Growth of Pinus Caribaea Hondurensis Relative to Spacing and Trunk Diameter on Two Soils in Puerto Rico
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Caribbean Journal of Science, Vol. 44, No. 2, 236-241, 2008 Copyright 2008 College of Arts and Sciences University of Puerto Rico, Mayagu¨ez Growth of Pinus caribaea hondurensis Relative to Spacing and Trunk Diameter on Two Soils in Puerto Rico Frank H. Wadsworth1 1Research Forester (Volunteer), United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, operated in cooperation with the University of Puerto Rico [email protected] ABSTRACT.—Analysis of 19-year-old planted Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis on clay and sandy soils in the mountains of Puerto Rico showed the suitability of both sites for tree growth to commercial size. Growth rates were compared with tree densities ranging from 278 to 2,500 trees per hectare and tree dbh’s (trunk diameters outside bark at breast height, 1.4 meters above ground on the upper side) from 10 to 40 cm. With angular spacing tree growth was found related to that of six equidistant adjacent trees. Frequent past remeasurements exposed tree growth trends with changes in the density of surrounding trees. Regressions of tree diameter growth based on relative basal area tree density had coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.76 and 0.77 for clay and sand, respectively. As a guide to tree planting spacing and thinning for any plantation productivity goal a table is presented showing predicted time requirements to grow each 10 cm in dbh, mean annual dbh growth rates, and approximate periodic productivity of usable wood in m3/ha/yr. On comparable sites this table permits managers of plantations with any spacing and mean tree dbh to predict current growth, number of years to any mature tree size, the approximate yield at that time, and tree growth stimulation after thinning of different intensities at different times. KEYWORDS.—Pinus caribaea, tree plantations, tree growth, growing space, thinning, Puerto Rico INTRODUCTION year. With only 500 trees per hectare the decline still occurred by the sixth year. Pinus caribaea Morelet var. hondurensis With no market for small trees there at the Barr. & Golf, one of the most tropical of time, Craib prescribed early and heavy pines (Critchfield and Little 1966) has thinnings. Subsequently, with the appear- been widely planted (Evans 1992). The ance of a pulpwood market in South Africa wood is useful for pulp, poles, and sawn closer spacings were used (Johnston 1962, lumber (Plumptre 1984). Between 2004 Villiers 1971). and 2006 Puerto Rico imported such conif- Sandrasegaran (1966) found the crown erous wood worth more than $35 millions diameter/stem diameter ratio to be a guide annually.(Anonymous 2007). Yet planta- for sustained growth of P. caribaea. Opie tions of Pinus caribaea introduced to Puerto (1968) and Gerrard (1969) found in the Rico (Vozzo and Hacskaylo 1971), mostly overlap of circular zones around each tree a have remained unthinned and unproduc- measure of competition. They concluded tive because of slowed tree diameter that an angle count (such as by prism) of growth before sawtimber is produced, surrounding plantation basal area is as leaving landowners disillusioned. There is good an indication of tree growth (R2 = no local scientifically supported guide for 0.80) as more complex calculations. Vries sustaining pine growth to sawtimber di- and others (1978) in Surinam concluded mensions. that an initial spacing of 2.5 × 2.5 m was Craib (1939, 1947) in South Africa found best for maximum volume production of that with a density of 1,500 Caribbean pine Pinus caribaea. A simulation study by Hogg trees per hectare, a decline in growth rates (1993) in Queensland showed P. caribaea due to competition began in the second to peak in volume at 750 stems/ha and in 236 GROWTH OF PINUS CARIBAEA HONDURENSIS IN PUERTO RICO 237 economic value between 400 and 600 rock, relatively shallow, well drained, and stems/ha. strongly acid. Deforestation, cultivation, Anderson, Bacon, and Shea (1981) found and grazing preceded the experiment on that precommercial thinning of P. caribaea both sites. Between 1962 and 1964 eight 60- in Queensland led to more profitability tree plantations were established on each than repeated later commercial thinnings. site. Tree configuration was angular with 6 Bacon, Hawkins, and Ward (1982) in New x 10 rows (Figure 1). Replicated plantations Zealand concluded that precommercial were established at tree spacings of 1.6, 2.7, thinning of P. caribaea to a minimum of 600 3.5, and 4.3 meters. Measurements of tree stems/ha during the early, free growth pe- dbh (trunk diameter outside bark 1.4 m riod provided increased wood volumes above the ground on the upper side), in- from all later thinnings. They recom- cluding border strips, were made on the mended thinning by entire rows early de- clay site at plantation ages of 4.1, 7.6, 11.4, spite a resulting requirement of pruning up and 17.9 years, and on the sand site at 5.3, into the green crowns. 