Growth and Productivity of Siberian Cedar (Pinus sibirica Du Tour) in the Plantings of the Arboretum, Siberian Forest Experiment Station

About the authors:

Mariya N. Kazantseva, Cand. Sci. (Biol.), Associate Professor, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Tyumen; Leading Researcher, Institute of the Problems of Northern Development, Federal Research Center, Tyumen Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; mnkazantseva@yandex.ru

Margarita M. Spasibova, Master Student, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Tyumen; vizeanastasiya@yandex.ru

Abstract:

Siberian cedar or pine cedar Siberian (Pinus sibirica Du Tour) is one of the main forest-forming species of the Siberian taiga; forests with a predominance of this species occupy tens of millions of hectares in Russia. Siberian cedar is of great economic importance, as a supplier of valuable timber, as well as seeds (pine nuts) — an important food, feed and medicinal resource. In the best growth conditions, the ripe cedarwood forms a reserve of wood of 400-500 m^³/ha and can yield cedar nuts 500-600 kg/ha. However, the majority of taiga cedar forests in Western Siberia, due to the high density of the stands, can not fully realize their potential biological productivity, and they are characterized by the instability of cedar nuts yields by years. Increase these indicators can be through silvicultural activities conducted in natural cedar young growth or by creating forest crops.

The article analyzes the features of growth and productivity of Siberian cedar in various variants of forest cultures created in the arboretum of the Siberian Forest Experimental Station in Tyumen. The first variant of cultures was created according to the principle of “cedar garden”, with initially a rare arrangement of trees on the area. Two other variants simulate the processes of the natural formation of cedar forests. One of them is represented by dense cedar plantings, the other is by planting cedar under the canopy of a birch forest.

The results show that the growth and productivity of cedar per one average tree are the best in the first option of forest crops. At the same time, the productivity of cedar crops per hectare is highest in thickened plantations, which is explained by the large number of trees per unit area. Cedar, planted under the canopy of the forest, lags far behind other options in growth and development.

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