Base de données de recherche des TNO

Régions: South Slave Region

étiquettes: biology, forestry, forest growth, species productivity, interspecific competition

Objectif(s): The main objective of the proposed research is to collect extensive data of tree size and stand density from mixed forests of Jack pine and quaking aspen in Wood Buffalo National Park and to examine theoretically the patterns of quantitative forest development with special reference to the phenomenon of 'natural thinning' in even-aged forests. The law of natural thinning in plants has been critically re-examined in recent years, which has led to some modifications of our understanding about the plant world. Development patterns in the mixed-species forests have been assumed similar to those in pure stands, however, the recent changes in ecological knowledge demands re-examination of the patterns for the mixed forest. A large database, using the Jack pine-quaking aspen forest data, will be developed.

Description du projet: The main objective of the proposed research is to collect extensive data of tree size and stand density from mixed forests of Jack pine and quaking aspen in Wood Buffalo National Park and to examine theoretically the patterns of quantitative forest development with special reference to the phenomenon of 'natural thinning' in even-aged forests. The research team consisting of forest ecologists will stay in Fort Smith and commute to the field by rental vehicle. Each site will be accessed from the highway by walking. Many stands will be visited and measured to estimate the number of living trees per hectare and mean tree size. A few samples of large quaking aspen will be cut, taking only 1 tree from each forest, this is comparable to the natural toppling of trees.