FIRST-PHASE OF POSTFIRE REGENERATION OF SUB-ARCTIC CONIFERA STANDS

The objective of this study was to investigate the first stage of post-fire regeneration of black spruce and jack pine in a black spruce woodland and a jack pine forest burned over in 1989 in the Radisson's region, in northern Quebec. Emphasis was given to determine the optimal microsites for black spruce and jack pine regeneration. Our results show that the burned over jack pine forest offers better substrates for seedling germination than the burned over black spruce one. A total of 139 seedlings were observed in the jack pine forest, whereas only 42 were recorded in the black spruce forest. In the jack pine forest, burned over humus was the preferred substrate for germination. Soil moisture content correlated with seed germination of both species. Soil temperatures at -5 cm and the soil surface influenced survival of black spruce seedlings in the jack pine forest.