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Working pine (Pinus spp.) forests in the southern United States rely on herbicides to remove competing vegetation and improve productivity. We conducted a review of the effects of herbicides on understory plants in southern working forests. We also discuss the impacts of herbicides on insect taxa associated with understory vegetation and its litter layer, including Coleoptera (carabid beetles), Hemiptera (true bugs), Hymenoptera (bees/ants), Lepidoptera (moths/butterflies), and Orthoptera (grasshoppers). Herbicides have few reported long-term impacts on understory herbaceous cover and species richness/diversity when applied according to labeled uses and application rates. However, the method of chemical treatment (e.g. broadcast spray or banded application) may influence understory plant structure and composition. Responses of insects to herbicides were species- and taxa-specific and highly variable given their forage/habitat requirements and life histories. Long-term research is needed to evaluate the effects of herbicides on vegetation-associated insects to provide a comprehensive profile of herbicide nontarget impacts. Study Implications: Land managers rely on herbicides to remove competing vegetation and increase working forest productivity. Given the objective of sustainable forest management to conserve biodiversity, it is important to understand how biological communities respond to chemical applications in intensively managed forest ecosystems. Our review indicated that herbicides have few reported long-term impacts on understory plant communities when applied appropriately. Despite their taxonomic diversity, invertebrates were rarely included in assessments of forest herbicides. Further research is needed to assess the potential nontarget impacts of herbicide applications on forest insect communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hylastes species are known to cause damage to conifers in plantations in northern Sweden, and in recent years an increase in seedling damage has been observed in southern Sweden. However, there are few studies on Hylastes spp and the damage it can cause, so there is a lack of knowledge regarding pest management. In order to investigate an eventual interaction between damage by Hylastes spp and the more well-known Hylobius abietis (L) we registered damage by these species. Unprotected spruce seedlings were compared with seedlings protected from Hylobius abietis by a mechanical coating or with an insecticide. The effect of mechanical site preparation (MSP) was studied, with half of the seedlings being planted in unprepared soil and the other half after MSP. Both seedling protection and MSP significantly reduced the level of damage caused by Hylastes spp. MSP reduced the proportion of affected and killed seedlings and reduced the level of damage at the root collar. Protecting the seedlings reduced the level of damage, and no difference was found between seedlings treated with an insecticide and those provided with a coating. Similar responses were observed with both containerized and plug plus seedlings. In conclusion, measures against Hylobius abietis seem to also prevent damage by Hylastes spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forestry Chronicle is the property of Canadian Institute of Forestry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Coagulopathy is a well‐recognized complication in dental surgery in patients who use oral anticoagulants or some dietary supplements. Proper pre‐operative diagnosis, medical consultation, timely management, and conservative treatment can decrease the incidence of such complications. Management of bleeding during dental implant surgery commonly involves conventional methods such as discontinuation of anticoagulant use, compression, styptics, and local anesthetic administration containing vasoconstrictors. This clinical report describes the successful management of a patient with a history of coagulopathy who was rehabilitated with complete arch fixed implant‐supported prostheses with immediate loading. A novel implant design with a significantly abbreviated single drill protocol for osteotomy preparation was used in an outpatient setting. The novel protocol successfully decreased the overall bleeding and significantly reduced the intraoperative time for the surgical procedure. Additional considerations related to the novel implant design and osteotomy protocol, supplementary applications, and advantages of the protocol are presented in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the northern boreal region, tree growth, timber yields and economic returns are low, meaning low regeneration costs are the basis of profitable forestry. If natural regeneration is successful, it may be favoured over expensive planting or seeding. We studied the regeneration success and early growth of Scots pine in gaps in terms of seedling density and height 10 years after gap cuttings in central Finnish Lapland. Three gap sizes (diameters of 20, 40, and 80 m) were studied on patch scarified xeric and sub-xeric sites in six random blocks and a total of 18 replicates of each. The number of pine seedlings was high across the gap sizes. The proportion of empty regeneration plots (size 5 m2) was ∼ 2%. Site preparation substantially increased the number of seedlings. The growth of seedlings was faster in larger gaps, but a high proportion of exposed mineral soil decreased it. The results suggest that all studied gap sizes regenerated naturally well, and that soil scarification exposing 10–20% of the surface area or even less can be enough to achieve regeneration goals. Gaps of a diameter of 40 m or more are required to achieve an optimal balance between seedling density and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian temperate grasslands are among its most threatened plant communities. In agricultural landscapes, major barriers to their recovery are high soil nutrient levels that favour the growth of exotic pasture and other non-native species, high standing weed biomass creating fierce aboveground competition, and rich weed seed and bud banks providing dense emergent seedling competition. Therefore, the return of grasslands to arable landscapes through restoration must rely on overcoming these challenges, ideally by reducing soil nutrients and mitigating the effects of weeds. