Germination and Early Survival of Picea Rubens Sargent in Experimental Laboratory and Field Plantings
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University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Masters Theses Graduate School 3-1965 Germination and Early Survival of Picea rubens Sargent in Experimental Laboratory and Field Plantings Nancy C. Wilson University of Tennessee - Knoxville Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes Part of the Science and Mathematics Education Commons Recommended Citation Wilson, Nancy C., "Germination and Early Survival of Picea rubens Sargent in Experimental Laboratory and Field Plantings. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1965. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/3256 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Nancy C. Wilson entitled "Germination and Early Survival of Picea rubens Sargent in Experimental Laboratory and Field Plantings." I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Education. W. W. Wyatt, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: H. R. DeSelem, Fred Norris Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) March 1, 1965 To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Nancy c. idlson Griffin entitled "Germination and Early Survival of Picea rubens Sargent in Experimental Laboratory and Field Plantings." I reconunem that it be accepted for nine quarter hours of credit in partial fulfillment of the requirements fo r the degree of Master of Science, 'With a major in Science Education. /()IA)/M a;-- l!ajor Professf We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Accepted for the Council� UortbaauatecbOol GERMINATION AND EARLY SURVIVAL OF PICEA R.UBENS SARGENT IN EXPERIMENTAL LABORATORY AND FIELD PLANTINGS A Thesis Presented to the Graduate Council of The Universit,y of Tenness ee In Partial Fulfillment of the Requiremen ts fo r the Degree Master of Science Nancy C. Wilson Griffin March 1965 ' . ... '"j ···. ' ACKNOWLEDGMENT The author wishes to express sincere appreciation to those who have made this study poss ible , especially Dr. W. W. �att, Colleg e of Education; Dr. H. R. DeSelm and Dr. Fred Norris, Department of Botany; c for their guidance, assistance, and advi e . The author is grateful to Dr. Walter R. Herndon and the Botany Department fo r help and encouragerrent. Appreciation is extended to the National Park Service and the United States Forest Service for permission to plant seeds within their s restricted area . The author also wishes to thank her husband for his help, kind- ness, and encouragement. ii 6:17882 TABlE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I • . IN'!ROD:UCTION . .. 1 The Problem . 1 II. LI'l'ERA.TURE SURVEY . .. 2 • III • METHODS AND MATERIALS • • • • • • • • • • • e • • • • • 12 Fi eld Experi.Jnents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 12 Big Black planting • • • • • • • • • • • o c • • • • • 1.3 Cumberland Mountain planting • 0 • . • • • • 0 1.3 Smoky Mountains planting • • • • • • • 0 • • • • • • • 1h W&yah Bald planting • • . 14 Brasstown Bald planting • • • • 0 • • • • • • • • • • 14 Laboratory Experime nts • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 20 • Elevational Transplants • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 21 IV. RESULTS • 0 • • • • • • . • • • • • • . 2.3 v. DISCUSSION • . • • • • • . • • .34 VI. CONCLUSIONS . .. 39 VII. SUMMARY e • • • o • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 40 0 LITERATURE CI TED • • • • . h1 iii LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE I. Plot Description . 15 II. Species Distribution • • • • • • • . 17 III. Description of Transplant Areas • • • • • • • • • • • • • 22 IV. Field Germination and Survival of Red Spruce Seeds • • • 24 V. Germination of Seeds Planted at Two Depths with and without a Cold Treatment . VI. Germination of Seeds Planted in Two Substrates with and without Cold Treatment . 26 VII. Germination and Survi val of Seeds in Two Soils at Three Planting Depths • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 27 VIIIo Germination and Survival of Adirondack Source Seeds in Manipulated pH • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 29 IX. Germination and Survival of Seeds Wa tared with Hoagland's Solution or Distilled Water • • • • • • • • 30 X. Germination and Survival of Seeds Planted in Forest Mosses and Watered with Tap or Distilled Water • • • • 31 II. Dr,y W8ights of Transplant Seedlings • • • • • • • • • • • 32 iv CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM In the Smoky Mountains � rubens Sarg. (red spruce) occurs at elevations which suggest tblt �t should occur further south tbln it does. Whittaker (1956) describes tiE potential altitudinal range of the spruce- fir forest as being in the southwestern Smoky Mountains. High-elevation deciduous fcrests with reduced stature, and "perhaps well beyond their favorable conditions of temperature and growing