab es große Unterschiede zwischen den Baumarten hinsichtlich relativer Höhenwachstums-, Dickenwachstums- sowie Überlebensraten. Arten mit hohen Wachstumsraten wiesen vorwiegend auch hohe Überlebensraten auf. Auf Versuchsflächenebene hatten Standortbedingungen, Flächengröße und Diversitätslevel der gepflanzten Bäume lediglich einen geringen Einfluss auf das mittlere Baumwachstum und die Überlebensrate. Auf Individuenebene habe ich signifikante Nachbarschaftseffekte festgestellt. Hohe benachbarte Bäume und die Distanz zu verbleibenden Ölpalmen begünstigten die Entwicklung der Bäume. Noch ist es zu früh zu entscheiden, welche der Baumarten sich generell am besten eignen, um Renaturierungsziele zu erreichen. Unterschiede in der anfänglichen Entwicklung liefern jedoch wichtige Informationen für eine zukünftige Bewertung der Arten. Zuletzt präsentiere ich Auswirkungen des Experiments auf den Ölpalmertrag. Nach zwei Jahren waren die Erträge pro Ölpalmindividuum erhöht, sowohl auf als auch direkt neben den Versuchsflächen. Die geschätzten Ertragsänderungen für die verschiedenen Flächengrößen unter Einbezug von Ernteverlusten durch gefällte Ölpalmen sowie Effekte auf benachbarte Ölpalmen deuten darauf hin, dass die erhöhten Ernteerträge insbesondere in großen Bauminseln mindestens das Fällen von Ölpalmen kompensiert haben. Diese Ergebnisse, die in der frühen Phase der Bauminseletablierung erzielt wurden, sind vielversprechend für die Erarbeitung nachhaltiger Managementoptionen für Ölpalmplantagen, die ökologische und ökonomische Funktionen in Einklang bringen. Die anfänglichen Auswirkungen waren stärker und insbesondere aus ökonomischer Perspektive profitabler als ich erwartet habe. Die Nachbarschaftseffekte und die Auswirkungen der experimentell veränderten Variablen waren bislang jedoch überwiegend schwach. Ich erwarte, dass diese Auswirkungen mit der Zeit stärker ausgeprägt sein werden. Durch Erkenntnisse, die aus zukünftigen Langzeitbeobachtungen des Experiments, das ich in dieser Doktorarbeit vorstelle, gewonnen werden, können Wissenslücken geschlossen werden. Somit kann die Ausarbeitung von Managementrichlinien für von Ölpalmen dominierten Landschaften ermöglicht werden, die sowohl ökologisch verbessert als auch ökonomisch lohnenswert sind. Diese Doktorarbeit stellt einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur generellen Beurteilung des Experiments dar, wodurch darüber hinaus auch neue Erkenntnisse für die Renaturierungswissenschaft gewonnen werden können.

Objetivando-se estudar o efeito de métodos químicos de indução de copa no desenvolvimento da seringueira, realizou-se experimento em condições de campo, em Casa Branca-SP, aplicando-se reguladores vegetais de crescimento em plantas enxertadas do cultivar RRIM 600 com 20 meses de idade, com 1,70 a 3,00 m de altura e último lançamento foliar maduro. O experimento foi delineado em Blocos ao Acaso com quatro repetições, utilizando-se como tratamentos, a aplicação de hidrazida maléica a 500, 750 e 1. 000 ppm, chlormequat a 1.000, 1.500 e 2.000 ppm, daminozide a 2.000, 3.000 e 4.000 ppm e a testemunha. Durante a realização do experimento efetuaram-se avaliações das seguintes variáveis: perímetro do tronco, espessura de casca, altura da árvore, altura do tronco, comprimento da copa, diâmetro da copa, número e porcentual de árvores ramificadas, número de ramos, concentração de ramos, ângulo de inserção dos ramos, índice de área foliar, coeficiente de absorção de radiação e danos por vento. Estudos de correlação foram feitos para analisar a influência das características da copa sobre o desenvolvimento das árvores. Nas condições em que foi conduzido o experimento, os resultados obtidos permitiam concluir que a indução de copa por métodos químicos pode incrementar o crescimento do perímetro do tronco, reduzindo o período de imaturidade da seringueira e que a injúria ou morte da gema apical aumentam a susceptibilidade das copas a danos por vento. O melhor tratamento foi com daminozide a 2.000 ppm, que apresentou ganho de 25% no perímetro relativo do tronco em relação à testemunha. Os tratamentos com daminozide apresentaram ganhos em perímetro do tronco sem comprometer a resistência das copas a danos por vento. Os tratamentos com chlormequat e hidraliza maléica não apresentaram ganhos em perímetro do tronco sendo que o último comprometeu a resistência das copas a danos por vento. O perímetro do tronco está positivamente correlacionado com a altura da árvore, o comprimento da copa, o diâmetro médio da copa e a espessura de casca; e negativamente relacionado com a altura do tronco. / This study describes the influences of chemical methods of branch induction on growth of Hevea brasiliensis. The experiment was situated in Casa Branca-SP, Brazil, where growth regulators were sprayed on buddings of cultivar RRIM 600, 20 months after planting. The experiment was delineated in randon blocks with 4 repetitions with the following treatments: maleic hydrazide at 500, 750 and 1,000 ppm; chlormequat at 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 ppm; daminozide at. 