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of topsoil removal for restoring diverse native grassy communities by direct seeding on sites with a legacy of elevated soil nutrients and competitive exotic vegetation. Conversely, it showed that repeated shallow cultivation (four times over 12 months) to stimulate weed emergence, followed each time by herbicide application, failed to achieve this outcome, at least in the short term (three years). Grassy community restoration is imperative in Australia, but importantly, it must utilise restoration protocols that are as effective as possible so that limited time, money, and resources are not wasted. In this light, the technique of topsoil manipulation may take us one step closer to achieving this goal in agricultural locations, where their loss is most pronounced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barren, severely disturbed sites lacking soil, such as mine sites and waste deposit sites, present severe challenges to ecological service restoration because of high temperatures, solar radiation, and wind speeds; extreme temperature changes; and low soil moisture and nutrient availability. An ecological restoration experiment using three site preparation treatments was conducted. Straw (S), Meri-Crusher (MC), and coarse woody debris (CWD) were assessed in a site, no site preparation 2 × 2 × 2 factorial, including a control treatment, on sites barren for 25 years. In addition, four early-successional species: white birch (WB, Betula papyrifera Marsh), gray birch (GB, Betula populifolia Marsh), green alder (GA, Alnus viridis Vill. ssp. crispa Ait) and speckled alder (SA, Alnus incana L. ssp. rugosa Du Roi), were examined for mortality. Mortality was measured after three time periods, summer-related 2021, winter-related, and frost heave mortality (spring 2022). Summer-related mortality was predominantly influenced by S treatments (reduced mortality) and their interactions. Straw's ability to retain moisture strongly suggests it mitigated summer-related drought mortality. S interactions were not rank changes but magnitude effects. The species × straw interaction showed that SA had the greatest magnitude difference, with 25% and 3.6% summer-related mortality for NS and S treatments, respectively. SA, a hydrophilic species, accounted for nearly half the total summer-related mortality, and there were strong species effects and species interactions. The full combination of site preparation treatments had the lowest summer-related mortality, at 1%. Winter-related mortality only affected 1.9% of the total sample size, and there were no species effects or interactions, but contrary to other results, S was the leading cause of mortality due to fungal presence found on expired seedlings. For frost heave mortality, it was clear that the S treatment was effective, with 1.2% and 20.7% overall mortality for S and NS, respectively. MC alone had the greatest negative effect, with 46.9% frost heave mortality; however, when interacting with S or CWD, the mortality decreased substantially. Frost heave had no species interactions and only a species effect, with SA having the greatest mortality. Over the first full year, MC alone and control had the greatest mortality, with 60% and 38%, respectively, after one year. Overall, one-year mortality showed S reduced mortality by 27% and CWD by 19%, while MC increased mortality by approximately 4%. When treatments were combined in any way, mortality dropped significantly, showing an additive effect, with the three-combination treatment resulting in the lowest one-year mortality, of only 3.1%. Straw provided the strongest effect, both as an effective barrier to moisture evaporation, providing up to 10% more soil moisture under dry conditions and provided an effective thermal barrier that substantially reduced the frost heave mortality. Even early-successional species such as WB, GB, GA, and SA need site preparation treatments to establish and survive the first year on long-term barren lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silvicultural regeneration methods focus on manipulating the forest canopy, but success can depend on the use of site preparation to control competing vegetation, including the density of advance regeneration, and create suitable microsite conditions for germination and seedling establishment. Tip-up mounds are known to provide favorable conditions for some tree species, but the creation of tip-up mounds as a method of site preparation has scarcely been investigated. We assessed effects of artificial tip-up mounds on tree seedling composition across a gradient of regeneration methods and residual overstory densities 2–4 years post-implementation. We found that tree seedling communities on mounds in some treatments were compositionally distinct from untreated reference plots. However, no tree species exhibited a strong affinity for mounds when analyzed independently from the regeneration method, and much of the difference in composition was associated with lower dominance of maples (Acer spp. L.) on mounds. As maples are strong competitors in forests regenerated with selection systems, reduced maple competition on artificial mounds could advantage desired under-represented species and aid in natural regeneration over time. Therefore, in stands where promoting tree species diversity