The effect of spruce plantation density on resilience of mixed forests in the Perm Krai

Over the course of the last few decades, many countries across the globe have experienced mass desiccation of spruce plantations. The subject of our research was the spruce forests of the Russian Perm Krai's mixed forest zone. Spruce is a shade-tolerant tree species and low plantation density may adversely affect the spruce health. The aim of this research is to establish how influential the spruce stand density is on causing desiccation in mixed zones in the Perm Krai. The results of an on-site survey which had recorded spruce desiccation in 2017 were analysed. Within the boundaries of the aforementioned forest areas, 2017 saw the desiccation of spruce trees in 301 forest allotments covering an area of 5,343.7 ha. The value of the weighted average category of spruce forest health in Prikamye varies from 2.7 (severely weakened) to 4.2 (desiccating), and the percentage of the volume of spruce deadwood varies from 17% to 59.5%. When the spruce stand density rises from 0.4 to 0.8, spruce stand resilience to desiccation increases

Spruce Budworm Egg Mass Density on Balsam Fir and White Spruce: Low Population Levels (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

As part of a study to develop improved foliage sampling methods for spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens), egg masses, two balsam fir (four in one stand), Abies balsamea, and two white spruce, Picea glauca, trees were chosen from each of five spruce- fir stands in Michigan\u27s Upper Peninsula in 1980. All stands had very low to low population densities. Each tree was completely enumerated so that the number of new egg masses, foliage surface area, and egg mass density could be determined for the entire tree, three crown classes, four quadrants, and the tree top. Results indicated (1) considerable tree-to- tree and stand-to-stand variation; (2) no meaningful or consistent differences among quad- rants within or between species; (3) the average density in white spruce trees was 3.2 times larger than that in balsam fir trees; (4) the tree-la-tree variation of density in white spruce trees was 8.4 times larger than that in balsam fir trees; (5) densities in the mid-crown, upper-crown, and tree top are considerably higher than that in the lower-crown for both species; the relative differences for balsam fir are about twice that of white spruce; and (6) on the average, density at mid-crown was close to that of the entire tree for balsam fir, but density at mid-crown was 17.9% lower than that of the entire tree for white spruce. These results have important implications to the development of sampling plans for estimating egg mass density in spruce-fir stands

The Economics of Spruce Budworm Outbreaks in the Lake States: An Overview

Economic effects of spruce budworm outbreaks in the Lake States were examined. The recent outbreak caused spruce and fir mortality on 420 thousand ha (I.OS million acres) of commercial forest land in the Lake States. Two models of Lake States spruce-fir markets were developed. A Static Economic Model established the nature of the Lake States spruce-fir market and a Comparative Static Model examined changes brought about by spruce budworm outbreaks. Outbreaks result in short-run supply shifts which probably decrease total revenue to stumpage owners but do not affect demand. The magnitude of long-run impacts were dependent on developing Lake States markets and forest management techniques. Further research is necessary on the value of short-run losses to stumpage owners so that the costs of forest management can be compared with outbreak losses. Long-run shifts in demand can be facilitated by attracting new industry to the area, developing new markets for the spruce-fir resource, and demonstrating that the spruce-fir resource can provide a continuous fiber source in the future. These shifts would provide the price incentives that land managers require to undertake intensive forest management. Research on the development of new markets for the spruce-fir resource is needed. As markets develop, the long-run impacts become less severe. Technology transfer programs already exist to aid land managers in developing management strategies to increase yields of spruce-fir and minimize outbreak impact

Considerations When Sampling Spruce Budworm Egg Masses on Balsam Fir and White Spruce in the Lake States: Low Population Levels

One cluster each of balsam fir, Abies balsamea, and white spruce, Picea glauca, trees was chosen from each of five stands of spruce-fir in Michigan\u27s Upper Peninsula. The foliage surface area and the number of new egg masses of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, were determined for each branch and the top of each tree. The effects, in terms of the bias and the variance of the estimator, of sampling in different parts of the tree and with various size branches were determined. Factors that the sampler should consider in developing sampling plans to estimate spruce bud worm egg mass densities in mixed spruce-fir stands were identified. Egg mass density and its per branch variance may be considerably higher in white spruce than in balsam fir. Sampling whole feasible branches at mid-crown yielded, in general, the most precise and accurate estimates of tree egg mass density

