Effect of selection logging on Yellow-bellied Sapsucker sap-feeding habits in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

The sap-feeding behaviour of a keystone woodpecker species, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius (Linnaeus, 1766)), was compared between high-quality uncut stands and stands harvested with various forms of selection logging in the hardwood forests of Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario. We examined (i) the average distances that sapsuckers travelled from their nest tree to sapwell trees, (ii) the characteristics of active sapwell trees compared with overall stand characteristics, and (iii) the reuse of sapwell trees after 1 or 2 years. We found that sapsuckers travelled approximately the same average distance from their nests to sapwell trees, regardless of logging treatment. The characteristics of sapwell trees were overall unaffected by logging: unhealthy trees, sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall), and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) were used at similar proportions to their stand-level availability in reference and harvested stands. Trees with old sapwells and large-diameter trees were used significantly more than their stand-level availability; thus the retention of these trees during tree-marking procedures may preserve sap foraging habitat. The reuse of sapwell trees did not vary between treatments, and on average, over half of the sapwell trees showed evidence of reuse the following year.

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Responses of Syrphids, Elaterids and Bees to Single-tree Selection Harvesting in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v120i1.239 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 120 (1) ◽

pp. 15 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Erica Nol ◽

Hume Douglas ◽

William J. Crins

Keyword(s):

Acer Saccharum ◽

Sugar Maple ◽

Forest Understory ◽

Betula Alleghaniensis ◽

Click Beetles ◽

Single Tree ◽

Single Tree Selection ◽

Selection Harvesting ◽

Provincial Park ◽

Capture Rates

The species composition of hoverflies (Syrphidae), click beetles (Elateridae), and bees (Apoidea) was studied to determine whether there was a positive response in these flower-seeking insect groups to gaps in the canopy created through single-tree selection harvesting of Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) and Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) in hardwood forests of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest region of Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario. There were significantly more hoverflies and bees collected in forest stands harvested within the previous five years than in wilderness zone (unharvested at least for 40 years) stands or stands harvested 15-20 years previously (old logged stands). Click beetles, especially Selatosomus pulcher (LeConte), were collected most often in old logged stands. Bees and click beetles were collected significantly later in the season in logged than in wilderness zone stands. Malaise traps resulted in higher capture rates for syrphids than pan traps, and only with these higher capture rates did we detect a significant increase in species richness in recently logged stands over that in wilderness stands. Changes in the numbers and phenology of flower-visiting insects may impact on reproductive success of flowering plants of the forest understory and deserves further study.

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Present-day expansion of American beech in northeastern hardwood forests: Does soil base status matter?

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x09-172 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 39 (12) ◽

pp. 2273-2282 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Louis Duchesne ◽

Rock Ouimet

Keyword(s):

Acer Saccharum ◽

Sugar Maple ◽

Basal Area ◽

Base Cation ◽

Hardwood Forests ◽

Fagus Grandifolia ◽

Soil Base ◽

Large Area ◽

American Beech ◽

Permanent Sample Plots

Recently, sugar maple ( Acer saccharum Marsh.) decline in northeastern North America has been regarded as a major factor structuring hardwood forests by favouring American beech ( Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) in the understory of maple-dominated stands. To determine whether soil fertility differences associated with sugar maple decline may have promoted the expansion of American beech, we explored the relationships between the soil base status and the sapling and tree strata density and composition, using data from 426 permanent sample plots distributed throughout Quebec. Our results indicate that American beech is currently expanding in the sugar maple range of Quebec. The abundance and proportion of American beech in the sapling stratum are mainly associated with the proportion of American beech in the tree stratum, the relative basal area of dead sugar maple trees, and the base status of soils. In accordance with the many studies reporting on the high sensitivity of sugar maple to the acid–base status of soils and the decline of the sugar maple population, this study supports the hypothesis that soil base cation depletion, caused in part by atmospheric acid deposition, is among the main factors involved in the present-day expansion of American beech over a large area in Quebec.

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Crown openness as influenced by tree and site characteristics for yellow birch, sugar maple, and eastern hemlock

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x07-177 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 38 (3) ◽

pp. 488-497 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Marie-Lou Lefrançois ◽

Marilou Beaudet ◽

Christian Messier

Keyword(s):

Acer Saccharum ◽

Sugar Maple ◽

Forest Canopy ◽

Light Transmission ◽

Eastern Hemlock ◽

Betula Alleghaniensis ◽

Yellow Birch ◽

Mature Trees ◽

Regional Variability ◽

Site Characteristics

Crown openness (CO) of mature trees influences light transmission within the forest canopy. However, in modeling, this variable is often considered constant within species, and its potential regional variability is ignored. The objective of this study was to evaluate if CO values of yellow birch ( Betula alleghaniensis Britt.), sugar maple ( Acer saccharum Marsh.), and eastern hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière) vary according to the following factors: (i) species, (ii) regional actual evapotranspiration (AET), (iii) tree size (i.e., diameter at breast height, DBH), and (iv) angle of transmission from zenith. To achieve this, CO was evaluated for 136 yellow birches, 109 sugar maples, and 68 hemlocks from different regions of western Quebec, southern Ontario, and northern Michigan. Results showed that all of the studied factors affected CO. While dominant trees can intercept light laterally as well as vertically, smaller trees are more efficient at intercepting light vertically. Increasing AET is associated with more open crowns. Given its importance in light transmission in the understory, a better understanding of how CO varies between individuals, species, and regions is needed.

