Phosphorus release from forest harvesting on an upland blanket peat catchment

The aim of this study was to investigate the release of phosphorus (P) to receiving waters resulting from harvesting 34-year-old lodgepole pine trees in an upland peat catchment. The study site was within a 25.3-hectare (ha) area, and was drained by a stream that received flows from ploughed furrows, mainly, via collector drains, and discharged directly to the salmonid Shrahrevagh River, Burrishoole, Co. Mayo, Ireland. The study site was divided into two parts: the upstream part was left intact and the downstream part was harvested in early Autumn 2005 following implementation of forest guidelines. Good management practices such as proper use of brash mats and harvesting only in dry weather were implemented. Two instrumented stations were established – one just upstream (US) and the other just downstream (DS) of the clearfelled area. The measurement of P concentrations at the two stations commenced in May 2005, two months before the harvesting started. The daily mean P concentration at the DS station increased from about 6 μg L⁻¹ of total reactive phosphorus (TRP) during pre-clearfelling to 429 μg L⁻¹ in August 2006. By October 2009, four years after clearfelling, the P concentrations at the DS station had returned to pre-clearfelling levels. In the first three years after harvesting, up to 5.15 kg ha⁻¹ of TRP was released from the harvested catchment to the receiving water; in the second year alone, 2.3 kg ha⁻¹ of TRP was released. Linear regression can be used to describe the relationship between TRP load and water discharge. About 80% of the total phosphorus (TP) in the study stream was soluble and more than 70% of the P release occurred in storm events, indicating that traditional buffer strips with widths of 15–20 m might not be efficient for P immobilization. The P concentrations were affected by antecedent weather conditions and highest concentrations occurred during storm events following prolonged drought periods. The water extractable phosphorus (WEP) contents in the soil were significantly higher below windrow/brash material than in brash-free areas, and whole-tree harvesting should be studied as one of the means to decrease P export from blanket peats.     

Tree plantations on farms: Evaluating growth and potential for success

Interest in native species is growing across the tropics as reforestation of degraded lands becomes more widespread. In this study four tree species native to Panama - Cedrela odorata, Pachira quinata, Samanea saman, and Tabebuia rosea - were grown on rural farms at two dry tropical sites in Panama for up to five years. Survivorship and growth data at these “on-farm” trials are compared to data recorded from nearby experimental or “species selection” trial sites and evaluated in terms of soil fertility and management. Participant farmers were also asked about their interest in planting trees in general as well as their interest in 61 species grown in the species selection trial.Although, on-farm survivorship was variable and generally lower than that found on the species selection trial, one species (S. saman) experienced high and consistent survivorship. High survivorship combined with growth data from farms at both sites for this species suggests it would be a good candidate for extension projects working with rural farmers. Survivorship of other species appears more sensitive to farmer management and/or local site conditions. Generally lower growth on the Los Santos farms as compared to the species-selection trial is attributed to the lower soil fertility (plant available P) at the on-farm sites compared to the species selection trial. In contrast, only one species - P. quinata - had a growth variable found to be significantly lower between the on-farm and species selection trial sites in Rio Hato. C. odorata, P. quinata T. rosea can all be used in on-farm conditions with consideration to specific site and management conditions.By 2009, approximately 80% of the farmers planting trees still wished to participate in tree planting activities. All of the farmers no longer wishing to continue with the project expressed slow growth rates of trees as a principal reason. All but one of these farmers had growth rates for his/her trees markedly below those of the species selection trial nearby. Some farmers wishing to continue had very high mortality rates (>70% for all species), suggesting non-tangible benefits for participating in project activities. Other species that were not tested on-farm but grew well in the species-selection trials and were of interest to local farmers are discussed.As long as specific site and management conditions are carefully considered, data from species selection trials can be useful in informing tree planting projects with rural farmers; however, care should be taken to manage expectations.     

Global genotype by environment trends in growth traits for Eucalyptus dunnii

New Forests - Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden (Dunn’s white gum) is a fast-growing tall tree with a restricted natural distribution in south-east Australia and favorable wood properties for pulp...     

Dry matter production and allocation in Eucalyptus cloeziana and Eucalyptus argophloia seedlings in response to soil water deficits

Effects of soil water availability on seedling growth, dry matter production and allocation were determined for Gympie (humid coastal) and Hungry Hills (dry inland) provenances of Eucalyptus cloeziana F. Muell. and for E. argophloia Blakely (dry inland) species. Seven-month-old seedlings were subjected to well-watered (100% field capacity, FC), moderate (70% FC) and severe (50% FC) soil water regimes in a glasshouse environment for 14 wk. There were significant differences in seedling growth, biomass production and allocation patterns between species. E. argophloia produced twice as much biomass at 100% FC, and more than three times as much at 70% and 50% FC than did either E. cloeziana provenance. Although the humid provenance of E. cloeziana had a greater leaf area at 100% FC conditions than did the dry provenance, total biomass production did not differ significantly. Both E. cloeziana provenances were highly sensitive to water deficits. E. argophloia allocated 10% more biomass to roots than did E. cloeziana. Allometric analyses indicated that relative biomass allocation patterns were significantly affected by genotype but not by soil water availability. These results have implications for taxon selection for cultivation in humid and subhumid regions.     