is desirable, implementing artificial tip-up mounds as part of a long-term strategy may be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decades, the establishment of new fast‐growing forest plantations has been prospering. Although the European continent has the lowest share worldwide of forest plantations out of its total forest area, the Portuguese reality contrasts this. Since the last century, eucalypt plantations have increased widely in Portugal, and nowadays, it represents 36% of the total country's forests. Consequently, the soils of these plantations are commonly targeted with intensive soil mobilization by heavy machinery before planting, which in the case of sloped areas, frequently results in bench terracing. This study aims to quantify the widespread bench terracing implementation over the last 20 years in the Caramulo Mountains in north central Portugal. To do so, an analysis of satellite imagery was performed with Google Earth Pro, which allowed determining the coverage of forest areas where new terraces have been implemented, and their respective temporal dynamics. These results were then compared with additional spatiotemporal databases on land cover, topography, and bedrock, in order to understand the drivers of terrace implementation. Till date, 15% of the forest area in the mountains of Caramulo is under terraces, and over the last 20 years, the construction rate of new terraced land decreased in time, from 4% between 2000 and 2004 to 2% between 2015 and 2019. Among the two bedrock types existent in the area, terracing was found nearly exclusive over schist bedrock type (97%), while few areas were implemented over granites (3%). Their distribution was found limited above 30° of slope angle while 39% were found implemented below 15° of slope angle, conflicting with literature recommendations. Terracing was also found to be a driver of land cover change in 12% of the newly constructed terraces, whereas 8% were constructed over previous pine plantations and 4% on shrublands. This study allowed identifying several knowledge gaps associated with terracing implementation. Therefore, the authors of this work suggest a multidisciplinary approach when planning new terraces for a better assessment of the benefits and impacts of such land management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land‐use change from solar energy development may affect desert ecosystems and the soils, plants, and animals therein, yet our understanding of these interactions is nascent. With their ubiquity, criticality as ecosystem constituents, and sensitivity to environmental variation, ants may be useful study organisms for elucidating ecological effects of solar energy development in deserts. Our objectives were to disentangle the response of a desert ant community to solar energy development decisions and test the efficacy of ants as bioindicators at a solar power facility (392 MW) in the Mojave Desert, USA. We used pitfall traps to collect ants in treatments representing different solar energy development decisions, including variably intense site preparation practices: blading (i.e., bulldozing) and mowing, and establishment of undeveloped patches in solar fields, replicated across three power blocks comprising the facility and in undeveloped control sites surrounding the facility. We determined that ant abundance, species richness, Shannon Diversity Index, and functional richness were lower in bladed treatments than in all other treatments and controls. For most taxonomic and functional ant responses, we detected no difference between nonbladed treatments and controls; these results suggest that less intensive site preparation and increased spatial heterogeneity (i.e., undeveloped patches in solar fields) can reduce the negative effects of solar energy development on desert ants. However, our results indicate that ants may serve as useful bioindicators of the severity of anthropogenic disturbance from solar energy development in deserts, and indicator analysis signifies that solar energy infrastructure may negatively affect some species with high ecological value (e.g., harvester ants). Negative effects of solar energy development on ants can have significant implications for desert ecosystem function and integrity, but conservation‐minded solar facility design and construction may lead to avoidance of "bottom‐up" ecological ramifications of increased solar production during the renewable energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the stability and survival rate of dental implants inserted with different site preparation techniques—piezoelectric inserts versus traditional rotary instruments. Materials and Methods: Correlative research was located by searching articles in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. This was accomplished independently by two different reviewers and supplemented by a manual search. Only prospective studies evaluating piezoelectric vs conventional implant site preparation in dental implantation were included in this review. A meta-analysis was performed on the stability and survival rate of implants. Results: One thousand fifty-five articles were identified following the search strategy, of which five studies were finally included in this meta-analysis. With regard to the survival rate of implants, there was no statistically significant difference between piezoelectric and conventional implant site preparation (RR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.03; I2 = 0%, P = .86). On the other side, the piezoelectric group had better stability inthe eighth week (MD = 4.24, 95% CI: 1.36, 7.12; I2 = 0%, P = .80) and 12th week (MD = 3.33, 95% CI: 0.59, 6.08; I2 = 0%, P = .87) compared with the conventional group. