Technical Report 057 - Microclimate Studies in Uniform Shelterwood Systems in the Sub-Boreal Spruce Zone of Central British Columbia (2010)

This study was initiated in 2001 as part of a uniform shelterwood trial located in the sbsdw near Williams Lake, B.C. (Burton et al. 2000), after a second harvesting entry was completed. The focus of the main trial was to test various levels of residual basal retention and harvesting methods on the establishment, survival, and productivity of Douglas?fir regeneration. The microclimate component was set up to help interpret tree performance by comparing the climate conditions among three of the residual basal area treatments (0, 15, and 20 m2/ha).

The objectives for the microclimate portion of the shelterwood project were:
1. to compare soil temperatures and snow-free periods among the three residual basal area treatments (0, 15, and 20 m2/ha);
2. to compare the incidence, duration, and severity of growing season frosts among the three residual basal area treatments (0, 15, and 20 m2/ha); and
3. to investigate the effects of local canopy density on minimum near-ground air temperaturesand duration of frost events during the growing season.

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