Tree growth and forest productivity
The effects of even-aged versus uneven-aged silviculture on tree growth and forest productivity.
– Philippe Nolet (UQO), Guy Lessard (CERFO), Dr. Christian Messier (UQO/UQAM)
This project is one component of a larger forestry project with the goal of comparing various forestry techniques (strip cutting vs. selective cutting vs. no cutting) in terms of its impacts on increasing the overall resilience of the forest to global change.
The objectives of this project include: 1) assess the effects of both forestry approaches (even vs uneven) on forest productivity and regeneration and compare them to unmanaged stands; 2) assess the effects of both approaches on floristic and soil biodiversity with a comparison to unmanaged stands; 3) verify whether forest productivity and regeneration (Obj. 1) is related to floristic and soil biodiversity (Obj. 2); and 4) identify the advantages of each approach in terms of forest resilience to global change. This project will contribute to the permanent sample plots network to be installed on Kenauk’s territory. Each plot of the network will provide detailed information of the various parameters identified in Objectives 1 and 2. More specifically, forest productivity will be assessed through growth ring analyses and resilience through an evaluation of functional diversity and tolerance to drought (the most important risk related to climate change) of the seedlings found in the permanent sample plots.