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Leaf- and plant-level carbon gain in yellow birch, sugar maple, and beech seedlings from contrasting forest light environments

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x99-220 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 390-404 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Marilou Beaudet ◽

Christian Messier ◽

David W Hilbert ◽

Ernest Lo ◽

Zhang M Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acer Saccharum ◽

Sugar Maple ◽

Light Availability ◽

Fagus Grandifolia ◽

Carbon Gain ◽

Betula Alleghaniensis ◽

Yellow Birch ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Leaf Level ◽

Plant Level

Leaf-level photosynthetic-light response and plant-level daily carbon gain were estimated for seedlings of moderately shade-tolerant yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) and shade-tolerant sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) growing in gaps and under a closed canopy in a sugar maple stand at Duchesnay, Que. All three species had a higher photosynthetic capacity (Amax) in the gaps than in shade, but yellow birch and beech responded more markedly than sugar maple to the increase in light availability. The high degree of plasticity observed in beech suggests that the prediction that photosynthetic plasticity should decrease with increasing shade tolerance may not hold when comparisons are made among a few late-successional species. Unit-area daily carbon gain (CA) was significantly higher in the gaps than in shade for all three species, but no significant difference was observed between light environments for plant-level carbon gain (CW). In shade, we found no difference of CA and CW among species. In gaps, beech had a significantly higher CA than sugar maple but similar to that of birch, and birch had a significantly higher CW than maple but similar to that of beech. Sugar maple consistently had lower carbon gains than yellow birch and beech but is nevertheless the dominant species at our study site. These results indicate that although plant-level carbon gain is presumably more closely related to growth and survival of a species than leaf-level photosynthesis, it is still many steps removed from the ecological success of a species.

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Growth Response of Northern Hardwoods to Partial Cutting in Southern Ontario

The Forestry Chronicle ◽

10.5558/tfc55013-1 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 55 (1) ◽

pp. 13-16 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

William J. Ondro ◽

David V. Love

Keyword(s):

Acer Saccharum ◽

Sugar Maple ◽

Growth Response ◽

Control Area ◽

Betula Alleghaniensis ◽

Partial Cutting ◽

Individual Tree ◽

University Of Toronto ◽

Treatment Comparison ◽

Tree Quality

To test the effect of three methods of partial cutting on diameter growth and tree quality, three treatments (a light improvement cut based on individual tree selection, an improvement cut based on group tree selection, and a commercial cut) were applied removing approximately 20% of the stand volume, and a control area chosen. The stands, made up of american beech (Fagus grandiflora Ehrh.), sugar maple (Acer saccharum March.), and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.), were located near Dorset, Haliburton County, Ontario, in the former University of Toronto Forest.Remeasurement data 10 years after cutting were used for treatment comparison. The commercial cut resulted in the greatest dbh increment. Although growth response was lower in the improvement cuts, most dbh increment occurred on trees of better quality. Dbh increment response was greater after group selection than individual tree selection.

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Distribution of Trace Metals within the Aboveground Phytomass of Acer saccharum Marsh, and Betula alleghaniensis Britt. at the Turkey Lakes Watershed

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f88-273 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 45 (S1) ◽

pp. s101-s106 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

G. D. Hogan ◽

I. K. Morrison

Keyword(s):

Trace Metals ◽

Acer Saccharum ◽

Sugar Maple ◽

Large Mass ◽

Trace Metal Concentration ◽

Betula Alleghaniensis ◽

Aboveground Phytomass ◽

Lead Levels ◽

Turkey Lakes Watershed ◽

Cd Distribution

A study of Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Cd distribution in Acer saccharum Marsh, (sugar maple) and Betula alleghaniensis Britt. (yellow birch) was carried out at the Turkey Lakes Watershed (TLW) in the District of Algoma, Ontario. Aboveground phytomass was dominated by stemwood (134 200 kg∙ha−1), stembark (19 300 kg∙ha−1), and branches > 2 cm (38 800 kg∙ha−1). Acer saccharum was the dominant species, accounting for 88% of the aboveground phytomass. The generalized phytomass trace metal concentration series for A. saccharum was Mn > Fe > Zn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cd and for B. alleghaniensis was Mn > Zn > Fe > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cd. Concentrations of metals were highest in the foliage or stembark and lowest in stemwood but, because of its large mass, stemwood generally contained the greatest amount of metal per tree and per hectare. Components of B. alleghaniensis contained higher Zn and Cd concentrations than did those of A. saccharum by a factor of between 4 and 10, an indication that B. alleghaniensis is an accumulator of these metals. Lead levels in all components were one-third to one-half those reported elsewhere, a reflection of lower deposition at TLW. Historical data from other sites in North America gave no indication that concentrations of essential trace metals in aboveground components were higher than normal for these species.

