Root movement and root damage of red spruce and balsam fir on subalpine sites in the White Mountains, New Hampshire

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 991-1001 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Rizzo ◽  
T. C. Harrington
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
New Hampshire ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Root Damage ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
White Mountains ◽  
Wind Exposure ◽  
Crown Dieback ◽  
Root Movement

Crown dieback and mortality of red spruce and balsam fir in the subalpine zone of the northern Appalachian Mountains have been attributed to wind-induced crown and root damage. Vertical root movements, damage to roots and crowns, and growth rate were measured on wind-exposed spruce and fir trees near canopy gaps at Kancamagus Pass (875 m elevation) and Wildcat Mountain (1160 m) in the White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire. Root movements were significantly correlated with windspeed, crown exposure, and depth of soil to rock. Woody roots that had made movements in excess of 10 mm had fewer small (1–3 mm diameter) roots, more abrasion wounds, and a greater amount of nonconducting (dry or discolored) xylem than roots that had made smaller movements. Hydraulic conductivity was significantly reduced in roots with greater than 40% xylem cross-sectional area that was nonconducting. Spruce and fir trees at gap margins grew slower and had more root and crown damage than trees sheltered within the canopy. Decreases in growth rate of spruce and fir trees at both sites during the past 20 years were significantly correlated with wind exposure and some of the root and crown damage variables.

Vegetational Patterns and Processes in the Balsam Fir Zone, White Mountains New Hampshire

Ecology ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 403-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. Reiners ◽  
Gerald E. Lang
Keyword(s):  
New Hampshire ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
White Mountains ◽  
Patterns And Processes

Chlorophyll fluorescence response of red spruce and balsam fir to a watershed calcium fertilization experiment in New Hampshire

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 1518-1522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Boyce
Keyword(s):  
Chlorophyll Fluorescence ◽  
New Hampshire ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Physiological Effect ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest ◽  
Forest Species ◽  
Fluorescence Measurements

Decreases in soil exchangeable calcium (Ca) due to acid deposition have been linked with declines of forest species in the northeastern United States, particularly red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.). In 2005, chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were taken on red spruce and balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) trees growing on two watersheds at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF) in New Hampshire. One watershed had been fertilized with CaSiO3 in 1999 to replace the soil Ca losses of the past 50 years, and the other was a reference watershed. In March, there were no differences in any chlorophyll fluorescence parameter between sites or species. In August, however, dark-adapted ratios of variable fluorescence to maximum fluorescence (Fv/Fm) were significantly greater (p = 0.05) in the Ca-treated watershed for both spruce and fir, and spruce values were significantly greater than fir. No differences were found in the light-adapted fluorescence parameters. These results suggest that both spruce and fir respond to increases in Ca availability, even though fir does not exhibit the decline symptoms seen in spruce. It is unclear what physiological effect is responsible for the observed differences in Fv/Fm. The Fv/Fm values appear to respond to differences in Ca availability in forest tree species; thus, the ratio has the potential to be used in these two watersheds at HBEF to determine if other forest species are also responding to Ca additions.

KORSCHELTELLUS GRACILIS (GROTE): A PEST OF RED SPRUCE AND BALSAM FIR ROOTS (LEPIDOPTERA: HEPIALIDAE)

1991 ◽  
Vol 123 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
David L. Wagner ◽  
Donald R. Tobi ◽  
William E. Wallner ◽  
Bruce L. Parker
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New England ◽  
New Hampshire ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Plant Tissues ◽  
Larval Feeding ◽  
Mature Trees ◽  
Below Ground

AbstractKorscheltellus gracilis (Grote) is a pest of red spruce and balsam fir roots in the forests of the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. The larvae feed below ground on woody and non-woody plant tissues for 2 years before maturing. It was found at 18 localities across New England and Nova Scotia during the summers of 1987 and 1988. On Whiteface Mt., New York, and Mt. Moosilauke, New Hampshire, larvae were absent to uncommon at low (500 m) and high (1300 m) altitudes, but common to abundant in red spruce – balsam fir associations at 700, 900, and 1100 m. During September 1987, larval populations were estimated at 56 000 and 312 000 per hectare in soils at 900 m on Whiteface and Moosilauke, respectively. Dense populations occurred locally, e.g. 27 larvae were recovered from a single 0.25-m2 soil pit at 900 m on Moosilauke. By June 1988, larval numbers on Whiteface and Moosilauke had declined by 51% and 72%, respectively. Seedlings and mature trees of both spruce and fir were damaged by larval feeding on bark and cambium. Seedlings were girdled; mature trees had wounds paralleling the root axes.

Sapwood area as an estimator of foliage biomass and projected leaf area for Abiesbalsamea and Picearubens

1984 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Marchand
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Individual Tree ◽  
Sapwood Area ◽  
Degree Of Certainty ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
High Degree

Sapwood conducting area was found to be highly correlated with foliage biomass and projected leaf area in both balsam fir (Abiesbalsamea (L.) Mill) and red spruce (Picearubens Sarg.). Linear regression equations from sapwood measured at breast height (1.3 m) were as follows: for balsam fir, foliage mass = 0.138X − 1.491 (R = 0.978) and projected leaf area = 0.673X − 5.453 (R = 0.952), where X is sapwood conducting area in cm2. For red spruce, foliage mass = 0.072X − 0.410 (R = 0.914) and projected leaf area = 0.167X + 6.772 (R = 0.934). Regressions improved when sapwood area was measured at the base of the live crown. The relationship between sapwood area and foliage mass or projected area in balsam fir was very similar for trees from three sites of greatly different character, suggesting a close, species dependent, physiological relationship between crown size and the cross-sectional area of conductive xylem needed to supply water to the foliage. Thus, it appears that foliage area can be predicted from increment cores with a high degree of certainty and without concern for differences in stand condition or individual tree vigor.

