Factors affecting natural regeneration of Abies lasiocarpa and Picea engelmannii in a subalpine silvicultural systems trial

An experiment was established in 1991-1992 in northern British Columbia to investigate factors influencing natural regeneration rates of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) in three stand structures created by harvesting. Harvest treatments were a 32-ha clearcut, 0.2-ha patch cuts, and single-tree selection. Cone crop periodicity was independent of harvesting system. Natural seedfall was higher in the selection treatment and small patch cut than the clearcut treatment every year. Five years after harvest, the selection and patch cut treatments had 7 times as many spruce germinants and 10 times as many subalpine fir germinants as the clearcut treatment. Seed availability appears to be the primary limiting factor for establishment of both subalpine fir and spruce in the clearcut treatment. For spruce establishment in the selection and small patch cut treatments, availability of both seed and mineral soil seedbeds were limiting factors, while for subalpine fir, germinant establishment appears primarily limited by availability of disturbed forest floor seedbeds. Foresters could increase opportunities for natural regeneration in these subalpine forests by (i) modifying harvest patterns to enhance conifer seed distribution over harvested areas and (ii) applying seedbed preparation treatments prior to anticipated heavy seedfalls.