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Influences of seedling size, container type and mammal browsing on the establishment of Eucalyptus globulus in plantation forestry

Citation

Close, DC and Paterson, S and Corkrey, R and McArthur, C, Influences of seedling size, container type and mammal browsing on the establishment of Eucalyptus globulus in plantation forestry, New Forests, 39, (1) pp. 105-115. ISSN 0169-4286 (2010) [Refereed Article]

Copyright Statement

Copyright 2009 Springer Science+Business Media

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/0.1007/s11056-009-9158-3

DOI: doi:10.1007/s11056-009-9158-3

Abstract

Rapid early growth of tree seedlings is critical to the success of plantation establishment. We investigated the effects of seedling size (small and large) and container types (small [Lannen 121], medium [Lannen 81] and large [Forestry Tube]) in the nursery and the effects of mammal browsing after planting on growth of Eucalyptus globulus in Tasmania's Southern Forests. After planting, seedlings were either exposed to browsing or protected from browsing by wire-mesh cages until age 6 months. Low browsing pressure resulted in around 20% and 5-10% of foliage being browsed in the large and small size categories, respectively, between 1 and 3 months after planting the uncaged treatment. 6 months after planting, height growth increment was lower, and 4 years after planting, mortality was higher in uncaged large than caged large seedling treatments. Six and twelve months after planting, seedlings raised in Forestry Tube containers had significantly greater height increment and root collar diameter relative to other treatments. By 4 years after planting, trees of the small seedling treatment had significantly greater diameter than those of the large seedling treatment, but there was no effect of container type treatment. Four years after planting there was no effect on diameter growth by browsing of <30% of foliage up to 3 months after planting, although there was greater incidence of double leaders in trees that had been browsed as seedlings. Small seedlings produced more growth 4 years after planting than large seedlings of E. globulus.

Item Details

Item Type:Refereed Article
Keywords:Eucalyptus, herbivory, nursery, seedling specifications
Research Division:Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences
Research Group:Forestry sciences
Research Field:Tree nutrition and physiology
Objective Division:Plant Production and Plant Primary Products
Objective Group:Forestry
Objective Field:Hardwood plantations
UTAS Author:Close, DC (Professor Dugald Close)
UTAS Author:Paterson, S (Mr Stephen Paterson)
UTAS Author:Corkrey, R (Dr Ross Corkrey)
ID Code:60834
Year Published:2010
Web of Science® Times Cited:28
Deposited By:Agricultural Science
Deposited On:2010-02-19
Last Modified:2015-04-01
Downloads:0

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