Patterns of tree stem decline along a snow-drift gradient at treeline: a case study using stem analysis

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (11) ◽  
pp. 1671-1683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serge Payette ◽  
Ann Delwalde ◽  
Claude Morneau ◽  
Claude Lavole
Keyword(s):  
Radial Growth ◽  
Growth Form ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Frozen Soil ◽  
Stem Analysis ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Growth System ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Tree Stem

Current hypotheses on conifer tree stem degradation at treeline indicate the influence of frost desiccation caused by dehydration of wind-exposed needles above the snowpack because of frozen soil or wind abrasion. Here, we examine, in an exploratory study, the potential of detailed stem analysis to identify other causal factors at a subarctic treeline site using black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP.) trees distributed along a wind-exposure gradient and showing various degrees of stem damage, from the normal, conical growth form to the mat growth form. Temporal patterns of stem development revealed a relatively integrated growth system within the tree as long as the normal arborescent form was maintained. With the gradual loss of the normal form owing to defoliation, the growth system of the damaged trees became fragmented into a wind-exposed (west–ast), horizontal component and a vertical (below–bove snowpack) component outlined by the asymmetric development of stem and foliage. Although cool growing seasons reduce tree-ring growth, frost events in July appear also influential, possibly when killing frosts occur during bud break. The impact of such abrupt events may have a long-enduring influence on radial growth, a factor much neglected in dendroclimatological studies of boreal and subarctic environments. Stem degradation may be initiated by the changing position of the snowpack line associated with variable snow precipitation during several consecutive years, thus inducing a shifting erosional zone along the stem most effective when temperatures are below average, i.e., likely the result of mechanical defoliation caused by the synergistic influence of snow and ice abrasion during blizzards and severe windchill conditions on the brittle, cold-exposed needles. Our results suggest that sustained winter defoliation at treeline has an overwhelming influence on subsequent radial growth. More dendroecological studies and experimental field work are needed to test our conclusions. Keywords: stem analysis, treeline, black spruce, winter defoliation, tree rings, subarctic.

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.

Radial growth impact of pine false webworm defoliation on eastern white pine

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 1071-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert E Mayfield III ◽  
Douglas C Allen ◽  
Russell D Briggs
Keyword(s):  
Radial Growth ◽  
Time Lag ◽  
New York State ◽  
White Pine ◽  
Stem Analysis ◽  
Eastern White Pine ◽  
Increment Core ◽  
Annual Growth Rings ◽  
Pine False Webworm ◽  
The Impact

The impact of pine false webworm (Acantholyda erythrocephala (L.), Hymenoptera: Pamphiliidae) defoliation on the radial growth of mature eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) during an outbreak was assessed using a stem analysis comparison of two stands (defoliated vs. control) and increment cores collected from 21 defoliated stands and 5 control stands in northern New York State. Stem analysis revealed that whole-stem standardized annual volume increment (AVI) in a defoliated 67-year-old white pine stand (n = 10 sample trees) was reduced significantly below the AVI in the nondefoliated control stand (n = 8 sample trees) by the second year of moderate to heavy defoliation, and AVI was reduced by 97% by the fifth year of defoliation. No time lag between upper-bole and lower-bole impact was observed, and annual growth rings were more frequently missing or discontinuous at lower stem heights. The standardized latewood tracheid index was not reduced significantly below control stand levels until the third year of defoliation. Increment-core analysis revealed growth losses that corresponded with reported periods of defoliation in nearly all stands; sustained suppressions (5–16 continuous years) below a growth index of 0.5 occurred in over half of all defoliated stands. These results are discussed in relation to pine false webworm biology, comparisons with other conifer defoliators, environmental factors, and methods employed.

