DECAY IN SUBALPINE SPRUCE ON THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FOREST RESERVE IN ALBERTA

1956 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 805-816 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. Etheridge
Keyword(s):  
Picea Glauca ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Major Portion ◽  
Mountain Forest ◽  
Forest Reserve ◽  
Butt Rot ◽  
Coniophora Puteana ◽  
The Third ◽  
Unidentified Fungus

Data from 456 living subalpine spruce on six 0.1-ac. plots in the Bow River Forest in 1950 and six 0.2-ac. plots in the Crowsnest, Bow River, and Clearwater Forests in 1952 show a total of 203 separate infections of which approximately half occurred in the basal part of the trees. Most of the butt rot was associated with Polyporus circinatus var. dualis Peck, Flammula connissans Fr., and an unidentified fungus designated "Unknown C". Coniophora puteana (Schum. ex Fr.) Karst. was the fungus associated with the major portion of the brown butt rot. Among the white trunk rots, Stereum sanguinolentum Alb. & Schw. ex Fr. was the fungus most frequently isolated from infected trees and Fames pint (Thore) Lloyd was responsible for the largest, cull losses. Peniophora septentrionalis Laurila, which was isolated from Picea glauca (Moench) Voss and P. engelmannii Parry, was the third most important fungus associated with trunk rot. Trunk rots account for 70% of the decay losses while fungi producing white rots account for 93.6% of the total decay. The incidence of decay increased progressively with age at different rates for trees on "dry" and "moist" sites. The two sites are characterized by distinctive ground cover associations.

DECAY LOSSES IN SUBALPINE SPRUCE ON THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FOREST RESERVE IN ALBERTA

1958 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. Etheridge
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Ground Vegetation ◽  
Mountain Forest ◽  
Forest Reserve ◽  
Average Percentage ◽  
Survival Trees ◽  
Site Classes

Subalpine spruce on the Rocky Mountain Forest Reserve in Alberta was found to have decay amounting to 20% of the gross merchantable volume with variations in the amount of decay among the different sample areas ranging from 1.4% to 41.9%. A large part of this variation is attributed to the influence of site since it was possible to distinguish two types of sites which differed in the nature of the ground vegetation, the growth rate of the trees, and in the incidence and amount of decay. The average gross volume for survival trees on sites which were described as moist on the basis of distinctive ground cover associations was 174 board feet compared with 87 board feet on the dry sites. The average percentage of cull for trees in each of the two site classes was 24.5 and 9.2 respectively. In trees with a d.b.h. of 8 ins., 4.2% of the gross merchantable volume was cull, increasing to 24.7% in trees of 21 ins. The percentage of cull was higher in the faster-growing trees of the over-storey (20.6%) than in the slower-growing trees of the understorey (16.4%). In cubic feet, the percentage of decay was 7.8% and 5.4% respectively for the two classes of trees.

scholarly journals Modeling Spatial Patterns of Humus Forms in Montane and Subalpine Forests: Implications of Local Variability for Upscaling

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Niels Hellwig ◽  
Dylan Tatti ◽  
Giacomo Sartori ◽  
Kerstin Anschlag ◽  
Ulfert Graefe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Patterns ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Local Scale ◽  
Mountain Forest ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Subalpine Forests ◽  
Humus Forms ◽  
Humus Form ◽  
Local Variability

Humus forms are a distinctive morphological indicator of soil organic matter decomposition. The spatial distribution of humus forms depends on environmental factors such as topography, climate and vegetation. In montane and subalpine forests, environmental influences show a high spatial heterogeneity, which is reflected by a high spatial variability of humus forms. This study aims at examining spatial patterns of humus forms and their dependence on the spatial scale in a high mountain forest environment (Val di Sole/Val di Rabbi, Trentino, Italian Alps). On the basis of the distributions of environmental covariates across the study area, we described humus forms at the local scale (six sampling sites), slope scale (60 sampling sites) and landscape scale (30 additional sampling sites). The local variability of humus forms was analyzed with regard to the ground cover type. At the slope and landscape scale, spatial patterns of humus forms were modeled applying random forests and ordinary kriging of the model residuals. The results indicate that the occurrence of the humus form classes Mull, Mullmoder, Moder, Amphi and Eroded Moder generally depends on the topographical position. Local-scale patterns are mostly related to micro-topography (local accumulation and erosion sites) and ground cover, whereas slope-scale patterns are mainly connected with slope exposure and elevation. Patterns at the landscape scale show a rather irregular distribution, as spatial models at this scale do not account for local to slope-scale variations of humus forms. Moreover, models at the slope scale perform distinctly better than at the landscape scale. In conclusion, the results of this study highlight that landscape-scale predictions of humus forms should be accompanied by local- and slope-scale studies in order to enhance the general understanding of humus form patterns.

scholarly journals Use of an Aspen Overstory to Control Understory Herbaceous Species, Bluejoint Grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), and Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium)

2004 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Maundrell ◽  
Chris Hawkins
Keyword(s):  
Populus Tremuloides ◽  
Picea Glauca ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density ◽  
Photon Flux ◽  
Photon Flux Density ◽  
Photosynthetic Photon Flux ◽  
Calamagrostis Canadensis ◽  
Canopy Opening ◽  
Epilobium Angustifolium

Abstract To enhance white spruce [Picea glauca (Moench) Voss] regeneration and growth, the potential for using an aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) overstory to suppress bluejoint grass [Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.)] and fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium L) was investigated. Response to canopy opening was assessed on 10 treatments where the canopy had been incrementally opened. At the summer solstice, measurements of attenuated light were taken at 1.3 meters (breast height). Bluejoint grass and fireweed both responded with greater ground cover as the photosynthetic photon flux density increased (R2 = 0.84, P = 0.0002; R2 = 0.90, P = 0.0001; respectively). Where aspen has developed an overstory canopy, it may be possible to control competing vegetation to create favorable environmental conditions for spruce re-establishment, growth, and release while encouraging a sustainable mixedwood stand.

Les coupes forestières dans les pessières à lichens: effets sur la croissance et la régénération des conifères (Whapmagoostui, Québec subarctique)

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 1013-1020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Delwaide ◽  
Louise Filion
Keyword(s):  
Picea Glauca ◽  
Radial Growth ◽  
Growth Form ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Hudson Bay ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Physical Conditions ◽  
Tree Harvesting

In the Whapmagoostui area (east of Hudson Bay), tree harvesting by Crée Indians in lichen woodlands affects the form and the growth of surviving trees and also the forest population dynamics. A study of the growth form of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss.) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) that have been pruned shows the efficiency of a total traumatic reiteration process. After several years, the annual radial growth was equivalent to that recorded before pruning. In clear-cutting areas (more than 75% of trees removed), the increase in the radial growth of spared trees was 400 to 700%. The main factors that govern the success of regeneration in cutting areas are the rather small extension of the openings (<0.005 km2), the low intensity of tree harvesting (<75% of trees over 90% of the surface), the physical conditions of the lichenous ground cover and the abundance of the lignified debris after clearing vegetation, and the climatic conditions in the subsequent years.

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