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, it suggests that the survival rate of implants may not be influenced by the site preparation techniques (piezoelectric vs conventional), but the piezoelectric group may achieve better stability than the conventional group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Oregon, an estimated 3% of the original Quercus garryana savanna remains seven generations after pioneer settlement. Consequently, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), non-profit wildlife organizations, and Oregon state agencies and policy makers have put oak habitat, especially oak savanna restoration, among their highest priorities. "Oak savanna" is commonly defined as an area of large, open-growing oaks at a density of 4-5 trees per acre. Twenty-one years ago, Jolly Krautmann and I purchased a 400-acre farm that had an 85-acre oak savanna along the farm hillsides. Long neglected, it had become infested with many kinds of tall invasive weeds and vines. This paper summarizes specific measures that we have tried in oak savanna restoration. Despite initial failures, we feel we've succeeded in establishment of a stand of predominantly (65-85%) native grasses and wildflowers among the scattered open -growing oaks. Herein, we aim to offer insight and inspire others to engage in oak savanna restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Combining machine learning and physical insights to study biochar active sites. • Internal and external characters constructed multidimensional fingerprint descriptor. • C-C/C=C, C=O and defect sites were all predicted with over 90 % accuracy. • The descriptors enable high-throughput screening of preparation parameters. Highly active biochar has great application potential in heterogeneous catalysis and adsorptive processes. The complexity of carbonization process makes it difficult to construct target active sites. This work put forward a reactive descriptor based on pyrolysis parameters and intrinsic composition of biomass. Results show that the model showed better predictive performance for C-C/C=C (R2 = 0.85), C=O (R2 = 0.85) and defect (R2 = 0.91) sites. The SHapley Additive exPlanation analysis shows that the pyrolysis parameters and the higher heating values are equally important for the active sites. The predictive performance and guiding role of the descriptor were validated by experiments. The descriptors proposed in this study integrated significant advantages of simplicity and easy accessibility, which would break the bottleneck of accurate construction of active sites and provide a theoretical basis for high-value resource utilization of biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical site preparation (MSP) is a common practice that precedes the planting of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) in Nordic forests. Mounding has become the most used method in spruce planting in recent years. This study examined the effects of different mounding treatments (spot and ditch mounding, inversion, unprepared control with or without herbicide application) and a mechanical vegetation control (MVC) treatment done 3–4 years after planting on the post-planting growth of spruce container seedlings and their development to saplings during the first 11–13 years on two forest till soils in central Finland, one on flat terrain and other on a southwest slope. On these fine-textured soils the spot and ditch mounding methods favoured spruce saplings development. Inversion and unprepared plots showed weakest growth. On the site with flat terrain, 11 years post planting, spruce saplings were 78–144 cm (38–80%) taller and their breast height diameters were 11–13 mm (60–74%) thicker for ditch or spot mounding than for inversion or herbicide treatment. On the site with sloped terrain the differences were minor between the MSP treatments. MVC improved spruce height growth on sites which did not have intensive MSP, especially on control saplings planted on unprepared soil in herbicide and inversion treatments. On the flat terrain, MVC reduced the density of resprouts to be removed later in pre-commercial thinning. As a conclusion, spot or ditch mounding favoured the growth of spruce over inversion especially on flat terrain with fine-textured soil.

We assessed outplanting performance of N. glauca in two trials. In Trial 1, provenances from Pre- Andean (Linares, Longaví) and Coastal (Curanipe, Empedrado) origins were planted in a common garden under two sun protection treatments (i.e., black mesh shelter, and kaolin at 6% concentration), and a control treatment at full sun. In Trial 2, a local provenance was established under two site preparation treatments (i.e., old subsoiling from 4 years ago versus no-subsoiling). Growth, survival, gas exchange, and Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were measured one year after outplanting. In Trial 1 survival was similar among treatments but larger seedlings were found under kaolin and in the local provenance Empedrado. The provenances varied by sun protection treatment in survival, and the Pre Andean provenance Linares tended to show the lowest survival at full sun. At the leaf-level physiology, provenances responded similarly in gas exchange and fluorescence parameters. In the sun protection treatments seedlings under kaolin increased stomatal conductance and electron transport, but decreased photosynthesis, water use efficiency, and efficiency of PSII. Provenances also varied by treatment in physiology. The Empedrado provenance exhibited the highest transpiration and stomatal conductance under kaolin whereas the Pre Andean provenance of Longaví showed the lowest photosynthesis and efficiency of PSII in the kaolin treatment. In Trial 2, root collar diameter, intercellular CO2 and water use efficiency were higher in the old-subsoiling treatment. As a potential adaptation tool, seed sources from Pre Andean origins can be established in Coastal origins with no detriments on seedling survival.

