Growth, stem quality and nutritional status of Betula pendula and Betula pubescens in pure stands and mixtures

Abstract

The growth, technical quality and nutritional status of pure and mixed silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) and downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) plantations were studied 21 and 22 years after planting on afforested organic soil arable land and on upland forest soil. In mixtures, 50% of both birch species was planted. Silver birch trees grew better, but had higher mortality than downy birch trees on both sites. Mortality of both species was highest, and the difference in their growth smallest, on organic soil. In pure stands on organic soil, downy birch dominant height, diameter and mean volume were 96%, 92% and 82% of those of silver birch and on mineral soil 87%, 84% and 60%, correspondingly. On mineral soil, silver birch had a higher mean annual increment (MAI) (5.8 m³ ha⁻¹a⁻¹) than downy birch (3.9 m³ ha⁻¹a⁻¹), but on organic soil the MAI of both species was similar (3.3–3.4 m³ ha⁻¹ a⁻¹). Planting birches in mixture did not affect the growth of the trees on organic soil. On mineral soil, the mean diameter and mean volume of silver birch trees were higher in mixed than in pure plantations. The technical stem quality of both tree species was low. On mineral soils, pure silver birch is more productive than mixture, but on peat soil the higher growth of silver birch could contribute to increased productivity and downy birch would ensure sufficient survival for future timber production.

Keywords:

• Betula pendula
• Betula pubescens
• growth
• mineral soil
• nutrition
• mixed plantations
• technical quality
• organic soil

Acknowledgements

We thank Seppo Vihanta and Eero Saari for their fieldwork and Seppo Vihanta also for assistance in the computing work. Reetta Kolppanen, Kaisa Jaakola and Riitta Miettinen are thanked for their analysis of foliar and soil samples in the laboratory.