Canadian Forest Service Publications
Interprovincial forest fertilization program. Results of five-year growth remeasurements in 17 installations fertilized in 1972 and remeasured in 1976. (Projet interprovincial de fertilisation des forêts naturelles. Résultats du remesurage quinquennal dans 17 installations fertilisées en 1972 et remesurées en 1976). 1979. Weetman, G.F.; Krause, H.H. Environment Canada, Canadian Forestry Service, Headquarters, Ottawa. Information Report DPC-X-8. 27 p.
Year: 1979
Issued by: National Capital Region
Catalog ID: 26075
Language: English / French
Series: Information Report (CFS - Ottawa)
Availability: PDF (download)
Abstract
The Interprovincial Forest Fertilization Program comprises 79 standardized experiments established by the provincial forest services of New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta, and by the Canadian Forestry Service in the provinces of Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan. The experiements were designed to test the effects of nitrogen and of combined nitrogen and phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium, and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium treatments on the growth of conifer stands.
Thirty of the 79 installations were remeasured in 1973 and 1974, and 5-year periodic increments and fertilization responses were determined and presented in a published report. A second set of 23 installations was remeasured and evaluated in 1975; the results were published. This report presents the 5-year growth results of a third set of 17 installations, fertilized in 1972 and remeasured in 1976. The set comprises 10 jack pine stands (3 in Quebec, 6 in Ontario and 1 in Saskatchewan), 4 black spruce stands, 1 mixed jack pine and black spruce stand and 2 balsam fir stands (all in Quebec).
The group of jack pine stands in Quebec showed statistically significant growth responses to all combination treatments. Greatest responses were obtained with the nitrogen and phosphorus treatment. The average maximum fertilization gain for this group of installations was 125 cu. ft./acre (8.7 cubic meter/ha) total volume, and increase of 39% over the controls. The group of Ontario jack pine stands exhibited statistically significant growth responses to all fertilizer treatments. The response to the combined nitrogen and potassium treatment was greatest. This treatment produced 201 cu. ft./acre (14.1 cubic meter/ha) total volume, an increase of 60% over the controls.
Fertilization did not result in statistically significant growth improvements in the Saskatchewan jack pine stand.
In the mixed stand of jack pine and black spruce, fertilization stimulated the growth of jack pine, but not the growth of black spruce. The treatment effects were not satistically significant.
Fertilizer treatments failed to produce statistically significant growth increases in the remeasured black spruce and balsam fir installations in Quebec.
