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.

The relationship of buried, germinating seeds to vegetation in an old-growth Colorado subalpine forest

1978 ◽  
Vol 56 (13) ◽  
pp. 1505-1509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Whipple
Keyword(s):  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Forest Species ◽  
Forest Stands ◽  
Rapid Loss ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Viable Seeds ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Germinating Seeds ◽  
The Relationship

Species of buried, germinating seeds and species occurring in the vegetation are compared for two Colorado subalpine forest stands, one dry and one mesic, both over 325 years old. The total numbers of seeds found were small and the correspondence with species in the vegetation was poor. This is consistent with reports from other old-growth forests and may be accounted for by a combination of low seed input and rapid loss of viable seeds from the soil reservoir for old-growth forest species.

Native forest pathogens facilitate persistence of Douglas-fir in old-growth forests of northwestern California

2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 1256-1266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley E. Hawkins ◽  
Terry W. Henkel
Keyword(s):  
Bark Beetles ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Gap Formation ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Forest Pathogens ◽  
Canopy Trees ◽  
White Fir ◽  
Closed Canopy

Forest pathogens and insects can accelerate tree mortality, increase stand structural heterogeneity, and alter tree community composition. In northern California, the canopy trees Abies concolor var. lowiana (Gord. & Glend.) Lemmon (white fir) and Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirbel) Franco (Douglas-fir) co-occur but vary in shade tolerance and regenerative abilities following disturbance. Field observations suggested that mortality and turnover of white fir exceeded that of Douglas-fir and that native pathogens may be important drivers in the absence of fire. Pathogens and bark beetles were sampled in old-growth white fir – Douglas-fir stands in northwestern California to assess their contribution to tree mortality, gap formation, and regeneration. We determined abundances and size class distributions of canopy trees, presence of pathogens and bark beetles, and causes of tree mortality. We sampled canopy gaps and closed-canopy forests for overstory species composition, cause of mortality of gap-maker trees, and regeneration of white fir and Douglas-fir. Root-rot fungi accounted for significantly higher mortality and gap formation in white fir than in Douglas-fir. Relative seedling–sapling density of Douglas-fir was higher in pathogen-induced canopy gaps than in closed-canopy forest. In the absence of fire, native forest pathogens enable regeneration and persistence of Douglas-fir by enhancing mortality of white fir, resulting in canopy gap formation.

Changes in litter and dead wood loads following tree death beneath subalpine conifer species in northern Colorado

2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christof Bigler ◽  
Thomas T. Veblen
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Contorta ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Dead Wood ◽  
Fire Behavior ◽  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Abies Lasiocarpa ◽  
Climate Trends ◽  
Subalpine Fir ◽  
Engelmann Spruce ◽  
Northern Colorado

Litter and dead wood affect important processes in forest ecosystems such as nutrient and carbon cycling and are key influences on biodiversity and fire behavior. Increased tree mortality rates in western North America associated with climate trends and increased bark beetle activity highlight the need to better understand the dynamics of litter and dead wood following tree death. For eight old-growth stands in a subalpine forest landscape in northern Colorado (USA), we compared litter and dead wood loads beneath more than 200 dead and live Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.), subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.), and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Douglas ex Loudon). The dynamics of litter and dead wood were analyzed using chronosequences of tree death dates over >100 years that we determined from tree rings. Immediately following tree death, high loads of litter accumulated, particularly for the biggest spruces, which accumulated 10 times more litter than live spruces (five times more for fir, two times more for pine). We estimated a higher decay rate of litter for spruce (half-life of four years) than for pine (15 years) and fir (19 years). The accumulation rates for dead wood following tree death were highly variable among trees, but maximum accumulation was attained during the first 50–60 years.

