Acidic deposition and red spruce in the central and southern Appalachians, past and present

Treesearch

Mary Beth. Adams

2010-01-01

During the 1980s, the Spruce-Fir Research Program, part of the Congressionally mandated National Atmospheric Precipitation Assessment Program (NAPAP), investigated the links between acidic deposition and decline and mortality of red spruce forests in the eastern United States. The Spruce-Fir Research Program was highly successful in advancing the state of knowledge on...

The effects of a western spruce budworm outbreak on the dead wood component in relation to ownership in forests of eastern Oregon

Treesearch

David Azuma

2010-01-01

Forest Inventory and Analysis data were used to investigate the effects of a severe western spruce budworm outbreak on the dead wood component of forests in 11 counties of eastern Oregon for two time periods. The ownership and the level of damage (as assessed by aerial surveys) affected the resulting down woody material and standing dead trees. The pattern of coarse...

Multi-Cohort Stand Structural Classification: Ground- and LiDAR-based Approaches for Boreal Mixedwood and Black Spruce Forest Types of Northeastern Ontario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuttner, Benjamin George

Natural fire return intervals are relatively long in eastern Canadian boreal forests and often allow for the development of stands with multiple, successive cohorts of trees. Multi-cohort forest management (MCM) provides a strategy to maintain such multi-cohort stands that focuses on three broad phases of increasingly complex, post-fire stand development, termed "cohorts", and recommends different silvicultural approaches be applied to emulate different cohort types. Previous research on structural cohort typing has relied upon primarily subjective classification methods; in this thesis, I develop more comprehensive and objective methods for three common boreal mixedwood and black spruce forest types in northeastern Ontario. Additionally, I examine relationships between cohort types and stand age, productivity, and disturbance history and the utility of airborne LiDAR to retrieve ground-based classifications and to extend structural cohort typing from plot- to stand-levels. In both mixedwood and black spruce forest types, stand age and age-related deadwood features varied systematically with cohort classes in support of an age-based interpretation of increasing cohort complexity. However, correlations of stand age with cohort classes were surprisingly weak. Differences in site productivity had a significant effect on the accrual of increasingly complex multi-cohort stand structure in both forest types, especially in black spruce stands. The effects of past harvesting in predictive models of class membership were only significant when considered in isolation of age. As an age-emulation strategy, the three cohort model appeared to be poorly suited to black spruce forests where the accrual of structural complexity appeared to be more a function of site productivity than age. Airborne LiDAR data appear to be particularly useful in recovering plot-based cohort types and extending them to the stand-level. The main gradients of structural variability detected using Li

Proceedings of the US/FRG research symposium: effects of atmospheric pollutants on the spruce-fir forests of the Eastern United States and the Federal Republic of Germany

Treesearch

Gerard, tech. coord. Hertel; Gerard Hertel

1988-01-01

Includes 66 papers presented at the US/FRG research symposium: effects of atmospheric pollutants on the spruce-fir forests of the Eastern United States and the Federal Republic of Germany, which was held October 19-23, 1987, in Burlington, Vermont.

Spruce aphid, Elatobium abietinum (Walker): Life history and damage to Engelmann spruce in the Pinaleno Mountains, Arizona

Treesearch

Ann M. Lynch

2009-01-01

Spruce aphid is an exotic insect recently introduced to the Pinaleno Mountains. It feeds on dormant Engelmann spruce, and possible effects include tree-growth suppression, tree mortality, and reduction in seed and cone production. Potential longer-term effects include changes in forest structure and species composition - primarily through reduction in Engelmann spruce...

Lagged cumulative spruce budworm defoliation affects the risk of fire ignition in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

James, Patrick M A; Robert, Louis-Etienne; Wotton, B Mike; Martell, David L; Fleming, Richard A

2017-03-01

Detailed understanding of forest disturbance interactions is needed for effective forecasting, modelling, and management. Insect outbreaks are a significant forest disturbance that alters forest structure as well as the distribution and connectivity of combustible fuels at broad spatial scales. The effect of insect outbreaks on fire activity is an important but contentious issue with significant policy consequences. The eastern spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) is a native defoliating insect in eastern North America whose periodic outbreaks create large patches of dead fir and spruce trees. Of particular concern to fire and forest managers is whether these patches represent an increased fire risk, if so, for how long, and how the relationship between defoliation and fire risk varies through space and time. Previous work suggests a temporary increase in flammability in budworm-killed forests, but regional and seasonal variability in these relationships has not been examined. Using an extensive database on historical lightning-caused fire ignitions and spruce budworm defoliation between 1963 and 2000, we assess the relative importance of cumulative defoliation and fire weather on the probability of ignition in Ontario, Canada. We modeled fire ignition using a generalized additive logistic regression model that accounts for temporal autocorrelation in fire weather. We compared two ecoregions in eastern Ontario (Abitibi Plains) and western Ontario (Lake of the Woods) that differ in terms of climate, geomorphology, and forest composition. We found that defoliation has the potential to both increase and decrease the probability of ignition depending on the time scale, ecoregion, and season examined. Most importantly, we found that lagged spruce budworm defoliation (8-10 yr) increases the risk of fire ignition whereas recent defoliation (1 yr) can decrease this risk. We also found that historical defoliation has a greater influence on ignition risk during the

Oldest known Engelmann spruce

Treesearch

Peter M. Brown; Wayne D. Shepperd; Christopher C. Brown; Stephen A. Mata; Douglas L. McClain

1995-01-01

Age structure in a stand of very old-age Engelmann spruce is described. The site is at 3,505 m near treeline in the Fraser Experimental Forest in central Colorado. The site contains the oldest Engelmann spruce trees yet reported in the literature; the oldest tree is at least 852 years of age.

BVOC emission in Norway spruce: the effect of stand structure, high temperature and ozone levels.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pallozzi, Emanuele; Guidolotti, Gabriele; Večeřová, Kristýna; Esposito, Raffaela; Lusini, Ilaria; Juráň, Stanislav; Urban, Otmar; Calfapietra, Carlo

2015-04-01

Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) is a widely distributed conifer species in the boreal zone and mountain areas of central Europe and is a moderate emitter of volatile organic compounds (BVOC). Although the vaporization and diffusion processes from resin ducts were generally considered to be the main processes for monoterpene emissions in conifers, recently it has been showed that a significant portion (up to one third) of monoterpene emissions of Norway spruce can originate from novel biosynthesis, thus depending on photosynthetic processes. For this reason, both biosynthesis and emission are strongly influenced by the environment and the stand structure. They increase with both increasing light and temperature during the warmer periods, although those are the periods with the higher ozone concentration that usually act as an inhibitor of both assimilation and isoprenoids synthesis and emission. On the other hand, stand structure can play an important role, because the photosynthetic capacity is influenced by temperature and light conditions through the canopy. In order to assess the effects of stand structure, temperature and ozone on isoprenoids emission of Norway spruce we carried out field and laboratory experiments. In the experimental field campaigns we measured: assimilation and BVOC emission from needles of sun and shade layers within the canopy of the spruce forest present at the Bily Kriz experimental research site (Moravian-Silesian Beskydy Mountains, 49° 33' N, 18° 32' E, NE of Czech Republic, 908 m a.s.l.). Moreover in the same layers we measured continuously concentration of BVOCs in the air using a PTR-TOF-MS. In laboratory we analyzed the effects of short-term exposure to high temperature and high ozone concentrations on branches of spruce trees collected at the Bily Kriz experimental research site. Preliminary results show that in Norway spruce both stand structure and environmental conditions influenced the gas exchange and BVOC emission rates

Pulpwood, pesticides, and people. Controlling spruce budworm in northeastern North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irland, Lloyd C.

1980-09-01

The eastern spruce budworm is a major forest pest over the continental range of the spruce-fir forest ecosystem and its southern ecotonal fringes in Canada and the northeastern United States. The current budworm outbreak illustrates the difficulty of arriving at economically sound and publicly acceptable forest pest control policies. Policies ranging from no use of chemical control to annual widespread crop protection have been adopted. There is no single all-around “best” policy for spruce budworm control. Chemical spray programs have demonstrably slowed the normal progress of mortality due to budworm, but have not eradicated the pest. Where industry remains heavily dependent on a fully utilized spruce-fir forest, no easy, low-cost solutions to the budworm problem exist. Reliance on spraying will have to be reduced and plans made to utilize higher levels of tree mortality and to manage the forest for lower future vulnerability.

Cold tolerance and photosystem function in a montane red spruce population: physiological relationships with foliar carbohydrates

Treesearch

P.G. Schaberg; G.R. Strimbeck; G.J. Hawley; D.H. DeHayes; J.B. Shane; P.F. Murakami; T.D. Perkins; J.R. Donnelly; B.L. Wong

2000-01-01

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) growing in northern montane forests of eastern North America appears to be distinctive with respect to at least two aspects of winter physiology. First, red spruce attains only a modest level of midwinter cold tolerance compared to other north temperate conifers and appears barely capable of avoiding freezing injury at...

Ecosystem structure and function in the SPRUCE chambers at fine resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glenn, N. F.; Graham, J.; Spaete, L.; Hanson, P. J.

2017-12-01

The Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Climatic and Environmental change (SPRUCE; operated by DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory) aims to assess biological and ecological responses in a peat bog to a range of increased temperatures and the presence of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations. We are using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to monitor vegetation productivity and hummock-hollow structure at cm-scale in the SPRUCE plots to complement in-situ measurements of gross and net primary production. The hummock-hollow peatland microtopography is associated with fluctuating water levels and sphagnum mosses, and ultimately controls C and methane cycling. We estimate tree growth by calculating increases in tree height and canopy voxel volume between years with the TLS data. Microtopography is also characterized over time with TLS but by using gridded cells to classify regions into hummocks or hollows. Spectroscopy to quantify water content in the sphagnum is used to further classify these microtopographic regions. As multiple years of data collection occur, we will couple our fine-scale remote sensing measurements with in-situ measurements of CO2 and CH4 flux measures to capture species-specific productivity responses to warming and increased CO2.

Fire severity unaffected by spruce beetle outbreak in spruce-fir forests in southwestern Colorado.

PubMed

Andrus, Robert A; Veblen, Thomas T; Harvey, Brian J; Hart, Sarah J

2016-04-01

Recent large and severe outbreaks of native bark beetles have raised concern among the general public and land managers about potential for amplified fire activity in western North America. To date, the majority of studies examining bark beetle outbreaks and subsequent fire severity in the U.S. Rocky Mountains have focused on outbreaks of mountain pine beetle (MPB; Dendroctonus ponderosae) in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) forests, but few studies, particularly field studies, have addressed the effects of the severity of spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby) infestation on subsequent fire severity in subalpine Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) forests. In Colorado, the annual area infested by spruce beetle outbreaks is rapidly rising, while MPB outbreaks are subsiding; therefore understanding this relationship is of growing importance. We collected extensive field data in subalpine forests in the eastern San Juan Mountains, southwestern Colorado, USA, to investigate whether a gray-stage (< 5 yr from outbreak to time of fire) spruce beetle infestation affected fire severity. Contrary to the expectation that bark beetle infestation alters subsequent fire severity, correlation and multivariate generalized linear regression analysis revealed no influence of pre-fire spruce beetle severity on nearly all field or remotely sensed measurements of fire severity. Findings were consistent across moderate and extreme burning conditions. In comparison to severity of the pre-fire beetle outbreak, we found that topography, pre-outbreak basal area, and weather conditions exerted a stronger effect on fire severity. Our finding that beetle infestation did not alter fire severity is consistent with previous retrospective studies examining fire activity following other bark beetle outbreaks and reiterates the overriding influence of climate that creates conditions conducive to large, high-severity fires in the subalpine zone of Colorado

Erynia radicans as a mycoinsecticide for spruce budworm control

Treesearch

Richard S. Soper

1985-01-01

The entomopahtogenic fungus Erynia radicans, has been under investigation for several years as a possible alternative to chemical control of the eastern spruce budworm. A commercial production method has been developed which allows the formulation of this pathogen as a mycoinsecticide. A standardized bioassay method was used to select strain RS141 as...

Organic matter characteristics in boreal forest soils under stands of silver birch, Norway spruce, and Norway spruce with a mixture of silver birch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smolander, A.; Kitunen, V.

2012-04-01

The aim was to study how tree species and a tree species mixture affect microbial C and N transformations and two major plant secondary compound groups, terpenes and phenolic compounds in soil. The study site was a tree-species experiment in middle-eastern part of Finland containing plots of 43-year-old silver birch, Norway spruce and Norway spruce with a mixture of silver birch (22 and 37 % birch of the total stem number). Soil was podzol and humus type mor. Samples were taken from the organic layer. C and N in the microbial biomass, rates of C mineralization (CO2 evolution), net N mineralization and nitrification, and concentrations of total water-soluble phenolic compounds, condensed tannins and different kind of terpenes were measured. Amounts of C and N in the microbial biomass and the rates of C mineralization and net N mineralization were all lower under spruce than birch, and particularly net N mineralization was stimulated by birch mixture. Concentrations of total water-soluble phenolic compounds were on a similar level, irrespective of tree species. However, there were less low-molecular-weight phenolics and more high-molecular-weight phenolics under spruce than birch. Concentrations of condensed tannins and both sesqui- and diterpenes were all higher under spruce than birch but the concentrations of triterpenes were similar in all soils. The difference between tree species was greatest with monoterpenes which were measured from both organic layer and soil atmosphere: high concentrations under spruce and negligible under birch. Birch mixture tended to decrease the concentrations of condensed tannins and mono-, sesqui- and diterpenes.

Red spruce as witness tree on the Monongahela National Forest

Treesearch

Melissa. Thomas-Van Gundy

2010-01-01

A digital database of witness tree locations has been created from the earliest deeds of the area now within the Monongahela National Forest. These locations were used to describe the distribution, environmental gradients, and associated tree species of red spruce (Picea rubens) in eastern West Virginia from between 1771 and 1889.

Climate-induced mortality of spruce stands in Belarus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kharuk, Viacheslav I.; Im, Sergei T.; Dvinskaya, Maria L.; Golukov, Alexei S.; Ranson, Kenneth J.

2015-12-01

The aim of this work is an analysis of the causes of spruce (Picea abies L.) decline and mortality in Belarus. The analysis was based on forest inventory and Landsat satellite (land cover classification, climate variables (air temperature, precipitation, evaporation, vapor pressure deficit, SPEI drought index)), and GRACE-derived soil moisture estimation (equivalent of water thickness anomalies, EWTA). We found a difference in spatial patterns between dead stands and all stands (i.e., before mortality). Dead stands were located preferentially on relief features with higher water stress risk (i.e., higher elevations, steeper slopes, south and southwestern exposure). Spruce mortality followed a series of repeated droughts between 1990 and 2010. Mortality was negatively correlated with air humidity (r = -0.52), and precipitation (r = -0.57), and positively correlated with the prior year vapor pressure deficit (r = 0.47), and drought increase (r = 0.57). Mortality increased with the increase in occurrence of spring frosts (r = 0.5), and decreased with an increase in winter cloud cover (r = -0.37). Spruce mortality was negatively correlated with snow water accumulation (r = -0.81) and previous year anomalies in water soil content (r = -0.8). Weakened by water stress, spruce stands were attacked by pests and phytopathogens. Overall, spruce mortality in Belarussian forests was caused by drought episodes and drought increase in synergy with pest and phytopathogen attacks. Vast Picea abies mortality in Belarus and adjacent areas of Russia and Eastern Europe is a result of low adaptation of that species to increased drought. This indicates the necessity of spruce replacement by drought-tolerant indigenous (e.g., Pinus sylvestris, Querqus robur) or introduced (e.g., Larix sp. or Pseudotsuga menzieslii) species to obtain sustainable forest growth management.

Climate-Induced Mortality of Spruce Stands in Belarus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kharuk, Viacheslav I.; Im, Sergei T.; Dvinskaya, Maria L.; Golukov, Alexei S.; Ranson, Kenneth J.

2015-01-01

The aim of this work is an analysis of the causes of spruce (Picea abies L.) decline and mortality in Belarus. The analysis was based on forest inventory and Landsat satellite (land cover classification, climate variables (air temperature, precipitation, evaporation, vapor pressure deficit, SPEI drought index)), and GRACE-derived soil moisture estimation (equivalent of water thickness anomalies, EWTA). We found a difference in spatial patterns between dead stands and all stands (i.e., before mortality). Dead stands were located preferentially on relief features with higher water stress risk (i.e., higher elevations, steeper slopes, south and southwestern exposure). Spruce mortality followed a series of repeated droughts between 1990 and 2010. Mortality was negatively correlated with air humidity (r = -0.52), and precipitation (r = -0.57), and positively correlated with the prior year vapor pressure deficit (r = 0.47), and drought increase (r = 0.57). Mortality increased with the increase in occurrence of spring frosts (r = 0.5), and decreased with an increase in winter cloud cover (r = -0.37). Spruce mortality was negatively correlated with snow water accumulation (r = -0.81) and previous year anomalies in water soil content (r = -0.8). Weakened by water stress, spruce stands were attacked by pests and phytopathogens. Overall, spruce mortality in Belarussian forests was caused by drought episodes and drought increase in synergy with pest and phytopathogen attacks. Vast Picea abies mortality in Belarus and adjacent areas of Russia and Eastern Europe is a result of low adaptation of that species to increased drought. This indicates the necessity of spruce replacement by drought-tolerant indigenous (e.g., Pinus sylvestris, Querqus robur) or introduced (e.g., Larix sp. or Pseudotsuga menzieslii) species to obtain sustainable forest growth management.

Performance of the Forest Vegetation Simulator in managed white spruce plantations influenced by eastern spruce budworm in northern Minnesota

Treesearch

Matthew B. Russell; Anthony W. D' Amato; Michael A. Albers; Christopher W. Woodall; Klaus J. Puettmann; Michael R. Saunders; Curtis L. VanderSchaaf

2015-01-01

Silvicultural strategies such as thinning may minimize productivity losses from a variety of forest disturbances, including forest insects. This study analyzed the 10-year postthinning response of stands and individual trees in thinned white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss) plantations in northern Minnesota, USA, with light to moderate defoliation...

Association of ring shake in eastern hemlock with tree attributes

Treesearch

John P. Brown; Paul E. Sendak

2006-01-01

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr.) is a major or minor associate in many forest types in northeastern North America. There has never been the high level of demand for eastern hemlock lumber that characterizes competing softwoods like white pine and spruce. Nevertheless, periodically interest in greater utilization of eastern hemlock for...

Reproductive barriers and hybridity in two spruces, Picea rubens and Picea mariana, sympatric in eastern North America

Treesearch

John E. Major; Alex Mosseler; Kurt H. Johnsen; Om P. Rajora; Debby C. Barsi; K.-H. Kim; J.-M. Park; Moira Campbell

2005-01-01

Hybridization between red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP), lateand early-successional species, respectively, has resulted in identification and management problems. We investigated the nature and magnitude of reproductive and life-cycle success barriers in controlled intra- and inter-...

Four millennia of woodland structure and dynamics at the Arctic treeline of eastern Canada.

PubMed

Auger, Sarah; Payette, Serge

2010-05-01

Paleoecological analysis using complementary indicators of vegetation and soil can provide spatially explicit information on ecological processes influencing trajectories of long-term ecosystem change. Here we document the structure and dynamics of an old-growth woodland before and after its inception 1000 years ago. We infer vegetation and soil characteristics from size and age distributions of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.), soil properties, plant fossils, and paleosols. Radiocarbon ages of charcoal on the ground and in the soil indicate that the fire return interval was approximately 300 years between 2750 and 1000 cal. yr BP. No fire evidence was found before and after this period despite the presence of spruce since 4200 cal. yr BP. The size structures of living and dead spruce suggest that the woodland is in equilibrium with present climate in absence of fire. Tree establishment and mortality occurred regularly since the last fire event around 950 cal. yr BP. Both layering and occasional seeding have contributed to stabilize the spatial distribution of spruce over the past 1000 years. Since initial afforestation, soil development has been homogenized by the changing spatial distribution of spruce following each fire. We conclude that the history of the woodland is characterized by vegetation shifts associated with fire and soil disturbances and by millennial-scale maintenance of the woodland's structure despite changing climatic conditions.

GENETIC STRUCTURE OF NORWAY SPRUCE (PICEA ABIES): CONCORDANCE OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND ALLOZYMIC VARIATION.

PubMed

Lagercrantz, Ulf; Ryman, Nils

1990-02-01

This study describes the population structure of Norway spruce (Picea abies) as revealed by protein polymorphisms and morphological variation. Electrophoretically detectable genetic variability was examined at 22 protein loci in 70 populations from the natural range of the species in Europe. Like other conifers, Norway spruce exhibits a relatively large amount of genetic variability and little differentiation among populations. Sixteen polymorphic loci (73%) segregate for a total of 51 alleles, and average heterozygosity per population is 0.115. Approximately 5% of the total genetic diversity is explained by differences between populations (G ST = 0.052), and Nei's standard genetic distance is less than 0.04 in all cases. We suggest that the population structure largely reflects relatively recent historical events related to the last glaciation and that Norway spruce is still in a process of adaptation and differentiation. There is a clear geographic pattern in the variation of allele frequencies. A major part of the allelefrequency variation can be accounted for by a few synthetic variables (principal components), and 80% of the variation of the first principal component is "explained" by latitude and longitude. The central European populations are consistently depauperate of genetic variability, most likely as an effect of severe restrictions of population size during the last glaciation. The pattern of differentiation at protein loci is very similar to that observed for seven morphological traits examined. This similarity suggests that the same evolutionary forces have acted upon both sets of characters. © 1990 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

The current status of red spruce in the eastern United States: distribution, population trends, and environmental drivers

Treesearch

Gregory Nowacki; Robert Carr; Michael. Van Dyck

2010-01-01

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) was affected by an array of direct (logging, fire, and grazing) and indirect human activities (acid deposition) over the past centuries. To adequately assess past impacts on red spruce, thus helping frame its restoration potential, requires a clear understanding of its current status. To achieve this, Forest and...

Changes after partial cutting of a spruce-fir stand in Maine

Treesearch

Arthur C. Hart

1956-01-01

In 1945 a partial-cutting experiment in spruce-fir silviculture was begun by the Penobscot Research Center of the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. The Eastern Pulp Wood Company of Calais, Maine, made available for the study a tract of forest land, in Dyer Township, Washington County, Maine. This 20.6-acre tract is part of a large area that had been burned over...

White spruce meets black spruce: dispersal, postfire establishment, and growth in a warming climate

Treesearch

C. Wirth; J.W. Lichstein; J. Dushoff; A. Chen; F.S.III. Chapin

2008-01-01

Local distributions of black spruce (Picea mariana) and white spruce (Picea glauca) are largely determined by edaphic and topographic factors in the interior of Alaska, with black spruce dominant on moist permafrost sites and white spruce dominant on drier upland sites. Given the recent evidence for climate warming and...

Genetic and morphological structure of a spruce hybrid (Picea sitchensis x P. glauca) zone along a climatic gradient.

PubMed

Hamilton, Jill A; Aitken, Sally N

2013-08-01

Historic colonization and contemporary evolutionary processes contribute to patterns of genetic variation and differentiation among populations. However, separating the respective influences of these processes remains a challenge, particularly for natural hybrid zones, where standing genetic variation may result from evolutionary processes both preceding and following contact, influencing the evolutionary trajectory of hybrid populations. Where adaptation to novel environments may be facilitated by interspecific hybridization, teasing apart these processes will have practical implications for forest management in changing environments. We evaluated the neutral genetic architecture of the Picea sitchensis (Sitka spruce) × P. glauca (white spruce) hybrid zone along the Nass and Skeena river valleys in northwestern British Columbia using chloroplast, mitochondrial, and nuclear microsatellite markers, in combination with cone morphological traits. Sitka spruce mitotype "capture", evidenced by this species dominating the maternal lineage, is consistent with earlier colonization of the region by Sitka spruce. This "capture" differs from the spatial distribution of chloroplast haplotypes, indicating pollen dispersal and its contribution to geographic structure. Genetic ancestry, based on nuclear markers, was strongly influenced by climate and geography. Highly parallel results for replicate transects along environmental gradients provide support for the bounded hybrid superiority model of hybrid zone maintenance. • This broad-scale analysis of neutral genetic structure indicates the importance of historic and contemporary gene flow, environmental selection, and their interaction in shaping neutral genetic variation within this hybrid zone, informative to seed transfer development and reforestation for future climates.

Spruce beetle-induced changes to Engelmann spruce foliage flammability

Treesearch

Wesley G. Page; Michael J. Jenkins; Justin B. Runyon

2014-01-01

Intermountain Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm) stands affected by the spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby) represent a unique and growing fuel complex. In this study, we quantified and compared the changes in moisture content, chemistry, and flammability of foliage from trees in three crown condition classes: unattacked (green [G]),...

Spruce budworm feeding and oviposition are stimulated by monoterpenes in white spruce epicuticular waxes.

PubMed

Ennis, Darragh; Despland, Emma; Chen, Fei; Forgione, Pat; Bauce, Eric

2017-02-01

Monoterpenes, source of the distinctive odor of conifers, are generally considered plant defensive compounds. However, they are also known to act as long-range insect attractants, as they are volatile and permeate forest airspaces. Moreover, they are lipid soluble and can be absorbed into plant epicuticular waxes. We test their role in short-range host plant choice by both adult females and larvae of a folivorous forest pest (Choristoneura fumiferana). We conducted laboratory assays testing the responses of Eastern spruce budworm to an artificial monoterpene mix (α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, myrcene) and to white spruce (Picea glauca) epicuticular waxes in closed arenas. Ovipositing females preferred filter paper discs treated with P. glauca waxes to controls, and preferred the waxes + monoterpenes treatment to waxes alone. However, females showed no preference between the monoterpene-treated disc and the control when presented without waxes. Feeding larvae prefered wax discs to control discs. They also consumed discs treated with realistic monoterpene concentrations and wax preferentially over wax-only discs, but showed no preference between extremely high monoterpene concentrations and wax-only controls. In an insect-free assay, P. glauca epicuticular wax decreased monoterpene volatilization. These results suggest that P. glauca waxes and realistic concentrations of monoterpenes are stimulatory to both egg-laying females and feeding larvae, and that their effects are synergistic. © 2015 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Indicators of Population Viabllity in Red Spruce, Picea rubens. I. Reproductive Traits and Fecundity

Treesearch

A. Mosseler; J.E. Major; J.D. Simpson; B. Daigle; K. Lange; Y.S. Park; K.H Johnsen; O.P. Rajora

2000-01-01

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) has experienced a substantial decline across most of its range in eastern North America over the past centmy and probably also in the disjunct Ontario populations where it now occurs only in small isolated stands. Measurements of cone and seed traits from natural populations were used as indicators of the...

Development of spruce-fir stands following spruce beetle outbreaks

Treesearch

J. M. Schmid; T. E. Hinds

1974-01-01

Logged and unlogged stands of Engelmann spruce-subalpine fir were evaluated in spruce beetle outbreak areas infested about 15, 25, 50, and 100 years ago. Seedling regeneration was generally adequate except in heavily logged areas, although seedlings were often damaged, apparently by animals. Species composition was dramatically altered in favor of fir in the unlogged...

Pathogenicity Of Nosema fumiferanae (Thomson) (Microsporida) In Spruce Budworm, Choristoneura Fumiferana (Clemens), And Implications Of Diapause Conditions

Treesearch

Leah S. Bauer; Gerald L. Nordin

1988-01-01

A standardized bioassay procedure was used to determine median lethal doses (LD 50) of the microsporidium, Nosema fumiferanae (Thom.), on newly molted fourth- and fifth-instar eastern spruce budworm larvae (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)). The LD50 for fifth-instar larva was 1.23 x 10...

Historical patterns of spruce budworm defoliation and bark beetle outbreaks in North American conifer forests: an atlas and description of digital maps

Treesearch

David W. Williams; Richard A. Birdsey

2003-01-01

This atlas presents maps of historical defoliation by the eastern and western spruce budworms and historical outbreaks of the mountain and southern pine beetles during the past half century. The maps encompass various regions of the conterminous United States and eastern Canada. This publication also serves as documentation for an extended set of digital maps, which...

The western spruce budworm model: structure and content.

Treesearch

K.A. Sheehan; W.P. Kemp; J.J. Colbert; N.L. Crookston

1989-01-01

The Budworm Model predicts the amounts of foliage destroyed annually by the western spruce budworm, Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman, in a forest stand. The model may be used independently, or it may be linked to the Stand Prognosis Model to simulate the dynamics of forest stands. Many processes that affect budworm population dynamics are...

Mortality of spruce and fir in Maine in 1976-78 due to the spruce budworm outbreak

Treesearch

Donald W. Seegrist; Stanford L. Arner

1982-01-01

The spruce budworm population in Maine's spruce-fir forests has been at epidemic levels since the early 1970's. Spruce-fir mortality in 1976-78 is compared with predictions of what mortality would have been had the natural mortality rates remained at the levels experienced before the budworm outbreak. It appears that mortality of spruce and fir has increased...

SPRUCE S1 Bog and SPRUCE Experiment Location Survey Results, 2015

DOE Data Explorer

Griffiths, Natalie A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hook, L. A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hanson, P. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

2016-01-01

This data set provides a record of the horizontal and vertical survey results of SPRUCE experimental infrastructure and measurement locations on the S1-Bog on the Marcell Experimental Forest and the SPRUCE experimental site within the S1-Bog.

Aerial field tests of five insecticides on western spruce budworm in Idaho and Montana, 1978-1980

Treesearch

George P. Markin; David R. Johnson

1986-01-01

Each of five insecticides was applied at two or three application rates by helicopter to 20-ha plots. Effectiveness of each application rateagainst eastern spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis) was judged by comparing larval population reduction at 15 or 20 days aftertreatment against populations in untreated check plots. Performance of each...

Bioecology of the conifer swift moth, Korscheltellus gracilis, a root feeder associated with spruce-fir decline

Treesearch

William E. Wallner; David L. Wagner; Bruce L. Parker; Donald L. Tobi

1991-01-01

During the past two decades, the decline of red spruce, Picea rubens Sargent, and balsam fir, Abies balsamea (L), at high elevations (900-1200 m) in eastern North America has evoked concern about the effects of anthropogenic deposition upon terrestrial ecosystems. In many high-elevation forests across New England, as many as 50...

Calcium status of the forest floor in red spruce forests of the northeastern U.S. - past, present and future

Treesearch

Mark B. David; Gregory B. Lawrence; Walter C. Shortle; Scott W. Bailey

1996-01-01

Dieback and growth decline of red spruce (Picea rubens) in the eastern U.S. coincides with the period of acidic deposition, and has led to much speculation as to whether this decline is caused by decreased root-available Ca in the soil.

Microbial communities in the litter of middle taiga bilberry-spruce forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sizonenko, T. A.; Zagirova, S. V.; Khabibullina, F. M.

2010-10-01

The structure of the microbial communities in the litters of middle-taiga bilberry-spruce forests was studied. It was found that ammonifying and oligonitrophilic microorganisms predominate in these communities. Two maximums in the population density of the microorganisms were observed in June and August. The number of microorganisms increased in the direction from the spruce trunks to the periphery of the crowns. The species composition of the micromycetes in the litters under the spruce crowns and within the intercrown spaces differed. The maximum population density of the fungi was found in the litter under the periphery of the spruce crowns, whereas the maximum diversity of the micromycetes was observed within the intercrown spaces. The Trichoderma, Trichosporiella, Penicillium, Paecilomyces, and Chaetomium genera were most abundant in the litters of the bilberry spruce forests. The Penicillium genus had the maximum abundance during the entire growing period, and the amount of Mycelia sterilia increased in the fall. The maximum diversity of the fungi was observed in May and June.

Impact of endochitinase-transformed white spruce on soil fungal communities under greenhouse conditions.

PubMed

Lamarche, Josyanne; Stefani, Franck O P; Séguin, Armand; Hamelin, Richard C

2011-05-01

Chitinase genes isolated from plants, bacteria or fungi have been widely used in genetic engineering to enhance the resistance of crops and trees to fungal pathogens. However, there are concerns about the possible effect of chitinase-transformed plants on nontarget fungi. This study aimed at evaluating the impact of endochitinase-transformed white spruce on soil fungal communities. Endochitinase-expressing white spruce and untransformed controls were transplanted in soils from two natural forests and grown for 8 months in a greenhouse. Soil fungal biomass and diversity, estimated through species richness and Shannon and Rao diversity indices, were not different between transgenic and control tree rhizospheres. The fungal phylogenetic community structure was the same in soil samples from control and transgenic white spruces after 8 months. Soil type and presence of seedlings had a much more significant impact on fungal community structure than the insertion and expression of the ech42 transgene within the white spruce genome. The results suggest that the insertion and constitutive expression of the ech42 gene in white spruce did not significantly affect soil fungal biomass, diversity and community structure. © 2011 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada FEMS Microbiology Ecology © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Spectral evidence of early-stage spruce beetle infestation in Engelmann spruce

Treesearch

Adrianna C. Foster; Jonathan A. Walter; Herman H. Shugart; Jason Sibold; Jose Negron

2017-01-01

Spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby)) outbreaks cause widespread mortality of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii (Parry ex Engelm)) within the subalpine forests of the western United States. Early detection of infestations could allow forest managers to mitigate outbreaks or anticipate a response to tree mortality and the potential effects on ecosystem...

Spruce budworm returns to Northeast

Treesearch

Lloyd Irland; William H. McWilliams

2014-01-01

Thinking of the Northern Forest brings to mind spruce/fir (S/F) forests, cool climates, and high elevations: not to mention fishing and canoe trips: however, spruce and fir are also very important to the northern timber economy and rural development. Considering new concerns over the spruce budworm, an update on the status of this critically important forest resource...

SPRUCE Representing Northern Peatland Microtopography and Hydrology within the Community Land Model: Modeling Archive

DOE Data Explorer

Shi, X. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Thornton, P. E. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Ricciuto, D. M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hanson, P. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Mao, J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Sebestyen, S. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Griffiths, N. A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Bisht, G. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

2016-09-01

Here we provide model code, inputs, outputs and evaluation datasets for a new configuration of the Community Land Model (CLM) for SPRUCE, which includes a fully prognostic water table calculation for SPRUCE. Our structural and process changes to CLM focus on modifications needed to represent the hydrologic cycle of bogs environment with perched water tables, as well as distinct hydrologic dynamics and vegetation communities of the raised hummock and sunken hollow microtopography characteristic of SPRUCE and other peatland bogs. The modified model was parameterized and independently evaluated against observations from an ombrotrophic raised-dome bog in northern Minnesota (S1-Bog), the site for the Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Climatic and Environmental Change experiment (SPRUCE).

Light-energy processing and freezing-tolerance traits in red spruce and black spruce: species and seed-source variation.

PubMed

Major, John E; Barsi, Debby C; Mosseler, Alex; Campbell, Moira; Rajora, Om P

2003-07-01

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) are genetically and morphologically similar but ecologically distinct species. We determined intraspecific seed-source and interspecific variation of red spruce and black spruce, from across the near-northern margins of their ranges, for several light-energy processing and freezing-tolerance adaptive traits. Before exposure to low temperature, red spruce had variable fluorescence (Fv) similar to black spruce, but higher photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), lower quantum yield, lower chlorophyll fluorescence (%), and higher thermal dissipation efficiency (qN), although the seed-source effect and the seed-source x species interaction were significant only for Fv/Fm. After low-temperature exposure (-40 degrees C), red spruce had significantly lower Fv/Fm, quantum yield and qN than black spruce, but higher chlorophyll fluorescence and relative fluorescence. Species, seed-source effect, and seed-source x species interaction were consistent with predictions based on genetic (e.g., geographic) origins. Multi-temperature exposures (5, -20 and -40 degrees C) often produced significant species and temperature effects, and species x temperature interactions as a result of species-specific responses to temperature exposures. The inherent physiological species-specific adaptations of red spruce and black spruce were largely consistent with a shade-tolerant, late-successional species and an early successional species, respectively. Species differences in physiological adaptations conform to a biological trade-off, probably as a result of natural selection pressure in response to light availability and prevailing temperature gradients.

Modelling spruce bark beetle infestation probability

Treesearch

Paulius Zolubas; Jose Negron; A. Steven Munson

2009-01-01

Spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus L.) risk model, based on pure Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) stand characteristics in experimental and control plots was developed using classification and regression tree statistical technique under endemic pest population density. The most significant variable in spruce bark beetle...

Spruce beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) response to traps baited with selected semiochemicals in Utah.

Treesearch

Darrell W. Ross; Gary E. Daterman; A. Steven Munson

2005-01-01

Spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby), populations periodically reach outbreak densities throughout the range of spruce, Picea spp., in western North America. During outbreaks it may kill thousands to millions of trees over vast areas, dramatically altering forest structure, composition, and ecological processes, thus impacting a variety...

The first crystal structures of a family 19 class IV chitinase: the enzyme from Norway spruce.

PubMed

Ubhayasekera, Wimal; Rawat, Reetika; Ho, Sharon Wing Tak; Wiweger, Malgorzata; Von Arnold, Sara; Chye, Mee-Len; Mowbray, Sherry L

2009-10-01

Chitinases help plants defend themselves against fungal attack, and play roles in other processes, including development. The catalytic modules of most plant chitinases belong to glycoside hydrolase family 19. We report here x-ray structures of such a module from a Norway spruce enzyme, the first for any family 19 class IV chitinase. The bi-lobed structure has a wide cleft lined by conserved residues; the most interesting for catalysis are Glu113, the proton donor, and Glu122, believed to be a general base that activate a catalytic water molecule. Comparisons to class I and II enzymes show that loop deletions in the class IV proteins make the catalytic cleft shorter and wider; from modeling studies, it is predicted that only three N-acetylglucosamine-binding subsites exist in class IV. Further, the structural comparisons suggest that the family 19 enzymes become more closed on substrate binding. Attempts to solve the structure of the complete protein including the associated chitin-binding module failed, however, modeling studies based on close relatives indicate that the binding module recognizes at most three N-acetylglucosamine units. The combined results suggest that the class IV enzymes are optimized for shorter substrates than the class I and II enzymes, or alternatively, that they are better suited for action on substrates where only small regions of chitin chain are accessible. Intact spruce chitinase is shown to possess antifungal activity, which requires the binding module; removing this module had no effect on measured chitinase activity.

Relationships among the spruces (Picea, Pinaceae) of southwestern North America

Treesearch

F. Thomas Ledig; Paul D. Hodgskiss; Konstanin V. Krutovskii; David B. Neale; Teobaldo Eguiluz-Piedra

2004-01-01

Numerous populations from six spruce taxa, including four relict endemics, Picea chihuahuana (Chihuahua spruce), P. martinezii (Martínez spruce), P. mexicana (Mexican spruce), and P. breweriana (Brewer spruce), and two widespread species, P. engelmannii (Engelmann spruce) and...

Damage by the Sitka spruce weevil (Pissodes strobi) and growth patterns for 10 spruce species and hybrids over 26 years in the Pacific Northwest.

Treesearch

Russel G. Mitchell; Kenneth H. Wright; Norman E. Johnson

1990-01-01

Ten species and hybrids of spruce (Picea spp.) were planted and observed annually for 26 years at three coastal locations in Oregon and Washington to evaluate growth rates and susceptibility to the Sitka spruce weevil (= white pine weevil), Pissodes strobi The 10 spruce were: Sitka spruce, Norway spruce, Lutz spruce, black...

A density management diagram for Norway spruce in the temperate Europe montane region

Treesearch

Giorgio Vacchiano; R. Justin DeRose; John D. Shaw; Miroslav Svoboda; Renzo Motta

2013-01-01

Norway spruce is one of the most important conifer tree species in Europe, paramount for timber provision, habitat, recreation, and protection of mountain roads and settlements from natural hazards. Although natural Norway spruce forests exhibit diverse structures, even-aged stands can arise after disturbance or as the result of common silvicultural practice, including...

Stand and landscape level effects of a major outbreak of spruce beetles on forest vegetation in the Copper River Basin, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Allen, J.L.; Wesser, S.; Markon, C.J.; Winterberger, K.C.

2006-01-01

From 1989 to 2003, a widespread outbreak of spruce beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis) in the Copper River Basin, Alaska, infested over 275,000 ha of forests in the region. During 1997 and 1998, we measured forest vegetation structure and composition on one hundred and thirty-six 20-m ?? 20-m plots to assess both the immediate stand and landscape level effects of the spruce beetle infestation. A photo-interpreted vegetation and infestation map was produced using color-infrared aerial photography at a scale of 1:40,000. We used linear regression to quantify the effects of the outbreak on forest structure and composition. White spruce (Picea glauca) canopy cover and basal area of medium-to-large trees [???15 cm diameter-at-breast height (1.3 m, dbh)] were reduced linearly as the number of trees attacked by spruce beetles increased. Black spruce (Picea mariana) and small diameter white spruce (<15 cm dbh) were infrequently attacked and killed by spruce beetles. This selective attack of mature white spruce reduced structural complexity of stands to earlier stages of succession and caused mixed tree species stands to lose their white spruce and become more homogeneous in overstory composition. Using the resulting regressions, we developed a transition matrix to describe changes in vegetation types under varying levels of spruce beetle infestations, and applied the model to the vegetation map. Prior to the outbreak, our study area was composed primarily of stands of mixed white and black spruce (29% of area) and pure white spruce (25%). However, the selective attack on white spruce caused many of these stands to transition to black spruce dominated stands (73% increase in area) or shrublands (26% increase in area). The post-infestation landscape was thereby composed of more even distributions of shrubland and white, black, and mixed spruce communities (17-22% of study area). Changes in the cover and composition of understory vegetation were less evident in this study

Polyamines in embryogenic cultures of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and red spruce (Picea rubens)

Treesearch

Rakesh Minocha; Haarald Kvaalen; Subhash C. Minocha; Stephanie Long

1993-01-01

Embryogenic cultures of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) were initiated from dissected mature zygotic embryos. The tissues were grown on either proliferation medium or maturation medium. On proliferation medium, the embryogenic tissue continued to produce early stage somatic embryos (...

Mortality patterns following spruce budworm infestation in unprotected spruce-fir forests in Maine

Treesearch

Dale S. Solomon; Lianjun Zhang; Thomas B. Brann; David S. Larrick

2003-01-01

Cumulative and annual mortality of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L) Mill.] were examined over a 10 yr period to follow the mortality patterns in unprotected spruce-fir forests in northern Maine. Different mortality patterns were determined based on stand composition classes and merchantability classes. In general, balsam fir was more...

Growth and yield of white spruce plantations in the Lake States (a literature review).

Treesearch

H. Michael Rauscher

1984-01-01

This summary of the white spruce literature covers the structure, site relations, population dynamics, and cultural practices applicable to established plantations in the Lake States. The objective of this paper is to assemble and organize all information relevant to the silviculture, growth, and yield of white spruce plantations in the Lake States .

Effectiveness of polyethylene sheeting in controlling spruce beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in infested stacks of spruce firewood in Alaska.

Treesearch

Edward H. Holsten; Richard A. Werner

1993-01-01

Covering stacks of spruce firewood with either clear or black polyethylene sheeting does not raise log temperatures high enough to kill spruce beetle brood in the logs. Based on the results of this study, we do not recommend the use of polyethylene sheeting as a remedial measure for the reduction of spruce beetle brood in infested firewood or log decks in south-central...

Response of aluminum solubility to elevated nitrification in soil of a red spruce stand in eastern Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, G.B.; David, M.B.

1997-01-01

Elevated concentrations of soluble Al can impair tree growth and be toxic to aquatic biota, but effects of acidic deposition on Al solubility in forest soils are only partially understood because of complex interactions with H+ and organic matter. We therefore evaluated Al solubility in two red spruce stands in eastern Maine, one of which received dry (NH4)2SO4 at a rate of 1800 equiv ha-1 yr-1 during 19891995. Samples of soil (Spodosol Oa and Bh horizons) and soil solution were collected on five dates from 1992 to 1995. The treatment elevated nitrification, causing an increase in acid input that led to inorganic Al concentrations of greater than 60 ??mol L-1 in both the Oa and Bh horizons. Solubility of Al was also lower in the Bh horizon of the treated stand than in the reference stand, a response related to higher DOC concentrations in the treated stand. Concentrations of CuCl2 and pyrophosphate-extractable Al were higher in the Oa horizon of the treated watershed than the reference stand, a result of accelerated weathering of mineral particles caused by lower solution pH in the treated stand (3.47) than in the reference stand (3.69). Dissolved Al concentrations in these soils are the result of complex mechanisms through which mineral matter, organic matter, and pH interact to control Al solubility; mechanisms that are not incorporated in current Al solubility models.

Effect of increasing temperatures on the distribution of spruce beetle in Engelmann spruce forests of the Interior West, USA

Treesearch

R. Justin DeRose; Barbara J. Bentz; James N. Long; John D. Shaw

2013-01-01

The spruce beetle (Dendoctronus rufipennis) is a pervasive bark beetle indigenous to spruce (Picea spp.) forests of North America. In the last two decades outbreaks of spruce beetle have increased in severity and extent. Increasing temperatures have been implicated as they directly control beetle populations, potentially inciting endemic populations to build to...

Space sequestration below ground in old-growth spruce-beech forests-signs for facilitation?

PubMed

Bolte, Andreas; Kampf, Friederike; Hilbrig, Lutz

2013-01-01

Scientists are currently debating the effects of mixing tree species for the complementary resource acquisition in forest ecosystems. In four unmanaged old-growth spruce-beech forests in strict nature reserves in southern Sweden and northern Germany we assessed forest structure and fine rooting profiles and traits (≤2 mm) by fine root sampling and the analysis of fine root morphology and biomass. These studies were conducted in selected tree groups with four different interspecific competition perspectives: (1) spruce as a central tree, (2) spruce as competitor, (3) beech as a central tree, and (4) beech as competitor. Mean values of life fine root attributes like biomass (FRB), length (FRL), and root area index (RAI) were significantly lower for spruce than for beech in mixed stands. Vertical profiles of fine root attributes adjusted to one unit of basal area (BA) exhibited partial root system stratification when central beech is growing with spruce competitors. In this constellation, beech was able to raise its specific root length (SRL) and therefore soil exploration efficiency in the subsoil, while increasing root biomass partitioning into deeper soil layers. According to relative values of fine root attributes (rFRA), asymmetric below-ground competition was observed favoring beech over spruce, in particular when central beech trees are admixed with spruce competitors. We conclude that beech fine rooting is facilitated in the presence of spruce by lowering competitive pressure compared to intraspecific competition whereas the competitive pressure for spruce is increased by beech admixture. Our findings underline the need of spatially differentiated approaches to assess interspecific competition below ground. Single-tree approaches and simulations of below-ground competition are required to focus rather on microsites populated by tree specimens as the basic spatial study area.

Space sequestration below ground in old-growth spruce-beech forests—signs for facilitation?

PubMed Central

Bolte, Andreas; Kampf, Friederike; Hilbrig, Lutz

2013-01-01

Scientists are currently debating the effects of mixing tree species for the complementary resource acquisition in forest ecosystems. In four unmanaged old-growth spruce-beech forests in strict nature reserves in southern Sweden and northern Germany we assessed forest structure and fine rooting profiles and traits (≤2 mm) by fine root sampling and the analysis of fine root morphology and biomass. These studies were conducted in selected tree groups with four different interspecific competition perspectives: (1) spruce as a central tree, (2) spruce as competitor, (3) beech as a central tree, and (4) beech as competitor. Mean values of life fine root attributes like biomass (FRB), length (FRL), and root area index (RAI) were significantly lower for spruce than for beech in mixed stands. Vertical profiles of fine root attributes adjusted to one unit of basal area (BA) exhibited partial root system stratification when central beech is growing with spruce competitors. In this constellation, beech was able to raise its specific root length (SRL) and therefore soil exploration efficiency in the subsoil, while increasing root biomass partitioning into deeper soil layers. According to relative values of fine root attributes (rFRA), asymmetric below-ground competition was observed favoring beech over spruce, in particular when central beech trees are admixed with spruce competitors. We conclude that beech fine rooting is facilitated in the presence of spruce by lowering competitive pressure compared to intraspecific competition whereas the competitive pressure for spruce is increased by beech admixture. Our findings underline the need of spatially differentiated approaches to assess interspecific competition below ground. Single-tree approaches and simulations of below-ground competition are required to focus rather on microsites populated by tree specimens as the basic spatial study area. PMID:24009616

Losses associated with Douglas-fir and true fir tops killed by western spruce budworm in eastern Washington.

Treesearch

Paul E. Aho

1984-01-01

A sample of 133 Douglas-firs (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco) and 69 true firs (Abies spp.) with dead tops caused by defoliation by the western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman) were felled, dissected, and examined for height loss and incidence and...

Abundance of red spruce regeneration across spruce-hardwood ecotones at Gaudineer Knob, West Virginia

Treesearch

Albert E. Mayfield; Ray R. Hicks

2010-01-01

The abundance of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) in the Central Appalachian Mountains has been drastically reduced over the past 100 to 150 years. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential for increases in the relative abundance of overstory red spruce in a Central Appalachian, high-elevation forest by measuring the abundance of red...

FT–Raman investigation of bleaching of spruce thermomechanical pulp

Treesearch

U.P. Agarwal; L.L. Landucci

2004-01-01

Spruce thermomechanical pulp was bleached initially by alkaline hydrogen peroxide and then by sodium dithionite and sodium borohydride. Near-infrared Fourier-transform–Raman spectroscopy revealed that spectral differences were due primarily to coniferaldehyde and p-quinone structures in lignin, new direct evidence that bleaching removes p-quinone structures. In...

Crafting a competitive edge: white spruce regeneration in Alaska.

Treesearch

Jonathan. Thompson

2005-01-01

Over the past two decades, unprecedented levels of disturbance have occurred in the white spruce forests of Alaska. Spruce bark beetles, fires, and timber harvests have left millions of acres of dead spruce with little spruce regeneration. To assist public and private landowners, Pacific Northwest Research (PNW) Station scientists are testing various approaches to...

Mice and voles prefer spruce seeds

Treesearch

Herschel G. Abbott; Arthur C. Hart

1961-01-01

When spruce-fir stands in the Northeast are cut, balsam fir seedlings often predominate in the regeneration that follows. Most landowners would prefer to have the spruce; but they do not get it, and they wonder why.

Spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum Walker) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) [Chapter XXIV

Treesearch

Ann M. Lynch

2014-01-01

Elatobium abietinum Walker is a spruce-feeding aphid that in Europe is referred to as the green spruce aphid (Day et al., 1998a) (Fig. 1). However, in North America E. abietinum is known simply as the spruce aphid, while the common name "green spruce aphid" refers to a different species, Cinara fornacula Hottes (Hemiptera: Aphididae) (http://www.entsoc.org/...

Exploring the Alaskan black spruce ecosystem: variability in species composition, ecosystem function, and fire history

Treesearch

T.N. Hollingsworth

2008-01-01

In this overview, I present extensive studies looking at the structure and function of the black spruce (Picea mariana) ecosystem of the boreal region of interior Alaska. One of the studies provides a classification of black spruce communities, the most abundant forest type in the region. Other studies examine large-scale processes that drive this...

Densities of breeding birds and changes in vegetation in an alaskan boreal forest following a massive disturbance by spruce beetles

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matsuoka, S.M.; Handel, C.M.; Ruthrauff, D.R.

2001-01-01

We examined bird and plant communities among forest stands with different levels of spruce mortality following a large outbreak of spruce beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby)) in the Copper River Basin, Alaska. Spruce beetles avoided stands with black spruce (Picea mariana) and selectively killed larger diameter white spruce (Picea glauca), thereby altering forest structure and increasing the dominance of black spruce in the region. Alders (Alnus sp.) and crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) were more abundant in areas with heavy spruce mortality, possibly a response to the death of overstory spruce. Grasses and herbaceous plants did not proliferate as has been recorded following outbreaks in more coastal Alaskan forests. Two species closely tied to coniferous habitats, the tree-nesting Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) and the red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), a major nest predator, were less abundant in forest stands with high spruce mortality than in low-mortality stands. Understory-nesting birds as a group were more abundant in forest stands with high levels of spruce mortality, although the response of individual bird species to tree mortality was variable. Birds breeding in stands with high spruce mortality likely benefited reproductively from lower squirrel densities and a greater abundance of shrubs to conceal nests from predators.

Old lower stem bark lesions apparently caused by unsuccessful spruce beetle attacks still evident on live spruce trees years later

Treesearch

John S. Hard; Ken P. Zogas

2010-01-01

We examined old bark lesions on Lutz spruce in young stands on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, to determine their cause. Distribution of these lesions along lower stems was similar to the distribution of spruce beetle attacks during epidemics. These lesions apparently resulted from unsuccessful attacks by spruce beetles during the late 1980s and early 1990s and appear to...

