Table 2 — Bioassay study: percentage germination and results of analysis of variance by species, 

 treatment, and soil depth. Each figure is the average of five replicates of 25 seeds. 

 Within species and column, means followed by different letters are significantly 

 different at the 5 percent level, using Duncan's multiple range test 



Soil depth, cm 



Species Treatment 0-5 13-18 28-33 43-48 60-90 Mixed 



Germination percent 



Huckleberry 



Bracken 



17.6"" 



28.0" 



45.6" 



52.0" 



61.6" 



32.8"' 





Sprayed 



9.6" 



26.4" 



53.6" 



54.4" 



55.2" 



9.6" 





rorestea 



OR 





oa 



1^7 Ra 



fsH na 

 DU.U 



HI .D 



Alder 



Bracken 



26.4'^ 



41.6" 



59.2" 



50.4" 



60.0" 



57.6" 





Sprayed 



28.8^^ 



49.6" 



62.4" 



61.6" 



58.4" 



54.4" 





roresiea 



40. D 



40. 



fin na 



D I .D 





t^fi na 

 00. u 



Subalpine fir 



Bracken 



53.6" 



59.2" 



56.8" 



69.6" 



20.0" 



36.0" 





Sprayed 



53.6" 



56.0" 



73.6" 



60.8" 



41.6" 



61.6" 





Forested 



47.2" 



53.6" 



50.4" 



42.4" 



18.4" 



57.6" 



Engelmann spruce 



Bracken 



48.0" 



57.6" 



59.2" 



59.2" 



54.4" 



48.8" 





Sprayed 



57.6" 



55.2" 



64.0" 



61.6" 



58.4" 



50.4" 





Forested 



54.4" 



59.2" 



62.4" 



56.0" 



60.8" 



51.2" 



Douglas-fir 



Bracken 



43.2" 



61.6" 



57.6" 



71.2" 



43.0" 



55.2" 





Sprayed 



35.2" 



55.2" 



52.0" 



49.6" 



43.2" 



49.6" 





Forested 



25.6" 



53.6" 



36.8" 



52.8" 



31.2" 



58.4" 



Grand fir 



Bracken 



69.6" 



82.4" 



84.0" 



82.4" 



77.0" 



72.8" 





Sprayed 



72.8" 



80.8" 



82.4" 



76.8" 



75.2" 



81.6" 





Forested 



68.8" 



80.8" 



75.2" 



77.6" 



78.4" 



80.0" 



Seed was sown in late June through early July 1984, 

 covered lightly with grit, and placed in a greenhouse. 

 Watering was from below, using inverted fruit container 

 lids under each pot, and from above using a fine mist to 

 keep seeds moist. 



Germination was recorded at regular intervals through- 

 out the summer. Grand fir and Douglas-fir germinated 

 quickly and were thinned to the tallest three trees after 

 germination was essentially complete. 



Results 



Two of the eight species, maple and cherry, did not 

 germinate in sufficient numbers to include in the analysis. 

 The seed appeared healthy; most likely the stratification 

 requirements had not been met. Germination of huckle- 

 berry and alder was significantly reduced (5 percent 

 significance level) in the 0- to 5-cm soil depth for both 

 bracken treatments (table 2). Germination of huckleberry 

 was also reduced in the mixed soil. Conifer seed germina- 

 tion was good, and comparisons of treatment means show 

 few significant differences. Certainly, sufficient seed ger- 

 minated in each treatment to successfully establish these 

 species. 



Seedling heights at the end of the first growing season 

 were compared (table 3). For each group of 25 seeds, the 

 tallest three germinants were recorded and averaged. 

 Sometimes only one or two germinants were available. 

 The average height per pot by species was used in an 

 analysis of variance. 



There is a trend for huckleberry and alder to be taller in 

 the forest soil treatment for all soil depths. This trend is 

 statistically significant at the 5 percent level in the 0- to 

 5-cm soil depth and the mixed soil. Here, huckleberry and 

 alder in the forest treatment soil are roughly twice as tall 

 as in bracken treatment soil. 



Within soil depth, conifers show little difference among 

 treatments. Conifer heights decrease with increasing soil 

 depth, but this trend is not related to treatment. 



SEED STRATIFICATION STUDY 

 Procedures 



The planting and greenhouse bioassay tests show that 

 woody species can germinate and grow in soil previously 

 dominated by bracken fern. Further testing needed to be 

 done in natural environments. The next step was to 

 stratify seed at the Eagle Point study site. 



Seeds of Douglas-fir, grand fir, Engelmann spruce, and 

 subalpine fir were sovra on three native soils and on pot- 

 ting mix transported to the study area. The soils selected 

 were bracken glade, sprayed bracken glade, and adjacent 

 forest. The forest site has a closed canopy overstory in 

 contrast to the open conditions in the bracken sites. The 4 

 species x 3 treatments x 2 soil types were replicated 6 

 times, 25 seeds per replicate, for a total of 3,600 seeds. 



The potting mix was placed in 10-cm deep alimiinum 

 pans. The pans were buried in treatment areas, with the 

 surface of the potting mix level with the soil surface and 



6 