Survival and long-term growth of eucalypts on semi-arid sites in a Mediterranean climate,South Africa§

Four experiments were established on the semi-arid west coast plain of South Africa during the 1990s. The trails tested the survival and growth of several eucalypt species and hybrids, some of which were established in a climate that is drier than their natural distribution range. The aridity indices (AI; defined as mean annual precipitation [MAP]/mean annual potential evapotranspiration) ranged from 0.21 to 0.36 and MAP from 228 to 423 mm. The driest trial site (AI = 0.21 and MAP = 228) had high levels of mortality. However, a number of species (in particular, Eucalyptus gomphocephala, E. camaldulensis and E. tereticornis, as well as individual hybrids of the latter two species with E. grandis) survived and grew well at the remaining sites. Eucalyptus cladocalyx survived well and attained competitive growth rates only on the wettest site in the group (AI = 0.36). The dominant height of the top-performing genotypes at age 5 ranged between 9 and 10 m on the two wetter sites. This corresponded to mean annual increment values in excess of 10 m³ ha^?1 a^?1, which is comparable to volume obtained at more favourable aridity indices in the summer rainfall zone of South Africa and exceeds the growth rates obtained in several other arid zone studies globally. The E. grandis × E. camaldulensis hybrid ranked among the top performers in two trials, but its susceptibility to recently introduced pests and relatively poor wood quality makes it a less attractive choice for planting. The high density and durability of timber, acceptable growth rate (given the low rainfall conditions), and low pest and disease incidence make E. gomphocephala and E. cladocalyx the species of choice for planting in the drier and relatively wetter sections of the semi-arid zone, respectively.     

The fracture toughness and properties of thermally modified beech and ash at different moisture contents

The fracture toughness of thermally modified beech (Fagus sylvatica L) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior L) wood under Mode I loading was quantified using Compact Tension (CT) specimens, loaded under steady-state crack propagation conditions. The influence of three heat-treatment levels and three moisture contents, as well as two crack propagation systems (RL and TL) was studied. Complete load–displacement records were analysed, and the initial slope, k _init, critical stress intensity factor, K _Ic, and specific fracture energy, G _f, evaluated. In the case of both species, thermal modification was found to be significantly affect the material behaviour; the more severe the thermal treatment, the lower the values of K _Ic and G _f, with less difference being observed between the most severe treatments. Moisture content was also found to influence fracture toughness, but had a much less significant effect than the heat treatment.     

Mid-infrared absorption properties of green wood

There is a lack of quantitative data on the penetration depth and the amount of energy absorbed by green wood under infrared (IR) radiation. This lack of knowledge is a potential barrier to the development of IR heating as an alternative to soaking as a means of warming logs prior to peeling in the manufacture of plywood. Experimental measurements of normal hemispherical spectral reflectance and transmittance over the range 550–5,500 cm^?1 wavenumbers on four wood species, beech, birch, Douglas-fir and spruce have brought new knowledge on mid-infrared absorption properties of green wood and removed some uncertainties. For instance, it is not possible to deliver energy deeper than up to 0.3 mm below the wood surface because 70–90 % of all incident IR radiation on the wood surface is absorbed in this layer. Some wood features, such as surface quality, the presence of knots and of free water in wood (the latter two having a more significant effect) influence the amount of energy absorbed. These results illustrate that IR radiation can heat the surface layers, but then heat penetrates deeper into the inside layers of wood by conduction.     

Pattern and Composition of Secondary Succession Beneath Caribbean Pine Plantations of Southwest Sri Lanka

This study examined the vegetation growing beneath Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea) plantations established within previously abandoned tea lands adjacent to intact rain forest in southwest Sri Lanka. To examine the pattern and composition of secondary succession and factors affecting it, vegetation was sampled in different relative locations (interior and edge conditions) within plantations. Results demonstrated that more vegetation was found near the plantation edges than in the interior, and this pattern was prominent for both wind- and bird- dispersed species. The vegetation represented a mixture of species belonging to a range of successional guilds representing early (17 species, 42.4% in stem count) and late-successional species (52 species, 40.6%), although native long-lived canopy tree species were mostly absent. Bird-dispersed species dominated the flora (80 species, 86.7% in stem count). Abundance of an exotic shrub Clidemia hirta (Melastomataceae) showed a negative correlation with that of other species, indicating its impact on native flora. Underplanting of native canopy species may be effective in assisting secondary succession and control C. hirta in the plantations.     

Mechanisms and management of acaricide resistance for Tetranychus urticae in agroecosystems

Journal of Pest Science - The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, is a constant threat to sustainable production of numerous economically important crops globally. Management of T....     

Limited host range in the idiobiont parasitoid Phymastichus coffea,a prospective biological control agent of the coffee pest Hypothenemus hampei in Hawaii

Phymastichus coffea LaSalle (Hymenoptera:Eulophidae) is an adult endoparasitoid of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera:Curculionidae:Scolytinae), which has been introduced in many coffee producing countries as a biological control agent. To determine the effectiveness of P. coffea against H. hampei and environmental safety for release in Hawaii, we investigated the host selection and parasitism response of adult females to 43 different species of Coleoptera, including 23 Scolytinae (six Hypothenemus species and 17 others), and four additional Curculionidae. Non-target testing included Hawaiian endemic, exotic and beneficial coleopteran species. Using a no-choice laboratory bioassay, we demonstrated that P. coffea was only able to parasitize the target host H. hampei and four other adventive species of Hypothenemus: H. obscurus, H. seriatus, H. birmanus and H. crudiae. Hypothenemus hampei had the highest parasitism rate and shortest parasitoid development time of the five parasitized Hypothenemus spp. Parasitism and parasitoid emergence decreased with decreasing phylogenetic relatedness of the Hypothenemus spp. to H. hampei, and the most distantly related species, H. eruditus, was not parasitized. These results suggest that the risk of harmful non-target impacts is low because there are no native species of Hypothenemus in Hawaii, and P. coffea could be safely introduced for classical biological control of H. hampei in Hawaii.