An analytical method to assess spruce beetle impacts on white spruce resources, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska.

Treesearch

Willem W.S. van Hees

1992-01-01

Forest inventory data collected in 1987 fTom sample plots established on the Kenai Peninsula were analyzed to provide point-in-time estimates of the trend and current status of a spruce beetle infestation. Ground plots were categorized by stage of infestation. Estimates of numbers of live and dead white spruce trees, cubic-foot volume in those trees, and areal extent...

Factors influencing the spatial and temporal dynamics of engelmann spruce mortality during a spruce beetle outbreak on the Markagunt Plateau, Utah

Treesearch

R. Justin DeRose; James N. Long

2012-01-01

Host conditions are known to influence spruce beetle population levels, but whether they influence the spatial and temporal patterns of beetle-caused mortality during an outbreak is unknown. Using dendrochronological techniques, we quantified the spatiotemporal dynamics of a modern (late 1980s through the early 2000s) spruce beetle outbreak in Engelmann spruce on the...

Managing white and Lutz spruce stands in south-central Alaska for increased resistance to spruce beetle.

Treesearch

J.S. Hard; E.H. Holsten

1985-01-01

Thinning is recommended for maintaining vigorous tree growth to minimize losses caused by spruce beetles (Dendroctonus rufipenni Kirby) and windthrow in residual stands of spruce in south-central Alaska. The anatomy of conifer stems, the variation in stem diameter growth, and the variability of tree response to wounding are discussed to explain why...

Clinal variation at phenology-related genes in spruce: parallel evolution in FTL2 and Gigantea?

PubMed

Chen, Jun; Tsuda, Yoshiaki; Stocks, Michael; Källman, Thomas; Xu, Nannan; Kärkkäinen, Katri; Huotari, Tea; Semerikov, Vladimir L; Vendramin, Giovanni G; Lascoux, Martin

2014-07-01

Parallel clines in different species, or in different geographical regions of the same species, are an important source of information on the genetic basis of local adaptation. We recently detected latitudinal clines in SNPs frequencies and gene expression of candidate genes for growth cessation in Scandinavian populations of Norway spruce (Picea abies). Here we test whether the same clines are also present in Siberian spruce (P. obovata), a close relative of Norway spruce with a different Quaternary history. We sequenced nine candidate genes and 27 control loci and genotyped 14 SSR loci in six populations of P. obovata located along the Yenisei river from latitude 56°N to latitude 67°N. In contrast to Scandinavian Norway spruce that both departs from the standard neutral model (SNM) and shows a clear population structure, Siberian spruce populations along the Yenisei do not depart from the SNM and are genetically unstructured. Nonetheless, as in Norway spruce, growth cessation is significantly clinal. Polymorphisms in photoperiodic (FTL2) and circadian clock (Gigantea, GI, PRR3) genes also show significant clinal variation and/or evidence of local selection. In GI, one of the variants is the same as in Norway spruce. Finally, a strong cline in gene expression is observed for FTL2, but not for GI. These results, together with recent physiological studies, confirm the key role played by FTL2 and circadian clock genes in the control of growth cessation in spruce species and suggest the presence of parallel adaptation in these two species. Copyright © 2014 by the Genetics Society of America.

Soil-solution chemistry in a low-elevation spruce-fir ecosystem, Howland, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fernandez, Ivan J.; Lawrence, Gregory B.; Son, Yowhan

1995-01-01

Soil solutions were collected monthly by tension and zero-tension lysimeters in a low-elevation red spruce stand in east-central Maine from May 1987 through December 1992. Soil solutions collected by Oa tension lysimeters had higher concentrations of most constituents than the Oa zero-tension lysimeters. In Oa horizon soil solutions growing season concentrations for SO4, Ca, and Mg averaged 57, 43, and 30 μmol L−1 in tension lysimeters, and 43, 28, and 19 μmol L−1 in zero-tension lysimeters, respectively. Because tension lysimeters remove water held by the soil at tensions up to 10 kPa, solutions are assumed to have more time to react with the soil compared to freely draining solutions collected by zero-tension lysimeters. Solutions collected in the Bs horizon by both types of collectors were similar which was attributed to the frequency of time periods when the water table was above the Bs lysimeters. Concentrations of SO4 and NO3 at this site were lower than concentrations reported for most other eastern U.S. spruce-fir sites, but base cation concentrations fell in the same range. Aluminum concentrations in this study were also lower than reported for other sites in the eastern U.S. and Ca/Al ratios did not suggest inhibition of Ca uptake by roots. Concentrations of SO4, Ca, K, and Cl decreased significantly in both the Oa and Bs horizons over the 56-month sampling period, which could reflect decreasing deposition rates for sulfur and base cations, climatic influences, or natural variation. A longer record of measured fluxes will be needed to adequately define temporal trends in solution chemistry and their causes.

Lepidoptera associated with western spruce budworm: introduction

Treesearch

Robert E. Stevens; V. M. Carolin; George P. Markin

1984-01-01

Field workers doing surveys, control operations, and research on western spruce bud worm often encounter other kinds of foliage-feeding larvae, some of which closely resemble western spruce bud worm , Workers must be able to distinguish between the different species and groups.

Aluminum-induced calcium deficiency syndrome in declining red spruce

Treesearch

Walter C. Shortle; Kevin T. Smith

1988-01-01

Prolonged suppression of cambial growth has apparently caused a decline in radial growth in many mature red spruce, Picea rubens. Surveys indicate that this decline occurs in trees throughout the natural range of red spruce and is independent of elevation, tree size, and age class. In addition, crowns of mature red spruce at high elevations across...

Spruce budworm returns to the northeast

Treesearch

Lloyd Irland; William H. McWilliams

2014-01-01

Spruce and balsam fir supply a wealth of timber and other benefits across the northern tier of the Northeastern United States. This article is the second of a two-part series that provides an update on spruce and fir for the four Northem Forest states (Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont) using the latest Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) results (2012). Part...

Insect-induced tree mortality of boreal forests in eastern Canada under a changing climate.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiongqing; Lei, Yuancai; Ma, Zhihai; Kneeshaw, Dan; Peng, Changhui

2014-06-01

Forest insects are major disturbances that induce tree mortality in eastern coniferous (or fir-spruce) forests in eastern North America. The spruce budworm (SBW) (Choristoneura fumiferana [Clemens]) is the most devastating insect causing tree mortality. However, the relative importance of insect-caused mortality versus tree mortality caused by other agents and how this relationship will change with climate change is not known. Based on permanent sample plots across eastern Canada, we combined a logistic model with a negative model to estimate tree mortality. The results showed that tree mortality increased mainly due to forest insects. The mean difference in annual tree mortality between plots disturbed by insects and those without insect disturbance was 0.0680 per year (P < 0.0001, T-test), and the carbon sink loss was about 2.87t C ha(-1) year(-1) larger than in natural forests. We also found that annual tree mortality increased significantly with the annual climate moisture index (CMI) and decreased significantly with annual minimum temperature (T min), annual mean temperature (T mean) and the number of degree days below 0°C (DD0), which was inconsistent with previous studies (Adams et al. 2009; van Mantgem et al. 2009; Allen et al. 2010). Furthermore, the results for the trends in the magnitude of forest insect outbreaks were consistent with those of climate factors for annual tree mortality. Our results demonstrate that forest insects are the dominant cause of the tree mortality in eastern Canada but that tree mortality induced by insect outbreaks will decrease in eastern Canada under warming climate.

Insect-induced tree mortality of boreal forests in eastern Canada under a changing climate

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiongqing; Lei, Yuancai; Ma, Zhihai; Kneeshaw, Dan; Peng, Changhui

2014-01-01

Forest insects are major disturbances that induce tree mortality in eastern coniferous (or fir-spruce) forests in eastern North America. The spruce budworm (SBW) (Choristoneura fumiferana [Clemens]) is the most devastating insect causing tree mortality. However, the relative importance of insect-caused mortality versus tree mortality caused by other agents and how this relationship will change with climate change is not known. Based on permanent sample plots across eastern Canada, we combined a logistic model with a negative model to estimate tree mortality. The results showed that tree mortality increased mainly due to forest insects. The mean difference in annual tree mortality between plots disturbed by insects and those without insect disturbance was 0.0680 per year (P < 0.0001, T-test), and the carbon sink loss was about 2.87t C ha−1 year−1 larger than in natural forests. We also found that annual tree mortality increased significantly with the annual climate moisture index (CMI) and decreased significantly with annual minimum temperature (Tmin), annual mean temperature (Tmean) and the number of degree days below 0°C (DD0), which was inconsistent with previous studies (Adams et al. 2009; van Mantgem et al. 2009; Allen et al. 2010). Furthermore, the results for the trends in the magnitude of forest insect outbreaks were consistent with those of climate factors for annual tree mortality. Our results demonstrate that forest insects are the dominant cause of the tree mortality in eastern Canada but that tree mortality induced by insect outbreaks will decrease in eastern Canada under warming climate. PMID:25360275

Growth of white pine and red spruce trees after pruning

Treesearch

Grant Davis

1958-01-01

Are pines the only coniferous trees suitable for pruning in the Northeast, or is it feasible to prune red spruce as well? Although red spruce is an important lumber species in the spruce-fir region, it is seldom pruned because of its relatively slow rate of growth.

Monitoring larval populations of the Douglas-fir tussock moth and the western spruce budworm on permanent plots: sampling methods and statistical properties of data

Treesearch

A.R. Mason; H.G. Paul

1994-01-01

Procedures for monitoring larval populations of the Douglas-fir tussock moth and the western spruce budworm are recommended based on many years experience in sampling these species in eastern Oregon and Washington. It is shown that statistically reliable estimates of larval density can be made for a population by sampling host trees in a series of permanent plots in a...

Nesting ecology of boreal forest birds following a massive outbreak of spruce beetles

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matsuoka, S.M.; Handel, C.M.

2007-01-01

We studied breeding dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis), yellow-rumped warblers (Dendroica coronata), and spruce-nesting birds from 1997 to 1998 among forests with different levels of spruce (Picea spp.) mortality following an outbreak of spruce beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis) in Alaska, USA. We identified species using live and beetle-killed spruce for nest sites and monitored nests to determine how the outbreak influenced avian habitat selection and reproduction. We tested predictions that 1) nesting success of ground-nesting juncos would increase with spruce mortality due to proliferation of understory vegetation available to conceal nests from predators, 2) nesting success of canopy-nesting warblers would decrease with spruce mortality due to fewer live spruce in which to conceal nests, and 3) both species would alter nest-site selection in response to disturbance. Juncos did not benefit from changes in understory vegetation; nesting success in highly disturbed stands (46%) was comparable to that in undisturbed habitats throughout their range. In stands with low spruce mortality, nesting success of juncos was low (5%) and corresponded with high densities of red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). Yellow-rumped warblers nested exclusively in spruce, but success did not vary with spruce mortality. As disturbance increased, nesting warblers switched from selecting forest patches with high densities of live white spruce (Picea glauca) to patches with beetle-killed spruce. Warblers also placed nests in large-diameter live or beetle-killed spruce, depending on which was more abundant in the stand, with no differences in nesting success. Five of the 12 other species of spruce-nesting birds also used beetle-killed spruce as nest sites. Because beetle-killed spruce can remain standing for >50 years, even highly disturbed stands provide an important breeding resource for boreal forest birds. We recommend that boreal forest managers preserve uncut blocks of infested

Foliage Consumption by 6th-Instar Spruce Budworm Larvae, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) Feeding on Balsam Fir and White Spruce

Treesearch

A.W.  Thomas

1983-01-01

Female larvae ate about 1.5 times as much foliage as male larvae. Larvae ate significantly less old foliage than current foliage. Balsam fir current foliage was eaten in greater quantitities than any other foliage; white spruce current and balsam fir old were eaten to the same extent; very little old white spruce was eaten.

Species composition and stand structure of a large red spruce planting 67 years after its establishment in western North Carolina

Treesearch

W. Henry McNab; James H. Holbrook; Ted M. Oprean

2010-01-01

Red spruce (Picea rubens Michx.) is a large and long-lived species that dominated high-elevation forests of the southern Appalachians before most stands were heavily logged in the early 1900s. Restoration of spruce forests by artificial methods has been studied since the 1920s, but little information is available on characteristics of older planted...

Spruce aphid in high elevation habitats in the Southwest U.S.

Treesearch

Ann M. Lynch

2003-01-01

Spruce aphid, Elatobium abietinum (Walker) (Homoptera: Aphididae), is a new invasive pest in the interior Southwestern United States. This insect is causing extensive and severe damage on dormant Engelmann spruce, Picea engelmannii Parry, and Colorado blue spruce, P. pungens Engelm., in high elevation forests in...

Effects of forest management legacies on spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) outbreaks

Treesearch

Louis-Etienne Robert; Daniel Kneeshaw; Brian R. Sturtevant

2012-01-01

The "silvicultural hypothesis" of spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clem.) dynamics postulates that increasing severity of spruce budworm outbreaks over the last century resulted from forest conditions created by past management activities. Yet, definitive tests of the hypothesis remain elusive. We examined spruce budworm outbreak...

SPRUCE experiment data infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krassovski, M.; Hanson, P. J.; Boden, T.; Riggs, J.; Nettles, W. R.; Hook, L. A.

2013-12-01

The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), USA has provided scientific data management support for the US Department of Energy and international climate change science since 1982. Among the many data activities CDIAC performs are design and implementation of the data systems. One current example is the data system and network for SPRUCE experiment. The SPRUCE experiment (http://mnspruce.ornl.gov) is the primary component of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Science Scientific Focus Area of ORNL's Climate Change Program, focused on terrestrial ecosystems and the mechanisms that underlie their responses to climatic change. The experimental work is to be conducted in a bog forest in northern Minnesota, 40 km north of Grand Rapids, in the USDA Forest Service Marcell Experimental Forest (MEF). The site is located at the southern margin of the boreal peatland forest. Experimental work in the 8.1-ha S1 bog will be a climate change manipulation focusing on the combined responses to multiple levels of warming at ambient or elevated CO2 (eCO2) levels. The experiment provides a platform for testing mechanisms controlling the vulnerability of organisms, biogeochemical processes and ecosystems to climatic change (e.g., thresholds for organism decline or mortality, limitations to regeneration, biogeochemical limitations to productivity, the cycling and release of CO2 and CH4 to the atmosphere). The manipulation will evaluate the response of the existing biological communities to a range of warming levels from ambient to +9°C, provided via large, modified open-top chambers. The ambient and +9°C warming treatments will also be conducted at eCO2 (in the range of 800 to 900 ppm). Both direct and indirect effects of these experimental perturbations will be analyzed to develop and refine models needed for full Earth system analyses. SPRUCE provides wide range continuous and discrete measurements. To successfully manage SPRUCE data flow

The influence of spruce on acidity and nutrient content in soils of Northern Taiga dwarf shrub-green moss spruce forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlova, M. A.; Lukina, N. V.; Smirnov, V. E.; Artemkina, N. A.

2016-11-01

Presently, among the works considering the influence of forest trees on soil properties, the idea that spruce ( Picea abies) promotes the acidification of soils predominates. The aim of this work is to assess the effects of spruce trees of different ages and Kraft classes on the acidity and content of available nutrient compounds in the soils under boreal dwarf shrub-green moss spruce forests by the example of forest soils in the Kola Peninsula. The soils are typical iron-illuvial podzols (Albic Rustic Podzols (Arenic)). Three probable ways of developing soils under spruce forests with the moss-dwarf shrub ground cover are considered. The soils under windfall-soil complexes of flat mesodepressions present the initial status. The acidity of organic soil horizons from the initial stage of mesodepression overgrowth to the formation of adult trees changed nonlinearly: the soil acidity reached its maximum under the 30-40-year-old trees and decreased under the trees older than 100 years. The contents of nitrogen and available nutrients increased. The acidity of the mineral soil horizons under the trees at the ages of 110-135 and 190-220 years was comparable, but higher than that under the 30-40-year-old trees. The differences in the strength and trends of the trees' effect on the soils are explained by the age of spruce trees and their belonging to different Kraft classes.

Distribution of Lepidopteran Larvae on Norway Spruce: Effects of Slope and Crown Aspect.

PubMed

Kulfan, Ján; Dvořáčková, Katarína; Zach, Peter; Parák, Michal; Svitok, Marek

2016-04-01

Lepidoptera associated with Norway spruce, Picea abies (L.) Karsten, play important roles in ecosystem processes, acting as plant pests, prey for predators, and hosts for parasites and parasitoids. Their distribution patterns in spruce crowns and forests are only poorly understood. We examined how slope and crown aspect affect the occurrence and abundance of moth larvae on solitary spruce trees in a montane region in Central Europe. Moth larvae were collected from southern and northern crowns of trees growing on south- and north-facing slopes (four treatments) using emergence boxes at the end of winter and by the beating method during the growing season. Species responses to slope and crown aspect were not uniform. Treatment effects on moth larvae were stronger in the winter than during the growing season. In winter, the abundance of bud-boring larvae was significantly higher in northern than in southern crowns regardless of the slope aspect, while both slope and aspect had marginally significant effects on abundance of miners. During the growing season, the occurrence of free-living larvae was similar among treatments. Emergence boxes and beating spruce branches are complementary techniques providing valuable insights into the assemblage structure of moth larvae on Norway spruce. Due to the uneven distribution of larvae detected in this study, we recommend adoption of a protocol that explicitly includes sampling of trees from contrasting slopes and branches from contrasting crown aspect in all seasons. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Influence of size reduction treatments on sugar recovery from Norway spruce for butanol production.

PubMed

Yang, Ming; Xu, Minyuan; Nan, Yufei; Kuittinen, Suvi; Kamrul Hassan, Md; Vepsäläinen, Jouko; Xin, Donglin; Zhang, Junhua; Pappinen, Ari

2018-06-01

This study investigated whether the effectiveness of pretreatment is limited by a size reduction of Norway spruce wood in biobutanol production. The spruce was milled, chipped, and mashed for hydrogen peroxide-acetic acid (HPAC) and dilute acid (DA) pretreatment. Sugar recoveries from chipped and mashed spruce after enzymatic hydrolysis were higher than from milled spruce, and the recoveries were not correlated with the spruce fiber length. HPAC pretreatment resulted in almost 100% glucose and 88% total reducing sugars recoveries from chipped spruce, which were apparently higher than DA pretreatment, demonstrating greater effectiveness of HPAC pretreatment on sugar production. The butanol and ABE yield from chipped spruce were 126.5 and 201.2 g/kg pretreated spruce, respectively. The yields decreased with decreasing particle size due to biomass loss in the pretreatment. The results suggested that Norway spruce chipped to a 20 mm length is applicable to the production of platform sugars for butanol fermentation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Putting community data to work: some understory plants indicate red spruce regeneration habitat

Treesearch

Alison C. Dibble; John C. Brissette; Malcolm L. Hunter

1999-01-01

When harvested, red spruce (Picea rubens) at low elevations is vulnerable to temporary displacement by balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and hardwoods. If indicator plants can be found by which to assess spruce regeneration habitat, then biota dependent on red spruce dominance could benefit. Associations between spruce seedlings (0.1-0.5...

Canopy gap dynamics of second-growth red spruce-northern hardwood stands in West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rentch, J.S.; Schuler, T.M.; Nowacki, G.J.; Beane, N.R.; Ford, W.M.

2010-01-01

Forest restoration requires an understanding of the natural disturbance regime of the target community and estimates of the historic range of variability of ecosystem components (composition, structure, and disturbance processes). Management prescriptions that support specific restoration activities should be consistent with these parameters. In this study, we describe gap-phase dynamics of even-aged, second-growth red spruce-northern hardwood stands in West Virginia that have been significantly degraded following early Twentieth Century harvesting and wildfire. In the current stage of stand development, gaps tended to be small, with mean canopy gap and extended canopy gap sizes of 53.4m2 and 199.3m2, respectively, and a canopy turnover rate of 1.4%year-1. The majority of gaps resulted from the death of one or two trees. American beech snags were the most frequent gap maker, partially due to the elevated presence of beech-bark disease in the study area. Gaps ranged in age from 1 to 28 years, had a mean of 13 years, and were unimodal in distribution. We projected red spruce to be the eventual gap filler in approximately 40% of the gaps. However, we estimated that most average-sized gaps will close within 15-20 years before red spruce canopy ascension is projected (30-60 years). Accordingly, many understory red spruce will require more than one overhead release - an observation verified by the tree-ring record and consistent with red spruce life history characteristics. Based on our observations, silvicultural prescriptions that include overhead release treatments such as thinning from above or small gap creation through selection harvesting could be an appropriate activity to foster red spruce restoration in the central Appalachians. ?? 2010 Elsevier B.V.

SPRUCE Shrub-Layer Growth Assessments in S1-Bog Plots and SPRUCE Experimental Plots beginning in 2010

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanson, P.J.; Phillips, J.R.; Brice, D.J.

This data set reports shrub layer growth assessments for the S1-Bog on the Marcell Experimental Forest in Minnesota from 2010 through 2017. Data were obtained by destructively harvesting two 0.25 m2 plots within defined plot areas of the S1-Bog or SPRUCE experimental plots. In 2015, SPRUCE plots 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 19 and 20 were enclosed in the SPRUCE enclosures. Prior to 2015 all data are for open ambient conditions. In early years a distinct hummock and a hollow sampling square were both collected, but in later years unsampled hollow areas became unavailable due to priormore » sampling or instrument installations. All vegetation material above the Sphagnum surface of the bog was clipped and transferred to plastic storage bags which were then frozen until the samples could be sorted. Sorting was done by species, tissue type (leaves vs. stems) and tissue age (current-year vs. older tissues).« less

Reproductive potential of balsam fir (Abies balsamea), white spruce (Picea glauca), and black spruce (P. mariana) at the ecotone between mixedwood and coniferous forests in the boreal zone of western Quebec.

PubMed

Messaoud, Yassine; Bergeron, Yves; Asselin, Hugo

2007-05-01

The reproductive potentials of balsam fir and white spruce (co-dominants in mixedwood forests) and black spruce (dominant in coniferous forests) were studied to explain the location of the ecotone between the two forest types in the boreal zone of Quebec. Four sites were selected along a latitudinal gradient crossing the ecotone. Cone crop, number of seeds per cone, percentage filled seeds, and percentage germination were measured for each species. Balsam fir and white spruce cone crops were significantly lower in the coniferous than in the mixedwood forest, while black spruce had greater crop constancy and regularity between both forest types. Mast years were more frequent for black spruce than for balsam fir in both forest types (mast year data not available for white spruce). The number of seeds per cone was more related to cone size than to forest type for all species. Black spruce produced more filled seeds in the coniferous forest than balsam fir or white spruce. The sum of growing degree-days and the maximum temperature of the warmest month (both for the year prior to cone production) significantly affected balsam fir cone production. The climate-related northward decrease in reproductive potential of balsam fir and white spruce could partly explain the position of the northern limit of the mixedwood forest. This could change drastically, however, as the ongoing climate warming might cancel this competitive advantage of black spruce.

Growth strategy of Norway spruce under air elevated [CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pokorny, R.; Urban, O.; Holisova, P.; Sprtova, M.; Sigut, L.; Slipkova, R.

2012-04-01

Plants will respond to globally increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]) by acclimation or adaptation at physiological and morphological levels. Considering the temporal onset, physiological responses may be categorized as short-term and morphological ones as long-term responses. The degree of plant growth responses, including cell division and cell expansion, is highly variable. It depends mainly on the specie's genetic predisposition, environment, mineral nutrition status, duration of CO2 enrichment, and/or synergetic effects of other stresses. Elevated [CO2] causes changes in tissue anatomy, quantity, size, shape and spatial orientation and can result in altered sink strength. Since, there are many experimental facilities for the investigation of elevated [CO2] effects on trees: i) closed systems or open top chambers (OTCs), ii) semi-open systems (for example glass domes with adjustable lamella windows - DAWs), and iii) free-air [CO2] enrichments (FACE); the results are still unsatisfactory due to: i) relatively short-term duration of experiments, ii) cultivation of young plants with different growth strategy comparing to old ones, iii) plant cultivation under artificial soil and weather conditions, and iv) in non-representative stand structure. In this contribution we are discussing the physiological and morphological responses of Norway spruce trees cultivated in DAWs during eight consecutive growing seasons in the context with other results from Norway spruce cultivation under air-elevated [CO2] conditions. On the level of physiological responses, we discuss the changes in the rate of CO2 assimilation, assimilation capacity, photorespiration, dark respiration, stomatal conductance, water potential and transpiration, and the sensitivity of these physiological processes to temperature. On the level of morphological responses, we discuss the changes in bud and growth phenology, needle and shoot morphology, architecture of crown and root system, wood

Expression of the β-glucosidase gene Pgβglu-1 underpins natural resistance of white spruce against spruce budworm

PubMed Central

Mageroy, Melissa H; Parent, Geneviève; Germanos, Gaby; Giguère, Isabelle; Delvas, Nathalie; Maaroufi, Halim; Bauce, Éric; Bohlmann, Joerg; Mackay, John J

2015-01-01

Periodic outbreaks of spruce budworm (SBW) affect large areas of ecologically and economically important conifer forests in North America, causing tree mortality and reduced forest productivity. Host resistance against SBW has been linked to growth phenology and the chemical composition of foliage, but the underlying molecular mechanisms and population variation are largely unknown. Using a genomics approach, we discovered a β-glucosidase gene, Pgβglu-1, whose expression levels and function underpin natural resistance to SBW in mature white spruce (Picea glauca) trees. In phenotypically resistant trees, Pgβglu-1 transcripts were up to 1000 times more abundant than in non-resistant trees and were highly enriched in foliage. The encoded PgβGLU-1 enzyme catalysed the cleavage of acetophenone sugar conjugates to release the aglycons piceol and pungenol. These aglycons were previously shown to be active against SBW. Levels of Pgβglu-1 transcripts and biologically active acetophenone aglycons were substantially different between resistant and non-resistant trees over time, were positively correlated with each other and were highly variable in a natural white spruce population. These results suggest that expression of Pgβglu-1 and accumulation of acetophenone aglycons is a constitutive defence mechanism in white spruce. The progeny of resistant trees had higher Pgβglu-1 gene expression than non-resistant progeny, indicating that the trait is heritable. With reported increases in the intensity of SBW outbreaks, influenced by climate, variation of Pgβglu-1 transcript expression, PgβGLU-1 enzyme activity and acetophenone accumulation may serve as resistance markers to better predict impacts of SBW in both managed and wild spruce populations. PMID:25302566

Preliminary lumber recovery for dead and live Engelmann spruce.

Treesearch

James M. Cahill

1980-01-01

Lumber recovery, lumber grade distribution, and log values are presented for logs cut from dead and live Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.) trees. The dead sample includes standing and down trees killed by the Engelmann spruce beetle (Dendroctonus ruffipennis Kirby) over 20 years ago.

Detecting climatically driven phylogenetic and morphological divergence among spruce (Picea) species worldwide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Guo-Hong; Li, He; Zhao, Hai-Wei; Zhang, Wei-Kang

2017-05-01

This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between climate and the phylogenetic and morphological divergence of spruces (Picea) worldwide. Climatic and georeferenced data were collected from a total of 3388 sites distributed within the global domain of spruce species. A phylogenetic tree and a morphological tree for the global spruces were reconstructed based on DNA sequences and morphological characteristics. Spatial evolutionary and ecological vicariance analysis (SEEVA) was used to detect the ecological divergence among spruces. A divergence index (D) with (0, 1) scaling was calculated for each climatic factor at each node for both trees. The annual mean values, extreme values and annual range of the climatic variables were among the major determinants for spruce divergence. The ecological divergence was significant (P < 0. 001) for 185 of the 279 comparisons at 31 nodes in the phylogenetic tree, as well as for 196 of the 288 comparisons at 32 nodes in the morphological tree. Temperature parameters and precipitation parameters tended to be the main driving factors for the primary divergences of spruce phylogeny and morphology, respectively. Generally, the maximum D of the climatic variables was smaller in the basal nodes than in the remaining nodes. Notably, the primary divergence of morphology and phylogeny among the investigated spruces tended to be driven by different selective pressures. Given the climate scenario of severe and widespread drought over land areas in the next 30-90 years, our findings shed light on the prediction of spruce distribution under future climate change.

Western Spruce Budworm

Treesearch

David G. Fellin; Jerald E. Dewey

1982-01-01

The western spruce budworm, Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman, is the most widely distributed and destructive defoliator of coniferous forests in Western North America. It is one of nearly a dozen Choristoneura species, subspecies, or forms, with a complexity of variation among populations found throughout much of the United States and Canada. It occurs in the Rocky...

N cycling in SPRUCE (Spruce Peatlands Response Under ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Peatlands located in boreal regions make up a third of global wetland area and are expected to have the highest temperature increases in response to climate change. As climate warms, we expect peat decomposition may accelerate, altering the cycling of nitrogen. Alterations in the nitrogen cycle can have consequences on NO3, NH4 availability or pollution, and potentially increase nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, a persistent greenhouse gas (GHG). These consequences can cascade to altering whole ecosystem functions and effecting human health.We are investigating nitrogen cycling response to elevated temperature and CO2 in a boreal peatland. Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Climate and Environmental Change (SPRUCE) project initiated soil warming in 2014 in ten peatland mesocosms (five temperature treatments from ambient (+0°C) to +9°C) and elevated CO2 in half of the mesocosms in 2016. Peat cores at three depths (acrotelm, catotelm, deep peat) were analyzed in the laboratory for denitrification, nitrification, and ammonification. We expect denitrification, nitrification, and ammonification rates to increase, and denitrification efficiency to decrease with rising temperatures- potentially contaminating water resources with NO3, NH4 and increase N2O concentrations in our atmosphere. This research will enhance the scientific understanding of how nitrogen cycling, an important functional eco-service, responds under environmental conditions including elevated CO2

Computer simulation for integrated pest management of spruce budworms

Treesearch

Carroll B. Williams; Patrick J. Shea

1982-01-01

Some field studies of the effects of various insecticides on the spruce budworm (Choristoneura sp.) and their parasites have shown severe suppression of host (budworm) populations and increased parasitism after treatment. Computer simulation using hypothetical models of spruce budworm-parasite systems based on these field data revealed that (1)...

Spruce reproduction dynamics on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, 1987-2000.

Treesearch

Willem W.S. van Hees

2005-01-01

During the past 30 years, spruce forests of Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula have undergone dramatic changes resulting from widespread spruce bark beetle(Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby)) infestation. In 1987 and again in 2000, the Pacific Northwest Research Station's Forest Inventory and Analysis Program conducted initial and remeasurement inventories...

Some observations on age relationships in spruce-fir regeneration

Treesearch

Barton M. Blum

1973-01-01

Measurement of the ages of seedlings of balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L) Mill.), red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.), and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) 15 years after the first harvest of a two-cut shelterwood operation revealed that very few potential crop-tree seedlings in the sample occurred as advance...

Spruce Budworm Fecundity and Foliar Chemistry: Influence of Site

Treesearch

M.D.C. Schmitt; M.M. Czapowskyj; D.C.  Allen; E.H.  White

1983-01-01

Two Maine spruce-fir stands having different soils were sampled to determine the relationship between spruce budworm weight (fecundity) and foliage quality. Although much of the variation in budworm weight was attributable to other factors, significant correlations between budworm weight and multiple foliar nutrient concentration variables suggest that foliage quality...

SPRUCE Pretreatment Plant Tissue Analyses, 2009 through 2013

DOE Data Explorer

Phillips, J. R. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Brice, D. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Hanson, P. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Childs, J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Iversen, C. M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Norby, R. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Warren, J. M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A

2009-12-01

This data set reports the results of elemental analyses of foliar and stem/woody twig plant tissues collected at the SPRUCE site in 2009, 2012, and 2013. Samples were obtained at various locations around the S1 Bog and from within the developing experimental treatment plots. These are pretreatment vegetation samples, collected prior to initiation of the SPRUCE experiment heating and elevated CO2 treatments.

Development of White and Norway Spruce Trees from Several Seed Sources 29 Years After Planting

Treesearch

James P. King; Paul O. Rudolf

1969-01-01

A 29-year-old test of trees grown from seven white spruce and six Norway spruce seed sources and planted in Wisconsin and Minnesota demonstrates the importance of seed-source selection and indicates that trees from some Norway spruce sources equal or surpass the native white spruce.

Analyses of Great Smoky Mountain Red Spruce Tree Ring Data

Treesearch

Paul C. van Deusen; [Editor

1988-01-01

Four different analyses of red spruce tree ring data from the Great Smoky Mountains are presented along with a description of the spruce/fir ecosystem.The analyses use several techniques including spatial analysis, fractals, spline detrending, and the Kalman filter.

Effect of seedbed preparation on natural reproduction of spruce and hemlock under dense shade

Treesearch

Grant Davis; Arthur C. Hart

1961-01-01

The cutting practices commonly recommended for spruce-fir stands in the Northeast involve uneven-aged management. The success of this type of management is predicated upon stand structures that have a range of size classes from seedlings to mature trees in intimate mixture. This kind of stand structure requires a continuous supply of reproduction of desirable species....

Negative impacts of high temperatures on growth of black spruce forests intensify with the anticipated climate warming.

PubMed

Girardin, Martin P; Hogg, Edward H; Bernier, Pierre Y; Kurz, Werner A; Guo, Xiao Jing; Cyr, Guillaume

2016-02-01

An increasing number of studies conclude that water limitations and heat stress may hinder the capacity of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) trees, a dominant species of Canada's boreal forests, to grow and assimilate atmospheric carbon. However, there is currently no scientific consensus on the future of these forests over the next century in the context of widespread climate warming. The large spatial extent of black spruce forests across the Canadian boreal forest and associated variability in climate, demography, and site conditions pose challenges for projecting future climate change responses. Here we provide an evaluation of the impacts of climate warming and drying, as well as increasing [CO2 ], on the aboveground productivity of black spruce forests across Canada south of 60°N for the period 1971 to 2100. We use a new extensive network of tree-ring data obtained from Canada's National Forest Inventory, spatially explicit simulations of net primary productivity (NPP) and its drivers, and multivariate statistical modeling. We found that soil water availability is a significant driver of black spruce interannual variability in productivity across broad areas of the western to eastern Canadian boreal forest. Interannual variability in productivity was also found to be driven by autotrophic respiration in the warmest regions. In most regions, the impacts of soil water availability and respiration on interannual variability in productivity occurred during the phase of carbohydrate accumulation the year preceding tree-ring formation. Results from projections suggest an increase in the importance of soil water availability and respiration as limiting factors on NPP over the next century due to warming, but this response may vary to the extent that other factors such as carbon dioxide fertilization, and respiration acclimation to high temperature, contribute to dampening these limitations. © 2015 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. Reproduced with

Excess growing-season water limits lowland black spruce productivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dymond, S.; Kolka, R. K.; Bolstad, P. V.; Gill, K.; Curzon, M.; D'Amato, A. W.

2015-12-01

The annual growth of many tree species is limited by water availability, with growth increasing as water becomes less scarce. In lowland bogs of northern Minnesota, however, black spruce (Picea mariana) is often exposed to excess water via high water table elevations. These trees grow in thick deposits of organic mucky peat and often have shallow rooting systems to avoid the complete submersion of roots in water. While it is generally believed that black spruce decrease growth rates with rising water table elevations, this hypothesis has not been tested in situ. We used a unique, 50-year record of daily bog water table elevations at the Marcell Experimental Forest (MEF) in northern Minnesota to investigate the relationship between climate and black spruce productivity. Nine 1/20th ha circular plots were established in five different bogs and tree height, diameter-at-breast-height (DBH), and crown class were recorded. Additionally, two perpendicular cores were collected on all trees greater than 10 cm diameter-at-breast-height. Tree cores were sanded, mounted, cross-dated, and de-trended according to standard dendrochronological procedures. Ring width measurements were correlated with precipitation, temperature, and water table elevation using package BootRes in R to determine the climatic variables most associated with stand level productivity. Across the different plots, we found that early growing season water table elevation (May and June) was negatively correlated with both individual and stand-level black spruce growth (p < 0.01), while growth was positively correlated with March temperatures (p < 0.01). No significant relationships existed between black spruce growth and monthly precipitation. If summer water table elevations in these peatland ecosystems rise as is anticipated with more extreme precipitation events due to climate change, we could see an overall decrease in the stand level productivity of black spruce.

Genetic structure, diversity, and inbreeding of eastern white pine under different management conditions

Treesearch

Paula E. Marquardt; Craig S. Echt; Bryan K. Epperson; Dan M. Pubanz

2007-01-01

Resource sustainability requires a thorough understanding of the influence of forest management programs on the conservation of genetic diversity in tree populations. To observe how differences in forest structure affect the genetic structure of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), we evaluated six eastern white pine sites across the 234000 acre (1...

DNA methylome of the 20-gigabase Norway spruce genome

PubMed Central

Ausin, Israel; Feng, Suhua; Yu, Chaowei; Liu, Wanlu; Kuo, Hsuan Yu; Jacobsen, Elise L.; Zhai, Jixian; Gallego-Bartolome, Javier; Wang, Lin; Egertsdotter, Ulrika; Street, Nathaniel R.; Jacobsen, Steven E.; Wang, Haifeng

2016-01-01

DNA methylation plays important roles in many biological processes, such as silencing of transposable elements, imprinting, and regulating gene expression. Many studies of DNA methylation have shown its essential roles in angiosperms (flowering plants). However, few studies have examined the roles and patterns of DNA methylation in gymnosperms. Here, we present genome-wide high coverage single-base resolution methylation maps of Norway spruce (Picea abies) from both needles and somatic embryogenesis culture cells via whole genome bisulfite sequencing. On average, DNA methylation levels of CG and CHG of Norway spruce were higher than most other plants studied. CHH methylation was found at a relatively low level; however, at least one copy of most of the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway genes was found in Norway spruce, and CHH methylation was correlated with levels of siRNAs. In comparison with needles, somatic embryogenesis culture cells that are used for clonally propagating spruce trees showed lower levels of CG and CHG methylation but higher level of CHH methylation, suggesting that like in other species, these culture cells show abnormal methylation patterns. PMID:27911846

Concentrations of Ca and Mg in early stages of sapwood decay in red spruce, eastern hemlock, red maple, and paper birch

Treesearch

Kevin T. Smith; Walter C. Shortle; Jody Jellison; Jon Connolly; Jonathan Schilling

2007-01-01

The decay of coarse woody debris is a key component in the formation of forest soil and in the biogeochemical cycles of Ca and Mg. We tracked changes in density and concentration of Ca and Mg in sapwood of red maple (Acer rubrum L.), red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.), paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), and...

Two-dimensional wavelet analysis of spruce budworm host basal area in the Border Lakes landscape

Treesearch

Patrick M. James; Brian R. Sturtevant; Phil Townsend; Pete Wolter; Marie-Josee Fortin

2011-01-01

Increases in the extent and severity of spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clem.) outbreaks over the last century are thought to be the result of changes in forest structure due to forest management. A corollary of this hypothesis is that manipulations of forest structure and composition can be used to reduce future forest vulnerability....

Decadal Variations in Eastern Canada's Taiga Wood Biomass Production Forced by Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions.

PubMed

Boucher, Etienne; Nicault, Antoine; Arseneault, Dominique; Bégin, Yves; Karami, Mehdi Pasha

2017-05-26

Across Eastern Canada (EC), taiga forests represent an important carbon reservoir, but the extent to which climate variability affects this ecosystem over decades remains uncertain. Here, we analyze an extensive network of black spruce (Picea mariana Mill.) ring width and wood density measurements and provide new evidence that wood biomass production is influenced by large-scale, internal ocean-atmosphere processes. We show that while black spruce wood biomass production is primarily governed by growing season temperatures, the Atlantic ocean conveys heat from the subtropics and influences the decadal persistence in taiga forests productivity. Indeed, we argue that 20-30 years periodicities in Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) as part of the the Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO) directly influence heat transfers to adjacent lands. Winter atmospheric conditions associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) might also impact EC's taiga forests, albeit indirectly, through its effect on SSTs and sea ice conditions in surrounding seas. Our work emphasizes that taiga forests would benefit from the combined effects of a warmer atmosphere and stronger ocean-to-land heat transfers, whereas a weakening of these transfers could cancel out, for decades or longer, the positive effects of climate change on Eastern Canada's largest ecosystem.

Can spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirky) pheromone trap catches or stand conditions predict Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.) tree mortality in Colorado?

Treesearch

Jose F. Negron; John B. Popp

2017-01-01

1) Bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) can cause extensive tree mortality in forests dominated by their hosts. Among these, the spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) is one of the most important beetles in western North America causing Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) tree mortality. 2) Although pheromone traps with attractants are commonly used...

SPRUCE: Sphagnum Productivity and Community Composition in the SPRUCE Experimental Plots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Norby, R.J.; Childs, J.

This data set reports annual dry matter production of Sphagnum in replicated growth columns, the composition of the moss community, and plot-average Sphagnum productivity in the SPRUCE experimental study plots located in the S1-Bog. Data are reported for 2016 (October 2015 to October 2016) and 2017 (October 2016 to October 2017). Additional data will be appended as they become available.

Relationships between prefire composition, fire impact, and postfire legacies in the boreal forest of Eastern Canada

Treesearch

Alain Leduc; Yves Bergeron; Sylvie Gauthier

2007-01-01

Canadian mixedwood forests have a high compositional and structural diversity. It includes both hardwood (aspen, balsam poplar, and white birch) and softwood (balsam fir, white spruce, black spruce, larch, and white cedar) species that can form pure stands or mixed stands. This heterogeneity results in a variety of vertical structural strata that can potentially...

SPRUCE Peat Physical and Chemical Characteristics from Experimental Plot Cores, 2012

DOE Data Explorer

Iversen, C. M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hanson, P. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Brice, D. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Phillips, J. R. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; McFarlane, K. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hobbie, E. A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Kolka, R. K. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

2012-01-01

This data set reports the results of physical and chemical analyses of peat core samples from the SPRUCE experimental study plots located in the S1-Bog. On August 13-15, 2012, a team of SPRUCE investigators and collaborators collected core samples of peat in the SPRUCE experimental plots. The goal was to characterize the biological, physical, and chemical characteristics of peat, and how those characteristics changed throughout the depth profile of the bog, prior to the initialization of the SPRUCE experimental warming and CO2 treatments. Cores were collected from 16 experimental plots; samples were collected from the hummock and hollow surfaces to depths of 200-300 cm in defined increments. Three replicate cores were collected from both hummock and hollow locations in each plot. The coring locations within each plot were mapped

Status of viruses as biocontrol agents for spruce budworms

Treesearch

J. C. Cunningham

1985-01-01

Aerial spray trials with a variety of viruses have been conducted between 1971 and 1983 with 2656 ha (65 plots) treated to control spruce budworm in Ontario and Quebec and 424 ha (6 plots) treated to control western spruce budworm in British Columbia. Generally, results have been inconsistent and less than satisfactory, but research continues in an effort to develop a...

"Super" Spruce Seedlings Continue Superior Growth for 18 Years

Treesearch

Hans Nienstaedt

1981-01-01

White spruce seedlings--20, 19, 18, and 17 inches tall--were selected among 2-2 transplants; controls from the same beds averaged 7.7 inches tall. After 18 years in the field, the selected seedlings continued to have a 30 percent height growth advantage over the controls. This note discusses how to incorporate super spruce seedlings into a tree breeding program....

Evaluation of the antiaggregation pheromone, 3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one (MCH), to protect live spruce from spruce beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) infestation in sourthern Utah.

Treesearch

Darrell W. Ross; Gary E. Daterman; A. Steven Munson

2004-01-01

The spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby), produces the antiaggregation pheromone 3-methylcyclohex-2-en- 1-one (MCH) (Rudinsky et al. 1974). MCH has reduced the numbers of spruce beetles attracted to infested logs and synthetic semiochemical lures or reduced colonization rates throughout the beetles range (Kline

Nonlinear responses of white spruce growth to climate variability in interior Alaska

Treesearch

A.H. Lloyd; P.A. Duffy; D.H. Mann

2013-01-01

Ongoing warming at high latitudes is expected to lead to large changes in the structure and function of boreal forests. Our objective in this research is to determine the climatic controls over the growth of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) at the warmest driest margins of its range in interior Alaska. We then use those relationships to...

Drought-induced stomatal closure probably cannot explain divergent white spruce growth in the Brooks Range, Alaska, USA.

PubMed

Brownlee, Annalis H; Sullivan, Patrick F; Csank, Adam Z; Sveinbjörnsson, Bjartmar; Ellison, Sarah B Z

2016-01-01

Increment cores from the boreal forest have long been used to reconstruct past climates. However, in recent years, numerous studies have revealed a deterioration of the correlation between temperature and tree growth that is commonly referred to as divergence. In the Brooks Range of northern Alaska, USA, studies of white spruce (Picea glauca) revealed that trees in the west generally showed positive growth trends, while trees in the central and eastern Brooks Range showed mixed and negative trends during late 20th century warming. The growing season climate of the eastern Brooks Range is thought to be drier than the west. On this basis, divergent tree growth in the eastern Brooks Range has been attributed to drought stress. To investigate the hypothesis that drought-induced stomatal closure can explain divergence in the Brooks Range, we synthesized all of the Brooks Range white spruce data available in the International Tree Ring Data Bank (ITRDB) and collected increment cores from our primary sites in each of four watersheds along a west-to-east gradient near the Arctic treeline. For cores from our sites, we measured ring widths and calculated carbon isotope discrimination (δ13C), intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), and needle intercellular CO2 concentration (C(i)) from δ13C in tree-ring alpha-cellulose. We hypothesized that trees exhibiting divergence would show a corresponding decline in δ13C, a decline in C(i), and a strong increase in iWUE. Consistent with the ITRDB data, trees at our western and central sites generally showed an increase in the strength of the temperature-growth correlation during late 20th century warming, while trees at our eastern site showed strong divergence. Divergent tree growth was not, however, associated with declining δ13C. Meanwhile, estimates of C(i) showed a strong increase at all of our study sites, indicating that more substrate was available for photosynthesis in the early 21st than in the early 20th century. Our

Factors affecting spruce establishment and recruitment near western treeline, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, A. E.; Sherriff, R.; Wilson, T. L.

2015-12-01

Regional warming and increases in tree growth are contributing to increased productivity near the western forest margin in Alaska. The effects of warming on seedling recruitment has received little attention, in spite of forecasted forest expansion near western treeline. Here, we used stand structure and environmental data from white spruce (Picea glauca) stands (n = 95) sampled across a longitudinal gradient to explore factors influencing white spruce growth, establishment and recruitment in southwest Alaska. Using tree-ring chronologies developed from a subset of the plots (n = 30), we estimated establishment dates and basal area increment (BAI) for trees of all age classes across a range of site conditions. We used GLMs (generalized linear models) to explore the relationship between tree growth and temperature in undisturbed, low elevation sites along the gradient, using BAI averaged over the years 1975-2000. In addition, we examined the relationship between growing degree days (GDD) and seedling establishment over the previous three decades. We used total counts of live seedlings, saplings and live and dead trees, representing four cohorts, to evaluate whether geospatial, climate, and measured plot covariates predicted abundance of the different size classes. We hypothesized that the relationship between abundance and longitude would vary by size class, and that this relationship would be mediated by growing season temperature. We found that mean BAI for trees in undisturbed, low elevation sites increased with July maximum temperature, and that the slope of the relationship with temperature changed with longitude (interaction significant with 90% confidence). White spruce establishment was positively associated with longer summers and/or greater heat accumulation, as inferred from GDD. Seedling, sapling and tree abundance were also positively correlated with temperature across the study area. The response to longitude was mixed, with smaller size classes

Release of suppressed red spruce using canopy gap creation—Ecological restoration in the Central Appalachians

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rentch, J.S.; Ford, W. Mark; Schuler, T.S.; Palmer, J.; Diggins, Corinne A.

2016-01-01

Red spruce (Picea rubens) and red spruce-northern hardwood mixed stands once covered as much as 300,000 ha in the Central Appalachians, but now comprise no more than 21,000 ha. Recently, interest in restoration of this forest type has increased because red spruce forests provide habitat for a number of rare animal species. Our study reports the results of an understory red spruce release experiment in hardwood-dominated stands that have a small component of understory red spruce. In 2005, 188 target spruce were identified in sample plots at six locations in central West Virginia. We projected a vertical cylinder above the crown of all target spruces, and in 2007, we performed a release treatment whereby overtopping hardwoods were treated with herbicide using a stem injection technique. Release treatments removed 0–10% (Control), 11–50% (Low), 51–89% (Medium), and ≤90% (High) of the basal area of overtopping trees. We also took canopy photographs at the time of each remeasurement in 2007, 2010, and 2013, and compared basal removal treatments and resulting 2010 canopy openness and understory light values. The high treatment level provided significantly greater six-year dbh and height growth than the other treatment levels. Based on these results, we propose that a tree-centered release approach utilizing small canopy gaps that emulate the historical, gap-phase disturbance regime provides a good strategy for red spruce restoration in hardwood forests where overstory spruce are virtually absent, and where red spruce is largely relegated to the understory.

Sticky-board trap for measuring dispersal of spruce budworm larvae

Treesearch

Daniel T. Jennings; Mark W. Houseweart

1983-01-01

Describes a new sticky-board trap for measuring early-larval dispersal of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), and evaluates trap-board color and screened versus unscreened traps. Dispersing spruce budworm larvae showed no preference for trap color; fewer nontarget arthropods were caught on dark-colored than on light-colored traps....

Structure and dynamics in a virgin northern hardwood-spruce-fir forest--the Bowl, New Hampshire

Treesearch

Stanley R. Gemborys

1996-01-01

A phytosociological study was conducted in a virgin northern hardwood- spruce-fir forest in the Bowl in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. There is no evidence of fire or human disturbance but hurricane winds were significant in the past. Bray and Curtis ordination was used to develop an XY vegetational mosaic. Differentiating species were Picea rubens and Acer...

The current distribution, predictive modeling, and restoration potential of red spruce in West Virginia

Treesearch

Gregory Nowacki; Dan Wendt

2010-01-01

The environmental relationships of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) were assessed in east-central West Virginia. Although many significant relationships existed, red spruce was most strongly associated with elevation, climate, and soil moisture factors. Specifically, red spruce was positively associated with elevation, number of frost days, mean...

Factors influencing northern spruce engraver colonization of white spruce slash in interior Alaska

Treesearch

Christopher J. Fettig; Roger E. Burnside; Chistopher J. Hayes; James J. Kruse; Nicholas J. Lisuzzo; Stephen R. McKelvey; Sylvia R. Mori; Stephen K. Nickel; Mark E. Schultz

2013-01-01

In interior Alaska, increased use of mechanical fuel reduction treatments, increased interests in the use of wood energy systems as alternatives to fossil fuels, and elevated populations of northern spruce engraver, Ips perturbatus (Eichhoff), have raised concerns regarding the impact of this bark beetle to forest resources. We conducted a large-...

Structural changes in the vascular bundles of light-exposed and shaded spruce needles suffering from Mg deficiency and ozone pollution.

PubMed

Boxler-Baldoma, Carmen; Lütz, Cornelius; Heumann, Hans-Günther; Siefermann-Harms, Dorothea

2006-02-01

The correlation between structural changes of the vascular bundles and needle yellowing was examined for needles of damaged spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) growing at a Mg-deficient and ozone polluted mountain site in the Central Black Forest (840m a.s.l.). In the previous year's sun-exposed needles, the following sequence of events was observed: (1) rapid needle yellowing, (2) hypertrophy and anomalous divisions of cambium cells, (3) phloem collapse, and, (4) production of atypical xylem tracheids. Under defined shade (reduction of the photosynthetically active photon flux density of the ambient light by 85-90%), the needles remained green, while the phloem collapsed completely within the first 6 weeks of shading; subsequently, a reversal of the collapse was observed. Under both light conditions, the content of Mg not bound to chlorophyll (Mg(free)) was in the range of 0.1 mg g(-1) needle dry matter, and hardly changed throughout the investigation period. After Mg fertilization, the Mg(free) level of the previous year's needles increased to 0.2 mg g(-1) dry matter, the light-exposed needles remained green, and the vascular bundles developed no anomalies. The data show that the rapid needle yellowing of ozone-exposed Mg-deficient needles did not depend on the collapse of the phloem. Mg deficiency played a key role in the development of anomalous vascular bundles under light, and also appears to explain the transient changes in sieve cell structure under shade. The role of Mg deficiency, rather than ozone pollution, in the damage of the sieve cells was confirmed in a long-term ozone exposure experiment with young clonal spruce growing under defined conditions.

[Community stability for spruce-fir forest at different succession stages in Changbai Mountains, Northeast China].