The main objectives of this work were to assess the efficiency, ease-of-use, and general performance of a novel osseoshaping tool based on first-user clinical experiences and to compare these observations with preclinical data generated in rodents using a miniaturized version of the instrument. All patients selected for the surgery presented challenging clinical conditions in terms of the quality and/or quantity of the available bone. The presented data were collected during the implant placement of 15 implants in 7 patients, and included implant recipient site (bone quality and quantity) and ridge evaluation, intra-operative handling of the novel instrument, and the evaluation of subsequent implant insertion. The instrument was easy to handle and was applied without any complications during the surgical procedure. Its use obviated the need for multiple drills and enabled adequate insertion torque in all cases. This biologically driven innovation in implant site preparation shows improvements in preserving vital anatomical and cellular structures as well as simplifying the surgical protocol with excellent ease-of-use and handling properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevailing regeneration methods in Scandinavian countries are artificial regeneration methods including measures such as site preparation and planting. These measures are considered to be a part of a more intensive forest management and require an initial investment. The use of artificial regeneration measures can, however, increase the growth of a forest stand. In this study, the purpose was to investigate if such an investment is profitable by comparing three different intensity levels (low, medium and high) applied during the regeneration phase, with aspect on both economics (LEV, land expectation value) and growth (MAI, mean annual increment) after a full rotation. The forest stands used in this study were regenerated between 1984 and 1988 and the future growth of the stands was simulated using Heureka StandWise. It was clear that naturally regenerated (low intensity) stands resulted in better economics than stands actively regenerated (medium and high intensity). However, actively regenerated stands resulted in both higher volume production and growth, and the uncertainty of regeneration success was reduced using artificial regeneration measures. These factors are important when considering both the ongoing mitigation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and future access to raw material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various site preparation methods are used in Swedish forestry. However, some methods can lead to unnecessary disturbance, which could be avoided by using variables from digital elevation models in management decisions. The current study aimed to investigate how different site preparation methods, and their intensities, affect Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) regeneration. Additional aims were to clarify how these methods affect soil disturbance and vegetation development, along with how variables from digital elevation models could be used in silvicultural decision-making. Experimental sites were established in southern Sweden to assess five different site preparation treatments with different planting densities: (1) conventional disc trenching 2500 seedlings/ha (DT2500); (2) low intensity disc trenching 1250 seedlings/ha (LDT1250); (3) low intensity disc trenching 2500 seedlings/ha (LDT2500); (4) low-intensity patch-wise 1250 seedlings/ha (PW1250); and (5) patch-wise 2500 seedlings/ha (PW2500). Site preparation intensity had no effect on seedling growth and, survival or vegetation development; the tested treatments differed in terms of soil disturbance. Planting spot properties and weather conditions influenced the seedling performance. DTW and slope could not substantially explain either seedling growth or survival. The results indicate that the choice of site preparation method should consider flexibility when planting while adapting the level of disturbance accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Primary stability is a fundamental prerequisite in predicting the prognosis of a mini-implant (MI) as a skeletal anchorage. This study aims to evaluate the influence of implant site preparation technology on the primary stability of MI.Methods: A total of 108 bovine cortical bone samples were fabricated to three thicknesses (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mm). For each thickness group, the samples were divided into three subgroups: I (without site preparation), II (site preparation with a mechanical drill), and III (site preparation with femtosecond laser ablation). After MI insertion into these samples, the pull out strength of MI was measured by lateral pull out tests.Results: For the 0.5 mm thickness samples, the lateral pull-out strength was 9.9±2.7 N in subgroup I, 6.7±2.1 N in subgroup II, and 15.2±2.6 N in subgroup III. For the 1.0 mm thickness samples, the lateral pull-out strength was 39.3±2.5N in subgroup I, 38.2±2.7N in subgroup II, and 46.3±1.7 N in subgroup III. For the 1.5 mm thickness samples, the lateral pull-out strength was 73.9±4.8 N in subgroup I, 70.1±2.8 N in subgroup II, 75.0±2.2 N in subgroup III. No signs of carbonization or substantial cracking were visible in any of the bone samples.Conclusion: Site preparation with laser ablation significantly improved the lateral pull-out strength over mechanical preparation and control (no site preparation) in thinner cortical bone samples (1.0 and 0.5 mm). Such improvement in lateral pull-out strength decreases as the samples become thicker and diminishes in thick (1.5 mm) cortical bone samples.

