Partial cutting does not maintain spider assemblages within the observed range of natural variability in Eastern Canadian black spruce forests

2011 ◽  
Vol 262 (11) ◽  
pp. 2079-2093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Paradis ◽  
Timothy T. Work
Keyword(s):  
Black Spruce ◽  
Natural Variability ◽  
Partial Cutting ◽  
Spruce Forests

scholarly journals Managing Understory Vegetation for Maintaining Productivity in Black Spruce Forests: A Synthesis within a Multi-Scale Research Model

Forests ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 613-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelson Thiffault ◽  
Nicole Fenton ◽  
Alison Munson ◽  
François Hébert ◽  
Richard Fournier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Spruce ◽  
Understory Vegetation ◽  
Research Model ◽  
Spruce Forests ◽  
Multi Scale

Soil and root respiration in mature Alaskan black spruce forests that vary in soil organic matter decomposition rates

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason G Vogel ◽  
David W Valentine ◽  
Roger W Ruess
Keyword(s):  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Root Respiration ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
Spruce Forests ◽  
Moisture Deficit ◽  
Soil Temperatures ◽  
Boreal Ecosystem ◽  
Site Identification

Climate warming at high latitudes is expected to increase root and microbial respiration and thus cause an increase in soil respiration. We measured the root and microbial components of soil respiration near Fairbanks, Alaska, in 2000 and 2001, in three black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill) B.S.P.) forests. We hypothesized faster decomposition correlates with greater amounts of both root and microbial contributions to soil respiration. Contrary to our prediction, the site with the coolest summer soil temperatures and slowest decomposition (site identification "high-np") had significantly (p < 0.05) greater growing season soil respiration (485 g C·m–2·year–1) than the two other sites (372 and 332 g C·m–2·year–1). Spruce C allocation to root respiration was significantly greater, and fine-root N concentration was 10% and 12% greater (p < 0.05) at high-np than at the other two sites. High-np spruce foliage was also more enriched in 13C and depleted in 15N, suggesting either lower available moisture or slower N turnover. Either factor could drive greater C allocation to roots; however, a literature review suggests moisture deficit corresponds to greater C allocation to roots in black spruce forests across the boreal ecosystem. Controls on spruce C allocation need to be resolved before making the generalization that soil respiration will increase with warming in this forest type.

scholarly journals Lessons learned from 12 years of ecological research on partial cuts in black spruce forests of northwestern Québec

2013 ◽  
Vol 89 (03) ◽  
pp. 350-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole J. Fenton ◽  
Louis Imbeau ◽  
Timothy Work ◽  
Jenna Jacobs ◽  
Hervé Bescond ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Succession ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Spruce Forests ◽  
Partial Harvest ◽  
Species Groups ◽  
The Impact

Multi-cohort management that creates or maintains an uneven structure within forest stands has been widely advocated as a means to attenuate the impact of forest harvesting. An experimental network was put in place in black spruce forests of northwestern Québec to test this assertion. Here we synthesize the biodiversity results in two main lessons: (1) at least 40% to 60% retention of pre-harvest basal area was required to maintain pre-harvest conditions for most species groups; (2) partial harvests showed the potential to be efficient deadwood delivery systems. In addition to these two main general conclusions, we emphasise that future research should examine whether partial harvest may be able to advance forest succession.

scholarly journals Coefficients de distribution de la régénération, cinq ans après des coupes avec protection des petites tiges marchandes appliquées dans des sapinières et des pessières noires du Québec

2011 ◽  
Vol 87 (05) ◽  
pp. 669-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Riopel ◽  
Jean Bégin ◽  
Jean-Claude Ruel
Keyword(s):  
Black Spruce ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Deciduous Species ◽  
Partial Cutting ◽  
Coniferous Species ◽  
Breast Height ◽  
Silvicultural Treatments ◽  
Heavy Equipment