PubMed

Zhang, Meng-tao; Zhang, Qing; Kang, Xin-gang; Yang, Ying-jun; Xu, Guang; Zhang, Li-xin

2015-06-01

Based on the analysis of three forest communities (polar-birch secondary forest, spruce-fir mixed forest, spruce-fir near pristine forest) in Changbai Mountains, a total of 22 factors of 5 indices, including the population regeneration, soil fertility (soil moisture and soli nutrient), woodland productivity and species diversity that reflected community characteristics were used to evaluate the stability of forest community succession at different stages by calculating subordinate function values of a model based on fuzzy mathematics. The results that the indices of population regeneration, soli nutrient, woodland productivity and species diversity were the highest in the spruce-fir mixed forest, and the indices of soil moisture were the highest in the spruce-fir near-pristine forest. The stability of three forest communities was in order of natural spruce-fir mixed forest > spruce-fir near pristine forest > polar-birch secondary forest.

Fertilization of black spruce or poor site peatland in Minnesota.

Treesearch

David H. Alban; Richard F. Watt

1981-01-01

Fertilization of poor site black spruce on organic soil with various rates of nitrogen and phosphorus increased height and diameter growth from 2 to 4 times. The growth response declined with time but was still apparent 16 years after fertilization. Shrub biomass and coverage, and nutrient levels of spruce foliage were strongly affected by fertilization.

Red-breasted nuthatches detect early increases in spruce budworm populations

Treesearch

Hewlette S. Crawford; Daniel T. Jennings; Timothy L. Stone

1990-01-01

Early suppression .of increasing spruce budworm populations is essential to prevent epidemics; however, early changes in budworm numbers are difficult to detect. An effective and inexpensive method to detect early increases is needed. Red-breasted nuthatches eat more spruce budworm larvae and pupae as the insect increases in number. We estimated the number of large...

Interspecific variation in resistance of two host tree species to spruce budworm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuentealba, Alvaro; Bauce, Éric

2016-01-01

Woody plants regularly sustain biomass losses to herbivorous insects. Consequently, they have developed various resistance mechanisms to cope with insect attack. However, these mechanisms of defense and how they are affected by resource availability are not well understood. The present study aimed at evaluating and comparing the natural resistance (antibiosis and tolerance) of balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.) and white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench) Voss] to spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), and how drainage site quality as a component of resource availability affects the expression of resistance over time (6 years). Our results showed that there are differences in natural resistance between the two tree species to spruce budworm, but it was not significantly affected by drainage quality. Balsam fir exhibited higher foliar toxic secondary compounds concentrations than white spruce in all drainage classes, resulting in lower male pupal mass, survival and longer male developmental time. This, however, did not prevent spruce budworm from consuming more foliage in balsam fir than in white spruce. This response suggests that either natural levels of measured secondary compounds do not provide sufficient toxicity to reduce defoliation, or spruce budworm has developed compensatory mechanisms, which allow it to utilize food resources more efficiently or minimize the toxic effects that are produced by its host's defensive compounds. Larvae exhibited lower pupal mass and higher mortality in rapidly drained and subhygric sites. Drainage class also affected the amount of foliage destroyed but its impact varied over the years and was probably influenced by climatic variables. These results demonstrate the complexity of predicting the effect of resource availability on tree defenses, especially when other confounding environmental factors can affect tree resource allocation and utilization.

Ethanol exposure can inhibit red spruce ( Picea rubens ) seed germination

Treesearch

John R. Butnor; Brittany M. Verrico; Victor Vankus; Stephen R. Keller

2018-01-01

Flotation of seeds in solvents is a common means of separating unfilled and filled seeds. While a few protocols for processing red spruce (Picea rubens) seeds recommend ethanol flotation, delayed and reduced germination have been reported. We conducted an ethanol bioassay on seeds previously stored at -20°C to quantify the concentration required to separate red spruce...

Spruce Budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) Performance in Relation to Foliar Chemistry of its Host Plants

Treesearch

William John.  Mattson

1983-01-01

Spruce budworm growth was best on balsam fir, poorest on lowland black spruce, and intermediate on upland white and black spruce. Growth was consistently, positively linked to foliar N and negatively linked to Fe, K, and select terpenes. Survival rates were not strongly, nor consistently linked to any of the measured foliar chemical traits.

Crown structure and growth efficiency of red spruce in uneven-aged, mixed-species stands in Maine

Treesearch

Douglas A. Maguire; John C. Brissette; Lianhong. Gu

1998-01-01

Several hypotheses about the relationships among individual tree growth, tree leaf area, and relative tree size or position were tested with red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) growing in uneven-aged, mixed-species forests of south-central Maine, U.S.A. Based on data from 65 sample trees, predictive models were developed to (i)...

A Common Fungal Associate of the Spruce Bark Beetle Metabolizes the Stilbene Defenses of Norway Spruce1[C][W][OA

PubMed Central

Hammerbacher, Almuth; Schmidt, Axel; Wadke, Namita; Wright, Louwrance P.; Schneider, Bernd; Bohlmann, Joerg; Brand, Willi A.; Fenning, Trevor M.; Gershenzon, Jonathan; Paetz, Christian

2013-01-01

Norway spruce (Picea abies) forests suffer periodic fatal attacks by the bark beetle Ips typographus and its fungal associate, Ceratocystis polonica. Norway spruce protects itself against fungal and bark beetle invasion by the production of terpenoid resins, but it is unclear whether resins or other defenses are effective against the fungus. We investigated stilbenes, a group of phenolic compounds found in Norway spruce bark with a diaryl-ethene skeleton with known antifungal properties. During C. polonica infection, stilbene biosynthesis was up-regulated, as evidenced by elevated transcript levels of stilbene synthase genes. However, stilbene concentrations actually declined during infection, and this was due to fungal metabolism. C. polonica converted stilbenes to ring-opened, deglycosylated, and dimeric products. Chromatographic separation of C. polonica protein extracts confirmed that these metabolites arose from specific fungal enzyme activities. Comparison of C. polonica strains showed that rapid conversion of host phenolics is associated with higher virulence. C. polonica is so well adapted to its host’s chemical defenses that it is even able to use host phenolic compounds as its sole carbon source. PMID:23729780

Pulpability of beetle-killed spruce. Forest Service research paper

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scott, G.M.; Bormett, D.W.; Sutherland, N.R.

1996-08-01

Infestation of the Dendroctonus rufipennis beetle has resulted in large stands of dead and dying timber on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. Tests were conducted to evaluate the value of beetle-killed spruce as pulpwood. The results showed that live and dead spruce wood can be pulped effectively. The two least deteriorated classes and the most deteriorated class of logs had similar characteristics when pulped; the remaining class had somewhat poorer pulpability.

Climate-growth relationships along a black spruce toposequence in Interior Alaska

Treesearch

Jane M. Wolken; Daniel H. Mann; Thomas A. Grant; Andrea H. Lloyd; T. Scott Rupp; Teresa N. Hollingsworth

2016-01-01

Despite its wide geographic distribution and important role in boreal forest fire regimes, little is known about the climate-growth relationships of black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.). We used site- and tree-level analyses to evaluate the radial growth responses to climate of black spruce growing...

Bareroot nursery production and practices for white spruce: a literature review.

Treesearch

A.A. Alm; V.M. Vaughn; H.M. Rauscher

1991-01-01

This summary of white spruce literature covers seed collection and treatment, nursery cultural practices, seedling growth patterns and measurements of seedling quality. It includes information relevant to bareroot white spruce but does not cover containerized seedlings. It is intended for forest land managers, researchers and bareroot forest nursery managers.

Determination of ethylenic residues in wood and TMP of spruce by FT-Raman spectroscopy

Treesearch

Umesh P. Agarwal; Sally A. Ralph

2008-01-01

A method based on FT-Raman spectroscopy is proposed for determining in situ concentrations of ethylenic residues in softwood lignin. Raman contributions at 1133 and 1654 cm-1, representing coniferaldehyde and coniferyl alcohol structures, respectively, were used in quantifying these units in spruce wood with subsequent conversion to concentrations in lignin. For...

The Status of White Spruce Plantations on Lake States National Forests

Treesearch

Glen W. Erickson; H. Michael Rauscher

1985-01-01

Summarizes information about white spruce plantations as of 1982. Based on average site index, the Superior National Forest in Minnesota and the Hiawatha and Huron-Manistee in Michigan contain climate-soil-seed source complexes that are, on the average, less productive for white spruce than on the other National Forests

Effect of soil and vegetation on growth of planted white spruce.

Treesearch

Donald A. Perala

1987-01-01

White spruce container stock grew better on a sandy loam soil than on a silty clay, and much better without herbaceous competitions. Herbaceous competition was less vigorous on the sandy loam soil following glyphosate treatment, but was more vigorous on the silty clay. Certain spruce genotypes excelled under different field environments.

Atmospheric nitrous oxide uptake in boreal spruce forest soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siljanen, Henri; Welti, Nina; Heikkinen, Juha; Biasi, Christina; Martikainen, Pertti

2017-04-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) uptake from the atmosphere has been found in forest soils but environmental factors controlling the uptake and its atmospheric impact are poorly known. We measured N2O fluxes over growing season in a boreal spruce forest having control plots and plots with long nitrogen fertilization history. Also methane (CH4) fluxes were measured to compare the atmospheric impact of N2O and CH4fluxes. Soil chemical and physical characteristics and climatic conditions were measured as background data. Nitrous oxide consumption and uptake mechanisms were measured in complementary laboratory incubation experiments using stable isotope approaches. Gene transcript numbers of nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ) I and II genes were quantified along the incubation with elevated N2O atmosphere. The spruce forests without fertilization history showed highest N2O uptake rates whereas pine forest had low emissions. Nitrous oxide uptake correlated positively with soil moisture, high soil silt content, and low temperature. Nitrous oxide uptake varied seasonally, being highest in spring and autumn when temperature was low and water content was high. The spruce forest was sink for CH4.Methane fluxes were decoupled from the N2O fluxes (i.e. when the N2O uptake was high the CH4 uptake was low). By using GWP approach, the cooling effect of N2O uptake was on average 30% of the cooling effect of CH4 uptake in spruce forest without fertilization. Anoxic conditions promoted higher N2O consumption rates in all soils. Gene transcription of nosZ-I genes were activated at beginning of the incubation. However, atypical/clade-II nosZ was not detected. These results suggests, that also N2O uptake rates have to be considered when accounting for the GHG budget of spruce forests.

Comparison of naturally and synthetically baited spruce beetle trapping systems in the central Rocky Mountains

Treesearch

E. Matthew Hansen; Jim C. Vandygriff; Robert J. Cain; David Wakarchuk

2006-01-01

We compared naturally baited trapping systems to synthetically baited funnel traps and fallen trap trees for suppressing preoutbreak spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby, populations. Lures for the traps were fresh spruce (Picea spp.) bolts or bark sections, augmented by adding female spruce beetles to create secondary attraction. In 2003, we...

Finders keepers, losers weepers - drought as a modifier of competition between European beech and Norway spruce -

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goisser, Michael; Blanck, Christian; Geppert, Uwe; Häberle, Karl-Heinz; Matyssek, Rainer; Grams, Thorsten E. E.

2016-04-01

Mixed stands of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) frequently reflect over-yielding, when compared to respective monospecific stands. Over-yielding is attributed to enhanced resource uptake efficiency through niche complementarity alleviating species competition. Under climate change, however, with severe and frequent summer drought, water limitation may become crucial in modifying the competitive interaction between neighboring beech and spruce trees. In view of the demands by silvicultural practice, basic knowledge from experimental field work about competitive versus facilitative interaction in maturing mixed beech-spruce forests is scarce. To this end, we investigate species-specific drought response including underlying mechanisms of species interaction in a maturing group-wise mixed beech-spruce forest, amongst 60 and 53 adult trees of beech and spruce, respectively (spruce 65 ± 2, beech 85 ± 4 years old). Severe and repeated experimental drought is being induced over several years through a stand-scale approach of rain throughfall exclusion (Kranzberg Forest Roof Experiment, KROOF). The experimental design comprises 6 roofed (E, automated, closing only during rain) and 6 control (C) plots with a total area of almost 1800 square meters. In 2015 minimum predawn potentials of -2.16 MPa and -2.26 MPa were reached in E for beech and spruce respectively. At the leaf level, spruce displayed high drought susceptibility reflected by a distinct decrease in both stomatal conductance and net CO2 uptake rate by more than 80% each, suggesting isohydric response. Beech rather displayed anisohydry indicated by less pronounced yet significant reduction of stomatal conductance and net CO2 uptake rate by more than 55% and 45%, respectively. Under the C regime, a negative species interaction effect on stomatal conductance was found in beech, contrasting with a positive effect in spruce. However, drought reversed the effect of

Developing silvicultural systems based on partial cutting in western hemlock–Sitka spruce stands of southeast Alaska.

Treesearch

Robert L. Deal; J.C. Tappeiner; Paul E. Hennon

2002-01-01

The effects of partial cutting on species composition, stand structure and growth, tree size distribution, and tree disease and mortality were evaluated on 73 plots in 18 stands that were harvested 12–96 years ago in southeast Alaska. Partially-cut stands had diverse and highly complex stand structures similar to uncut stands. Sitka spruce was maintained in mixed...

Mapping vulnerability of spruce-fir stands in the Northeast to spruce budworm attack

Treesearch

Thomas F. McLintock

1949-01-01

Once again a spruce budworm epidemic threatens to destroy large volumes of timber in the Northeast. One defense against the budworm is to cut and utilize trees in those stands in which the budworms are most apt to feed and breed. In this report the author presents three practical methods of determining what trees or stands should be cut first.

SPRUCE Porewater Chemistry Data for Experimental Plots Beginning in 2013

DOE Data Explorer

Griffiths, N. A. [Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Sebestyen, S. D. [Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

2016-01-01

This data set reports the chemistry of porewater in the SPRUCE plots located in the S1 bog. Sample collection and analyses started in August of 2013 and will continue for the duration of the experiment. Results will be added to this data set and released to the public periodically as quality assurance and publication of results are accomplished. These data are the pre- and post-treatment data from the warming and elevated CO2 treatments associated with the SPRUCE experiment. There are 10 experimental plots in SPRUCE: 5 temperature treatments (+0, +2.25, +4.5, +6.75, +9°C) at ambient CO2, and the same 5 temperature treatments at elevated CO2 (+500 ppm). There are 7 additional ambient plots without experimental enclosures, and thus a total of 17 plots.

Response of Lutz, Sitka, and white spruce to attack by Dendroctonus rufipennis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) and blue stain fungi

Treesearch

Richard A. Werner; Barbara L. Illman

1994-01-01

Mechanical wounding and wounding plus inoculation with a blue-stain fungus, Leptographium abietinum (Peck), associated with the spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby), caused an induced reaction zone or lesion around the wound sites in Lutz spruce, Picea lutzii Little, Sitka spruce, P. sitchensis (Bong.) Carr., and white spruce, P. glauca (Moench) Voss, in...

The timing and nature of Late Quaternary vegetation changes in the northern Great Plains, USA and Canada: a re-assessment of the spruce phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yansa, Catherine H.

2006-02-01

This paper revises the chronology for the northward migration of Picea glauca (white spruce) across the northern Great Plains, following the recession of the Laurentide Ice Sheet, and reinterprets the species composition and structure of the late-glacial vegetation on the basis of pollen and plant-macrofossil analysis. The timing of spruce migration is based on 26 14C ages obtained from Picea macrofossils. The date for the appearance of white spruce in southern South Dakota, USA, remains unchanged, 12,600 14C yr BP (ca 15,000 cal yr BP), but its arrival in southern Saskatchewan, Canada, by 10,300 14C yr BP (ca 12,100 cal yr BP) is about 1500 years later than previously estimated based on an organic sediment date. Picea glauca thus migrated northwards at an average rate of 0.38 km/ 14C year (0.30 km/calendar year), significantly slower than the previously published rate of 2 km/ 14C year. White spruce trees probably inhabited lake shorelines, whereas prairie, parkland, and boreal plants occupied both lowlands and uplands, forming an open white spruce parkland. This interpretation differs from a previous reconstruction of a boreal-type spruce forest and thus offers another paleoclimatic interpretation. Precipitation was probably low and summer temperatures relatively mild, averaging about 19 °C.

Release of Suppressed Red Spruce Using Canopy Gap Creation--Ecological Restoration in the Central Appalachians

Treesearch

J.S. Rentch; W.M. Ford; Thomas Schuler; Jeff Palmer; C.A. Diggins

2016-01-01

Red spruce (Picea rubens) and red spruce-northern hardwood mixed stands once covered as much as 300,000 ha in the Central Appalachians, but now comprise no more than 21,000 ha. Recently, interest in restoration of this forest type has increased because red spruce forests provide habitat for a number of rare animal species. Our study reports the...

Minimal approaches to genetic improvement of growth rates in white spruce

Treesearch

D.T. Lester

1973-01-01

Several features of central importance to genetic improvement of white spruce have been demonstrated by tree breeders. First, white spruce is genetically a highly variable species and much of the existent variation can be readily incorporated in planting stock (Jeffers 1969, Holst and Teich 1969). Second, local seed often is not the best for rapid growth (Nienstaedt...

Natural development and regeneration of a Central European montane spruce forest

Treesearch

Miroslav Svoboda; Shawn Fraver; Pavel Janda; Radek Bače; Jitka Zenáhlíková

2010-01-01

Montane Norway spruce forests of Central Europe have a very long tradition of use for timber production; however, recently there has been increasing concern for their role in maintaining biological diversity. This concern, coupled with recent severe windstorms that led to wide-spread bark beetle outbreaks, has brought the management of montane spruce forests to the...

Spruce beetle in the Rockies

Treesearch

J. M. Schmid; R. H. Frye

1977-01-01

This report summarizes the literature on the spruce beetle in the western United States, primarily in the Rocky Mountains. Information is presented on life history and behavior, host relationships, mortality agents and impacts of infestations. A section on suppression details the current status of chemicals, pheromones, trap trees and silvicultural treatments. The...

Pinus glabra Walt. Spruce Pine

Treesearch

Susan V. Kossuth; J.L. Michael

1991-01-01

Spruce pine (Pinus glabra), also called cedar pine, Walter pine, or bottom white pine, is a medium-sized tree that grows in limited numbers in swamps, river valleys, on hummocks, and along river banks of the southern Coastal Plain. Its wood is brittle, close-grained, nondurable, and is of limited commercial importance.

Genetical Genomics Identifies the Genetic Architecture for Growth and Weevil Resistance in Spruce

PubMed Central

Porth, Ilga; White, Richard; Jaquish, Barry; Alfaro, René; Ritland, Carol; Ritland, Kermit

2012-01-01

In plants, relationships between resistance to herbivorous insect pests and growth are typically controlled by complex interactions between genetically correlated traits. These relationships often result in tradeoffs in phenotypic expression. In this study we used genetical genomics to elucidate genetic relationships between tree growth and resistance to white pine terminal weevil (Pissodes strobi Peck.) in a pedigree population of interior spruce (Picea glauca, P. engelmannii and their hybrids) that was growing at Vernon, B.C. and segregating for weevil resistance. Genetical genomics uses genetic perturbations caused by allelic segregation in pedigrees to co-locate quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for gene expression and quantitative traits. Bark tissue of apical leaders from 188 trees was assayed for gene expression using a 21.8K spruce EST-spotted microarray; the same individuals were genotyped for 384 SNP markers for the genetic map. Many of the expression QTLs (eQTL) co-localized with resistance trait QTLs. For a composite resistance phenotype of six attack and oviposition traits, 149 positional candidate genes were identified. Resistance and growth QTLs also overlapped with eQTL hotspots along the genome suggesting that: 1) genetic pleiotropy of resistance and growth traits in interior spruce was substantial, and 2) master regulatory genes were important for weevil resistance in spruce. These results will enable future work on functional genetic studies of insect resistance in spruce, and provide valuable information about candidate genes for genetic improvement of spruce. PMID:22973444

Diapause and overwintering of two spruce bark beetle species

PubMed Central

Hansen, E. Matthew; Schopf, Axel; Ragland, Gregory J.; Stauffer, Christian; Bentz, Barbara J.

2017-01-01

Abstract Diapause, a strategy to endure unfavourable conditions (e.g. cold winters) is commonly found in ectothermic organisms and is characterized by an arrest of development and reproduction, a reduction of metabolic rate, and an increased resistance to adversity. Diapause, in addition to adaptations for surviving low winter temperatures, significantly influences phenology, voltinism and ultimately population growth. We review the literature on diapause and overwintering behaviour of two bark beetle species that affect spruce‐dominated forests in the northern hemisphere, and describe and compare how these strategies can influence population dynamics. The European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus (L.) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) is the most important forest pest of Norway spruce in Europe. It enters an adult reproductive diapause that might be either facultative or obligate. Obligate diapausing beetles are considered strictly univoltine, entering this dormancy type regardless of environmental cues. Facultative diapausing individuals enter diapause induced by photoperiod, modified by temperature, thus being potentially multivoltine. The spruce beetle Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) infests all spruce species in its natural range in North America. A facultative prepupal diapause is averted by relatively warm temperatures, resulting in a univoltine life cycle, whereas cool temperatures induce prepupal diapause leading to a semivoltine cycle. An adult obligate diapause in D. rufipennis could limit bi‐ or multivoltinism. We discuss and compare the influence of diapause and overwinter survival on voltinism and population dynamics of these two species in a changing climate and provide an outlook on future research. PMID:28979060

How damage to balsam fir develops after a spruce budworm epidemic

Treesearch

Thomas F. McLintock

1955-01-01

From 1948 to 1952 a light to medium spruce budworm infestation occurred in the spruce-fir forests of northern Maine. During this period both the degree of infestation and the acreage affected fluctuated considerably, but the population remained below the damage level. In 1953 there was a general reduction in budworm population in all portions of northern Maine except a...

Historical reconstructions of high-elevation spruce forests in the Appalachian mountains

Treesearch

Carolyn A. Copenheaver

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether the historical distribution of a small, high-elevation red spruce stand could be reconstructed based upon historical records. The study site was Giles County, VA, where a small stand of red spruce exists today, indicating that it has been in this location for as long as the written record exists for this region....

Near Real-time Ecological Forecasting of Peatland Responses to Warming and CO2 Treatment through EcoPAD-SPRUCE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Y.; Jiang, J.; Stacy, M.; Ricciuto, D. M.; Hanson, P. J.; Sundi, N.; Luo, Y.

2016-12-01

Ecological forecasting is critical in various aspects of our coupled human-nature systems, such as disaster risk reduction, natural resource management and climate change mitigation. Novel advancements are in urgent need to deepen our understandings of ecosystem dynamics, boost the predictive capacity of ecology, and provide timely and effective information for decision-makers in a rapidly changing world. Our Ecological Platform for Assimilation of Data (EcoPAD) facilitates the integration of current best knowledge from models, manipulative experimentations, observations and other modern techniques and provides both near real-time and long-term forecasting of ecosystem dynamics. As a case study, the web-based EcoPAD platform synchronizes real- or near real-time field measurements from the Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Climatic and Environmental Change Experiment (SPRUCE), a whole ecosystem warming and CO2 enrichment treatment experiment, assimilates multiple data streams into process based models, enhances timely feedback between modelers and experimenters, and ultimately improves ecosystem forecasting and makes best utilization of current knowledge. In addition to enable users to (i) estimate model parameters or state variables, (ii) quantify uncertainty of estimated parameters and projected states of ecosystems, (iii) evaluate model structures, (iv) assess sampling strategies, and (v) conduct ecological forecasting, EcoPAD-SPRUCE automated the workflow from real-time data acquisition, model simulation to result visualization. EcoPAD-SPRUCE promotes seamless feedback between modelers and experimenters, hand in hand to make better forecasting of future changes. The framework of EcoPAD-SPRUCE (with flexible API, Application Programming Interface) is easily portable and will benefit scientific communities, policy makers as well as the general public.

Genetic structure of the invasive tree Ailanthus altissima in eastern United States cities

Treesearch

Preston R. Aldrich; Joseph S. Briguglio; Shyam N. Kapadia; Minesh U. Morker; Ankit Rawal; Preeti Kalra; Cynthia D. Huebner; Gary K. Greer

2010-01-01

Ailanthus altissima is an invasive tree from Asia. It now occurs in most US states, and although primarily an urban weed, it has become a problem in forested areas especially in the eastern states. Little is known about its genetic structure. We explore its naturalized gene pool from 28 populations, mostly of the eastern US where infestations are...

Ten-year performance of treated northeastern softwoods in aboveground and ground-contact exposures

Treesearch

Douglas M. Crawford; Rodney C. De Groot; Lee R. Gjovik

The commercial value of several softwood species of the northeastern United States could be increased if these woods could be treated to meet existing American Wood Preserversa Association (AWPA) Standards and used in durable structures. We evaluated the long-term durability of incised and unincised white pine, red pine, eastern spruce, balsam fir, and eastern hemlock...

Latitudinal shifts in spruce budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) outbreaks and spruce-fir forest distrbutions with climate change

Treesearch

D.W. Williams; Andrew Liebhold

1997-01-01

Changes in global temperatures over the next century resulting from the greenhouse effect may have profound effects on the distribution and abundance of insect populations. One general hypothesis is the poleward shift of species distributions. We investigated potential range shifts for the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, in the...

Influence of ozone, precipitation chemistry, and soil type on red spruce (Picea rubens)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, G.E. Jr.; Norby, R.J.; McLaughlin, S.B.

1986-04-01

The response of growth processes in red spruce to ozone, mist chemistry, rain chemistry, and soil type (singly and in combination) was investigated over a four-month period. Precipitation and ozone exposures were based on air chemistry/deposition in high elevation forests of eastern North America. The two soils were from Camels Hump in the Green Mountains of Vermont and Acadia National Park on the Maine coast. Growth was evaluated through analysis of relative growth rates (RGR) and biomass partitioning to root, stem, and needle fractions. The only main treatments that consistently influenced seedling growth were soil type and rain chemistry. Seedlingsmore » grown in Camels Hump soil had significantly less needle, stem, and root biomass and lower RGR. The only influence of precipitation chemistry was greater root and shoot biomass in seedlings experiencing the more acidic rain. It is hypothesized that the physiological mechanism underlying the growth responses of P. rubens is whole-plant allocation of carbon resources.« less

Premature Needle Loss of Spruce

Treesearch

Jennifer Juzwik; Joseph G. O Brien

1990-01-01

Premature needle loss on white, black and Norway spruce has been observed in forest plantations in Wisconsin and Minnesota during the past six years. Symptoms vary by species but usually appear first in 2-4-year old needles on lower branches. Infected needles are dropped, resulting in branch mortality that progresses upward through the crown, sometimes killing even...

Evidence of compounded disturbance effects on vegetation recovery following high-severity wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak

Treesearch

Amanda R. Carlson; Jason S. Sibold; Timothy J. Assal; Jose F. Negron

2017-01-01

Spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) outbreaks are rapidly spreading throughout subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains, raising concerns that altered fuel structures may increase the ecological severity of wildfires. Although many recent studies have found no conclusive link between beetle outbreaks and increased fire size or canopy mortality, few studies have...

Photosynthesis in black and red spruce and their hybrid derivatives: ecological isolation and hybrid adaptive inferiority

Treesearch

S.A.M Manley; F. Thomas Ledig

1979-01-01

Photosynthetic response5 of black and red spruce were used to define parameters of their fundamental niches. Grown at warm temperature, black spruce had highest rates of CO2 uptake at high light intensities, fitting it for a pioneering role, while red spruce had the lowest light compensation point, fitting it for a late successional role. Black...

Nanostructure of cellulose microfibrils in spruce wood.

PubMed

Fernandes, Anwesha N; Thomas, Lynne H; Altaner, Clemens M; Callow, Philip; Forsyth, V Trevor; Apperley, David C; Kennedy, Craig J; Jarvis, Michael C

2011-11-22

The structure of cellulose microfibrils in wood is not known in detail, despite the abundance of cellulose in woody biomass and its importance for biology, energy, and engineering. The structure of the microfibrils of spruce wood cellulose was investigated using a range of spectroscopic methods coupled to small-angle neutron and wide-angle X-ray scattering. The scattering data were consistent with 24-chain microfibrils and favored a "rectangular" model with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces exposed. Disorder in chain packing and hydrogen bonding was shown to increase outwards from the microfibril center. The extent of disorder blurred the distinction between the I alpha and I beta allomorphs. Chains at the surface were distinct in conformation, with high levels of conformational disorder at C-6, less intramolecular hydrogen bonding and more outward-directed hydrogen bonding. Axial disorder could be explained in terms of twisting of the microfibrils, with implications for their biosynthesis.

Response of the brown spruce longhorn beetle, Tetropium fuscum (Fabr.) to host volatiles

Treesearch

Jon Sweeney; Peter de Groot; Linda MacDonald

2003-01-01

Studies were undertaken to develop an attractant and trap for survey and detection of the brown spruce longhorn beetle, Tetropium fuscum (Fabr.) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), a European beetle recently found established in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Cortical volatiles of T. fuscum-infested red spruce, Picea rubens Sarg...

New dimension analyses with error analysis for quaking aspen and black spruce

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woods, K. D.; Botkin, D. B.; Feiveson, A. H.

1987-01-01

Dimension analysis for black spruce in wetland stands and trembling aspen are reported, including new approaches in error analysis. Biomass estimates for sacrificed trees have standard errors of 1 to 3%; standard errors for leaf areas are 10 to 20%. Bole biomass estimation accounts for most of the error for biomass, while estimation of branch characteristics and area/weight ratios accounts for the leaf area error. Error analysis provides insight for cost effective design of future analyses. Predictive equations for biomass and leaf area, with empirically derived estimators of prediction error, are given. Systematic prediction errors for small aspen trees and for leaf area of spruce from different site-types suggest a need for different predictive models within species. Predictive equations are compared with published equations; significant differences may be due to species responses to regional or site differences. Proportional contributions of component biomass in aspen change in ways related to tree size and stand development. Spruce maintains comparatively constant proportions with size, but shows changes corresponding to site. This suggests greater morphological plasticity of aspen and significance for spruce of nutrient conditions.

Raman imaging of lignin and cellulose distribution in black spruce wood (Picea mariana) cell walls

Treesearch

Umesh P. Agarwal

2005-01-01

A detailed understanding of wood cell wall structure and organization is important from both fundamental and practical point of views. A state-of- the-art 633-nm laser based confocal Raman microscope was used in situ to investigate the cell wall organization of black spruce wood. Chemical information on lignin and cellulose from morphologically distinct cell wall...

Evaluation of tree risk in the spruce - fir region of the Northeast

Treesearch

Thomas F. McLintock

1948-01-01

In attempting to find possible means of combating recurrent epidemics of the spruce budworm in the Northeast, research has shown that forest management has considerable promise. Reduction in the proportion of balsam fir to spruce and attainment of the highest possible proportion of rapidly growing trees are expected to result in a less severe outbreak and a higher...

Evidence of compounded disturbance effects on vegetation recovery following high-severity wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carlson, Amanda R.; Sibold, Jason S.; Assal, Timothy J.; Negrón, José F.

2017-01-01

Spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) outbreaks are rapidly spreading throughout subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains, raising concerns that altered fuel structures may increase the ecological severity of wildfires. Although many recent studies have found no conclusive link between beetle outbreaks and increased fire size or canopy mortality, few studies have addressed whether these combined disturbances produce compounded effects on short-term vegetation recovery. We tested for an effect of spruce beetle outbreak severity on vegetation recovery in the West Fork Complex fire in southwestern Colorado, USA, where much of the burn area had been affected by severe spruce beetle outbreaks in the decade prior to the fire. Vegetation recovery was assessed using the Landsat-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) two years after the fire, which occurred in 2013. Beetle outbreak severity, defined as the basal area of beetle-killed trees within Landsat pixels, was estimated using vegetation index differences (dVIs) derived from pre-outbreak and post-outbreak Landsat images. Of the seven dVIs tested, the change in Normalized Difference Moisture Index (dNDMI) was most strongly correlated with field measurements of beetle-killed basal area (R2 = 0.66). dNDMI was included as an explanatory variable in sequential autoregressive (SAR) models of NDVI2015. Models also included pre-disturbance NDVI, topography, and weather conditions at the time of burning as covariates. SAR results showed a significant correlation between NDVI2015 and dNDMI, with more severe spruce beetle outbreaks corresponding to reduced post-fire vegetation cover. The correlation was stronger for models which were limited to locations in the red stage of outbreak (outbreak ≤ 5 years old at the time of fire) than for models of gray-stage locations (outbreak > 5 years old at the time of fire). These results indicate that vegetation recovery processes may be negatively impacted by severe

Evidence of compounded disturbance effects on vegetation recovery following high-severity wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak

PubMed Central

Carlson, Amanda R.; Sibold, Jason S.; Assal, Timothy J.; Negrón, Jose F.

2017-01-01

Spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) outbreaks are rapidly spreading throughout subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains, raising concerns that altered fuel structures may increase the ecological severity of wildfires. Although many recent studies have found no conclusive link between beetle outbreaks and increased fire size or canopy mortality, few studies have addressed whether these combined disturbances produce compounded effects on short-term vegetation recovery. We tested for an effect of spruce beetle outbreak severity on vegetation recovery in the West Fork Complex fire in southwestern Colorado, USA, where much of the burn area had been affected by severe spruce beetle outbreaks in the decade prior to the fire. Vegetation recovery was assessed using the Landsat-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) two years after the fire, which occurred in 2013. Beetle outbreak severity, defined as the basal area of beetle-killed trees within Landsat pixels, was estimated using vegetation index differences (dVIs) derived from pre-outbreak and post-outbreak Landsat images. Of the seven dVIs tested, the change in Normalized Difference Moisture Index (dNDMI) was most strongly correlated with field measurements of beetle-killed basal area (R2 = 0.66). dNDMI was included as an explanatory variable in sequential autoregressive (SAR) models of NDVI2015. Models also included pre-disturbance NDVI, topography, and weather conditions at the time of burning as covariates. SAR results showed a significant correlation between NDVI2015 and dNDMI, with more severe spruce beetle outbreaks corresponding to reduced post-fire vegetation cover. The correlation was stronger for models which were limited to locations in the red stage of outbreak (outbreak ≤ 5 years old at the time of fire) than for models of gray-stage locations (outbreak > 5 years old at the time of fire). These results indicate that vegetation recovery processes may be negatively impacted by severe spruce

Yellowheaded spruce sawfly--its ecology and management.

Treesearch

Steven A. Katovich; Deborah G. McCullough; Robert A. Haack

1995-01-01

Presents the biology and ecology of the yellowheaded spruce sawfly, and provides survey techniques and management strategies. In addition, it provides information on identification, classification, host range, and the historical records of outbreaks in the Lake States.

Do water-limiting conditions predispose Norway spruce to bark beetle attack?

PubMed Central

Netherer, Sigrid; Matthews, Bradley; Katzensteiner, Klaus; Blackwell, Emma; Henschke, Patrick; Hietz, Peter; Pennerstorfer, Josef; Rosner, Sabine; Kikuta, Silvia; Schume, Helmut; Schopf, Axel

2015-01-01

Drought is considered to enhance susceptibility of Norway spruce (Picea abies) to infestations by the Eurasian spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus, Coleoptera: Curculionidae), although empirical evidence is scarce. We studied the impact of experimentally induced drought on tree water status and constitutive resin flow, and how physiological stress affects host acceptance and resistance. We established rain-out shelters to induce both severe (two full-cover plots) and moderate (two semi-cover plots) drought stress. In total, 18 sample trees, which were divided equally between the above treatment plots and two control plots, were investigated. Infestation was controlled experimentally using a novel ‘attack box’ method. Treatments influenced the ratios of successful and defended attacks, but predisposition of trees to infestation appeared to be mainly driven by variations in stress status of the individual trees over time. With increasingly negative twig water potentials and decreasing resin exudation, the defence capability of the spruce trees decreased. We provide empirical evidence that water-limiting conditions impair Norway spruce resistance to bark beetle attack. Yet, at the same time our data point to reduced host acceptance byI. typographus with more extreme drought stress, indicated by strongly negative pre-dawn twig water potentials. PMID:25417785

Experimental Whole-Ecosystem Warming Alters Vegetation Phenology in a Boreal Spruce Bog: Initial Results from the SPRUCE Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, A. D.

2016-12-01

Phenology is one of the most robust indicators of the biological impacts of global change. However, the response of phenology to future environmental conditions still remains highly uncertain because of the challenges associated with conducting realistic manipulative experiments. At the SPRUCE (Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Climatic and Environmental Change) experiment in the north-central United States, experimental temperature (0 to +9°C above ambient) and CO2 (ambient and elevated) treatments are being applied to mature, and intact, Picea mariana-Sphagnum spp. bog communities in their native habitat through the use of ten large (approximately 12 m wide, 10 m high) open-topped enclosures. We are tracking vegetation green-up and senescence in these chambers using repeat digital photography. Within each chamber, images are recorded every 30 minutes and uploaded to PhenoCam (http://phenocam.sr.unh.edu), where processed to yield quantitative measures of canopy color. These data are complemented by on-the-ground phenological data collected by human observers. Air warming treatments at SPRUCE began in August 2015. We observed a delay in senescence during autumn 2015 (2-5 days per degree of warming) and an advance in onset during spring 2016 (1-4 days per degree of warming). These patterns are robust across species and methods of phenological observation (i.e. camera-based vs. human observer). And, our results show very little evidence for photoperiod acting as a constraint on the response to warming. Early spring onset and consequent loss of frost hardiness in the warmest chambers proved disadvantageous when a brief period of extreme cold (to -12°C in the control chambers, to -3°C in the +9°C chambers) followed a month of generally mild weather. Foliage mortality for both Larix and Picea was immediate and severe, although both species subsequently re-flushed. These results give support for the hypothesis that warming may enhance the likelihood of spring frost

Red spruce ecosystem level changes following 14 years of chronic N fertilization

Treesearch

Steven G. McNulty; Johnny Boggs; John D. Aber; Lindsey Rustad; Allison Magill

2005-01-01

In the early 1980s, nitrogen (N) deposition was first postulated as a cause of N saturation and spruce mortality across the northeastern US. In 1988, a series of high elevation spruce-fir forest N addition plots were established on Mt. Ascutney (southeastern) Vermont to test this hypothesis. The paired plots each received, in addition to ambient N deposition, 15.7 kg...

Decay of Engelmann spruce in the Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington.

Treesearch

Paul E. Aho

1971-01-01

A total of 292 Engelmann spruce were dissected and examined for decay and other defects in seven areas in the Blue Mountains of southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. Decay on a cubic-foot basis was 3.3 percent for pole trees and 5.4 percent for sawtimber. Defect loss in sawtimber spruce amounted to nearly 12 percent of the gross merchantable board-foot...

Structural evolution of Halaban Area, Eastern Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Amri, Yousef; Kassem1, Osama M. K.

2017-04-01

Neoproterozoic basement complex comprises a metamorphic/igneous suite (Abt schist and sheared granitoids) with syn-accretionary transpressive structures, unconformably overlain by a post-amalgamation volcanosedimentary sequence. This study aims to attempt to exposed post-accretionary thrusting and thrust-related structures at Halaban area, Eastern Arabian Shield. The Rf/ϕ and Fry methods are utilized on quartz and feldspar porphyroclasts, as well as on mafic crystals, such as hornblende and biotite, in eighteen samples. The X/Z axial ratios range from 1.12 to 4.99 for Rf/ϕ method and from 1.65 to 4.00 for Fry method. The direction of finite strain for the long axes displays clustering along the WNW trend (occasionally N) with slight plunging. Finite strain accumulated without any significant volume change contemporaneously with syn-accretionary transpressive structures. It indicates that the contacts between various lithological units in the Halaban area were formed under brittle to semi-ductile deformation conditions. The penetrative subhorizontal foliation was concurrent with thrusting and shows nearly the same attitudes of tectonic contacts with the overlying nappes. Keywords: Finite strain analysis, volcanosedimentary sequence, Halaban area, Eastern Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia.

Experimental warming delays autumn senescence in a boreal spruce bog: Initial results from the SPRUCE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, Andrew; Furze, Morgan; Aubrecht, Donald; Milliman, Thomas; Nettles, Robert; Krassovski, Misha; Hanson, Paul

2016-04-01

Phenology is considered one of the most robust indicators of the biological impacts of global change. In temperate and boreal regions, long-term data show that rising temperatures are advancing spring onset (e.g. budburst and flowering) and delaying autumn senescence (e.g. leaf coloration and leaf fall) in a wide range of ecosystems. While warm and cold temperatures, day length and insolation, precipitation and water availability, and other factors, have all been shown to influence plant phenology, the future response of phenology to rising temperatures and elevated CO2 still remains highly uncertain because of the challenges associated with conducting realistic manipulative experiments to simulate future environmental conditions. At the SPRUCE (Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Climatic and Environmental Change) experiment in the north-central United States, experimental temperature (0 to +9° C above ambient) and CO2 (ambient and elevated) treatments are being applied to mature, and intact, Picea mariana-Sphagnum spp. bog communities in their native habitat through the use of ten large (approximately 12 m wide, 10 m high) open-topped enclosures. We are tracking vegetation green-up and senescence in these chambers, at both the individual and whole-community level, using repeat digital photography. Within each chamber, digital camera images are recorded every 30 minutes and uploaded to the PhenoCam (http://phenocam.sr.unh.edu) project web page, where they are displayed in near-real-time. Image processing is conducted nightly to extract quantitative measures of canopy color, which we characterize using Gcc, the green chromatic coordinate. Data from a camera mounted outside the chambers (since November 2014) indicate strong seasonal variation in Gcc for both evergreen shrubs and trees. Shrub Gcc rises steeply in May and June, and declines steeply in September and October. By comparison, tree Gcc rises gradually from March through June, and declines gradually from

Acidic deposition, cation mobilization, and biochemical indicators of stress in healthy red spruce

Treesearch

Walter C. Shortle; Kevin T. Smith; Rakesh Minocha; Gregory B. Lawrence; Mark B. David

1997-01-01

Dendrochemical and biochemical markers link stress in apparently healthy red spruce trees (Picea rubens) to acidic deposition. Acidic deposition to spruce forests of the northeastern USA increased sharply during the 1960s. Previous reports related visible damage of trees at high elevations to root and soil processes. In this report, dendrochemical...

Evidence for sexual selection on structural plumage coloration in female eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis).

PubMed

Siefferman, Lynn; Hill, Geoffrey E

2005-08-01

Although the function of ornamental traits in males has been the focus of intensive research for decades, expression of such traits in females has received much less study. Eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) display structurally based ultraviolet/blue and melanin-based chestnut plumage, and in males this plumage coloration is related to both reproductive success and competitive ability. Compared to males, female bluebirds show a subdued expression of blue and chestnut ornamental coloration, and we used a combination of an aviary nutritional-stress experiment and four years of field data to test the hypothesis that coloration functions as a signal of female quality. First, we tested the effect of food intake on expression of structural and melanin coloration in female eastern bluebirds to determine whether structural or melanin coloration are condition-dependent traits. Females that were given ad libitum access to food displayed more ornamented structural coloration than females on a food-restricted diet, but there was no effect of the experiment on melanin ornamentation. Second, we used field data to assess whether female ornamentation correlated with measures of mate quality and parental effort. The structural coloration of females predicted first egg date, maternal provisioning rates, and measures of reproductive success. These data indicate that structural coloration is dependent on nutritional condition and suggest that sexual selection is acting on structurally based plumage coloration in female eastern bluebirds.

Relationship between deep structure and oil-gas in the eastern Tarim Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Changqing; Qu, Chen; Han, Jianguang

2017-04-01

The Tarim Basin is a large composite superimposed basin which developed in the Presinian continental basement. It is an important area for oil and gas replacement in China. In the eastern part of Tarim Basin, the exploration and research degree is very low and less system, especially in the study of tectonic evolution and physical property change. Basing on the study of geophysics, drilling and regional geological data in this area, analysis of comprehensive geophysical, geological and geophysical analysis comparison are lunched by new methods and new technology of geophysical exploration. Fault, tectonic evolution and change of deep character in the eastern Tarim Basin are analyzed in system. Through in-depth study and understanding of the deep structure and physical changes of the eastern region, we obtain the fault characteristics in the study area and the deep structure and physical change maps to better guide the oil and gas exploration in this area. The east area is located in the eastern Tarim Basin, west from the Garr Man depression, Well Kunan 1 - Well Gucheng 4 line to the East, north to Kuruketage uplift group near Qunke 1 wells, south to Cherchen fault zone, east to Lop Nor depression, an area of about 9 * 104 square kilometres, Including the East of Garr Man sag, Yingjisu depression, Kongquehe slope, Tadong low uplift and the Lop Nor uplift, five two grade tectonic units. The east area of Tarim is belonging to Tarim plate. It changes with the evolution of the Tarim plate. The Tarim plate is closely related to the collision between the Yining - the Junggar plate, the Siberia plate and the southern Qiangtang - the central Kunlun plate. Therefore, it creates a complex tectonic pattern in the eastern Tarim basin. Earth electromagnetic, gravity, deep seismic and other geophysical data are processed by a new generation of geophysical information theory and method, including multi-scale inversion of potential field inversion (Hou and Yang, 2011), 3D

Genetic diversity, genetic structure, and mating system of brewer spruce (Pinaceae), a relict of the acto-tertiary forest

Treesearch

F. Thomas Ledig; Paul D. Hodgskiss; David R. Johnson

2005-01-01

Brewer spruce (Picea breweriana), a relict of the widespread Arcto-Tertiary forests, is now restricted to a highly fragmented range in the Klamath Region of California and Oregon. Expected heterozygosity for 26 isozyme loci, averaged over 10 populations, was 0.121. More notable than the relatively high level of diversity when compared to other woody...

Identifying the pollen of an extinct spruce species in the Late Quaternary sediments of the Tunica Hills region, south-eastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luke Mander,; Jacklyn Rodriguez,; Pietra G. Mueller,; Jackson, Stephen T.; Surangi W. Punyasena,

2014-01-01

Late Quaternary fluvial deposits in the Tunica Hills region of Louisiana and Mississippi are rich in spruce macrofossils of the extinct species Picea critchfieldii, the one recognized plant extinction of the Late Quaternary. However, the morphology of P. critchfieldii pollen is unknown, presenting a barrier to the interpretation of pollen spectra from the last glacial of North America. To address this issue, we undertook a morphometric study of Picea pollen from Tunica Hills. Morphometric data, together with qualitative observations of pollen morphology using Apotome fluorescence microscopy, indicate that Picea pollen from Tunica Hills is morphologically distinct from the pollen of P. glauca, P. mariana and P. rubens. Measurements of grain length, corpus width and corpus height indicate that Picea pollen from Tunica Hills is larger than the pollen of P. mariana and P. rubens, and is slightly larger than P. glauca pollen. We argue that the morphologically distinctive Tunica Hills Picea pollen was probably produced by the extinct spruce species P. critchfieldii. These morphological differences could be used to identify P. critchfieldii in existing and newly collected pollen records, which would refine its paleoecologic and biogeographic history and clarify the nature and timing of its extinction in the Late Quaternary.

Red spruce restoration modeling in LANDIS

Treesearch

Melissa. Thomas-Van Gundy

2010-01-01

Scenarios for the restoration of red spruce (Picea rubens)-dominated forests on the Monongahela National Forest were created in the landscape simulation model LANDIS. The resulting landscapes were compared to existing habitat suitability index models for the Virginia northern flying squirrel (VNFS) and Cheat Mountain salamander (CMS) as a measure of...

Exome capture from the spruce and pine giga-genomes.

PubMed

Suren, H; Hodgins, K A; Yeaman, S; Nurkowski, K A; Smets, P; Rieseberg, L H; Aitken, S N; Holliday, J A

2016-09-01

Sequence capture is a flexible tool for generating reduced representation libraries, particularly in species with massive genomes. We used an exome capture approach to sequence the gene space of two of the dominant species in Canadian boreal and montane forests - interior spruce (Picea glauca x engelmanii) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta). Transcriptome data generated with RNA-seq were coupled with draft genome sequences to design baits corresponding to 26 824 genes from pine and 28 649 genes from spruce. A total of 579 samples for spruce and 631 samples for pine were included, as well as two pine congeners and six spruce congeners. More than 50% of targeted regions were sequenced at >10× depth in each species, while ~12% captured near-target regions within 500 bp of a bait position were sequenced to a depth >10×. Much of our read data arose from off-target regions, which was likely due to the fragmented and incomplete nature of the draft genome assemblies. Capture in general was successful for the related species, suggesting that baits designed for a single species are likely to successfully capture sequences from congeners. From these data, we called approximately 10 million SNPs and INDELs in each species from coding regions, introns, untranslated and flanking regions, as well as from the intergenic space. Our study demonstrates the utility of sequence capture for resequencing in complex conifer genomes, suggests guidelines for improving capture efficiency and provides a rich resource of genetic variants for studies of selection and local adaptation in these species. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of Fertilization on Western Spruce Budworm Feeding in Young Western Larch Stands

Treesearch

Robert L. Talerico; Michael Montgomery; [Tech. Coords

1983-01-01

This study evaluated effects of fertilization of young western larch stands on western spruce budworm feeding in Montana. Various combinations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium resulted in nearly double the amount of feeding by western spruce budworm larvae, with nitrogen eliciting the most response. Larch growth response to fertilization can be negated by...

Ips typographus and Ophiostoma polonicum versus Norway spruce: joint attack and host defense

Treesearch

Erik Christiansen

1991-01-01

During the years 1971 to 1982, major epidemics of the spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus L., occurred in southeastern Norway and adjoining parts of Sweden. The outbreaks were triggered by large-scale wind-felling and long-lasting drought (Worrell 1983). This "epidemic of the century," hitting our important timber tree, Norway spruce,...

Biosynthesis of the major tetrahydroxystilbenes in spruce, astringin and isorhapontin, proceeds via resveratrol and is enhanced by fungal infection.

PubMed

Hammerbacher, Almuth; Ralph, Steven G; Bohlmann, Joerg; Fenning, Trevor M; Gershenzon, Jonathan; Schmidt, Axel

2011-10-01

Stilbenes are dibenzyl polyphenolic compounds produced in several unrelated plant families that appear to protect against various biotic and abiotic stresses. Stilbene biosynthesis has been well described in economically important plants, such as grape (Vitis vinifera), peanut (Arachis hypogaea), and pine (Pinus species). However, very little is known about the biosynthesis and ecological role of stilbenes in spruce (Picea), an important gymnosperm tree genus in temperate and boreal forests. To investigate the biosynthesis of stilbenes in spruce, we identified two similar stilbene synthase (STS) genes in Norway spruce (Picea abies), PaSTS1 and PaSTS2, which had orthologs with high sequence identity in sitka (Picea sitchensis) and white (Picea glauca) spruce. Despite the conservation of STS sequences in these three spruce species, they differed substantially from angiosperm STSs. Several types of in vitro and in vivo assays revealed that the P. abies STSs catalyze the condensation of p-coumaroyl-coenzyme A and three molecules of malonyl-coenzyme A to yield the trihydroxystilbene resveratrol but do not directly form the dominant spruce stilbenes, which are tetrahydroxylated. However, in transgenic Norway spruce overexpressing PaSTS1, significantly higher amounts of the tetrahydroxystilbene glycosides, astringin and isorhapontin, were produced. This result suggests that the first step of stilbene biosynthesis in spruce is the formation of resveratrol, which is further modified by hydroxylation, O-methylation, and O-glucosylation to yield astringin and isorhapontin. Inoculating spruce with fungal mycelium increased STS transcript abundance and tetrahydroxystilbene glycoside production. Extracts from STS-overexpressing lines significantly inhibited fungal growth in vitro compared with extracts from control lines, suggesting that spruce stilbenes have a role in antifungal defense.

Proceedings, forest defoliator—host interactions: A comparison between gypsy moth and spruce budworms

Treesearch

Robert L. Talerico; Michael Montgomery

1983-01-01

The Canada/U.S. Spruce Budworms Program in cooperation with the Center for Biological Control of Northeastern Forest Insects and Diseases of the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station co-sponsored this Forest Defoliator-Host Interaction Workshop.This invitational workshop was limited to investigators of the spruce bud worms and gypsy moth in the Forest Service,...

Regeneration alternatives for upland white spruce after buring and logging in interior Alaska

Treesearch

R. V. Densmore; G. P. Juday; John C. Zasada

1999-01-01

Site-preparation and regeneration methods for white spruce (Picea glaucu (Meench) Voss) were tested near Fairbanks Alaska, on two upland sites which had been burned in a wildfire and salvage logged. After 5 and 10 years, white spruce regeneration did not differ among the four scarification methods but tended to be lower without scarification....

Impact of weak water deficit on growth, photosynthetic primary processes and storage processes in pine and spruce seedlings.

