Life History & Disturbance Response of Pinus taeda loblolly pine

Family: Pinaceae
Guild: pioneer, dry/mesic intolerant
Functional Lifeform: large evergreen conifer
Ecological Role: grows on a wide range of sites from poorly drained flats to fertile well-drained coves and moist uplands; occurs in pure stands or mixed with wet-mesic hardwoods or dry-mesic oaks and pines; colonizes abandoned fields and burned areas; gradually replaced by more shade tolerant hardwoods
Lifespan, yrs (typical/max): 100/250
Shade Tolerance: intolerant/intermediate
Height, m: 25-40
Canopy Tree: yes
Pollination Agent: wind
Seeding, yrs (begins/optimal/declines): 12/25/Information Not Found
Mast Frequency, yrs: 3-6
New Cohorts Source: seeds
Flowering Dates: early spring (variable)
Flowers/Cones Damaged by Frost: yes
Seedfall Begins: late fall
Seed Banking: up to 1 yr
Cold Stratification Required: yes
Seed Type/Dispersal Distance/Agent: winged/ to 100 m/ wind
Season of Germination: spring
Seedling Rooting System: variable
Sprouting: does not sprout
Establishment Seedbed Preferences
Substrate: mineral soil
Light: overstory shade
Moisture: moist required
Temperature: neutral
Disturbance response:
Fire: Loblolly pine is well-adapted to fire, and frequent, low-intensity summer fires foster a pine-grassland community that degrades when fire is suppressed. Fire promotes the mineral soil seedbed necessary for loblolly regeneration and reduces competition from hardwoods. It reduces the incidence of damaging fungi in the soil. The needles of loblolly pine are low in resin and not highly flammable. Loblolly pine is big enough to resist low-inensity fire at 1.5 m tall. Mature trees survive low- to moderate-severity fires because of relatively thick bark and tall crowns. There is little mortality if less than 25% of the crown is scorched. Summer fires kill more trees than do winter fires. Seedling establishment may occur from seeds of surviving trees onsite or from offsite seeds carried by wind, and is abundant where mineral soil is exposed. Prescribed fire is used in loblolly pine stands for seedbed preparation, hardwood control, fuel reduction, and thinning. Weather: Large, dominant loblolly pine trees are susceptible to windthrow during severe winds (hurricanes and tornados), especially on shallow soil and in recently-thinned stands. Large trees are tolerant of flooding for one growing season. Loblolly pine seedlings are susceptible to extreme drought, freeze damage and they are intolerant of flooding during the growing season.
Air pollution: Loblolly pine is sensitive to ozone and hydrogen fluoride. Seedlings exhibited reduced height growth, biomass accumulation, and photosynthesis under controlled fumigation with ozone.