Tree Mortality From Insect Infestation Enhances Carbon Stabilization in Southern Appalachian Forest Soils

2018 ◽  
Vol 123 (7) ◽  
pp. 2121-2134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Fraterrigo ◽  
Kelsey Ream ◽  
Jennifer D. Knoepp
Keyword(s):  
Forest Soils ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Insect Infestation ◽  
Carbon Stabilization ◽  
Southern Appalachian

scholarly journals Well-Aerated Southern Appalachian Forest Soils Demonstrate Significant Potential for Gaseous Nitrogen Loss

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1155
Author(s):  
Peter Baas ◽  
Jennifer D. Knoepp ◽  
Jacqueline E. Mohan
Keyword(s):  
Forest Soils ◽  
Nitrogen Loss ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
N Cycling ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Northern Hardwood ◽  
Southern Appalachian ◽  
Nitrifier Denitrification ◽  
Gaseous N Losses

Understanding the dominant soil nitrogen (N) cycling processes in southern Appalachian forests is crucial for predicting ecosystem responses to changing N deposition and climate. The role of anaerobic nitrogen cycling processes in well-aerated soils has long been questioned, and recent N cycling research suggests it needs to be re-evaluated. We assessed gross and potential rates of soil N cycling processes, including mineralization, nitrification, denitrification, nitrifier denitrification, and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) in sites representing a vegetation and elevation gradient in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Experimental Forest, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory in southwestern North Carolina, USA. N cycling processes varied among sites, with gross mineralization and nitrification being greatest in high-elevation northern hardwood forests. Gaseous N losses via nitrifier denitrification were common in all ecosystems but were greatest in northern hardwood. Ecosystem N retention via DNRA (nitrification-produced NO3 reduced to NH4) ranged from 2% to 20% of the total nitrification and was highest in the mixed-oak forest. Our results suggest the potential for gaseous N losses through anaerobic processes (nitrifier denitrification) are prevalent in well-aerated forest soils and may play a key role in ecosystem N cycling.

scholarly journals Frequency of sprout-origin trees in pre-European settlement forests of the southern Appalachian Mountains

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (8) ◽  
pp. 1019-1025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn A. Copenheaver ◽  
Tara L. Keyser
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Appalachian Mountains ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Blue Ridge ◽  
Southern Appalachian Mountains ◽  
European Settlement ◽  
Southern Appalachian ◽  
Witness Trees

We hypothesized that tree form, recorded in historical public land surveys, would provide a valuable proxy record of regeneration patterns during early-European settlement of North America’s eastern deciduous forest. To test this hypothesis, we tallied stem form from witness trees used in land survey records in the southern Appalachian Mountains from 13 counties spanning four physiographic provinces: Piedmont, Blue Ridge, Ridge and Valley, and Cumberland Plateau. A total of 3% of witness trees used in the land surveys were of sprout origin. American basswood (Tilia americana L.) exhibited the highest proportion of sprout-origin trees at 12%. Other overstory species with a high proportion of sprout-origin trees were hickory (Carya sp.), red maple (Acer rubrum L.), and sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L.), all with 6% of stems being from sprout origin. Blue Ridge had significantly more sprout-origin trees compared with the other three physiographic provinces. Forests in the southern Appalachian Mountains during the pre-European settlement period had a suite of disturbances that controlled their growth and regeneration; however, most of these disturbances did not result in large-scale tree mortality, and therefore, sprouts were not an important source of regeneration.

scholarly journals Development of monitoring methods for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid induced tree mortality within a Southern Appalachian landscape with inhibited access

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 178-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Kantola ◽  
P Lyytikäinen-Saarenmaa ◽  
RN Coulson ◽  
M Holopainen ◽  
MD Tchakerian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Southern Appalachian

Effect of drought stress and infestation by the balsam woolly adelgid (Homoptera: Adelgidae) on abnormal wood production in Fraser fir

1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (11) ◽  
pp. 2295-2297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert G. Hollingsworth ◽  
Fred P. Hain
Keyword(s):  
Drought Stress ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Main Stem ◽  
Diameter Growth ◽  
Wood Production ◽  
Fraser Fir ◽  
Southern Appalachian ◽  
Balsam Woolly Adelgid ◽  
Periods Of Stress ◽  
Wood Increment

Fraser fir (Abiesfraseri (Pursh) Poir.) seedlings were artificially infested with balsam woolly adelgid, Adelgespiceae (Ratz.), then subjected to drought-stress treatments. Infestation caused a distinct swelling in the main stem, caused by the accumulation of abnormal wood (i.e., "rotholz"). As expected, drought stress reduced diameter growth in the main stem. However, the reduction in wood increment caused by drought stress was relatively small for infested seedlings as compared with uninfested seedlings, owing to the production of rotholz. This implies that infested trees expend considerable energy and nutrients for the production of poorly functioning wood even during periods of stress. The implications of this research for interpreting patterns of tree mortality in the southern Appalachian Mountains are discussed.

Rating Eucalyptus vigor and the risk of insect infestation: leaf surface area and sapwood:heartwood ratio

1990 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 1485-1489 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. D. Paine ◽  
M. K. Malinoski ◽  
G. T. Scriven
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Leaf Surface ◽  
Insect Infestation ◽  
Model Trees ◽  
Sapwood Area ◽  
Silvicultural Management ◽  
Leaf Surface Area

Phoracanthasemipunctata (Fab.) colonizes and kills stressed Eucalyptus spp. in both managed and unmanaged stands in southern California. Stressed trees frequently manifest thinner crowns, with less foliage surface area, than more vigorous trees. This is reflected in reduced conducting sapwood and a lower sapwood:heartwood ratio. Four species of Eucalyptus at four sites were examined, and correlation analyses of leaf surface area to sapwood area were conducted. Using E. cladocalyx as a model, trees in a stand suffering high tree mortality showed significantly lower sapwood:heartwood ratios than trees in stands with beetle activity restricted to dead limbs but evincing little tree mortality. This index could be utilized to identify high-risk stands for implementation of silvicultural management practices.

Using Stem Char to Predict Mortality and Insect Infestation of Fire-Damaged Slash Pines

1984 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne N. Dixon ◽  
Jeffrey A. Corneil ◽  
Robert C. Wilkinson ◽  
John L. Foltz
Keyword(s):  
Pest Management ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
Pinus Elliottii ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Insect Infestation ◽  
Tree Roots ◽  
Old Trees ◽  
Total Tree ◽  
Light Medium

Abstract Monthly observations of planted slash pines (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) damaged by a March wildfire showed that the magnitude and rapidity of tree mortality were directly related to severity of stem char. Cumulative tree mortalities by November were 5, 25, and 79 percent for 7- to 8-year-old trees in plots with light, medium, and severe stem char classifications (average stem char <61 percent, 61 to 80 percent, and >80 percent of total tree height, respectively). In 15-year-old plantations the mortality rates were 46, 95, and 100 percent for the three damage classes. Most tree mortality occurred rapidly (before mid-May) in the younger plantations and in the severely damaged portions of the older plantations; mortality rates were slower and continued until August in lightly and moderately damaged areas of the older plantations. Ips engraver beetles and the southern pine sawyer were the principal insects infesting trees in May. Reproduction weevil broods were common in tree roots during November. Implications for pest management are discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document