Abstract
This article studies the influence of cleaning or thinning intensity and of coppice age at the time of silvicultural treatment, on the growth of shoots remaining on the stool, in Quercus ilex coppices.
Two experimental designs were used to answer these questions. The first studied the effect of two cleaning intensities on 4, 8, 15, 20, and 25 year old coppices. The second studied the effect of 4 thinning intensities (26%, 42%, 58%, or 78% removal of the initial basal area) on 43 and 57 year old coppices. In both cases, control plots undergoing no silvicultural treatment were maintained for each age class.
The results, 4 and 5 years after silvicultural treatment, concerned girth increment and height growth of coppice shoots.
Cleaning or thinning consistently had a positive influence on girth increment. In young coppices, less than 25 years old, mean annual girth increment was approximately 6 mm in the controls and double that under heavy cleaning. In older coppices, girth increment was lower in controls (3 mm per year) but the effect of thinning was very positive and, under very heavy thinning, growth was more than 11 mm per year.
Cleaning and thinning often modify height growth. This effect was found to be either positive or negative and no general trend could be defined which was valid for all the age classes.
Silvicultural treatments also had a positive effect on the appearance and growth of epicormic shoots on the holm oak trunks.
The results were also analysed at the stool level. The number or percentage of shoots removed had a positive effect on the individual growth of selected shoots.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aufort, J. M. 1985. Influence d'une éclaircie sur la croissance des rejets au cours de leur 2ème et 3ème année de végétation. Compte rendu de la réunion du groupe ‘taillis’. Les 14 et 15 Mars 85. Université de Limoges pp. 90–103.
Aymard, M. & Fredon, J. J. 1986. Etude des relations entre une racine et les rejets de la souche chez Castanea sativa Mill. Ann. Sci. For. 43 (3): 351–364.
Bedeneau, M. & Pages, L. 1984. Répartition de la sève brute entre les jeunes rejets de bouleau étudiée à l'aide d'un phytocide. Ann. Sci. For. 41 (2): 237–247.
Carlier, C. 1987. Etude de la sectorisation des souches de châtaignier à l'aide d'eau tritiée. Ann. Sci. For. 44 (1): 85–102.
Dale, M. E. & Sonderman, D. L. 1984. Effect of thinning on growth and potential quality of young white oak crop trees. USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, Research paper NE-539, 12 p.
Destremeau, D. & Roderbourg 1968–69. Eléments pour l'étude du traitement en taillis de la forêt de chêne-liège de Mamora. Répartition de la sève entre les rejets. Ann. Rech. For. Maroc. Tome 11: 237–242.
Dreuillaux, J. M., Legay, B. & Pontailler, J. Y. 1985. Bilan d'un dépressage précoce sur taillis de châtaigniers. Compterendu de la réunion du groupe ‘taillis’. Les 14 et 15 Mars 85. Université de Limoges p. 85.
Ducrey, M. 1988. Sylviculture des taillis de chêne vert. Pratiques traditionnelles et problématique des recherches récentes. Revue Forestière Française 40 (4): 302–313.
Ducrey, M., Toth, J. & Turrel, M. 1987. Protocole d'étude des éclaircies dans des taillis de chêne vert âgés de 43 et 57 ans, en vue de leur conversion en futaie sur souche. (Forêt domaniale de Puéchabon (Hérault)). INRA Avignon, Station de sylviculture méditéranéenne. Document interne no 4–87. 23 p.
Harmer, R. 1988. Production and use of epicormic shoots for the vegetative propagation of mature oak. Forestry Vol 61 (4): 305–316.
Johnson, P. S. & Rogers, R. 1984. Predicting 25th year diameters of thinned stump sprouts of northern red oak. Journal of forestry. October 1984, 616–619.
Jolyet, A. 1916. Traité pratique de sylviculture. Paris, Baillière. 724 p.
Mathey, A. 1929. Traité théorique et pratique des taillis. Le Mans, Vilaire Imprim. 353 p.
Mer, E. 1909. Influence de l'éclaircie des cépées sur la croissance en grosseur des rejets réservés. Revue des Eaux et Forêts 48: 492–497, 524–535, 551–562.
Perrin, H. 1964. sylviculture. Tome II. Le traitement des Forêts. Théorie et Pratique des techniques sylvicoles. (pp 361–368). Ecole Nationale des Eaux et Forêts. Nancy, 411 p.
Piskoric, O. 1963. The dynamics of height increment of coppice shoots of Evergreen oak. Sumarski List. vol 87. no3–4: 122–133.
Riedacker, A. 1973. Influence du traitement en taillis sur la croissance et la morphogénèse aériennes et souterraines d'Eucalyptus camaldulensis Kehn. au Maroc. Thèse. Université de Clermont-Ferrand. 122 p.
Roussel, L. 1978. Lumière, gourmands et rejets de souche. Revue Forestière Française. 30 (3): 533–550.
Toth, J., Ducrey, M. & Turrel, M. 1986. Protocole d'étude du dépressage dans des taillis de chêne vert âgés de 4 à 25 ans en vue de leur conversion en futaie sur souche. Forêt communale de La Bruguière (30). INRA Avignon. Station de Sylviculture Méditerranéenne. Document interne no19–86. 26 p.
Ward, W. W. 1966. Epicormic branching of black and white oak. Forest Science 12: 290–296.
Wignall, T. A. & Browning, C. 1988. The effects of stand thinning and artificial shading on epicormic bud emergence in Pedonulate oak (Quercus robur L.). Forestry 61 (1): 45–59.
Zhang, S. H. 1987. Contribution à l'étude de la croissance en diamètre du chêne vert (Quercus ilex L.) en relation avec le climat. Thèse 3c cycle. Université des sciences et techniques du Languedoc, Montpellier. 156 p.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ducrey, M., Toth, J. Effect of cleaning and thinning on height growth and girth increment in holm oak coppices (Quercus ilex L.). Vegetatio 99, 365–376 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00118243
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00118243