Pre-Vashon fossil Coleoptera of Fraser age from the Fraser Lowland, British Columbia

1985 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 498-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. F. Miller ◽  
A. V. Morgan ◽  
S. R. Hicock
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Bark Beetles ◽  
Pinus Contorta ◽  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Abies Lasiocarpa ◽  
Open Forest ◽  
Distribution Ranges ◽  
The Family ◽  
Open Ground

Samples of organic silt from post-Coquitlam Quadra sand at Port Moody and Mary Hill, British Columbia (dated at 18 300 and 18 700 years BP, respectively) were examined for insect remains and yielded small assemblages of beetles.At Port Moody species of the family Staphylinidae, whose members are often associated with moss or leaf litter, are the most abundant fossils present. Other specimens included open-ground beetles of the family Carabidae, as well as weevils (Curculionidae) and bark beetles (Scolytidae), which inhabit conifers. The assemblage appears to represent an open forest-floor community. Some of the species in this site have distribution ranges that do not include the Port Moody area today, but do occur in the interior of British Columbia and at higher altitude near the coast. One of the most numerous species, Micropeplus laticollis Mäklin, occurs in duff of conifers including Picea engelmannii, Abies lasiocarpa, Pinus ponderosa, and Pinus contorta. These trees are characteristic of the subalpine forest. The insect assemblage suggests an in situ deposit, subalpine in nature, probably in a cool but dry environment that developed during the short episode when this part of the Fraser Lowland was ice free between the Coquitlam and Vashon ice advances.The beetle assemblage from Mary Hill Quadra sediments probably indicates that a bog environment existed at that time; however, the lack of specific identifications precludes detailed paleoclimatic interpretation.

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.

West coast, temperate, old-growth forests

2003 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 475-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy MacKinnon
Keyword(s):  
West Coast ◽  
Dead Wood ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
History Of ◽  
Wet Climate ◽  
Coastal British Columbia

Canada's west coast, temperate, old-growth forests include its largest, most commercially valuable, fastest-growing, oldest, and certainly most fought-over forests. They can be divided into three main types: coastal rainforest, coastal subalpine forest, and "rain-shadow" forest. Although there is great variation within each of these broad types, coastal rainforests and subalpine forests share a wet climate and are relatively unimpacted by fire as a stand-replacing disturbance. This allows development of multi-aged, multi-canopy, old-growth forests with large volumes of living and dead wood. These forests are structurally and biologically complex. Coastal rain-shadow forests, on the other hand, have a distinctively drier climate (for the coast), and a history of frequent, low-intensity fires. Although well over half of Canada's original west coast, temperate, old-growth forests remain as old growth, there is great variation ecologically and geographically. In general, the percentage of old-growth forest remaining increases with increasing latitude and elevation. Key words: old growth, old-growth forest, coastal British Columbia, temperate rainforest, protected areas, stand structure

Fast- and slow-growing subalpine fir produce lesions of different sizes in response to inoculation with a blue-stain fungus associated with Dryocoetes confusus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (6) ◽  
pp. 735-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine P Bleiker ◽  
Adnan Uzunovic
Keyword(s):  
Defense Response ◽  
Bark Beetles ◽  
Induced Defense ◽  
Abies Lasiocarpa ◽  
Subalpine Fir ◽  
Dryocoetes Confusus ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Blue Stain Fungi ◽  
Blue Stain ◽  
Slow Growing

Trees with low vigor and reduced radial growth may be more susceptible to attack by bark beetles because of reduced host defenses. Fungi associated with bark beetles may be used to elicit an induced defense response from the host. A blue-stain fungus isolated from Dryocoetes confusus Swaine was used to examine the morphology of the hypersensitive response of fast- and slow-growing subalpine fir trees in British Columbia. Twenty fast-growing and 20 slow-growing trees were inoculated with the blue-stain isolate, and the dimensions of the resultant lesions were compared between fast- and slow-growing trees and between fungus and control treatments at 3, 7, 10, 17, and 41 d after inoculation. The length and width of the lesions was greater in response to fungus versus control treatments at 7, 10, 17, and 41 d after inoculation. The length of the lesions was significantly greater in fast- than in slow-growing trees at 7, 10, and 17 d after inoculation. There was no significant difference in the size of the lesions between fast- and slow-growing trees 41 d after inoculation. The temporary difference in the size of the lesions between fast- and slow-growing trees suggests that host vigor affects the induced defense response within a certain time frame.Key words: Abies lasiocarpa, Dryocoetes confusus, host vigor, defense, blue-stain fungi, Ophiostoma.