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 ppm, and control. Tree girth, bark thickness, tree and crown height, crown length, crown width, branch number and concentration, branch slope, leaf area index, canopy light absorption and wind damage measurements were carried out at regular intervals, during experiment period. Correlation studies were made to explain the relationships between canopy characters and tree growth. Under the prevailing experimental conditions we may derive the following conclusions: branch induction by chemical methods may increase the tree girth, reducing immature period of rubber; injury to the terminal apex increases susceptibility to wind damage; the best treatment was daminozide at 2,000 ppm presenting 25% gain on tree girth compared to control; daminozide treatments enhanced tree girth without changing the wind damage susceptibility; chlormequat and maleic hydrazide treatments did not increase tree girth, and the latest reduced the crowns wind damage resistance; tree girth is positive correlated with tree height, crown length, crown width and bark thickness, and negative correlated with crotch height.

The high cost of restoring tropical forests is one of the greatest obstacle to achieving large-scale restoration. To overcome this barrier, we developed and implemented mixed plantations intercropping Eucalyptus with a high diversity of native tree species. The aim was to create favorable conditions for the regeneration of native species while simultaneously obtaining economic return from the exploitation of Eucalyptus as a commercial pioneer species. The use of Eucalyptus in this system is temporary and it shall be replaced by additional native species after it is harvested. In this research, we covered the main aspects and approaches of the effects of competition on tree growth using data from our restoration experiments. The objective of this research was to test the ecological viability of plantations that temporarily mix Eucalyptus spp. and a high diversity of native tree species during the initial phases of forest restoration as a strategy to offset implementation and maintenance costs. This alternative is investigated with a focus on the consequences of ecological interactions on tree survival and growth in three experiments implemented in the Atlantic Forest of Northeastern and Southeastern Brazil. We compared stands of native trees intercropped with Eucalyptus, traditional restoration plantations, and Eucalyptus monocultures. The thesis is structured in three main parts in which we focus in how the mixtures function compared to restoration plantations and Eucalyptus monocultures. We used forest inventories to understand the effects of competition and assessed ecophysiological parameters to provide insights about the mechanisms that affect tree growth when trees compete for water, light and nutrients. In the first part of the study, we showed that mixed plantations effectively combined high wood yield and tree diversity; that Eucalyptus grew larger in mixtures with native species than in monocultures; that native tree species grew less in mixtures with Eucalyptus; and that the mixing effect was stronger for fast- and intermediate-growing native species. In the second part, we found that mixtures consumed less water than monocultures; that Eucalyptus reduced the hydraulic performance of a fast-growing native species; and that tree growth was influenced by changes in the ecophysiology of water use. In the last part, we showed that a high diversity of nitrogen-fixing native trees facilitated Eucalyptus growth; that Eucalyptus had ~30% higher wood N concentration in mixtures; that native trees growth was not limited by nutrient competition with Eucalyptus; that Eucalyptus may benefit from increased light availability in mixed plantations; and that native species plots intercepted more sunlight than mixtures or Eucalyptus stands. This research has a strong interface between restoration science and practice, and contributed to the development of new ways to restore the tropical forests by allying restoration and production under the ecological and economic perspectives. Our findings indicate how to advance into the future, starting from the current state of art towards forest restoration systems that minimize competition and maximize growth, as an