Intensive silviculture and competition theory: linking practice and science

集约化营林(IS)可能解决目前加拿大工业林业和支持它的陆地基地面临的一些挑战。这些挑战包括短期内对商业纤维的过度承诺，对更多保护空间的要求，以及对越来越多种类的产品的需求，包括高质量的木材。IS的处方是基于对北方森林系统竞争性质的假设。首先，大多数场地资源可以有效地用于农作物(竞争性排除)，一些物种的混合更好地划分了可用的资源(竞争性生产)。我们的项目调查了两个假设，这两个假设将解决这些假设，并为开发更有效的IS干预措施提供指导。我们将在安大略省西北部和东北部，在林分发展的三个关键阶段--建立阶段(5年)、郁闭期(20年)和成熟期(超过100年)，进行一系列已建立的四个试验。历史数据集将得到新的实地和实验室工作的补充，以更好地估计地上和地下参数，包括根系结构和分层。DNA条形码将用于识别根和真菌组织。计量和基于流程的数据将为新的树级模型提供基础，该模型将与树高和/或树冠尺寸挂钩。我们的私营部门合作伙伴Tembec Inc.和森林研究伙伴关系需要这样一个模型来预测IS战略对目标物种和其他关键生态系统参数(如土壤有机质、养分矿化率、乔木层生产力)的影响。我们的公共部门合作伙伴，安大略省森林研究所和加拿大林务局，需要这门科学来为森林管理政策的制定提供信息。我们的所有合作伙伴将全面参与数据的收集、模型的开发以及对研究生和其他HQP的监督/指导。

Intensive silviculture (IS) may resolve some of the challenges currently facing industrial forestry and the landbase that supports it in Canada. These challenges include a short-term over- commitment of commercial fibre, calls for more protected spaces and demand for an increasing variety of products, including high quality wood. IS prescriptions are based on assumptions about the nature of competition in boreal forest systems. First, that the majority of site resources can be effectively directed to crop trees (competitive exclusion) and that some species mixtures better partition the resources available (competitive production). Our project investigates two hypotheses that will address these assumptions and provide guidance for the development of more effective IS interventions. We will use a series of four established trials, in northwestern and northeastern Ontario, at three critical stages of stand development - establishment (5 years), crown closure (20 years) and mature (over 100 years). Historical datasets will be supplemented by new field and laboratory work to capture better estimates of above- and below-ground parameters including root structure and stratification. DNA bar coding will be used to identify root and fungal tissues. Mensurational and process-based data will provide the basis for a new tree-level model that will be linked to tree height and/or crown dimension. Our private sector partners, Tembec Inc and the Forest Research Partnership, require such a model to predict the effects of IS strategies on target species and other key ecosystem parameters (e.g. soil organic matter, nutrient mineralization rates, tree layer productivity). Our public sector partners, Ontario Forest Research Institute and the Canadian Forest Service, require this science to inform the development of forest management policy. All our partners will participate fully in the collection of data, the development of the model and the supervision/mentoring of graduate students and other HQP.