Survival and growth of eastern larch, balsam fir, and black spruce six years after winter browning in northeastern Ontario, Canada

2013 ◽  
Vol 89 (06) ◽  
pp. 777-782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rongzhou Man ◽  
Gordon J. Kayahara ◽  
Stephen Foley ◽  
Cory Wiseman
Keyword(s):  
Cold Hardiness ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Weather Data ◽  
Larix Laricina ◽  
Stem Analysis ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Survival And Growth ◽  
Needle Loss

In spring 2007, young conifers suffered extensive needle and bud injury near Hearst, Kapuskasing, and Cochrane in northeastern Ontario, Canada. Analysis of weather data revealed that the damage was likely caused by earlier than normal loss of cold hardiness during higher than normal temperatures in late April and early May. The dehardened trees were damaged in the cold days that followed. We report the survival and growth of eastern larch (Larix laricina), balsam fir (Abies balsamea), and black spruce (Picea mariana) in the affected area based on field assessments and stem analysis of affected trees following the event. Total survival through six growing seasons following damage was 98% in eastern larch but only about 70% in balsam fir and black spruce. The effect of the damage on tree growth was greater and longer lasting for diameter than height. Both survival and growth reductions were associated with high levels of mature needle loss and bud damage. Implications of these findings for forest management are discussed in light of expected climate change.

scholarly journals How Does Radial Growth of Water-Stressed Populations of European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) Trees Vary under Multiple Drought Events?

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Tamalika Chakraborty ◽  
Albert Reif ◽  
Andreas Matzarakis ◽  
Somidh Saha
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Radial Growth ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Canopy Openness ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica L ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Neighborhood Competition

European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) trees are becoming vulnerable to drought, with a warming climate. Existing studies disagree on how radial growth varies in European beech in response to droughts. We aimed to find the impact of multiple droughts on beech trees’ annual radial growth at their ecological drought limit created by soil water availability in the forest. Besides, we quantified the influence of competition and canopy openness on the mean basal area growth of beech trees. We carried out this study in five near-natural temperate forests in three localities of Germany and Switzerland. We quantified available soil water storage capacity (AWC) in plots laid in the transition zone from oak to beech dominated forests. The plots were classified as ‘dry’ (AWC < 60 mL) and ‘less-dry’ (AWC > 60 mL). We performed dendroecological analyses starting from 1951 in continuous and discontinuous series to study the influence of climatic drought (i.e., precipitation-potential evapotranspiration) on the radial growth of beech trees in dry and less-dry plots. We used observed values for this analysis and did not use interpolated values from interpolated historical records in this study. We selected six drought events to study the resistance, recovery, and resilience of beech trees to drought at a discontinuous level. The radial growth was significantly higher in less-dry plots than dry plots. The increase in drought had reduced tree growth. Frequent climatic drought events resulted in more significant correlations, hence, increased the dependency of tree growth on AWC. We showed that the recovery and resilience to climatic drought were higher in trees in less-dry plots than dry plots, but it was the opposite for resistance. The resistance, recovery, and resilience of the trees were heterogeneous between the events of drought. Mean growth of beech trees (basal area increment) were negatively impacted by neighborhood competition and positively influenced by canopy openness. We emphasized that beech trees growing on soil with low AWC are at higher risk of growth decline. We concluded that changes in soil water conditions even at the microsite level could influence beech trees’ growth in their drought limit under the changing climate. Along with drought, neighborhood competition and lack of light can also reduce beech trees’ growth. This study will enrich the state of knowledge about the ongoing debate on the vulnerability of beech trees to drought in Europe.

scholarly journals Impact of Industrial Pollution on Radial Growth of Conifers in a Former Mining Area in the Eastern Carpathians (Northern Romania)

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 640
Author(s):  
Cristian Gheorghe Sidor ◽  
Radu Vlad ◽  
Ionel Popa ◽  
Anca Semeniuc ◽  
Ecaterina Apostol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Industrial Pollution ◽  
Radial Growth ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Mining Operation ◽  
Mining Area ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Local Pollution ◽  
Eastern Carpathians ◽  
The Impact