emergent promising alternative to finance tropical forest restoration and overcome the economic barrier that still holds large-scale restoration. This research may be used as a basis to continue adapting silviculture for different regions and forest ecosystems. Looking further into the future, these mixtures may also represent the starting point of a new silvicultural model that brings together production and conservation. The information available may be used by scientists, decision-makers, planners and restorationists to advance in the science and practice of restoration and silviculture in the tropics. / O alto custo de se restaurar as florestas tropicais são um dos maiores obstáculos para se atingir a restauração em larga escala. Para superar essa barreira, nós desenvolvemos e implantamos plantações mistas que intercalam Eucalyptus e uma alta diversidade de espécies arbóreas nativas. O objetivo é criar condições favoráveis para a regeneração das espécies nativas e, ao mesmo tempo, obter retorno econômico da exploração de eucalipto como uma espécie pioneira comercial. O uso do eucalipto nesse sistema é temporário e ele deve ser substituído por espécies nativa adicionais após ser colhido. Nessa pesquisa, nós cobrimos os principais aspectos e abordagens relacionados aos efeitos da competição sobre o crescimento arbóreo utilizando dados dos nossos experimentos. O objetivo dessa pesquisa foi testar a viabilidade ecológica de plantios que consorciam temporariamente eucalipto e uma alta diversidade de espécies arbóreas nativas durante as fases iniciais da restauração ecológica como uma estratégia para compensar parte dos custos de implantação e manutenção. Essa alternativa é investigada com foco nas consequências das interações ecológicas sobre a sobrevivência e o crescimento das árvores em três experimentos implantados na Mata Atlântica do nordeste e sudeste do Brasil. Nós implantamos e comparamos talhões de espécies nativas intercaladas com eucalipto, plantios de restauração tradicionais e monocultivos de eucalipto. A tese é estruturada em três partes principais com foco em como os plantios mistos funcionam em comparação a plantios de restauração e monocultivos de eucalipto. Nós utilizamos inventários florestais para entender os efeitos da competição e estimamos parâmetros ecofisiológicos para investigar os mecanismos que afetam o crescimento arbóreo quando as árvores competem por água, luz e nutrientes. Na primeira parte do estudo, nó mostramos que os plantios mistos combinaram efetivamente alta produção de madeira com diversidade arbórea; que eucalipto cresceu mais em plantios mistos do que em monocultivos; que espécies nativas cresceram menos em consórcio com eucalipto; e que o efeito do consórcio foi maior para espécies de crescimento rápido e intermediário. Na segunda parte, mostramos que plantios mistos consumiram menos água do que monocultivos; que Eucalyptus reduziu a performance hidráulica de uma espécie nativa de rápido crescimento; e que o crescimento das árvores foi influenciado por mudanças na ecofisiologia do uso da água. Na última parte, nós mostramos que uma alta diversidade de espécies arbóreas fixadoras de nitrogênio facilitaram o crescimento de Eucalyptus; que Eucalyptus teve concentração de N ~30% mais alta na madeira, em plantios mistos; que o crescimento de árvores nativas não foi limitado pela competição por nutrientes com eucalipto; que eucalipto pode se beneficiar de maior disponibilidade de luz em plantios mistos; e que parcelas de espécies nativas interceptaram mais luz do que plantios mistos ou monocultivos de eucalipto. Essa pesquisa tem uma forte interface entre a ciência e a prática da restauração, e contribuiu para o desenvolvimento de novas maneiras de se restaurar as florestas tropicais por meio da aliança entre restauração e produção sob as perspectivas ecológica e econômica. Nossas descobertas indicam como avançar no futuro, a partir do estado da arte atual, em direção a sistemas de restauração florestal que minimizem a competição e maximizem o crescimento, como uma alternativa emergente e promissora para compensar os custos da restauração e superar a barreira econômica que ainda impede a restauração em larga escala. Essa pesquisa pode ser utilizada como uma base para se continuar adaptando a silvicultura a diferentes regiões e ecossistemas florestais. Olhando para o futuro mais distante, esses plantios mistos podem também representar um ponto inicial de um novo modelo de silvicultura que alia produção e conservação. A informação disponibilidade deve ser utilizada por cientistas, tomadores de decisão, planejadores e restauradores para avançar com a ciência e a prática da restauração e da silvicultura nos trópicos.

