Management strategies to increase stand structural diversity and enhance biodiversity in coastal rainforests of Alaska

Coastal rainforests of southeast Alaska have relatively simple species composition but complex structures with high diversity of tree ages, sizes and forest canopy layers, and an abundant understory plant community. Wildlife and fisheries resources also play an important role in the ecological functioning of forest and aquatic systems. Clearcutting has greatly altered these forest ecosystems with significant decreases in structural diversity of forest stands and greatly reduced wildlife habitat. This paper synthesizes information on management options in older forests that have never been actively managed, and in younger forests to increase diversity of stand structures and their associated effects on biodiversity. Light to moderate levels of partial cutting in old-growth forests can maintain the original diversity of overstory stand structures and understory plant communities. In younger forests that develop after clearcutting, mixed alder-conifer stands provide more heterogeneous structures and significantly higher understory biomass than in pure conifer forests. Research has shown that red alder increases diversity and abundance of understory plants, and provides forage for deer and small mammals. Results also show a clear linkage between alder and improved invertebrate diversity in aquatic systems. A combination of light partial cutting in older forests along with inclusion of red alder in conifer-dominated forests could provide the greatest amount of diversity and maintain the complex stand structures that are an important component of these forest ecosystems.     

Effects of Clear‐Cutting Alder Coppice on Surface Soil Properties and Aboveground Herbaceous Plant Biomass

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of clear‐cutting and skidding impacts on surface soils in an alder coppice and aboveground herbaceous biomass. For this purpose, experimental sites used in the study were a randomized complete block with four replications. Some soil properties were measured at 60 pits at 0 to 5 cm and 5 to 10 cm deep in control, normal harvest, and main skid trail sites. In the main skid trail site, as compared to the control and normal harvest site, the bulk density increased from 0.90 to 1.52g cm^?3, the soil organic‐matter content decreased from 4.77% to 1.65%, and saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased from 86.34 to 9.6 cm h^?1 at 0 to 5 cm deep. Optimization of harvesting time and rehabilitation of skid roads needed to be done to prevent and minimize negative impacts of the skid roads on soils.     

桤柏混交林的效益探讨

桤柏混交林是川中丘陵区的主要造林类型。本文对不同年龄阶段的桤柏混交林进行了对比研究。结果表明：２６年生的混交林中其柏木在单位面积上的蓄积最比纯柏木林大８０．６％，地上中分生物量比纯林高４７．２％；混交林柏木的Ｎ，Ｐ，Ｋ，Ｃａ等营养元素含量分别 比纯柏林高６５．４７％，５０．４３％，７．７０％和１７．９６％；混交林内空气相对湿度比纯柏木林大９．４－１０．５％，混交林能改善生态环境，提高土壤肥力。     

Annualized diameter and height growth equations for Pacific Northwest plantation-grown Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and red alder

Simulating the influence of intensive management and annual weather fluctuations on tree growth requires a shorter time step than currently employed by most regional growth models. High-quality data sets are available for several plantation species in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, but the growth periods ranged from 2 to 12 years in length. Measurement periods of varying length complicate efforts to fit growth models because observed growth rates must be interpolated to a common length growth period or those growth periods longer or shorter than the desired model time step must be discarded. A variation of the iterative technique suggested by Cao [Cao, Q.V., 2000. Prediction of annual diameter growth and survival for individual trees from periodic measurements. Forest Sci. 46, 127–131] was applied to estimate annualized diameter and height growth equations for pure plantations of Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and red alder. Using this technique, fits were significantly improved for all three species by embedding a multi-level nonlinear mixed-effects framework (likelihood ratio test: p < 0.0001). The final models were consistent with expected biological behavior of diameter and height growth over tree, stand, and site variables. The random effects showed some correlation with key physiographic variables such as slope and aspect for Douglas-fir and red alder, but these relationships were not observed for western hemlock. Further, the random effects were more correlated with physiographic variables than actual climate or soils information. Long-term simulations (12–16 years) on an independent dataset using these annualized equations showed that the multi-level mixed effects models were more accurate and precise than those fitted without random effects as mean square error (MSE) was reduced by 13 and 21% for diameter and height growth prediction, respectively. The level of prediction error was also smaller than an existing similar growth model with a longer time step (ORGANON v8) as the annualized equations reduced MSE by 17 and 38% for diameter and height growth prediction, respectively. These models will prove to be quite useful for understanding the interaction of weather and silviculture in the Pacific Northwest and refining the precision of future growth model projections.     

