Abstract

Soil texture, organic matter content, and hydrogen-ion concentration of soil samples were determined to find the correlation between soil characteristics, seed germination and seedling establishment of Pinus contorta. Scarification and stratification were treatments used for determining germination requirements of dormant seeds. Seeds were planted in different soils and experiments were conducted to determine the effects of different light intensities, temperatures, and depths of the water table on apparent photosynthesis rate and seedling establishment. Soil samples, pine cones, and young trees needed for the experiments were collected near Lily Lake, in the Uintah Mountains. The greatest and the fastest germination was found in soil with high organic matter and low PH. Seedling establishment succeeded only in mineral soil. Lodgepole seedlings grown in three fourths of full light had the best growth in both shoot and root systems. Low temperature favored photosynthesis rate more than respiration rate. Lodgepole seedlings preferred a moderately deep water table, since this species has a shallow absorbing system and not very extensive lateral roots.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Life Sciences; Plant and Wildlife Sciences

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

1971-08-01

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/Letd495

Keywords

Germination; Lodgepole pine

Language

English

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