Bulkley Valley Research Centre - Science in the Public Interest

Year 1 - Effect of Site Type on Competitive Interactions Among Trees in Complex-Structured Mixed Species Sub-boreal Forests

Project Reference Number: 2006-06

Project Status: Complete

Led by: Dave Coates, PhD, Research Silviculturist, Ministry of Forests and Range, Smithers

Funder: Forest Investment Account - Forest Science Program

Project Proposal

The long term objectives of this project are:

(1) To further our ecological understanding of competitive interactions among trees species in complex stands, and how these interactions vary across resource gradients or site types.

(2) To develop robust cost effective methods to parameterize individual-tree growth models for use in British Columbia and elsewhere.

(3) To make SORTIE-ND available for a larger range of site types in British Columbia.

The current year objectives for this funding are:

(1) To select suitable sites in the SBS zone that will provide a range of competitive neighbourhoods and variability in site quality. To remote sense these areas with high spatial resolution digital imagery.

(2) To test the effectiveness of remote sensing techniques for producing stem-maps in large sample plots.

(3) To develop alternate empirical mathematical functions that may best explain competitive interactions among trees species across resource gradients.

(4) To start compiling the sample tree and competitive neighbourhood data in remote sensed plots. 

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