Abstract
Three consecutive years of seedling injury evaluation data from two research sites established in the southern part of British Columbia boreal forest are presented. In 2 out of 3 years the injury was substantial. Planted white spruce is injured during its first overwintering while naturally established seedlings are not. A brief summary of 1992/93 post-winter assessments of 1-year old operationally established plantations is also presented. Most of the injury is sustained in late March and April. Microclimatic records indicate that desiccation is the main cause of observed injury. Prompt dehydration and severe injury resulted from exposing seedlings to controlled environment conditions similar but less harsh than those recorded in late March and April on monitored forest sites. Positioning of young roots of planted seedlings deep in the soil is viewed as a factor contributing to the injury.
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Krasowski, M.J., Letchford, T., Caputa, A. et al. Desiccation of white spruce seedlings planted in the southern boreal forest of British Columbia. Water Air Soil Pollut 82, 133–146 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01182827
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01182827