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Feasibility of implementing thinning in even-aged Larix olgensis plantations to develop uneven-aged larch–broadleaved mixed forests

  • Special Feature: Original article
  • Feasibility of Silviculture for Complex Stand Structures
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Journal of Forest Research

Abstract

Thinning experiments were conducted in larch (Larix olgensis) plantations to assess the feasibility of converting even-aged plantation stands to uneven-aged forests with more complex stand structures. Stands established in 1965 and 1960 were thinned in 2004 (Regime A, for determining the effect of recent thinning on emergence of seedlings) and 1994 (Regime B, for examining the effects of the past thinning on establishments of recruitments), respectively, at two intensities each. Natural regeneration, together with litter depth, canopy openness and vegetation cover, was surveyed in the thinned plots. Results indicated that larch seedlings started to emerge in May, reached a peak in June, decreased from June through September, and then disappeared in October. No larch seedlings exceeded 1 year old in the thinned plots because of the low levels of light and dense litter and vegetation cover. However, there were many naturally regenerated seedlings (5–50 cm in height) and saplings (50–500 cm in height) of broadleaved tree species such as Acer spp., Fraxinus spp., Cornus controversa, Quercus mongolica, and even the climax tree species, Pinus koraiensis, in the thinned plots. The mean density of regenerated seedlings reached 6.7 and 4.5 stems m−2 in Regimes A and B, respectively, whilst the mean density of regenerated saplings reached 4,595 stems ha−1 in Regime B. These results suggest that it is impractical to turn even-aged larch plantations to uneven-aged larch forests, but it may be feasible to develop uneven-aged larch-broadleaved forests from even-aged larch plantations through thinning.

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Acknowledgments

Financial supports were provided by National Non-commercial Forests Project (200804027-05), National Nature Scientific Foundation Project of China (30830085), and National Science and Technology Research of the 11th Five-year of China (2006BAD03A09). We are grateful to Zhi-hong Mao, Hui Tan and Yi-rong Sun for their help in field data collection; and to a host of field workers who helped make the thinning treatments. Special thanks go to the editors and the anonymous reviewers for their critical and helpful suggestions and comments. Prof. Osbert Jianxin Sun and International Science Editing Compuscript Ltd. helped with editing the English language.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Qingyuan Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 72 Wenhua Road, 110016, Shenyang, China

    Jiaojun Zhu, Kai Yang, Qiaoling Yan & Lizhong Yu

  2. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100039, Beijing, China

    Kai Yang & Zugen Liu

  3. Academy of Environmental Protection Sciences, 30029, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China

    Zugen Liu

  4. Dalian University, 116622, Dalian, China

    Hexin Wang

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  1. Jiaojun Zhu
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Correspondence to Jiaojun Zhu.

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Zhu, J., Yang, K., Yan, Q. et al. Feasibility of implementing thinning in even-aged Larix olgensis plantations to develop uneven-aged larch–broadleaved mixed forests. J For Res 15, 71–80 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-009-0152-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-009-0152-6

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