Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1989

Abstract

Age accounted for over 70% of the variation in tree height of 1O- to 44- year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and slash (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) plantations established on deep sands, moderate sands, and nonsandy soils in the Northern Post-Oak Belt of Texas. Climatic and edaphic factors, relating either directly or indirectly to the amount of moisture available for tree use, explained up to 17% of height growth variation. Height growth of the plantations was comparable to that of plantations growing in the pine-mixed hardwood forest cover type of East Texas. The Northern Post-Oak Belt of Texas is an area approximately 50 to 100 miles wide located between the pine-mixed hardwood forest type to the east and the blackland prairie to the west. Soils within the belt belong primarily to the Alfisol or Ultisol soil orders. The western-most areas of the belt receive up to 20% less annual rain fall than the pine-mixed hardwood type of East Texas (U.S. Environmental Data and Information Service 1949-1982). The present forest of this area is dominated by post oak (Quercus stellate Wang.), blackjack oak (Quercus Marilandica Muench.), blue jack oak (Quercus incana Bartr.), and black hickory (Carya texana Buckl.) (Ward 1984). Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) occur naturally only in scattered locations (Wilson and Hacker 1986). South. j. Appl. For. 13(1):5-8.

Comments

Posted with permission of the Society of American Foresters

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