Topic 1.2: Matching Species to the Site

Content

Topic Introduction

Match species to the site is the fundamental principle of silviculture. This topic covers how to select tree species according to tree characteristics by species survey and match species to the site. With the plantation objectives in mind, one can select the most suitable tree species for a site or the most suitable site for a tree species.

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

Conduct species survey.
Match species to the site.

Readings

Required Readings

FODE007 e-Notebook Links to an external site.: Module I Topic 1.3 Match Species to the Site.
See online APFNet Course 6: Forest Resource Management and Protection (http://blogs.ubc.ca/apfnet06/) Module I, Topic 1 Principles of silviculture, 1.1.2 Species selection.
APFNet Course 5: Restoration of Degraded Forest Ecosystems & Forest Plantation Development (http://blogs.ubc.ca/apfnet05/), Module III, Topic 2: Forest plantation established.

Supplementary Materials (Optional)

Textbook: Juian Evans, John W. Trunbull. Plantation Forestry in the Tropics: The Role, Silviculture, and Use of Planted Forests for Industrial, Social, Environmental, and Agroforestry Purposes. Oxford University Press, 2010.

Self-check Quiz (For certificate learning)

Now take a little time to complete an online self-check quiz after finishing required readings and viewing each lecture for this topic. The main purpose of the quiz is for you to self check how well you grasp the fundamental concepts covered in the required readings and lectures for this topic. You will have 5 mins to complete the quiz. You can attempt as many times as you like until you get the full mark.

When you are ready, click the link Self-check Quiz 1.2 or go to left menu > Quizzes > Self-check Quiz 1.2 to start taking the quiz.

Activities & Assignments (For certificate learning)

Online Discussions

For this week: Online Class Discussion 1.2

We will start our second class discussion this week. Since you have gone through the procedure of the first discussion. It is not necessary to repeat how to discussion in it here, but you can sum up the experience of last week's discussion. If you do well, stick to it. If you do it not well, correct it. We are sure that you will perform better and better.

About the grading, please refer to the detailed descriptions of Assignment Overview and Online Class Discussions.

Please notice the deadline and be sure to keep several general netiquette guidelines in mind when you participate in the online discussions.

For next week: Online Group Discussion 1

From the course schedule, you can see that there is a online group discussion next week. Online Group Discussion 1: Your understanding of silviculture. So, we will randomly put you into groups of four people per group. Change of group will not be allowed without special arrangement with the instructor under necessary circumstances. For the four group discussions throughout the term, each of you will take turn as a group leader. The group leader has the duty to monitor and organize the discussions. In accordance with the order in which we announce the list of the groups, the group leaders from the first to the fourth discussions are assigned accordingly. All the members within a group should get to know each other before the discussion start.

About how to organize or participate in the group discussion and the grading, please refer to the detailed descriptions of Assignment Overview and Online Group Discussions.

Please notice the deadline and be sure to keep several general netiquette guidelines in mind when you participate in the online discussions.

Graded Assignments

Design Proposal

You should have started designing your proposal since last week. If you have any questions on the proposal, you can ask in the online discussion. The instructor will answer. You are now expected to submit it by midnight of Day 5 this week.

Assignment 1: Site Inventory Report

This week you also need to start working on Assignment 1: Site Inventory Report. You can see the description, grading criteria and requirements of the assignment on ‘Assignment 1: Site Inventory Report’ page under Modules > Graded Assignments. Please complete it before the due date (see Course Schedule) and keep Academic Integrity in mind ( see Course Outline ).

Topic Summary

Match species to the site is the basic principle of plantation establishment. It can be reached by firstly, knowing the site conditions in terms of climatic condition, topographic condition, soil condition and biological condition; secondly, knowing the species characteristics in terms of ecological features, economic feature, and forestry feature; and thirdly matching species characters to the site conditions according to the plantation objective.

Self Review (For self learning)

Please use the self-reflection questions below as a study guide to conduct self-review for the topic:

How to select tree species by ecological principle?
How to select tree species by forestry principle?
How to select tree species by economic principle?
What are the characters one should consider if select species for timber forest.
How to match species to the site?

FODE007