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Spatially explicit competition in a mixed planting of Araucaria cunninghamii and Flindersia brayleyana

  • Original Paper
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Abstract

• Context

A 20-year-old Nelder wheel planted with hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii Aiton ex D.Don) and Queensland maple (Flindersia brayleyana F.Muell.) in 18 spokes and 8 rings represents nominal point densities of 3,580, 2,150, 1,140, 595, 305, 158, 82, and 42 stems/ha and offers an opportunity to examine competition and spatial interaction between these two species.

• Aims

This study aimed to evaluate the intraspecific and interspecific competition between two contrasting tree species and to determine the distance over which competition can be observed.

• Methods

Competition was estimated using Hegyi’s index, implemented using the Simile visual modeling environment, and calibrated using nonlinear least squares with PEST.

• Results

Interactions were detected between pairs of stems closer than D ij  < 40(d i  + d j ) where D is distance (in centimeters) and d is stem diameter (in centimeters diameter at breast height). F. brayleyana trees surrounded by A. cunninghamii trees experience negligible competition, whereas A. cunninghamii surrounded by F. brayleyana trees suffer strong competition.

• Conclusion

Forty times diameter offers a useful guide to the extent of competition in even-aged stands planted with these species. Competition can be observed empirically when pairs of trees are closer than 40 times the sum of their diameters, but the intensity of the competition may vary considerably with species.

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Acknowledgments

The trial was established on land generously made available by Don and Audrey Pickering, with funding provided to Greening Australia (Queensland) by the National Afforestation Program. Planting was carried out by volunteers from Greening Australia and Men of the Trees. Subsequent funding for remeasurement was provided by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) through Project UQ-18A. Stanley Rance, Geoff Borschmann, and Jim Johnston played important roles in the design, establishment, and early maintenance of the trial. We also acknowledge the help received in monitoring the trial by students from the University of Queensland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forest Research Centre, Southern Cross University, P.O. Box 157, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia

    Jerome K. Vanclay & David M. Cameron

  2. Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

    David Lamb & Peter D. Erskine

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  1. Jerome K. Vanclay
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  2. David Lamb
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  3. Peter D. Erskine
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  4. David M. Cameron
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Correspondence to Jerome K. Vanclay.

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Handling Editor: Erwin Dreyer

Contribution of the co-authors

Jerome Vanclay: remeasurement, analysis, writing, and revision.

David Lamb: design, implementation, remeasurement, database management, and proofing.

Peter Erskine: remeasurement, database management, and proofing.

David Cameron: design and implementation of trial.

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Vanclay, J.K., Lamb, D., Erskine, P.D. et al. Spatially explicit competition in a mixed planting of Araucaria cunninghamii and Flindersia brayleyana . Annals of Forest Science 70, 611–619 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-013-0304-x

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