Objetivando-se estudar o efeito de métodos químicos de indução de copa no desenvolvimento da seringueira, realizou-se experimento em condições de campo, em Casa Branca-SP, aplicando-se reguladores vegetais de crescimento em plantas enxertadas do cultivar RRIM 600 com 20 meses de idade, com 1,70 a 3,00 m de altura e último lançamento foliar maduro. O experimento foi delineado em Blocos ao Acaso com quatro repetições, utilizando-se como tratamentos, a aplicação de hidrazida maléica a 500, 750 e 1. 000 ppm, chlormequat a 1.000, 1.500 e 2.000 ppm, daminozide a 2.000, 3.000 e 4.000 ppm e a testemunha. Durante a realização do experimento efetuaram-se avaliações das seguintes variáveis: perímetro do tronco, espessura de casca, altura da árvore, altura do tronco, comprimento da copa, diâmetro da copa, número e porcentual de árvores ramificadas, número de ramos, concentração de ramos, ângulo de inserção dos ramos, índice de área foliar, coeficiente de absorção de radiação e danos por vento. Estudos de correlação foram feitos para analisar a influência das características da copa sobre o desenvolvimento das árvores. Nas condições em que foi conduzido o experimento, os resultados obtidos permitiam concluir que a indução de copa por métodos químicos pode incrementar o crescimento do perímetro do tronco, reduzindo o período de imaturidade da seringueira e que a injúria ou morte da gema apical aumentam a susceptibilidade das copas a danos por vento. O melhor tratamento foi com daminozide a 2.000 ppm, que apresentou ganho de 25% no perímetro relativo do tronco em relação à testemunha. Os tratamentos com daminozide apresentaram ganhos em perímetro do tronco sem comprometer a resistência das copas a danos por vento. Os tratamentos com chlormequat e hidraliza maléica não apresentaram ganhos em perímetro do tronco sendo que o último comprometeu a resistência das copas a danos por vento. O perímetro do tronco está positivamente correlacionado com a altura da árvore, o comprimento da copa, o diâmetro médio da copa e a espessura de casca; e negativamente relacionado com a altura do tronco. / This study describes the influences of chemical methods of branch induction on growth of Hevea brasiliensis. The experiment was situated in Casa Branca-SP, Brazil, where growth regulators were sprayed on buddings of cultivar RRIM 600, 20 months after planting. The experiment was delineated in randon blocks with 4 repetitions with the following treatments: maleic hydrazide at 500, 750 and 1,000 ppm; chlormequat at 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 ppm; daminozide at. 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 ppm, and control. Tree girth, bark thickness, tree and crown height, crown length, crown width, branch number and concentration, branch slope, leaf area index, canopy light absorption and wind damage measurements were carried out at regular intervals, during experiment period. Correlation studies were made to explain the relationships between canopy characters and tree growth. Under the prevailing experimental conditions we may derive the following conclusions: branch induction by chemical methods may increase the tree girth, reducing immature period of rubber; injury to the terminal apex increases susceptibility to wind damage; the best treatment was daminozide at 2,000 ppm presenting 25% gain on tree girth compared to control; daminozide treatments enhanced tree girth without changing the wind damage susceptibility; chlormequat and maleic hydrazide treatments did not increase tree girth, and the latest reduced the crowns wind damage resistance; tree girth is positive correlated with tree height, crown length, crown width and bark thickness, and negative correlated with crotch height.

Knowledge of ecological site characteristics and tree growth on different sites is fundamental for silvicultural decisionmaking and planning. With biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification in place in British Columbia, silvicultural management has been given an ecological foundation; however, relationships between growth and site quality have not yet been fully investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine how site conditions within the SBS zone affect the height growth of lodgepole pine (Pl) and interior spruce (Sx).

Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis (Dougl. ex Loud.) Forbes) is an important timber crop species in coastal forests of B.C. Its range extends from sea-level to almost timberline, and from the hypermaritime region on the west coast of Vancouver Island to the subcontinental region on the leeward side of the Coast Mountains. With this relatively wide climatic amplitude, a large variability in the height growth pattern of Pacific silver fir can be expected, since climate is considered to be the most influential determinant of the trajectory of height over age of forest trees. This variability, however, is not reflected in the height growth curves and site index tables used to estimate Pacific silver fir site index, since the curves and tables were developed from low-elevation stands on Vancouver Island. Consequently, when these curves and tables are applied to high-elevation or submaritime stands, we get biased estimates of site index. Accurate estimates of site index are necessary for accurate yield predictions. Furthermore, they are essential for making rational decisions about whether to cut the forest in situations where potential tree growth is marginal, such as in high-elevation forests.