Naturalization is a new and promising ecological approach to green space development for urban environments, although knowledge is sparse on techniques to implement it. We evaluated naturalization of eight native trees and shrubs, with site preparation (tillage, herbicide) and soil amendment (compost rates) treatment combinations at six sites in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Soil texture improved with all compost rates, and acidity, electrical conductivity and total carbon increased, especially with 100% compost. Soil nutrients generally increased with compost then declined within a year. Plant species with highest potential for use in urban green spaces were Picea glauca, Symphoricarpos albus and Rosa acicularis. Herbicide was the most influential site preparation treatment, positively increasing survival and growth of planted woody species, while negatively lowering non-native species cover and increasing noxious weed cover. Soil amendment with compost influenced cover not species richness, with high compost amendment reducing vegetation cover across sites, and increasing individual plant size. This study suggests amendment of soil with compost and appropriate site preparation can positively influence naturalization of these woody species for urban green spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2019, the Forest Productivity Cooperative (FPC) celebrated its 50th anniversary. The mission of the FPC is and has been creating innovative solutions to enhance forest productivity and value through the sustainable management of site resources. This industry-government-university partnership has generated seminal research with sweeping implications for increasing productivity throughout the southeastern United States and Latin America. To commemorate this semicentennial, we highlighted some of the pivotal findings in the southeastern United States from the past 50 years derived from our large, regional experiments: regionwide trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study used time studies and cost analysis to assess potential economic benefits from site preparation cost reductions resulting from producing coarse woody harvesting residue (CWHR) for bioenergy. In contrast, previous studies have predominantly used anecdotal estimates of site preparation costs. The study was performed in a recently clearfelled 15-year-old plantation of Eucalyptus globulus (Labill) in Tasmania, Australia. The study area consisted of the control area (0.51 ha), containing ~35 m3 ha-1 of CWHR and the CWHR harvest area (2.47 ha), containing =12 m3 ha-1 of CWHR. The control area had been harvested with a harvester - forwarder system, which left all harvesting residue (HR) onsite, whereas the CWHR harvest area had been harvested with a feller-buncher - skidder - processor system which removed most of the HR. The latter site was used to simulate an area where CWHR had been harvested. The study examined productivities and costs of machines performing site preparation in each area. The preparation of the control area site was performed with an excavator that windrowed CWHR, followed by a skidder-mounted plough constructing planting furrows. Residual CWHR post-windrowing was <1 m3 ha-1. Productivities and costs were 0.53 ha PMH0 -1 and AUD$319 ha-1 for the excavator and 1.1 ha PMH0 -1 and AUD$139 PMH0 -1 for the skidder-mounted plough. The excavator was not required in the CWHR harvest area. In this area, skidder-mounted plough productivity and cost were 1.16 ha PMH0 -1 and AUD$109 ha-1 suggesting CWHR reduction to =12 m3 ha-1 could reduce site preparation costs by AUD$319 ha-1. Further studies on costs and revenues associated with CWHR removal and sale are required to determine net economic benefits and determine excavator cost and productivity for a range of CWHR quantities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of site preparation (mixed mounding and removal of the humus layer) under a shelterwood of mixed boreal forest along a forest interior-edge gradient on Norway spruce (Picea abies) seedlings was studied two years after planting. Mounds had a positive effect on root development, ectomycorrhiza formation and the absorption of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in the seedlings, and augmented their survival, growth and biomass. Humus removal had an adverse effect on the root biomass and ectomycorrhiza formation. A decreased soil fertility after the removal of humus led to a low N and P content in the seedlings. Two years after planting, humus removal had not affected the growth of the seedlings, but reduced their biomass. The influence of the forest edge, compared to the interior plot, was mostly associated with a decrease in the stand density, reduced amount of litter and increased light availability for the seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of fast-growing trees in the production forests of Sabah, Malaysia may be severely compromised if weed control, during the initial months following site preparation, is inadequate. A twoway factorial experimental design, comparing levels of manual and chemical weed control, with and without fertilisation at planting, was used to demonstrate significant impacts on the mean tree volume of Acacia mangium trees, 3½ years after plantation establishment. Eliminating weeds at 23 months, with remedial treatment across the factorial experiment, demonstrated little residual effects. No productivity benefit was observed at 14 months, after remedial weed control at 23 months post-establishment, nor was there any productivity gain observed at 10 months, after remediation application of fertiliser at 26 months post-establishment. The results emphasised the need for weed control during site preparation, including complete chemical weed control prior to planting and quarterly until canopy closure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest tillage experiments regularly use long-term evaluations of large plots creating temporal and/or spatial correlations among observations. Not modeling these correlations could compromise treatment comparisons. