Pacific Southwest

Title: Age structure and growth of California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) in the central Sierra Nevada, California

Author: Garrison, Barrett A.; otahal, Christopher D.; Triggs, Matthew L.

Date: 2002

Source: In: Standiford, Richard B., et al, tech. editor. Proceedings of the Fifth Symposium on Oak Woodlands: Oaks in California's Challenging Landscape. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-184, Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture: 665-679

Station ID: GTR-PSW-184

Description: Age structure and growth of California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) was determined from tagged trees at four 26.1-acre study stands in Placer County, California. Stands were dominated by large diameter (>20 inch dbh) California black oak and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). Randomly selected trees were tagged in June-August 1998 and harvested under a group selection timber harvest in October-November 1998 and May-June 1999. Trees averaged 148 years of age (range = 58 to 356 years, n = 108), and ages differed among the four stands (P < 0.006). Stands had uneven distributions of tree ages, diameters, and heights. A nonlinear regression model was developed that predicted tree age based on diameter (R² = 0.74). The average 10-year increment of radial growth was 0.72 inches (range = 0.14-2.26 inches, n = 122), and radial growth decreased as basal area increased (nonlinear regression, R² = 0.34). If average growth rates are desired, basal area retention should average around 100-115 ft²/acre and 200-225 ft²/acre for California black oak and all trees, respectively, for stands in the central Sierra Nevada with attributes that are similar to our study stands.

Keywords: 

View and Print this Publication (510 KB)

Publication Notes: 

• We recommend that you also print this page and attach it to the printout of the article, to retain the full citation information.
• This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and is therefore in the public domain.
• You may send email to pubrequest@fs.f ed.us to request a hard copy of this publication. (Please specify exactly which publication you are requesting and your mailing address.)

 Get the latest version of the Adobe Acrobat reader or Acrobat Reader for Windows with Search and Accessibility

Citation

Garrison, Barrett A.; otahal, Christopher D.; Triggs, Matthew L.  2002.  Age structure and growth of California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) in the central Sierra Nevada, California.   In: Standiford, Richard B., et al, tech. editor. Proceedings of the Fifth Symposium on Oak Woodlands: Oaks in California's Challenging Landscape. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-184, Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture: 665-679.