How long do Norway spruce snags stand? Evaluating four estimation methods

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 376-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Olaf Storaunet ◽  
Jørund Rolstad
Keyword(s):  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Bark Beetles ◽  
Survival Function ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Time Since Death ◽  
Calculation Methods ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Standing Time ◽  
South Central ◽  
Old Growth Forest

We estimated time from death to fall (standing time) of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) snags in a submountainous old-growth forest in south-central Norway, applying four calculation methods to 124 dendro chrono logically cross-dated still-standing snags and 64 fallen logs. The calculation methods consistently estimated expected standing time of snags at 26–34 years, with a median of 16–21 years and 20% of snags standing for >48–58 years. The survival function from all methods took the approximate form of a negative exponential, with a 3%–4% annual fall rate for snags. In the distribution of time since death, a small peak in dead trees 20–30 years ago (late 1970s) coincides with a historic epidemic of bark beetles. The method using only time since death of still-standing snags appears to be the most feasible for estimating total standing time of snags in old-growth forests with constant tree mortality.

Time since death and fall of Norway spruce logs in old-growth and selectively cut boreal forest

2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (10) ◽  
pp. 1801-1812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Olaf Storaunet ◽  
Jørund Rolstad
Keyword(s):  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Classification Systems ◽  
Time Since Death ◽  
Forest Stands ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
South Central ◽  
Decay Class ◽  
Negative Exponential Distribution ◽  
Decomposition Time ◽  
Negative Exponential

To estimate the age of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) logs by means of decay classes, and to assess how long it takes for downed logs to decompose, we dated logs dendrochronologically by applying 5- and 8-grade decay classification systems. Study sites were chosen in old-growth and previously selectively cut forest stands in boreal south-central Scandinavia; 113 logs were dated to the number of years since death, 120 were dated to the number of years since fall, and 61 logs were dated to both. The number of years from death to fall showed a negative exponential distribution, with a mean of 22 years and a range of 0–91 years. Decay classes of logs (8-grade scale) reflected time since fall (R2 = 0.58) better than time since death (R2 = 0.27) in a linear regression model. This result is due to the lower decomposition rate of standing snags. Therefore, the decomposition time of logs should be divided into two periods: time from death to fall, which varies considerably, and time after fall, which appears to follow a linear relationship with decay class. The model predicted that it takes 100 years after fall for downed logs to decompose completely (reaching decay class 8) in old-growth stands. Logs in selectively cut stands appeared to decompose faster (64 years), which is explained by a sample shortage of old logs resulting from previous cuttings. We conclude that the decomposition time of downed logs may be severely underestimated when data is retrospectively compiled from previously logged forest stands.

Balancing water supply and old-growth forest conservation in the lowlands of south-central Chile through adaptive co-management

2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo J. Donoso ◽  
Cristián Frêne ◽  
Marco Flores ◽  
Michelle C. Moorman ◽  
Carlos E. Oyarzún ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Supply ◽  
Forest Conservation ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Central Chile ◽  
South Central ◽  
Old Growth Forest

scholarly journals Structural Features of Old Growth Forest from South Eastern Carpathians, Romania

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-164
Author(s):  
Valentin Cristea ◽  
Ștefan Leca ◽  
Albert Ciceu ◽  
Șerban Chivulescu ◽  
Ovidiu Badea
Keyword(s):  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Gini Index ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Distribution Functions ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Eastern Carpathians ◽  
Beech Stand