PubMed

Zlobin, Ilya E; Ivanov, Yury V; Kartashov, Alexander V; Sarvin, Boris A; Stavrianidi, Andrey N; Kreslavski, Vladimir D; Kuznetsov, Vladimir V

2018-05-19

We investigated the influence of 40 days of drought on growth, storage processes and primary photosynthetic processes in 3-month-old Scots pine and Norway spruce seedlings growing in perlite culture. Water stress significantly affected seedling water status, whereas absolute dry biomass growth was not substantially influenced. Water stress induced an increase in non-structural carbohydrate content (sugars, sugar alcohols, starch) in the aboveground part of pine seedlings in contrast to spruce seedlings. Due to the relatively low content of sugars and sugar alcohols in seedling organs, their expected contribution to osmotic potential changes was quite low. In contrast to biomass accumulation and storage, photosynthetic primary processes were substantially influenced by water shortage. In spruce seedlings, PSII was more sensitive to water stress than PSI. In particular, electron transport in PSI was stable under water stress despite the substantial decrease of electron transport in PSII. The increase in thermal energy dissipation due to enhancement of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) was evident in both species under water stress. Simultaneously, the yields of non-regulated energy dissipation in PSII were decreased in pine seedlings under drought. A relationship between growth, photosynthetic activities and storage processes is analysed under weak water deficit.

Determination of glutathione in spruce needles by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Gucek, Marjan; Makuc, Simon; Mlakar, Anita; Bericnik-Vrbovsek, Julija; Marsel, Joze

2002-01-01

For the determination of glutathione (GSH) and its oxidized form (GSSG) in spruce needles their electrospray mass and MS/MS spectra were recorded with an ion trap mass spectrometer (ITMS, LCQ, Finnigan) and a triple stage quadrupole mass spectrometer (TSQ, Quattro II, Micromass). A study of the stability of GSH in aqueous solutions shows the presence of dimeric and trimeric forms of GSH, as well as GSSG, GSH-sulfonate and GSH-sulfinic acid. The same components were also found in extracts of spruce needles. We developed an assay which is suitable for monitoring low concentrations of GSH and similar compounds in plant tissues, employing the sensitivity and specificity of LC/MS/MS. Preliminary results on the mass spectrometric determination of GSH in spruce needles are given. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Spruce budworm weight and fecundity: means, frequency distributions, and correlations for two populations (Lepidoptera: tortricidae)

Treesearch

Nancy Lorimer; Leah S. Bauer

1983-01-01

Pupal weights and fecundities of spruce budworm from Minnesota had different means, coefficients of variation, and frequency distributions than spruce budworm from New Hampshire. The two variables were correlated in one of the populations but not the other.

Cretaceous combined structure in eastern Sichuan Basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, P.; Liu, S.

2009-12-01

Eastern Sichuan Basin is confined by two thin-skinned fold-thrust belt, NW-trending Southern Daba Shan (Shan=Mountain) (SDB) in the northeast and NNE- or NE-trending Western XueFeng Shan (WXF) in the southeast, which constitute two convergent salients convex to the inner basin respectively. Although many factors can lead to the formation of fold-thrust belt salients, the eastern Sichuan salients would be attributed to the combined structure (firstly nominated by Chinese geologist, Li Siguang), which means the interaction of two structural belts in the same period. By field surveying and geological map interpreting, we found that WXF deformation began in Late Jurassic along the eastern side of structral belt, where the synclines cored by Upper-Middle Jurassic rock. The initial time of SDB deformation remains poorly determined, however our palaeocurrent data of Lower Cretaceous rock in adjecent foreland basin indicate the provenance from northeast or east. Hence we considered the two fold-thrust belt started interactive in Late Jurassic and mainly combined during Cretaceous. In Early Cretaceous, the front belt of WXF salient arrived near KaiXian where NEE-trending arc-shape folds converged with the NWW-trending arc-shape folds of SDB.The two salients shaped like an westward "open mouth", east of which EW-trending folds of two structural belts juxtaposed. Particularly in the middle belt of WXF (FengJie - WuFeng) the earlier NEE-trending folds were refolded by later NNE-trending folds. We interpret the NEE-trending folds as the front belt of earlier (maybe Late Jurassic) WXF salient. When the two combined fold belts propagated westward together, the original NNE-trending front belt of WXF constrained by the front belt of SDB and formed the curved fold trend lines convex to NNW. Then as WXF deformation continued but SDB gradually terminated, the consequent NNE-trending folds could not be curved and would superpose on the earlier NEE-trending folds.In Late Cretaceous

Structural model of the eastern Achara-Trialeti fold and thrust belt using seismic reflection profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alania, Victor; Chabukiani, Alexander; Enukidze, Onise; Razmadze, Alexander; Sosson, Marc; Tsereteli, Nino; Varazanashvili, Otar

2017-04-01

Our study focused on the structural geometry at the eastern Achara-Trialeti fold and thrust belt (ATFTB) located at the retro-wedge of the Lesser Caucasus orogen (Alania et al., 2016a). Our interpretation has integrated seismic reflection profiles, several oil-wells, and the surface geology data to reveal structural characteristics of the eastern ATFTB. Fault-related folding theories were used to seismic interpretation (Shaw et al., 2004). Seismic reflection data reveal the presence of basement structural wedge, south-vergent backthrust, north-vergent forethrust and some structural wedges (or duplex). The rocks are involved in the deformation range from Paleozoic basement rocks to Tertiary strata. Building of thick-skinned structures of eastern Achara-Trialeti was formed by basement wedges propagated from south to north along detachment horizons within the cover generating thin-skinned structures. The kinematic evolution of the south-vergent backthrust zone with respect to the northward propagating structural wedge (or duplexes). The main style of deformation within the backthrust belt is a series of fault-propagation folds. Frontal part of eastern ATFTB are represent by triangle zone (Alania et al., 2016b; Sosson et al., 2016). A detailed study was done for Tbilisi area: seismic refection profiles, serial balanced cross-sections, and earthquakes reveal the presence of an active blind thrust fault beneath Tbilisi. 2 & 3-D structural models show that 2002 Mw 4.5 Tbilisi earthquake related to a north-vergent blind thrust. Empirical relations between blind fault rupture area and magnitude suggest that these fault segments could generate earthquakes of Mw 6.5. The growth fault-propagation fold has been observed near Tbilisi in the frontal part of eastern ATFTB. Seismic reflection profile through Ormoiani syncline shows that south-vergent growth fault-propagation fold related to out-of-the-syncline thrust. The outcrop of fault-propagation fold shown the geometry of the

Ecophysiology and growth of advance red spruce and balsam fir regeneration after partial cutting in yellow birch-conifer stands.

PubMed

Dumais, Daniel; Prévost, Marcel

2008-08-01

We investigated ecophysiological and growth responses of short (0.4 to 1.3 m in height) advance regeneration of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea L.) six years after removal of 0, 40, 50, 60 and 100% of the overstory basal area (BA) in two yellow birch-conifer stands. Partial cuts significantly increased stomatal conductance of red spruce only. Light-saturated photosynthesis (leaf-area basis) of both species increased with BA removal, but unlike red spruce, specific leaf area (SLA) of balsam fir decreased with increased cutting intensity. Partial cuts appreciably increased the concentration of N and Ca in red spruce and balsam fir foliage, respectively, and resulted in decreased foliar concentrations of K in red spruce and Mg in balsam fir. The height and lateral growth of both species increased with BA removal, although partial cuts were more beneficial to balsam fir. The data suggest that short advance regeneration of red spruce and balsam fir can coexist under partial overstory conditions, but balsam fir has physiological characteristics and a capacity for morphological adjustment (SLA) that places it at an advantage when in competition with red spruce.

Chapter 14 - Effects of spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) outbreaks on fuels, carbon, and stand structure and composition in Utah and Western Wyoming (Project INT-EM-F-13-02)

Treesearch

Daniel S. Ott; Christopher J. Fettig; Darrell W. Ross; A. Steven. Munson

2018-01-01

Spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) is the primary mortality agent of mature spruce species in Western North America (Jenkins and others 2014a, Schmid and Frye 1977). The species preferentially colonizes hosts with reduced defenses, including diseased trees or downed material produced by wind events, snow avalanches, and landslides, as well as...

Morphometric traits capture the climatically driven species turnover of 10 spruce taxa across China.

PubMed

Li, He; Wang, GuoHong; Zhang, Yun; Zhang, WeiKang

2016-02-01

This study explored the relative roles of climate and phylogenetic background in driving morphometric trait variation in 10 spruce taxa in China. The study further addressed the hypothesis that these variations are consistent with species turnover on climatic gradients. Nine morphometric traits of leaves, seed cones, and seeds for the 10 studied spruce taxa were measured at 504 sites. These data were analyzed in combination with species DNA sequences from NCBI GenBank. We detected the effects of phylogeny and climate through trait-variation-based K statistics and phylogenetic eigenvector regression (PVR) analyses. Multivariate analyses were performed to detect trait variation along climatic gradients with species replacement. The estimated K-values for the nine studied morphometric traits ranged from 0.19 to 0.68, and the studied environmental variables explained 39-83% of the total trait variation. Trait variation tended to be determined largely by a temperature gradient varying from wet-cool climates to dry-warm summers and, additionally, by a moisture gradient. As the climate became wetter and cooler, spruce species tended to be replaced by other spruces with smaller needle leaves and seeds but larger cones and seed scales. A regression analysis showed that spruce species tended to be successively replaced by other species, along the gradient, although the trends observed within species were not necessarily consistent with the overall trend. The climatically driven replacement of the spruces in question could be well indicated by the between-species variation in morphometric traits that carry lower phylogenetic signal. Between-species variation in these traits is driven primarily by climatic factors. These species demonstrate a narrower ecological amplitude in temperature but wider ranges on the moisture gradient.

25+ year changes in forest structure and tree-ring patterns in three old-growth red spruce stands in West Virginia

Treesearch

Eric Heitzman; Sean Doughterty; James Rentch; Steve Adams; Steve. Stephenson

2010-01-01

The extent of red spruce (Picea rubens) forests in West Virginia has dramatically declined from an estimated 1.5 million acres in 1865 to 30,000 acres today because of widespread logging and forest fires during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Rooting sitka spruce from southeast Alaska.

Treesearch

Donald L. Copes

1987-01-01

Rooting and shoot growth characteristics of 10-, 15-, and 20-year-old Sitka spruce cuttings were studied. Twigs from three branch orders were tested with or without 5000 parts per million indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) hormone treatment. Rooting success averaged 64 percent. The effect of ortet age on rooting success was not significant. Cuttings from first-order branch...

Helicopter Propwash Dislodges Few Spruce Budworms

Treesearch

Daniel T. Jennings; Mark W. Houseweart; Mark W. Houseweart

1986-01-01

Propwash treatments from a low-flying Bell 47-G2 helicopter dislodged few spruce budworm larvae and pupae from host balsam-fir trees. After propwash treatments, both larval-pupal densities on branch samples and in drop-tray collections near the ground were not significantly different between treated and control plots. Significantly more larvae were found in the lower...

Belowground effects of enhanced tropospheric ozone and drought in a beech/spruce forest (Fagus sylvatica L./Picea abies [L.] Karst).

PubMed

Nikolova, Petia S; Andersen, Christian P; Blaschke, Helmut; Matyssek, Rainer; Häberle, Karl-Heinz

2010-04-01

The effects of experimentally elevated O(3) on soil respiration rates, standing fine-root biomass, fine-root production and delta(13)C signature of newly produced fine roots were investigated in an adult European beech/Norway spruce forest in Germany during two subsequent years with contrasting rainfall patterns. During humid 2002, soil respiration rate was enhanced under elevated O(3) under beech and spruce, and was related to O(3)-stimulated fine-root production only in beech. During dry 2003, the stimulating effect of O(3) on soil respiration rate vanished under spruce, which was correlated with decreased fine-root production in spruce under drought, irrespective of the O(3) regime. delta(13)C signature of newly formed fine-roots was consistent with the differing g(s) of beech and spruce, and indicated stomatal limitation by O(3) in beech and by drought in spruce. Our study showed that drought can override the stimulating O(3) effects on fine-root dynamics and soil respiration in mature beech and spruce forests. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Altitudinal gradients of bryophyte diversity and community assemblage in southern Appalachian spruce-fir forests

Treesearch

Sarah E. Stehn; Christopher R. Webster; Janice M. Glime; Michael A. Jenkins

2010-01-01

Ground-layer plant communities in spruce-fir forests of the southern Appalachians have likely undergone significant change since the widespread death of canopy Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) caused by the exotic balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae). Bryophytes comprise an important part of the ground-layer flora in the spruce-fir...

Early red spruce restoration research by the Appalachian Forest Experiment Station, 1922-1954

Treesearch

James S. Rentch; Thomas M. Schuler

2017-01-01

This photograph (Fig. 1), taken in June of 1923 by E.S. Ship, depicts a red spruce (Picea rubens) stand with advanced reproduction near the summit of Mount Mitchell in the Pisgah National Forest of North Carolina. According to Hopkins (1899), the original extent of red spruce encompassed as much as 1,500,000 ac in the southern Appalachians; by 1895...

Pheromone lures to monitor sparse populations of spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Treesearch

David G. Grimble

1988-01-01

Four types of spruce budworm pheromone lures were field-tested in sparse spruce budworm populations in Maine. BioLures® with constant pheromone emission rates less than 1.0, ca. 1.0-1.5, and ca. 15.0 micrograms of pheromone per day were compared to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) lures with rapidly decreasing pheromone emission rates. Mean trap catch was roughly proportional...

Enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of spruce by alkaline pretreatment at low temperature.

PubMed

Zhao, Yulin; Wang, Ying; Zhu, J Y; Ragauskas, Art; Deng, Yulin

2008-04-15

Alkaline pretreatment of spruce at low temperature in both presence and absence of urea was studied. It was found that the enzymatic hydrolysis rate and efficiency can be significantly improved by the pretreatment. At low temperature, the pretreatment chemicals, either NaOH alone or NaOH-urea mixture solution, can slightly remove lignin, hemicelluloses, and cellulose in the lignocellulosic materials, disrupt the connections between hemicelluloses, cellulose, and lignin, and alter the structure of treated biomass to make cellulose more accessible to hydrolysis enzymes. Moreover, the wood fiber bundles could be broken down to small and loose lignocellulosic particles by the chemical treatment. Therefore, the enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency of untreated mechanical fibers can also be remarkably enhanced by NaOH or NaOH/urea solution treatment. The results indicated that, for spruce, up to 70% glucose yield could be obtained for the cold temperature pretreatment (-15 degrees C) using 7% NaOH/12% urea solution, but only 20% and 24% glucose yields were obtained at temperatures of 23 degrees C and 60 degrees C, respectively, when other conditions remained the same. The best condition for the chemical pretreatment regarding this study was 3% NaOH/12% urea, and -15 degrees C. Over 60% glucose conversion was achieved upon this condition. Copyright 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

SPRUCE Bog Surface Elevation Assessments with SET Instrument Beginning in 2013

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanson, Paul J; Phillips, Jana R; Brice, Deanne J

This data set reports plot-specific bog surface elevation measurements collected with the SPRUCE Elevation Transect (SET) instrument. Measurements are reported as absolute elevation in meters above mean sea level for two locations in each of the SPRUCE experimental treatment plots and additional ambient boardwalk plots -- 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 21. This data set reports measurements collected from June 2013 through August 2017, but it will be appended annually as new data are collected.

Organised Motion in a Tall Spruce Canopy: Temporal Scales, Structure Spacing and Terrain Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Christoph; Foken, Thomas

2007-01-01

This study investigates the organised motion near the canopy-atmosphere interface of a moderately dense spruce forest in heterogeneous, complex terrain. Wind direction is used to assess differences in topography and surface properties. Observations were obtained at several heights above and within the canopy using sonic anemometers and fast-response gas analysers over the course of several weeks. Analysed variables include the three-dimensional wind vector, the sonic temperature, and the concentration of carbon dioxide. Wavelet analysis was used to extract the organised motion from time series and to derive its temporal scales. Spectral Fourier analysis was deployed to compute power spectra and phase spectra. Profiles of temporal scales of ramp-like coherent structures in the vertical and longitudinal wind components showed a reversed variation with height and were of similar size within the canopy. Temporal scales of scalar fields were comparable to those of the longitudinal wind component suggesting that the lateral scalar transport dominates. The existence of a 1 power law in the longitudinal power spectra was confirmed for a few cases only, with a majority showing a clear 5/3 decay. The variation of effective scales of organised motion in the longitudinal velocity and temperature were found to vary with atmospheric stability, suggesting that both Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities and attached eddies dominate the flow with increasing convectional forcing. The canopy mixing-layer analogy was observed to be applicable for ramp-like coherent structures in the vertical wind component for selected wind directions only. Departures from the prediction of m = Λ w L {/s -1} = 8 10 (where Λ w is the streamwise spacing of coherent structures in the vertical wind w and L s is a canopy shear length scale) were caused by smaller shear length scales associated with large-scale changes in the terrain as well as the vertical structure of the canopy. The occurrence of linear

Disentangling the effects of acidic air pollution, atmospheric CO2 , and climate change on recent growth of red spruce trees in the Central Appalachian Mountains.

PubMed

Mathias, Justin M; Thomas, Richard B

2018-05-20

In the 45 years after legislation of the Clean Air Act, there has been tremendous progress in reducing acidic air pollutants in the eastern United States, yet limited evidence exists that cleaner air has improved forest health. Here, we investigate the influence of recent environmental changes on the growth and physiology of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) trees, a key indicator species of forest health, spanning three locations along a 100 km transect in the Central Appalachian Mountains. We incorporated a multiproxy approach using 75-year tree ring chronologies of basal tree growth, carbon isotope discrimination (∆ 13 C, a proxy for leaf gas exchange), and δ 15 N (a proxy for ecosystem N status) to examine tree and ecosystem level responses to environmental change. Results reveal the two most important factors driving increased tree growth since ca. 1989 are reductions in acidic sulfur pollution and increases in atmospheric CO 2 , while reductions in pollutant emissions of NO x and warmer springs played smaller, but significant roles. Tree ring ∆ 13 C signatures increased significantly since 1989, concurrently with significant declines in tree ring δ 15 N signatures. These isotope chronologies provide strong evidence that simultaneous changes in C and N cycling, including greater photosynthesis and stomatal conductance of trees and increases in ecosystem N retention, were related to recent increases in red spruce tree growth and are consequential to ecosystem recovery from acidic pollution. Intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) of the red spruce trees increased by ~51% across the 75-year chronology, and was driven by changes in atmospheric CO 2 and acid pollution, but iWUE was not linked to recent increases in tree growth. This study documents the complex environmental interactions that have contributed to the recovery of red spruce forest ecosystems from pervasive acidic air pollution beginning in 1989, about 15 years after acidic pollutants started to

Long-term nitrogen fertilization increases winter injury in montane red spruce foliage (Picea rubens) foliage

Treesearch

T.D. Perkins; G.T. Adams; S.T. Lawson; P.G. Schaberg; S.G. McNulty

2000-01-01

Current-year red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) foliage is predisposed to winter injury by one or more types of anthropogenic pollutants, particularly acidic deposition. The resultant defoliation, when severe and repeated, leads to dieback and eventual mortality of affected red spruce individuals

Lessons from native spruce forests in Alaska: managing Sitka spruce plantations worldwide to benefit biodiversity and ecosystem services

Treesearch

Robert L. Deal; Paul Hennon; Richard O' Hanlon; David D' Amore

2014-01-01

There is increasing interest worldwide in managing forests to maintain or improve biodiversity, enhance ecosystem services and assure long-term sustainability of forest resources. An important goal of forest management is to increase stand diversity, provide wildlife habitat and improve forest species diversity. We synthesize results from natural spruce forests in...

Lethal trap trees and semiochemical repellents as area host protection strategies for spruce beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) in Utah

Treesearch

Matt Hansen; A. Steven Munson; Darren C. Blackford; David Wakarchuk; Scott Baggett

2016-01-01

We tested lethal trap trees and repellent semiochemicals as area treatments to protect host trees from spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby) attacks. Lethal trap tree treatments ("spray treatment") combined a spruce beetle bait with carbaryl treatment of the baited spruce. Repellent treatments ("spray-repellent”) combined a baited lethal...

Specific impacts of beech and Norway spruce on the structure and diversity of the rhizosphere and soil microbial communities.

PubMed

Uroz, S; Oger, P; Tisserand, E; Cébron, A; Turpault, M-P; Buée, M; De Boer, W; Leveau, J H J; Frey-Klett, P

2016-06-15

The impacts of plant species on the microbial communities and physico-chemical characteristics of soil are well documented for many herbs, grasses and legumes but much less so for tree species. Here, we investigate by rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing the diversity of microorganisms from the three domains of life (Archaea, Bacteria and Eukaryota:Fungi) in soil samples taken from the forest experimental site of Breuil-Chenue (France). We discovered significant differences in the abundance, composition and structure of the microbial communities associated with two phylogenetically distant tree species of the same age, deciduous European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and coniferous Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst), planted in the same soil. Our results suggest a significant effect of tree species on soil microbiota though in different ways for each of the three microbial groups. Fungal and archaeal community structures and compositions are mainly determined according to tree species, whereas bacterial communities differ to a great degree between rhizosphere and bulk soils, regardless of the tree species. These results were confirmed by quantitative PCR, which revealed significant enrichment of specific bacterial genera, such as Burkholderia and Collimonas, known for their ability to weather minerals within the tree root vicinity.

Micro- and macro-geographic scale effect on the molecular imprint of selection and adaptation in Norway spruce.

PubMed

Scalfi, Marta; Mosca, Elena; Di Pierro, Erica Adele; Troggio, Michela; Vendramin, Giovanni Giuseppe; Sperisen, Christoph; La Porta, Nicola; Neale, David B

2014-01-01

Forest tree species of temperate and boreal regions have undergone a long history of demographic changes and evolutionary adaptations. The main objective of this study was to detect signals of selection in Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst), at different sampling-scales and to investigate, accounting for population structure, the effect of environment on species genetic diversity. A total of 384 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) representing 290 genes were genotyped at two geographic scales: across 12 populations distributed along two altitudinal-transects in the Alps (micro-geographic scale), and across 27 populations belonging to the range of Norway spruce in central and south-east Europe (macro-geographic scale). At the macrogeographic scale, principal component analysis combined with Bayesian clustering revealed three major clusters, corresponding to the main areas of southern spruce occurrence, i.e. the Alps, Carpathians, and Hercynia. The populations along the altitudinal transects were not differentiated. To assess the role of selection in structuring genetic variation, we applied a Bayesian and coalescent-based F(ST)-outlier method and tested for correlations between allele frequencies and climatic variables using regression analyses. At the macro-geographic scale, the F(ST)-outlier methods detected together 11 F(ST)-outliers. Six outliers were detected when the same analyses were carried out taking into account the genetic structure. Regression analyses with population structure correction resulted in the identification of two (micro-geographic scale) and 38 SNPs (macro-geographic scale) significantly correlated with temperature and/or precipitation. Six of these loci overlapped with F(ST)-outliers, among them two loci encoding an enzyme involved in riboflavin biosynthesis and a sucrose synthase. The results of this study indicate a strong relationship between genetic and environmental variation at both geographic scales. It also suggests that an

Micro- and Macro-Geographic Scale Effect on the Molecular Imprint of Selection and Adaptation in Norway Spruce

PubMed Central

Scalfi, Marta; Mosca, Elena; Di Pierro, Erica Adele; Troggio, Michela; Vendramin, Giovanni Giuseppe; Sperisen, Christoph; La Porta, Nicola; Neale, David B.

2014-01-01

Forest tree species of temperate and boreal regions have undergone a long history of demographic changes and evolutionary adaptations. The main objective of this study was to detect signals of selection in Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst), at different sampling-scales and to investigate, accounting for population structure, the effect of environment on species genetic diversity. A total of 384 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) representing 290 genes were genotyped at two geographic scales: across 12 populations distributed along two altitudinal-transects in the Alps (micro-geographic scale), and across 27 populations belonging to the range of Norway spruce in central and south-east Europe (macro-geographic scale). At the macrogeographic scale, principal component analysis combined with Bayesian clustering revealed three major clusters, corresponding to the main areas of southern spruce occurrence, i.e. the Alps, Carpathians, and Hercynia. The populations along the altitudinal transects were not differentiated. To assess the role of selection in structuring genetic variation, we applied a Bayesian and coalescent-based F ST-outlier method and tested for correlations between allele frequencies and climatic variables using regression analyses. At the macro-geographic scale, the F ST-outlier methods detected together 11 F ST-outliers. Six outliers were detected when the same analyses were carried out taking into account the genetic structure. Regression analyses with population structure correction resulted in the identification of two (micro-geographic scale) and 38 SNPs (macro-geographic scale) significantly correlated with temperature and/or precipitation. Six of these loci overlapped with F ST-outliers, among them two loci encoding an enzyme involved in riboflavin biosynthesis and a sucrose synthase. The results of this study indicate a strong relationship between genetic and environmental variation at both geographic scales. It also suggests that an

Structurally controlled 'teleconnection' of large-scale mass wasting (Eastern Alps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostermann, Marc; Sanders, Diethard

2015-04-01

In the Brenner Pass area (Eastern Alps) , closely ahead of the most northward outlier ('nose') of the Southern-Alpine continental indenter, abundant deep-seated gravitational slope deformations and a cluster of five post-glacial rockslides are present. The indenter of roughly triangular shape formed during Neogene collision of the Southern-Alpine basement with the Eastern-Alpine nappe stack. Compression by the indenter activated a N-S striking, roughly W-E extensional fault northward of the nose of the indenter (Brenner-normal fault; BNF), and lengthened the Eastern-Alpine edifice along a set of major strike-slip faults. These fault zones display high seismicity, and are the preferred locus of catastrophic rapid slope failures (rockslides, rock avalanches) and deep-seated gravitational slope deformations. The seismotectonic stress field, earthquake activity, and structural data all indicate that the South-Alpine indenter still - or again - exerts compression; in consequence, the northward adjacent Eastern Alps are subject mainly to extension and strike-slip. For the rockslides in the Brenner Pass area, and for the deep-seated gravitational slope deformations, the fault zones combined with high seismic activity predispose massive slope failures. Structural data and earthquakes mainly record ~W-E extension within an Eastern Alpine basement block (Oetztal-Stubai basement complex) in the hangingwall of the BNF. In the Northern Calcareous Alps NW of the Oetztal-Stubai basement complex, dextral faults provide defacement scars for large rockfalls and rockslides. Towards the West, these dextral faults merge into a NNW-SSE striking sinistral fault zone that, in turn, displays high seismic activity and is the locus of another rockslide cluster (Fern Pass cluster; Prager et al., 2008). By its kinematics dictated by the South-Alpine indenter, the relatively rigid Oetztal-Stubai basement block relays faulting and associated mass-wasting over a N-S distance of more than 60

Norway spruce embryogenesis: changes in carbohydrate profile, structural development and response to polyethylene glycol

PubMed Central

Hudec, Lukáš; Konrádová, Hana; Hašková, Anna; Lipavská, Helena

2016-01-01

Two unrelated, geographically distinct, highly embryogenic lines of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) were analysed to identify metabolic traits characteristic for lines with good yields of high-quality embryos. The results were compared with corresponding characteristics of a poorly productive line (low embryo yield, scarce high-quality embryos). The following carbohydrate profiles and spectra during maturation, desiccation and germination were identified as promising characteristics for line evaluation: a gradual decrease in total soluble carbohydrates with an increasing sucrose : hexose ratio during maturation; accumulation of raffinose family oligosaccharides resulting from desiccation and their rapid degradation at the start of germination; and a decrease in sucrose, increase in hexoses and the appearance of pinitol with proceeding germination. We propose that any deviation from this profile in an embryonic line is a symptom of inferior somatic embryo development. We further propose that a fatty acid spectrum dominated by linoleic acid (18 : 2) was a common feature of healthy spruce somatic embryos, although it was quite different from zygotic embryos mainly containing oleic acid (18 : 1). The responses of the lines to osmotic stress were evaluated based on comparison of control (without osmoticum) and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-exposed (PEG 4000) variants. Although genetically distinct, both highly embryogenic lines responded in a very similar manner, with the only difference being sensitivity to high concentrations of PEG. At an optimum PEG concentration (3.75 and 5%), which was line specific, negative effects of PEG on embryo germination were compensated for by a higher maturation efficiency so that the application of PEG at an appropriate concentration improved the yield of healthy germinants per gram of initial embryonal mass and accelerated the process. Polyethylene glycol application, however, resulted in no improvement of the poorly

Photosynthetic capacity of red spruce during winter

Treesearch

P.G. Schaberg; J.B. Shane; P.F. Cali; J.R. Donnelly; G.R. Strimbeck

1998-01-01

We measured the photosynthetic capacity (Pmax) of plantation-grown red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) during two winter seasons (1993-94 and 1994-95) and monitored field photosynthesis of these trees during one winter (1993-94). We also measured Pmax for mature montane trees from January through May 1995....

Progress report on the rate of deterioration of beetle-killed Engelmann spruce in Colorado

Treesearch

Frank G. Hawksworth; Thomas E. Hinds

1959-01-01

A severe windstorm in 1939 blew down extensive patches of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry) in western Colorado. A major epidemic of the Engelmann spruce beetle (Dendroctonus engelmanni Hopk.) developed from the windthrown trees and by 1952, when the epidemic was controlled by a combination of chemical and natural-control factors, an estimated four billion...

Legacy of Pre-Disturbance Spatial Pattern Determines Early Structural Diversity following Severe Disturbance in Montane Spruce Forests

PubMed Central

Bače, Radek; Svoboda, Miroslav; Janda, Pavel; Morrissey, Robert C.; Wild, Jan; Clear, Jennifer L.; Čada, Vojtěch; Donato, Daniel C.

2015-01-01

Background Severe canopy-removing disturbances are native to many temperate forests and radically alter stand structure, but biotic legacies (surviving elements or patterns) can lend continuity to ecosystem function after such events. Poorly understood is the degree to which the structural complexity of an old-growth forest carries over to the next stand. We asked how pre-disturbance spatial pattern acts as a legacy to influence post-disturbance stand structure, and how this legacy influences the structural diversity within the early-seral stand. Methods Two stem-mapped one-hectare forest plots in the Czech Republic experienced a severe bark beetle outbreak, thus providing before-and-after data on spatial patterns in live and dead trees, crown projections, down logs, and herb cover. Results Post-disturbance stands were dominated by an advanced regeneration layer present before the disturbance. Both major species, Norway spruce (Picea abies) and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), were strongly self-aggregated and also clustered to former canopy trees, pre-disturbance snags, stumps and logs, suggesting positive overstory to understory neighbourhood effects. Thus, although the disturbance dramatically reduced the stand’s height profile with ~100% mortality of the canopy layer, the spatial structure of post-disturbance stands still closely reflected the pre-disturbance structure. The former upper tree layer influenced advanced regeneration through microsite and light limitation. Under formerly dense canopies, regeneration density was high but relatively homogeneous in height; while in former small gaps with greater herb cover, regeneration density was lower but with greater heterogeneity in heights. Conclusion These findings suggest that pre-disturbance spatial patterns of forests can persist through severe canopy-removing disturbance, and determine the spatial structure of the succeeding stand. Such patterns constitute a subtle but key legacy effect, promoting structural

Geology of the Plumtree area, Spruce Pine district, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brobst, Donald Albert

1953-01-01

This report describes the results of study and geologic mapping (1:12,000) in the 70-square-mile Plumtree area in the northeastern part of the Spruce Pine pegmatite district, on the Blue Ridge upland in western North Carolina. The district has been the chief domestic source of feldspar and sheet mica. The mining belt just west of the Blue Ridge Front trends northeast and is 25 miles long and 10 miles wide. The center of the Plumtree area lies 10 miles northeast of Spruce Pine pegmatite district, on the Blue Ridge upland in western North Carolina. The district has been the chief domestic source of feldspar and sheet mica. The mining belt just west of the Blue Ridge Front trends northeast and is 25 miles long and 10 miles wide. The center of the Plumtree area lies 10 miles northeast of Spruce Pine and includes parts of Mitchell and Avery Counties shown on the portions of the 7.5-minute Spruce Pine, Linville Falls, Newland, North Carolina, and Carvers Gap, North Carolina and Tennessee quadrangle. The topography varies from rugged mountains to rounded or flat topped hills near the entrenched, meandering master streams. Old erosion surfaces are approximately 600,1,100, 1,500, and 2,500 feet above the present master stream level. The area is in late youth or early maturity after rejuvenation.. The regionally metamorphosed rocks of the amophibolite facies form three mappable units: mica gneiss, mica schist, and hornblende rock. These rocks, perhaps of Precambrian age, are intimately interlayered with thicknesses of the individual layers ranging from less than one inch to several tons of feet. Field relationships and chemical data suggest that the mica (Carolina-type) rocks were derived from sandstones, graywackes, and shales and that the hornblende-rich (Roan-type) layers were derived from impure carbonate rocks. The igneous rocks include alaskite and associated pegmatite of early Paleozoic age (?), dunite and associated soapstone of a prepegmatite age, and a few diabasic

Lethal Trap Trees and Semiochemical Repellents as Area Host Protection Strategies for Spruce Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) in Utah.

PubMed

Matthew Hansen, E; Steven Munson, A; Blackford, Darren C; Wakarchuk, David; Scott Baggett, L

2016-10-01

We tested lethal trap trees and repellent semiochemicals as area treatments to protect host trees from spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby) attacks. Lethal trap tree treatments ("spray treatment") combined a spruce beetle bait with carbaryl treatment of the baited spruce. Repellent treatments ("spray-repellent") combined a baited lethal trap tree within a 16-m grid of MCH (3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one) and two novel spruce beetle repellents. After beetle flight, we surveyed all trees within 50 m of plot center, stratified by 10-m radius subplots, and compared attack rates to those from baited and unbaited control plots. Compared to the baited controls, spruce in the spray treatment had significantly reduced likelihood of a more severe attack classification (e.g., mass-attacked over strip-attacked or unsuccessful-attacked over unattacked). Because spruce in the spray treatment also had significantly heightened probability of more severe attack classification than those in the unbaited controls, however, we do not recommend lethal trap trees as a stand-alone beetle suppression strategy for epidemic beetle populations. Spruce in the spray-repellent treatment were slightly more likely to be classified as more severely attacked within 30 m of plot center compared to unbaited controls but, overall, had reduced probabilities of beetle attack over the entire 50-m radius plots. The semiochemical repellents deployed in this study were effective at reducing attacks on spruce within treated plots despite the presence of a centrally located spruce beetle bait. Further testing will be required to clarify operational protocols such as dose, elution rate, and release device spacing. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2016. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Breeding for resistance in Norway spruce to the root and butt rot fungi Heterobasidion spp

Treesearch

G. Swedjemark; A.K. Borg-Karlson; B. Karlsson

2012-01-01

Results from previous studies of resistance in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) to the pathogens Heterobasidion spp. show significant genotypic variation in fungal growth and spore susceptibility among Norway spruce clones. The genetic variation and the heritability are large enough for practical breeding purposes and...

A key for predicting postfire successional trajectories in black spruce stands of interior Alaska.

Treesearch

Jill F. Johnstone; Teresa N. Hollingsworth; F. Stuart Chapin

2008-01-01

Black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill) B.S.P) is the dominant forest cover type in interior Alaska and is prone to frequent, stand-replacing wildfires. Through impacts on tree recruitment, the degree of fire consumption of soil organic layers can act as an important determinant of whether black spruce forests regenerate to a forest composition similar...

SPRUCE Ground Observations of Phenology in Experimental Plots, 2016-2017

DOE Data Explorer

Richardson, Andrew D.; Latimer, John M.; Nettles, W. Robert; Heiderman, Ryan R.; Warren, Jeffrey M.; Hanson, Paul J.

2018-01-01

This data set consists of phenological transition dates, as derived from direct observations of vegetative and reproductive phenology recorded by a human observer, from the SPRUCE experiment during the 2+ years (August 2015 through December 2017) of whole-ecosystem warming. For 2016, only springtime (April - June) phenological events are included. For 2017 (April - December), spring and autumn events are included.

Beginning in April 2016, human observers have been directly tracking the phenology of both woody and herbaceous species on a weekly schedule within the SPRUCE experimental chambers. The observed date reported here is the first survey date on which an event/phenophase was definitively observed.

Relating structural growth environment to white spruce sapling establishment at the Forest-Tundra Ecotone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maguire, A.; Boelman, N.; Griffin, K. L.; Jensen, J.; Hiers, E.; Johnson, D. M.; Vierling, L. A.; Eitel, J.

2017-12-01

The effect of climate change on treeline position at the latitudinal Forest-Tundra ecotone (FTE) is poorly understood. While the FTE is expansive (stretching 13,000 km acros the panarctic), understanding relationships between climate and tree function may depend on very fine scale processes. High resolution tools are therefore needed to appropriately characterize the leading (northernmost) edge of the FTE. We hypothesized that microstructural metrics obtainable from lidar remote sensing may explain variation in the physical growth environment that governs sapling establishment. To test our hypothesis, we used terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to collect highly spatially resolved 3-D structural information of white spruce (Picea glauca) saplings and their aboveground growth environment at the leading edge of a FTE in northern Alaska and Northwest Territories, Canada. Coordinates of sapling locations were extracted from the 3-D TLS data. Within each sampling plot, 20 sets of coordinates were randomly selected from regions where no saplings were present. Ground roughness, canopy roughness, average aspect, average slope, average curvature, wind shelter index, and wetness indexwere extracted from point clouds within a variable radius from all coordinates. Generalized linear models (GLM) were fit to determine which microstructural metrics were most strongly associated with sapling establishment. Preliminary analyses of three plots suggest that vegetation roughness, wetness index, ground roughness, and slope were the most important terrain metrics governing sapling presence (Figure 1). Comprehensive analyses will include eight plots and GLMs optimized for scale at which structural parameters affect sapling establishment. Spatial autocorrelation of sample locations will be accounted for in models. Because these analyses address how the physical growth environment affects sapling establishment, model outputs will provide information for improving understanding of the

Estimation of forest structural parameters using 5 and 10 meter SPOT-5 satellite data

Treesearch

Peter T. Wolter; Phillip A. Townsend; Brian R. Sturtevant

2009-01-01

Large areas of forest in the US and Canada are affected by insects and disease each year. Over the past century, outbreaks of the Eastern spruce budworm have become more frequent and severe. The notion of designing a more pest resistant landscape through prescriptive management practices hinges on our ability to effectively model forest?insect dynamics at regional...

Evaluation of genetic variability in a small, insular population of spruce grouse

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Connell, A.F.; Rhymer, Judith; Keppie, D.M.; Svenson, K.L.; Paigan, B.J.

2002-01-01

Using microsatellite markers we determined genetic variability for two populations of spruce grouse in eastern North America, one on a coastal Maine island where breeding habitat is limited and highly fragmented, the other in central New Brunswick (NB), where suitable breeding habitat is generally contiguous across the region. We examined six markers for both populations and all were polymorphic. Although the number of alleles per locus and the proportion of unique alleles were lower in the island population, and probably a result of small sample.size, heterozygosity and a breeding coefficient (Fis) indicated slightly more variability in the island population. Deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium also was more evident in loci for the mainland population. Several traits previously documented in the island population: relatively long natal dispersal distances, reproductive success, territoriality, adult survival, and longevity support the maintenance of hetrerzygosity, at least in the short-term. Sample collection from two small (500 ha), separate areas in NB, and the predicted importance of immigration density to supplement this population demonstrate the need for behavioral and ecological information when interpreting genetic variation. We discuss the relevance of these issues with respect to genetic variability and viability.

Field Comparison of Spruce Budworm Pheromone Lures

Treesearch

David G. Grimble

1987-01-01

Four types of spruce budworm pheromone lures were tested to compare field longevity and efficiency. Biolures with three different pheromone release rates and Silk-PVC lures all caught male budworm moths throughout the moth flight period in proportion to the different release rates. Fumigant strips in traps to kill trapped moths were necessary.

Optimal uneven-aged stocking guides: an application to spruce-fir stands in New England

Treesearch

Jeffrey H. Gove; Mark J. Ducey

2014-01-01

Management guides for uneven-aged forest stands periodically need to be revisited and updated based on new information and methods. The current silvicultural guide for uneven-aged spruce-fir management in Maine and the northeast (Frank, R.M. and Bjorkbom, J.C. 1973 A silvicultural guide for spruce-fir in the northeast. General Technical Report NE-6, Forest Service. U.S...

Weight-Volume relationships of Aspen and Winter-Cut Black Spruce Pulpwood in Northern Minnesota

Treesearch

David C. Lothner; Richard M. Marden; Edwin Kallio

1974-01-01

Seasonal weight-volume relationships were determined for rough (bark on) aspen and black spruce 100-inch pulpwood that was delivered withing 1 week after cutting in northern Minnesota during 1971-72. For aspen, the weight of wood and bark per cubic foot of wood averaged 56 pounds in the winter and 61 pounds in the summer. This relationshipfor winter-cut black spruce...

Small-forest management in the spruce-fir region

Treesearch

A. C. Hart

1953-01-01

Small forest properties occupy about 3.4 million acres, or 25 percent of the total forest land, in the spruce-fir region of Maine and New Hampshire. Careful management of these small forest properties is important to the region and to the owners.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: Growth melt asymmetry in ice crystals under the influence of spruce budworm antifreeze protein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pertaya, Natalya; Celik, Yeliz; Di Prinzio, Carlos L.; Wettlaufer, J. S.; Davies, Peter L.; Braslavsky, Ido

2007-10-01

Here we describe studies of the crystallization behavior of ice in an aqueous solution of spruce budworm antifreeze protein (sbwAFP) at atmospheric pressure. SbwAFP is an ice binding protein with high thermal hysteresis activity, which helps protect Choristoneura fumiferana (spruce budworm) larvae from freezing as they overwinter in the spruce and fir forests of the north eastern United States and Canada. Different types of ice binding proteins have been found in many other species. They have a wide range of applications in cryomedicine and cryopreservation, as well as the potential to protect plants and vegetables from frost damage through genetic engineering. However, there is much to learn regarding the mechanism of action of ice binding proteins. In our experiments, a solution containing sbwAFP was rapidly frozen and then melted back, thereby allowing us to produce small single crystals. These maintained their hexagonal shapes during cooling within the thermal hysteresis gap. Melt-growth-melt sequences in low concentrations of sbwAFP reveal the same shape transitions as are found in pure ice crystals at low temperature (-22 °C) and high pressure (2000 bar) (Cahoon et al 2006 Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 255502) while both growth and melt shapes display faceted hexagonal morphology, they are rotated 30° relative to one another. Moreover, the initial melt shape and orientation is recovered in the sequence. To visualize the binding of sbwAFP to ice, we labeled the antifreeze protein with enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and observed the sbwAFP-GFP molecules directly on ice crystals using confocal microscopy. When cooling the ice crystals, facets form on the six primary prism planes (slowest growing planes) that are evenly decorated with sbwAFP-GFP. During melting, apparent facets form on secondary prism planes (fastest melting planes), leaving residual sbwAFP at the six corners of the hexagon. Thus, the same general growth-melt behavior of an apparently rotated

Diurnal changes in the dielectric properties and water status of eastern hemlock and red spruce from Howland, ME

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salas, W. A.; Ranson, K. J.; Rock, B. N.; Moss, D. M.

1991-01-01

The diurnal characteristics of microwave dielectric properties and water potential of two conifer species were investigated in July and September, 1990. P-band and C-band radial dielectric profiles of hemlock and red spruce, as well as hemlock diurnal water potential and dielectric profiles, are presented. The resulting radial dielectric profiles matched the regions of the functional sapwood (water transport component of the active xylem) in both species such that the sapwood was characterized by a higher dielectric than the bark and heartwood tissues. This is probably due to characteristic differences in the water content of each tissue. As the hemlocks progressed through their diurnal water potential pattern, the dielectric profile remained static until mid-afternoon. As the tension in the water column relaxed (2 to 3 bars) the dielectric constant decreased by 30 to 40 percent. There are several possible explanations for this phenomenon, and these may relate to the dependency of the dielectric measurements on temperature, salinity, and volumetric water content.

Biosynthesis of the Major Tetrahydroxystilbenes in Spruce, Astringin and Isorhapontin, Proceeds via Resveratrol and Is Enhanced by Fungal Infection1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Hammerbacher, Almuth; Ralph, Steven G.; Bohlmann, Joerg; Fenning, Trevor M.; Gershenzon, Jonathan; Schmidt, Axel

2011-01-01

Stilbenes are dibenzyl polyphenolic compounds produced in several unrelated plant families that appear to protect against various biotic and abiotic stresses. Stilbene biosynthesis has been well described in economically important plants, such as grape (Vitis vinifera), peanut (Arachis hypogaea), and pine (Pinus species). However, very little is known about the biosynthesis and ecological role of stilbenes in spruce (Picea), an important gymnosperm tree genus in temperate and boreal forests. To investigate the biosynthesis of stilbenes in spruce, we identified two similar stilbene synthase (STS) genes in Norway spruce (Picea abies), PaSTS1 and PaSTS2, which had orthologs with high sequence identity in sitka (Picea sitchensis) and white (Picea glauca) spruce. Despite the conservation of STS sequences in these three spruce species, they differed substantially from angiosperm STSs. Several types of in vitro and in vivo assays revealed that the P. abies STSs catalyze the condensation of p-coumaroyl-coenzyme A and three molecules of malonyl-coenzyme A to yield the trihydroxystilbene resveratrol but do not directly form the dominant spruce stilbenes, which are tetrahydroxylated. However, in transgenic Norway spruce overexpressing PaSTS1, significantly higher amounts of the tetrahydroxystilbene glycosides, astringin and isorhapontin, were produced. This result suggests that the first step of stilbene biosynthesis in spruce is the formation of resveratrol, which is further modified by hydroxylation, O-methylation, and O-glucosylation to yield astringin and isorhapontin. Inoculating spruce with fungal mycelium increased STS transcript abundance and tetrahydroxystilbene glycoside production. Extracts from STS-overexpressing lines significantly inhibited fungal growth in vitro compared with extracts from control lines, suggesting that spruce stilbenes have a role in antifungal defense. PMID:21865488

Using maximum entropy modeling to identify and prioritize red spruce forest habitat in West Virginia

Treesearch

Nathan R. Beane; James S. Rentch; Thomas M. Schuler

2013-01-01

Red spruce forests in West Virginia are found in island-like distributions at high elevations and provide essential habitat for the endangered Cheat Mountain salamander and the recently delisted Virginia northern flying squirrel. Therefore, it is important to identify restoration priorities of red spruce forests. Maximum entropy modeling was used to identify areas of...

Site characteristics of red spruce witness tree locations in the uplands of West Virginia, USA

Treesearch

Melissa Thomas-Van Gundy; Michael Strager; James. Rentch

2012-01-01

Knowledge, both of the historical range of spruce-dominated forests and associated site conditions, is needed by land managers to help define restoration goals and potential sites for restoration. We used an existing digital database of witness trees listed in deeds from 1752 to 1899 to compare characteristics of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) sites...

Structure, production and resource use in some old-growth spruce/fir forests in the front range of the Rocky Mountains, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Binkley, Dan; Olsson, U.; Rochelle, R.; Stohlgren, T.; Nikolov, N.

2003-01-01

Old-growth forests of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex. Engelm.) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) dominate much of the landscape of the Rocky Mountains. We characterized the structure, biomass and production of 18 old-growth (200-450-year-old) spruce/fir forests in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, as well as the stand-level supply and use of light and nitrogen. Stands were chosen to span a broad range of elevation, aspect, and topography. Aboveground tree biomass in these old-growth forests averaged 253 Mg/ha (range 130-488 Mg/ha), with aboveground net primary production of 3700 kg ha-1 yr-1 (range from 2700 to 5200 kg ha-1 yr-1). Within stands, trees >35 cm in diameter accounted for 70% of aboveground biomass, but trees <35 cm contributed 70% of the production of woody biomass. Differences in slope and aspect among sites resulted in a range of incoming light from 58 to 74 TJ ha-1 yr-1, and tree canopies intercepted an average of 71% of incoming light (range 50-90%). Aboveground net primary production (ANPP) of trees did not relate to the supply of light or N, but ANPP correlated strongly with the amount of light and N used (r2 = 0.45-0.54, P < 0.01). Uptake of 1 kg of N was associated with about 260 kg of ANPP, and one TJ of intercepted shortwave radiation produced about 78 kg of ANPP. Across these old-growth stands, stands with greater biomass showed higher rates of both ANPP and resource use; variation in aboveground biomass was associated with 24% of the variation in N use (P = 0.04), 44% of the light use (P = 0.003), and 45% of the ANPP (P = 0.002). ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Eocene to Miocene Out-of-Sequence Deformation in the Eastern Tibetan Plateau: Insights From Shortening Structures in the Sichuan Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Yuntao; Kohn, Barry P.; Qiu, Nansheng; Yuan, Yusong; Hu, Shengbiao; Gleadow, Andrew J. W.; Zhang, Peizhen

2018-02-01

A distinctive NNE trending belt of shortening structures dominates the topography and deformation of the eastern Sichuan Basin, 300 km east of the Tibetan Plateau. Debate continues as to whether the structures resulted from Cenozoic eastward growth of the Tibetan Plateau. A low-temperature thermochronology (AFT and AHe) data set from four deep boreholes and adjacent outcrops intersecting a branch of the shortening structures indicates distinctive differential cooling at 35-28 Ma across the structure, where stratigraphy has been offset vertically by 0.8-1.3 km. This result forms the first quantitative evidence for the existence of a late Eocene-Oligocene phase of shortening in the eastern Sichuan Basin, synchronous with the early phase of eastward growth and extrusion of the Tibetan Plateau. Further, a compilation of regional Cenozoic structures reveals a Miocene retreat of deformation from the foreland basin to the hinterland areas. Such a tectonic reorganization indicates that Eocene to Miocene deformation in the eastern Tibetan Plateau is out-of-sequence and was probably triggered by enhanced erosion in the eastern Tibetan Plateau.

Sensitivity of Spruce/Moss Boreal Forest Net Ecosystem Productivity to Seasonal Anomalies in Weather

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frolking, Steve

1997-01-01

Abstract. A process-oriented, daily time step model of a spruce/moss boreal ecosystem simulated 1994 and 1995 productivity for a Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study site near Thompson, Manitoba. Simulated black spruce net primary productivity (NPP) was 139 g C m(exp -2) in 1994 and 112 in 1995; feathermoss NPP was 13.0 g C m(exp -2) in 1994 and 9.7 in 1995; decomposition was 126 g C m(exp -2) in 1994 and 130 in 1995; net ecosystem productivity (NEP) was an uptake of 26.3 g C m(exp -2)in 1994 and 2.5 in 1995. A very dry period for the first half of the 1995 summer was the major cause of that year's lower productivity. Sensitivity simulations explored the impact of 2-month long warmer, cooler, wetter, and drier spells on ecosystem productivity. Warmer summers decreased spruce NPP, moss NPP, and NEP; cooler summers had the opposite effect. Earlier snowmelt (due to either warmer spring temperatures or reduced winter precipitation) increased moss and spruce NPP; later snowmelt had the opposite effect. The largest effect on decomposition was a 5% reduction due to a drier summer. One-month droughts (April through October) were also imposed on 1975 base year weather. Early summer droughts reduced moss annual NPP by -30-40%; summer droughts reduced spruce annual NPP by 10%; late summer droughts increased moss NPP by about 20% due to reduced respiration; May to September monthly droughts reduced heterotrophic respiration by about 10%. Variability in NEP was up to roughly +/- 35%. Finally, 1975 growing season precipitation was redistributed into frequent, small rainstorms and infrequent, large rainstorms. These changes had no effect on spruce NPP. Frequent rainstorms increased decomposition by a few percent, moss NPP by 50%, and NEP by 20%. Infrequent rainstorms decreased decomposition by 5%, moss NPP by 50% and NEP by 15%. The impact of anomalous weather patterns on productivity of this ecosystem depended on their timing during the year. Multiyear data sets are necessary to

Development of epicormic sprouts in Sitka spruce following thinning and pruning in south-east Alaska.

Treesearch

Robert L. Deal; R. James Barbour; Michael H. McClellan; Dean L. Parry

2003-01-01

The frequency and size of epicormic sprouts in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) were assessed in five 23-29 year-old mixed Sitka spruce-western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) stands that were uniformly thinned and pruned to 2.4, 3.7 and 5.2 m lift heights. Six to nine years after treatment sprouts were...