9.9, 12.6, and 19.0 years. The pine spacing experiment reported Twelve central trees from each plantation here, initiated by C. B. Briscoe in 1962, has were selected for the study, surrounded by produced three published reports. At 11 to a two-row border strip (Figure 1). Each cen- 14 years Whitmore and Liegel (1980) com- tral tree originally was surrounded by six pared survival, height growth, dbh growth, others, all equidistant. The present analysis, and basal area (tree dbh/22 × ) and vol- unlike its predecessors, relates tree growth ume increment. Liegel, Balmer and Ryan to concurrent, not original spacing, reflect- (1985) reported that dbh growth had ing periodic changes during the life of the peaked between ages of 3 to 6 years and plantation due to tree growth and mortal- tree height growth peaked between ages of 4 to 7 years, depending on the site. They recommended thinning before the declines. Francis (1997) found that increasing mor- tality among the trees in the most closely spaced treatment (1.6 × 1.6 m) had caused its former wood increment superiority to be surpassed by that of those trees spaced 4.3 × 4.3 m). MATERIALS AND METHODS Two of the sites of the Briscoe experi- ment were selected. Both are in the sub- tropical moist life zone (Ewel and Whit- more 1973). One, here denominated ЈclayЈ (in the municipality of Lares) is at an eleva- tion of 420 m, with rainfall averaging about 250 cm per year (Calvesbert 1970). The soil, Alonso clay, is a typic Dystropept, derived from volcanic saprolite, deep, well drained, and strongly acid (Anonymous 1975). The other site, designated ЈsandЈ, (located near the Caonillas reservoir in the Municipality of Utuado) is at an elevation of 300 m, with FIG. 1. The arrangement of angular spaced planta- rainfall averaging about 200 cm per year. tion trees illustrating the six equidistant neighbors Its soil is Utuado sandy loam, a typic Hu- from each and the technique used to extract a sample mitropept, derived from intrusive granitic of twelve trees with a two-row border strip for study. 238 F. H. WADSWORTH ity. Stem growth of a tree, if superior to that TABLE 2. The range of increments of the pines stud- of its neighbors, is assumed to use a pro- ied in trunk diameter and the corresponding numbers of trees on clay and sand portionally larger portion of the space available to its group. The opposite relation Study trees is assumed to reduce its proportion. Tree Clay Sand mortality released space to surrounding Increment trees. These changes, added to the experi- cm2/yr No. No. ment’s designed, replicated differences in 0-9 20 24 initial spacing and the series of remeasure- 10-19 32 23 ments provided comparison of a broad 20-29 26 32 range of tree diameters and growing spaces 30-39 32 19 (Table 1). 40-49 36 25 The basal area increment of each central 50-99 31 20 tree between measurements was related to 100+ 11 2 its dbh at the beginning of each period and the space available to it. This space was de- sible 768 measurements (two sites, eight termined from the percent of the space as- plantations per site, twelve trees per plan- signed by the planting distance to the tree tation, four growth periods) mortality of and its six neighbors that corresponds to central trees in these unthinned planta- their respective basal areas. As an example, tions, with some closely spaced trees, left at initial spacing of 2.5 m, a tree plus its six only 333, 49 percent on clay and 38 percent immediate neighbors would be entitled to 2 on sand. Nevertheless, a wide range of an aggregate space of 43.75 m (10000/1600 trunk diameters and spacings on both sites x 7). Continuing the example, if the basal 2 was available (Tables 1 and 2). ANOVA re- area of the central tree were 0.02 m and 2 gressions supplied a basis for prediction of that of the seven were 0.12m the space considered available to the central tree tree basal area increment, for clay and sand would be 0.02/0.12 × 43.75 = 7.3 m2. Such as follows: estimates, averaged for the beginning and Tree basal area increment on clay (cm2/ end of each period between measurements, yr) = [99.42 × space (m2) ÷ initial d(cm)] − were accepted as the spacing concurrent 11.63 (n = 188 R2 = 0.77). with the basal area increment of each cen- Tree basal area increment on sand (cm2/ tral tree during the period. yr) = [84.83 × space (m2) ÷ initial d(cm)] − Tables 1 and 2 summarize the number, 12.22.