Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Plant-soil-water relations in forestry and silvopastoral systems in Oregon

  • Published:
Agroforestry Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Plant-soil-water relations of a silvopastoral system composed of a Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) timber crop, subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) as a nitrogen-fixing forage, and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) as a forage crop were investigated near Corvallis, Oregon, during 1983–1986. Treatments included all possible combinations of two tree-planting patterns (trees planted 2.4 m apart in a grid, and groups of five trees spaced 7.6 m between clusters) and two grazing/understory management systems (agroforests were seeded to subclover and grazed by sheep; forests were unseeded and ungrazed).

Mean twig xylem water potential (XWP) for Douglas-fir trees ranged from −0.3 to −1.5 MPa on forest plots and from −0.3 to −1.2 MPa on agroforest sites. Pre-dawn and sunset XWP were more negative for forest than for agroforest plots during dry summer periods. Midday XWP was similar for both agroforest and forest plots on all dates. Soil water content at 50–100 cm depth was greater under agroforest plots as compared to forest plots in 1984, but not in 1985 (unusually dry spring). Average foliage nitrogen content of tree needles was 1.54% vs. 1.43% for agroforests vs. forests, respectively.

Our data are consistent with the hypotheses that: (1) grazing of understory vegetation may reduce water stress of trees during dry periods by reducing transpirational water use by the forage plants; and (2) nitrogen-fixing vegetation combined with grazing increases nitrogen uptake of associated trees. However, neither mean foliar N nor average XWP differences experienced by trees in agroforest versus forest plantations were sufficient to have an effect on tree growth. Our data demonstrate that it is possible to produce a second crop (i.e. forage grazed by sheep) in timber plantations without reducing the growth of the main tree crop.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anonymous (1986) Local climatological data for Corvallis, Oregon. Oregon State University, Agric Exp Sta Spec Rep 777

  • AOAC (1984) Official Methods of Analyses (14th ed). Assoc Agr Chem, Washington DC, 156 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Ball R, Keeney DR, Theobald PW and Nes P (1979) Nitrogen balance in urine-affected areas of a New Zealand pasture. Agron J 7: 309–314

    Google Scholar 

  • Batini FE, Anderson GW and Moore R (1983) The practice of agroforestry in Australia. In: Hannaway DB, ed, Foothills for Food and Forests, pp 233–246. Timber Press, Beaverton, OR, 383 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlson DH (1987) Effects of grazing management and tree planting pattern in a young Douglas-fir agroforest, MS thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 168 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleary BD (1971) The effect of plant moisture stress on the physiology and establishment of planted Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine seedlings. PhD dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 85 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleary BD, Greaves RD and Hermann RK (eds) (1978) Regenerating Oregon's Forests. Oregon State University, Ext Sery, Corvallis, OR, 286 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole EC and Newton M (1986) Nutrient, moisture, and light relations in 5-year-old Douglasfir plantations under variable competition. Can J For Res 16: 727–732

    Google Scholar 

  • Crider FL (1955) Root-growth stoppage resulting from defoliation of grass. USDA Tech Bull 1102. Washington, DC

  • Dawson, JO (1983) Dinitrogen-fixing plant symbiosis for combined timber and livestock production. In: Hannaway DB, ed, Foothills for Food and Forests, pp 95–112. Timber Press, Beaverton, OR 383 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Doescher PS, Tesch SD and Drewien WE (1989) Water relations and growth of conifer seedlings during three years of cattle grazing on a southwest Oregon plantation. Northwest Sci 63: 232–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Eissenstat DM and Mitchell JE (1983) Effects of seeding grass and clover on growth and water potential of Douglas-fir seedlings. For Sci 29: 166–179

    Google Scholar 

  • Emmingham WH and Waring RH (1977) An index to photosynthesis for comparing forest sites in western Oregon. Can J For Res 7: 165–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Franklin JF and Waring RH (1979) Distinctive features of the northwestern coniferous forest: development, structure, and function. In: Waring RH, ed, Forests: Fresh Perspectives from Ecosystem Analysis, pp 59–86. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, OR 199 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Geist, JM (1976) Forested range fertilization in eastern Oregon and Washington. Rangeman's J 3: 116–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Gillingham AG (1983) The role of the grazing animal in nutrient cycling in hill pastures and implications for management. In: Hannaway DM, ed, Foothills for Food and Forests, pp. 73–94, Timber Press, Beaverton, OR, 383 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall FC, Hedrick DW and Keniston (1959) Grazing and Douglas-fir establishment in the Oregon white oak type. J. Forestry 57: 98–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Halls LK (1958) Coordination of cattle grazing and timber growing on southern coastal plain forests. Proc Soc Am Foresters: 192–195

  • Heichel GH (1983) Nitrogen fixation of hay and pasture legumes. In: Hannaway DB ed, Foothills for Food and Forests, pp 113–125. Timber Press, Beaverton, OR, 383 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Heinz J (1984) The use of grass-legume seeding mixtures and mixtures and domestic sheep grazing as vegetative management tools in Oregon coastal clearcuts. Bureau of Land Management, Salem District Office, Dec, 32 pp