Background and Purpose: Romania’s forests are of globally significant value due to their natural characteristics, as similar forests in some other parts of the world have been lost forever. These types of forests, so-called "virgin" and "quasi-virgin (old growth)" forests, are also identified in the Buzau Mountains, which are part of the Eastern Carpathians in Romania (Curvature Region). Materials and Methods: To study and understand the structure and dynamics of primeval forest, four permanent one-hectare research plots were installed in the Penteleu Mountains, part of the Buzau Mountains. All trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) greater than 80 mm were measured and their main dendrometric characteristics (DBH, height and social position) registered. The forest structure was analysed by fitting different theoretical distribution functions (beta, gamma, gamma 3P, gamma 3P mixt, loglogistic 3p, lognormal 3P and Weibull 3p). The structural homogeneity of the permanent research plots was tested using the Camino index (H) and Gini index (G). Results: For the smaller DBH categories, Norway spruce was relatively shorter in height, but with increasing DBH, the heights of Norway spruce exceeded those of European beech. Stand volume varied between 615 and 1133 m3 per hectare. The area of maximum stability where we encountered the lowest tree height variability was recorded between the 60 cm and 100 cm diameter categories. The Lorenz curve and the Gini index indicated that the studied stands have high structural biodiversity. Conclusions: The results showed that the studied forests have an optimal structural diversity, assuring them a higher stability and multifunctionality. Thus, these forests are models for managed forests.

Stand development in an old-growth subalpine forest in southern interior British Columbia

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 1347-1356 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Parish ◽  
J A Antos ◽  
M -J Fortin
Keyword(s):  
Bark Beetles ◽  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Radial Increment ◽  
Abies Lasiocarpa ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Engelmann Spruce ◽  
Dryocoetes Confusus ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Canopy Trees ◽  
Short Period

The dynamics of an old-growth Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry) - subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) forest were investigated using stand-history reconstruction. Age and size structures, tree location, and radial increment patterns were used to link establishment and growth to disturbances. The spatial distribution of trees was used to infer patterns of establishment and mortality. The forest originated in the 1650s, probably after fire. Initial establishment took almost 80 years, after which fir continued to recruit effectively, but spruce did not. The tree-ring record showed no evidence of widespread disturbance during the first 200 years, but from about 1855 to 1900 a major period of canopy mortality caused by bark beetles released suppressed trees and provided opportunities for establishment and rapid growth of seedlings of both species. Most current canopy trees established or released during this period of disturbance; thus, many canopy trees are fairly young in this old-growth forest and canopy turnover is high. A short period of disturbance (1927-1932) caused by the balsam bark beetle (Dryocoetes confusus Swaine) resulted in release of suppressed trees but did not promote seedling establishment. At the time of study (1994), the stand was undergoing another minor disturbance caused by this insect. Bark beetles appear to be of fundamental importance in controlling the dynamics of spruce-fir forests during the long intervals that often occur between fires in cool, wet climates.

scholarly journals Canopy Gap Structure as an Indicator of Intact, Old-Growth Temperate Rainforests in the Valdivian Ecoregion

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1183
Author(s):  
Álvaro G. Gutiérrez ◽  
Roberto O. Chávez ◽  
Ignacio Díaz-Hormazábal
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Mean Shift ◽  
Forest Degradation ◽  
Canopy Gap ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Forest Protection ◽  
South Central ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Temperate Rainforests ◽  
Gap Structure

Forest degradation continues to increase globally, threatening biodiversity and the survival of species. In this context, identifying intact, old-growth forest stands is both urgent and vital to ensure their existence and multiple contributions to society. Despite the global ecological importance of the Valdivian temperate rainforests, they are threatened by forest degradation resulting from constant and intense human use in the region. Identification of remnant intact forests in this region is urgent to global forest protection efforts. In this paper, we analyzed whether forests-canopy alterations due to logging produce a distinctive canopy gap structure (e.g., a gap area and a fraction of canopy gaps in the forest) that can be used to remotely distinguish intact from altered forests. We tested this question by comparing the canopy gap structure of 12 old-growth temperate rainforests in south-central Chile (39–40° S), with different levels of canopy alterations due to logging. At each stand, we obtained aerial or satellite very high spatial-resolution images that were automatically segmented using the Mean-Shift segmentation algorithm. We validated the results obtained remotely with ground data on the canopy gap structure. We found that, in the variables, canopy gap fraction, gap area frequency distribution, and mean gap area could be measured remotely with a high level of accuracy. Intact forests have a distinct canopy gap structure in comparison to forests with canopy alterations due to logging. Our results provided a fast, low-cost, and reliable method to obtain canopy gap structure indicators for mapping and monitoring intact forests in the Valdivian ecoregion. The method provided valuable information for managers interested in maintaining and restoring old-growth forest structures in these southern-temperate rainforests.

