Influence of Mineral Nutrition on Susceptibility and Recovery of Planted Seedlings to Ungulate Browse
Burney, O. T. and Jacobs, D. F. IN: National Proceeding: Forest and Conservation Nursery Associations -2009. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Proceedings RMRS-P-62, p. 25-29. 2010.
Efforts to minimize animal damage during reforestation in the Oregon Coast Range have had little success. Enhancing plant mineral nutrition via application of controlled-release fertilization at the time of planting may provide some relief from ungulate browse pressure due to increased height growth, but associated impacts on susceptibility of fertilized plants to browse is unknown. This study is broken into two components, a field study and a simulated browse study. The field study examines the response (in terms of growth and browse) of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), and western redcedar (Thuja plicata) to controlled-release fertilization at time of outplanting at a continuum of four fertilizer application rates (0, 20, 40, and 60 g [0, 0.7, 1.4, 2.1 oz]). The simulated browse study uses the same fertilizer treatment regime and includes three simulated browse treatments: 1) 75% terminal shoot reduction; 2) 50% reduction; and 3) no reduction (control). For the field study, browse intensity was site- and species-specific. Few patterns were observed between browse preference and fertilization. Overall, relative height growth was optimized at the middle fertilizer rates (20 to 40 g [0.7 to 1.4 oz]) for all species. Results from the simulated browse study confirm the findings from the field study that fertilization is providing significant height growth gains for non-browsed seedlings and significant recovery for those seedlings that were mechanically browsed.
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Author(s): Douglass F. Jacobs, Owen T. Burney
Publication: National Nursery Proceedings - 2009
Event:
2013 Winter Forest Nursery Notes
2013
