Conducting seedling stocktype trials: A new approach to an old question

Abstract

Seedlings for reforestation and restoration come in many shapes and sizes, i.e., a variety of stocktypes. With so many choices available, land managers commonly ask which stocktype will best meet their management objectives. For years, stocktype studies have been initiated in search of an answer to this question, but few have been done without some degree of confounding. Past studies often confounded seed sources, nurseries, and culturing regimes, and/or failed to address differences in initial seeding quality, which sometimes led to inappropriate conclusions. This article reviews the reasoning behind stocktype studies, reviews common pitfalls of past studies, and suggests some key considerations to making future stocktype studies a viable resource to the practicing forester.