season," .have replaced the sub-alpine fo rest type. If, as has been suggested by Whittaker (1956) an d Mark (1958), historical factors based on changes of climate in geo- logical time have eliminated red spruce southward, then a modern man- made range extension today might be successful. The objectives of the stuqy are: (1) to determine first-year seed germination and survival of red spruce in four areas above 4000 feet in ' . the Southern Appalachian Mou ntains outside the natural ra�e of red spruce, using four seed sourceSJ (2) to correlate effects of altitude, slope, soil and seed source with germination and survival in the fieldJ (.3) to compare red spruce seed germination on varying substrat� and regulated so il pH's at different depths of planting under controlled conditions � the laboratoryJ {4) to compare red spruce seed germination under controlle d conditions in th& laboratory wit h field germination; (5) to determine red sp ruce seedling growth at varying elevations in the Smok;y Mountains• 1 CHAPTER IT LITERATURE SURVEY The distribution of most·plant species is determined largely b,y such environmental factors as temperature (especially the number of days during which the temperature remains above a certain minimum), light (especially day length as related to the flowering process), and edaphic factors. Red spruce has a distribution in eastern North America which is observed for a variety of nBoreal-type• plants. It is classified as a northern species that is restricted to areas where the climate is cool and humid. In the middle and southern parts of its range, red spruce is almost entirely limited to the upper elevations where conditions of tem perature and moisture are imitative of those found within the Acadian section of the Boreal Forest. According to Little (1953), red spruce ranges from PNova Scotia to Maine and southern Quebec, south to eastern New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, and northern New Jerseyo Also south in Appalachian Mountains of western Virginia, western Maryland, West Virginia, western North Carolina, and eastern Tennessee." In the Thornthwaite classification of 1948, Shanks (1954) locates Southern Appalachian spruce-fir in perhumid�esothermal climate with higher stands passing out of the classification system. Within the entire range of red spruce, average annual temperature varies from 4.5 - 12.7° C; ..average annual precipitation ranges from 88 - 200 em.J frost free period varies from 100 - 180 days, depending on latitude and local climate (Korst*an, 1937). 2 .3 The so il of conifers shows a decided podaolization, high acidity and leaching. High soil moisture, sometimes wit h poor aeration, low soil temperature and pH ani a short decay season account for low m:l.cro organlsmal acti:vity resulting in a low decoMpositi.on rate of litter and subsequent deep litter (Cain, 19.3lJ McGinnis, 1958) . The rate of litter breakdo� on the forest floor influences the release of nutrients to the soil and their availabi lity to growing plants co Breakdown is. affected by tbe;�litter species and the environment in which the litter isf'deoOlllPosing. The J:"ate, of litter breakdown is �ffected by altitude with a '�2�4 per cent difference in rate of »reakdown per 1000 ft. elevation or apprG�:mately 1 per cent per degree Fahrenheit"' however, no signifi cant � ff4t�ce is seen,1n..: the re gression slope between deciduous am evergreen forest (Shanks and Olson, 1961). McCracken, Shanks, am Clebsch (1962) report Sol Brun Acid.e soils in the. spruce-fir forest of the hig h elevations ·in the Smoky Mountains are characterized by very low base status, high exchangeable Al and a high C/N level. A comparison of mineral cycling of deciduous and evergreen vegeta tion types in the high altitudes of the Smoky Mountains iOOieatea that the le aves, flowers and .fruits of the deciduous vegetation contain an appreciably higher amount of Ca and K than thos e of the evergreen forest (Shanks , Clebsch, an d DeSelm, 1961). Red spruce is describ ed by Murphy (1 917), Korstian (19.37), Westveld (19.31), Hart (1959), and others as a rnedium-sized evergreen forest tree (about 7$ feet in average height). It has a shallow root system, making it susceptible to windthrow ani a thin bark w1th a resinous exudate. 4 A minimmn degree of maturity, regardless of size an d height, is essenti al before the tree may become seed-bearing. This is generally found to be be tween thirty to forty years of age. Under exoeptional conditions red spruce may begin bearing seed at an earlier age (Murphy, 1917). Male and female strobili are foun:i on the same tree, but on separate twigs•. Cones, ovoid in stape, mature from September to October, at which time the seedfall begins and continues until March. Seeds are disseminated mainly by animals and wind (Murphy, 1917) • Baldwin (19.34) describes the mature red spruce seed as being "very dark brown, about three mm. long, with short, broad wings rounded above the middle.