Rooting of juvenile succulent cuttings from haif‐sib families of Picea abies

Leader shoots from juvenile succulent Norway spruce seedlings were used as cuttings 11 weeks after sowing. The seedlings were grown for 6 additional weeks and then apically dominant and lateral shoots were also used as cuttings. These three cutting categories, leaders, dominants and laterals, rooted 99.4, 99.0 and 97.5 % respectively and performed differently with respect to rooting development, number of roots per cutting and response to IBA and PIBA treatments (synthetic auxins). A large individual variation in number of roots per cutting, which auxin treatments did not reduce, was present within each cutting categoty. Laterals from the three different families included in the study showed a different variation than did leaders and dominants. Generally, the juvenile succulent cuttings were easy to root. Seedlings grown at a rather high light intensity (62 W/m²) had the potential to give good rooting even without hormonal treatments.     

Repression of Ips typographus Infestations in Stored Logs by Semiochemicals

Logs of fresh‐felled Norway spruce were stored close to the south‐facing edges of clear‐cuts from the previous winter and treated with controlled release formulation of: 1. The pheromone components verbenone and ipsenol, which act as antiaggregative pheromone in Ips typographus. 2. Turpentine, a by‐product derived from pulp mills. The experiments were conducted in 3 locations in South‐Norway during a 3‐year period. All experiments show that treatments with a combination of verbenone and ipsenol released from laminated structure dispensers significantly reduced the attack density of I. typographus, whereas turpentine treatment had no effect on the rate of beetle infestations.     

The variation of the basic density within the juvenile wood of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)

The variation in the basic‐density level of 45 stems of Sitka spruce from two Danish sites has been examined. It is shown that the basic‐density level, i.e. the basic density as a function of ring width, within the juvenile wood decreases with (1) increasing distance from the pith and (2) increasing height in the stem (same ring number from pith provided). Furthermore, the basic‐density level seems to decrease with increasing stand quality, which may affect the pattern of variation in basic‐density level if the stand quality class varies with age. The basic density of the juvenile wood is markedly higher in Sitka spruce than in Norway spruce, whereby the risk of stem cracks probably is reduced.     

Estimating “autotrophic” belowground respiration in spruce and beech forests: decreases following girdling

Seasonal fluxes of CO₂ from soil and the contribution of autotrophic (root + mycorrhizal) to total soil respiration (SR) were estimated for a mixed stand of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) in Central Europe. Mature trees of each species were girdled in August 2002 to eliminate carbohydrate allocation to roots. SR was measured at distances of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5/2.0 m from the bole of each tree at 1–2 weeks intervals throughout the fall of 2002 and monthly during the spring and summer of 2003. The contribution of roots and mycorrhizae to total SR was estimated by the decrease in SR compared to ungirdled control trees to account for seasonal patterns evident in controls. SR decreased with soil temperature in the fall 2002 and increased again in 2003 as soil warmed. During most of the study period, SR was strongly related to soil temperature. During the dry summer of 2003, however, SR appeared to be uncoupled from temperature and was strongly related to soil water content (SWC). Mean rates of SR in beech and spruce control plots as well as root densities did not show a clear pattern with distance from the bole. SR decreased to levels below controls in beech within a few days after girdling, whereas spruce did not show a significant decrease until October 2002, 6 weeks after girdling. In both beech and spruce, decreased SR in response to girdling was greatest closest to the bole, possibly reflecting increased mycorrhizal activity close to the bole. Autotrophic respiration was estimated in beech to be as much as 50% of the total SR in the stand. The contribution of autotrophic respiration was less certain for spruce, although close to the bole, the autotrophic fraction may contribute to total SR as much as in beech. The large fraction of autotrophic respiration in total SR requires better understanding of tree level stresses that affect carbon allocation below ground.     

Adaptive properties of Picea abies progenies are influenced by environmental signals during sexual reproduction

Summary Several independent tests have shown that climate and weather during sexual reproduction influence the adaptive properties of the Picea abies progenies. This phenomenon is expressed in seed orchards established by moving parent trees, propagated as grafts, from north to south, from high to low elevation, or from outdoor to indoor greenhouse conditions. The progenies exhibit delayed flushing in the spring, later growth cessation of leader shoots in the summer, delayed bud-set, higher frequency of lammas shoots and delayed development of frost hardiness in the autumn compared to progenies reproduced in the colder native environment. The altered performance is persistent. We have found no effect on progenies of photoperiod and temperature treatments given to the males during meiosis and pollen production. However, when crosses were made in early spring (March), inside a heated greenhouse (short day, high temperature), the progenies are less frost hardy during cold acclimation than progenies from identical crosses performed in late spring (May; long day high temperature) in the greenhouse. The most hardy offspring were from crosses performed under outdoor conditions in May (long day, low temperature). These results indicate that some stages in reproduction, such as female meiosis, pollen tube growth, syngamy and early embryo development, are sensitive to temperature and/or photoperiod which then alter the phenotypic performance of the offspring. The most likely explanation is the existence of a regulatory mechanism affecting the expression of genes controlling adaptive traits. If this is true, it must have implications for the genetic interpretation of provenance differences in Norway spruce.     