SPRUCE Plant-Available Nutrients Assessed with Ion-Exchange Resins in Experimental Plots, Beginning in 2013

DOE Data Explorer

Iversen, C. M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Latimer, J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Burnham, A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Brice, D. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Childs, J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A; Vander Stel, H. M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A

2017-01-01

This data set consists of observations of plant-available nutrients assessed using ion-exchange resin capsules incubated serially in aerobic and anaerobic peat layers beginning in 2013 in the SPRUCE experimental plots at four depths in hummock microtopography and two depths in hollow microtopography. Data will be periodically added to until the conclusion of the SPRUCE experiment.

Extensive Families of miRNAs and PHAS Loci in Norway Spruce Demonstrate the Origins of Complex phasiRNA Networks in Seed Plants

PubMed Central

Xia, Rui; Xu, Jing; Arikit, Siwaret; Meyers, Blake C.

2015-01-01

In eudicot plants, the miR482/miR2118 superfamily regulates and instigates the production of phased secondary small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) from NB-LRR (nucleotide binding leucine-rich repeat) genes that encode disease resistance proteins. In grasses, this miRNA family triggers siRNA production specifically in reproductive tissues from long noncoding RNAs. To understand this functional divergence, we examined the small RNA population in the ancient gymnosperm Norway spruce (Picea abies). As many as 41 miRNA families in spruce were found to trigger phasiRNA (phased, secondary siRNAs) production from diverse PHAS loci, with a remarkable 19 miRNA families capable of targeting over 750 NB-LRR genes to generate phasiRNAs. miR482/miR2118, encoded in spruce by at least 24 precursor loci, targets not only NB-LRR genes to trigger phasiRNA production (as in eudicots) but also noncoding PHAS loci, generating phasiRNAs preferentially in male or female cones, reminiscent of its role in the grasses. These data suggest a dual function of miR482/miR2118 present in gymnosperms that was selectively yet divergently retained in flowering plants. A few MIR482/MIR2118 precursors possess an extremely long stem-loop structure, one arm of which shows significant sequence similarity to spruce NB-LRR genes, suggestive of an evolutionary origin from NB-LRR genes through gene duplication. We also characterized an expanded miR390-TAS3 (TRANS-ACTING SIRNA GENE 3)-ARF (AUXIN RESPONSIVE FACTOR) pathway, comprising 18 TAS3 genes of diverse features. Finally, we annotated spruce miRNAs and their targets. Taken together, these data expand our understanding of phasiRNA network in plants and the evolution of plant miRNAs, particularly miR482/miR2118 and its functional diversification. PMID:26318183

20. GROVE OF TREES PINES, MULBERRY, JUNIPER, BLUE SPRUCE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

20. GROVE OF TREES -- PINES, MULBERRY, JUNIPER, BLUE SPRUCE -- TRANSPLANTED FROM NEW MEXICO MANZANO MOUNTAINS, WEST OF BUILDINGS 4 AND T-59, LOOKING NORTHWEST - U. S. Veterans Administration Medical Center, 2100 Ridgecrest Southeast, Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, NM

A Norway spruce FLOWERING LOCUS T homolog is implicated in control of growth rhythm in conifers.

PubMed

Gyllenstrand, Niclas; Clapham, David; Källman, Thomas; Lagercrantz, Ulf

2007-05-01

Growth in perennial plants possesses an annual cycle of active growth and dormancy that is controlled by environmental factors, mainly photoperiod and temperature. In conifers and other nonangiosperm species, the molecular mechanisms behind these responses are currently unknown. In Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) seedlings, growth cessation and bud set are induced by short days and plants from southern latitudes require at least 7 to 10 h of darkness, whereas plants from northern latitudes need only 2 to 3 h of darkness. Bud burst, on the other hand, is almost exclusively controlled by temperature. To test the possible role of Norway spruce FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)-like genes in growth rhythm, we have studied expression patterns of four Norway spruce FT family genes in two populations with a divergent bud set response under various photoperiodic conditions. Our data show a significant and tight correlation between growth rhythm (both bud set and bud burst), and expression pattern of one of the four Norway spruce phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein gene family members (PaFT4) over a variety of experimental conditions. This study strongly suggests that one Norway spruce homolog to the FT gene, which controls flowering in angiosperms, is also a key integrator of photoperiodic and thermal signals in the control of growth rhythms in gymnosperms. The data also indicate that the divergent adaptive bud set responses of northern and southern Norway spruce populations, both to photoperiod and light quality, are mediated through PaFT4. These results provide a major advance in our understanding of the molecular control of a major adaptive trait in conifers and a tool for further molecular studies of adaptive variation in plants.

Paraquat-induced lightwood in two European conifers - Scotch pine and Norway spruce

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wroblewska, H.; Conner, A.H.; Rowe, J.W.

1978-04-01

Paraquat treatment induced oleoresin-soaked lightwood in Scotch pine; borehole and ax-frill treatment methods were equally effective. Paraquat treatment of Norway spruce induced limited lightwood formation accompanied by heavy external oleoresin exudation. Thus paraquat treatment of Scotch pine and possibly Norway spruce could be commercially advantageous for increasing naval stores production from these species. Analysis of tall oil precursors (nonvolatile ether extractives) for resin acids, fatty acids, and nonsaponifiables showed that the increase from paraquat treatment was mainly from an increased resin acid content. The chemical composition of the resin acids from the lightwood and control wood areas was similar andmore » consisted of the usual pimaric and abietic type resin acids found in conifers. The fatty acids were predominately unsaturated C/sub 18/ isomers. Turpentine of both species consisted mainly of ..cap alpha..-pinene, ..beta..-pinene, and 3-carene. The composition of the turpentine from the Scotch pine lightwood did not differ from that of the control wood. However, turpentine from the Norway spruce lightwood had an increased 3-carene content compared to that from the control.« less

Seedling distribution on a spruce-hemlock clearcut.

Treesearch

Carl M. Berntsen

1955-01-01

A better job of regeneration on cutover areas can be done if foresters know what areas are difficult to regenerate and what sort of practices are best for the difficult areas. A study recently completed at Cascade Head Experimental Forest has supplied that sort of information for a typical spruce-hemlock clearcut. Nearly a fifth of the area was still unstocked 6 years...

Prepupal diapause and instar IV developmental rates of the spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae)

Treesearch

E. Matthew Hansen; Barbara J. Bentz; James A. Powell; David R. Gray; James C. Vandygriff

2011-01-01

The spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby), is an important mortality agent of native spruces throughout North America. The life-cycle duration of this species varies from 1 to 3 years depending temperature. The univoltine cycle (one generation per year) is thought to maximize outbreak risk and accelerate host mortality in established outbreaks. Prepupal...

Recent field research experience with B.t. against spruce budworm in the eastern U.S.

Treesearch

John B. Dimond

1985-01-01

Recent testing in the eastern U. S. has led quickly to the adoption of 12 BIU/acre as the best operational dosage rate, with operational spray emission rates reduced to a quart or less per acre. Some recent work suggests that older larval instars of the budworm are highly susceptible to B.t. sprays, and the effective "spray window" can be broadened when...

Red spruce/hardwood ecotones in the central Appalachians

Treesearch

Harold S. Adams; Steven L. Stephenson; David M. Lawrence; Mary Beth Adams; John D. Eisenback

1995-01-01

We are currently investigating patterns of species composition and distribution, ecologically important population processes, and microenvironmental gradients along ten permanent transects (each consisting of a series of. contiguous 10 x 10 m quadrats) established across the typically abrupt and narrow spruce/hardwood ecotone at seven localities in the mountains of...

Warming drives a front of white spruce establishment near western treeline, Alaska.

PubMed

Miller, Amy E; Wilson, Tammy L; Sherriff, Rosemary L; Walton, James

2017-12-01

Regional warming has led to increased productivity near the boreal forest margin in Alaska. To date, the effects of warming on seedling recruitment have received little attention, in spite of forecasted forest expansion. Here, we used stand structure and environmental data from 95 white spruce (Picea glauca) plots sampled across a longitudinal gradient in southwest Alaska to explore factors influencing spruce establishment and recruitment near western treeline. We used total counts of live seedlings, saplings, and trees, representing five life stages, to evaluate whether geospatial, climate, and measured plot covariates predicted abundance, using current abundance distributions as a surrogate for climate conditions in the past. We used generalized linear models to test the null hypothesis that conditions favorable for recruitment were similar along the environmental gradient represented by longitude, by exploring relationships between per-plot counts of each life stage and the covariates hypothesized to affect abundance. We also examined the relationship between growing degree days (GDD) and seedling establishment over a period of three decades using tree-ring chronologies obtained from cores taken at a subset of our sites (n = 30). Our results indicated that seedling, sapling, and tree abundance were positively correlated with temperature across the study area. The response to longitude was mixed, with earlier life stages (seedlings, saplings) most abundant at the western end of the gradient, and later life stages (trees) most abundant to the east. The differential relationship between longitude and life-stage abundance suggests a moving front of white spruce establishment through time, driven by changes in environmental conditions near the species' western range limit. Likewise, we found a positive relationship between periods of seedling establishment and GDD, suggesting that longer summers and/or greater heat accumulation might enhance establishment

Sbexpert users guide (version 1.0): A knowledge-based decision-support system for spruce beetle management. Forest Service general technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reynolds, K.M.; Holsten, E.H.; Werner, R.A.

1995-03-01

SBexpert version 1.0 is a knowledge-based decision-support system for management of spruce beetle developed for use in Microsoft Windows. The users guide provides detailed instructions on the use of all SBexpert features. SBexpert has four main subprograms; introduction, analysis, textbook, and literature. The introduction is the first of the five subtopics in the SBexpert help system. The analysis topic is an advisory system for spruce beetle management that provides recommendation for reducing spruce beetle hazard and risk to spruce stands and is the main analytical topic in SBexpert. The textbook and literature topics provide complementary decision support for analysis.

Plasticity in variation of xylem and phloem cell characteristics of Norway spruce under different local conditions

PubMed Central

Gričar, Jožica; Prislan, Peter; de Luis, Martin; Gryc, Vladimír; Hacurová, Jana; Vavrčík, Hanuš; Čufar, Katarina

2015-01-01

There is limited information on intra-annual plasticity of secondary tissues of tree species growing under different environmental conditions. To increase the knowledge about the plasticity of secondary growth, which allows trees to adapt to specific local climatic regimes, we examined climate–radial growth relationships of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.] from three contrasting locations in the temperate climatic zone by analyzing tree-ring widths for the period 1932–2010, and cell characteristics in xylem and phloem increments formed in the years 2009–2011. Variation in the structure of xylem and phloem increments clearly shows that plasticity in seasonal dynamics of cambial cell production and cell differentiation exists on xylem and phloem sides. Anatomical characteristics of xylem and phloem cells are predominantly site-specific characteristics, because they varied among sites but were fairly uniform among years in trees from the same site. Xylem and phloem tissues formed in the first part of the growing season seemed to be more stable in structure, indicating their priority over latewood and late phloem for tree performance. Long-term climate and radial growth analyses revealed that growth was in general less dependent on precipitation than on temperature; however, growth sensitivity to local conditions differed among the sites. Only partial dependence of radial growth of spruce on climatic factors on the selected sites confirms its strategy to adapt the structure of wood and phloem increments to function optimally in local conditions. PMID:26442044

Shallow crustal structure of eastern-central Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campos-Enriquez, J. O.; Ramón, V. M.; Lermo-Samaniego, J.

2015-12-01

Central-eastern Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB) is featured by large basins (i.e., Toluca, Mexico, Puebla-Tlaxcala, Libres-Oriental). It has been supposed that major crustal faults limit these basins. Sierra de Las Cruces range separates the Toluca and Mexico basins. The Sierra Nevada range separates Mexico basin from the Puebla-Tlaxcala basin. Based in gravity and seismic data we inferred the Toluca basin is constituted by the Ixtlahuaca sub-basin, to the north, and the Toluca sub-basin to the south, which are separated by a relative structural high. The Toluca depression is more symmetric and bounded by sub-vertical faults. In particular its eastern master fault controlled the emplacement of Sierra de Las Cruces range. Easternmost Acambay graben constitutes the northern and deepest part of the Ixtlahuaca depression. The Toluca-Ixtlahuaca basin is inside the Taxco-San Miguel de Allende fault system, and limited to the west by the Guerrero terrane which continues beneath the TMVB up to the Acambay graben. Mexico basin basement occupies an intermediate position and featured by a relative structural high to the north-east, as established by previous studies. This relative structural high is limited to the west by the north-south Mixhuca trough, while to the south it is bounded by the east-west Copilco-Xochimilco-Chalco sub-basin. The Puebla-Tlaxcala basin basement is the shallowest of these 3 tectonic depressions. In general, features (i.e., depth) and relationship between these basins, from west to east, are controlled by the regional behavior of the Sierra Madre Oriental fold and thrust belt basement (i.e., Oaxaca Complex?). This study indicates that an active east-west regional fault system limits to the south the TMVB (from the Nevado de Toluca volcano through the Popocatepetl volcano and eastward along southern Puebla-Tlaxcala basin). The Tenango and La Pera fault systems constituting the western part of this regional fault system coincide with northern

The surprising recovery of red spruce growth shows links to decreased acid deposition and elevated temperature

Treesearch

Alexandra M. Kosiba; Paul G. Schaberg; Shelly A. Rayback; Gary J. Hawley

2018-01-01

Following growth declines and increased mortality linked to acid deposition-induced calcium depletion, red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) in the northeastern United States are experiencing a recovery. We found that more than 75% of red spruce trees and 90% of the plots examined in this study exhibited increasing growth since 2001. To understand this...

Stand basal-area and tree-diameter growth in red spruce-fir forests in Maine, 1960-80

Treesearch

S.J. Zarnoch; D.A. Gansner; D.S. Powell; T.A. Birch; T.A. Birch

1990-01-01

Stand basal-area change and individual surviving red spruce d.b.h. growth from 1960 to 1980 were analyzed for red spruce-fir stands in Maine. Regression modeling was used to relate these measures of growth to stand and tree conditions and to compare growth throughout the period. Results indicate a decline in growth.

Reconstruction of stand dynamics over the last 2500 years from spruce remains in a treeline peatland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arseneault, D.; Payette, S.

1995-06-01

Stem remains of black spruce Picea mariana (Mill. BSP.) buried in a permafrost treeless peatland were used for the reconstruction of the long-term forest dynamics at treeline in northeastern Canada. Because most spruce remains were well preserved, forest development was assessed from stem morphology (growth form) and tree ring patterns. The peatland border was colonized by a spruce forest from at least 500 BC (2500 BP) to 1568 AD. Most spruce individuals showed an erect, monopodial bole with only minor stem damage at the snow-air interface. The forest successfully regenerated after two fire events around 350 BC and 10 AD.more » The number of damaged stems at the snow-air interface increased after another fire around 700 AD, although faster ring growth occurred between 860 and 1000 AD (Medieval period). The forest shifted to an open krummholz after the last fire in 1568 AD because of reduced postfire regeneration and site opening. Reforestation of the site would necessitate sustained warmer conditions than those presently prevailing there.« less

Functional characterization of nine Norway Spruce TPS genes and evolution of gymnosperm terpene synthases of the TPS-d subfamily.

PubMed

Martin, Diane M; Fäldt, Jenny; Bohlmann, Jörg

2004-08-01

Constitutive and induced terpenoids are important defense compounds for many plants against potential herbivores and pathogens. In Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst), treatment with methyl jasmonate induces complex chemical and biochemical terpenoid defense responses associated with traumatic resin duct development in stems and volatile terpenoid emissions in needles. The cloning of (+)-3-carene synthase was the first step in characterizing this system at the molecular genetic level. Here we report the isolation and functional characterization of nine additional terpene synthase (TPS) cDNAs from Norway spruce. These cDNAs encode four monoterpene synthases, myrcene synthase, (-)-limonene synthase, (-)-alpha/beta-pinene synthase, and (-)-linalool synthase; three sesquiterpene synthases, longifolene synthase, E,E-alpha-farnesene synthase, and E-alpha-bisabolene synthase; and two diterpene synthases, isopimara-7,15-diene synthase and levopimaradiene/abietadiene synthase, each with a unique product profile. To our knowledge, genes encoding isopimara-7,15-diene synthase and longifolene synthase have not been previously described, and this linalool synthase is the first described from a gymnosperm. These functionally diverse TPS account for much of the structural diversity of constitutive and methyl jasmonate-induced terpenoids in foliage, xylem, bark, and volatile emissions from needles of Norway spruce. Phylogenetic analyses based on the inclusion of these TPS into the TPS-d subfamily revealed that functional specialization of conifer TPS occurred before speciation of Pinaceae. Furthermore, based on TPS enclaves created by distinct branching patterns, the TPS-d subfamily is divided into three groups according to sequence similarities and functional assessment. Similarities of TPS evolution in angiosperms and modeling of TPS protein structures are discussed.

Eastern rim of the Chesapeake Bay impact crater: Morphology, stratigraphy, and structure

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poag, C.W.

2005-01-01

This study reexamines seven reprocessed (increased vertical exaggeration) seismic reflection profiles that cross the eastern rim of the Chesapeake Bay impact crater. The eastern rim is expressed as an arcuate ridge that borders the crater in a fashion typical of the "raised" rim documented in many well preserved complex impact craters. The inner boundary of the eastern rim (rim wall) is formed by a series of raterfacing, steep scarps, 15-60 m high. In combination, these rim-wall scarps represent the footwalls of a system of crater-encircling normal faults, which are downthrown toward the crater. Outboard of the rim wall are several additional normal-fault blocks, whose bounding faults trend approximately parallel to the rim wall. The tops of the outboard fault blocks form two distinct, parallel, flat or gently sloping, terraces. The innermost terrace (Terrace 1) can be identified on each profile, but Terrace 2 is only sporadically present. The terraced fault blocks are composed mainly of nonmarine, poorly to moderately consolidated, siliciclastic sediments, belonging to the Lower Cretaceous Potomac Formation. Though the ridge-forming geometry of the eastern rim gives the appearance of a raised compressional feature, no compelling evidence of compressive forces is evident in the profiles studied. The structural mode, instead, is that of extension, with the clear dominance of normal faulting as the extensional mechanism. 

Effects of ammonium on elemental nutrition of red spruce and indicator plants grown in acid soil

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoelldampf, B.; Barker, A.V.

Decline of high elevation red spruce forests in the northeastern United States has been related to acid rain, particularly with respect to the deposition of nitrogenous materials. Ca and Mg deficiencies may be induced by input of air-borne nitrogenous nutrients into the forest ecosystem. This research investigated the effects of N nutrition on mineral nutrition of red spruce and radish, as an indicator plant, grown in acid forest soil. Red spruce and radishes in the greenhouse were treated with complete nutrient solutions with 15 mM N supplied as 0, 3.75, 7.5, 11.25, or 15 mM NH[sub 4][sup +] with themore » remainder being supplied as NO[sub 3][sup [minus

Biochemical characterization in Norway spruce (Picea abies) of SABATH methyltransferases that methylate phytohormones.

PubMed

Chaiprasongsuk, Minta; Zhang, Chi; Qian, Ping; Chen, Xinlu; Li, Guanglin; Trigiano, Robert N; Guo, Hong; Chen, Feng

2018-05-01

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellins (GAs), salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) exist in methyl ester forms in plants in addition to their free acid forms. The enzymes that catalyze methylation of these carboxylic acid phytohormones belong to a same protein family, the SABATH methyltransferases. While the genes encoding these enzymes have been isolated from a small number of flowering plants, little is known about their occurrence and evolution in non-flowering plants. Here, we report the systematic characterization of the SABATH family from Norway spruce (Picea abies), a gymnosperm. The Norway spruce genome contains ten SABATH genes (PaSABATH1-10). Full-length cDNA for each of the ten PaSABATH genes was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant PaSABATHs were tested for activity with IAA, GA, SA, and JA. Among the ten PaSABATHs, five had activity with one or more of the four substrates. PaSABATH1 and PaSABATH2 had the highest activities with IAA and SA, respectively. PaSABATH4, PaSABATH5 and PaSABATH10 all had JA as a preferred substrate but with notable differences in biochemical properties. The structural basis of PaSABATHs in discriminating various phytohormone substrates was inferred based on structural models of the enzyme-substrate complexes. The phylogeny of PaSABATHs with selected SABATHs from other plants implies that the enzymes methylating IAA are conserved in seed plants whereas the enzymes methylating JA and SA have independent evolution in gymnosperms and angiosperms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drought-triggered western spruce budworm outbreaks in the Interior Pacific Northwest: A multi-century dendrochronological record

Treesearch

A. Flower; D. G. Gavin; E. K. Heyerdahl; R. A. Parsons; G. M. Cohn

2014-01-01

Douglas-fir forests in the interior Pacific Northwest are subject to sporadic outbreaks of the western spruce budworm, a species widely recognized as the most destructive defoliator in western North America. Outbreaks of the western spruce budworm often occur synchronously over broad regions and lead to widespread loss of leaf area and decrease in growth rates in...

Fine root morphological adaptations in Scots pine, Norway spruce and silver birch along a latitudinal gradient in boreal forests.

PubMed

Ostonen, Ivika; Lõhmus, Krista; Helmisaari, Heljä-Sisko; Truu, Jaak; Meel, Signe

2007-11-01

Variability in short root morphology of the three main tree species of Europe's boreal forest (Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth)) was investigated in four stands along a latitudinal gradient from northern Finland to southern Estonia. Silver birch and Scots pine were present in three stands and Norway spruce was present in all stands. For three fertile Norway spruce stands, fine root biomass and number of root tips per stand area or unit basal area were assessed from north to south. Principal component analysis indicated that short root morphology was significantly affected by tree species and site, which together explained 34.7% of the total variability. The range of variation in mean specific root area (SRA) was 51-74, 60-70 and 84-124 m(2) kg(-1) for Norway spruce, Scots pine and silver birch, respectively, and the corresponding ranges for specific root length were 37-47, 40-48 and 87-97 m g(-1). The range of variation in root tissue density of Norway spruce, Scots pine and silver birch was 113-182, 127-158 and 81-156 kg m(-3), respectively. Sensitivity of short root morphology to site conditions decreased in the order: Norway spruce > silver birch > Scots pine. Short root SRA increased with site fertility in all species. In Norway spruce, fine root biomass and number of root tips per m(2) decreased from north to south. The differences in morphological parameters among sites were significant but smaller than the site differences in fine root biomass and number of root tips.

Middle Eastern rhinoplasty.

PubMed

Azizzadeh, Babak; Mashkevich, Grigoriy

2010-02-01

The ethnic appearance of the Middle Eastern nose is defined by several unique visual features, particularly a high radix, wide overprojecting dorsum, and an amorphous hanging nasal tip. These external characteristics reflect distinct structural properties of the osseo-cartilaginous nasal framework and skin-soft tissue envelope in patients of Middle Eastern extraction. The goal, and the ultimate challenge, of rhinoplasty on Middle Eastern patients is to achieve balanced aesthetic refinement, while avoiding surgical westernization. Detailed understanding of the ethnic visual harmony in a Middle Eastern nose greatly assists in preserving native nasal-facial relationships during rhinoplasty on Middle Eastern patients. Esthetic alteration of a Middle Eastern nose follows a different set of goals and principles compared with rhinoplasties on white or other ethnic patients. This article highlights the inherent nasal features of the Middle Eastern nose and reviews pertinent concepts of rhinoplasty on Middle Eastern patients. Essential considerations in the process spanning the consultation and surgery are reviewed. Reliable operative techniques that achieve a successful aesthetic outcome are discussed in detail. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of funnel traps for estimating tree mortality and associated population phase of spruce beetle in Utah

Treesearch

E. Matthew Hansen; Barbara J. Bentz; A. Steven Munson; James C. Vandygriff; David L. Turner

2006-01-01

Although funnel traps are routinely used to manage bark beetles, little is known regarding the relationship between trap captures of spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby) and mortality of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.) within a 10 ha block of the trap. Using recursive partitioning tree analyses, rules...

Formation of ectomycorrhizae following inoculation of containerized Sitka spruce seedlings.

Treesearch

C.G. Shaw; R. Molina

1980-01-01

Containerized Sitka spruce, [Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.] were inoculated at sowing with pure cultures of either Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker & Couch, Laccaria laccata (Scop. ex Fr.) Berk. & Br., Astraeus pteridis (Shear) Feller, Amanita pantherina...

Linking climate and environmental factors to the recent and surprising growth increase of red spruce trees across the northeastern US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosiba, A. M.; Schaberg, P. G.; Rayback, S. A.; Hawley, G. J.

2016-12-01

Recent investigations have uncovered an unanticipated trend: red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) trees in the northeastern US are undergoing a marked surge in growth. This discovery stands in contrast to the declines in growth and vigor for red spruce that were documented in the second half of the 20th century and quantitatively attributed to acid deposition-induced calcium depletion. Further, predictions of potential habitat due to climate change depict red spruce habitat constricting from low elevations and latitudes. Considering these conflicting findings, we asked: what factors are most likely stimulating growth increases for red spruce trees? Here we use a uniquely large and both spatially- and temporally-explicit tree ring dataset to assess changes in red spruce growth over time. We compare patterns in growth to local weather data, atmospheric deposition rates, and other environmental and forest-stand metrics, including nutrient soil status and buffering capacity. These results allow us to model areas in the region where we predict similar growth increases for red spruce trees. Through this study, we suggest that this temperate conifer may be uniquely posed to benefit from a lengthened functional growing season, increased annual temperatures, particularly in winter, and decreased atmospheric pollution levels that proved problematic in the past.

AmeriFlux CA-Man Manitoba - Northern Old Black Spruce (former BOREAS Northern Study Area)

DOE Data Explorer

Amiro, Brian [University of Manitoba

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site CA-Man Manitoba - Northern Old Black Spruce (former BOREAS Northern Study Area). Site Description - 55.880° N, 98.481° W, elevation of 259 m, Boreal coniferous: Black spruce; occasional larch present in poorly-drained areas. Groundcover is moss (feathermosses and Sphagnum), Labrador Tea, Vaccinium, and willows are a main component of the understory. It was established in 1993 as a BOREAS site.

Spruce budworm core B.t. test - 1980 combined summary

Treesearch

Gerald S. Walton; Franklin B. Lewis

1982-01-01

Two commercial preparations of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bet.) were aerially applied in 1980 to populations of spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)) in Arizona, Maine, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin. Operations were conducted under the auspices of CANUSA-East with standardized procedures for spray application and population...

The New England Spruce-Fir Seed Orchard Program

Treesearch

Carter B. Gibbs; James B. Carlaw

1973-01-01

I once heard it said that if you want to know how something was organized, ask a man who had nothing to do with it. I suspect this may be one of the reasons I was asked to collaborate on this report of the development of the New England Spruce-Fir Seed Orchard Program.

Acidic deposition, cation mobilization, and biochemical indicators of stress in healthy red spruce

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shortle, W.C.; Smith, K.T.; Minocha, R.; Lawrence, G.B.; David, M.B.

1997-01-01

Dendrochemical and biochemical markers link stress in apparently healthy red spruce trees (Picea rubens) to acidic deposition. Acidic deposition to spruce forests of the northeastern USA increased sharply during the 1960s. Previous reports related visible damage of trees at high elevations to root and soil processes. In this report, dendrochemical and foliar biochemical markers indicate perturbations in biological processes in healthy red spruce trees across the northeastern USA. Previous research on the dendrochemistry of red spruce stemwood indicated that under uniform environmental conditions, stemwood concentrations of Ca and Mg decreased with increasing radial distance from the pith. For nine forest locations, frequency analysis shows that 28 and 52% of samples of red spruce stemwood formed in the 1960s are enriched in Ca and Mg, respectively, relative to wood formed prior to and after the 1960s. This enrichment in trees throughout the northeastern USA may be interpretable as a signal of increased availability of essential cations in forest soils. Such a temporary increase in the availability of Ca and Mg could be caused by cation mobilization, a consequence of increased acidic deposition. During cation mobilization, essential Ca and Mg as well as potentially harmful Al become more available for interaction with binding sites in the soil and absorbing roots. As conditions which favor cation mobilization continue, Ca and Mg can be leached or displaced from the soil. A measure of the interaction between Ca and Al is the Al/Ca binding ratio (molar charge ratio of exchangeable Al to exchangeable Ca). As the Al/Ca binding ratio in the root zone increased from 0.3 to 1.9, the foliar concentration of the biochemical stress marker putrescine also increased from 45 to 145 nm g-1. The correlation of the putrescine concentration to the Al/Ca binding ratio (adj. r2 = 0.68, P < 0.027) suggests that foliar stress may be linked to soil chemistry.

Biogenic nitric oxide emission from a spruce forest soil in mountainous terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falge, Eva; Bargsten, Anika; Behrendt, Thomas; Meixner, Franz X.

2010-05-01

The process-based spatial simulation model SVAT-CN was used to estimate biogenic nitric oxide (NO) emission by soils of a Norway spruce forest (Weidenbrunnen) in the Fichtelgebirge, Germany. SVAT-CN core is a combination of a multiple-layer soil water balance model and a multi-layered canopy gas exchange model. The soil modules comprise a flexible hybrid between a layered bucket model and classical basic liquid flow theory. Further soil processes include: heat transport, distribution of transpiration demand proportionally to soil resistance, reduction of leaf physiological parameters with limiting soil moisture. Spruce forest soils usually are characterized by a thick organic layer (raw humus), with the topmost centimetres being the location where most of the biogenic NO is produced. Within individual spruce forest stands the understory might be composed of patches characterized by different species (e.g. Vaccinium myrtillus, Picea abies, Deschampsia caespitosa), and NO production potentials. The effect of soil physical and chemical parameters and understory types on NO emission from the organic layer was investigated in laboratory incubation and fumigation experiments on soils sampled below the various understory covers found at the Weidenbrunnen site. Results from the laboratory experiments were used to parameterize multi-factorial regression models of soil NO emission with respect to its response to soil temperature and moisture. Parameterization of the spatial model SVAT-CN includes horizontal heterogeneity of over- and understory PAI, understory species distribution, soil texture, bulk density, thickness of organic layer. Simulations are run for intensive observations periods of 2007 and 2008 of the EGER (ExchanGE processes in mountainous Regions) project, a late summer/fall and an early summer period, providing estimates for different understory types (young spruce, blueberry, grass, and moss/litter patches). Validation of the model is being carried out at

Engelmann Spruce Site Index Models: A Comparison of Model Functions and Parameterizations

PubMed Central

Nigh, Gordon

2015-01-01

Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.) is a high-elevation species found in western Canada and western USA. As this species becomes increasingly targeted for harvesting, better height growth information is required for good management of this species. This project was initiated to fill this need. The objective of the project was threefold: develop a site index model for Engelmann spruce; compare the fits and modelling and application issues between three model formulations and four parameterizations; and more closely examine the grounded-Generalized Algebraic Difference Approach (g-GADA) model parameterization. The model fitting data consisted of 84 stem analyzed Engelmann spruce site trees sampled across the Engelmann Spruce – Subalpine Fir biogeoclimatic zone. The fitted models were based on the Chapman-Richards function, a modified Hossfeld IV function, and the Schumacher function. The model parameterizations that were tested are indicator variables, mixed-effects, GADA, and g-GADA. Model evaluation was based on the finite-sample corrected version of Akaike’s Information Criteria and the estimated variance. Model parameterization had more of an influence on the fit than did model formulation, with the indicator variable method providing the best fit, followed by the mixed-effects modelling (9% increase in the variance for the Chapman-Richards and Schumacher formulations over the indicator variable parameterization), g-GADA (optimal approach) (335% increase in the variance), and the GADA/g-GADA (with the GADA parameterization) (346% increase in the variance). Factors related to the application of the model must be considered when selecting the model for use as the best fitting methods have the most barriers in their application in terms of data and software requirements. PMID:25853472

Structure and resilience of fungal communities in Alaskan boreal forest soils

Treesearch

D. Lee Taylor; Ian C. Herriott; Kelsie E. Stone; Jack W. McFarland; Michael G. Booth; Mary Beth Leigh

2010-01-01

This paper outlines molecular analyses of soil fungi within the Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research program. We examined community structure in three studies in mixed upland, black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP), and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) forests and examined taxa involved in cellulose...

Changes in downed and dead woody material following a spruce beetle outbreak on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska.

Treesearch

Bethany Schulz

2003-01-01

The forests of the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, underwent a major spruce beetle(Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby)) outbreak in the 1990s. A repeated inventory of forest resources was designed to assess the effects of the resulting widespread mortality of spruce trees, the dominant component of the Kenai forests. Downed woody materials, fuel heights, and...

Establishment and growth of white spruce on a boreal forest floodplain: interactions between microclimate and mammalian herbivory

Treesearch

Amy C. Angell; Knut Kielland

2009-01-01

White spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) is a dominant species in late-successional ecosystems along the Tanana River, interior Alaska, and the most important commercial timber species in these boreal floodplain forests. Whereas white spruce commonly seed in on young terraces in early primary succession, the species does not become a conspicuous...

Crustal structure beneath western and eastern Iceland from surface waves and receiver functions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Du, Z.; Foulger, G.R.; Julian, B.R.; Allen, R.M.; Nolet, G.; Morgan, W.J.; Bergsson, B.H.; Erlendsson, P.; Jakobsdottir, S.; Ragnarsson, S.; Stefansson, R.; Vogfjord, K.

2002-01-01

We determine the crustal structures beneath 14 broad-band seismic stations, deployed in western, eastern, central and southern Iceland, using surface wave dispersion curves and receiver functions. We implement a method to invert receiver functions using constraints obtained from genetic algorithm inversion of surface waves. Our final models satisfy both data sets. The thickness of the upper crust, as defined by the velocity horizon Vs = 3.7 km s-1, is fairly uniform at ???6.5-9 km beneath the Tertiary intraplate areas of western and eastern Iceland, and unusually thick at 11 km beneath station HOT22 in the far south of Iceland. The depth to the base of the lower crust, as defined by the velocity horizon Vs = 4.1 km s-1 is ???20-26 km in western Iceland and ???27-33 km in eastern Iceland. These results agree with those of explosion profiles that detect a thinner crust beneath western Iceland than beneath eastern Iceland. An earlier report of a substantial low-velocity zone beneath the Middle Volcanic Zone in the lower crust is confirmed by a similar observation beneath an additional station there. As was found in previous receiver function studies, the most reliable feature of the results is the clear division into an upper sequence that is a few kilometres thick where velocity gradients are high, and a lower, thicker sequence where velocity gradients are low. The transition to typical mantle velocities is variable, and may range from being very gradational to being relatively sharp and clear. A clear Moho, by any definition, is rarely seen, and there is thus uncertainty in estimates of the thickness of the crust in many areas. Although a great deal of seismic data are now available constraining the structures of the crust and upper mantle beneath Iceland, their geological nature is not well understood.

Methyl Jasmonate Induces Traumatic Resin Ducts, Terpenoid Resin Biosynthesis, and Terpenoid Accumulation in Developing Xylem of Norway Spruce Stems1

PubMed Central

Martin, Diane; Tholl, Dorothea; Gershenzon, Jonathan; Bohlmann, Jörg

2002-01-01

Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) produces an oleoresin characterized by a diverse array of terpenoids, monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, and diterpene resin acids that can protect conifers against potential herbivores and pathogens. Oleoresin accumulates constitutively in resin ducts in the cortex and phloem (bark) of Norway spruce stems. De novo formation of traumatic resin ducts (TDs) is observed in the developing secondary xylem (wood) after insect attack, fungal elicitation, and mechanical wounding. Here, we characterize the methyl jasmonate-induced formation of TDs in Norway spruce by microscopy, chemical analyses of resin composition, and assays of terpenoid biosynthetic enzymes. The response involves tissue-specific differentiation of TDs, terpenoid accumulation, and induction of enzyme activities of both prenyltransferases and terpene synthases in the developing xylem, a tissue that constitutively lacks axial resin ducts in spruce. The induction of a complex defense response in Norway spruce by methyl jasmonate application provides new avenues to evaluate the role of resin defenses for protection of conifers against destructive pests such as white pine weevils (Pissodes strobi), bark beetles (Coleoptera, Scolytidae), and insect-associated tree pathogens. PMID:12114556

Local adaptation at the range peripheries of Sitka spruce.

PubMed

Mimura, M; Aitken, S N

2010-02-01

High-dispersal rates in heterogeneous environments and historical rapid range expansion can hamper local adaptation; however, we often see clinal variation in high-dispersal tree species. To understand the mechanisms of the species' distribution, we investigated local adaptation and adaptive plasticity in a range-wide context in Sitka spruce, a wind-pollinated tree species that has recently expanded its range after glaciations. Phenotypic traits were observed using growth chamber experiments that mimicked temperature and photoperiodic regimes from the limits of the species realized niche. Bud phenology exhibited parallel reaction norms among populations; however, putatively adaptive plasticity and strong divergent selection were seen in bud burst and bud set timing respectively. Natural selection appears to have favoured genotypes that maximize growth rate during available frost-free periods in each environment. We conclude that Sitka spruce has developed local adaptation and adaptive plasticity throughout its range in response to current climatic conditions despite generally high pollen flow and recent range expansion.

Growth trends in pruned red spruce trees

Treesearch

Barton M. Blum; Dale S. Solomon

1980-01-01

The diameter growth of red spruce with 1/6, 1/3, and 1/2 crown removed was compared with that of unpruned trees for 18 growing seasons. Although removal of 1/6 of the live crown did not adversely affect annual radial growth, compared with that of the controls, removal of 1/3 and 1/2 had a significant effect on the cumulative radial growth for 2 and 9 growing seasons,...

Full-Tree Skidding Favors Black Spruce Reproduction Under Certain Peatland Conditions

Treesearch

William F. Johnston

1980-01-01

Two trials on different sites indicate that clearcut black spruce reproduces well after full-tree skidding only on nonbrushy sites that have fairly abundant sphagnum seedbeds and adequate natural seeding.

Modeling tree growth and stable isotope ratios of white spruce in western Alaska.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boucher, Etienne; Andreu-Hayles, Laia; Field, Robert; Oelkers, Rose; D'Arrigo, Rosanne

2017-04-01

Summer temperatures are assumed to exert a dominant control on physiological processes driving forest productivity in interior Alaska. However, despite the recent warming of the last few decades, numerous lines of evidence indicate that the enhancing effect of summer temperatures on high latitude forest populations has been weakening. First, satellite-derived indices of photosynthetic activity, such as the Normalized-Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, 1982-2005), show overall declines in productivity in the interior boreal forests. Second, some white spruce tree ring series strongly diverge from summer temperatures during the second half of the 20th century, indicating a persistent loss of temperature sensitivity of tree ring proxies. Thus, the physiological response of treeline forests to ongoing climate change cannot be accurately predicted, especially from correlation analysis. Here, we make use of a process-based dendroecological model (MAIDENiso) to elucidate the complex linkages between global warming and increases in atmospheric CO2 concentration [CO2] with the response of treeline white spruce stands in interior Alaska (Seward). In order to fully capture the array of processes controlling tree growth in the area, multiple physiological indicators of white spruce productivity are used as target variables: NDVI images, ring widths (RW), maximum density (MXD) and newly measured carbon and oxygen stable isotope ratios from ring cellulose. Based on these data, we highlight the processes and mechanisms responsible for the apparent loss of sensitivity of white spruce trees to recent climate warming and [CO2] increase in order to elucidate the sensitivity and vulnerability of these trees to climate change.

Patterns of total ecosystem carbon storage with changes in soil temperature in boreal black spruce forests

Treesearch

E.S. Kane; J.G. Vogel

2009-01-01

To understand how carbon (C) pools in boreal ecosystems may change with warming, we measured above- and belowground C pools and C increment along a soil temperature gradient across 16 mature upland black spruce (Picea mariana Mill. [B•S.P]) forests in interior Alaska. Total spruce C stocks (stand and root C) increased from 1.3 to 8.5 kg C m

Pollution Critical Load Exceedance and an Extended Growing Season as Modulators of Red Spruce Radial Growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosiba, A. M.; Schaberg, P. G.; Engel, B. J.; Rayback, S. A.; Hawley, G. J.; Pontius, J.; Miller, E. K.

2016-12-01

Acidic sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition depletes cations such as calcium (Ca) from forest soils and has been linked to increases in foliar winter injury that led to the decline of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) in the northeastern United States. We used results from a 30 m resolution steady-state S and N critical load exceedance model for New England to better understand the spatial connections between Ca depletion and red spruce productivity. To calculate exceedance, atmospheric deposition was estimated for a 5-year period (1984-1988) because tree health and productivity declines were expected to be most responsive to high acid loading. We examined how radial growth (basal area increment) of 441 dominant and co-dominant red spruce trees from 37 sites across Vermont and New Hampshire was related to modeled estimates of S and N critical load exceedance. We assessed growth using statistical models with exceedance as a source of variation, but which also included "year" and "elevation class" (to help account for climatic variability) and interactions among factors. Exceedance was significantly and negatively associated with mean growth for the study period (1951-2010) overall, and particularly for the 1980s and 2000s - periods of numerous and/or severe foliar winter injury events. However, climate-related sources of variation (year and elevation) accounted for most of the differences in growth over the chronology. Interestingly, recent growth for red spruce is now the highest recorded over our dendrochronological record for the species - suggesting that the factors shaping growth may be changing. Because red spruce is a temperate conifer that has the capacity to photosynthesize year-round, it is possible that warmer temperatures may be extending the functional growing season of the species thereby fostering increased growth. Data from elevational transects on Mount Mansfield (Vermont's tallest mountain) indicate that warmer spring, summer, fall and even winter

Effects of agitation on particle-size distribution and enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated spruce and giant reed.

PubMed

Kadić, Adnan; Palmqvist, Benny; Lidén, Gunnar

2014-01-01

Mixing is an energy demanding process which has been previously shown to affect enzymatic hydrolysis. Concentrated biomass slurries are associated with high and non-Newtonian viscosities and mixing in these systems is a complex task. Poor mixing can lead to mass and/or heat transfer problems as well as inhomogeneous enzyme distribution, both of which can cause possible yield reduction. Furthermore the stirring energy dissipation may impact the particle size which in turn may affect the enzymatic hydrolysis. The objective of the current work was to specifically quantify the effects of mixing on particle-size distribution (PSD) and relate this to changes in the enzymatic hydrolysis. Two rather different materials were investigated, namely pretreated Norway spruce and giant reed. Changes in glucan hydrolysis and PSD were measured as a function of agitation during enzymatic hydrolysis at fiber loadings of 7 or 13% water-insoluble solids (WIS). Enzymatic conversion of pretreated spruce was strongly affected by agitation rates at the higher WIS content. However, at low WIS content the agitation had almost no effect on hydrolysis. There was some effect of agitation on the hydrolysis of giant reed at high WIS loading, but it was smaller than that for spruce, and there was no measurable effect at low WIS loading. In the case of spruce, intense agitation clearly affected the PSD and resulted in a reduced mean particle size, whereas for giant reed the decrease in particle size was mainly driven by enzymatic action. However, the rate of enzymatic hydrolysis was not increased after size reduction by agitation. The impact of agitation on the enzymatic hydrolysis clearly depends not only on feedstock but also on the solids loading. Agitation was found to affect the PSD differently for the examined pretreated materials spruce and giant reed. The fact that the reduced mean particle diameter could not explain the enhanced hydrolysis rates found for spruce at an elevated agitation

The selection system of silviculture in spruce-fir stands - procedures, early results, and comparisons with unmanaged stands

Treesearch

Robert M. Frank; Barton M. Blum

1978-01-01

Early results after 20 years of record keeping indicate that spruce-fir stands will respond to the selection system of silviculture. Stand quality is improved, species composition can be altered, diameter-class distribution approaches a stated goal, stand density is controlled, and yields are increased. Selection silviculture in spruce-fir can now be compared to early...

Effects of calcium fertilization and acid mist on calcium concentration and cold tolerance of red spruce needles

Treesearch

G. R. Strimbeck; David R. Vann; Arthur H. Johnson

1996-01-01

Several studies have shown that exposure to acid mist impairs cold tolerance of red spruce foliage, predisposing it to winter injury, which appears to be a major factor in the decline of montane populations of the species. Other studies have shown increases in calcium (Ca) concentration in canopy throughfall in montane spruce-fir forests, and decreases in foliar Ca...

A Norway Spruce FLOWERING LOCUS T Homolog Is Implicated in Control of Growth Rhythm in Conifers1[OA

PubMed Central

Gyllenstrand, Niclas; Clapham, David; Källman, Thomas; Lagercrantz, Ulf

2007-01-01

Growth in perennial plants possesses an annual cycle of active growth and dormancy that is controlled by environmental factors, mainly photoperiod and temperature. In conifers and other nonangiosperm species, the molecular mechanisms behind these responses are currently unknown. In Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) seedlings, growth cessation and bud set are induced by short days and plants from southern latitudes require at least 7 to 10 h of darkness, whereas plants from northern latitudes need only 2 to 3 h of darkness. Bud burst, on the other hand, is almost exclusively controlled by temperature. To test the possible role of Norway spruce FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)-like genes in growth rhythm, we have studied expression patterns of four Norway spruce FT family genes in two populations with a divergent bud set response under various photoperiodic conditions. Our data show a significant and tight correlation between growth rhythm (both bud set and bud burst), and expression pattern of one of the four Norway spruce phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein gene family members (PaFT4) over a variety of experimental conditions. This study strongly suggests that one Norway spruce homolog to the FT gene, which controls flowering in angiosperms, is also a key integrator of photoperiodic and thermal signals in the control of growth rhythms in gymnosperms. The data also indicate that the divergent adaptive bud set responses of northern and southern Norway spruce populations, both to photoperiod and light quality, are mediated through PaFT4. These results provide a major advance in our understanding of the molecular control of a major adaptive trait in conifers and a tool for further molecular studies of adaptive variation in plants. PMID:17369429

Modelling Temporal Variability in the Carbon Balance of a Spruce/Moss Boreal Forest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frolking, S.; Goulden, M. L.; Wofsy, S. C.; Fan, S.-M.; Sutton, D. J.; Munger, J. W.; Bazzaz, A. M.; Daube, B. C.; Crill, P. M.; Aber, J. D.;

Summary of life history and hosts of the spruce budworm

Treesearch

Robert L. Talerico

1983-01-01

My purpose is to provide background information on the spruce budworms and point out some insect-host interaction relationships that have been noted by others. These and other interactions will be discussed in more detail in the papers that follow.

Spruce colonization at treeline: where do those seeds come from?

PubMed

Piotti, A; Leonardi, S; Piovani, P; Scalfi, M; Menozzi, P

2009-08-01

At treeline, selection by harsh environmental conditions sets an upward limit to arboreal vegetation. Increasing temperatures and the decline of traditional animal raising have favoured an upward shift of treeline in the last decades. These circumstances create a unique opportunity to study the balance of the main forces (selection and gene flow) that drive tree migration. We conducted a parentage analysis sampling and genotyping with five microsatellite markers in all Norway spruce individuals (342 juveniles and 23 adults) found in a recently colonized treeline area (Paneveggio forest, Eastern Alps, Italy). Our goal was to evaluate local reproductive success versus gene flow from the outside. We were able to identify both parents among local adults for only 11.1% of the juveniles. In the gamete pool we sampled, two-thirds were not produced locally. Effective seed dispersal distance distribution was characterized by a peak far from the seed source (mean 344.66 m+/-191.02 s.d.). Reproductive success was skewed, with six local adults that generated almost two-thirds (62.4%) of juveniles with local parents. Our findings indicate that, although a few local adults seem to play an important role in the colonization process at treeline, large levels of gene flow from outside were maintained, suggesting that the potential advantages of local adults (such as local adaptation, proximity to the colonization area, phenological synchrony) did not prevent a large gamete immigration.

Three Dimensional P-Wave Velocity Structure Beneath Eastern Turkey by Local Earthquake Tomography (LET) Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teoman, U. M.; Turkelli, N.; Gok, R.

2005-12-01

Recently, crustal structure and the tectonic evolution of Eastern Turkey region was extensively studied in the context of Eastern Turkey Seismic Experiment (ETSE) from late 1999 to August 2001. Collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates has been occurring along East Anatolian Fault Zone (EAFZ) and the Bitlis Suture, which made Eastern Turkey an ideal platform for scientific research. High quality local earthquake data from the ETSE seismic network were used in order to determine the 3-D P-wave velocity structure of upper crust for Eastern Turkey. Within the 32-station network, 524 well locatable earthquakes with azimuthal gaps < 200° and number of P-wave observations > 8 (corresponding to 6842 P-phase readings) were selected from the initial data set and simultaneously inverted. 1-D reference velocity model was derived by an iterative 1-D velocity inversion including the updated hypocenters and the station delays. The following 3-D tomographic inversion was iteratively performed by SIMULPS14 algorithm in a ``damped least-squares'' sense using the appropriate ray tracing technique, model parametrization and control parameters. As far as resolution is concerned, S waves were not included in this study due to strong attenuation, insufficient number of S phase readings and higher picking errors with respect to P phases. Several tests with the synthetic data were conducted to assess the solution quality, suggesting that the velocity structure is well resolved down to ~17km. Overall,resulting 3-D P-wave velocity model led to a more reliable hypocenter determination indicated by reduced event scattering and a significant reduction of %50 both in variance and residual (rms) values.With the influence of improved velocity model, average location errors did not exceed ~1.5km in horizontal and ~4km in vertical directions. Tomographic images revealed the presence of lateral velocity variations in Eastern Turkey. Existence of relatively low velocity zones (5.6 < Vp < 6.0 km

Fine Spatial Scale Variation of Soil Microbial Communities under European Beech and Norway Spruce.

PubMed

Nacke, Heiko; Goldmann, Kezia; Schöning, Ingo; Pfeiffer, Birgit; Kaiser, Kristin; Castillo-Villamizar, Genis A; Schrumpf, Marion; Buscot, François; Daniel, Rolf; Wubet, Tesfaye

2016-01-01

The complex interactions between trees and soil microbes in forests as well as their inherent seasonal and spatial variations are poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the effects of major European tree species ( Fagus sylvatica L. and Picea abies (L.) Karst) on soil bacterial and fungal communities. Mineral soil samples were collected from different depths (0-10, 10-20 cm) and at different horizontal distances from beech or spruce trunks (0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 m) in early summer and autumn. We assessed the composition of soil bacterial and fungal communities based on 16S rRNA gene and ITS DNA sequences. Community composition of bacteria and fungi was most strongly affected by soil pH and tree species. Different ectomycorrhizal fungi (e.g., Tylospora ) known to establish mutualistic associations with plant roots showed a tree species preference. Moreover, bacterial and fungal community composition showed spatial and seasonal shifts in soil surrounding beech and spruce. The relative abundance of saprotrophic fungi was higher at a depth of 0-10 vs. 10-20 cm depth. This was presumably a result of changes in nutrient availability, as litter input and organic carbon content decreased with soil depth. Overall bacterial community composition showed strong variations under spruce with increasing distance from the tree trunks, which might be attributed in part to higher fine root biomass near spruce trunks. Furthermore, overall bacterial community composition was strongly affected by season under deciduous trees.

Variation in budburst phenology of Douglas-fir related to western spruce budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) fitness.

PubMed

Chen, Zhong; Clancy, Karen M; Kolb, Thomas E

2003-04-01

Variation in budburst phenology among individual trees of interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca [Beissn.] Franco) may influence their susceptibility to western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman) defoliation. We tested the hypothesis that phenological asynchrony between Douglas-fir and the western spruce budworm is a mechanism of resistance using clones derived from parent trees that showed resistance versus susceptibility to C. occidentalis defoliation in the field. Susceptible clones had earlier budburst phenology compared with resistant clones when they were grown in a common greenhouse environment, demonstrating a genetic basis for parallel phenological differences exhibited by the parent trees. We tested the importance of phenological asynchrony as a factor influencing fitness of C. occidentalis using two different greenhouse bioassay experiments. One experiment compared western spruce budworm performance on equivalent phenological stages of susceptible and resistant clones by matching larval feeding to the columnar (fourth) bud development stage of each clone. Larvae reared on resistant clones had greater realized fitness (i.e., number of F1 offspring produced) than those reared on susceptible clones when the influence of variation in budburst phenology was minimized. In the other experiment, western spruce budworm larvae were placed on all trees on the same date when approximately 50% of all terminal buds in the population were in the yellow (second) budburst stage. Larvae reared on susceptible clones had greater realized fitness than those reared on resistant clones when the influence of phenological asynchrony was expressed. Our results suggest that resistant phenotypes of Douglas-fir have negative effects on survival and reproduction of C. occidentalis under the natural conditions that insects and trees experience in the field. Genetic variation among trees in budburst phenology has an important influence on interactions

Evidence That Drought-Induced Stomatal Closure Is Not an Important Constraint on White Spruce Performance Near the Arctic Treeline in Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, P.; Brownlee, A.; Ellison, S.; Sveinbjornsson, B.