Western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) is a locally important species in the Nelson Forest Region, and to a lesser extent, in the Kamloops Forest Region. Its range extends from west of the Rockies to Okanagan Lake, and north to Salmon Arm, in the IDF, ICH, MS, and ESSF biogeoclimatic zones. Prior to this study, the site index curves developed for western larch in western Montana were used to model height and estimate site index in British Columbia. It has been suggested that these curves may not adequately reflect the height growth patterns of western larch in BC. Differences could arise from genetics, different methods of selecting sample trees, or climatic differences. The objective of this project was to produce accurate height growth models for western larch in BC.

Det svenska skogsbruket har med fokus på beståndsvis avverkning och återbeskogning genererat ett mosaikartat landskap med en mängd väl avgränsande kantzoner mellan yngre och äldre bestånd, och att uppkomna förändringar hos växtmiljön i anslutning till dessa beståndsgränser kan påverka såväl tillväxt som artsammansättning har konstaterats i ett flertal tidigare studier. Men även om dessa studier påvisat förekomsten av kanteffekter har resultaten varierat utifrån geografiskt undersökningsområde och studerade trädslag. Tidigare studier har utifrån ett nordiskt perspektiv dessutom främst fokuserat på tillväxtförändringar hos tall i Finland och norra Sverige, vilket föranlett att denna studie valt att undersöka förekomst och omfattning av tillväxteffekter inom kantzoner belägna mellan angränsande äldre och yngre granbestånd i västra Götaland. Studien har genomförts genom att inom ett antal representativa objekt samla in data utifrån utlagda provyor i terrängen och undersökningen har avgränsats till att omfatta trädens höjd- och diametertillväxt samt markvegetationens artsammansättning. Vidare jämförelser har därefter gjorts utifrån avstånd från aktuell beståndsgräns, kantzonernas väderstreck i nordlig respektive sydlig riktning samt de yngre beståndens skötselhistorik i form av röjt eller oröjt. För att undersöka förekomsten av signifikanta skillnader mellan grupperna har insamlad data analyserats med hjälp av variansanalys (ANOVA) samt Tukey’s test för skillnader mellan medelvärden. Resultatet visade på signifikanta kanteffekter hos yngre granbestånd där tillväxtnedsättningarna var som tydligast närmast beståndsgränsen, oavsett väderstreck och tidigare skötselhistorik. Dessa tillväxtnedsättningar var dock mindre än de som tidigare konstaterats hos tall, och till skillnad från tidigare studier kunde inga tillväxteffekter konstateras hos angränsande äldre bestånd. Inga tydliga skillnader kunde heller konstateras utifrån kantzonernas väderstreck eller de yngre beståndens skötselhistorik. Markvegetationens artsammansättning uppvisade i sin tur en ökad förekomst av lavar och bärris intill beståndsgränserna. Bärris, lavar och ljung förekommer frekvent inom sydligt exponerade kantzoner medan smal- och bredbladigt gräs i sin tur uppvisade en ökad förekomst inom nordligt exponerade kantzoner. Utifrån dessa resultat skulle en tänkbar rekommendation inför kommande skogsbruksåtgärder och återbeskogning kunna vara att utifrån konstaterade tillväxtnedsättningar ej prioritera plantering av gran inom ett avstånd av 0-2,5 m från beståndsgräns angränsande mot äldre granbestånd. Därmed skulle kantzonen kunna nyttjas för naturvårdande ändamål då dessa områden gynnar den biologiska mångfalden och utgör intressanta miljöer för arter som annars skulle riskera att bli utkonkurrerade i angränsande mer slutna granskogsbestånd. / The aim of this study was to evaluate edge effects along forest edges between young and old Norway spruce stands in south-western Sweden, and examine its influence on tree growth and field vegetation. Comparison between distance from stand edge, exposure (north or south facing) and young forest clearing (cleared or not cleared) showed a reduced growth among young trees near the stand edge, mainly at a distance of 0-2,5 m. This edge effect occurred regardless of exposure or forest clearing history. On the other hand, in contrary to earlier studies, no positive growth effect was found in older stands adjacent to younger stands. Regarding edge effects found on field vegetation, blueberries, lingonberries and lichens showed an increased incidence adjacent to stand edges. Berries, lichens and heather showed an increased incidence at south facing edges while grass showed an increased incidence at north facing edges.