The research aims to evaluate the impact of local industrial pollution on radial growth in affected Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) stands in the Tarnița study area in Suceava. For northeastern Romania, the Tarnița mining operation constituted a hotspot of industrial pollution. The primary processing of non-ferrous ores containing heavy metals in the form of complex sulfides was the main cause of pollution in the Tarnița region from 1968 to 1990. Air pollution of Tarnița induced substantial tree growth reduction from 1978 to 1990, causing a decline in tree health and vitality. Growth decline in stands located over 6 km from the pollution source was weaker or absent. Spruce trees were much less affected by the phenomenon of local pollution than fir trees. We analyzed the dynamics of resilience indices and average radial growth indices and found that the period in which the trees suffered the most from local pollution was between 1978 and 1984. Growth recovery of the intensively polluted stand was observed after the 1990s when the environmental condition improved because of a significant reduction in air pollution.

scholarly journals The Difficulty of Predicting Eastern Spruce Dwarf Mistletoe in Lowland Black Spruce: Model Benchmarking in Northern Minnesota, USA

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 843
Author(s):  
Ella R. Gray ◽  
Matthew B. Russell ◽  
Marcella A. Windmuller-Campione
Keyword(s):  
Stand Structure ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Forest Health ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Predictive Performance ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Management Decisions ◽  
Dwarf Mistletoe ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Model Interpretation

Insects, fungi, and diseases play an important role in forest stand development and subsequently, forest management decisions and treatments. As these disturbance agents commonly occur within and across landscapes, modeling has often been used to inform forest planning and management decisions. However, models are rarely benchmarked, leaving questions about their utility. Here, we assessed the predictive performance of a Bayesian hierarchical model through on–the-ground sampling to explore what features of stand structure or composition may be important factors related to eastern spruce dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium pusillum Peck) presence in lowland black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B. S. P.). Twenty-five state-owned stands included in the predictive model were sampled during the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons. Within each stand, data related to the presence of eastern spruce dwarf mistletoe, stand structure, and species composition were collected. The model accurately predicted eastern spruce dwarf mistletoe occurrence for 13 of the 25 stands. The amount of living and dead black spruce basal area differed significantly based on model prediction and observed infestation, but trees per hectare, total living basal area, diameter at breast height, stand age, and species richness were not significantly different. Our results highlight the benefits of model benchmarking to improve model interpretation as well as to inform our understanding of forest health problems across diverse stand conditions.

scholarly journals Facilitation Effects of Haloxylon salicornicum Shrubs on Associated Understory Annuals, and a Modified “Stress-Gradient” Hypothesis for Droughty Times

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1726
Author(s):  
Nasr H. Gomaa ◽  
Ahmad K. Hegazy ◽  
Arafat Abdel Hamed Abdel Latef
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Stress Gradient ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Annual Species ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Dry Seasons ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Haloxylon Salicornicum

Perennial shrub-annual plant interactions play key roles in desert regions influencing the structure and dynamics of plant communities there. In the present study, carried out in northwestern Saudi Arabia, we examined the effect of Haloxylon salicornicum shrubs on their associated understory annual species across four consecutive growing seasons, along with a record of the seasonal rainfall patterns. We measured density and species richness of all the annual species in permanent quadrats located beneath individual shrubs, as well as in the spaces between shrubs. During wet growing season H. salicornicum shrubs significantly enhanced the density and species richness of sub-canopy species, whereas in the relatively dry seasons they exerted negative effects on the associated species. In all growing seasons, the presence of shrubs was associated with enhanced soil properties, including increased organic carbon content, silt + clay, and levels of nutrients (N, P and K). Shrubs improved soil moisture content beneath their canopies in the wet growing season, while in the dry seasons they had negative effects on water availability. Differences in effects of H. salicornicum on understory plants between growing seasons seem due to the temporal changes in the impact of shrubs on water availability. Our results suggest the facilitative effects of shrubs on sub-canopy annuals in arid ecosystems may switch to negative effects with increasing drought stress. We discuss the study in light of recent refinements of the well-known “stress-gradient hypothesis”.

