Dd. Reed et al., ABOVEGROUND AND BELOWGROUND BIOMASS OF PRECOMPETITIVE RED PINE IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN, Canadian journal of forest research, 25(7), 1995, pp. 1064-1069
In 1984, red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) plantations were established a
t three sites in northern Michigan. From 1985 through 1992, 3083 indiv
idual trees from these stands were destructively sampled to determine
aboveground biomass. The root systems were excavated on a subset of th
ese trees (975 individuals). There were no significant differences in
the relationships between either above- or below-ground biomass and gr
oundline diameter and tree height across the range of biomass (3-6720
g for aboveground biomass and 1-319 g for belowground biomass), basal
diameter (0.3-10.1 cm), or height (10-417 cm) of the sampled trees. Th
ere were also no;significant differences in these relationships among
the three sites. Relative height growth (the ratio of total height inc
rement in a year and the total height at the beginning of the growing
season) was found to have a very well defined maximum that was a funct
ion of total height at the beginning of the growing season. This maxim
um relative growth rate was used to develop a new height growth index
that can be used to identify precompetitive red pine that are approach
ing their potential height growth in field situations.