Response of vegetation, shade and stream temperature to debris torrents in two western Oregon watersheds

This study examines watershed patterns of riparian vegetation, shade, and stream temperature eight years after extreme storm events triggered numerous debris torrents throughout the Pacific Northwest. We examined twelve impacted streams in two western Oregon watersheds: the Calapooia River in the western Cascades and the Williams River in the Coast Range. Red alder (Alnus rubra) and willow (Salix spp.) were the dominant species on debris torrented areas in both watersheds. Post-disturbance vegetation recovery was significant in both watersheds, impacting shade and stream temperatures. However, red alder density, basal area, and height were significantly greater along streams in the Williams River watershed than along streams in the Calapooia River watershed. Willow density, basal area and height were similar between the watersheds. Stream shading levels mirrored red alder growth, with greater average shading in the Williams River watershed. The greater shade translated into lower summer maximum stream temperatures and maximum diurnal stream temperature fluctuations in the Williams River as compared to the Calapooia River watershed. Minimum stream temperatures were not different between the two watersheds. The rapid re-growth of red alder along the Williams River watershed ultimately lead to a rapid decline in maximum summer stream temperatures for that watershed compared to the Calapooia River watershed. The location where the disturbance occurred had an important role in determining the rate and pathway of stream recovery.     

Long-term dynamics of leaf and root decomposition and nitrogen release in a grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench) and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) stands

The decomposition of the leaf litter, fine roots (d?<?2?mm) and coarser roots (2?≤?d?<?5?mm) of grey alder and silver birch, as well as of α-cellulose sheets using the litterbag method was studied in two experimental stands on Podzoluvisol soils in Southern Estonia. For both tree species, the coarser roots decomposed faster than the fine roots, (p?<?.05), tree species did not affect the decomposition rate of the roots (p?>?.5). The nitrogen (N) input to soil from aboveground litter was multiple times higher than the N flux from roots. The remaining relative ash-free mass of the leaves of grey alder and silver birch after three and a half years was similar. After 11 years the remaining relative ash-free mass of the fine and coarser roots of grey alder still accounted for around 10% of the initial value. For silver birch the remaining value was around 20% after 9 years. The litterbag method to underestimates in fertile soils the decomposition of organic matter and thus did not reflect the actual dynamics of decomposition.     

桤柏混交林林下植被结构及生物量动态

林下植被是森林生态系统的重要组成部分,在森林生态系统的物质循环、生物多样性以及演替、发展等方面具有重要的作用.选取具有代表性的10,15,20,25 a桤(Aluns cremastogyme)柏(Cupressus fu-nebris)混交林和由桤柏混交林演替而来的30 a纯柏林为研究对象,研究了川中丘陵区桤柏混交林的林下植被结构及生物量的动态变化.(1)灌丛和草本的物种丰富度在10～20 a间增加,20～30 a间,灌丛物种丰富度显著降低,草本层无明显变化.(2)灌丛和草本层的高度在10～15 a间显著增加,15～30 a间缓慢降低,灌丛高度具较大的空间异质性.(3)灌丛和草本层的盖度在15 a前后有显著的上升和下降,20～30a间无显著的变化;草本层的盖度高于灌丛,且空间异质性小于灌从.(4)灌丛生物量在15 a前后有显著增加和下降,20～30 a间相对稳定;草本层生物量在10～30 a间呈波动性变化,但总体上呈下降趋势.研究结果表明,在桤柏混交林的生长发育过程中,林下植被的结构和功能呈逐渐退化趋势.     

