Oak Group Planting Produces a Higher Number of Future Crop Trees, with Better Spatial Distribution than Row Planting
Recent studies have reported superior tree quality and comparable tree growth of oaks planted in group compared with row planting. However, a comparative assessment of the potential future crop trees (PFCTs) between group and row planting is still lacking. Here, we compared the density and tree qual...
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doaj-b63cc58f1d014c388bd65a18b00c2daa2020-11-24T22:54:14ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072016-11-0171128910.3390/f7110289f7110289Oak Group Planting Produces a Higher Number of Future Crop Trees, with Better Spatial Distribution than Row PlantingGeorgios Skiadaresis0Somidh Saha1Jürgen Bauhus2Chair of Silviculture, Institute of Forest Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79085, GermanyChair of Silviculture, Institute of Forest Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79085, GermanyChair of Silviculture, Institute of Forest Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79085, GermanyRecent studies have reported superior tree quality and comparable tree growth of oaks planted in group compared with row planting. However, a comparative assessment of the potential future crop trees (PFCTs) between group and row planting is still lacking. Here, we compared the density and tree quality of planted oaks and other naturally regenerated trees between group and row planting. We assessed whether the distribution of PFCTs fulfills the goal of maintaining a spatially homogenous distribution of such crop trees at the stand level by geospatial analysis. We selected 10 group and row planting stands that were either 14 to 15 or 21 to 22 years old. Tree density in group plantings was significantly higher than in row plantings. Stand basal area was higher in row planting in younger stands but comparable to group planting in older stands. The proportion of trees with straight stems and monopodial crowns was higher in groups than in rows. The density and species’ richness of the PFCTs was significantly higher but the number of oak PFCTs was lower in group than in row plantings. In group plantings, naturally regenerated PFCTs contributed to 43% of total PFCTs, but to only 19% in row plantings. Also, the spatial distribution of PFCTs in group plantings was more uniform than in row plantings. Uniform and homogeneous distribution of the PFCTs in group planting stands can facilitate design and conduct of tending operations. Thus, the group planting technique offers not only cost savings in the establishment phase but also additional benefits, including spreading of risks through increased tree species diversity.http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/7/11/289oak regenerationgroup plantingpotential future crop treetree quality and growthforest restorationlow-density planting |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Georgios Skiadaresis Somidh Saha Jürgen Bauhus |
spellingShingle |
Georgios Skiadaresis Somidh Saha Jürgen Bauhus Oak Group Planting Produces a Higher Number of Future Crop Trees, with Better Spatial Distribution than Row Planting Forests oak regeneration group planting potential future crop tree tree quality and growth forest restoration low-density planting |
author_facet |
Georgios Skiadaresis Somidh Saha Jürgen Bauhus |
author_sort |
Georgios Skiadaresis |
title |
Oak Group Planting Produces a Higher Number of Future Crop Trees, with Better Spatial Distribution than Row Planting |
title_short |
Oak Group Planting Produces a Higher Number of Future Crop Trees, with Better Spatial Distribution than Row Planting |
title_full |
Oak Group Planting Produces a Higher Number of Future Crop Trees, with Better Spatial Distribution than Row Planting |
title_fullStr |
Oak Group Planting Produces a Higher Number of Future Crop Trees, with Better Spatial Distribution than Row Planting |
title_full_unstemmed |
Oak Group Planting Produces a Higher Number of Future Crop Trees, with Better Spatial Distribution than Row Planting |
title_sort |
oak group planting produces a higher number of future crop trees, with better spatial distribution than row planting |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Forests |
issn |
1999-4907 |
publishDate |
2016-11-01 |
description |
Recent studies have reported superior tree quality and comparable tree growth of oaks planted in group compared with row planting. However, a comparative assessment of the potential future crop trees (PFCTs) between group and row planting is still lacking. Here, we compared the density and tree quality of planted oaks and other naturally regenerated trees between group and row planting. We assessed whether the distribution of PFCTs fulfills the goal of maintaining a spatially homogenous distribution of such crop trees at the stand level by geospatial analysis. We selected 10 group and row planting stands that were either 14 to 15 or 21 to 22 years old. Tree density in group plantings was significantly higher than in row plantings. Stand basal area was higher in row planting in younger stands but comparable to group planting in older stands. The proportion of trees with straight stems and monopodial crowns was higher in groups than in rows. The density and species’ richness of the PFCTs was significantly higher but the number of oak PFCTs was lower in group than in row plantings. In group plantings, naturally regenerated PFCTs contributed to 43% of total PFCTs, but to only 19% in row plantings. Also, the spatial distribution of PFCTs in group plantings was more uniform than in row plantings. Uniform and homogeneous distribution of the PFCTs in group planting stands can facilitate design and conduct of tending operations. Thus, the group planting technique offers not only cost savings in the establishment phase but also additional benefits, including spreading of risks through increased tree species diversity. |
topic |
oak regeneration group planting potential future crop tree tree quality and growth forest restoration low-density planting |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/7/11/289 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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