The ecology of Atlantic white cedar wetlands - USGS National ...

filled swamps, or peatlands partly draind after flood- observed no general relationship between watering, provide satisfactory conditions far white cedar regime and annual radial growth. Cedar growthreproduction (Korstian and Brush 1931; Liile 1950). seemed more closely linked to ground waterchemistry and forest stand characteristics than to the3.2.3 hydrological regime.Sfsdhgs. Little (1950) determined that -. In natural settings,early growth varies greatly with substrate and lightcedar sometimes develops lateral or basal shootsconditions, with first year increments ranging fromatter injury. Seedlings repeatedly browsed by deer2.5 cm to as high as 25 cm. Thereafter, seedlingsdevelop multiple stems through layering (Liile 1950;A. and J. Moore, unpubl. field notes).may grow than 0'3 annual'y On favorablesites. This results inHowever, layering stems appear to grow much more3 m saplings in 7 or 8 years inthe and in about years in southem New Jerslowlythan the original growth, and, unlike oftenhardwood sprouts fsey. On unfavorable substrate, growth in 15 yearshese stems never formmay be only 1.2 m.an imponent forest compor;ent (Lime 950).Mature. Korstian and Brush (1931) Almost from the time the species was firstpublished extensive life table data for natural- and described, it was known that Atlantic white cedarfield-grown cedars. In the single controlled study of propagates well from cuttings (letters of J. Bartram inmature Atlantic white cedar growth rates published, Darlington 1857). The preparation of seedbed, seed,Golet and Lowry (I 987) observed that cedars in and cuttingsfor propagation, as well as the influenceRhode Island swamps grow an average of 0.79-1.79 of competing vegetation on seedling success are dismmlyrradially, primarily during March through cussed under management (Chapter 6).August (Figure 20). They found that yearly variationsin growth within individual cedar swamps may be relatedto water level variations, but this relationship differsmarkedly from wetland to wetland. They The Atlantic white cedar reaches its maximumsize in the southernmost part of its range. The"champion" tree now living is in Escambia County,Alabama, on a tributary of the Escambia River. Itmeasures 26.5 m tall and 150 cm dbh and is estimatedto be ca. 268 years old (Hunt 1986[measured in 19611; Hartman 1982; J. Arany, pers.comm. [measured in 19851). Trees approaching theAlabama champion in stature have been recentlyreported in Florida (Wills and Simmons 1984; Wardand Clewell, unpubl.).A M J J A S OMonthFigure 20. Annual radial growth Curves for Atlanticwhite cedar in six Rhode Island swamps. Each pointrepresents the mean of three trees; each line representsone site (from Golet and Lowry 1987).Clewell and Ward (1987) report that directcounts of the annual rings of the largest trees havenot been possible, for increment tools fail topenetrate properly, and no record-sized trees havebeen recently cut. The largest trees in Mississippiand Florida are possibly 150 to 190 years old asextrapolated from the minimal data available ongrowth rates.The maximum size of Chamaecyparisdecreases from its mid-range northward, e.g., themaximum heights reported for North CarolinaNirginiawere 36.6 m; for southern New Jersey 21.3 m;and for New Hampshire only 12.5 m.