scholarly journals The negative impact of intentionally introduced Quercus rubra L. on a forest community

2014 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beata Woziwoda ◽  
Dominik Kopeć ◽  
Janusz Witkowski

<p>Some alien woody species used in commercial forestry become invasive and, as invaders, cause major problems in natural and semi-natural ecosystems. However, the deliberate introduction of aliens can bring unintended negative changes also within areas of their cultivation. This paper presents the effects of the intentional introduction of the North-American <em>Quercus rubra</em> in European mixed Scots pine-Pedunculate oak forests (POFs): <em>Querco roboris-Pinetum</em> (W. Mat. 1981) J. Mat. 1988. Phytosociological data from field research combined with GIS data analysis of the current distribution of Northern Red oak in the studied habitat were used to determine the composition and structure of forest communities in plots with and without <em>Q. rubra</em> participation. </p><p>The results show that <em>Q. rubra</em> significantly reduces native species richness and abundance, both in old-growth and in secondary (post-agricultural) forests. Not one resident vascular plant benefits from the introduction of Northern Red oak and only a few are able to tolerate its co-occurrence. The natural restocking of all native woody species is also strongly limited by this alien tree. </p><p>The introduction of Northern Red oak significantly limits the environmental functions of the POF ecosystem and weakens its economic and social aspects. However, its further cultivation is justified from an economic point of view, as the essential function of the studied forests is commercial timber production, and the introduction of this fast growing alien tree supports the provisioning ecosystem services. A clear description of the level of trade-off between the accepted negative and positive effects of the introduction of <em>Q. rubra</em> on forest ecosystem services requires further interdisciplinary studies.</p>

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Zhu ◽  
H. Liu ◽  
Y. Shen ◽  
Hengyu Liu ◽  
R. H. Zondag

Abstract Multiple-row container-grown trees require specially designed sprayers to achieve efficient spray delivery. A five-port air-assisted sprayer with both automatic and manual control modes was developed to discharge adequate spray deposition inside multiple-row trees. The sprayer resulted from integration of a high-speed laser-scanning sensor with a sophisticated nozzle flow control system, an embedded computer with a touch screen, a Doppler speed sensor, a specially-designed algorithm and an air-assisted sprayer base. It was able to detect target tree presence and measure target tree size, shape and leaf density. The sprayer then controlled the spray output of each nozzle to match tree structures. The sprayer was tested for its sprayer deposition quality inside canopies in a four-row sterling silver linden (Tilia tomentosa 'Sterling Silver' Moench) field and another six-row northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) field. Tests were conducted with the sprayer in variable-rate application (VRA) and constant-rate application (CRA) modes. The average spray deposit on foliage of trees was 1.37±0.47 μL cm−2 from VRA and 1.29±0.42 μL cm−2 from CRA in linden, and was 2.15±0.57 μL cm−2 from VRA and 2.72±0.94 μL cm−2 from CRA in red oak, respectively. In comparison, spray coverage on foliage of trees was 19.8±3.0% from VRA and 20.9±4.3% from CRA in the linden trial, and was 27.9±3.7% from VRA and 30.5±5.4% from CRA, respectively, in the red oak trial. The newly developed air-assisted sprayer in both VRA and CRA modes would be able to discharge adequate spray deposition inside multiple-row tree plants while conserving pesticide. Index words: environmental protection, pest control, pesticide, precision sprayer, spray coverage. Species used in this study: sterling silver linden (Tilia tomentosa 'Sterling Silver' Moench), northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.).


2003 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-93
Author(s):  
Eric Heitzman ◽  
Adrian Grell

Abstract In 2001, we used power augers to plant 1-0 northern red oak (Quercus rubra) and white oak (Q. alba) seedlings in stony soils in Arkansas. After two growing seasons, red oak and white oak survival was 86% and 91%, respectively. Both species had only grown an average of 1 ft in height in 2 yr. North. J. Appl. For. 20(2):92–93.


2002 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry L. Sharik ◽  
David S. Buckley

Abstract We documented patterns in the removal of planted northern red oak (Quercus rubra) acorns by rodents in red pine (Pinus resinosa) stands during a field study of oak regeneration in northern Lower Michigan. Each stand contained four overstory treatments assigned at random: clearcut, 25% cover, 50% cover, and uncut (control). Each level of canopy cover contained four randomly assigned understory treatments: shrub-layer removal, herb-layer removal, litter removal, and a control. Rodents removed acorns from 59% of the seed spots in the uncut control and 12% of the seed spots in the clearcut treatment. This five-fold difference was significant. Acorns were removed from 48% and 40% of the seed spots in the 75% and 50% canopy cover treatments, respectively. Differences in acorn removal between understory treatments were not significant. These results suggest that overstory vegetation treatments can influence the removal of planted acorns by rodents, which has implications for the use of direct seeding for artificially regenerating northern red oak.


2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 2419-2425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Łukasz Myczko ◽  
Łukasz Dylewski ◽  
Artur Chrzanowski ◽  
Tim H. Sparks

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (12) ◽  
pp. 2823-2831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa C Goodman ◽  
Douglass F Jacobs ◽  
Robert P Karrfalt

Desiccation of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) acorns can impact seed viability. We examined use of X-ray image analysis of cotyledon damage in dried acorns to predict germination capacity and seedling vigor. Acorns collected from five half-sib sources were X-rayed before and after drying to one of four moisture content (MC) levels (30%, 25%, 20%, or 15%) or maintained as nondesiccated controls (35%–38% MC). X-ray images were scored qualitatively according to degree of cotyledon–cotyledon and cotyledon-pericarp separation. Following sowing, acorns were evaluated for number of days to reach each of three developmental stages (emergence of radicle, epicotyl, and first leaf flush) and growth for 80 d. Both MC and family significantly affected all variables. The percentage of acorns to reach each developmental stage, as well as final height and root-collar diameter declined with decreasing MC and dropped most notably between 20% and 15% MC. X-ray separation scores more effectively predicted the percentage of acorns to reach each of the first three developmental stages than MC level (R2 = 0.49–0.63 vs. 0.40–0.59). Our results confirm the recalcitrant nature of northern red oak acorns and demonstrate the potential of X-ray image analysis to provide a rapid and nondestructive means to successful predict acorn viability.


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