Growth and survival of black spruce in the range-wide provenance study

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Forest Research
• Main Authors: Morgenstern, E. K., Mullin, T. J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: French
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1990
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x90-019; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/x90-019

Field experiments of the range-wide black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) provenance study were established between 1973 and 1977 through the cooperation of several organizations in the United States and Canada from the Atlantic Coast to Alberta. This study evaluates performance at 11 or 15 years from seed in 29 locations divided into 8 regional clusters of 2 to 10 experiments each. Analytical methods include correlations of height and survival with geographic and climatic variables, analyses of variance, and polynomial regressions followed by contour plotting. Best height was obtained in the Great Lakes States and in other temperate regions, and best survival in Newfoundland and some temperate regions with long growing seasons. Correlations between height and survival were positive and significant only in 10 locations, 8 of which were located in temperate regions. In many locations in boreal regions, correlations with latitude or climatic variables at the place of seed origin and height have opposite signs of correlations with survival, indicating difficulties when simultaneously selecting for good height and high survival in cold climates. Contour plots from the regressions demonstrate a similar trend by showing good pattern overlap of height and survival primarily in mild coastal (Newfoundland) or temperate continental climates (southern Quebec and Ontario, Great Lakes States). There is evidence that provenance differences are still developing and changes in rank are taking place, and therefore additional assessments are required in the future.