The clearcut was carried out in February 2010, and during the rainy season (July and August) of the same year the plantation of Pinus durangensis was established. The seedlings were 12 months old at the time the plantation, which was carried out with a density of 2,500 plants/ha. The plantation was produced with germplasm from trees with superior genetic characteristics that grow in seed tree stands near the study area. Land preparation consisted of clearing, scattering and doing a controlled burn of forest waste. To improve soil conditions, the soil was plowed using a D-6 track-type tractor equipped with a ripper. On the other hand, the seed-tree cutting was carried out in 2007 with a cut intensity of standing trees of 58% for the genus Pinus, 100% for Quercus, 100% for Juniperus and 100% for Arbutus, leaving approximately 25 fifty-year-old mother trees per hectare of Pinus durangensis to promote the natural regeneration.
The monthly climatic data of total precipitation, as well as the maximum, minimum and mean temperatures for the grid centered on the study area (24–24.5°N, 105–105.5°W) were obtained through the KNMI-Climate database (Van Oldenborgh & Burgers, 2005 (link)) as plantation growth and natural regeneration in the early years occurred at different times.
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