  • Hodgkinson KC and Baas Becking HG (1977) Effect of defoliation on root growth of some arid zone perennial plants. Aust J Agr Res 29: 31–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaindl RG and Sharrow SH (1988) Oak/Douglas-fir/sheep: a three-crop silvopastoral system. Agroforestry Systems 6: 147–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Karl MG and Doescher PS (1993) Regulating competition on conifer plantations with prescribed cattle grazing. For Sci 39: 405–418

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaufmann MR and Thor GL (1982) Measurement of water stress in subalpine tress: effects of temporary tissue storage methods and needle age. Can J For Res 12: 969–972

    Google Scholar 

  • Knezevich CA (1975) Soil Survey of Benton County Area, Oregon. USDA, Soil Conserv Serv, Albany, 119 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Knight PJ (1973) Influence of nitrogen supply on the growth and branching habit ofPinus radiata seedlings. N Z J For 18: 273–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamouri A (1987) Assessment of a Douglas-fir/sheep silvopastoral system in western Oregon. MS thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 81 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavender DP (1970) Foliar analysis and how it is used: a review. Oregon State University, School of Forestry Note 52, Corvallis, OR, 8 pp

  • Lavender DP and Walker RB (1979) Nitrogen and related elements in nutrition of forest trees. In: Gessel SP, Kenady RM and Atkinson WA, eds, Proc Forest Fert Conf, University of Washington, pp 15–22. Inst Forest Resources Contrib No 40, Union, WA

  • Leininger WC (1984) Silvicultural impacts of sheep grazing in Oregon's Coast Range. PhD dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 203 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • NcNaughton SJ, Wallace LA and Coughenour MB (1983) Plant adaptation in an ecosystem context: effects of defoliation, nitrogen, and water on growth of an African C4 sedge. Ecol 64: 307–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RE and Murray MD (1978) The effects of red alder on growth of Douglas-fir. In: Briggs DC, ed, Utilization and Management of Alder, pp. 283–306. USDA, Forest Serv, Gen Tech Report PNW-70

  • Motazedian I and Sharrow SH (1987) Persistence of aLolium perenne—Trifolium subterraneum pasture under differing defoliation treatments. J Range Manage 40: 232–236

    Google Scholar 

  • Newton M and Preest DS (1988) Growth and water relations of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) seedlings under different weed control regimes. Weed Sci 36: 653–662

    Google Scholar 

  • Osealt DL, Bertrand AR and Teel MR (1959) Influence of nitrogen fertilization and clipping on grass roots. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 23: 228–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Rawls WJ and Brakensiek DL (1982) Estimating soil water retention from soil water properties. Trans ASAE 108: 166–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid D (1983) The combined use of fertilizer nitrogen and white clover as nitrogen sources for herbage growth. J Agric Sci Camb 100 613–623

    Google Scholar 

  • Running SW (1976) Environmental control of leaf water conductance in conifers. Can J For Res 6: 104–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Sands R and Nambiar EKS (1984) Water relations ofPinus radiata in competition with weeds. Can J For Res 14: 233–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaughn CE and Murphy AH (1982) Long-term effects of fertilization and subclover seeding on northern California annual range. J Range Manage 35: 92–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Waller, RA and Duncan DB (1969) A Bayes rules for the symmetric multiple comparison problem. J Am Stat Assoc 64: 1484–1503

    Google Scholar 

  • Waring HD and Snowdon P (1985) Clover and urea as sources of nitrogen for establishment ofPinus radiata. Aust For Res 15: 115–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Waring RH and Cleary BD (1967) Plant moisture stress: evaluation by pressure bomb. Science 155: 1248–1254

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead DC (1970) The Role of Nitrogen in Grassland Productivity. Commonwealth Agric Bureau, Bull 48, Bucks, UK, 202 pp

  • Wraith JM, Johnson DA, Hanks RJ and Sisson DV (1987) Soil and plant water relations in a crested wheatgrass pasture: response to spring grazing by cattle. Oecologia 73: 573–578

    Google Scholar 

  • Youngberg CT (1959) The influence of soil moisture on the survival of planted Douglas-fir seedlings on clay soils. J For 57: 842–844

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. D. H. Carlson

    Present address: Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rangeland Resources and Forest Science, Oregon State University, 97331-6704, Corvallis, OR, USA

    D. H. Carlson, S. H. Sharrow, W. H. Emmingham & D. P. Lavender

Authors
  1. D. H. Carlson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. H. Sharrow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. W. H. Emmingham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. D. P. Lavender
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Submitted as Oregon Agrocultural Experiment Station Technical Paper No. 10109.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carlson, D.H., Sharrow, S.H., Emmingham, W.H. et al. Plant-soil-water relations in forestry and silvopastoral systems in Oregon. Agroforest Syst 25, 1–12 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00705702

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00705702

Key words

Search

Navigation