1. Stand Dynamics and Yield in spruce-subalpine fir stands on the Aleza Lake Research Forest March 13, 2014 Craig Farnden PhD

2. Spruce-Fir Forests General forest type occurs circum-polar Western N.A.: combinations of Engelmann spruce and Subalpine Fir Cold snowy winters and cool wet summers Infrequent stand destroying fires (> 200 yrs) Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

5. Old Growth Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

7. 2.57.5 12.5 17.5 22.527.532.537.542.547.552.557.562.567.572.5 77.5 82.5 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Frequency (trees per hectare) Diameter Class (cm) 1928 1943 1963 1993 Mean Old Growth Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake Plot 150

8. 2.57.5 12.5 17.5 22.527.532.537.542.547.552.557.562.567.572.577.582.5 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 Frequency (trees per hectare) Diameter Class (cm) Spruce Subalpine Fir Old Growth Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

9. 2.57.5 12.517.5 22.5 27.532.537.542.547.552.5 57.5 62.5 67.572.577.5 82.5 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 Frequency (trees per hectare) Diameter Class (cm) Spruce Subalpine Fir 1993 2.57.5 12.517.522.527.532.537.542.547.5 52.5 57.5 62.5 67.5 72.5 77.582.5 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 Frequency (trees per hectare) Diameter Class (cm) Spruce Subalpine Fir 1928 Old Growth Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

10. 0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18 0.2 01020304050607080 5-year Probability of Mortality Diameter Class Mid-Points (cm) Interior Spruce Subalpine Fir Old Growth Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

11. Mortality Agents Spruce Spruce beetle Tomentosus root disease Phaeolus schwienitzii Fomitopsis pinicola Subalpine Fir Western balsam bark beetle Indian paint fungus Old Growth Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

14. 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-25 25-30 30-35 35-40 40-45 45-50 50-55 55-60 60+ 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 Average Annual Diameter Increment (cm) Diameter Class (cm) Interior Spruce Subalpine Fir Old Growth Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

15. 2.57.5 12.5 17.5 22.527.532.537.542.547.552.557.562.567.572.577.582.5 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 Frequency (trees per hectare) Diameter Class (cm) Spruce Subalpine Fir Old Growth Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

16. 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 1910192019301940195019601970198019902000 Total Volume (m3/ha) Year 103 106 107 112 113 115 Old Growth Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

17. Old Growth Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

18. 0-5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-2525-30 30-3535-4040-4545-5050-5555-6060-6565-7070-7575-8080-85 85-90 0 50 100 150 200 250 Trees per Hectare Diameter Class (cm) Submesic Sites Subhygric Sites Old Growth Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

19. Old Growth Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake Paper Birch

20. DBH-Limit Harvest Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

22. 2.57.5 12.517.522.527.532.537.542.547.5 52.5 57.5 62.5 67.5 72.577.582.5 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Frequency (trees per hectare) Diameter Class (cm) Old Growth (Long Term Average) D-Limit (7 yrs Post-harvest) 2.57.5 12.517.522.527.532.537.542.547.552.557.5 62.5 67.572.577.582.5 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Frequency (trees per hectare) Diameter Class (cm) Post-Harvest 7 years Post-harvest D-Limit Harvest Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

23. 2.57.5 12.5 17.5 22.5 27.5 32.537.542.547.552.557.562.567.572.577.5 82.5 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Frequency (trees/ha) Diameter Class (cm) 45 50 117 118 119 148 149 150 D-Limit Harvest Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

24. 2.57.5 12.5 17.5 22.5 27.532.537.542.547.552.557.562.567.572.577.582.5 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 Frequency (trees per hectare) Diameter Class (cm) 1934 1948 1963 1981 1993 D-Limit Harvest Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

26. 2.57.5 12.5 17.5 22.527.532.537.542.5 47.552.557.5 62.567.572.577.5 82.5 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 Frequency (trees per hectare) Diameter Class (cm) 1934 1948 1963 1981 1993 D-Limit Harvest Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

28. 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-25 25-30 30-35 35-40 40-45 45-50 50-55 55-60 60+ 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 Annual Diameter Increment (cm) Diameter Class (cm) Old Growth 1919-1926 1926-1931 1931-1934 1934-1938 Interior Spruce 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-25 25-30 30-35 35-40 40-45 45-50 50-55 55-60 60+ 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 Annual Diameter Increment (cm) Diameter Class (cm) Old Growth 1919-1926 1926-1931 1931-1934 1934-1938 Subalpine Fir D-Limit Harvest Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

29. D-Limit Harvest Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

30. J J 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 01020304050607080 Annual Mortality (% of total volume) Years After Harvest D-Limit Harvest Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

31. D-Limit Harvest Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

32. 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 1910192019301940195019601970198019902000 Total Volume (m3/ha) Year 45 50 117 118 119 148 149 150 291 292 D-Limit Harvest Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

33. -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 01020304050607080 Volume Increment (m3/ha/yr) Years After Harvest 45 50 117 118 119 148 149 150 291 292 D-Limit Harvest Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

34. 010203040 50 607080 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Mean Annual Incrment (m 3 /ha/yr) Years After Harvest 45 50 117 118 119 148 149 150 291 292 D-Limit Harvest Plots Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

35. Single Tree Selection Stands Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

36. Single Tree Selection Stands 1963-1995 Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

37. Single Tree Selection Stands 1963-1995 Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

38. Single Tree Selection Stands 1963-1995 Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

39. Single Tree Selection Stands 1963-1995 Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

40. Modeling Single Tree Selection in spruce-subalpine fir stands on the Aleza Lake Research Forest Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

41. 2.57.5 12.5 17.522.527.532.537.542.547.552.557.562.567.572.5 77.5 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 Interior Spruce Subalpine Fir Diameter Class (cm) Trees per Hectare q = 2.1 q = 1.7 q = 1.3 Modeling Selection Cutting Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

42. 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 q = 1.3, D = 60 cm, 10 reserve trees per ha q = 1.7, D = 50 cm year 30 Trees per Hectare Diameter Class (cm) 2.57.5 12.517.522.527.532.537.5 42.5 47.552.557.562.5 67.5 72.5 77.5 Spruce Fir BDq Target 2.57.5 12.5 17.5 22.527.532.537.542.547.5 52.5 57.5 62.5 Modeling Selection Cutting Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

43. Modeling Selection Cutting Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

44. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 405060 Maximum Diameter (cm) Residual Basal Area = 20 m2/ha q Ratio= 1.5 Submesic Sites Mesic Sites Subhygric Sites 90-year Average Growth (m3/ha/yr Modeling Selection Cutting Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

45. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1618202224 Residual Basal Area (m2/ha) Maximum Diameter = 60 cm q = 1.5 Submesic Sites Mesic Sites Subhygric Sites 90-year Average Growth (m3/ha/yr Modeling Selection Cutting Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

46. B B B B B B 3.5 4.5 5.5 1015202530354045 Fixed Cycle Length (yrs) 90-year Average Growth (m3/ha/yr) Modeling Selection Cutting Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

47. Species Conversion... Favouring removal of subalpine fir and retention of spruce resulted in 9 to 23% increases in yield over 3 cycles However: uncertainty regarding spruce regeneration rates, particularly at higher q ratios uncertainty over changes in mortality dynamics Modeling Selection Cutting Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

48. Generating Old Growth Attributes... Modeling Selection Cutting Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake

49. Conclusions Very productive ecosystems Short to moderately long term disturbance regimes driven by individual tree and scattered mortality events Management can successfully utilize similar disturbance patterns Stand Dynamics and Yield at Aleza Lake