Long-Term Records of Southern Pine Dynamics in Even-Aged Stands
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The timber management research wor k unit of the U.S. Depar tment of Agriculture Forest Service in Pineville, LA (SRS-4111) oversees many long-term studies in stand dynamics; we summarize current studies in table 1. We remeasure > 700 plots established in even-aged stands of southern pines at approximately 5-year intervals; some plots have measurements spanning > 50 years (table 1). These plots largely came from silvicultural studies investigating the effects of establishment methods, initial spacing, and subsequent thinning. There are studies in loblolly (Pinus taeda L.), longleaf (P. palustris Mill.), slash (P. elliottii Engelm.), and shortleaf (P. echinata Mill.) pine. The majority of the studies are in ar tificially regenerated stands; however, one study examines thinning in naturally regenerated loblolly pine. Fertilization, prescribed burning, pruning, and other silvicultural practices were tested in some of the studies; in other cases, the specific silvicultural practices varied across studies, reflecting local practices. While some studies reflect practices that are rarely applied now, such as direct seeding of southern pines, they provide a rare and valuable historic database. Data from these studies provide a point of comparison for current practices from a wide range of conditions that is biologically interesting, such as natural thinning in very dense stands. Long-ter m records available for plantations > 60 years old are par ticularly notewor thy. While most of our data reflect ar tificial regeneration practices of 20 to 70 years ago, we are revitalizing our long-term database with the addition of new plots in young, operationally established plantations with the cooperation of public and private forest land managers. Our data continue to be available to interested cooperators.