2014-12-01

Tree cores collected from trees growing at high latitudes have long been used to reconstruct past climates, because of close positive correlations between temperature and tree growth. However, in recent decades and at many sites, these relationships have deteriorated and have even become negative in some instances. The observation of declining tree growth in response to rising temperature has prompted many investigators to suggest that high latitude trees may be increasingly exhibiting drought-induced stomatal closure. In the Brooks Range of northern Alaska, the observation of low and declining growth of white spruce is more prevalent in the central and eastern parts of the range, where precipitation is lower, providing superficial support for the drought stress hypothesis. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of white spruce drought-induced stomatal closure in four watersheds along a west to east gradient near the Arctic treeline in the Brooks Range. We obtained a historical perspective on tree growth and water relations by collecting increment cores for analysis of ring widths and carbon isotopes in tree-ring alpha-cellulose. Meanwhile, we made detailed assessments of contemporary water relations at the scales of the whole canopy and the needle. All of our data indicate that drought-induced stomatal closure is probably not responsible for low and declining growth in the central and eastern Brooks Range. Carbon isotope discrimination has generally increased over the past century and our calculations indicate that needle inter-cellular CO2 concentration is much greater now than it was in the early 1900's. Measurements of needle gas exchange are consistent with the tree core record, in the sense that instances of low photosynthesis at our sites are not coincident with similarly low stomatal conductance and low inter-cellular CO2 concentration. Finally, hourly measurements of xylem sap flow indicate that trees at our study sites are able to maintain near

Vulnerability of white spruce tree growth in interior Alaska in response to climate variability: dendrochronological, demographic, and experimental perspectives

Treesearch

A.D. McGuire; R.W. Ruess; A. Lloyd; J. Yarie; J.S. Clein; G.P. Juday

2010-01-01

This paper integrates dendrochronological, demographic, and experimental perspectives to improve understanding of the response of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) tree growth to climatic variability in interior Alaska. The dendrochronological analyses indicate that climate warming has led to widespread declines in white spruce growth...

Vulnerability of white spruce tree growth in interior Alaska in response to climate variability: Dendrochronological, demographic, and experimental perspectives

USGS Publications Warehouse

McGuire, A. David; Ruess, Roger W.; Lloyd, A.; Yarie, J.; Clein, Joy S.; Juday, G.P.

2010-01-01

This paper integrates dendrochronological, demographic, and experimental perspectives to improve understanding of the response of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) tree growth to climatic variability in interior Alaska. The dendrochronological analyses indicate that climate warming has led to widespread declines in white spruce growth throughout interior Alaska that have become more prevalent during the 20th century. Similarly, demographic studies show that white spruce tree growth is substantially limited by soil moisture availability in both mid- and late-successional stands. Interannual variability in tree growth among stands within a landscape exhibits greater synchrony than does growth of trees that occupy different landscapes, which agrees with dendrochronological findings that the responses depend on landscape position and prevailing climate. In contrast, the results from 18 years of a summer moisture limitation experiment showed that growth in midsuccessional upland stands was unaffected by moisture limitation and that moisture limitation decreased white spruce growth in floodplain stands where it was expected that growth would be less vulnerable because of tree access to river water. Taken together, the evidence from the different perspectives analyzed in this study clearly indicates that white spruce tree growth in interior Alaska is vulnerable to the effects of warming on plant water balance.

Fire Severity Controlled Susceptibility to a 1940s Spruce Beetle Outbreak in Colorado, USA

PubMed Central

Kulakowski, Dominik; Veblen, Thomas T.; Bebi, Peter

2016-01-01

The frequency, magnitude, and size of forest disturbances are increasing globally. Much recent research has focused on how the occurrence of one disturbance may affect susceptibility to subsequent disturbances. While much has been learned about such linked disturbances, the strength of the interactions is likely to be contingent on the severity of disturbances as well as climatic conditions, both of which can affect disturbance intensity and tree resistance to disturbances. Subalpine forests in western Colorado were affected by extensive and severe wildfires in the late 19th century and an extensive and severe outbreak of spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) in the 1940s. Previous research found that most, but not all, of the stands that burned and established following the late 19th century fires were not susceptible to the 1940s outbreak as beetles preferentially attack larger trees and stands in advanced stages of development. However, previous research also left open the possibility that some stands that burned and established following the 19th century fires may have been attacked during the 1940s outbreak. Understanding how strongly stand structure, as shaped by disturbances of varying severity, affected susceptibility to past outbreaks is important to provide a baseline for assessing the degree to which recent climate change may be relaxing the preferences of beetles for larger trees and for stands in latter stages of structural development and thereby changing the nature of linked disturbances. Here, dendroecological methods were used to study disturbance history and tree age of stands in the White River National Forest in Western Colorado that were identified in historical documents or remotely-sensed images as having burned in the 19th century and having been attacked by spruce beetle in the 1940s. Dendroecological reconstructions indicate that in young post-fire stands only old remnant trees that survived the otherwise stand-replacing fires were

Fire Severity Controlled Susceptibility to a 1940s Spruce Beetle Outbreak in Colorado, USA.

PubMed

Kulakowski, Dominik; Veblen, Thomas T; Bebi, Peter

2016-01-01

The frequency, magnitude, and size of forest disturbances are increasing globally. Much recent research has focused on how the occurrence of one disturbance may affect susceptibility to subsequent disturbances. While much has been learned about such linked disturbances, the strength of the interactions is likely to be contingent on the severity of disturbances as well as climatic conditions, both of which can affect disturbance intensity and tree resistance to disturbances. Subalpine forests in western Colorado were affected by extensive and severe wildfires in the late 19th century and an extensive and severe outbreak of spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) in the 1940s. Previous research found that most, but not all, of the stands that burned and established following the late 19th century fires were not susceptible to the 1940s outbreak as beetles preferentially attack larger trees and stands in advanced stages of development. However, previous research also left open the possibility that some stands that burned and established following the 19th century fires may have been attacked during the 1940s outbreak. Understanding how strongly stand structure, as shaped by disturbances of varying severity, affected susceptibility to past outbreaks is important to provide a baseline for assessing the degree to which recent climate change may be relaxing the preferences of beetles for larger trees and for stands in latter stages of structural development and thereby changing the nature of linked disturbances. Here, dendroecological methods were used to study disturbance history and tree age of stands in the White River National Forest in Western Colorado that were identified in historical documents or remotely-sensed images as having burned in the 19th century and having been attacked by spruce beetle in the 1940s. Dendroecological reconstructions indicate that in young post-fire stands only old remnant trees that survived the otherwise stand-replacing fires were

Genetic subpopulation structuring and its implications in a mature eastern white pine stand

Treesearch

Samuel E. Nijensohn; Paul G. Schaberg; Gary J. Hawley; Donald H. DeHayes; Donald H. DeHayes

2005-01-01

We examined patterns of genetic structuring within a mature eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) forest, using geographic information system (GIS)-based data and maps that combined genetic (isozyme analysis of 46 loci) and other tree-specific information (e.g., size, growth, age, and location) for 220 trees in Jericho, Vermont. Interconnections between genotypic...

Flotation in ethanol affects storability of spruce pine seeds

Treesearch

James P. Barnett

1970-01-01

Flotation in 95-percent ethanol quickly separates full and empty seeds of spruce pine (Pinus glabra Walt.) without reducing viability measured soon after treatment. Results of two studies reported here, however, indicate that soaking in ethanol causes viability of the seeds to decline rapidly in storage. This phenomenon led to the enormous...

Functional profile of black spruce wetlands in Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Post, R.A.

1996-09-01

The profile describes the ecologic context and wetland functions of black spruce (Picea mariana) wetlands (BSWs) covering about 14 million ha of Alaska taiga. Ecologic descriptions include climate, permafrost, landforms, post-Pleistocene vegetation, fire, successional processes, black spruce community types and adaptations, and characteristics of BSWs. The profile describes human activities potentially affecting BSWs and identifies research literature and data gaps generally applicable to BSWs. Hydrologic, water quality, global biogeochemical, and ecologic functions of BSWs, as well as their socioeconomic uses, appear in the profile, along with potential functional indicators, expected sensitivities of functions to fill placement or weltand drainage, andmore » potential mitigation strategies for impacts. Functional analysis separately considers ombrotrophic and minerotrophic BSWs where appropriate. Depending on trophic status, Alaska`s BSWs perform several low-magnitude hydrologic (groundwater discharge and recharge, flow regulation, and erosion control) and ecologic (nutrient export, nutrient cycling, and food-chain support) functions and several substantial water quality (sediment retention, nutrient transformation, nutrient uptake, and contaminant removal), global biogeochemical (carbon cycling and storage), and ecologic (avian and mammalian habitat) functions. BSWs also provide important socioeconomic uses: harvested of wetland-dependent fish, wildlife, and plant resources and active winter recreation.« less

A spruce gene map infers ancient plant genome reshuffling and subsequent slow evolution in the gymnosperm lineage leading to extant conifers

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Seed plants are composed of angiosperms and gymnosperms, which diverged from each other around 300 million years ago. While much light has been shed on the mechanisms and rate of genome evolution in flowering plants, such knowledge remains conspicuously meagre for the gymnosperms. Conifers are key representatives of gymnosperms and the sheer size of their genomes represents a significant challenge for characterization, sequencing and assembling. Results To gain insight into the macro-organisation and long-term evolution of the conifer genome, we developed a genetic map involving 1,801 spruce genes. We designed a statistical approach based on kernel density estimation to analyse gene density and identified seven gene-rich isochors. Groups of co-localizing genes were also found that were transcriptionally co-regulated, indicative of functional clusters. Phylogenetic analyses of 157 gene families for which at least two duplicates were mapped on the spruce genome indicated that ancient gene duplicates shared by angiosperms and gymnosperms outnumbered conifer-specific duplicates by a ratio of eight to one. Ancient duplicates were much more translocated within and among spruce chromosomes than conifer-specific duplicates, which were mostly organised in tandem arrays. Both high synteny and collinearity were also observed between the genomes of spruce and pine, two conifers that diverged more than 100 million years ago. Conclusions Taken together, these results indicate that much genomic evolution has occurred in the seed plant lineage before the split between gymnosperms and angiosperms, and that the pace of evolution of the genome macro-structure has been much slower in the gymnosperm lineage leading to extent conifers than that seen for the same period of time in flowering plants. This trend is largely congruent with the contrasted rates of diversification and morphological evolution observed between these two groups of seed plants. PMID:23102090

A spruce gene map infers ancient plant genome reshuffling and subsequent slow evolution in the gymnosperm lineage leading to extant conifers.

PubMed

Pavy, Nathalie; Pelgas, Betty; Laroche, Jérôme; Rigault, Philippe; Isabel, Nathalie; Bousquet, Jean

2012-10-26

Seed plants are composed of angiosperms and gymnosperms, which diverged from each other around 300 million years ago. While much light has been shed on the mechanisms and rate of genome evolution in flowering plants, such knowledge remains conspicuously meagre for the gymnosperms. Conifers are key representatives of gymnosperms and the sheer size of their genomes represents a significant challenge for characterization, sequencing and assembling. To gain insight into the macro-organisation and long-term evolution of the conifer genome, we developed a genetic map involving 1,801 spruce genes. We designed a statistical approach based on kernel density estimation to analyse gene density and identified seven gene-rich isochors. Groups of co-localizing genes were also found that were transcriptionally co-regulated, indicative of functional clusters. Phylogenetic analyses of 157 gene families for which at least two duplicates were mapped on the spruce genome indicated that ancient gene duplicates shared by angiosperms and gymnosperms outnumbered conifer-specific duplicates by a ratio of eight to one. Ancient duplicates were much more translocated within and among spruce chromosomes than conifer-specific duplicates, which were mostly organised in tandem arrays. Both high synteny and collinearity were also observed between the genomes of spruce and pine, two conifers that diverged more than 100 million years ago. Taken together, these results indicate that much genomic evolution has occurred in the seed plant lineage before the split between gymnosperms and angiosperms, and that the pace of evolution of the genome macro-structure has been much slower in the gymnosperm lineage leading to extent conifers than that seen for the same period of time in flowering plants. This trend is largely congruent with the contrasted rates of diversification and morphological evolution observed between these two groups of seed plants.

Component biomass equations for black spruce in Maine

Treesearch

M. M. Czapowskyj; D. J. Robison; R. D. Briggs; E. H. White; E. H. White

1985-01-01

Component biomass prediction equations are presented for young black spruce (Picea mariana B.S.P. (Mill,:)) in northern Maine. A weighted least squares model was used to construct the eq~iationsfo r small trees from 1 to 15 cm d.b.h., and an ordinary least squares model for trees less than 2 m in height. A linearized allometric model was also tested but was not used....

Lumber yield from sitka spruce in southeastern Alaska.

Treesearch

Paul H. Lane; Richard O. Jr. Woodfin; John W. Henley; Marlin E. Plank

1972-01-01

A representative sample of 400 mature, Sitka spruce, sawtimber trees from throughout southeastern Alaska produced 1,009 commercial saw logs that were sawn at Wrangell, Alaska. The distribution of these saw logs by log grade was: 3 percent Select, 7 percent No. 1, 43 percent No. 2, and 47 percent No. 3. The total net log scale (Scribner) was 774,000 board feet. A total...

Putrescine: a marker of stress in red spruce trees

Treesearch

Rakesh Minocha; Walter C. Shortle; Gregory B. Lawrence; B. David Mark; Subhash C. Minocha

1996-01-01

Aluminum (Al) has been suggested to be an important stress factor in forest decline due to its mobilization in soil following atmospheric deposition of acidic pollutants. A major goal of our research is to develop physiological and biochemical markers of stress in trees using cell cultures and whole plants. Needles of red spruce (Picea rubens)...

Predicting wildfire behavior in black spruce forests in Alaska.

Treesearch

Rodney A. Norum

1982-01-01

The current fire behavior system, when properly adjusted, accurately predicts forward rate of spread and flame length of wildfires in black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) forests in Alaska. After fire behavior was observed and quantified, adjustment factors were calculated and assigned to the selected fuel models to correct the outputs to...

Fine Spatial Scale Variation of Soil Microbial Communities under European Beech and Norway Spruce

PubMed Central

Nacke, Heiko; Goldmann, Kezia; Schöning, Ingo; Pfeiffer, Birgit; Kaiser, Kristin; Castillo-Villamizar, Genis A.; Schrumpf, Marion; Buscot, François; Daniel, Rolf; Wubet, Tesfaye

2016-01-01

The complex interactions between trees and soil microbes in forests as well as their inherent seasonal and spatial variations are poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the effects of major European tree species (Fagus sylvatica L. and Picea abies (L.) Karst) on soil bacterial and fungal communities. Mineral soil samples were collected from different depths (0–10, 10–20 cm) and at different horizontal distances from beech or spruce trunks (0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 m) in early summer and autumn. We assessed the composition of soil bacterial and fungal communities based on 16S rRNA gene and ITS DNA sequences. Community composition of bacteria and fungi was most strongly affected by soil pH and tree species. Different ectomycorrhizal fungi (e.g., Tylospora) known to establish mutualistic associations with plant roots showed a tree species preference. Moreover, bacterial and fungal community composition showed spatial and seasonal shifts in soil surrounding beech and spruce. The relative abundance of saprotrophic fungi was higher at a depth of 0–10 vs. 10–20 cm depth. This was presumably a result of changes in nutrient availability, as litter input and organic carbon content decreased with soil depth. Overall bacterial community composition showed strong variations under spruce with increasing distance from the tree trunks, which might be attributed in part to higher fine root biomass near spruce trunks. Furthermore, overall bacterial community composition was strongly affected by season under deciduous trees. PMID:28066384

Winter photosynthesis of red spruce from three Vermont seed sources

Treesearch

P.G. Schaberg; R.C. Wilkinson; J.B. Shane; J.R. Donnelly; P.F. Cali

1995-01-01

We evaluated winter (January through March) carbon assimilation of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) from three Vermont seed sources grown in a common garden in northwestern Vermont. Although CO2 exchange rates were generally low, net photosynthetic rates increased during two prolonged thaws. Significant correlations between CO...

The Ring Structure of Wembo-Nyama (Eastern Kasai, R.D. Congo): A Possible Impact Crater in Central Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monegato, G.; Massironi, M.; Martellato, E.

2010-03-01

The structure of Wembo-Nyama (Eastern Kasai, R.D. Congo) is a new ring structure found in Central Africa. We discuss the possibility of an impact origin, considering its geomorphological characteristics and the geology of the area.

Mapping the current and potential distribution of red spruce in Virginia: implications for the restoration of degraded high elevation habitat

Treesearch

Heather Griscom; Helmut Kraenzle; Zachary. Bortolot

2010-01-01

The objective of our project is to create a habitat suitability model to predict potential and future red spruce forest distributions. This model will be used to better understand the influence of climate change on red spruce distribution and to help guide forest restoration efforts.

Fifteen-Year Growth of a Thinned White Spruce Plantation

Treesearch

Robert F. Wambach; John H. Cooley

1969-01-01

Mean annual increment at age 38 in a thinned white spruce plantation was 102 cubic feet or 0.85 cords per acre per year. Periodic annual increment during the 15 years after thinning seemed to be maximum for residual basal areas between 100 and 120 square feet per acre. OXFORD: 562.2:174.7 Picca glauca: (775):242

A silvicultural Guide for Spruce-Fir in the Northeast

Treesearch

Robert M. Frank; John C. Bjorkbom

1973-01-01

A practical guide to the silvicultural treatment of spruce-fir stands for timber production in New England and New York. Both evenaged and uneven-aged management are considered, covering both the establishment of new stands and the culture of existing stands. Includes a set of prescriptions describing specific treatments for a range of stand conditions and management...

Indicators and associated decay of Engelmann spruce in Colorado

Treesearch

Thomas E. Hinds; Frank G. Hawksworth

1966-01-01

Average cull deductions for 11 cull indicators were determined from over 2,000 abnormalities on 1,027 merchantable Engelmann spruce in 21 stands throughout Colorado. On a board-foot basis, Fomes pini punk knots or sporophores caused an 81 percent deduction. Deduction for broken tops or dead tops with adjacent dead rust brooms amounted to 24 percent....

Animal damage to young spruce and fir in Maine

Treesearch

Barton M. Blum

1977-01-01

The loss of terminal buds on small balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) and spruce (Picea spp.) trees because of nipping by mammals or birds has increased on the Penobscot Experimental Forest in recent years. The cut stem is smooth and slightly angled; there is no sign of tearing. Unnipped trees grew about 13 percent more than...

Growth response and drought susceptibility of red spruce seedlings exposed to simulated acidic rain and ozone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, W.S.; Chevone, B.I.; Seiler, J.R.

1988-01-01

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) is a long-lived, shade-tolerant tree that is commonly present in the cool, moist climates at high elevations of the Appalachian Mountains. Recently, an accelerated decline of red spruce has been reported in the northern Appalachians in the Green Mountains on Camels Hump, Vermont and on Whiteface Mountain in New York as well as in the mid and southern Appalachians. Even though many possible causes of this decline have been suggested, none have been established conclusively at present. High acid inputs and elevated concentrations of heavy metals, in addition to ozone stress, have been strongly suspectedmore » as contributing factors for the decline. The objectives of this research is to investigate the efforts of simulated acidic rain and ozone on growth and drought susceptibility of red spruce seedlings by measuring biomass, foliar nutrient status, root hydraulic conductivity, and gas exchange rates.« less

Near real time observational data collection for SPRUCE experiment- PakBus protocol for slow satellite connections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krassovski, Misha; Hanson, Paul; Riggs, Jeff

2017-04-01

Climate change studies are one of the most important aspects of modern science and related experiments are getting bigger and more complex. One such experiment is the Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Climatic and Environmental Change experiment (SPRUCE, http://mnspruce.ornl.gov) conducted in in northern Minnesota, 40 km north of Grand Rapids, in the USDA Forest Service Marcell Experimental Forest (MEF). The SPRUCE experimental mission is to assess ecosystem-level biological responses of vulnerable, high carbon terrestrial ecosystems to a range of climate warming manipulations and an elevated CO2 atmosphere. This manipulation experiment generates a lot of observational data and requires a reliable onsite data collection system, dependable methods to transfer data to a robust scientific facility, and real-time monitoring capabilities. This publication shares our experience of establishing near real time data collection and monitoring system via a satellite link using PakBus protocol.

Pattern analysis of eastern spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana dispersal

Treesearch

Dean P. Anderson; Brian R. Sturtevant

2011-01-01

Dispersal has been proposed as an important mechanism in the broad-scale synchronisation of insect outbreaks by linking spatially disjunct populations. Evidence suggests that dispersal is influenced by landscape structure, phenology, temperature, and air currents; however, the details remain unclear due to the difficulty of quantifying dispersal. In this study, we used...

Raman imaging to investigate ultrastructure and composition of plant cell walls : distribution of lignin and cellulose in black spruce wood (Picea mariana)

Treesearch

Umesh P. Agarwal

2006-01-01

A detailed understanding of the structural organization of the cell wall of vascular plants is important from both the perspectives of plant biology and chemistry and of commercial utilization. A state-of-the-art 633-nm laser-based confocal Raman microscope was used to determine the distribution of cell wall components in the cross section of black spruce wood in situ...

A 4-year record of sitka spruce and western hemlock seed fall on the Cascade Head Experimental Forest.

Treesearch

Robert H. Ruth; Carl M. Berntsen

1955-01-01

Four years' measurement of seed fall in the spruce-hemlock type on the Cascade Head Experimental Forest indicates that an ample supply of seed is distributed over clear-cut areas under staggered-setting cutting. The largest tract sampled was 81 acres; in spite of a seed crop failure in 1950, it received an average of 243,000 viable spruce and hemlock seeds per...

CANUSA mid-program report

Treesearch

David G. Grimble

1981-01-01

The Canada-United States Spruce Budworms Program (CANUSA) is a 6-year joint effort by the Department of the Environment, Canada, and the USDA Forest Service to develop methods for controlling spruce budworms in the Eastern and Western United States and in Canada.

Effects of plant leachates from four boreal understorey species on soil N mineralization, and white spruce (Picea glauca) germination and seedling growth.

PubMed

Castells, Eva; Peñuelas, Josep; Valentine, David W

2005-06-01

Natural regeneration of white spruce (Picea glauca) after disturbance has been reported to be very poor. Here a study was made to determine whether C compounds released from understorey species growing together with white spruce could be involved in this regeneration failure, either by (1) changing soil nutrient dynamics, (2) inhibiting germination, and/or (3) delaying seedling growth. Foliage leachates were obtained from two shrubs (Ledum palustre and Empetrum hermaphroditum) and one bryophyte (Sphagnum sp.) with high phenolic compound concentrations that have been reported to depress growth of conifers in boreal forests, and, as a comparison, one bryophyte (Hylocomium splendens) with negligible phenolic compounds. Mineral soil from a white spruce forest was amended with plant leachates to examine the effect of each species on net N mineralization. Additionally, white spruce seeds and seedlings were watered with plant leachates to determine their effects on germination and growth. Leachates from the shrubs L. palustre and E. hermaphroditum contained high phenolic compound concentrations and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), while no detectable levels of C compounds were released from the bryophytes Sphagnum sp. or H. splendens. A decrease in net N mineralization was determined in soils amended with L. palustre or E. hermaphroditum leachates, and this effect was inversely proportional to the phenolic concentrations, DOC and leachate C/N ratio. The total percentage of white spruce germination and the growth of white spruce seedlings were similar among treatments. These results suggest that the shrubs L. palustre and E. hermaphroditum could negatively affect the performance of white spruce due to a decrease in soil N availability, but not by direct effects on plant physiology.

Conifer R2R3-MYB transcription factors: sequence analyses and gene expression in wood-forming tissues of white spruce (Picea glauca)

PubMed Central

Bedon, Frank; Grima-Pettenati, Jacqueline; Mackay, John

2007-01-01

Background Several members of the R2R3-MYB family of transcription factors act as regulators of lignin and phenylpropanoid metabolism during wood formation in angiosperm and gymnosperm plants. The angiosperm Arabidopsis has over one hundred R2R3-MYBs genes; however, only a few members of this family have been discovered in gymnosperms. Results We isolated and characterised full-length cDNAs encoding R2R3-MYB genes from the gymnosperms white spruce, Picea glauca (13 sequences), and loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L. (five sequences). Sequence similarities and phylogenetic analyses placed the spruce and pine sequences in diverse subgroups of the large R2R3-MYB family, although several of the sequences clustered closely together. We searched the highly variable C-terminal region of diverse plant MYBs for conserved amino acid sequences and identified 20 motifs in the spruce MYBs, nine of which have not previously been reported and three of which are specific to conifers. The number and length of the introns in spruce MYB genes varied significantly, but their positions were well conserved relative to angiosperm MYB genes. Quantitative RTPCR of MYB genes transcript abundance in root and stem tissues revealed diverse expression patterns; three MYB genes were preferentially expressed in secondary xylem, whereas others were preferentially expressed in phloem or were ubiquitous. The MYB genes expressed in xylem, and three others, were up-regulated in the compression wood of leaning trees within 76 hours of induction. Conclusion Our survey of 18 conifer R2R3-MYB genes clearly showed a gene family structure similar to that of Arabidopsis. Three of the sequences are likely to play a role in lignin metabolism and/or wood formation in gymnosperm trees, including a close homolog of the loblolly pine PtMYB4, shown to regulate lignin biosynthesis in transgenic tobacco. PMID:17397551

Predicting the decomposition of Scots pine, Norway spruce, and birch stems in Finland.

PubMed

Mäkinen, Harri; Hynynen, Jari; Siitonen, Juha; Sievänen, Risto

2006-10-01

Models were developed for predicting the decomposition of dead wood for the main tree species in Finland, based on data collected from long-term thinning experiments in southern and central Finland. The decomposition rates were strongly related to the number of years after tree death. In contrast to previous studies, which have used the first-order exponential model, we found that the decomposition rate was not constant. Therefore, the Gompertz and Chapman-Richard's functions were fitted to the data. The slow initial decomposition period was mainly due to the fact that most dead trees remained standing as snags after their death. The initial period was followed by a period of rapid decomposition and, finally, by a period of moderately slow decomposition. Birch stems decomposed more rapidly than Scots pine and Norway spruce stems. Decomposition rates of Norway spruce stems were somewhat lower than those of Scots pine. Because the carbon concentration of decaying boles was relatively stable (about 50%) the rate of carbon loss follows that of mass loss. Models were also developed for the probability that a dead tree remains standing as a snag. During the first years after death, the probability was high. Thereafter, it decreased rapidly, the decrease being faster for birch stems than for Scots pine and Norway spruce stems. Almost all stems had fallen down within 40 years after their death. In Scots pine and Norway spruce, most snags remained hard and belonged to decay class 1. In birch, a higher proportion of snags belonged to the more advanced decay classes. The models provide a framework for predicting dead wood dynamics in managed as well as dense unthinned stands. The models can be incorporated into forest management planning systems, thereby facilitating estimates of carbon dynamics.

Management of western Hemlock-sitka spruce forests for timber production.

Treesearch

Robert H. Ruth; A.S. Harris

1979-01-01

Ecological and management information for the coastal western hemlock-Sitka spruce forests is summarized in this report. Areas of emphasis include logging methods, silvicultural systems, natural and artificial regeneration, residue disposal, weed control, thinning, growth and yield, and forest protection. Consideration is given site protection and nontimber values as...

Wood-thermoplastic composites manufactured using beetle-killed spruce from Alaska

Treesearch

V. Yadama; Eini Lowell; N. Petersen; D. Nicholls

2009-01-01

The primary objectives of the study were to characterize the critical properties of wood flour produced using highly deteriorated beetle-killed spruce for wood-plastic composite (WPC) production and evaluate important mechanical and physical properties of WPC extruded using an industry standard formulation. Chemical composition analysis indicated no significant...

Development of western spruce budworm on Douglas-fir callus tissue.

Treesearch

Roy C. Beckwith; Barry Goldfarb

1991-01-01

The success of feeding and development of western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman) on callus tissue of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) was determined. Fewer insects died when fed pure callus tissue than when fed on standard diet or callus incorporated into the standard diet. The final...

Nutritional pyhsiology of the eastern spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, infected with Nosema fumiferanae, and interactions with dietary nitrogen

Treesearch

Leah S. Bauer; G.L. Nordin

1988-01-01

Female eastern spurce budworm larvae, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), inoculated with a medium lethal spore dosage of the microsporidium. Nosema fumiferanae (Thomson) exhibited significant reductions in a consumptive index (CI), nitrogen consumptive index (NCI), relative growth rate (RGR), and gross(...

Distinct genecological patterns in seedlings of Norway spruce and silver fir from a mountainous landscape.

PubMed

Frank, Aline; Sperisen, Christoph; Howe, Glenn Thomas; Brang, Peter; Walthert, Lorenz; St Clair, John Bradley; Heiri, Caroline

2017-01-01

Understanding the genecology of forest trees is critical for gene conservation, for predicting the effects of climate change and climate change adaptation, and for successful reforestation. Although common genecological patterns have emerged, species-specific details are also important. Which species are most vulnerable to climate change? Which are the most important adaptive traits and environmental drivers of natural selection? Even though species have been classified as adaptive specialists vs. adaptive generalists, large-scale studies comparing different species in the same experiment are rare. We studied the genecology of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and silver fir (Abies alba), two co-occurring but ecologically distinct European conifers in Central Europe. For each species, we collected seed from more than 90 populations across Switzerland, established a seedling common-garden test, and developed genecological models that associate population variation in seedling growth and phenology to climate, soil properties, and site water balance. Population differentiation and associations between seedling traits and environmental variables were much stronger for Norway spruce than for silver fir, and stronger for seedling height growth than for bud phenology. In Norway spruce, height growth and second flushing were strongly associated with temperature and elevation, with seedlings from the lowlands being taller and more prone to second flush than seedlings from the Alps. In silver fir, height growth was more weakly associated with temperature and elevation, but also associated with water availability. Soil characteristics explained little population variation in both species. We conclude that Norway spruce has become an adaptive specialist because trade-offs between rapid juvenile growth and frost avoidance have subjected it to strong diversifying natural selection based on temperature. In contrast, because silver fir has a more conservative growth habit, it has

High Resolution Velocity Structure in Eastern Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasyanos, M. E.; Gok, R.; Zor, E.; Walter, W. R.

2004-12-01

We investigate the crust and upper mantle structure of eastern Turkey where the Anatolian, Arabian and Eurasian Plates meet, forming a complex tectonic regime. The Bitlis suture is a continental collision zone between the Anatolian plateau and the Arabian plate. Broadband data available through the Eastern Turkey Seismic Experiment (ETSE) provide a unique opportunity for studying the high resolution velocity structure of the region. Zor et al. (2003) found an average 46 km thick crust in the Anatolian plateau using a six-layered grid search inversion of the ETSE receiver functions. Receiver functions are sensitive to the velocity contrast of interfaces and the relative travel time of converted and reverberated waves between those interfaces. The interpretation of receiver functions alone, however, may result in an apparent depth-velocity trade-off [Ammon et al., 1990]. In order to improve upon this velocity model, we have combined the receiver functions with surface wave data using the joint inversion method of Julia et al. (2000). In this technique, the two sets of observations are combined into a single algebraic equation and each data set is weighted by an estimate of the uncertainty in the observations. The receiver functions are calculated using an iterative time-domain deconvolution technique. We also consider azimuthal changes in the receiver functions and have stacked them into different groups accordingly. We are improving our surface wave model by making Love and Rayleigh dispersion measurements at the ETSE stations and incorporating them into a regional group velocity model for periods between 10 and 100 seconds. Preliminary results indicate a strong trend in the long period group velocities toward the northeast, indicating slow upper mantle velocities in the area consistent with Pn, Sn and receiver function results. Starting models used for the joint inversions include both a 1-D model from a 12-ton dam shot recorded by ETSE [Gurbuz et al., 2004] and

Investigations on spruce decline in the Bavarian forest.

PubMed

Osswald, W F; Elstner, E F

1987-01-01

The primary damaging reactions in spruce needles may operate as follows: 1) Trees under "stress" produce the plant hormone ethylene. 2) Ethylene and ozone react extremely fast forming hydrogen peroxide and formaldehyde, compounds which may damage the wax layer. 3) Ozone as a very aggressive oxidant will inactivate membrane bound enzymes through oxidation of their thiol groups. Thus the translocation of sugars from the chloroplast into the phloem may be inhibited or blocked. The result will be an "over-reduction" of the electron transport chain resulting in the formation of reactive oxygen species in the light. These reactive oxygen species will induce lipid peroxidation and pigment co-oxidation. 4) The visible effects are bleached needles and an impairment of structural resistance against fungal infections. 5) In addition ozone will directly reduce the content of antifungal compounds such as p-HAP. 6) Furthermore p-HAP may be involved in the bleaching reaction after its release from picein. 7) Finally, fungi may penetrate the needles and eventually grow faster in bleached needles. Infected needles will become necrotic and abscise.

Reconstructing the landscape structure of the Lena-Angara interfluve (south part of Eastern Siberia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atutova, Zhanna

2015-04-01

Historical-geographical reconstructions of the landscape structure of territories developed in the remote past constitute the necessary element in the chain of research into the dynamics and the degree of transformation of geosystems caused by the influence of the natural regularities and anthropogenic factors. The objective of this study is to determine the specific features of the territory of the Lena-Angara interfluve in the late 19th - early 20th centuries in the interest of a subsequent different-time comparative analysis of the landscape situation. An analysis of the features inherent in the functioning of the geosystems of the Lena-Angara interfluve was made by using, as an example, an elevated plateau with the sources of the Kuda river as well as of the Ilga and Kuda rivers. The relief is represented by a tableland with narrow crests of the watersheds, heavily dissected by a dense network of the valleys of rivers. The denudation processes created planate table-shaped elevations and plateaus whose range of absolute altitudes varies between 400 and 1000 m. The analysis of the landscape structure showed that the study territory was the home for mountain-taiga dark-coniferous and deciduous classes of facies. Larch, spruce-larch and, in places, pine-larch subshrub-grass-moss forests grew within the basins of the Ilga and Kulenga rivers. The watershed spaces of the Ilga-Kuda interfluve, and also the slopes of the upper reaches of the Kuda river were occupied by Siberian stone pine and larch-spruce subshrub-moss groups of facies. In spite of the ubiquitous occurrence of taiga-forest ranges, most of them transformed to derivative groups of facies. Forest fires gave impetus to a widespread occurrence of coniferous/small-leaved complexes in burned-over areas. The study area was poorly populated at the period under investigation; therefore, cultivated lands occupied very small territories. The upper reaches of the Kulenga river included small tracts of arable land

Manager's handbook for black spruce in the north-central states.

Treesearch

William F. Johnston

1977-01-01

Presents the resource manager with a key for choosing silvicultural practices to manage black spruce stands, especially for pulpwood on organic soil sites. Discusses control of growth, establishment, composition, and damaging agents; also discusses managing for Christmas trees, wildlife habitat, water, and esthetics. Includes yield and growth data, and broadcast...

Assessment of soil calcium status in red spruce forests in the northeastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, G.B.; David, M.B.; Bailey, S.W.; Shortle, W.C.

1997-01-01

Long-term changes in concentrations of available Ca in soils of red spruce forests have been documented, but remaining questions about the magnitude and regional extent of these changes have precluded an assessment of the current and future status of soil Ca. To address this problem, soil samples were collected in 1992-93 from 12 sites in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine to provide additional data necessary to synthesize all available research results on soil Ca in red spruce forests. Sites were chosen to encompass the range of environmental conditions experienced by red spruce. Concentrations of exchangeable Ca ranged from 2.13 to 21.6 cmol(c) kg-1 in the Oa horizon, and from 0.11 to 0.68 cmol(c) kg-1 in the upper 10 cm of the B horizon. These measurements expanded the range of exchangeable Ca reported in the literature for both horizons in northeastern red spruce forests. Exchangeable Ca was the largest Ca fraction in the forest floor at most sites (92% of acid-extractable Ca), but mineral Ca was the largest fraction at the three sites that also had the highest mineral-matter concentrations. The primary factor causing variability in Ca concentrations among sites was the mineralogy of parent material, but exchangeable concentrations in the B horizon of all sites were probably reduced by acidic deposition. Because the majority of Ca in the forest floor is in a readily leachable form, and Ca inputs to the forest floor from the mineral soil and atmospheric deposition have been decreasing in recent decades, the previously documented decreases in Ca concentrations in the forest floor over previous decades may extend into the future.

Screening Sitka spruce for resistance to weevil damage in British Columbia

Treesearch

René I. Alfaro; John N. King

2012-01-01

The white pine weevil, Pissodes strobi (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), has serious impacts on Sitka (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carrière), Engelmann (P. engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.), and white spruce (P. glauca (Moench) Voss) plantations in British Columbia (BC), Canada. This weevil attacks...

3-Methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one for area and individual tree protection against spruce beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) attack in the southern Rocky Mountains.

PubMed

Hansen, E Matthew; Munson, A Steven; Blackford, Darren C; Graves, Andrew D; Coleman, Tom W; Baggett, L Scott

2017-10-01

We tested 3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one (MCH) and an Acer kairomone blend (AKB) as repellent semiochemicals for area and single tree protection to prevent spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby) attacks at locations in Utah and New Mexico. In the area protection study, we compared host infestation rates of MCH applications at three densities (20, 40, and 80 g MCH ha-1) against a control treatment over 0.64 ha plots centered within ~1.25 ha treatment blocks. All treatments included two baited funnel traps within the plot to assure spruce beetle pressure. Following beetle attack, plots were surveyed for new spruce beetle attacks and to quantify stand characteristics. The probability of more severe spruce beetle attacks was significantly reduced, by ~50%, in each of the MCH area treatments compared with the control treatment but there was no significant treatment difference among the MCH deployment densities. For the single tree protection study, we compared attack rates of MCH, Acer kairomone blend (AKB), and MCH plus AKB on spruce beetle-baited trees against bait-only trees. Each treatment was applied over a range of host diameters to test for host size effects. Seventy-five percent of control trees were mass-attacked, about one-third of MCH- and AKB-alone spruce was mass-attacked, and no MCH plus AKB spruce were mass-attacked. These results suggest that MCH alone is a marginal area and single tree protectant against spruce beetle but that deployment with other repellents can significantly increase treatment efficacy. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

SPRUCE Vegetation Phenology in Experimental Plots from Phenocam Imagery, 2015-2016

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Richardson, Andrew D.; Hufkens, Koen; Milliman, Thomas

This data set consists of PhenoCam data from the SPRUCE experiment from the beginning of whole ecosystem warming in August 2015 through the end of 2017. Digital cameras, or phenocams, installed in each SPRUCE enclosure track seasonal variation in vegetation “greenness”, a proxy for vegetation phenology and associated physiological activity. Regions of interest (ROIs) were defined for vegetation types (1) Picea trees (EN, evergreen needleleaf); (2) Larix trees (DN, deciduous needleleaf); and (3) the mixed shrub layer (SH, shrubs). This data set consists of two sets of data files: (1) standard “3-day summary product files” for each camera and eachmore » ROI (i.e. vegetation type), characterizing vegetation color at a 3-day time step and (2) a “transition date file” containing the estimated “greenness rising” (spring) and “greenness falling” (autumn) transition dates.« less

Patch occupancy and dispersal of spruce grouse on the edge of its range in Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitcomb, S.A.; Servello, F.A.; O'Connell, A.F.

1996-01-01

We surveyed 18 habitat patches (black spruce (Picea marinana) - tamarack (Larix larcina) wetlands) for spruce grouse (Dendragapus canadensis canadensis) on Mount Desert Island, Maine, during April-May in 1992 and 1993 to determine patch occupancy relative to patch area. We also equipped nine juvenile grouse with radio transmitters to determine movement and habitat use outside of patches during autumn dispersal. The 2 large patches (77 and 269 ha), 5 of 6 medium-sized (11-26 ha) patches, and 1 of 10 small (4-8 ha) patches were occupied. Spruce grouse occupied smaller habitat patches than previously reported, and occupied patches were closer (P < 0.05) to the nearest occupied patch (x = 1.2 km) than were unoccupied patches (x = 2.5 km). Eight of nine juvenile grouse left their natal habitat patch during autumn dispersal, and net dispersal distance (x = 2.3 km) was greater than that reported for grouse in areas with more contiguous habitat. Dispersing juveniles used all major forest types and 33 % of relocations were in deciduous forest. Thus, deciduous forest was not an absolute dispersal barrier.

Using environmental and site-specific variables to model current and potential distribution of red spruce forest habitat in West Virginia

Treesearch

Nathan Beane; James Rentch

2010-01-01

With the extensive loss of presettlement habitat for red spruce, this species is a high priority for restoration in West Virginia. The advent of climate change caused by human activity and the uncertainty of future environmental changes has also raised interests in the protection and restoration of red spruce ecosystems.

Effects of Plant Leachates from Four Boreal Understorey Species on Soil N Mineralization, and White Spruce (Picea glauca) Germination and Seedling Growth

PubMed Central

CASTELLS, EVA; PEÑUELAS, JOSEP; VALENTINE, DAVID W.

2005-01-01

• Background and Aims Natural regeneration of white spruce (Picea glauca) after disturbance has been reported to be very poor. Here a study was made to determine whether C compounds released from understorey species growing together with white spruce could be involved in this regeneration failure, either by (1) changing soil nutrient dynamics, (2) inhibiting germination, and/or (3) delaying seedling growth. • Methods Foliage leachates were obtained from two shrubs (Ledum palustre and Empetrum hermaphroditum) and one bryophyte (Sphagnum sp.) with high phenolic compound concentrations that have been reported to depress growth of conifers in boreal forests, and, as a comparison, one bryophyte (Hylocomium splendens) with negligible phenolic compounds. Mineral soil from a white spruce forest was amended with plant leachates to examine the effect of each species on net N mineralization. Additionally, white spruce seeds and seedlings were watered with plant leachates to determine their effects on germination and growth. • Key Results Leachates from the shrubs L. palustre and E. hermaphroditum contained high phenolic compound concentrations and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), while no detectable levels of C compounds were released from the bryophytes Sphagnum sp. or H. splendens. A decrease in net N mineralization was determined in soils amended with L. palustre or E. hermaphroditum leachates, and this effect was inversely proportional to the phenolic concentrations, DOC and leachate C/N ratio. The total percentage of white spruce germination and the growth of white spruce seedlings were similar among treatments. • Conclusions These results suggest that the shrubs L. palustre and E. hermaphroditum could negatively affect the performance of white spruce due to a decrease in soil N availability, but not by direct effects on plant physiology. PMID:15802310

Climate-mediated changes in zooplankton community structure for the eastern Bering Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisner, Lisa B.; Napp, Jeffrey M.; Mier, Kathryn L.; Pinchuk, Alexei I.; Andrews, Alexander G.

2014-11-01

Zooplankton are critical to energy transfer between higher and lower trophic levels in the eastern Bering Sea ecosystem. Previous studies from the southeastern Bering Sea shelf documented substantial differences in zooplankton taxa in the Middle and Inner Shelf Domains between warm and cold years. Our investigation expands this analysis into the northern Bering Sea and the south Outer Domain, looking at zooplankton community structure during a period of climate-mediated, large-scale change. Elevated air temperatures in the early 2000s resulted in regional warming and low sea-ice extent in the southern shelf whereas the late 2000s were characterized by cold winters, extensive spring sea ice, and a well-developed pool of cold water over the entire Middle Domain. The abundance of large zooplankton taxa such as Calanus spp. (C. marshallae and C. glacialis), and Parasagitta elegans, increased from warm to cold periods, while the abundance of gelatinous zooplankton (Cnidaria) and small taxa decreased. Biomass followed the same trends as abundance, except that the biomass of small taxa in the southeastern Bering Sea remained constant due to changes in abundance of small copepod taxa (increases in Acartia spp. and Pseudocalanus spp. and decreases in Oithona spp.). Statistically significant changes in zooplankton community structure and individual species were greatest in the Middle Domain, but were evident in all shelf domains, and in both the northern and southern portions of the eastern shelf. Changes in community structure did not occur abruptly during the transition from warm to cold, but seemed to begin gradually and build as the influence of the sea ice and cold water temperatures persisted. The change occurred one year earlier in the northern than the southern Middle Shelf. These and previous observations demonstrate that lower trophic levels within the eastern Bering Sea respond to climate-mediated changes on a variety of time scales, including those shorter than

Isoprenoid emission variation of Norway spruce across a European latitudinal transect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Meeningen, Ylva; Wang, Min; Karlsson, Tomas; Seifert, Ana; Schurgers, Guy; Rinnan, Riikka; Holst, Thomas

2017-12-01

Norway spruce (Picea abies) is one of the dominant tree species in the European boreal zone with the capacity to grow over large areas within Europe. It is an important emitter of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), which can act as precursors of photochemical smog and ozone and contribute to the formation and growth of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) in the atmosphere. Isoprenoid emissions were measured from Norway spruce trees at seven different sites, distributed from Ljubljana in Slovenia to Piikkiö in Finland. Four of the sites were part of a network of genetically identical spruce trees and contained two separate provenances. The remaining three sites were part of other networks which have been used to conduct studies in the European boreal zone. There were minimal differences in the standardized emission rates between sites and across latitudes. The emission profile differed between provenances and sites, but there were not any distinct patterns which could be connected to a change in latitude. By using genetically identical trees and comparing the emission rates between sites and with genetically different trees, it was observed that the emission patterns were mostly influenced by genetics. But in order to confirm this possible stability of the relative emission profile based on genetics, more studies need to be performed. The effects of branch height, season and variation between years on observed emission pattern variations were also investigated. There were indications of potential influences of all three factors. However, due to different experimental setups between measurement campaigns, it is difficult to draw any robust conclusions.

Stand-density study of spruce-hemlock stands in southeastern Alaska.

Treesearch

Donald J. DeMars

2000-01-01

The lack of growth and yield information for young even-aged western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla(Raf.) Sarg.)-Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) stands in southeastern Alaska served as the impetus for a long-term stand-density study begun in 1974. The study has followed permanent growth plots in managed stands under...

Physiological and environmental causes of freezing injury in red spruce

Treesearch

Paul G. Schaberg; Donald H. DeHayes

2000-01-01

For many, concerns about the implications of "environmental change" conjure up scenarios of forest responses to global warming, enrichment of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, and the northward migration of maladapted forests. From that perspective, the primary focus of this chapter, that is, causes of freezing injury to red spruce (

AmeriFlux CA-Obs Saskatchewan - Western Boreal, Mature Black Spruce

DOE Data Explorer

Black, T. Andrew [The University of British Columbia

2017-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site CA-Obs Saskatchewan - Western Boreal, Mature Black Spruce. Site Description - 53.98717° N, 105.11779° W, elavation of 628.94 m, BOREAS 1994, 1996, BERMS climate measurements began Dec. 1996 and flux measurements in Apr. 1999

Plasticity and evolution of (+)-3-carene synthase and (-)-sabinene synthase functions of a sitka spruce monoterpene synthase gene family associated with weevil resistance.

PubMed

Roach, Christopher R; Hall, Dawn E; Zerbe, Philipp; Bohlmann, Jörg

2014-08-22

The monoterpene (+)-3-carene is associated with resistance of Sitka spruce against white pine weevil, a major North American forest insect pest of pine and spruce. High and low levels of (+)-3-carene in, respectively, resistant and susceptible Sitka spruce genotypes are due to variation of (+)-3-carene synthase gene copy number, transcript and protein expression levels, enzyme product profiles, and enzyme catalytic efficiency. A family of multiproduct (+)-3-carene synthase-like genes of Sitka spruce include the three (+)-3-carene synthases, PsTPS-3car1, PsTPS-3car2, PsTPS-3car3, and the (-)-sabinene synthase PsTPS-sab. Of these, PsTPS-3car2 is responsible for the relatively higher levels of (+)-3-carene in weevil-resistant trees. Here, we identified features of the PsTPS-3car1, PsTPS-3car2, PsTPS-3car3, and PsTPS-sab proteins that determine different product profiles. A series of domain swap and site-directed mutations, supported by structural comparisons, identified the amino acid in position 596 as critical for product profiles dominated by (+)-3-carene in PsTPS-3car1, PsTPS-3car2, and PsTPS-3car3, or (-)-sabinene in PsTPS-sab. A leucine in this position promotes formation of (+)-3-carene, whereas phenylalanine promotes (-)-sabinene. Homology modeling predicts that position 596 directs product profiles through differential stabilization of the reaction intermediate. Kinetic analysis revealed position 596 also plays a role in catalytic efficiency. Mutations of position 596 with different side chain properties resulted in a series of enzymes with different product profiles, further highlighting the inherent plasticity and potential for evolution of alternative product profiles of these monoterpene synthases of conifer defense against insects. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Effects of soil calcium and aluminum on the physiology of balsam fir and red spruce saplings in northern New England

Treesearch

Richard L. Boyce; Paul G. Schaberg; Gary J. Hawley; Joshua M. Halman; Paula F. Murakami

2013-01-01

We examined the influence of calcium (Ca) and aluminum (Al) nutrition on the foliar physiology of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.] in northern New England, USA. At the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (NH, USA), spruce and fir saplings were sampled from control, Al-, and Ca-supplemented...

The Social Consequences of Postcommunist Structural Change: An Analysis of Suicide Trends in Eastern Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minagawa, Yuka

2013-01-01

Guided by Durkheim's classic theory of suicide, this article examines suicide trends and determinants in Eastern European countries for the period of 1989-2006, with particular attention given to the association between postcommunist social change and suicide mortality. I find that countries characterized by more drastic structural change…

Reproductive compatibility within and among spruce budworm (Lepidoptera: tortricidae) populations

Treesearch

Nancy Lorimer; Leah S. Bauer

1983-01-01

Spruce budworm moths collected as larvae from two species of host trees in four populations were mated in single pairs in two years. In 1980 but not 1981, more of the intra-population matings than the inter-population matings were fertile. Host tree origin was not a significant factor in the level of sterility.

An Engelmann spruce seed source study in the central Rockies

Treesearch

Wayne D. Shepperd; Richard M. Jeffers; Frank Ronco

1981-01-01

Planted Englemann spruce seedlings from 20 sources throughout North America were field tested in the central Rockies at 9,600 feet (2,930 m) elevation. Overall survival was 73% after 10 years. Significant differences in height were evident among several sources. Sources from northern latitudes and lower elevations grew best. The results demonstrate that Englemann...

Downward Migration of Coastal Conifers as a Response to Recent Land Emergence in Eastern Hudson Bay, Québec

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bégin, Yves; Bérubé, Dominique; Grégoire, Martin

1993-07-01

Postglacial uplift in the eastern Hudson Bay area is among the most rapid in the world (300 m during the last 8000 yr). Although emergence curves based on 14 C-dated raised shorelines give a consistent basis for modeling relative sea-level changes, such a low-resolution dating method is inappropriate for estimating trends over recent decades. A major downward displacement of white spruce ( Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and tamarack ( Larix laricina (DuRoi) K. Koch) occurred on protected shores as a response to shoreline retreat during this century. Analysis of the age distribution of trees indicates a progradation of white spruce and tamarack on gently sloping terrain ranging from 1.3 and 2.6 cm/yr, respectively, toward the sea. Improvement of climatic conditions during the 20th century favored such expansion which was probably faster than the real land emergence rates, but recent episodes of high water levels caused regression of forest margins over the highly exposed shores. Nevertheless, the downward trend of the treeline over this century substantiates the projections of 14C-dated coastal emergence curves during the modern period (1.0 to 1.3 cm/yr) by providing an estimate of the maximum rates of shoreline retreat.

TopoGreenland: crustal structure in central-eastern Greenland along a new refraction profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shulgin, Alexey; Thybo, Hans; Field Team TopoGreenland

2013-04-01

We present the seismic structure in the interior of Greenland based on the first measurements by the seismic refraction/wide angle reflection method. Previous seismic surveys have only been carried out offshore and near the coast of Greenland, where the crustal structure is affected by oceanic break-up and may not be representative of the interior of the island. Acquisition of geophysical data in onshore Greenland is logistically complicated by the presence of an up to 3.4 km thick ice sheet, permanently covering most of the land mass. The seismic data was acquired by a team of six people during a two-month long experiment in summer of 2011 on the ice cap in the interior of central-eastern Greenland. The EW-trending profile extends 310 km inland from the approximate edge of the stable ice cap near Scoresby Sund across the center of the ice cap. The planned extension of the profile by use of OBSs and air gun shooting in Scoresbysund Fjord to the east coast of Greenland was unfortunately canceled, because navigation was prevented by ice drift. 350 Reftek Texan receivers recorded high-quality seismic data from 8 equidistant shots along the profile. Explosive charge sizes were 1 ton at the ends and ca. 500 kg along the profile, loaded with about 125 kg at 35-85 m depth in individual boreholes. Two-dimensional velocity model based on tomographic inversion and forward ray tracing modeling shows a decrease of crustal thickness from 47 km below the center of Greenland in the western part to 40 km in the eastern part of the profile. Earlier studies show that crustal thickness further decreases eastward to ca. 30 km below the fjord system, but details of the changes are unknown. Relatively high lower crustal velocities (Vp 6.8 - 7.3) in the western part of the TopoGreenland profile may indicate past collision tectonics or may be related or to the passage of the Iceland mantle plume. The origin of the pronounced circum-Atlantic mountain ranges in Norway and eastern Greenland

Full-Tree SKidding Black Spruce: Another Way to Favor Reproduction

Treesearch

William F. Johnston

1975-01-01

An alternative to burning is needed for clearcut peatlands where only slash disposal is required to rapidly reproduce black spruce. A 2-year trial in north-central Minnesota indicates that reproduction will be rapid after full-tree skidding on nonbrushy sites taht have well-distribted sphagnum seedbeds and ample natural seeding. Broadcast burning is still recommended...

