Short-term effects of single-tree selection cutting on stand structure and tree species composition in Valdivian rainforests of Chile

Schnabel, Florian; Donoso, Pablo J.; Winter, Carolin

doi:10.1186/s40490-017-0103-5

Cited by 14 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…In the Evergreen forest type, the shade-tolerant species have a good regeneration potential [16]. The mid-tolerant ones usually occur as medium-and large-sized trees but are scarce in the regeneration layer and among the smaller tree size classes [13,[15][16][17]. Shade-intolerant species, if present, are usually constrained to large-sized trees, and their regeneration in canopy gaps is <1% [20].…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At each site, eight plots (50 m × 40 m; 2000 m 2 ) were located in old-growth forests that had partial cuts in the past and reverse-J diameter distributions (e.g., [15]), and the locations were selected to ensure that the initial starting conditions for the experiment were as similar as possible using visual criteria. Two treatments (described later) were then randomly allocated to the eight plots so that each treatment had four plots at each site.…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Evergreen forest type is most prevalent, covering nearly 4 million ha. It is dominated by shade-tolerant or mid-tolerant evergreen hardwood species [10][11][12][13][14], although mid-tolerant ones (e.g., Eucryphia cordifolia Cav., one of the species with the highest basal area in these forests) are scarce in the regeneration layer and among the smaller tree size classes in forests in advanced successional stages of development [13,[15][16][17]. Mature and old-growth stands are uneven-aged, with negative exponential diameter distributions and basal areas as high as 80-100 m 2 per hectare ( [11,18]; see also Ponce et al [19], and references therein, for a definition of old-growth forests).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Selection silviculture is uncommon in Chile, and we know only one field-based study that examined single-tree selection cutting in Valdivian rainforests [15], in one of the two experiments that we evaluate here. They documented changes in the stand structure and mature tree species composition, and concluded that single-tree selection can maintain many old-growth attributes of these forests.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Evaluating these forest responses is warranted before recommending widespread use of this forest management regime. To that end, we evaluated 5-6 year responses after single-tree selection cuttings at two low-elevation sites in the Coastal range of south-central Chile, where old-growth forests have traditionally been partially cut in the past [15]. We hypothesized that selection system cutting to a low residual basal area (LRBA) would result in better residual tree growth and would enable the regeneration of mid-tolerant tree species, while shade-tolerant ones would dominate the treatment with a higher residual basal area (HRBA).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Initial Responses in Growth, Production, and Regeneration following Selection Cuttings in Hardwood-Dominated Temperate Rainforests in Chile

Donoso

Ojeda

Schnabel

et al. 2020

Forests

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Hardwood-dominated forests in south-central Chile have shade-tolerant and mid-tolerant tree species capable of regenerating and growing well in partial shade. To test the potential for using an uneven-aged silviculture in these forests, we established single-tree selection treatments at two mid-elevation sites within the Evergreen forest type in the Coastal range (Llancahue and Los Riscos, 40-42 • S Lat). They had an average initial basal area of 70-80 m 2 ha −1 . In each stand, we established four 2000 m 2 plots with a residual basal area of~40 m 2 ha −1 , and four with a residual basal area of 60 m 2 ha −1 . We planned for a maximum residual diameter of 80 cm, but needed to leave 20%-25% of the residual basal area in larger trees due to their great abundance in these old-growth forests. We re-measured these plots 5-6 years after the cuttings. We used mixed-effects models to evaluate the periodic annual increment (pai) in diameter and the abundance of tree regeneration, and linear models to evaluate ingrowth and changes in the basal area and volume. At Llancahue, the diameter pai of individual trees was significantly greater in the treatment with lower residual densities, especially for mid-tolerant species in lower diameter classes (5-20 cm). At both sites, the pai in the stand basal area and volume was greater in the more heavily stocked treatment, but differences were significant only at Llancahue. Regeneration was dominated by shade-tolerant species at both sites but was more abundant and more diverse at Llancahue. Taller tree regeneration (50-<200 cm) significantly increased after the cuttings at both sites, while small regeneration (5-<50 cm) overall remained at pre-cut levels. This pattern was similar for mid-and shade-tolerant species. However, we found no differences in regeneration responses between the lower and higher levels of the residual basal area. Sapling densities did not differ at both sites for shade-tolerant species, but for mid-tolerant species these were more abundant at Los Riscos. While both sites had many similar trends after implementing selection cuts (a greater individual growth in the treatment with lower basal areas but a higher stand-level growth in the treatment with a high basal area, more abundant regeneration of shade-tolerant species, etc.), they illustrate a differential potential for implementing uneven-aged silviculture, especially due to site-species interactions. These results are a first step towards evaluating the prospects for selection cuttings in these experiments and elsewhere in Valdivian temperate rainforests.

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