Carbon dioxide emissions of soils under pure and mixed stands of beech and spruce, affected by decomposing foliage litter mixtures

Soil respiration is the largest terrestrial source of CO₂ to the atmosphere. In forests, roughly half of the soil respiration is autotrophic (mainly root respiration) while the remainder is heterotrophic, originating from decomposition of soil organic matter. Decomposition is an important process for cycling of nutrients in forest ecosystems. Hence, tree species induced changes may have a great impact on atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. Since studies on the combined effects of beech-spruce mixtures are very rare, we firstly measured CO₂ emission rates in three adjacent stands of pure spruce (Picea abies), mixed spruce-beech and pure beech (Fagus sylvatica) on three base-rich sites (Flysch) and three base-poor sites (Molasse; yielding a total of 18 stands) during two summer periods using the closed chamber method. CO₂ emissions were higher on the well-aerated sandy soils on Molasse than on the clayey soils on Flysch, characterized by frequent water logging. Mean CO₂ effluxes increased from spruce (41) over the mixed (55) to the beech (59) stands on Molasse, while tree species effects were lower on Flysch (30-35, mixed > beech = spruce; all data in mg CO₂-C m⁻² h⁻¹). Secondly, we studied decomposition after fourfold litter manipulations at the 6 mixed species stands: the O_i - and O_e horizons were removed and replaced by additions of beech -, spruce - and mixed litter of the adjacent pure stands of known chemical quality and one zero addition (blank) in open rings (20 cm inner diameter), which were covered with meshes to exclude fresh litter fall. Mass loss within two years amounted to 61-68% on Flysch and 36-44% on Molasse, indicating non-additive mixed species effects (mixed litter showed highest mass loss). However, base cation release showed a linear response, increasing from the spruce - over the mixed - to the beech litter. The differences in N release (immobilization) resulted in a characteristic converging trend in C/N ratios for all litter compositions on both bedrocks during decomposition. In the summers 2006 and 2007 we measured CO₂ efflux from these manipulated areas (a closed chamber fits exactly over such a ring) as field indicator of the microbial activity. Net fluxes (subtracting the so-called blank values) are considered an indicator of litter induced changes only and increased on both bedrocks from the spruce - over the mixed - to the beech litter. According to these measurements, decomposing litter contributed between 22-32% (Flysch) and 11-28% (Molasse) to total soil respiration, strengthening its role within the global carbon cycle.     

Effect of soil acidity on the entomophilic nematode Steinernema kraussei Steiner

Summary The free-living stages of Steinernema kraussei (Rhabditida), an endoparasite of Cephalcia abietis L. (Hymenoptera), are exposed to different soil conditions when searching for host nymphs. Field studies and laboratory experiments showed that soil acidity plays a major role in the nematode's ability to parasitize Cephalcia nymphs. Under field conditions in Picea abies forests positive correlations between soil pH and both nematode density and insects parasitized were found. Acidic soil with pH levels below 4.0 may limit the nematode's host-finding. Controlled experiments in the laboratory under different pH conditions confirmed these correlations.Dedicated to the late Prof. Dr. W. Kühnelt     

不同龄沙地云杉光合荧光生理特征的比较

旨在比较分析不同龄沙地云杉的差异。以不同龄沙地云杉为实验材料,采用Li-6400便携式光合作用系统,测定不同龄云杉的光响应、叶绿素荧光参数。结果表明:(1)沙地云杉叶片净光合速率随着树龄的增加净光合速率(Pn)逐渐降低,其中5年生的沙地云杉的净光合速率最大。10年生的沙地云杉的光饱和点光饱和点(LSP)比5年、20年的高,这就说明10年沙地云杉光合最活跃,是生产光合产物最高的时期,处于生命最旺盛的时期。(2)不同龄沙地云杉的叶绿素荧光参数之间差异不显著,其中实际光化学反应量子效率(ΦPSⅡ)、表观光合电子传递速率(ETR)随着树龄的增加而降低,5年生的ΦPSⅡ、ETR达到最大。     

氮素供应对欧洲云杉根系生长发育效应分析

研究氮素供应对欧洲云杉[Picea abies (L) Karst]无性系根系生长发育的施肥效应,进而为该树种苗木根系发育的施肥调控提供依据。以欧洲云杉优良无性系pab081140 3年生苗木为试材,对不同氮素供应剂量下盆栽植株的根系生长发育指标进行测定分析。结果表明：与对照相比,测试剂量N-6（含氮量为46%的尿素6 g/株）、N-9（含氮量为46%的尿素9 g/株）、N-12（含氮量为46%的尿素12 g/株）均促进了根长、根表面积、根平均直径与根体积的生长,同时提高了根系生物量、植株总生物量和根系含氮量及植株总含氮量的水平,根系生物量占植株总量的比值和根冠生物量比值随之提高,但不同剂量的施肥效应存在差异;其中,N-9剂量处理下的欧洲云杉根系形态指标均是对照的1.3倍以上（1.38~1.89倍）,而根系生物量、植物总生物量、根冠生物量的比值也显著高于对照(P<0.05);此外,根含氮量与植株总含氮量分别比对照提高了73.2%和80.9%。由此可知,N-9剂量对欧洲云杉pab081140无性系根系生长发育的促进效果最为明显。     

危害云杉的卷蛾三新种

青海云杉是甘肃省祁连山林区的主要树种，曾遭受多种害虫侵害，经作者研究发现其中有卷蛾三新种，本文对它们进行比较详尽的新种记述。