scholarly journals Unveiling the Diversity of Tree Growth Patterns in Boreal Old-Growth Forests Reveals the Richness of Their Dynamics

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxence Martin ◽  
Cornélia Krause ◽  
Nicole J. Fenton ◽  
Hubert Morin
Keyword(s):  
Radial Growth ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Radial Increment ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Growth Trends ◽  
Silvicultural Treatments ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests

Research Highlights: Radial growth patterns of trees growing in old-growth boreal forests in eastern Canada can be grouped into a small number of simple patterns that are specific to different old-growth forest types or successional stages. Background and Objectives: Identifying the main radial growth trends in old-growth forests could help to develop silvicultural treatments that mimic the complex dynamics of old-growth forests. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the main radial growth patterns and determine how their frequencies change during forest succession in old-growth forests, focusing on boreal landscapes in eastern Canada. Materials and Methods: We used dendrochronological data sampled from 21 old-growth stands in the province of Quebec, Canada. Tree-ring chronologies were simplified into chronologies of equal length to retain only primary growth trends. We used k-means clustering to identify individual growth patterns and the difference in growth-pattern frequency within the studied stands. We then used non-parametric analyses of variance to compare tree or stand characteristics among the clusters. Results: We identified six different growth patterns corresponding to four old-growth forest types, from stands at the canopy breakup stage to true old-growth stands (i.e., when all the pioneer cohort had disappeared). Secondary disturbances of low or moderate severity drove these growth patterns. Overall, the growth patterns were relatively simple and could be generally separated into two main phases (e.g., a phase of limited radial increment size due to juvenile suppression and a phase of increased radial increment size following a growth release). Conclusions: The complexity of old-growth forest dynamics was observed mainly at the stand level, not at the tree level. The growth patterns observed in true old-growth forests were similar to those observed following partial or stem-selection cuts in boreal stands; thus, these silvicultural treatments may be effective in mimicking old-growth dynamics.

Co-baiting for spruce beetles, Dendroctonus rufipennis, and western balsam bark beetles, Dryocoetes confusus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew E Greenwood ◽  
John H Borden
Keyword(s):  
Picea Glauca ◽  
Bark Beetles ◽  
Picea Engelmannii ◽  
Abies Lasiocarpa ◽  
Release Rates ◽  
Dendroctonus Rufipennis ◽  
Alpha Pinene ◽  
Dryocoetes Confusus ◽  
Or Groups ◽  
Spruce Beetle

Co-baiting to contain and concentrate the spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby), and the western balsam bark beetle, Dryocoetes confusus Swaine, was investigated at four locations in British Columbia. Two 9-ha areas were established at each location; one was baited and the other left as a control. Single "interior firs," Abies bifolia A. Murray × Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt., or groups of two or three trees, were baited with (±)-exo-brevicomin released at 1.0 mg/24 h. "Interior spruces," Picea engelmannii Engelm. ex Parry × Picea glauca (Moench) Voss, were baited with frontalin released at 0.1, 0.6, or 2.5 mg/24 h, or at 0.6 mg/24 h with alpha-pinene, ethanol, or ethyl crotonate. Another experiment investigated possible interspecific interference between D. confusus and D. rufipennis baits. Ratios of currently attacked "green" trees to previously attacked "red" trees for both insects were significantly higher in baited than in control areas, indicating that populations were contained. Baiting, however, did not attract either insect from a zone surrounding each baited area. There was a significant increase in D. confusus attack when two trees instead of one were baited per centre, no increase in D. rufipennis attack when frontalin was released alone or with the potential adjuvants, no effect of frontalin release rates on the percentage of trees attacked by D. rufipennis, and no indication of cross-repellency between baits.

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