Riparian defoliation by the invasive green alder sawfly influences terrestrial prey subsidies to salmon streams

Invasive species in riparian forests are unique as their effects can transcend ecosystem boundaries via stream‐riparian linkages. The green alder sawfly (Monsoma pulveratum) is an invasive wasp whose larvae are defoliating riparian thin‐leaf alder (Alnus tenuifolia) stands across southcentral Alaska. To test the hypothesis that riparian defoliation by this invasive sawfly negatively affects the flow of terrestrial prey resources to stream fishes, we sampled terrestrial invertebrates on riparian alder foliage, their subsidies to streams and their consumption by juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Invasive sawflies altered the composition of terrestrial invertebrates on riparian alder foliage and as terrestrial prey subsidies to streams. Community analyses supported these findings revealing that invasive sawflies shifted the community structure of terrestrial invertebrates between seasons and levels of energy flow (riparian foliage, streams and fish). Invasive sawfly biomass peaked mid‐summer, altering the timing and magnitude of terrestrial prey subsidies to streams. Contrary to our hypothesis, invasive sawflies had no effect on the biomass of native taxa on riparian alder foliage, as terrestrial prey subsidies, or in juvenile coho salmon diets. Juvenile coho salmon consumed invasive sawflies when most abundant, but relied more on other prey types selecting against sawflies relative to their availability. Although we did not find effects of invasive sawflies extending to juvenile coho salmon in this study, these results could change as the distribution of invasive sawflies expands or as defoliation intensifies. Nevertheless, riparian defoliation by these invasive sawflies is likely having other ecological effects that merits further investigation.     

桤木制浆造纸研究现状与我国桤木浆的开发利用

就桤木商用种植的生产潜力、制浆造纸和材性研究现状等进行综合评述。桤木是一种商用种植较有发展前景的阔叶树种,生长迅速、固氮能力强,木材性质类似于杨木和桦木,可用来开发研制不同的浆种,与针叶木浆或其它阔叶木浆配抄可以生产高质量的印刷纸和书写纸等。鉴于我国丰富的桤木遗传资源和现有的生产经营水平,大力发展桤木纸浆原料林,开发利用桤木木浆具有广阔的前景,对于缓解针叶木浆之不足,降低纸浆生产成本,使我国造纸业     

Chlorophyll fluorescence for visualizing the spatial and temporal spread of Phytophthora alni subsp. alni in alder bark tissue

The impact of alder Phytophthora (Phytophthora alni subsp. alni) on corticular photosynthetic metabolism was explored via measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence. Stem inoculation induced a sharp reduction of maximum (F_v/F_m) and effective quantum yield of PSII (). Observations of the axial and radial spread of the pathogen revealed that near to the point of inoculation and in the whole centre of the stem lesion F_v/F_m and of the cortex chlorenchyma decreased to almost zero, indicating tissue necrosis. Low values of F_v/F_m and were also found in some presymptomatic regions beyond the visible stem lesion. In contrast, substantial photosynthetic activity was found in uninvaded parts of the inoculated trees and in the control. These stem parts showed a marked light‐adapted quantum efficiency of PSII as well as marked electron transport rates in their bark tissues. Thus, corticular photosynthesis stayed unaffected in these stem parts supporting stem carbon balance. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements in the field illustrated that stem infection with P. alni subsp. alni and the effect on the bark tissues is not only highly heterogeneous but also underlies very quick temporal changes, due to a rapid destruction of the photosynthetic apparatus. The results show that chlorophyll fluorescence measurements and fluorescence imaging are useful indicators of tissue infection caused by Phytophthora infection of bark tissues. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements can be used to map and visualize the spatial as well as temporal spread of bark pathogens and can give a first indication of invasion of the host tissue beyond the visible lesion.