scholarly journals The carbon balance of South America: status, decadal trends and main determinants

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 627-671 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Gloor ◽  
L. Gatti ◽  
R. J. W. Brienen ◽  
T. Feldpausch ◽  
O. Phillips ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South America ◽  
Carbon Balance ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Atmospheric Environment ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Biometric Analysis ◽  
Old Growth Forest

Abstract. We attempt to summarize the carbon budget of South America and relate it to its dominant controls: population and economic growth, changes in land use practices and a changing atmospheric environment and climate. Flux estimation methods which we consider sufficiently reliable are fossil fuel emission inventories, biometric analysis of old-growth rainforests, estimation of carbon release associated with deforestation based on remote sensing and inventories, and finally inventories of agricultural exports. Other routes to estimating land-atmosphere CO2 fluxes include atmospheric transport inverse modelling and vegetation model predictions but are hampered by the data paucity and the need for improved parameterisation. The available data we analyze suggest that South America was a net source to the atmosphere during the 1980s (∼0.3–0.4 Pg C yr−1) and close to neutral (∼0.1 Pg C yr−1) in the 1990s with carbon uptake in old-growth forests nearly compensating carbon losses due to fossil fuel burning and deforestation. Annual mean precipitation over tropical South America measured by Amazon River discharge has a long-term upward trend, although over the last decade, dry seasons have tended to be drier and longer (and thus wet seasons wetter), with the years 2005 and 2010 experiencing strong droughts. It is currently unclear what the effect of these climate changes on the old-growth forest carbon sink will be but first measurements suggest it may be weakened. Based on scaling of forest census data the net carbon balance of South America seems to have been an increased source roughly over the 2005–2010 period (a total of ∼1 Pg C of dead tree biomass released over several years) due to forest drought response. Finally, economic development of the tropical forest regions of the continent is advancing steadily with exports of agricultural products being an important driver and witnessing a strong upturn over the last decade.

scholarly journals Soil Microbiome Composition along the Natural Norway Spruce Forest Life Cycle

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 410
Author(s):  
Michal Choma ◽  
Pavel Šamonil ◽  
Eva Kaštovská ◽  
Jiří Bárta ◽  
Karolina Tahovská ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Spruce Forest ◽  
Fungal Community Composition ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Norway Spruce Forest

Stand-replacing disturbances are a key element of the Norway spruce (Picea abies) forest life cycle. While the effect of a natural disturbance regime on forest physiognomy, spatial structure and pedocomplexity was well described in the literature, its impact on the microbiome, a crucial soil component that mediates nutrient cycling and stand productivity, remains largely unknown. For this purpose, we conducted research on a chronosequence of sites representing the post-disturbance development of a primeval Norway spruce forest in the Calimani Mts., Romania. The sites were selected along a gradient of duration from 16 to 160 years that ranges from ecosystem regeneration phases of recently disturbed open gaps to old-growth forest stands. Based on DNA amplicon sequencing, we followed bacterial and fungal community composition separately in organic, upper mineral and spodic horizons of present Podzol soils. We observed that the canopy opening and subsequent expansion of the grass-dominated understorey increased soil N availability and soil pH, which was reflected in enlarged bacterial abundance and diversity, namely due to the contribution of copiotrophic bacteria that prefer nutrient-richer conditions. The fungal community composition was affected by the disturbance as well but, contrary to our expectations, with no obvious effect on the relative abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Once the mature stand was re-established, the N availability was reduced, the pH gradually decreased and the original old-growth forest microbial community dominated by acidotolerant oligotrophs recovered. The effect of the disturbance and forest regeneration was most evident in organic horizons, while the manifestation of these events was weaker and delayed in deeper soil horizons.

Tradable Disturbance Permits for Old-growth Forest Conservation: Experimental Evaluation of Implementation Options

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 73-107
Author(s):  
Orsolya Perger ◽  
Curtis Rollins ◽  
Marian Weber ◽  
Wiktor Adamowicz ◽  
Peter Boxall
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Evaluation ◽  
Forest Conservation ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest
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