Growth decline of wind-exposed red spruce and balsam fir in the White Mountains

1986 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. C. Harrington
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Damage ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Growth Increment ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Anthropogenic Stress ◽  
White Mountains ◽  
Growth Decline ◽  
Tree Sway ◽  
High Elevations

Overstory red spruce (Picearubens Sarg.) and balsam fir (Abiesbalsamea (L.) Mill.) trees suddenly exposed to strong, turbulent winds along a ski trail cut in 1962 in New Hampshire showed growth (increment of basal area) reductions during 1974 through 1983 of 82 and 63%, respectively, compared with growth during 1954 through 1963. Growth of comparable trees on the upwind side of the ski trail did not decline during this period. Mechanical damage to crowns and roots during tree sway is proposed as the primary cause of the growth decline. Six downwind fir trees had smaller living crowns, fewer living fine roots, more abrasion wounds on woody roots, and more discoloration of root wood than did the six fir trees on the upwind side of the trail. Six downwind spruce trees had smaller living crowns and more root discoloration than did the six upwind spruce trees. Regression analyses were made using the 24 trees along the ski trail and 29 trees from two other poorly stocked and declining stands in the White Mountains. Of the site, stand, and tree parameters tested, only root and crown damage parameters significantly correlated with reductions in growth rate. For fir, percent root discoloration and percent roots abraded explained 82% of the variation in growth decline. For spruce, crown loss explained 70% of the variation. The symptomatology of these wind-stressed trees was consistent with that described for spruce–fir decline. Although acid deposition or some other anthropogenic stress has been proposed as the primary cause of spruce–fir decline, wind appears to be an overlooked but significant natural stress factor that could explain at least some of the growth decline and mortality of spruce and fir at high elevations in the northern Appalachian Mountains.

Potential hazard rating system for fir stands infested with budworm using cambial electrical resistance

1980 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 541-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weston Davis ◽  
Walter Shortle ◽  
Alex Shigo
Keyword(s):  
New Hampshire ◽  
Electrical Resistance ◽  
Spruce Budworm ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Rating System ◽  
Diameter Growth ◽  
Potential Hazard ◽  
Index Value ◽  
Hazard Rating

Cambial electrical resistance (CER) of more than 10 000 trees, predominantly balsam fir (Abiesbalsamea) and red spruce (Picearubens) was measured in 90 stands in northern Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, U.S.A. CER index values (mean CER, kiloohms per stand) ranged from 9 to 13 for fir in nonoutbreak situations, and 9 to 18 in outbreak situations with moderate to heavy budworm infestation, whereas values for red spruce remained essentially constant at 7 to 13 in both situations. Balsam fir trees in stands with an index value of 9 grew almost three times faster (diameter growth) than in stands with an index value of 13. An increase of index values from 13 to 18 in outbreak situations indicated no further reduction in growth, but may indicate impending mortality of trees with lower vitality. Such index values may be useful in developing a hazard rating system for fir stands infected with spruce budworm.

Winter injury to red spruce at Mount Moosilauke, New Hampshire

1991 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 1380-1389 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Peart ◽  
Matthew B. Jones ◽  
Peter A. Palmiotto
Keyword(s):  
New Hampshire ◽  
Freezing Tolerance ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Bud Break ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Foliar Injury ◽  
Weak Tendency

We report the severity and detailed spatial patterns of winter injury to red spruce (Picearubens Sarg.) in the winter of 1988–1989 and assess support for the desiccation and freezing hypotheses. Foliar injury was quantified at three elevations (840, 990, and 1140 m) and on east- and west-facing slopes in the spruce-fir zone at Mount Moosilauke, New Hampshire. Overall, 29% of current-year foliage on red spruce trees was killed by winter injury. Injury increased with elevation. There was a weak tendency for winter injury to be higher on the sun-exposed south sides of crowns, but substantial injury also occurred on shaded foliage. Injury increased markedly with height in crown at high elevation, but decreased with height at low elevation. The results appear inconsistent with desiccation as the main cause of winter injury. Elevational trends in foliar injury are consistent with the freezing hypothesis, but the strong trends in foliar injury by height within trees cannot be fully explained without further data on spatial variation in microclimate and freezing tolerance. Failure to break bud was assessed on the same spatial scales as foliar injury. Bud break was least in trees and crown sections with severe foliar injury. No evidence for winter injury was found on balsam fir (Abiesbalsamea (L.) Mill.). The results support the hypothesis that winter injury may contribute to the current decline of red spruce in the northern Appalachians.

Substrate type and the distribution of sugar maple at its elevational limit in the White Mountains, New Hampshire

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 494-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason D Demers ◽  
Thomas D Lee ◽  
James P Barrett
Keyword(s):  
New Hampshire ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Range Limit ◽  
Substrate Type ◽  
Yellow Birch

The relationships between tree species distribution and substrate characteristics were examined at the upper elevational limit of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) in the White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire. Four tree species were studied: sugar maple, balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.), and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton). At 51 individual trees (>=2.5 cm diameter at breast height) of each species, "substrate type" was described based on the parent material, soil horizons, depth and texture of the B and C horizons, nature of surface boulders, and the depth to and type of impermeable layer. Substrate type was significantly (p < 0.001) associated with tree species. Sugar maple was relatively more frequent on deep fine and compact tills, less frequent on washed or shallow till, and absent on shallow, organic, or grus (weathered granite) substrates. Red spruce, balsam fir, and yellow birch were less sensitive to substrate type. Red spruce and yellow birch were most frequent on organic material or grus over rock. Balsam fir most frequently occurred on washed till. As the frequency of substrates favorable to sugar maple declined with elevation, it is possible that the upper elevational range limit of this species is influenced by substrate availability.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document