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of modeling spatio-temporal (ST) variability in forest tillage experiments. We used different strategies that incorporate spatial and/or temporal correlations in the evaluation of tillage intensity effect in initial Eucalyptus growth as well as evaluate the effect of intraplot mortality and competition dynamics. Three tillage intensities in two contrasting soil conditions were compared for tree height and wood volume. Additionally, we compared the use of three individual growth curves for plant height to evaluate the time needed to reach 2 m in height (T 2m). We modeled the spatial correlation of T 2m using mixed models. In both sites, ST models were superior for plant height and wood volume per hectare, whereas for individual-tree wood volume, temporal models were superior. Pit planting always had a lower performance than disk harrowing and subsoiler, which behaved similarly. The competition dynamics within the plot because of tree mortality was affected by treatments and site. Modeling ST variability is key to improving treatment comparisons in forest experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed delivery to site is a critical step in seed‐based restoration programs. Months or years of seed collection, conditioning, storage, and cultivation can be wasted if seeding operations are not carefully planned, well executed, and draw upon best available knowledge and experience. Although diverse restoration scenarios present different challenges and require different approaches, there are common elements that apply to most ecosystems and regions. A seeding plan sets the timeline and details all operations from site treatments through seed delivery and subsequent monitoring. The plan draws on site evaluation data (e.g. topography, hydrology, climate, soil types, weed pressure, reference site characteristics), the ecology and biology of the seed mix components (e.g. germination requirements, seed morphology) and seed quality information (e.g. seed purity, viability, and dormancy). Plan elements include: (1) Site treatments and seedbed preparation to remove undesirable vegetation, including sources in the soil seed bank; change hydrology and soil properties (e.g. stability, water holding capacity, nutrient status); and create favorable conditions for seed germination and establishment. (2) Seeding requirements to prepare seeds for sowing and determine appropriate seeding dates and rates. (3) Seed delivery techniques and equipment for precision seed delivery, including placement of seeds in germination‐promotive microsites at the optimal season for germination and establishment. (4) A monitoring program and adaptive management to document initial emergence, seedling establishment, and plant community development and conduct additional sowing or adaptive management interventions, if warranted. (5) Communication of results to inform future seeding decisions and share knowledge for seed‐based ecological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forestry Chronicle is the property of Canadian Institute of Forestry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Prairie reconstruction has become a common method for reestablishing tallgrass prairie communities in the central United States. With the objective of creating plant communities that approximate remnant (reference) prairies, managers are interested in identifying: (1) best methods for reconstructing reference community conditions; (2) the rate of change in plant communities through time following reconstruction; and (3) species present in remnant communities but missing from reconstructed communities. This information is important in the development of adaptive management strategies during active reconstruction. We used a chronosequence approach to assess the success of two reconstruction methods in emulating local, reference remnant prairie plant communities. We compared broadcast dormant seeding following two types of site preparation, agricultural cropping (Crop) or herbicide control in existing grass assemblages (Grass), and remnant communities. The Crop site preparation method resulted in a rapid increase in richness shortly following seeding. Although more similar to remnant assemblages initially, the Grass method took longer for mean coefficient of conservatism and floristic quality index to approach conditions of the reference communities. However, neither method resulted in plant community compositions that converged with the reference through time. Further, indicator species analysis identified a diverse assemblage of species lacking from the reconstructed prairies. These results suggest the need to develop management strategies for establishing the "missing" species during reconstruction and provide further support for protection and conservation of existing remnant prairies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bottomland hardwoods (BLH) and wet mineral flats (WMF) are common forested wetlands in the southeastern U.S. coastal plain (Virginia to Texas) that are often manipulated silviculturally, yet silvicultural forest operations are infrequently reported. This document summarizes forest operations in wetlands, consolidates reviews of silvicultural effects, and summarizes long-term research. BLH typically receive lower intensity management. Forest operations involve planning silvicultural operations and adapting harvest operations to wet site conditions. Clearcutting with natural regeneration is favored for BLH, but alternative silvicultural systems may be viable options, depending on stand characteristics and landowner objectives. WMF are frequently managed intensively as pine plantations. Following clearcut harvests, WMF may be mechanically and chemically site-prepared and planted. Intermediate silvicultural