Douglas-fir Progeny Testing for Resistance to Western Spruce Budworm

Treesearch

Geral I. McDonald

1983-01-01

Ample evidence exists that inland populations of Douglas-fir suffer varying amounts of defoliation by western spruce budworm (Johnson and Denton 1975; Williams 1967; McDonald 1981). Such variation in plant insect association can be the result of the plant escaping attack in time and place to actual confrontation between plant and insect (Harris 1980). Co-evolved...

Contrasting patterns of genetic diversity and population structure of Armillaria mellea sensu stricto in the eastern and western United States.

PubMed

Baumgartner, Kendra; Travadon, Renaud; Bruhn, Johann; Bergemann, Sarah E

2010-07-01

ABSTRACT Armillaria mellea infects hundreds of plant species in natural and managed ecosystems throughout the Northern hemisphere. Previously reported nuclear genetic divergence between eastern and western U.S. isolates is consistent with the disjunct range of A. mellea in North America, which is restricted mainly to both coasts of the United States. We investigated patterns of population structure and genetic diversity of the eastern (northern and southern Appalachians, Ozarks, and western Great Lakes) and western (Berkeley, Los Angeles, St. Helena, and San Jose, CA) regions of the United States. In total, 156 diploid isolates were genotyped using 12 microsatellite loci. Absence of genetic differentiation within either eastern subpopulations (theta(ST) = -0.002, P = 0.5 ) or western subpopulations (theta(ST) = 0.004, P = 0.3 ) suggests that spore dispersal within each region is sufficient to prevent geographic differentiation. In contrast to the western United States, our finding of more than one genetic cluster of isolates within the eastern United States (K = 3), revealed by Bayesian assignment of multilocus genotypes in STRUCTURE and confirmed by genetic multivariate analyses, suggests that eastern subpopulations are derived from multiple founder sources. The existence of amplifiable and nonamplifiable loci and contrasting patterns of genetic diversity between the two regions demonstrate that there are two geographically isolated, divergent genetic pools of A. mellea in the United States.

Spruce galactoglucomannans inhibit the lipid oxidation in rapeseed oil-in-water emulsions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Oil-in-water emulsions are functional and industrially valuable systems, whose large interfacial area makes them prone to deterioration, due in part to as the oxidation and oligomerization of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Spruce galactoglucomannans (GGM), wood biomacromolecules abundantly available f...

Relative quantification of membrane-associated calcium in red spruce mesophyll cells

Treesearch

Catherine H. Borer; Paul Schaberg; Jonathan R. Cumming

1997-01-01

We describe a method for localizing and comparing relative amounts of plasma membrane-associated calcium ions (mCa) in complex tissues and verify the procedure for mesophyll cells of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) needles. This technique incorporates epifluorescence microscopy using the fluorescent probe chlorotetracycline (CTC) with computer image...

Age and size effects on seed productivity of northern black spruce

Treesearch

J. N. Viglas; C. D. Brown; J. F. Johnstone

2013-01-01

Slow-growing conifers of the northern boreal forest may require several decades to reach reproductive maturity, making them vulnerable to increases in disturbance frequency. Here, we examine the relationship between stand age and seed productivity of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb.) in Yukon Territory and Alaska....

Climate change in Canadian forests: Effect of global warming and CO2 fertilization on natural populations of black and white spruce

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, E. A.; Thomas, S. C.

2007-12-01

Global increases in temperature and atmospheric CO2 concentration are predicted to enhance tree growth in the short term, but studies of current impacts of climate change on Canada's forests are limited. This study examined the effects of increasing temperature and atmospheric CO2 concentration on tree ring growth in west-central Manitoba and northern Ontario, sampling white spruce (Picea glauca) and black spruce (Picea mariana), respectively. Over 50 tree cores from each site were sampled, analysed for ring-width, cross-dated and detrended, generating a ~100 y chronology for each population. We found a positive correlation between ring-width increment and spring temperatures (April-May: p<0.005) in Ontario. In Manitoba, however, we found a negative correlation between summer temperatures (Jul-Aug: p<0.005) and ring-width increment coincident with a positive relationship with summer precipitation (July: p<0.03). We examined the residuals following a regression with temperature for a positive trend over time, which has been interpreted in prior studies as evidence for a CO2 fertilization effect. We detected no such putative CO2 fertilization signal in either spruce population. Our results suggest that temperature-limited lowland black spruce communities may respond positively to moderate warming, but that water-limited upland white spruce communities may suffer from drought stress under high temperature conditions. Neither population appears to benefit from increasing CO2 availability.

Scaling approach of terrestrial carbon cycle over Alaska's black spruce forests: a synthesis of field observation, remote sensing, and ecosystem modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueyama, M.; Date, T.; Harazono, Y.; Ichii, K.

2007-12-01

Spatio-temporal scale up of the eddy covariance data is an important challenge especially in the northern high latitude ecosystems, since continuous ground observations are rarely conducted. In this study, we measured the carbon fluxes at a black spruce forest in interior Alaska, and then scale up the eddy covariance data to spatio- temporal variations in regional carbon budget by using satellite remote sensing data and a process based ecosystem model, Biome-BGC. At point scale, both satellite-based empirical model and Biome-BGC could reproduce seasonal and interannual variations in GPP/RE/NEE. The magnitude of GPP/RE is also consistent among the models. However, spatial patterns in GPP/RE are something different among the models; high productivity in low elevation area is estimated by the satellite-based model whereas insignificant relationship is simulated by Biome-BGC. Long- term satellite records, AVHRR and MODIS, show the gradual decline of NDVI in Alaska's black spruce forests between 1981 and 2006, resulting in a general trend of decreasing GPP/RE for Alaska's black spruce forests. These trends are consistent with the Biome-BGC simulation. The trend of carbon budget is also consistent among the models, where the carbon budget of black spruce forests did not significantly change in the period. The simulated results suggest that the carbon fluxes in black spruce forests could be more sensitive to water availability than air temperature.

Structure and shale gas production patterns from eastern Kentucky field

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shumaker, R.C.

Computer-derived subsurface structure, isopach, and gas-flow maps, based on 4000 drillers logs, have been generated for eastern Kentucky under a project sponsored by the Gas Research Institute. Structure maps show low-relief flextures related to basement structure. Some structures have been mapped at the surface, others have not. Highest final open-flow (fof) of shale gas from wells in Martin County follow a structural low between (basement) anticlines. From there, elevated gas flows (fof) extend westward along the Warfield monocline to Floyd County where the high flow (fof) trend extends southward along the Floyd County channel. In Knott County, the number ofmore » wells with high gas flow (fof) decreases abruptly. The center of highest gas flow (fof) in Floyd County spreads eastward to Pike County, forming a triangular shaped area of high production (fof). The center of highest gas flow (fof) is in an area where possible (basement) structure trends intersect and where low-relief surface folds (probably detached structure) were mapped and shown on the 1922 version of the Floyd County structure map. Modern regional maps, based on geophysical logs from widely spaced wells, do not define the low-relief structures that have been useful in predicting gas flow trends. Detailed maps based on drillers logs can be misleading unless carefully edited. Comparative analysis of high gas flows (fof) and 10-year cumulative production figures in a small area confirms that there is a relationship between gas flow (fof) values and long-term cumulative production.« less

Effects of acid deposition on calcium nutrition and health of Southern Appalachian spruce fir forests

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McLaughlin, S.B.; Wullschleger, S.; Stone, A.

The role of acid deposition in the health of spruce fir forests in the Southern Appalachian Mountains has been investigated by a wide variety of experimental approaches during the past 10 years. These studies have proceeded from initial dendroecological documentation of altered growth patterns of mature trees to increasingly more focused ecophysiological research on the causes and characteristics of changes in system function associated with increased acidic deposition. Field studies across gradients in deposition and soil chemistry have been located on four mountains spanning 85 km of latitude within the Southern Appalachians. The conclusion that calcium nutrition is an importantmore » component regulating health of red spruce in the Southern Appalachians and that acid deposition significantly reduces calcium availability in several ways has emerged as a consistent result from multiple lines or research. These have included analysis of trends in wood chemistry, soil solution chemistry, foliar nutrition, gas exchange physiology, root histochemistry, and controlled laboratory and field studies in which acid deposition and/or calcium nutrition has been manipulated and growth and nutritional status of saplings or mature red spruce trees measured. This earlier research has led us to investigate the broader implications and consequences of calcium deficiency for changing resistance of spruce-fir forests to natural stresses. Current research is exploring possible relationships between altered calcium nutrition and shifts in response of Fraser fir to insect attack by the balsam wooly adelgid. In addition, changes in wood ultrastructural properties in relation to altered wood chemistry is being examined to evaluate its possible role in canopy deterioration, under wind and ice stresses typical of high elevation forests.« less

Monitoring and risk assessment of the spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus

Treesearch

S. Netherer; J. Pennerstorfer; P. Baier; E. Fuhrer; A. Schopf

2003-01-01

A model describing development of the spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus, combines topo-climatic aspects of the terrain with eco-physiological aspects of the bark beetle. By correlating air temperature and solar irradiation measured at a reference station, along with topographic data and microclimatic conditions of terrain plots, topo-climatic...

Toxicity of stabilized and unstabilized pyrethrins applied to western spruce budworm

Treesearch

Robert L. Lyon; Jacqueline L. Robertson

1971-01-01

Stabilized pyrethrins were test in a laboratory spray chamber to provide information for planning field trials of this insecticide against the western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman). No significant differences were found in toxicity to instars 3 to 6. Stabilizers appear to have had no effect on basic contact toxicity. The...

The Quest for Antifeedants for the Spruce Budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)

Treesearch

M.D. Bentley; D.E. Leonard; G.M.  Strunz

1983-01-01

Extracts of non-host plants and selected naturally occurring compounds have been screened for their effects on feeding by spruce budworm larvae, (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), using as diet a filter paper substrate impregnated with the synergistic feeding stimulants, sucrose, and L-proline. The most potent feeding deterrents identified to date...

Volume Comparison of Pine, Spruce, and Aspen Growing Side by Side

Treesearch

David H. Alban

1985-01-01

Red pine produced significantly more volume than the other species on all five sites in the Lake States. By age 40 to 50 white spruce was second to red pine and beyond this age it is expected that these two species will increase their lead over the other especies even more.

Peroral bioassay of nucleopolyhedrosis viruses in larvae of western spruce budworm.

Treesearch

Mauro E. Martignoni; Paul J. Iwai

1981-01-01

The relative virulence of entomopathogenic viruses and the potency of virus preparations for control of destructive insects can be estimated reliably only by means of biological assay in the target species. A simple, yet sensitive peroral bioassay procedure is described for preparations of nucleopolyhedrosis viruses pathogenic for the western spruce budworm, ...

The surprising recovery of red spruce growth shows links to decreased acid deposition and elevated temperature.

PubMed

Kosiba, Alexandra M; Schaberg, Paul G; Rayback, Shelly A; Hawley, Gary J

2018-10-01

Following growth declines and increased mortality linked to acid deposition-induced calcium depletion, red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) in the northeastern United States are experiencing a recovery. We found that more than 75% of red spruce trees and 90% of the plots examined in this study exhibited increasing growth since 2001. To understand this change, we assessed the relationship between red spruce radial growth and factors that may influence growth: tree age and diameter, stand dynamics, plot characteristics (elevation, slope, aspect, geographical position), and a suite of environmental variables (temperature, precipitation, climate and precipitation indices (degree days, SPEI [standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index], and acid deposition [SO 4 2- , NO 3 - , pH of rainfall, cation:anion ratio of rainfall]) for 52 plots (658 trees) from five states (spanning 2.5°N × 5°W). Examining the growth relationships from 1925 to 2012, we found that while there was variability in response to climate and acid deposition (limited to 1980-2012) by elevation and location, plot and tree factors did not adequately explain growth. Higher temperatures outside the traditional growing season (e.g., fall, winter, and spring) were related to increased growth. Nitrogen deposition (1980-2012) was associated with lower growth, but the strength of this relationship has lessened over time. Overall, we predict sustained favorable conditions for red spruce in the near term as acid deposition continues to decline and non-traditional growing season (fall through spring) temperatures moderate, provided that overall temperatures and precipitation remain adequate for growth. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Near real time/low latency data collection for climate warming manipulations and an elevated CO2 SPRUCE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krassovski, M.; Hanson, P. J.; Riggs, J. S.; Nettles, W. R., IV

2017-12-01

Climate change studies are one of the most important aspects of modern science and related experiments are getting bigger and more complex. One such experiment is the Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Climatic and Environmental Change experiment (SPRUCE, http://mnspruce.ornl.gov) conducted in in northern Minnesota, 40 km north of Grand Rapids, in the USDA Forest Service Marcell Experimental Forest (MEF). The SPRUCE experimental mission is to assess ecosystem-level biological responses of vulnerable, high carbon terrestrial ecosystems to a range of climate warming manipulations and an elevated CO2 atmosphere. This manipulation experiment generates a lot of observational data and requires a reliable onsite data collection system, dependable methods to transfer data to a robust scientific facility, and real-time monitoring capabilities. This presentation shares our experience of establishing near real time/low latency data collection and monitoring system using satellite communication.

Integrated management of little spruce sawfly (Pristiphora abietina): design pattern

Treesearch

J. Holusa; K. Drapela

2003-01-01

This paper presents the design of a regulation model of the little spruce sawfly that is based on monitoring of defoliation. This method is based on the assessment of the percentage of defoliation of each whorl from ca. 100+ trees, beginning from the top and using four classes of defoliation. The critical value influencing the height of current increment of trees is...

Conservation of element concentration in xylem sap of red spruce

Treesearch

Kevin T. Smith; Walter C. Shortle

2001-01-01

We investigated the chemistry of xylem sap as a marker of red spruce metabolism and soil chemistry at three locations in northern New England. A Scholander pressure chamber was used to extract xylem sap from roots and branches cut from mature trees in early June and September. Root sap contained significantly greater concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, Mn, and A1 than branch...

Midwinter dehardening of montane red spruce during a natural thaw

Treesearch

G.R. Strimbeck; P.G. Schaberg; D.H. DeHayes; J.B. Shane; G.J. Hawley

1995-01-01

We documented 3 to 14°C of dehardening in current-year foliage of 10 mature, montane red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) trees during a natural thaw from 12 to 21 January 1995. Mean cold tolerance was about -47°C before the onset of thaw conditions, and individuals ranged from -38 to -52°C. After 3 days of thaw, mean cold...

Photosynthesis in Norway spruce seedlings infected by the needle rust Chrysomyxa rhododendri.

PubMed

Bauer, Helmut; Plattner, Karin; Volgger, Waltraud

2000-02-01

Chrysomyxa rhododendri (DC.) De Bary is a needle rust with a host shift between Rhododendron sp. and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), penetrating only the new developing flushes of the conifer. Because little is known about its effects on trees, we investigated several parameters related to photosynthesis in artificially infected 3-year-old Norway spruce seedlings. The potential efficiency of photosystem II (PSII; derived from chlorophyll fluorescence measurements) was reduced in infected current-year needles as soon as disease symptoms were visible, about three weeks after inoculation. Two weeks later, photosynthetic O(2) evolution (P(max)) of infected needles was less than 20% of control needles, whereas respiratory O(2) uptake (R(D)) was about three times higher than that of control needles. Nonstructural carbohydrate concentrations were about 60% of control values in all parts of the shoots of infected trees. Photosynthetic inhibition was associated with marked decreases in chlorophyll concentration and chlorophyll a/b ratio but only a small reduction in carotenoid concentration. In infected trees, P(max) of noninfected 1-year-old and 2-year-old needles was 50 and 80% higher than in the corresponding age class of needles of control trees. Estimation of potential daily net dry mass production, based on P(max), R(D), specific leaf area, carbon content and needle biomass, indicated that seedlings infected once were able to produce 60%, and those infected twice only 25%, of the dry mass of controls. We conclude that afforestation and regeneration of Norway spruce is seriously impaired in regions where seedlings are frequently attacked by Chrysomyxa.

Uppermost mantle structure beneath eastern China and its surroundings from Pn and Sn tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Weijia; Kennett, B. L. N.

2016-04-01

The Pn and Sn residuals from regional events provide strong constraints on the structure and lithological characteristics of the uppermost mantle beneath eastern China and its surroundings. With the dense Chinese Digital Seismic Network in eastern China, separate Pn and Sn tomographic inversions have been exploited to obtain P and S velocities at a resolution of 2° × 2° or better. The patterns of P velocities are quite consistent with the S velocities at depth of 50 and 60 km, but the amplitude of P wave speed anomalies are a little larger than those of S wave speed. The low P wave speed, high S wave speed, and low Vp/Vs ratio beneath the northern part of Ordos Basin are related to upwelling hot material. Abrupt changes in material properties are indicated from the rapid variations in the Vp/Vs ratio.

Effect of bark beetle (Ips typographus L.) attack on bark VOC emissions of Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) trees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghimire, Rajendra P.; Kivimäenpää, Minna; Blomqvist, Minna; Holopainen, Toini; Lyytikäinen-Saarenmaa, Päivi; Holopainen, Jarmo K.

2016-02-01

Climate warming driven storms are evident causes for an outbreak of the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus L.) resulting in the serious destruction of mature Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) forests in northern Europe. Conifer species are major sources of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in the boreal zone. Climate relevant BVOC emissions are expected to increase when conifer trees defend against bark beetle attack by monoterpene (MT)-rich resin flow. In this study, BVOC emission rates from the bark surface of beetle-attacked and non-attacked spruce trees were measured from two outbreak areas, Iitti and Lahti in southern Finland, and from one control site at Kuopio in central Finland. Beetle attack increased emissions of total MTs 20-fold at Iitti compared to Kuopio, but decreased the emissions of several sesquiterpenes (SQTs) at Iitti. At the Lahti site, the emission rate of α-pinene was positively correlated with mean trap catch of bark beetles. The responsive individual MTs were tricyclene, α-pinene, camphene, myrcene, limonene, 1,8-cineole and bornyl acetate in both of the outbreak areas. Our results suggest that bark beetle outbreaks affect local BVOC emissions from conifer forests dominated by Norway spruce. Therefore, the impacts of insect outbreaks are worth of consideration to global BVOC emission models.

Interspecific Plant Interactions Reflected in Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Nitrogen Cycling in Primary Succession

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Knelman, Joseph E.; Graham, Emily B.; Prevéy, Janet S.

Past research demonstrating the importance plant-microbe interactions as drivers of ecosystem succession has focused on how plants condition soil microbial communities, impacting subsequent plant performance and successional trajectories in plant community assembly. These studies, however, largely treat microbial communities as a black box. In this study we sought to examine how emblematic shifts from early-successional Alnus sinuata (alder) to late successional Picea sitchensis (spruce) in primary succession may be reflected in specific belowground changes in bacterial community structure and nitrogen cycling related to the interaction of these two plants. We examined early successional alder-conditioned soils in a glacial forefield tomore » delineate how alders alter the soil microbial community with increasing dominance. Further, we assessed the impact of late-successional spruce plants on these early-successional alder-conditioned microbiomes and related nitrogen cycling through a leachate addition microcosm experiment. We show how increasingly abundant alder select for particular bacterial taxa. Additionally, we found that spruce leachate drives shifts in the relative abundance of major taxa of bacteria in alder-influenced soils, including declines in those that are enriched by alder. We found these effects to be spruce-specific, beyond a general leachate effect. Our work also demonstrates a unique influence of spruce on ammonium availability. Our results show that spruce leachate addition more strongly structures bacterial communities than alders (less dispersion in bacterial community beta diversity). Such insights bolster theory relating the importance of plant-microbe interactions with late-successional plants and interspecific plant interactions more generally.« less

Western Spruce Budworm Consumption-Effects of Host Species and Foliage Chemistry

Treesearch

Michael R. Wagner; Elizabeth A.  Blake

1983-01-01

Feeding efficiencies and growth rates of western spruce budworm larvae varied among hosts tested. Pupae attained normal size regardless of host species. Candidate defensive compounds (tannins and phenols) varied only slightly with the vigor of the host. The relationship between these defensive compounds and measures of larvae growth were not entirely consistent with...

Physiological changes in red spruce seedlings during a simulated winter thaw

Treesearch

P.G. Schaberg; J.B. Shane; G.J. Hawley; G.R. Strimbeck; D.H. DeHayes; P.F. Cali; J.R. Donnelly

1996-01-01

We evaluated net photosynthesis, respiration, leaf conductance, xylem pressure potential (XPP) and cold hardiness in red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) seedlings exposed to either a continuous thaw (CT) or a daytime thaw with freezing nights (FN) for 8 days during mid-winter. Physiological differences between CT and FN seedlings were evident for all...

Genetic variation in blue spruce: A test of populations in Nebraska

Treesearch

David F. Van Haverbeke

1984-01-01

Analyses of 43 blue spruce populations at age 12 (9 years in the field) revealed significant differences among populations for survival, height, vigor, crown diameter, frost injury, and foliage color. Use of regions increases the probability of locating better seeds sources, but high variability among individual populations within regions limits their value in...

Effects of fire on the thermal stability of permafrost in lowland and upland black spruce forests of interior Alaska in a changing climate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jafarov, Elchin E.; Romanovsky, Vladimir E.; Genet, Helene; McGuire, Anthony David; Marchenko, Sergey S.

2013-01-01

Fire is an important factor controlling the composition and thickness of the organic layer in the black spruce forest ecosystems of interior Alaska. Fire that burns the organic layer can trigger dramatic changes in the underlying permafrost, leading to accelerated ground thawing within a relatively short time. In this study, we addressed the following questions. (1) Which factors determine post-fire ground temperature dynamics in lowland and upland black spruce forests? (2) What levels of burn severity will cause irreversible permafrost degradation in these ecosystems? We evaluated these questions in a transient modeling–sensitivity analysis framework to assess the sensitivity of permafrost to climate, burn severity, soil organic layer thickness, and soil moisture content in lowland (with thick organic layers, ~80 cm) and upland (with thin organic layers, ~30 cm) black spruce ecosystems. The results indicate that climate warming accompanied by fire disturbance could significantly accelerate permafrost degradation. In upland black spruce forest, permafrost could completely degrade in an 18 m soil column within 120 years of a severe fire in an unchanging climate. In contrast, in a lowland black spruce forest, permafrost is more resilient to disturbance and can persist under a combination of moderate burn severity and climate warming.

Fine root biomass in relation to site and stand characteristics in Norway spruce and Scots pine stands.

PubMed

Helmisaari, Heljä-Sisko; Derome, John; Nöjd, Pekka; Kukkola, Mikko

2007-10-01

Variations in fine root biomass of trees and understory in 16 stands throughout Finland were examined and relationships to site and stand characteristics determined. Norway spruce fine root biomass varied between 184 and 370 g m(-2), and that of Scots pine ranged between 149 and 386 g m(-2). In northern Finland, understory roots and rhizomes (< 2 mm diameter) accounted for up to 50% of the stand total fine root biomass. Therefore, the fine root biomass of trees plus understory was larger in northern Finland in stands of both tree species, resulting in a negative relationship between fine root biomass and the temperature sum and a positive relationship between fine root biomass and the carbon:nitrogen ratio of the soil organic layer. The foliage:fine root ratio varied between 2.1 and 6.4 for Norway spruce and between 0.8 and 2.2 for Scots pine. The ratio decreased for both Norway spruce and Scots pine from south to north, as well as from fertile to more infertile site types. The foliage:fine root ratio of Norway spruce was related to basal area and stem surface area. The strong positive correlations of these three parameters with fine root nitrogen concentration implies that more fine roots are needed to maintain a certain amount of foliage when nutrient availability is low. No significant relationships were found between stand parameters and fine root biomass at the stand level, but the relationships considerably improved when both fine root biomass and stand parameters were calculated for the mean tree in the stand. When the northern and southern sites were analyzed separately, fine root biomass per tree of both species was significantly correlated with basal area and stem surface area per tree. Basal area, stem surface area and stand density can be estimated accurately and easily. Thus, our results may have value in predicting fine root biomass at the tree and stand level in boreal Norway spruce and Scots pine forests.

White Pine Weevil

Treesearch

Abdul Hamid; Thomas M. O' Dell; Steven Katovich

1995-01-01

The white pine weevil - Pissodes strobi (Peck) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) - is a native insect attacking eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.). The latest cytogenetic and breeding studies indicate that two other North American pine weevil species - the Sitka spruce weevil and the Engelmann spruce weevil-also should be classified as Pissodes strobi. The present...

Climate-diameter growth relationships of black spruce and jack pine trees in boreal Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Subedi, Nirmal; Sharma, Mahadev

2013-02-01

To predict the long-term effects of climate change - global warming and changes in precipitation - on the diameter (radial) growth of jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) trees in boreal Ontario, we modified an existing diameter growth model to include climate variables. Diameter chronologies of 927 jack pine and 1173 black spruce trees, growing in the area from 47°N to 50°N and 80°W to 92°W, were used to develop diameter growth models in a nonlinear mixed-effects approach. Our results showed that the variables long-term average of mean growing season temperature, precipitation during wettest quarter, and total precipitation during growing season were significant (alpha = 0.05) in explaining variation in diameter growth of the sample trees. Model results indicated that higher temperatures during the growing season would increase the diameter growth of jack pine trees, but decrease that of black spruce trees. More precipitation during the wettest quarter would favor the diameter growth of both species. On the other hand, a wetter growing season, which may decrease radiation inputs, increase nutrient leaching, and reduce the decomposition rate, would reduce the diameter growth of both species. Moreover, our results indicated that future (2041-2070) diameter growth rate may differ from current (1971-2000) growth rates for both species, with conditions being more favorable for jack pine than black spruce trees. Expected future changes in the growth rate of boreal trees need to be considered in forest management decisions. We recommend that knowledge of climate-growth relationships, as represented by models, be combined with learning from adaptive management to reduce the risks and uncertainties associated with forest management decisions. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Coherent structures and trace gases fluxes and concentrations in and above a heterogeneous spruce forest (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foken, T.

2013-12-01

Near the FLUXNET site DE-Bay (Waldstein-Weidenbrunnen) three intensive measuring periods took place in 2007, 2008, and 2011 within the EGER project (ExchanGE processes in mountainous Regions). The main focus of all three experiments was the investigation of turbulent structures and their influence on the energy exchange and trace gas fluxes as well as trace gas reactions. Due to a tornado-like storm event an approximately 300 m long forest edge between a 25 m high spruce forest and a clearing was generated about 150 m south of the DE-Bay site. The investigation of processes at these forest edge was the main issue of the 2011 experiment. A main topic of all experiments was the investigation of the coupling between the atmosphere, the crowns and the trunk space as well as the horizontal coupling. This coupling algorithm is based on the analysis of coherent structures at three levels. While a complete coupling was only observed during daytime, at night well-coupled events were found in connection with low-level jets. The change of inert (CO2) or reactive (O3, NO, NO2, HONO) trace gas concentration could be explained with the coupling situation. It was also found that at the forest edge, coherent structures contribute less to total turbulent flux than within the forest. Accordingly, these coherent motions do not ensure that there is better vertical coupling between the forest stand and the overlying atmosphere at the forest edge. The relative contributions of sweeps and ejections to coherent flux reveal that there might be even larger circulations that cause better ventilation at the forest edge. Ejections dominate during the daytime, whereas sweeps contribute more during nighttime. Thus, there is systematic outflow during the daytime and inflow of fresh air directly at the forest edge during the nighttime. To underline these findings perpendicular to the edge, a mobile measuring system investigated the horizontal gradients of temperature, moisture, radiation, carbon

Wood variables affecting the friction coefficient of spruce pine on steel

Treesearch

Truett J. Lemoine; Charles W. McMillin; Floyd G. Manwiller

1970-01-01

Wood of spruce pine, Pinus glabra Walk., was factorially segregated by moisture content (0, 10, and 18 percent), specific gravity (less than 0.45 and more than 0.45), and extractive content (unextracted and extractive-freE), and the kinetic coefficient of friction on steel (having surface roughness of 9 microinches RMS) determined for tangential...

Evaluation of blown down Alaska spruce and hemlock trees for pulp.

Treesearch

Donald J. Fahey; James M. Cahill

1983-01-01

Chips from Alaska hemlock and spruce trees blown down more than 10 years produced usable grades of viscose pulp. Yields of pulp from both species were about 2 percent lower for blowdown material than for control trees. Ash content was slightly higher in the pulp manufactured from blowdown timber than in pulp from control trees.

Multipartite Symbioses Among Fungi, Mites, Nematodes, and the Spruce Beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis.

Treesearch

Yasmin Cardoza; John Moser; Kier Klepzizg; Raffa Kenneth

2008-01-01

The spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis, is an eruptive forest pest of signifcant economic and ecological importance. D. rufipennis has symbiotic associations with a number of microorganisms, especially the ophiostomatoid fungus Leptographium abietinum. The nature of this interaction is only partially understood. Additionally, mite and nematode associates can...

Electromagnetic characterization of white spruce at different moisture contents using synthetic aperture radar imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingemi, Christopher M.; Owusu Twumasi, Jones; Yu, Tzuyang

2018-03-01

Detection and quantification of moisture content inside wood (timber) is key to ensuring safety and reliability of timber structures. Moisture inside wood attracts insects and fosters the development of fungi to attack the timber, causing significant damages and reducing the load bearing capacity during their design life. The use of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques (e.g., microwave/radar, ultrasonic, stress wave, and X-ray) for condition assessment of timber structures is a good choice. NDE techniques provide information about the level of deterioration and material properties of timber structures without obstructing their functionality. In this study, microwave/radar NDE technique was selected for the characterization of wood at different moisture contents. A 12 in-by-3.5 in-by-1.5 in. white spruce specimen (picea glauca) was imaged at different moisture contents using a 10 GHz synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor inside an anechoic chamber. The presence of moisture was found to increase the SAR image amplitude as expected. Additionally, integrated SAR amplitude was found beneficial in modeling the moisture content inside the wood specimen.

5. View from northwest corner, Spruce Street. Photo shows the ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. View from northwest corner, Spruce Street. Photo shows the elevation of Buildings #6 and #1. Doors in the center of the buildings provide a passageway to the interior courtyard of the complex between Buildings #6, #5, #3, and #1. The photo illustrates the pilaster and corbeling of the walls. The photo also shows the coal hopper. - Merrill Silk Mill, 233 Canisteo Street, Hornell, Steuben County, NY

Intermediate-scale community-level flux of CO2 and CH4 in a Minnesota peatland: putting the SPRUCE project in a global context

Treesearch

P. J. Hanson; A. L. Gill; X. Xu; J. R. Phillips; D. J. Weston; Randy Kolka; J. S. Riggs; L. A. Hook

2016-01-01

Peatland measurements of CO2 and CH4 flux were obtained at scales appropriate to the in situ biological community below the tree layer to demonstrate representativeness of the spruce and peatland responses under climatic and environmental change (SPRUCE) experiment. Surface flux measurements were made using dual open-path...

Impacts of fire on non-native plant recruitment in black spruce forests of interior Alaska.

PubMed

Walker, Xanthe J; Frey, Matthew D; Conway, Alexandra J; Jean, Mélanie; Johnstone, Jill F

2017-01-01

Climate change is expected to increase the extent and severity of wildfires throughout the boreal forest. Historically, black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) forests in interior Alaska have been relatively free of non-native species, but the compounding effects of climate change and an altered fire regime could facilitate the expansion of non-native plants. We tested the effects of wildfire on non-native plant colonization by conducting a seeding experiment of non-native plants on different substrate types in a burned black spruce forest, and surveying for non-native plants in recently burned and mature black spruce forests. We found few non-native plants in burned or mature forests, despite their high roadside presence, although invasion of some burned sites by dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) indicated the potential for non-native plants to move into burned forest. Experimental germination rates were significantly higher on mineral soil compared to organic soil, indicating that severe fires that combust much of the organic layer could increase the potential for non-native plant colonization. We conclude that fire disturbances that remove the organic layer could facilitate the invasion of non-native plants providing there is a viable seed source and dispersal vector.

Increased spruce tree growth in Central Europe since 1960s.

PubMed

Cienciala, Emil; Altman, Jan; Doležal, Jiří; Kopáček, Jiří; Štěpánek, Petr; Ståhl, Göran; Tumajer, Jan

2018-04-01

Tree growth response to recent environmental changes is of key interest for forest ecology. This study addressed the following questions with respect to Norway spruce (Picea abies, L. Karst.) in Central Europe: Has tree growth accelerated during the last five decades? What are the main environmental drivers of the observed tree radial stem growth and how much variability can be explained by them? Using a nationwide dendrochronological sampling of Norway spruce in the Czech Republic (1246 trees, 266 plots), novel regional tree-ring width chronologies for 40(±10)- and 60(±10)-year old trees were assembled, averaged across three elevation zones (break points at 500 and 700m). Correspondingly averaged drivers, including temperature, precipitation, nitrogen (N) deposition and ambient CO 2 concentration, were used in a general linear model (GLM) to analyze the contribution of these in explaining tree ring width variability for the period from 1961 to 2013. Spruce tree radial stem growth responded strongly to the changing environment in Central Europe during the period, with a mean tree ring width increase of 24 and 32% for the 40- and 60-year old trees, respectively. The indicative General Linear Model analysis identified CO 2 , precipitation during the vegetation season, spring air temperature (March-May) and N-deposition as the significant covariates of growth, with the latter including interactions with elevation zones. The regression models explained 57% and 55% of the variability in the two tree ring width chronologies, respectively. Growth response to N-deposition showed the highest variability along the elevation gradient with growth stimulation/limitation at sites below/above 700m. A strong sensitivity of stem growth to CO 2 was also indicated, suggesting that the effect of rising ambient CO 2 concentration (direct or indirect by increased water use efficiency) should be considered in analyses of long-term growth together with climatic factors and N

Field studies of pine, spruce and aspen periodically subjected to sulfur gas emissions

Treesearch

A. H. Legge; R. G. Amundson; D. R. Jaques; R. B. Walker

1976-01-01

Field studies of photosynthesis in Pinus contorta/Pinus banksiana (lodgepole pine/jack pine) hybrids, Picea glauca (white spruce) and Populus tremuloides (aspen) subjected to SO2 and H2S from a nearby natural gas processing plant were initiated near Whitecourt,...

Winter photosynthesis in red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.): limitations, potential benefits, and risks

Treesearch

P.G. Schaberg

2000-01-01

Numerous cold-induced changes in physiology limit the capacity of northern conifers to photosynthesize during winter. Studies of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) have shown that rates of field photosynthesis (Pfield) and laboratory measurements of photosynthetic capacity (Pmax) generally parallel seasonal...

Flower production on clonal orchards at Oconto River Seed Orchard in Wisconsin

Treesearch

J.G. Murphy; R.G. Miller

1977-01-01

The Eastern Region, USDA Forest Service has been establishing and managing seed orchards to produce improved seed for the National Forests in the Lake States since 1969. This paper presents a review of the female flower production for the past 4 years in the white pine, white spruce, and black spruce clonal seed orchards.

Sampling western spruce budworm by counting larvae on lower crown branches.

Treesearch

R.R. Mason; B.E. Wickman; H.G. Paul

1989-01-01

A technique is described for sampling spruce budworm larvae after bud flush by nondestructively beating branches in the lower crown. Sample data were collected from 32 plots representing a wide range of budworm densities. Statistical analyses indicated that larvae were less aggregated in the lower crown than at the same density in the middle crown. In an independent...

Nitrogen saturation in a high elevation New England spruce-fir stand

Treesearch

Steven G. McNulty; John D. Aber; Steven D. Newman

1994-01-01

High rates of nitrogen (N) deposition were first postulated as a cause of N saturation (i.e. the availability of NH-N and NO3-N in excess of total combined plant and microbial nutritional demand) and spruce mortality during the1980s. To test this hypothesis, N addition plots were established in 1988, in a high elevation...

Dispersal of white spruce seed on Willow Island in interior Alaska.

Treesearch

Andrew Youngblood; Timothy A. Max

1992-01-01

The seasonal and spatial patterns of dispersal of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) seed were studied from 1986 to 1989 in floodplain stands along the Tanana River near Fairbanks, Alaska. Analysis of the 1987 crop showed that production of filled seed was strongly related to estimated production of total seed and unrelated to selected stand...

Mannanase hydrolysis of spruce galactoglucomannan focusing on the influence of acetylation on enzymatic mannan degradation.

PubMed

Arnling Bååth, Jenny; Martínez-Abad, Antonio; Berglund, Jennie; Larsbrink, Johan; Vilaplana, Francisco; Olsson, Lisbeth

2018-01-01

Galactoglucomannan (GGM) is the most abundant hemicellulose in softwood, and consists of a backbone of mannose and glucose units, decorated with galactose and acetyl moieties. GGM can be hydrolyzed into fermentable sugars, or used as a polymer in films, gels, and food additives. Endo -β-mannanases, which can be found in the glycoside hydrolase families 5 and 26, specifically cleave the mannan backbone of GGM into shorter oligosaccharides. Information on the activity and specificity of different mannanases on complex and acetylated substrates is still lacking. The aim of this work was to evaluate and compare the modes of action of two mannanases from Cellvibrio japonicus ( Cj Man5A and Cj Man26A) on a variety of mannan substrates, naturally and chemically acetylated to varying degrees, including naturally acetylated spruce GGM. Both enzymes were evaluated in terms of cleavage patterns and their ability to accommodate acetyl substitutions. Cj Man5A and Cj Man26A demonstrated different substrate preferences on mannan substrates with distinct backbone and decoration structures. Cj Man5A action resulted in higher amounts of mannotriose and mannotetraose than that of Cj Man26A, which mainly generated mannose and mannobiose as end products. Mass spectrometric analysis of products from the enzymatic hydrolysis of spruce GGM revealed that an acetylated hexotriose was the shortest acetylated oligosaccharide produced by Cj Man5A, whereas Cj Man26A generated acetylated hexobiose as well as diacetylated oligosaccharides. A low degree of native acetylation did not significantly inhibit the enzymatic action. However, a high degree of chemical acetylation resulted in decreased hydrolyzability of mannan substrates, where reduced substrate solubility seemed to reduce enzyme activity. Our findings demonstrate that the two mannanases from C. japonicus have different cleavage patterns on linear and decorated mannan polysaccharides, including the abundant and industrially important

A comparison of the status of spruce in high-elevation forests on public and private land in the southern and central Appalachian Mountains

Treesearch

Randall S. Morin; Richard H. Widmann

2010-01-01

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) is the most important component of the high-elevation forest ecosystems of the southern and central Appalachian Mountains. These communities are characterized by mixed hardwood/coniferous forests often with overstory dominance by red spruce. Due to their restricted geographic and elevation ranges, all community types...

The influence of fire on lepidopteran abundance and community structure in forested habitats of eastern Texas

Treesearch

D. Craig Rudolph; Charles A. Ely

2000-01-01

Transect surveys were used to examine the influence of fire on lepidopteran communities (Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea) in forested habitats in eastern Texas. Lepidopteran abundance was greater in pine forests where prescribed fire maintained an open mid- and understory compared to forests where fire had less impact on forest structure. Ahundance of nectar sources...

Non-functional plastid ndh gene fragments are present in the nuclear genome of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karsch): insights from in silico analysis of nuclear and organellar genomes.

PubMed

Ranade, Sonali Sachin; García-Gil, María Rosario; Rosselló, Josep A

2016-04-01

Many genes have been lost from the prokaryote plastidial genome during the early events of endosymbiosis in eukaryotes. Some of them were definitively lost, but others were relocated and functionally integrated to the host nuclear genomes through serial events of gene transfer during plant evolution. In gymnosperms, plastid genome sequencing has revealed the loss of ndh genes from several species of Gnetales and Pinaceae, including Norway spruce (Picea abies). This study aims to trace the ndh genes in the nuclear and organellar Norway spruce genomes. The plastid genomes of higher plants contain 11 ndh genes which are homologues of mitochondrial genes encoding subunits of the proton-pumping NADH-dehydrogenase (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase) or complex I (electron transport chain). Ndh genes encode 11 NDH polypeptides forming the Ndh complex (analogous to complex I) which seems to be primarily involved in chloro-respiration processes. We considered ndh genes from the plastidial genome of four gymnosperms (Cryptomeria japonica, Cycas revoluta, Ginkgo biloba, Podocarpus totara) and a single angiosperm species (Arabidopsis thaliana) to trace putative homologs in the nuclear and organellar Norway spruce genomes using tBLASTn to assess the evolutionary fate of ndh genes in Norway spruce and to address their genomic location(s), structure, integrity and functionality. The results obtained from tBLASTn were subsequently analyzed by performing homology search for finding ndh specific conserved domains using conserved domain search. We report the presence of non-functional plastid ndh gene fragments, excepting ndhE and ndhG genes, in the nuclear genome of Norway spruce. Regulatory transcriptional elements like promoters, TATA boxes and enhancers were detected in the upstream regions of some ndh fragments. We also found transposable elements in the flanking regions of few ndh fragments suggesting nuclear rearrangements in those regions. These evidences

Cresting the wave: proper motions of the Eastern Banded Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deason, Alis J.; Belokurov, Vasily; Koposov, Sergey E.

2018-01-01

We study the kinematic properties of the Eastern Banded Structure (EBS) and Hydra I overdensity using exquisite proper motions derived from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and Gaia source catalogue. Main sequence turn-off stars in the vicinity of the EBS are identified from SDSS photometry; we use the proper motions and, where applicable, spectroscopic measurements of these stars to probe the kinematics of this apparent stream. We find that the EBS and Hydra I share common kinematic and chemical properties with the nearby Monoceros Ring. In particular, the proper motions of the EBS, like Monoceros, are indicative of prograde rotation (Vϕ ∼ 180-220 km s-1), which is similar to the Galactic thick disc. The kinematic structure of stars in the vicinity of the EBS suggests that it is not a distinct stellar stream, but rather marks the 'edge' of the Monoceros Ring. The EBS and Hydra I are the latest substructures to be linked with Monoceros, leaving the Galactic anti-centre a mess of interlinked overdensities which likely share a unified, Galactic disc origin.

SOIL CO2 EFFLUX FROM ISOTOPICALLY LABELED BEECH AND SPRUCE IN SOUTHERN GERMANY

EPA Science Inventory

• Carbon acquisition and transport to roots in forest trees is difficult to quantify and is affected by a number of factors, including micrometeorology and anthropogenic stresses. The canopies of mature European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) were expose...

Effect of species composition on carbon and nitrogen stocks in forest floor and mineral soil in Norway spruce and European beech mixed forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andivia, Enrique; Rolo, Víctor; Jonard, Mathieu; Formánek, Pavel; Ponette, Quentin

2015-04-01

Management of existing forests has been identified as the main strategy to enhance carbon sequestration and to mitigate the impact of climate change on forest ecosystems. In this direction, the conversion of Norway spruce monospecific stands into mixed stands by intermingling individuals of European beech is an ongoing trend in adaptive forest management strategies, especially in Central Europe. However, studies assessing the effect of changes in tree species composition on soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen stocks are still scarce and there is a lack of scientific evidence supporting tree species selection as a feasible management option to mitigate the effects of predicted future climatic scenarios. We compared C and N stocks in the forest floor (litter and humus) and the top 10 cm of mineral soil in two monospecific stands of Norway spruce and European beech and in a mixed stand of both species. The effect of tree species composition on the C and N stocks and its spatial distribution was evaluated based on litterfall, root production, elevation and canopy opening, and by using a combination of modelling and geostatistical techniques. C stock was highest in the Norway spruce and the mixed stands, while N stock was highest in the mixed stand and lowest under European beech, with intermediate values in the Norway spruce stand. Each forest type showed differences in forest floor properties, suggesting that species composition is an important factor governing forest floor characteristics, including C and N stocks. The distribution of C and N stocks between forest soil layers was different for each forest type. C and N stocks were highest in the hummus layer under Norway spruce, whereas both stocks were lowest in the European beech stand. On the other hand, the mixed stand showed the highest C and N accumulation in the uppermost mineral soil layer, while the monospecific stands showed similar values. Litterfall was the main contribution to C and N stocks of the

Green leaf volatiles disrupt responses by the spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis, and the western pine beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) to attractant-baited traps

Treesearch

Therese M. Poland; J. H. Borden; A. J. Stock; L. J. Chong

1998-01-01

We tested the hypothesis that green leaf volatiles (GLVs) disrupt the response of spruce beetles, Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby, and western pine beetles, Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte, to attraetant-baited traps. Two green leaf aldehydes, hexanal and (E)-2-hexenal, reduced the number of spruce beetles captured...

Geologic framework, structure, and hydrogeologic characteristics of the Knippa Gap area in eastern Uvalde and western Medina Counties, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Allan K.; Pedraza, Diana E.; Morris, Robert R.

2013-01-01

By using data that were compiled and collected for this study and previous studies, a revised map was constructed depicting the geologic framework, structure, and hydrogeologic characteristics of the Knippa Gap area in eastern Uvalde and western Medina Counties, Tex. The map also shows the interpreted structural dip directions and interpreted location of a structural low (trough) in the area known as the Knippa Gap.

Silvicultural potential for pre-comercial treatment in northern forest type

Treesearch

H. W.,Jr Hocker

1977-01-01

It is proposed that pre-commercial thinning of young northern hardwood, oak, white pine and spruce-fir stands be carried out using appropriate stocking guides to regulate stand density. Thinning should be carried out when stands are-between 1" and 2" dbh. Pruning of eastern white pine is recommended, while pruning of spruce and yellow birch seems feasible,...

Effects of forest disturbance and soil depth on digestible energy for moose and white-tailed deer

Treesearch

Hewlette S. Crawford; R. A. Lautenschlager; Martin R. Stokes; Timothy L. Stone

1993-01-01

Spruce budworm defoliation, clearcutting for salvage, and prescribed burning of clearcut areas on deep and shallow soils influenced deer and moose foraging in eastern Maine spruce-fir forests from 1980 to 1984. Plant standing crop biomass, seasonal plant selection by tractable moose and white-tailed deer, and digestible energy for deer and moose were determined for...

Silver fir and Douglas fir are more tolerant to extreme droughts than Norway spruce in south-western Germany.

PubMed

Vitali, Valentina; Büntgen, Ulf; Bauhus, Jürgen

2017-12-01

Improving our understanding of the potential of forest adaptation is an urgent task in the light of predicted climate change. Long-term alternatives for susceptible yet economically important tree species such as Norway spruce (Picea abies) are required, if the frequency and intensity of summer droughts will continue to increase. Although Silver fir (Abies alba) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) have both been described as drought-tolerant species, our understanding of their growth responses to drought extremes is still limited. Here, we use a dendroecological approach to assess the resistance, resilience, and recovery of these important central Europe to conifer species the exceptional droughts in 1976 and 2003. A total of 270 trees per species were sampled in 18 managed mixed-species stands along an altitudinal gradient (400-1200 m a.s.l.) at the western slopes of the southern and central Black Forest in southwest Germany. While radial growth in all species responded similarly to the 1976 drought, Norway spruce was least resistant and resilient to the 2003 summer drought. Silver fir showed the overall highest resistance to drought, similarly to Douglas fir, which exhibited the widest growth rings. Silver fir trees from lower elevations were more drought prone than trees at higher elevations. Douglas fir and Norway spruce, however, revealed lower drought resilience at higher altitudes. Although the 1976 and 2003 drought extremes were quite different, Douglas fir maintained consistently the highest radial growth. Although our study did not examine population-level responses, it clearly indicates that Silver fir and Douglas fir are generally more resistant and resilient to previous drought extremes and are therefore suitable alternatives to Norway spruce; Silver fir more so at higher altitudes. Cultivating these species instead of Norway spruce will contribute to maintaining a high level of productivity across many Central European mountain forests under

Contribution of black spruce (Picea mariana) transpiration to growing season evapotranspiration in a subarctic discontinuous permafrost peatland complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helbig, M.; Warren, R. K.; Pappas, C.; Sonnentag, O.; Berg, A. A.; Chasmer, L.; Baltzer, J. L.; Quinton, W. L.; Patankar, R.

2016-12-01

Partitioning the components of evapotranspiration (ET), evaporation and transpiration, has been increasingly important for the better understanding and modeling of carbon, water, and energy dynamics, and for reliable water resources quantification and management. However, disentangling its individual processes remains highly uncertain. Here, we quantify the contribution of black spruce transpiration, the dominant overstory, to ET of a boreal forest-wetland landscape in the southern Taiga Plains. In these ecosystems, thawing permafrost induces rapid landscape change, whereby permafrost-supported forested plateaus are transformed into bogs or fens (wetlands), resulting in tree mortality. Using historical and projected rates of forest-wetland changes, we assess how the contribution of black spruce transpiration to landscape ET might be altered with continued permafrost loss, and quantify the resulting water balance changes. We use two nested eddy covariance flux towers and a footprint model to quantify ET over the entire landscape. Sap flux density of black spruce is measured using the heat ratio method during the 2013 (n=22) and 2014 (n=3) growing seasons, and is used to estimate tree-level transpiration. Allometric relations between tree height, diameter at breast height and sapwood area are derived to upscale tree-level transpiration to overstory transpiration within the eddy covariance footprint. Black spruce transpiration accounts for <10% of total landscape ET. The largest daily contribution of overstory transpiration to landscape ET is observed shortly after the landscape becomes snow-free, continually decreasing throughout the progression of the growing season. Total transpiration is notably lower in 2014 (2.34 mm) than 2013 (2.83 mm) over the same 40-day period, corresponding to 3% of cumulative landscape ET in both years. This difference is likely due to the antecedent moisture conditions, where the 2014 growing season was proceeded by lower than average

Investigation of cadmium pollution in the spruce saplings near the metal production factory.

PubMed

Hashemi, Seyed Armin; Farajpour, Ghasem

2016-02-01

Toxic metals such as lead and cadmium are among the pollutants that are created by the metal production factories and disseminated in the nature. In order to study the quantity of cadmium pollution in the environment of the metal production factories, 50 saplings of the spruce species at the peripheries of the metal production factories were examined and the samples of the leaves, roots, and stems of saplings planted around the factory and the soil of the environment of the factory were studied to investigate pollution with cadmium. They were compared to the soil and saplings of the spruce trees planted outside the factory as observer region. The results showed that the quantity of pollution in the leaves, stems, and roots of the trees planted inside the factory environment were estimated at 1.1, 1.5, and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively, and this indicated a significant difference with the observer region (p < 0.05). The quantity of cadmium in the soil of the peripheries of the metal production factory was estimated at 6.8 mg/kg in the depth of 0-10 cm beneath the level of the soil. The length of roots in the saplings planted around the factory of metal production stood at 11 and 14.5 cm in the observer region which had a significant difference with the observer region (p < 0.05). The quantity of soil resources and spruce species' pollution with cadmium in the region has been influenced by the production processes in the factory. © The Author(s) 2013.

Visual Recognition Software for Binary Classification and Its Application to Spruce Pollen Identification

PubMed Central

Tcheng, David K.; Nayak, Ashwin K.; Fowlkes, Charless C.; Punyasena, Surangi W.

2016-01-01

Discriminating between black and white spruce (Picea mariana and Picea glauca) is a difficult palynological classification problem that, if solved, would provide valuable data for paleoclimate reconstructions. We developed an open-source visual recognition software (ARLO, Automated Recognition with Layered Optimization) capable of differentiating between these two species at an accuracy on par with human experts. The system applies pattern recognition and machine learning to the analysis of pollen images and discovers general-purpose image features, defined by simple features of lines and grids of pixels taken at different dimensions, size, spacing, and resolution. It adapts to a given problem by searching for the most effective combination of both feature representation and learning strategy. This results in a powerful and flexible framework for image classification. We worked with images acquired using an automated slide scanner. We first applied a hash-based “pollen spotting” model to segment pollen grains from the slide background. We next tested ARLO’s ability to reconstruct black to white spruce pollen ratios using artificially constructed slides of known ratios. We then developed a more scalable hash-based method of image analysis that was able to distinguish between the pollen of black and white spruce with an estimated accuracy of 83.61%, comparable to human expert performance. Our results demonstrate the capability of machine learning systems to automate challenging taxonomic classifications in pollen analysis, and our success with simple image representations suggests that our approach is generalizable to many other object recognition problems. PMID:26867017

Post-fire forest dynamics and climate variability affect spatial and temporal properties of spruce beetle outbreaks on a Sky Island mountain range

Treesearch

Christopher D. O' Connor; Ann M. Lynch; Donald A. Falk; Thomas W. Swetnam

2014-01-01

The spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) is known for extensive outbreaks resulting in high spruce mortality, but several recent outbreaks in the western United States have been among the largest and most severe in the documentary record. In the Pinaleño Mountains of southeast Arizona, U.S.A., an outbreak in the mid-1990s resulted in 85% mortality of Engelmann...