For certain mature forests dominated by balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.) or black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] BSP), it may be preferable to harvest trees with diameter at breast height greater than 15 cm while conserving smaller ones. This treatment, called harvesting with protection of small merchantable trees, produces strips, where partial cutting is applied, alternating with corridors, which are disturbed by heavy equipment during harvesting. This project studied stocking levels five years after treatment on 4896 sub-plots of 4 m2 in 22 blocks. Stocking coefficients (SC) for coniferous and deciduous species were modeled in order to identify variables affecting stocking. The strips had well-distributed coniferous regeneration, while SC in the corridors were more variable and lower, occasionally less than 60%. Black spruce-dominated sites were not as well stocked as balsam fir-dominated sites. Stocking levels of protected coniferous merchantable trees positively influence coniferous and deciduous SC in the corridors. The presence of coniferous species is also affected by harvest season and total annual rainfall. Alternative silvicultural treatments applicable in certain corridors are presented.

Linking deadwood-associated beetles and fungi with wood decomposition rates in managed black spruce forests1This article is one of a selection of papers from the International Symposium on Dynamics and Ecological Services of Deadwood in Forest Ecosystems.

2012 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 1477-1490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenna M. Jacobs ◽  
Timothy T. Work
Keyword(s):  
Stand Structure ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Wood Decomposition ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
Partial Cutting ◽  
Saprotrophic Fungi ◽  
Silvicultural Treatments ◽  
Saproxylic Beetle ◽  
Main Effects ◽  
The Relationship

Deadwood-associated insects and saprotrophic fungi are principal agents of wood decomposition in boreal forest. Silvicultural treatments that alter microclimate and availability of deadwood likely affect composition and growth rates of both insect and fungal communities, leading to changes in wood decomposition rates. Here, we relate both saproxylic beetle and dominant polypore assemblages with woody decomposition rates and environmental variables in experimental partial cuts, clearcuts, and uncut controls using a series of causal models to determine the relationship between stand structure, biodiversity, and ecosystem function in black spruce ( Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) forests. Overall beetle and fungal composition differed between uncut stands and harvested stands. Main effects of harvesting included large increases in wood-feeding beetles and the fungus Gloeophyllum sepiarium (Wul.:Fr.) Karst. We suggest that these species were promoted by specific alterations in microhabitat conditions of deadwood. Within clearcuts specifically, changes in species composition and significantly more fungal degree-days resulted in significantly higher decomposition rates. We concluded that levels of partial cutting in the range of 15%–20% retention were not sufficient to maintain predisturbance communities but were sufficient to maintain wood decomposition rates similar to uncut stands.

Scale-dependent environmental controls over species composition in Alaskan black spruce communities

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 1781-1796 ◽  
Author(s):  
T N Hollingsworth ◽  
M D Walker ◽  
F S Chapin III ◽  
A L Parsons
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Fire Disturbance ◽  
Topographic Position ◽  
Spruce Forests ◽  
Environmental Controls ◽  
Interior Alaska ◽  
Variance Explained

The boreal forest is the second largest terrestrial biome, and the black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) forest type occupies a large extent of boreal North America. Black spruce communities occur in a variety of environmental conditions and are especially important in the context of climate change because of underlain permafrost in much of the northern black spruce forests, as well as their adaptation to fire disturbance. We used a classification and ordination approach to describe and name Alaskan black spruce communities and relate them to key environmental variables. We analyzed the relationship of species richness with topographic position and with soil pH using both univariate and multivariate analyses of variance. We also explored the variability in structural, physical, and soil characteristics. We described three black spruce community types and five subtypes based purely on floristic composition. Paludification and topography were the most important gradients explaining species composition for the Fairbanks region (61% variance explained). However, at the scale of interior Alaska, pH, drainage, and productivity were the strongest environmental gradients (81% variance explained). We conclude that species composition of mature black spruce forests in interior Alaska results from the complex interaction of landscape and fire history, soil pH, paludification, permafrost, and topographic position.

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