Response of direct seeded Pinus palustris and herbaceous vegetation to fertilization, burning, and pine straw harvesting

Published source details Haywood J.D., Tiarks A.E., Elliott-Smith M.L. & Pearson H.A. (1998) Response of direct seeded Pinus palustris and herbaceous vegetation to fertilization, burning, and pine straw harvesting. Biomass and Bioenergy, 14, 157-167.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use prescribed fire: effects on mature trees Action Link
	Use fertilizer Action Link
	Use prescribed fire: effect on understory plants Action Link

Use prescribed fire: effects on mature trees

A controlled study in 1991-1997 in temperate coniferous forest in Louisiana, USA (Haywood et al. 1998) found no effect of prescribed burning on longleaf pine Pinus palustris growth and yield. Average diameter at breast height (30-31 cm), total height (23 m in both) and basal area (23-24 m²/ha) of longleaf pine were similar between treatments. Data were collected in four replicates of 0.16 ha burned (prescribed burned in March 1991, February 1994 and March 1997) and unburned control treatment plots. Longleaf pine were sampled in February 1996 in one 0.09 ha subplot within each plot.
Use fertilizer

A controlled study in 1991-1997 in temperate coniferous forest in Louisiana, USA (1) found that fertilizing increased herbaceous plant biomass but did not affect longleaf pine Pinus palustris growth. Annual herbaceous productivity was higher in fertilized (dry biomass: 472-1795 kg/ha) than in unfertilized plots (452-1088). Average diameter at breast height (30 cm), total height (22 m) and basal area (23-24 m²/ha) of longleaf pine were similar between treatments. Data were collected in four replicates of 0.64 ha treatment plots: fertilized (50 kg/ha N and 56 kg/ha P applied in April 1991 and May 1997) and unfertilized. Longleaf pine were sampled in February 1996 in four 0.09 ha plots within each treatment. Herbeceous weight was sampled in July 1997 in 12 quadrats (0.02 m²) within each treatment.
Use prescribed fire: effect on understory plants

A controlled study in 1991-1997 in temperate coniferous forest in Louisiana, USA (Haywood et al. 1998) found that prescribed burning increased herbaceous biomass. Annual herbs productivity was higher in burned (780-1220 kg dried matter/ha) than in unburned plots (452-472). Data was collected in four replicates of 0.16 ha prescribed burned (in March 1991, February 1994 and March 1997) and control unburned treatment plots. Herbaceous biomass was sampled in July 1997 in three quadrats (0.02 m²) within each plot.