Growth response of Douglas fir to the first early and delayed thinning
Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) is considered one of the most promising introduced tree species for use in forestry in Central Europe. The formation of vital and stable forest stands with a certain share of Douglas fir (DF) requires the application of appropriate silvicultural mea...
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Sciendo
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Central European Forestry Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.2478/forj-2024-0023 |
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| author | Dušek David Novák Jiří |
| author_facet | Dušek David Novák Jiří |
| author_sort | Dušek David |
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| description | Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) is considered one of the most promising introduced tree species for use in forestry in Central Europe. The formation of vital and stable forest stands with a certain share of Douglas fir (DF) requires the application of appropriate silvicultural measures, such as thinning. The article evaluates the growth response of DF to the initial experimental thinning. Eight stands were analysed on nutrient-rich sites in the three forest vegetation zones (Querceto-Fagetum, Fagetum, Abieto-Fagetum). The analysis includes both stands dominated by DF and stands where DF is only interspersed. The thinning was applied when the dominant tree height ranged from 5 to 20 m. A dominant tree height of 10 m was used as the threshold to define well-timed thinning. The data were analysed using Bayesian hierarchical modelling, and generalized hierarchical models were employed. DF promising trees responded to early thinning with significant acceleration of radial growth, leading to improvements in height-to-diameter ratio (HDR) and crown ratio (CR) parameters. The response of DF promising trees to delayed thinning was negligible. Neither early nor delayed thinning had a detectable effect on height growth of the DF promising trees. The result confirms the necessity of initiating thinning for DF stands at the stage of thickets. The thinning should ideally begin when the dominant tree height is between 4 to 5 meters. At this stage, it is possible to positively influence diameter growth and mitigate the deterioration of individual tree stability as well as the stability of the whole stand. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-550e2f638f29441b8b1e4b4db6be229d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2454-0358 |
| language | ces |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Sciendo |
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| series | Central European Forestry Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-550e2f638f29441b8b1e4b4db6be229d2025-02-10T13:25:47ZcesSciendoCentral European Forestry Journal2454-03582025-02-01711536410.2478/forj-2024-0023Growth response of Douglas fir to the first early and delayed thinningDušek David0Novák Jiří1Forestry and Game Management Institute, Forest Research Station at Opočno, Na Olivě 550, CZ-517 73 Opočno, Czech RepublicForestry and Game Management Institute, Forest Research Station at Opočno, Na Olivě 550, CZ-517 73 Opočno, Czech RepublicDouglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) is considered one of the most promising introduced tree species for use in forestry in Central Europe. The formation of vital and stable forest stands with a certain share of Douglas fir (DF) requires the application of appropriate silvicultural measures, such as thinning. The article evaluates the growth response of DF to the initial experimental thinning. Eight stands were analysed on nutrient-rich sites in the three forest vegetation zones (Querceto-Fagetum, Fagetum, Abieto-Fagetum). The analysis includes both stands dominated by DF and stands where DF is only interspersed. The thinning was applied when the dominant tree height ranged from 5 to 20 m. A dominant tree height of 10 m was used as the threshold to define well-timed thinning. The data were analysed using Bayesian hierarchical modelling, and generalized hierarchical models were employed. DF promising trees responded to early thinning with significant acceleration of radial growth, leading to improvements in height-to-diameter ratio (HDR) and crown ratio (CR) parameters. The response of DF promising trees to delayed thinning was negligible. Neither early nor delayed thinning had a detectable effect on height growth of the DF promising trees. The result confirms the necessity of initiating thinning for DF stands at the stage of thickets. The thinning should ideally begin when the dominant tree height is between 4 to 5 meters. At this stage, it is possible to positively influence diameter growth and mitigate the deterioration of individual tree stability as well as the stability of the whole stand.https://doi.org/10.2478/forj-2024-0023pseudotsuga menziesii [mirb.] francodiameter incrementheight-to-diameter ratiocrown ratiobayesian inference |
| spellingShingle | Dušek David Novák Jiří Growth response of Douglas fir to the first early and delayed thinning Central European Forestry Journal pseudotsuga menziesii [mirb.] franco diameter increment height-to-diameter ratio crown ratio bayesian inference |
| title | Growth response of Douglas fir to the first early and delayed thinning |
| title_full | Growth response of Douglas fir to the first early and delayed thinning |
| title_fullStr | Growth response of Douglas fir to the first early and delayed thinning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Growth response of Douglas fir to the first early and delayed thinning |
| title_short | Growth response of Douglas fir to the first early and delayed thinning |
| title_sort | growth response of douglas fir to the first early and delayed thinning |
| topic | pseudotsuga menziesii [mirb.] franco diameter increment height-to-diameter ratio crown ratio bayesian inference |
| url | https://doi.org/10.2478/forj-2024-0023 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dusekdavid growthresponseofdouglasfirtothefirstearlyanddelayedthinning AT novakjiri growthresponseofdouglasfirtothefirstearlyanddelayedthinning |