TP120
Annual tree productivity in permanent plots within the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, 2000-2004

CREATOR(S): Mark E. Harmon, Travis J. Woolley

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S): Mark E. Harmon

ORIGINATOR(S): Travis J. Woolley

OTHER RESEARCHER(S): Kari B. O'Connell

METADATA CONTACT: Becky Fasth

METADATA CREATION DATE:

20 Jul 2007

MOST RECENT METADATA REVIEW DATE:

17 Jul 2012

KEYWORDS:

Organic matter, Primary production, dendrochronology, productivity, biomass, carbon cycling, primary production, plant growth, organic matter, forest ecosystems, forests, mature forests, trees, conifers

PURPOSE:

To examine the rates of annual tree growth and productivity of different tree species and research sites across the Pacific Northwest.

METHODS:

Sample Sites:

Description: Each of the three sites represents a different age class (second-growth, mature, and old-growth) and elevation with similar species composition (Table 2.1). All three sites are within the Tsuga heterophylla forest zone (Franklin and Dyrness 1973). The old-growth site (RS07) was sampled in the summer of 2000 (Fraser 2001). The 12 second-growth site (WS06) was sampled in the summer 2001 during regular measurement of the permanent plot, and the mature site (RS32) was sampled in the summer 2003. All three sites are part of a long-term permanent study plot network designed to monitor changes in forest composition, structure, and function (Acker et al. 1998). The old-growth and mature sites are 0.25 ha square reference stands divided into 4 equal-sized plots. The second-growth site is a small watershed study area that contains transects with small circular sampling plots (0.1 ha) spaced at regular intervals. Although these sites were not randomly selected, they are representative of the age classes in this forested landscape.

General Study Methods:

Description: Data Collection Within the two reference stands (mature and old-growth), all live trees greater than 5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) were sampled. Within the second-growth site, samples were taken from tagged trees greater than 5 cm in DBH in the north half of each upland plot and the half of each riparian plot in the direction away from the gauging station. Sampling consisted of coring a tree at breast height, and recording DBH to the nearest 0.1 cm. In both the mature and old-growth sites, trees greater than 10 cm DBH were cored twice, at approximate right angles (preferentially the side-slope and upslope sides of the tree). In the second-growth site, only 1 core per tree was collected due to the smaller size of the trees. Increment cores were stored in paper straws and taken to the lab for preparation and measurement. Increment core preparation consisted of mounting individual cores on routed blocks with wood glue, allowing them to dry sufficiently, and sanding them with a grit of 240, with a belt sander. All cores were then measured for annual radial increment, growth (mm), and measurements were then converted to centimeters for subsequent analyses. Cores from the old-growth site were measured by hand using a microscope, and radial increment growth was averaged between the two samples for trees greater than 10 cm DBH. Increment cores from the mature and second-growth sites were measured using WinDendroTM image analysis software. All cores from these two sites were scanned to obtain an image for measurement, and the image was then digitally archived.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

This database was developed to provide annual increment data at various sites throughout the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, and other research sites across the Pacific Northwest in the Permanent Study Plot (PSP) program. These data can be used in several ways including the estimation of annual tree productivity.

TAXONOMIC SYSTEM:

Garrison et al., 1976

GEOGRAPHIC EXTENT:

Andrews Forest and vicinity and Wind River Reference Stands in the western Cascades of Oregon and southern Washington.

ELEVATION_MINIMUM (meters):

290

ELEVATION_MAXIMUM (meters):

1290

MEASUREMENT FREQUENCY:

Irregular

PROGRESS DESCRIPTION:

Complete

UPDATE FREQUENCY DESCRIPTION:

notPlanned

CURRENTNESS REFERENCE:

Observed

RELATED MATERIAL:

Physical tree cores and scanned tree core images. Woolley, T.J., et al., Estimating annual bole biomass production using uncertainty analysis, Forest Ecol. Manage. (2007)