Seasonal Changes in the Photosynthetic Activity of Terrestrial Lichens and Mosses in the Lichen Scots Pine Forest Habitat

Photosynthetic activity is one of the most important metabolic processes that can be quickly and easily studied in the field. It can be used for identifying the environmental factors affecting ecosystem balance, as any stressor influencing metabolic and physiological processes will have a measurable effect on photosynthesis. The aim of this study was to measure the photosynthetic activity of selected lichens and mosses and investigate its changes resulted from diurnal and seasonal variability. We studied two lichens (Cladonia mitis Sandst and Cladonia uncialis (L.) Weber ex F.H. Wigg.) and two mosses (Pleurozium schreberi (Willd. ex Brid.) Mitt. and Dicranum scoparium (L.) Hedw.). Samples were collected in the area of lichen Scots pine forest of the “Bory Tucholskie” National Park. Our study revealed that the photosynthetic activity of cryptogams depended on species, season, time of the day, and water availability. Cladonia species, which are the main component of lichen Scots pine forests, have higher photosynthetic activity than Pleurozium schreberi, which represents species of fresh coniferous forests. Photosynthetic activity increased from spring through summer and reached the highest values in autumn. It was also higher in soaked samples collected in the morning and afternoon compared to noon. Despite the water access, noon samples still showed the lowest activity. This can result from natural changes in humidity during the day to which cryptogams are well-adapted.

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Biomass dynamics of central Siberian Scots pine forests following surface fires of varying severity

International Journal of Wildland Fire ◽

10.1071/wf13043 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 23 (6) ◽

pp. 872 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Elena A. Kukavskaya ◽

Galina A. Ivanova ◽

Susan G. Conard ◽

Douglas J. McRae ◽

Valery A. Ivanov

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Pine Forest ◽

Prescribed Fires ◽

Above Ground Biomass ◽

Fuel Loading ◽

High Severity ◽

Ground Biomass ◽

Scots Pine Forests ◽

Biomass Components ◽

Scots Pine Forest

In 2000–2002 nine 4-ha prescribed fires of various severities were conducted on experimental plots in mature Scots pine forest in the central Siberian taiga, Russia. Total above-ground living biomass decreased after low- and moderate-severity fires by 10 and 15%, whereas high-severity fire reduced living above-ground biomass by 83%. We monitored changes in fuel structure and biomass for 6–8 years following these fires. By 6–8 years after burning the ground fuel loading had recovered to 101, 96 and 82% of pre-fire levels after fires of low-, moderate- and high-severity. Down woody fuel loading increased by 0.18±0.04kgm–2year–1. We developed regressions relating time since fire to changes in above-ground biomass components for fires of different severity for feather moss–lichen Scots pine forest of Siberia. Our results demonstrate the importance of both burn severity and composition of pre-fire surface vegetation in determining rates and patterns of post-fire vegetation recovery on dry Scots pine sites in central Siberia.

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Trends of Scots pine forest health and element flow changes in the ICP Forests monitoring sites in Latvia

BALTIC FORESTRY ◽

10.46490/bf536 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Arta Bārdule ◽

Andis Bārdulis ◽

Kaspars Polmanis ◽

Linards Ludis Krumšteds ◽

Aldis Butlers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Solution ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Forest Health ◽

Pine Forest ◽

Pine Forests ◽

Icp Forests ◽

Level Ii ◽

Scots Pine Forests ◽

Flow Changes ◽

Scots Pine Forest

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is one of the most widespread and economically most important tree species in Latvia. Scots pine forest health and element flow changes have been monitored in Latvia within the International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP Forests) with assessment of crown condition and damaging agents at 115 Level I monitoring sites (mostly oligothrophic and mesotrophic Vacciniosa, Myrtillosa and Hylocomiosa forests) and with sampling and analyses of environmental samples at three Level II monitoring sites representing typical Scots pine forests (Myrtillosa) in hemiboreal conditions in Latvia. This study summarizes the background information and presents the trends of forest health, carbon turnover and environment condition in Scots pine forest since 2009. In general, defoliation rate in Scots pine stands remains stable for the studied period, with some yearly fluctuations, possibly related to regional insect outbreaks, especially well demonstrated in two Level II plots. The share of damaged trees varied by year from 12.8% to 19% of the total number; the main cause of damage was direct action of man. Chemical element flows in Scots pine forests in Level II monitoring plots have been relatively stable as well except the decreasing trend in total N concentration in deposition and SO4-S concentration in soil solution and increasing trends in DOC concentration in soil solution that is in line with common trends in Europe. Carbon input with above-ground litter was relatively stable during the whole period; however, interannual variations were rather wide.

