Site productivity of poplars in Canada : relationships with soil properties and competition intensity

Abstract

Site quality, or the ability of land to grow trees, is an important component for identifying the most appropriate locations for establishing plantations of fast growing tree species to meet society’s demands for timber and other environmental benefits. The goal of this thesis project was to predict site quality for poplars using soil and site information in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Quebec and to examine the effect of site quality on competition control in hybrid poplar plantations in Saskatchewan.The first study examined factors affecting trembling aspen productivity in the boreal shield ecozone of Quebec on till and fluvial parent materials using general map data and measured soil and site information. Relationships with productivity were stronger using measured soil and site variables for individual parent materials (R2>0.6) than using general map data only (R2