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Effect of branch position and light availability on shoot growth of understory sugar maple and yellow birch saplings

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b00-084 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 78 (8) ◽

pp. 1077-1085 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Julie Goulet ◽

Christian Messier ◽

Eero Nikinmaa

Keyword(s):

Phenotypic Plasticity ◽

Acer Saccharum ◽

Sugar Maple ◽

Shoot Growth ◽

Position Effect ◽

Light Availability ◽

Betula Alleghaniensis ◽

Yellow Birch ◽

Preliminary Results ◽

Vigour Index

Phenotypic plasticity enables tree saplings to change their morphology according to their environment to grow toward a better light micro-habitat. Therefore, processes of crown development could be expected to vary as a function of light. The objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate the effects of position and light availability on shoot growth within the crowns of understory saplings of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton.); (ii) develop a new vigour index for shoots; and (iii) evaluate the possible factors relating to branch mortality in the crown of sugar maple saplings. The results revealed that there is a clear branch position effect on shoot growth in the crown for yellow birch saplings and that it is partly related to the presence of two types of shoots. Dead branches were located at the bottom of the crown of sugar maple saplings; they were smaller in size, had wider angles and had lower indexes of vigour than live branches found nearby. Preliminary results obtained on the vigour index indicate that it is a potentially useful tool for predicting the growth and vigour status of a branch.Key words: shoot growth, branch position, light availability, branch mortality, sugar maple, yellow birch.

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Variation in stem form and risk of four commercially important hardwood species in the Acadian Forest: implications for potential sawlog volume and tree classification systems

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/cjfr-2017-0182 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 47 (11) ◽

pp. 1457-1467 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Mark Castle ◽

Aaron Weiskittel ◽

Robert Wagner ◽

Mark Ducey ◽

Jereme Frank ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acer Saccharum ◽

Sugar Maple ◽

Acer Rubrum ◽

Classification Systems ◽

Continuous Measure ◽

Betula Alleghaniensis ◽

Northern Red Oak ◽

Red Maple ◽

Stem Form ◽

Stem Quality

Northern hardwood trees display a wide variety of stem forms and defects, which can substantially reduce their financial value and also complicate their silviculture. While attributes of stem form and defect have been incorporated into tree classification systems, their ability to assess product value and recovery in standing trees has not been adequately tested. To address this issue, we classified stem form and risk using a system developed by the Northern Hardwoods Research Institute (NHRI) for four species across several locations in Maine, New Hampshire, and New Brunswick: sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), red maple (Acer rubrum L.), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton), and northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.). Using these data, we (i) quantified interspecific and regional variation in stem form and damage, (ii) related potential sawlog recovery to tree size, form, and risk, and (iii) compared the efficacy of the NHRI system with a commonly used classification system and a continuous measure of stem quality. High variation in both stem form and damage among the species was found, with red maple showing the largest range. A simplified NHRI system including three form classes proved to be sufficient in differentiating sawlog potential in individual trees, while a model using a continuous measure of stem quality (estimated merchantable sawlog height) performed best.

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Adaptations of the photosynthetic apparatus of sun- and shade-grown yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.)

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b70-249 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 48 (9) ◽

pp. 1681-1688 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

K. T. Logan

Keyword(s):

Acer Saccharum ◽

Sugar Maple ◽

Dark Respiration ◽

Photosynthetic Apparatus ◽

Betula Alleghaniensis ◽

Yellow Birch ◽

Photosynthetic Rates ◽

Light Intensities ◽

Young Leaves ◽

Sun And Shade

Rates of apparent photosynthesis and dark respiration of 4-year-old yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) seedlings, grown in full light and shade (13% of full light), were measured with an infrared gas analyzer. Measurements were made periodically throughout the growing season, using either attached branches or entire seedlings. Effects of light intensities from 0 to 4500 ft-c on photosynthetic rates were studied, and comparisons made between young and old leaves and between photosynthetic rates in normal (300 p.p.m.) and saturating (1245 p.p.m.) CO2 concentration.The photosynthetic apparatus of yellow birch was found to adapt poorly to shaded conditions. In saturating light, the rate of apparent photosynthesis of young leaves of shade-grown seedlings was only half that of sun-grown seedlings; for old leaves the reduction was even greater. As a result, shade-grown seedlings had a lower photosynthetic capacity in saturating light despite their larger leaf area. In low light intensities, leaves of sun- and shade-grown seedlings had nearly the same rates of apparent photosynthesis. Rates of respiration of shade-grown seedlings were one-half those of sun-grown seedlings.When seedlings were exposed to light intensities comparable to those in which they were grown, their photosynthetic rates correlated with their dry matter production.When the CO2 concentration was raised to 1245 p.p.m., photosynthetic rates of leaves of sun- and shade-grown seedlings increased by the same relative amount. It is concluded that the poor adaptation of yellow birch to shade results from a reduction in content of carboxylating enzymes rather than changes in chlorophyll content or resistance to CO2 diffusion. Adaptations of yellow birch are contrasted with those of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.).

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