Effects of site management treatments on growth of six-year-old, second-rotation Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantations

Abstract

The effects of five different site management treatments on the productivity of a six-year-old and second-rotation Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.) plantations planted after harvesting a 29-year-old and first-rotation Chinese fir plantation in Xiayang State Forest Farm, Nanping, Fujian Province, were studied. Results showed that the Chinese fir grew best on plots treated with the double slash treatment (BL₃), followed by the whole tree harvest (BL₁) and the slash burning treatment (SB), and poorest on treatment BL₂ (normal slash retention) and BL₀ (removal of all organic matter aboveground). The site index of the second rotation Chinese fir plantations in BL₃ and BL₀ treatments increased by 0.56 and 0.27, respectively, compared with the first rotation, and decreased in the rest of the three treatments. Compared with the first rotation, the site index of the second rotation treated with BL₁, SB and BL₂ treatments decreased by 0.39, 0.45 and 0.63, respectively. Differences among the treatments were not statistically significant.