operations may include chemical competition control, fertilization, prescribed burning, and thinning operations. Reviews of effects in forested wetlands indicate wet-site harvesting can cause significant soil disturbances. Long-term research on effects of harvest disturbances on BLH and WMF are limited, but indicate effects of wet site harvests are ephemeral and sites recover due to natural factors and artificial amelioration. Overall, silvicultural operations in these forested wetlands are compatible with long-term sustainability when appropriate silvicultural systems, forest operations, and forestry best management practices (BMPs) are applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Forest terracing had an immediate reduction on soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. • The construction of terraces negatively affects the soil labile and plant available fractions. • After terracing the soil nutrient concentrations in the interpatch were strikingly lower. • Terracing imposes reductions in the soil CO 2 effluxes, particularly in the interpatch. Over the last decades, eucalypt plantations have increasingly involved intensive soil mobilization by heavy machinery. In north-central Portugal, bench terracing with bulldozers has become a common practice for eucalypt re-/afforestation. Its impacts on soil properties and functions, however, have received little research attention so far. The present study aimed to address the changes in topsoil fertility from immediately before to immediately after the construction of terraces. This was done for two contrasting micro-sites (tree-patch and inter-patch). Topsoil fertility was characterized in terms of both total and labile carbon and nitrogen as well as available phosphorous. In addition, this study aimed to assess the short-term impacts of terracing on soil respiration, as an indicator of soil biological activity. Soil respiration was monitored at monthly intervals during the first year following terracing at the terraced as well as at a nearby, non-terraced eucalypt plantation. The construction of bench terraces led to a significant immediate reduction in topsoil contents of total and labile carbon and nitrogen as well as available phosphorus. The reductions were inferred to result from the mixing of the A, B, C and R horizons, in combination with a priming effect due to soil aeration and resulting exposure of carbon and nitrogen compounds to soil micro-organisms. Bench terrace construction furthermore increased spatial heterogeneity in topsoil fertility, turning differences in carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents between tree and inter-patches significant immediately afterwards. Likewise, soil respiration tended to be significantly different between tree-patches and inter-patches at the terraced site but not between tree-patches and inter-patches at the neighbouring non-terraced site. These short-term impacts of bench terracing on the spatial patterns in soil respiration are likely to reflect its immediate impacts on the spatial patterns in soil fertility. The present findings plainly justified further research on the medium and long-terms« impacts of bench terracing on eucalypt soil properties and functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survival and growth of planted tree species are common indices used to evaluate success of wetland restoration efforts used to compensate for wetland losses. Restoration efforts on marginal agricultural lands have typically resulted in less than satisfactory survival and growth of desired tree species. In an attempt to determine the effects of bottomland hardwood silvicultural methods on the survival and growth of pioneer tree species, this study evaluated combinations of five mechanical site-preparation techniques (mound, bed, rip, disk, pit), four levels of planting stock (gallon, tubeling, bare root, and direct seed), and three planting aids (mat, tube, none) on the four-year survival and growth of American sycamore planted in an old field riparian area in the Piedmont of Virginia. After four growing seasons, results indicated that mounding mechanical site preparation combined with gallon (3.8 L) planting stock provided the most positive influences on mean survival (100%), height (4.72 m), and groundline diameter (9.52 cm), and resulted in the greatest aboveground dry biomass accumulation (5.44 Mg/ha/year). These treatments may be economically viable for restoration and mitigations efforts, and could offer other economic alternatives such as short-rotation woody crops, which might make restoration efforts in marginal old field areas more attractive to private landowners.

Naturalization is a new and promising ecological approach to green space development for urban environments, although knowledge is sparse on techniques to implement it. We evaluated naturalization of eight native trees and shrubs, with site preparation (tillage, herbicide) and soil amendment (compost rates) treatment combinations at six sites in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Soil texture improved with all compost rates, and acidity, electrical conductivity and total carbon increased, especially with 100% compost. Soil nutrients generally increased with compost then declined within a year. Plant species with highest potential for use in urban green spaces were Picea glauca, Symphoricarpos albus and Rosa acicularis. Herbicide was the most influential site preparation treatment, positively increasing survival and growth of planted woody species, while negatively lowering non-native species cover and increasing noxious weed cover. Soil amendment with compost influenced cover not species richness, with high compost amendment reducing vegetation cover across sites, and increasing individual plant size. This study suggests amendment of soil with compost and appropriate site preparation can positively influence naturalization of these woody species for urban green spaces.