Growth and nutrient status of black spruce seedlings as affected by water table depth

Treesearch

Miroslaw M. Czapowskyj; Robert V. Rourke; Walter J. Grant; Walter J. Grant

1986-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different soil water table levels on growth, biomass production, and nutrient accumulation in black spruce seedlings growing under greenhouse conditions over three growing seasons after transplanting.

Management of spruce-fir in even-aged stands in the central Rocky Mountains

Treesearch

Robert R. Alexander; Carleton B. Edminster

1980-01-01

Potential production of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir in the central Rocky Mountains is simulated for vario.us combinations of stand density, site quality, ages, and thinning schedules. Such estimates are needed to project future development of stands managed in different ways for various uses.

ESTIMATING ROOT RESPIRATION IN SPRUCE AND BEECH: DECREASES IN SOIL RESPIRATION FOLLOWING GIRDLING

EPA Science Inventory

A study was undertaken to follow seasonal fluxes of CO2 from soil and to estimate the contribution of autotrophic (root + mycorrhizal) to total soil respiration (SR) in a mixed stand of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) near Freising, Germany. Matu...

A spruce budworm sampling program for HUSKY HUNTER field data recorders.

Treesearch

Fred H. Schmidt

1992-01-01

A program for receiving sampling data for all immature stages of the western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentals Freeman) is described. Versions were designed to be used on field data recorders with either CP/M or DOS operating systems, such as the HUSKY HUNTER (Models 1, 2, and 16), but they also may be used on personal computers with compatible operating...

Spruce-fir forest changes during a 30-year nitrogen saturation experiment

Treesearch

Steven G. McNulty; Johnny L. Boggs; John D. Aber; Lindsey E. Rustad

2017-01-01

A field experiment was established in a high elevation red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) – balsam fir (Abies balsamea) forest on Mount Ascutney Vermont, USA in 1988 to test the nitrogen (N) saturation hypothesis, and to better understand the mechanisms causing forest decline at the time. The study established replicate control, lowand high dose nitrogen addition plots (i...

The uppermost mantle shear wave velocity structure of eastern Africa from Rayleigh wave tomography: constraints on rift evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Donnell, J. P.; Adams, A.; Nyblade, A. A.; Mulibo, G. D.; Tugume, F.

2013-08-01

An expanded model of the 3-D shear wave velocity structure of the uppermost mantle beneath eastern Africa has been developed using earthquakes recorded by the AfricaArray East African Seismic Experiment in conjunction with data from permanent stations and previously deployed temporary stations. The combined data set comprises 331 earthquakes recorded on a total of 95 seismic stations spanning Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi. In this study, data from 149 earthquakes were used to determine fundamental-mode Rayleigh wave phase velocities at periods ranging from 20 to 182 s using the two-plane wave method, and then combined with the similarly processed published measurements and inverted for a 3-D shear wave velocity model of the uppermost mantle. New features in the model include (1) a low-velocity region in western Zambia, (2) a high-velocity region in eastern Zambia, (3) a low-velocity region in eastern Tanzania and (4) low-velocity regions beneath the Lake Malawi rift. When considered in conjunction with mapped seismicity, these results support a secondary western rift branch striking southwestwards from Lake Tanganyika, likely exploiting the relatively weak lithosphere of the southern Kibaran Belt between the Bangweulu Block and the Congo Craton. We estimate a lithospheric thickness of ˜150-200 km for the substantial fast shear wave anomaly imaged in eastern Zambia, which may be a southward subsurface extension of the Bangweulu Block. The low-velocity region in eastern Tanzania suggests that the eastern rift branch trends southeastwards offshore eastern Tanzania coincident with the purported location of the northern margin of the proposed Ruvuma microplate. Pronounced velocity lows along the Lake Malawi rift are found beneath the northern and southern ends of the lake, but not beneath the central portion of the lake.

Performance of Seven Seed Sources of Blue Spruce in Central North Dakota

Treesearch

David H. Dawson; Paul O. Rudolf

1966-01-01

Blue spruce (Picea pungens Engelm.) has been planted quite extensively in North Dakota shelterbelts and farmstead windbreaks. Generally survival and growth have been promising, but there is considerable variation in performance of individual trees or plantations. Poorly adapted seed sources have been suspected as one cause for poor performance. There should be...

Crustal structure beneath Namche Barwa, eastern Himalayan syntaxis: New insights from three-dimensional magnetotelluric imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Changhong; Peng, Miao; Tan, Handong; Xu, Zhiqin; Li, Zhong-Hai; Kong, Wenxin; Tong, Tuo; Wang, Mao; Zeng, Weihua

2017-07-01

The eastern terminations of the Himalayan orogeny, named Namche Barwa, are considered a vital natural laboratory in the Tibetan plateau for geodynamics due to its distinctive geological and geomorphological characteristics. Magnetotelluric (MT) data measured at 83 sites around the Namche Barwa are imaged by three-dimensional (3-D) inversion to better reveal the crustal structure of the eastern Himalaya. The results show a complex and heterogeneous electrical structure beneath the Namche Barwa. The electrical conductors distributed in the middle and lower crust around the Namche Barwa provide additional evidence for the "crustal flow" model if they are considered as some parts of the flow in a relatively large-scale region. The near-surface resistivity model beneath the inner part of Namche Barwa conforms with the locations of hot spring and fluid inclusions, the brittle-ductile transition, and the 300°C-400°C isotherm from previous hydrothermal studies. Relatively resistive upper crust (>800 Ωm) is underlain by a more conductive middle to lower crust (<80 Ωm). The electrical characteristics of the thermal structure at shallow depth indicate an accumulation of hydrous melting, a localized conductive steep dipping zone for decompression melting consistent with the "tectonic aneurysm" model for explaining the exhumation mechanism of metamorphic rocks at Namche Barwa. The results also imply that both surface processes and local tectonic responses play a vital role in the evolution of Namche Barwa. An alternative hypothesis that the primary sustained heat source accounts for the local thermal-rheological structure beneath Namche Barwa is also discussed.

Resistance to galling adelgids varies among families of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmani P.)

Treesearch

William J. Mattson; Alvin Yanchuk; Gyula Kiss; Bruce Birr

1999-01-01

Cooley gall adelgids, Adelges cooleyi, and round gall adelgids, Adelges abietis, differentially infested 110 half-sib families of Engelmann spruce, Picea engelmannii at 9 study sites in British Columbia. There was a negative genetic correlation (-0.53) between the infestations of the two gall-forming species....

Size-dependence of tree growth response to drought for Norway spruce and European beech individuals in monospecific and mixed-species stands.

PubMed

Ding, H; Pretzsch, H; Schütze, G; Rötzer, T

2017-09-01

Climate anomalies have resulted in changing forest productivity, increasing tree mortality in Central and Southern Europe. This has resulted in more severe and frequent ecological disturbances to forest stands. This study analysed the size-dependence of growth response to drought years based on 384 tree individuals of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] and European beech [Fagus sylvatica ([L.)] in Bavaria, Germany. Samples were collected in both monospecific and mixed-species stands. To quantify the growth response to drought stress, indices for basal area increment, resistance, recovery and resilience were calculated from tree ring measurements of increment cores. Linear mixed models were developed to estimate the influence of drought periods. The results show that ageing-related growth decline is significant in drought years. Drought resilience and resistance decrease significantly with growth size among Norway spruce individuals. Evidence is also provided for robustness in the resilience capacity of European beech during drought stress. Spruce benefits from species mixing with deciduous beech, with over-yielding spruce in pure stands. The importance of the influence of size-dependence within tree growth studies during disturbances is highlighted and should be considered in future studies of disturbances, including drought. © 2017 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Effect of tree-ring detrending method on apparent growth trends of black and white spruce in interior Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, Patrick F.; Pattison, Robert R.; Brownlee, Annalis H.; Cahoon, Sean M. P.; Hollingsworth, Teresa N.

2016-11-01

Boreal forests are critical sinks in the global carbon cycle. However, recent studies have revealed increasing frequency and extent of wildfires, decreasing landscape greenness, increasing tree mortality and declining growth of black and white spruce in boreal North America. We measured ring widths from a large set of increment cores collected across a vast area of interior Alaska and examined implications of data processing decisions for apparent trends in black and white spruce growth. We found that choice of detrending method had important implications for apparent long-term growth trends and the strength of climate-growth correlations. Trends varied from strong increases in growth since the Industrial Revolution, when ring widths were detrended using single-curve regional curve standardization (RCS), to strong decreases in growth, when ring widths were normalized by fitting a horizontal line to each ring width series. All methods revealed a pronounced growth peak for black and white spruce centered near 1940. Most detrending methods showed a decline from the peak, leaving recent growth of both species near the long-term mean. Climate-growth analyses revealed negative correlations with growing season temperature and positive correlations with August precipitation for both species. Multiple-curve RCS detrending produced the strongest and/or greatest number of significant climate-growth correlations. Results provide important historical context for recent growth of black and white spruce. Growth of both species might decline with future warming, if not mitigated by increasing precipitation. However, widespread drought-induced mortality is probably not imminent, given that recent growth was near the long-term mean.

Using silviculture to influence carbon sequestration in southern Appalachian spruce-fir forests

Treesearch

Patrick T. Moore; R. Justin DeRose; James N. Long; Helga van Miegroet

2012-01-01

Enhancement of forest growth through silvicultural modification of stand density is one strategy for increasing carbon (C) sequestration. Using the Fire and Fuels Extension of the Forest Vegetation Simulator, the effects of even-aged, uneven-aged and no-action management scenarios on C sequestration in a southern Appalachian red spruce-Fraser fir forest were modeled....

Production of ectomycorrhizal mycelium peaks during canopy closure in Norway spruce forests.

PubMed

Wallander, Håkan; Johansson, Ulf; Sterkenburg, Erica; Brandström Durling, Mikael; Lindahl, Björn D

2010-09-01

*Here, species composition and biomass production of actively growing ectomycorrhizal (EM) mycelia were studied over the rotation period of managed Norway spruce (Picea abies) stands in south-western Sweden. *The EM mycelia were collected using ingrowth mesh bags incubated in the forest soil during one growing season. Fungal biomass was estimated by ergosterol analysis and the EM species were identified by 454 sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplicons. Nutrient availability and the fungal biomass in soil samples were also estimated. *Biomass production peaked in young stands (10-30 yr old) before the first thinning phase. Tylospora fibrillosa dominated the EM community, especially in these young stands, where it constituted 80% of the EM amplicons derived from the mesh bags. Species richness increased in older stands. *The establishment of EM mycelial networks in young Norway spruce stands requires large amounts of carbon, while much less is needed to sustain the EM community in older stands. The variation in EM biomass production over the rotation period has implications for carbon sequestration rates in forest soils.

Studies on leaching from spruce twigs and beech leaves.

PubMed

Fritsche, U

1992-01-01

Leaching, depending on the acidity of the eluent, was investigated for K, Mg and Mn. The curves for the leachate concentration versus time could be described by a power function. Leaching from old needles exceeded leaching from young needles to a high degree, but the ratios of the leached elements were almost equal. A method for continuous measurements of pH change in solutions contacting plant materials was developed. The results were in agreement with data on acidity changes in water falling through spruce or beech canopies.

Crustal velocity structure of Central and Eastern Turkey from ambient noise tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warren, Linda M.; Beck, Susan L.; Biryol, C. Berk; Zandt, George; Özacar, A. Arda; Yang, Yingjie

2013-09-01

In eastern Turkey, the ongoing convergence of the Arabian and African plates with Eurasia has resulted in the westward extrusion of the Anatolian Plate. To better understand the current state and the tectonic history of this region, we image crust and uppermost mantle structure with ambient noise tomography. Our study area extends from longitudes of 32° to 44°E. We use continuous data from two temporary seismic deployments, our 2006-2008 North Anatolian Fault Passive Seismic Experiment and the 1999-2001 Eastern Turkey Seismic Experiment, as well as from additional seismographs in the region. We compute daily cross-correlations of noise records between all station pairs and stack them over the entire time period for which they are available, as well as in seasonal subsets, to obtain interstation empirical Green's functions. After selecting interstation cross-correlations with high signal-to-noise ratios and measuring interstation phase velocities, we compute phase velocity maps at periods ranging from 8 to 40 s. At all periods, the phase velocity maps are similar for winter and summer subsets of the data, indicating that seasonal variations in noise sources do not bias our results. Across the study area, we invert the phase velocity estimates for shear velocity as a function of depth. The shear velocity model, which extends to 50 km depth, highlights tectonic features apparent at the surface: the Eastern Anatolian Plateau is a prominent low-velocity anomaly whereas the Kirşehir Massif has relatively fast velocities. There is a large velocity jump across the Inner Tauride Suture/Central Anataolian Fault Zone throughout the crust whereas the North Anatolian Fault does not have a consistent signature. In addition, in the southeastern part of our study area, we image a high velocity region below 20 km depth which may be the northern tip of the underthrusting Arabian Plate.

Crustal structure of the Central-Eastern Greenland: results from the TopoGreenland refraction profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shulgin, Alexey; Thybo, Hans

2014-05-01

Until present, seismic surveys have only been carried out offshore and near the coasts of Greenland, where the crustal structure is affected by oceanic break-up. We present the deep seismic structure of the crust of the interior of Greenland, based on the new and the only existing so far seismic refraction/wide-angle reflection profile. The seismic data was acquired by a team of six people during a two-month long experiment in summer of 2011 on the ice cap in the interior of central-eastern Greenland. The presence of an up to 3.4 km thick ice sheet, permanently covering most of the land mass, made acquisition of geophysical data logistically complicated. The profile extends 310 km inland in E-W direction from the approximate edge of the stable ice cap near the Scoresby Sund across the center of the ice cap. 350 Reftek Texan receivers recorded high-quality seismic data from 8 equidistant shots along the profile. Explosive charge sizes were 1 ton at the ends and ca. 500 kg along the profile, loaded with about 125 kg at 35-85 m depth in individual boreholes. Given that the data acquisition was affected by the thick ice sheet, we questioned the quality of seismic records in such experiment setup. We have developed an automatic routine to check the amplitudes and spectra of the selected seismic phases and to check the differences/challenges in making seismic experiments on ice and the effects of ice on data interpretation. Using tomographic inversion and forward ray tracing modelling we have obtained the two-dimensional velocity model down to a 50 km depth. The model shows a decrease of crustal thickness from 47 km below the centre of Greenland in the western part of the profile to 40 km in its eastern part. Relatively high lower crustal velocities (Vp 6.8 - 7.3 km/s) in the western part of the TopoGreenland profile may result from past collision tectonics or, alternatively, may be related to the speculated passage of the Iceland mantle plume. Comparison of our results

AmeriFlux US-Prr Poker Flat Research Range Black Spruce Forest

DOE Data Explorer

Suzuki, Rikie [Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Prr Poker Flat Research Range Black Spruce Forest. Site Description - This site is located in a blackspruce forest within the property of the Poker Flat Research Range, University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Time-lapse image of the canopy is measured at the same time to relate flux data to satellite images.

Partial cutting of western hemlock and sitka spruce in southeast Alaska.

Treesearch

Wilbur A. Farr; A.S. Harris

1971-01-01

This study of response to partial cutting over a 17-year period in a 96-year-old stand of western hemlock-Sitka spruce at Karta Bay, Alaska, showed that crop trees left after partial cutting were able to increase or maintain &out the same rate of diameter growth as before thinning, but growth in diameter of trees in an unthinned stand followed the norma2 pattern of...

Diet compositions and trophic guild structure of the eastern Chukchi Sea demersal fish community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitehouse, George A.; Buckley, Troy W.; Danielson, Seth L.

2017-01-01

Fishes are an important link in Arctic marine food webs, connecting production of lower trophic levels to apex predators. We analyzed 1773 stomach samples from 39 fish species collected during a bottom trawl survey of the eastern Chukchi Sea in the summer of 2012. We used hierarchical cluster analysis of diet dissimilarities on 21 of the most well sampled species to identify four distinct trophic guilds: gammarid amphipod consumers, benthic invertebrate generalists, fish and shrimp consumers, and zooplankton consumers. The trophic guilds reflect dominant prey types in predator diets. We used constrained analysis of principal coordinates (CAP) to determine if variation within the composite guild diets could be explained by a suite of non-diet variables. All CAP models explained a significant proportion of the variance in the diet matrices, ranging from 7% to 25% of the total variation. Explanatory variables tested included latitude, longitude, predator length, depth, and water mass. These results indicate a trophic guild structure is present amongst the demersal fish community during summer in the eastern Chukchi Sea. Regular monitoring of the food habits of the demersal fish community will be required to improve our understanding of the spatial, temporal, and interannual variation in diet composition, and to improve our ability to identify and predict the impacts of climate change and commercial development on the structure and functioning of the Chukchi Sea ecosystem.

Quantifying sources of variation in the frequency of fungi associated with spruce beetles: implications for hypothesis testing and sampling methodology in bark beetle-symbiont relationships.

Treesearch

Brian H. Aukema; Richard A. Werner; Kirsten E. Haberkern; Barbara L. Illman; Murray K. Clayton; Kenneth F. Raffa

2005-01-01

The spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby), causes landscape level mortality to mature spruce (Picea spp.) throughout western and northern North America. As with other bark beetles, this beetle is associated with a variety of fungi, whose ecological functions are largely unknown. It has been proposed that the relative...

Modelling individual tree height to crown base of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)

PubMed Central

Jansa, Václav

2017-01-01

Height to crown base (HCB) of a tree is an important variable often included as a predictor in various forest models that serve as the fundamental tools for decision-making in forestry. We developed spatially explicit and spatially inexplicit mixed-effects HCB models using measurements from a total 19,404 trees of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) on the permanent sample plots that are located across the Czech Republic. Variables describing site quality, stand density or competition, and species mixing effects were included into the HCB model with use of dominant height (HDOM), basal area of trees larger in diameters than a subject tree (BAL- spatially inexplicit measure) or Hegyi’s competition index (HCI—spatially explicit measure), and basal area proportion of a species of interest (BAPOR), respectively. The parameters describing sample plot-level random effects were included into the HCB model by applying the mixed-effects modelling approach. Among several functional forms evaluated, the logistic function was found most suited to our data. The HCB model for Norway spruce was tested against the data originated from different inventory designs, but model for European beech was tested using partitioned dataset (a part of the main dataset). The variance heteroscedasticity in the residuals was substantially reduced through inclusion of a power variance function into the HCB model. The results showed that spatially explicit model described significantly a larger part of the HCB variations [R2adj = 0.86 (spruce), 0.85 (beech)] than its spatially inexplicit counterpart [R2adj = 0.84 (spruce), 0.83 (beech)]. The HCB increased with increasing competitive interactions described by tree-centered competition measure: BAL or HCI, and species mixing effects described by BAPOR. A test of the mixed-effects HCB model with the random effects estimated using at least four trees per sample plot in the validation data confirmed that

Natural communities of the central Appalachian red spruce ecosystem and their conservation significance

Treesearch

Elizabeth A. Byers

2010-01-01

Natural communities within the red spruce ecosystem of the central Appalachians are characterized by exceptionally high biodiversity and conservation value. This ecosystem stretches in a southwest - northeast trending band for 250 km along the high elevations of the Allegheny Mountains, from Greenbrier County, WV to Garrett County, MD.

Hemlock Looper

Treesearch

USDA Forest Service Northern Area State & Private Forestry and Region 8

1992-01-01

The hemlock looper Lambdina fiscellaria is a defoliating insect native to North America. It occurs in the eastern United States from Maine to Georgia and west to Wisconsin. The larvae can be extremely destructive to hemlock, balsam fir, and white spruce. During an outbreak it will also feed on many other species including: larch, red and black spruce, cedar, jack pine...

Estimating potential Engelmann spruce seed production on the Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado

Treesearch

Robert R. Alexander; Carleton B. Edminster; Ross K. Watkins

1986-01-01

Two good, three heavy, and two bumper spruce seed crops were produced during a 15-year period. There was considerable variability in seed crops, however. Not all locations produced good to bumper seed crops when overall yearly ratings averaged good or better; conversely, some locations produced bumper seed crops in 3 or more years. Mathematical relationships,...

The course of growth response in released white spruce--10-year results

Treesearch

Robert M. Frank; Robert M. Frank

1973-01-01

Weekly bole measurements at 4.5 feet in height were made on individual codominant white spruce trees released on one, two, three, and four sides, and on untreated controls. Results showed that after 10 years annual circumference growth was still significantly related to the degree of release. The growth trend was established the first year but significant differences...

Dynamics of calcium concentration in stemwood of red spruce and Siberian fir

Treesearch

Kevin T. Smith; Walter C. Shortle; Rakesh Minocha; Vladislav A. Alexeyev

1996-01-01

The atmospheric deposition of strong acid anions such as sulfate and nitrate shifts the ion exchange equilibrium in the rooting zone of sensitive forests. Red spruce and other northern coniferous forests are especially sensitive to deposition due to the shallow rooting of trees in a mor-type forest floor. Initially, the deposition of strong acid ions mobilizes...

Two Years Necessary for Successful Natural Seeding in Nonbrushy Black Spruce Bogs

Treesearch

Elon S. Verry; Arthur E. Elling

1978-01-01

Natural seeding in a strip-cut black spruce bog was adequate, averaging 1,800 stems per acre and 80 percent milacre stocking. natural seeding in a completely cut bog was inadequate, averaging 630 stems per acre and 40 percent milacre stocking. Slash was removed to expose sphagnum seedbeds in both cases. Progressive cutting every other year is recommended.

Red spruce stand dynamics, simulations, and restoration opportunities in the central Appalachians

Treesearch

James S. Rentch; Thomas M. Schuler; W. Mark Ford; Gergory J. Nowacki

2007-01-01

Red spruce (Picea rubens)-dominated forests occupied as much as 600,000 ha in West Virginia prior to exploitive logging era of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Subsequently, much of this forest type was converted to northern hardwoods. As an important habitat type for a number of rare or sensitive species, only about 12,000 ha of...

Juvenility and serial vegetative propagation of Norway spruce clones (Picea abies Karst.).

Treesearch

J.B. St. Clair; J. Kleinschmit; J. Svolba

1985-01-01

Effects associated with progressive maturation of clones are of greatest concern in clonal tree improvement programs. Serial propagation has been in use at the Lower Saxony Forest Research Institute since 1968 to arrest maturation in Norway spruce clones. By 1980 cuttings were established in the nursery that had been serially propagated from one to five cycles. This...

Response of Spruce Budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Infected with Nosema fumiferanae (Microsporida) to Bacillus thuringiensis Treatments

Treesearch

Leah S. Bauer; Gerald L. Nordin

1989-01-01

Diease in spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens), caused by the microsporidian Nosema fumiferanae (Thomson), increase larval susceptibility to mortality by bacillus thuringlensis (Berliner) treatments compared with larvae free of N. fumiferanae disease. The median lethal...

Stable carbon isotope analysis reveals widespread drought stress in boreal black spruce forests.

PubMed

Walker, Xanthe J; Mack, Michelle C; Johnstone, Jill F

2015-08-01

Unprecedented rates of climate warming over the past century have resulted in increased forest stress and mortality worldwide. Decreased tree growth in association with increasing temperatures is generally accepted as a signal of temperature-induced drought stress. However, variations in tree growth alone do not reveal the physiological mechanisms behind recent changes in tree growth. Examining stable carbon isotope composition of tree rings in addition to tree growth can provide a secondary line of evidence for physiological drought stress. In this study, we examined patterns of black spruce growth and carbon isotopic composition in tree rings in response to climate warming and drying in the boreal forest of interior Alaska. We examined trees at three nested scales: landscape, toposequence, and a subsample of trees within the toposequence. At each scale, we studied the potential effects of differences in microclimate and moisture availability by sampling on northern and southern aspects. We found that black spruce radial growth responded negatively to monthly metrics of temperature at all examined scales, and we examined ∆(13)C responses on a subsample of trees as representative of the wider region. The negative ∆(13)C responses to temperature reveal that black spruce trees are experiencing moisture stress on both northern and southern aspects. Contrary to our expectations, ∆(13)C from trees on the northern aspect exhibited the strongest drought signal. Our results highlight the prominence of drought stress in the boreal forest of interior Alaska. We conclude that if temperatures continue to warm, we can expect drought-induced productivity declines across large regions of the boreal forest, even for trees located in cool and moist landscape positions. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Polyphenols in the woody roots of Norway spruce and European beech reduce TTC.

PubMed

Richter, Anika K; Frossard, Emmanuel; Brunner, Ivano

2007-01-01

A common method to determine the vitality of fine root tissue is the measurement of respiratory activity with triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC). The colorless TTC is reduced to the red-colored triphenyl formazan (TF) as a result of the dehydrogenase activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. However, measurements with woody fine roots of adult Norway spruce and European beech trees showed that dead control roots had a high potential to react with TTC. High reactivity was found in boiled fine roots and the bark of coarse roots, but not in the boiled wood of coarse roots. By sequential extraction of dried and ground adult Norway spruce fine roots, reactivity with TTC was reduced by about 75% (water extraction), 93% (water/methanol extraction) and 94% (water/acetone extraction). The water extract reacted with TTC in the same way as polyphenols such as lignin, catechin and epicatechin. Boiling did not affect the extent to which fine roots of adult trees reduced TTC, whereas it greatly reduced TTC reduction by seedling roots. Application of the TTC test to roots of spruce seedlings subjected to increasing drought showed a progressive decrease in TTC reduction. The decrease in TTC reduction was paralleled by a reduction in O(2) consumption, thus supporting the conclusion that for roots with a low polyphenol content the TTC test provides a valid assessment of tissue vitality. Our results suggest, however, that the TTC test should not be applied to the fine roots of adult trees because of their high content of polyphenolic compounds whose reaction with TTC masks changes in TTC reduction due to changes in the respiratory capacity of the tissue.

Mantle transition zone thinning beneath eastern Africa: Evidence for a whole-mantle superplume structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulibo, Gabriel D.; Nyblade, Andrew A.

2013-07-01

to S conversions from the 410 and 660 km discontinuities observed in receiver function stacks reveal a mantle transition zone that is ~30-40 km thinner than the global average in a region ~200-400 km wide extending in a SW-NE direction from central Zambia, across Tanzania and into Kenya. The thinning of the transition zone indicates a ~190-300 K thermal anomaly in the same location where seismic tomography models suggest that the lower mantle African superplume structure connects to thermally perturbed upper mantle beneath eastern Africa. This finding provides compelling evidence for the existence of a continuous thermal structure extending from the core-mantle boundary to the surface associated with the African superplume.

Effects of artificial defoliation of pines on the structure and physiology of the soil fungal community of a mixed pine-spruce forest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cullings, Ken; Raleigh, Christopher; New, Michael H.; Henson, Joan

2005-01-01

Loss of photosynthetic area can affect soil microbial communities by altering the availability of fixed carbon. We used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and Biolog filamentous-fungus plates to determine the effects of artificial defoliation of pines in a mixed pine-spruce forest on the composition of the fungal community in a forest soil. As measured by DGGE, two fungal species were affected significantly by the defoliation of pines (P < 0.001); the frequency of members of the ectomycorrhizal fungus genus Cenococcum decreased significantly, while the frequency of organisms of an unidentified soil fungus increased. The decrease in the amount of Cenococcum organisms may have occurred because of the formation of extensive hyphal networks by species of this genus, which require more of the carbon fixed by their host, or because this fungus is dependent upon quantitative differences in spruce root exudates. The defoliation of pines did not affect the overall composition of the soil fungal community or fungal-species richness (number of species per core). Biolog filamentous-fungus plate assays indicated a significant increase (P < 0.001) in the number of carbon substrates utilized by the soil fungi and the rate at which these substrates were used, which could indicate an increase in fungal-species richness. Thus, either small changes in the soil fungal community give rise to significant increases in physiological capabilities or PCR bias limits the reliability of the DGGE results. These data indicate that combined genetic and physiological assessments of the soil fungal community are needed to accurately assess the effect of disturbance on indigenous microbial systems.

Eastern mosquitofish resists invasion by nonindigenous poeciliids through agonistic behaviors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, Kevin A.; Hill, Jeffrey E.; Nico, Leo G.

2012-01-01

Florida is a hotspot for nonindigenous fishes with over 30 species established, although few of these are small-bodied species. One hypothesis for this pattern is that biotic resistance of native species is reducing the success of small-bodied, introduced fishes. The eastern mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki is common in many freshwater habitats in Florida and although small-bodied (<50 mm), it is a predator and aggressive competitor. We conducted four mesocosm experiments to examine the potential for biotic resistance by eastern mosquitofish to two small-bodied nonindigenous fishes, variable platyfish (Xiphophorus variatus) and swordtail (X. hellerii). Experiments tested: (1) effect of eastern mosquitofish density on adult survival, (2) effect of eastern mosquitofish on a stage-structured population, (3) role of habitat structural complexity on nonindigenous adult survival, and (4) behavioral effects of eastern mosquitofish presence and habitat complexity. Eastern mosquitofish attacked and killed non-native poeciliids with especially strong effects on juveniles of both species. Higher eastern mosquitofish density resulted in greater effects. Predation on swordtails increased with increasing habitat complexity. Eastern mosquitofish also actively drove swordtails from cover, which could expose non-native fish to other predators under field conditions. Our results suggest that eastern mosquitofish may limit invasion success.

Internal Structure of a Lobate Debris Apron Complex in Eastern Hellas: Evidence for Multiple Mid-Latitude Glaciations on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quartini, E.; Holt, J. W.; Brothers, T. C.

2011-03-01

The past depositional history of a lobate debris apron complex in eastern Hellas has been investigated by conducting a combined analysis of its surface morphology and subsurface structure using a CTX mosaic and orbital radar sounding data from SHARAD.

Growth of historical Sitka spruce plantations at Unalaska Bay, Alaska.

Treesearch

J. Alden; D. Bruce

1989-01-01

Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) grew an estimated 37 cubic feet of stemwood per acre per year (2.6 m3·ha-1·yr-1) in remnant World War II plantations on Amaknak Island and 38 cubic feet of stemwood per acre per year (2.7 m3·ha-1·yr-1) in an early 19th century grove on Expedition Island, 520 miles (837 km) southwest of natural tree...

Foliar and soil chemistry at red spruce sites in the Monongahela National Forest

Treesearch

Stephanie J. Connolly

2010-01-01

In 2005, soil and foliar chemistry were sampled from 10 sites in the Monongahela National Forest which support red spruce. Soils were sampled from hand-dug pits, by horizon, from the O-horizon to bedrock or 152 cm, and each pit was described fully. Replicate, archived samples also were collected.

Stand dynamics of relict red spruce in the Alarka Creek headwaters, North Carolina

Treesearch

Beverly Collins; Thomas M. Schuler; W. Mark Ford; Danielle. Hawkins

2010-01-01

Disjunct red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) forests in the southern Appalachians can serve as models for understanding past and future impacts of climate change and other perturbations for larger areas of high-elevation forests throughout the Appalachians. We conducted a vegetation and dendrochronological survey to determine the age, size class, and...

The bud break process and its variation among local populations of boreal black spruce.

PubMed

Rossi, Sergio; Bousquet, Jean

2014-01-01

Phenology of local populations can exhibit adaptations to the current environmental conditions resulting from a close interaction between climate and genotype. The bud break process and its variations among populations were analyzed in greenhouse by monitoring the growth resumption in black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP] seedlings originating from seeds of five stands across the closed boreal forest in Quebec, Canada. Bud break lasted 15 days and occurred earlier and quicker in northern provenances. Provenance explained between 10.2 and 32.3% of the variance in bud break, while the families accounted for a smaller but still significant part of the variance. The late occurrence of one phenological phase corresponded to a delayed occurrence of the others according to linear relationships. A causal model was proposed in the form of a chain of events with each phase of bud break being related to the previous and successive one, while no link was observed between non-adjacent phases. The adaptation of black spruce populations along the latitudinal gradient points toward a strategy based on rapid physiological processes triggered by temperature increase inducing high metabolic activity. The variation observed in bud break reflects an evolutionary trade-off between maximization of security and taking advantage of the short growing season. This work provides evidence of the phenological adaptations of black spruce to its local environmental conditions while retaining sizeable genetic diversity within populations. Because of the multigenic nature of phenology, this diversity should provide some raw material for adaptation to changing local environmental conditions.

The bud break process and its variation among local populations of boreal black spruce

PubMed Central

Rossi, Sergio; Bousquet, Jean

2014-01-01

Phenology of local populations can exhibit adaptations to the current environmental conditions resulting from a close interaction between climate and genotype. The bud break process and its variations among populations were analyzed in greenhouse by monitoring the growth resumption in black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP] seedlings originating from seeds of five stands across the closed boreal forest in Quebec, Canada. Bud break lasted 15 days and occurred earlier and quicker in northern provenances. Provenance explained between 10.2 and 32.3% of the variance in bud break, while the families accounted for a smaller but still significant part of the variance. The late occurrence of one phenological phase corresponded to a delayed occurrence of the others according to linear relationships. A causal model was proposed in the form of a chain of events with each phase of bud break being related to the previous and successive one, while no link was observed between non-adjacent phases. The adaptation of black spruce populations along the latitudinal gradient points toward a strategy based on rapid physiological processes triggered by temperature increase inducing high metabolic activity. The variation observed in bud break reflects an evolutionary trade-off between maximization of security and taking advantage of the short growing season. This work provides evidence of the phenological adaptations of black spruce to its local environmental conditions while retaining sizeable genetic diversity within populations. Because of the multigenic nature of phenology, this diversity should provide some raw material for adaptation to changing local environmental conditions. PMID:25389430

3D Crustal Velocity Structure Model of the Middle-eastern North China Craton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Y.; Wang, F.; Lin, J.; Wei, Y.

2017-12-01

Lithosphere thinning and destruction in the middle-eastern North China Craton (NCC), a region susceptible to strong earthquakes, is one of the research hotspots in solid earth science. Up to 42 wide-angle reflection/refraction deep seismic sounding (DSS) profiles have been completed in the middle-eastern NCC, we collect all the 2D profiling results and perform gridding of the velocity and interface depth data, and build a 3D crustal velocity structure model for the middle-eastern NCC, named HBCrust1.0, using the Kriging interpolation method. In this model, four layers are divided by three interfaces: G is the interface between the sedimentary cover and crystalline crust, with velocities of 5.0-5.5 km/s above and 5.8-6.0 km/s below. C is the interface of the upper and lower crust, with velocity jump from 6.2-6.4 km/s to 6.5-6.6 km/s. M is the interface between the crust and upper mantle, with velocity 6.7-7.0 km/s at the crust bottom and 7.9-8.0 km/s on mantle top. Our results show that the first arrival time calculated from HBCust1.0 fit well with the observation. It also demonstrates that the upper crust is the main seismogenic layer, and the brittle-ductile transition occurs at depths near interface C. The depth of interface Moho varies beneath the source area of the Tangshan earth-quake, and a low-velocity structure is found to extend from the source area to the lower crust. Based on these observations, it can be inferred that stress accumulation responsible for the Tangshan earthquake may have been closely related to the migration and deformation of the mantle materials. Comparisons of the average velocities of the whole crust, the upper and the lower crust show that the average velocity of the lower crust under the central part of the North China Basin (NCB) in the east of the craton is obviously higher than the regional average, this high-velocity probably results from longterm underplating of the mantle magma. This research is founded by the Natural Science

In Silico Analysis of Small RNAs Suggest Roles for Novel and Conserved miRNAs in the Formation of Epigenetic Memory in Somatic Embryos of Norway Spruce.

PubMed

Yakovlev, Igor A; Fossdal, Carl G

2017-01-01

Epigenetic memory in Norway spruce affects the timing of bud burst and bud set, vitally important adaptive traits for this long-lived forest species. Epigenetic memory is established in response to the temperature conditions during embryogenesis. Somatic embryogenesis at different epitype inducing (EpI) temperatures closely mimics the natural processes of epigenetic memory formation in seeds, giving rise to epigenetically different clonal plants in a reproducible and predictable manner, with respect to altered bud phenology. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and other small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) play an essential role in the regulation of plant gene expression and may affect this epigenetic mechanism. We used NGS sequencing and computational in silico methods to identify and profile conserved and novel miRNAs among small RNAs in embryogenic tissues of Norway spruce at three EpI temperatures (18, 23 and 28°C). We detected three predominant classes of sRNAs related to a length of 24 nt, followed by a 21-22 nt class and a third 31 nt class of sRNAs. More than 2100 different miRNAs within the prevailing length 21-22 nt were identified. Profiling these putative miRNAs allowed identification of 1053 highly expressed miRNAs, including 523 conserved and 530 novels. 654 of these miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed (DEM) depending on EpI temperature. For most DEMs, we defined their putative mRNA targets. The targets represented mostly by transcripts of multiple-repeats proteins, like TIR, NBS-LRR, PPR and TPR repeat, Clathrin/VPS proteins, Myb-like, AP2, etc. Notably, 124 DE miRNAs targeted 203 differentially expressed epigenetic regulators. Developing Norway spruce embryos possess a more complex sRNA structure than that reported for somatic tissues. A variety of the predicted miRNAs showed distinct EpI temperature dependent expression patterns. These putative EpI miRNAs target spruce genes with a wide range of functions, including genes known to be involved in epigenetic

Drought stress alters the concentration of wood terpenoids in Scots pine and Norway spruce seedlings.

PubMed

Turtola, Satu; Manninen, Anne-Marja; Rikala, Risto; Kainulainen, Pirjo

2003-09-01

Drought is known to have an impact on the resistance of conifers to various pests, for example, by affecting resin flow in trees. Little is known, however, about the quantitative and qualitative changes in resin when trees are growing in low moisture conditions. We exposed Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings to medium and severe drought stress for two growing seasons and analyzed the monoterpenes and resin acids in the main stem wood after two years of treatment. In addition to secondary chemistry, we measured the level of nutrients in the needles and the growth response of seedlings. After the first year of treatment, drought stress did not affect the growth of seedlings, but in the second year, shoot growth was retarded, especially in Scots pine. In both conifer species, severe drought increased the concentrations of several individual monoterpenes and resin acids. Total monoterpenes and resin acids were 39 and 32% higher in severe drought-treated Scots pine seedlings than in the controls, and 35 and 45% higher in Norway spruce seedlings. In Scots pine needles, the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus increased, while magnesium and calcium decreased compared to controls. In Norway spruce needles, nutrient concentrations were not affected. The results suggest that drought stress substantially affects both the growth of conifers and the chemical quality of the wood. We discuss the potential trade-off in growth and defense of small conifer seedlings.

Effects of warming on the structure and function of a boreal black spruce forest

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stith T.Gower

2010-03-03

A strong argument can be made that there is a greater need to study the effect of warming on boreal forests more than on any other terrestrial biome. Boreal forests, the second largest forest biome, are predicted to experience the greatest warming of any forest biome in the world, but a process-based understanding of how warming will affect the structure and function of this economically and ecologically important forest biome is lacking. The effects of warming on species composition, canopy structure and biogeochemical cycles are likely to be complex; elucidating the underlying mechanisms will require long-term whole-ecosystem manipulation to capturemore » all the complex feedbacks (Shaver et al. 2000, Rustad et al. 2001, Stromgren 2001). The DOE Program for Ecosystem Research funded a three year project (2002-2005) to use replicated heated chambers on soil warming plots in northern Manitoba to examine the direct effects of whole-ecosystem warming. We are nearing completion of our first growing season of measurements (fall 2004). In spite of the unforeseen difficulty of installing the heating cable, our heating and irrigation systems worked extremely well, maintaining environmental conditions within 5-10% of the specified design 99% of the time. Preliminary data from these systems, all designed and built by our laboratory at the University of Wisconsin, support our overall hypothesis that warming will increase the carbon sink strength of upland boreal black spruce forests. I request an additional three years of funding to continue addressing the original objectives: (1) Examine the effect of warming on phenology of overstory, understory and bryophyte strata. Sap flux systems and dendrometer bands, monitored by data loggers, will be used to quantify changes in phenology and water use. (2) Quantify the effects of warming on nitrogen and water use by overstory, understory and bryophytes. (3) Compare effects of warming on autotrophic respiration and above- and

Western spruce budworm as related to stand characteristics in the bitterroot national forest

Treesearch

Carroll B. Williams; Patrick J. Shea; Gerald S. Walton

1971-01-01

Relation of population density to certain stand conditions and damage indicators was analyzed in four drainages on the Bitterroot National Forest of Montana. Western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman) populations were strongly related to plot basal area, tree species, and tree crown levels, and also to current and past levels of tree defoliation....

Stem volume losses in grand firs topkilled by western spruce budworm in Idaho

Treesearch

George T. Ferrell; Robert F. Scharpf

1982-01-01

Mature grand firs (Abies grandis [Dougl. ex D. Don] Lindl.) were sampled in two stands, one cutover and one virgin, in the Little Salmon River drainage in west-central Idaho, to estimate stem volume losses associated with topkilling. Damage to the stands resulted from three outbreaks of western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis...

SPRUCE Deep Peat Microbial Diversity, CO2 and CH4 Production in Response to Nutrient, Temperature, and pH Treatments during Incubation Studies.

DOE Data Explorer

A., Kluber Laurel [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Allen, Samantha A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hendershot, Nicholas [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Hanson, Paul J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.; Schadt, Christopher W. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

2014-09-01

This data set contains the results of a microcosm incubation study on deep peat collected from the SPRUCE experimental site in the S1 Bog in September 2014. Microcosms were monitored for CO2 and CH4 production, and microbial community dynamics were assessed using qPCR and amplicon sequencing.The experiment was designed with a full factorial design with elevated temperature, nitrogen (N), (P), and pH treatments was used with samples from each transect serving replicates. In all, 96 microcosms were constructed to account for the 16 treatment combinations (N x P x pH x temperature), 2 time points, and 3 replicates. Temperature treatments were 6 °C, to mimic the SPRUCE ambient plot temperatures, and 15 °C to mimic the SPRUCE +9 °C treatment.

Carbaryl applied at reduced dosage rates for control of western spruce budworm

Treesearch

George P. Markin; David R. Johnson

1983-01-01

Carbaryl is registered for control of the western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman), at the dosage rate of 1.12 kg per hectare. That rate and two lower ones were field tested in western Montana in July 1979 to determine if a lower rate would be as effective as the registered dosage. Each dosage was applied to five randomly selected...

FIBER handbook: a growth model for spruce-fir and northern hardwood types

Treesearch

Dale S. Solomon; Richard A. Hosmer; Homer T., Jr. Hayslett; Homer T. Hayslett

1987-01-01

A matrix model, FIBER, has been developed to provide the forest manager with a means of simulating the management and growth of forest stands in the Northeast. Instructional material is presented for the management of even-aged and multi-aged spruce-fir, mixedwood, and northern hardwood stands. FIBER allows the user to simulate a range of silvicultural treatments for a...

Seasonal variation of nitrogen oxides, ozone and biogenic volatile organic compound concentrations and fluxes at Norway spruce forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juran, Stanislav; Vecerova, Kristyna; Holisova, Petra; Zapletal, Milos; Pallozzi, Emanuele; Guidolotti, Gabriele; Calfapietra, Carlo; Vecera, Zbynek; Cudlin, Pavel; Urban, Otmar

2015-04-01

Dynamics of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ozone concentration and their depositions were investigated on the Norway spruce forest at Bily Kriz experimental station at the Silesian Beskydy Mountains (north-eastern part of the Czech Republic). Both NOx and ozone concentration and fluxes were modelled for the whole season and covering thus different climate conditions. Data were recorded for three consecutive years and therefore deeper analyses were performed. During the summer 2014 BVOC field campaign was carried out using proton-transfer-reaction-time-of-flight-mass-spectrometry (PTR-TOF, Ionicon Analytik GmbH, Innsbruck, Austria) and volatile organic compound of biogenic origin (BVOC) were measured at the different levels of tree canopies. By the same time BVOC were trapped into the Tenax tubes (Markes International Ltd., UK) and put afterwards for thermal desorption (Markes Unity System 2, Markes International Ltd., UK) to GS-MS analysis (TSQ Quntum XLS triple Quadrupole, Thermo Scientific, USA). Thus data of different levels of canopies together with different spectra of monoterpenes were obtained. Interesting comparison of both methods will be shown. It was the first BVOC field campaign using PTR technique at any of the forest in the Czech Republic. Highest fluxes and concentrations were recorded around the noon hours, represented particularly by monoterpenes, especially α-pinen and limonene. Other BVOCs than monoterpenes were negligible. Variation of fluxes between different canopies levels was observed, highlighting difference in shaded and sun exposed leaves. Sun leaves emitted up to 2.4 nmol m-2 s-1 of monoterpenes, while shaded leaves emitted only up to 0.6 nmol m-2 s-1 when measured under standard conditions (irradiance 1000 µmol m-2 s-1; temperature 30°C). We discuss here the importance of the most common Norway spruce tree forests in the Czech Republic in bi-directional exchanges of important secondary pollutant such as ozone and nitrogen oxides, their

The Electrical Resistivity Structure of the Eastern Anatolian Collision Zone, Northeastern Anatolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cengiz, Özlem; Tuǧrul Başokur, Ahmet; Tolak Çiftçi, Elif

2016-04-01

The Northeastern Anatolia is located at the intensely deformed Eastern Anatolian Collision Zone (EACZ), and its tectonic framework is characterized by the collision of the Arabian plate with Eurasian. Although extensive attention is given to understand the crustal and upper mantle processes at this convergent boundary, there is still an ongoing debate over the geodynamic processes of the region. In this study, we were specifically interested in the geoelectric properties and thus geodynamics of the crust beneath the EACZ. Magnetotelluric (MT) measurements were made on two profiles across the north of the EACZ in 1998 as part of a national project undertaken by the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO). MT data in the frequency range of 300-0.001 Hz were collected from 168 stations located along 78 km north to south and 47 km west to east profiles where direct convergence occurs between Arabian and Eurasian plates. Two and three-dimensional inversion algorithms were used to obtain resistivity models of the study area. According to these models, the upper crust consists of low resistivity sedimentary rocks (<30 Ωm) that are underlain by highly resistive (~500-1000 Ωm) crystalline basement rocks of the Eastern Anatolian Accretionary Complex and Pontides. While the upper and lower crustal resistivity at the northern part of the study area shows a layered structure, significant horizontal and vertical variations for the rest of the EACZ exists on resistivity models. The broad low resistivity zones (<50 Ωm) observed at mid and lower crustal levels throughout the EACZ. These fluid-rich regions along with high temperatures could indicate weak zones representing the locations of active deformation induced by continent-continent collision and correlate with volcanic centers in the region. The variation in the resistivity structure supports the southward subduction model with the resistive continental block and the deep conductive zones presumably corresponding to the

Responses of beech and spruce foliage to elevated carbon dioxide, increased nitrogen deposition and soil type

PubMed Central

Günthardt-Goerg, Madeleine Silvia; Vollenweider, Pierre

2015-01-01

Although enhanced carbon fixation by forest trees may contribute significantly to mitigating an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), capacities for this vary greatly among different tree species and locations. This study compared reactions in the foliage of a deciduous and a coniferous tree species (important central European trees, beech and spruce) to an elevated supply of CO2 and evaluated the importance of the soil type and increased nitrogen deposition on foliar nutrient concentrations and cellular stress reactions. During a period of 4 years, beech (represented by trees from four different regions) and spruce saplings (eight regions), planted together on either acidic or calcareous forest soil in the experimental model ecosystem chambers, were exposed to single and combined treatments consisting of elevated carbon dioxide (+CO2, 590 versus 374 μL L−1) and elevated wet nitrogen deposition (+ND, 50 versus 5 kg ha−1 a−1). Leaf size and foliage mass of spruce were increased by +CO2 on both soil types, but those of beech by +ND on the calcareous soil only. The magnitude of the effects varied among the tree origins in both species. Moreover, the concentration of secondary compounds (proanthocyanidins) and the leaf mass per area, as a consequence of cell wall thickening, were also increased and formed important carbon sinks within the foliage. Although the species elemental concentrations differed in their response to CO2 fertilization, the +CO2 treatment effect was weakened by an acceleration of cell senescence in both species, as shown by a decrease in photosynthetic pigment and nitrogen concentration, discolouration and stress symptoms at the cell level; the latter were stronger in beech than spruce. Hence, young trees belonging to a species with different ecological niches can show contrasting responses in their foliage size, but similar responses at the cell level, upon exposure to elevated levels of CO2. The soil type and its nutrient supply

Phenotypic evidence suggests a possible major-gene element to weevil resistance in Sitka spruce

Treesearch

John N. King; René I. Alfaro; Peter Ott; Lara vanAkker

2012-01-01

The weevil resistance breeding program against the white pine weevil, Pissodes strobi Peck (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), particularly for Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr), is arguably one of the most successful pest resistance breeding programs for plantation forest species, and it has done a lot to rehabilitate...

Formation of Olelresin and Lignans in Sapwood of White Spruce in Response to Wounding

Treesearch

J.H. Hart; J.F. Wardell; Richard W. Hemingway

1975-01-01

Sapwood of white spruce (Picea glauca) was wounded in the spring with an increment borer. Tissue adjacent to the wound, collected 4-9 months after injury, was more decay resistant than uninjured tissue when exposed to Poria monticola or Coriolus versicolor. No significant quantitative or qualitative differences...

Symposium on formulation and application of microbials for spruce budworm and gypsy moth control

Treesearch

J. A. Armstrong; W. G. Yendol

1985-01-01

This panel of experts from Canada and the United States has been brought together to discuss control techniques and strategies employed against these important defoliators - the spruce budworm and the gypsy moth. In selecting the panel we have chosen people with experience ranging from research to control.

Molecular events of apical bud formation in white spruce, Picea glauca.

PubMed

El Kayal, Walid; Allen, Carmen C G; Ju, Chelsea J-T; Adams, Eri; King-Jones, Susanne; Zaharia, L Irina; Abrams, Suzanne R; Cooke, Janice E K

2011-03-01

Bud formation is an adaptive trait that temperate forest trees have acquired to facilitate seasonal synchronization. We have characterized transcriptome-level changes that occur during bud formation of white spruce [Picea glauca (Moench) Voss], a primarily determinate species in which preformed stem units contained within the apical bud constitute most of next season's growth. Microarray analysis identified 4460 differentially expressed sequences in shoot tips during short day-induced bud formation. Cluster analysis revealed distinct temporal patterns of expression, and functional classification of genes in these clusters implied molecular processes that coincide with anatomical changes occurring in the developing bud. Comparing expression profiles in developing buds under long day and short day conditions identified possible photoperiod-responsive genes that may not be essential for bud development. Several genes putatively associated with hormone signalling were identified, and hormone quantification revealed distinct profiles for abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinins, auxin and their metabolites that can be related to morphological changes to the bud. Comparison of gene expression profiles during bud formation in different tissues revealed 108 genes that are differentially expressed only in developing buds and show greater transcript abundance in developing buds than other tissues. These findings provide a temporal roadmap of bud formation in white spruce. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Dispersal of the spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis, and the engraver beetle, Ips perturbatus, in Alaska.

Treesearch

Richard A. Werner; Edward H. Holsten

1997-01-01

Mark-release-recapture experiments were performed with spruce beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby)) and Ips engraver beetles (Ips perturbatus (Eichhoff)) to determine distance and direction of dispersal. The recapture rate of beetles marked with fluorescent powder was extremely low. Most I. perturbatus...

Growth of hybrid poplars, white spruce, and jack pine under various artificial lights.

Treesearch

Pamela S. Roberts; J. Zavitkovski

1981-01-01

Describes the energy consumption and biological effects of fluorescent, incandescent, and high pressure sodium lighting on the growth of poplars, white spruce, and jack pine in a greenhouse. At similar light levels the biological effects of all three light sources were similar. The incandescent lamps consumed several times more energy than the other two light...

Social Structure and Social Change in Eastern Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, George; Schenkel, Walter

This specialized bibliography of scholarly writings since 1945 on Eastern Europe covers the countries of Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia. Distinct entries number about 700 and cover works published in English in the United States and Great Britain and also sources in French and German published…