Breeding implications of juvenile selection in a range-wide black spruce provenance test

1984 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 933-939 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Nienstaedt
Keyword(s):  
Large Range ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Simple Correlation ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Breeding Populations ◽  
Provenance Test ◽  
Full Complement ◽  
Growth Initiation ◽  
Growth Differences

Using 3-year heights, the tallest 49 provenances were selected in a nursery test of 110 black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) provenances. A field test of the selected provenances was planted in Wisconsin; two tests of 108 provenances, both in Minnesota. Characteristics evaluated in the nursery included heights after two, three, and five growing seasons, and growth initiation and cessation in the second and third growing season. Heights were measured in the field tests. Separate statistical analyses, ANOVA and simple correlation, were used for the full complement of provenances and for those that were selected. All nursery characteristics varied significantly; the correlations between latitude and height decreased with age, and were not significant after five season's growth. Differences among provenances in free growth may explain this. Selection at age 3 years was not effective; too many selection errors were evident in the test of the full complement of provenances. Early selection on the basis of heights and phenological characteristics is not an effective way of reducing large range-wide provenance tests to breeding populations.

scholarly journals Impact of elevated temperature scenarios on potato leaf development

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 689-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nereu A. Streck ◽  
Lilian O. Uhlmann ◽  
Alencar J. Zanon ◽  
Dilson A. Bisognin
Keyword(s):  
Elevated Temperature ◽  
Leaf Development ◽  
Potato Crop ◽  
Temperature Response ◽  
Potato Leaf ◽  
Linear Temperature ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Randomized Design ◽  
Leaf Appearance ◽  
The Impact

The objective of this study was to simulate the impact of elevated temperature scenarios on leaf development of potato in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Leaf appearance was estimated using a multiplicative model that has a non-linear temperature response function which calculates the daily leaf appearance rate (LAR, leaves day-1) and the accumulated number of leaves (LN) from crop emergence to the appearance of the upper last leaf. Leaf appearance was estimated during 100 years in the following scenarios: current climate, +1 °C, +2 °C, +3 °C, +4 °C e +5 °C. The LAR model was estimated with coefficients of the Asterix cultivar in five emergence dates and in two growing seasons (Fall and Spring). Variable of interest was the duration (days) of the crop emergence to the appearance of the final leaf number (EM-FLN) phase. Statistical analysis was performed assuming a three-factorial experiment, with main effects being climate scenarios, growing seasons, and emergence dates in a completely randomized design using years (one hundred) as replications. The results showed that warmer scenarios lead to an increase, in the fall, and a decrease, in the spring growing season, in the duration of the leaf appearance phase, indicating high vulnerability and complexity of the response of potato crop grown in a Subtropical environment to climate change.

Assessing the impact of seasonal precipitation and temperature on vegetation in a grass-dominated rangeland

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Chen ◽  
Keith T. Weber
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Vegetation Growth ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Normalised Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Precipitation And Temperature

Changes in vegetation are affected by many climatic factors and have been successfully monitored through satellite remote sensing over the past 20 years. In this study, the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard the Terra satellite, was selected as an indicator of change in vegetation. Monthly MODIS composite NDVI at a 1-km resolution was acquired throughout the 2004–09 growing seasons (i.e. April–September). Data describing daily precipitation and temperature, primary factors affecting vegetation growth in the semiarid rangelands of Idaho, were derived from the Surface Observation Gridding System and local weather station datasets. Inter-annual and seasonal fluctuations of precipitation and temperature were analysed and temporal relationships between monthly NDVI, precipitation and temperature were examined. Results indicated NDVI values observed in June and July were strongly correlated with accumulated precipitation (R2 >0.75), while NDVI values observed early in the growing season (May) as well as late in the growing season (August and September) were only moderately related with accumulated precipitation (R2 ≥0.45). The role of ambient temperature was also apparent, especially early in the growing season. Specifically, early growing-season temperatures appeared to significantly affect plant phenology and, consequently, correlations between NDVI and accumulated precipitation. It is concluded that precipitation during the growing season is a better predictor of NDVI than temperature but is interrelated with influences of temperature in parts of the growing season.

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