scholarly journals Effect of Organic Layer Thickness on Black Spruce Aging Mistakes in Canadian Boreal Forests

Forests ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Laamrani ◽  
Annie DesRochers ◽  
Line Blackburn
Keyword(s):  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Organic Layer

Soil organic layer combustion in boreal black spruce and jack pine stands of the Northwest Territories, Canada

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xanthe J. Walker ◽  
Jennifer L. Baltzer ◽  
Steven G. Cumming ◽  
Nicola J. Day ◽  
Jill F. Johnstone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northwest Territories ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Fire Intensity ◽  
Organic Layer ◽  
Complete Combustion ◽  
Soil Organic Layer ◽  
Pine Stands ◽  
Burn Depth

Increased fire frequency, extent and severity are expected to strongly affect the structure and function of boreal forest ecosystems. In this study, we examined 213 plots in boreal forests dominated by black spruce (Picea mariana) or jack pine (Pinus banksiana) of the Northwest Territories, Canada, after an unprecedentedly large area burned in 2014. Large fire size is associated with high fire intensity and severity, which would manifest as areas with deep burning of the soil organic layer (SOL). Our primary objectives were to estimate burn depth in these fires and then to characterise landscapes vulnerable to deep burning throughout this region. Here we quantify burn depth in black spruce stands using the position of adventitious roots within the soil column, and in jack pine stands using measurements of burned and unburned SOL depths. Using these estimates, we then evaluate how burn depth and the proportion of SOL combusted varies among forest type, ecozone, plot-level moisture and stand density. Our results suggest that most of the SOL was combusted in jack pine stands regardless of plot moisture class, but that black spruce forests experience complete combustion of the SOL only in dry and moderately well-drained landscape positions. The models and calibrations we present in this study should allow future research to more accurately estimate burn depth in Canadian boreal forests.

Effects of topography and thickness of organic layer on productivity of black spruce boreal forests of the Canadian Clay Belt region

2014 ◽  
Vol 330 ◽  
pp. 144-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Laamrani ◽  
Osvaldo Valeria ◽  
Yves Bergeron ◽  
Nicole Fenton ◽  
Li Zhen Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Organic Layer

Long-term recovery of soil carbon stocks and permafrost depth lags recovery of organic layer thickness following fire in black spruce forests of the Copper River Basin, Alaska

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Sousa ◽  
Nicolas A Jelinski ◽  
Marcella Anna Windmuller-Campione ◽  
Andrea K Williams ◽  
Edward GreyBear ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Layer Thickness ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Lacustrine Sediments ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Fire Disturbance ◽  
Organic Layer ◽  
Soc Stocks

This study investigated differences in forest structure, organic layer thickness, soil organic carbon, and permafrost depth between late successional (LS) and post fire (PF, 90 to 120 years since burn) plots under black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) on fine-textured, poorly drained lacustrine sediments in the Copper River Basin, Alaska. We found that although live stem and seedling density and organic layer thickness (OLT) was not significantly different between PF and LS plots (28 ± 7 cm and 31 ± 10 cm, respectively), soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks (30 ± 10 kg m-2 and 46 ± 12 kg m-2, respectively), and permafrost depth (90 ± 28 cm and 56 ± 12 cm, respectively) remain significantly different. OLT was linearly related to 1 m SOC stocks for LS plots but not for PF plots, and LS plots had a greater proportion of highly decomposed (humic) material in the organic layer. Soil properties on PF plots appear to be on a trajectory of recovery towards LS plots with respect to SOC stocks, permafrost depth, and organic layer composition, but remain different despite nearly 100 years since fire disturbance and therefore potentially sensitive to changes in future fire frequency or climate.

Does Soil Organic Layer Thickness Affect Climate–Growth Relationships in the Black Spruce Boreal Ecosystem?

Ecosystems ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 556-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor Drobyshev ◽  
Martin Simard ◽  
Yves Bergeron ◽  
Annika Hofgaard
Keyword(s):  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Organic Layer ◽  
Soil Organic Layer ◽  
Boreal Ecosystem

Effect of forest harvesting and slash piling on microbial biomass and respiration in Newfoundland boreal forests

2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin T Moroni ◽  
Paul Q Carter ◽  
Dean W Strickland ◽  
Franz Makeschin ◽  
Don-Roger Parkinson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Fungal Biomass ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Organic Layer ◽  
Total Microbial Biomass ◽  
Organic Layers ◽  
Respiration Rates ◽  
Fumigation Extraction

Clearcutting Newfoundland boreal forests significantly reduced organic layer fungal and total microbial biomass in clearcut areas with and without slash cover, compared with forested plots. However, aerobically incubated respiration rates were highest in organic layers from clearcut areas under slash, intermediate under forests, and lowest from clearcut areas without slash. Key words: Carbon, ergosterol, fumigation–extraction, fungal biomass, harvest slash, nitrogen

scholarly journals Splitting in Fire-Killed Trees in the Boreal Forest of Alberta

2003 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 167-174
Author(s):  
Nobutaka Nakamura ◽  
Paul M. Woodard ◽  
Lars Bach
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Crown Fire ◽  
In Fire ◽  
Solar Angle

Abstract Tree boles in the boreal forests of Alberta, Canada will split once killed by a stand-replacing crown fire. A total of 1,485 fire-killed trees were sampled, 1 yr after burning, in 23 plots in 14 widely separated stands within a 370,000 ha fire. Sampling occurred in the Upper and Lower Foothills natural subregions. The frequency of splitting varied by species but averaged 41% for all species. The order in the frequency of splitting was balsam fir, black spruce, white spruce and lodgepole pine. The type of splitting (straight, spiral, or multiple) varied by species, as did the position of the split on the tree bole. Aspect or solar angle was not statistically related to the type or occurrence of splitting.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document