TITLE:
Date of First Thinning in a Very High-Density Eucalyptus Plantation in the Pointe-Noire Region (Republic of Congo)
AUTHORS:
Hugues-Yvan Gomat, Chrissy Garel Makouanzi Ekomono, François Mankessi, Alberdie Saïra Mangoubi Mantala, Ulrich Mayinguidi, Ruben Pambou, Laurent Saint-Andre
KEYWORDS:
Silviculture, Eucalyptus, Pointe-Noire, Thinning, RDI
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Forestry,
Vol.14 No.4,
September
27,
2024
ABSTRACT: Management of the Pointe-Noire Forest requires high-performance tools for simulating tree and stand growth and assessing the sustainability of plantations. Modelling the dynamics of even-aged and mono-species stands is a very active research topic. The approaches adopted by researchers vary according to the objectives and species considered: dendrometrical, Eco physiological or architectural. Thanks to the particular nature of these plantations and the trial set-up, it will be possible to explore the various aspects of production, clearly separating the part linked to genetics (three clones tested) from the part linked to the environment (via fertilisation) and the part associated with competition between trees (via planting densities and thinning regimes). This study will make a major contribution to the applicability of the self-thinning line and the RDI (Reineke Density Index) (Reineke, 1933) to fast-growing plantations. This research work will contribute to two points: 1) product diversification, which is a way of coping with international variations in timber markets, and 2) understanding how ecosystems function in exceptionally poor conditions, which will then enable the environmental impacts of the various recommended silvicultural itineraries to be assessed. The results obtained show that competition between trees in a stand of eucalyptus at very high density (10,000 stems/ha) and in two environments of very contrasting fertility is different depending on the clone. The decision on the date of the first thinning with a view to silviculture for timber and energy wood, which aims to ensure sustained and sustainable production of eucalyptus wood in these soils, should be taken between 12 and 14 months. The competition band is strong between 14 and 17 months, when the RDI = 0.8 is double that observed at 12 months.