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Volume 9
Issue 10
10.3390/f9100588
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Article

Relationships between Tree Vigor Indices and a Tree Classification System Based upon Apparent Stem Defects in Northern Hardwood Stands

by
Edouard Moreau
1,
Steve Bédard
2,
Guillaume Moreau
1 and
David Pothier
1,*
1
Centre d’étude de la forêt, Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt, Pavillon Abitibi-Price, 2405 rue de la Terrasse, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
2
Direction de la recherche forestière, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec, 2700 rue Einstein, Québec, QC G1P 3W8, Canada
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Forests 2018, 9(10), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/f9100588
Received: 10 September 2018 / Accepted: 18 September 2018 / Published: 21 September 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hardwood Reforestation and Restoration)
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Abstract

Many northern hardwood stands include several low-vigor trees as a result of past management. To restore these degraded stands, partial cuts are applied with partly validated tree classification systems that are based upon apparent stem defects. We sampled 214 sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and 84 yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) trees from six sites covering the northern hardwood forest zone of the Province of Quebec, Canada. We evaluated their vigor with a four-class system, and quantified the growth efficiency index and several indices that were based solely upon radial growth. The growth efficiency index increased non-significantly with increasing tree vigor class. The five-year basal area increment (BAI-1-5) was significantly different between the lowest and highest tree vigor classes. Yet, temporal changes in BAI-1-5 helped classify correctly only 16% of high-vigor trees that became poorly vigorous 8–10 years later. Overall, these results suggest that the tree classification system is weakly related to actual tree vigor and its application likely generates few significant gains in future stand vigor. Modifying and simplifying the tree vigor system must be considered to facilitate the tree marking process that is required to improve the vigor of degraded stands. View Full-Text
Keywords: sugar maple; yellow birch; tree vigor; growth efficiency index; tree selection sugar maple; yellow birch; tree vigor; growth efficiency index; tree selection
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MDPI and ACS Style

Moreau, E.; Bédard, S.; Moreau, G.; Pothier, D. Relationships between Tree Vigor Indices and a Tree Classification System Based upon Apparent Stem Defects in Northern Hardwood Stands. Forests 2018, 9, 588. https://doi.org/10.3390/f9100588

AMA Style

Moreau E, Bédard S, Moreau G, Pothier D. Relationships between Tree Vigor Indices and a Tree Classification System Based upon Apparent Stem Defects in Northern Hardwood Stands. Forests. 2018; 9(10):588. https://doi.org/10.3390/f9100588

Chicago/Turabian Style

Moreau, Edouard, Steve Bédard, Guillaume Moreau, and David Pothier. 2018. "Relationships between Tree Vigor Indices and a Tree Classification System Based upon Apparent Stem Defects in Northern Hardwood Stands" Forests 9, no. 10: 588. https://doi.org/10.3390/f9100588

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