Whole-tree thinnings in stands of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Norway spruce (Picea abies): Short- and long-term growth results

The relative volume growth effects of thinning after whole-tree harvesting (WTH) compared to a conventional stem-only harvest (CH) in young stands of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) were analyzed, using a series of four pine and four spruce field experiments. The series was established in the years 1972–1977, and thinning was performed only once.Results are shown periodically and cumulatively. All sites were included for 20 (19) years in pine and 25 years in spruce. The total experimental period varied between 19 and 35 years for individual sites.Four models assuming additive or multiplicative effects gave only slightly varying results. The inclusion of standing volume after thinning as a covariate was effective in spruce independent of whether the covariate was treated as multiplicative or additive. A logarithmic model with a multiplicative effect of the covariate was preferred in further presentations.Results for pine stands after 20 years indicated a nonsignificant loss of 5% with confidence limits (p = 0.05) of ±6–7%, while the spruce stands showed a significant growth loss of 11% with confidence limits of ±4–5% after 25 years. The difference between the species in relative growth effects was significant, and amounted to 8% for a cumulative 20-year period.No indications of trends in response were found during a 20-year period in pine and a 25-year period in spruce.An analysis of growth effects in the first years showed that basal area increment in spruce was significantly reduced already in the first growing season after thinning.

► We analyzed effects of whole-tree thinnings (WTH) vs. stem-only thinnings in eight stands.
► In Scots pine stands WTH lead to a nonsignificant growth loss of 5% after 20 years.
► In Norway spruce stands WTH lead to a significant growth loss of 11% after 25 years.
► A negative effect of WTH in spruce appears already the first year after thinning, pointing to a mulching effect.