Influence of hardwood control on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedling and herbaceous species development in the Georgia Piedmont

摘要

A pine regeneration study was established in September of 1990 in the Georgia Piedmont. The study objective was to determine the effects of 6 different regeneration-management regimes on the growth and diversity of plant species. Planted pine showedno significant difference in survival between herbicided and non-herbicided plots. Tip moth damage was greatest on herbicided plots In year 2 compared to the non-herbicided (67 to 38 percent respectively), but had decreased by year 3 (11 to 8 percent respectively). The average number of plant species decreased over time. However, forbs increased in the non-herbicided plots. The number of hardwood stems/acre Increased for all but the herbicided plots which decreased. There was an increase in browsed stems In year 3 over year 1 in all treatments except for the forbs in the non-herbicided plots. There was greater browse in the herbicide plots in year 3 than in the norv-herbicided and control plots. Coverage increased for all vegetation types over time except for the hardwood stems in the herbicided plots. Broomsedge increased on the site from 12 percent coverage to 30 percent coverage in the herbicided plots and from 12 to 25 and 21 percent for the non-herbicided and control plots, respectively.