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Analysis of natural regeneration of Scots pine forest in the high Campine after a fire

Silva Gandavensis ◽

10.21825/sg.v53i0.912 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

N. Lust

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Natural Regeneration ◽

Fire Regime ◽

Pine Forest ◽

Seed Supply ◽

Regeneration Period ◽

The Social ◽

Short Period ◽

Fire Area ◽

Scots Pine Forest

The study deals with the spontaneous resettlement of a fire area, after destruction of 600 ha Scots pine forest. The following items have been examined in particular: the composition of the tree species, the duration of the regeneration period, the influence of the parent stand, the exposition, the slope, the treatment, the fire regime and the social differentiation. The resettlement took place very quickly and over a very short period. Birch and Scots pine take up 95 % of the stem number. The regeneration result is precarious, yet mostly good. The parent stand is favourable both to seed supply and to microclimate, but only over a short distance. The Scots pine prefers more open and dry areas, whereas birch needs more humidity. Practice has shown that natural regeneration of Scots pine stands is possible. The forest treatment, however, is very important. It determines not only the immediate result of the regeneration, but also the composition and the structure of the future stand.

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Exchange of trace gases between soils and the atmosphere in Scots pine forest ecosystems of the northeastern German lowlands

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/s0378-1127(01)00725-3 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 167 (1-3) ◽

pp. 123-134 ◽

Cited By ~ 87

Author(s):

K Butterbach-Bahl ◽

L Breuer ◽

R Gasche ◽

G Willibald ◽

H Papen

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Trace Gases ◽

Pine Forest ◽

Scots Pine Forest

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Impacts of summer water limitation on the carbon balance of a Scots pine forest in the southern upper Rhine plain

Agricultural and Forest Meteorology ◽

10.1016/j.agrformet.2008.06.008 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 148 (11) ◽

pp. 1815-1826 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Jutta Holst ◽

Romain Barnard ◽

Elke Brandes ◽

Nina Buchmann ◽

Arthur Gessler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Carbon Balance ◽

Pine Forest ◽

Water Limitation ◽

Scots Pine Forest ◽

Upper Rhine

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Methodological development for combined analysis of S and 35S in a Scots pine forest study

Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis ◽

10.1080/00103629209368688 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 23 (13-14) ◽

pp. 1575-1589 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

A. P. Rowland ◽

A. F. Harrison ◽

V. H. Kennedy ◽

J. N. Cape

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Pine Forest ◽

Methodological Development ◽

Combined Analysis ◽

Scots Pine Forest

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Soil Solution Response to Nitrogen and Magnesium Application in a Scots Pine Forest

Soil Science Society of America Journal ◽

10.2136/sssaj2001.1812 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 65 (6) ◽

pp. 1812-1823 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Live S. Vestgarden ◽

Gunnar Abrahamsen ◽

Arne O. Stuanes

Keyword(s):

Soil Solution ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Pine Forest ◽

Scots Pine Forest

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Modelling short-term variability in carbon and water exchange in a temperate Scots pine forest

Earth System Dynamics ◽

10.5194/esd-6-485-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 485-503 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

M. H. Vermeulen ◽

B. J. Kruijt ◽

T. Hickler ◽

P. Kabat

Keyword(s):

Water Uptake ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Water Exchange ◽

Carbon Sink ◽

Pine Forest ◽

Temperature Threshold ◽

Water Fluxes ◽

Local Data ◽

Deep Soil ◽

Scots Pine Forest

Abstract. The vegetation–atmosphere carbon and water exchange at one particular site can strongly vary from year to year, and understanding this interannual variability in carbon and water exchange (IAVcw) is a critical factor in projecting future ecosystem changes. However, the mechanisms driving this IAVcw are not well understood. We used data on carbon and water fluxes from a multi-year eddy covariance study (1997–2009) in a Dutch Scots pine forest and forced a process-based ecosystem model (Lund–Potsdam–Jena General Ecosystem Simulator; LPJ-GUESS) with local data to, firstly, test whether the model can explain IAVcw and seasonal carbon and water exchange from direct environmental factors only. Initial model runs showed low correlations with estimated annual gross primary productivity (GPP) and annual actual evapotranspiration (AET), while monthly and daily fluxes showed high correlations. The model underestimated GPP and AET during winter and drought events. Secondly, we adapted the temperature inhibition function of photosynthesis to account for the observation that at this particular site, trees continue to assimilate at very low atmospheric temperatures (up to daily averages of −10 °C), resulting in a net carbon sink in winter. While we were able to improve daily and monthly simulations during winter by lowering the modelled minimum temperature threshold for photosynthesis, this did not increase explained IAVcw at the site. Thirdly, we implemented three alternative hypotheses concerning water uptake by plants in order to test which one best corresponds with the data. In particular, we analyse the effects during the 2003 heatwave. These simulations revealed a strong sensitivity of the modelled fluxes during dry and warm conditions, but no single formulation was consistently superior in reproducing the data for all timescales and the overall model–data match for IAVcw could not be improved. Most probably access to deep soil water leads to higher AET and GPP simulated during the heatwave of 2003. We conclude that photosynthesis at lower temperatures than assumed in most models can be important for winter carbon and water fluxes in pine forests. Furthermore, details of the model representations of water uptake, which are often overlooked, need further attention, and deep water access should be treated explicitly.

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