View article

There is uncertainty regarding the timing and rate of radial growth of understory saplings and overstory trees in unsalvaged mountain pine beetle (MPB) attacked lodgepole pine stands following one of the largest MPB epidemics in British Columbia (BC). This study was designed to quantify the radial growth response of understory saplings and residual live overstory trees before and after MPB attack. This information is important to assess management options and future timber supply. In total 91 stands were sampled from different age classes and biogeoclimatic sub-zones of central BC. Radial growth was quantified based on five years of tree ring widths immediately preceding the MPB outbreak and five years after attack. Finally, the ratio of area growth was calculated for each tree to describe the change in tree growth following MPB attack. After the death of larger pine trees, healthy vigorous understory species …