The importance of Silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) in comparison to spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and oak (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) for arboreal Heteroptera communities in Bavarian forests

Heteropteran communities in the canopies of Silver fir (Abies alba) and spruce (Picea abies) were studied at three lowland and three mountainous sites throughout Bavaria using flight-interception traps. At one lowland site sampling was extended to oak (Quercus petraea). A significantly higher number of species and specimens occurred on fir when compared to spruce. Including all sampled species, numbers on fir were even higher than on oak. Excluding tourists, oak was most species rich. Results demonstrate that fir, spruce, and oak harbour distinct communities. While specific communities including several rare species (e.g. Actinonotus pulcher, Psallus punctulatus) were found on fir, mainly generalists were found on spruce. Pinalitus atomarius, Cremnocephalus alpestris, Phoenicocoris dissimilis and Orius minutus significantly preferred fir. Therefore, with an increased cultivation of fir in lieu of spruce, an increase in Heteropteran diversity can be expected

Effect of White Spruce Release on Subsequent Defoliation by the Yellowheaded Spruce Sawfly, Pikonema Alaskensis (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae)

Hand release of 22 5-year-old white spruce, Picea glauca (Moench) Voss, dramatically increased the amount of defoliation by the yellowheaded spruce sawfly, Pikonema alaskens is . The percent defoliation of the released trees was six times the defoliation in the control trees. A light overstory for young white spruce is suggested as a silvicultural method of reducing defoliation by this sawfly

Spruce Budworm Weight and Fecundity: Means, Frequency Distributions, and Correlations for Two Populations (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

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

Aspects of hybrid larch (Larix X eurolepis Henry) as a potential tree species in southern Swedish forestry

The interest in growing hybrid larch (Larix × eurolepis Henry) in southern Sweden has increased in recent decades, one of its assumed advantages being high volume growth. The work underlying this thesis was designed to contribute to our understanding of hybrid larch and its use in commercial forestry as a complement to Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in southern Sweden. A literature review supported the hypotheses that young hybrid larch stands have high growth and yield potential. In addition, it highlighted the difficulties involved in morphologically distinguishing the hybrid from its parental species and stressed the susceptibility of hybrid larch to root rot (mainly caused by Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref.). A survey conducted through interviews in 1993 of the opinions of forest managers with practical experience of growing hybrid larch showed that the species was considered to offer an interesting complement to other conifer tree species in southern Sweden. In addition, a growth simulator was developed, based on data from 28 sample plots established in stands on fertile sites managed with practical forestry programs. It included regression functions for basal area increment, stand form-height and initial basal area. Top height growth curves from a Norwegian study were also included in the simulator. A yield table was calculated for the age span 15 to 45 years. The calculations showed that the yield of hybrid larch stands on fertile sites in southern Sweden was slightly higher compared to Norway spruce, and its growth rate was markedly higher in young stands. On fertile sites the mean annual volume increment peaked at an age of 35 years, at a level of 13 m³/ha. However, the bark volume, as a proportion of total volume, was ca. 5% lower for Norway spruce than for hybrid larch. Economic calculations using current prices and costs (year 2002) showed that cash flow for hybrid larch was slightly higher and the soil expectation value was more than double the corresponding values for Norway spruce. Hybrid larch stands can be damaged by root and butt rot, but there was no clear evidence that the species was markedly worse than Norway spruce in this respect. The general opinion was that well managed older larch stands were less susceptible to wind throw than old Norway spruce stands. A general conclusion was that hybrid larch could be an attractive complement to Norway spruce on relatively rich sites in southern Sweden

Predation by Amphibians and Small Mammals on the Spruce Budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Stomach-content analyses of pitfall-trapped amphibians and small mammals showed that the eastern American toad, Bujo americanus americanus, and the wood frog, Rana sylvatica, preyed on late instars and moths of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana. The spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, and the masked shrew, Sorex cinereus, also preyed on late instars of the spruce budworm

Anomalous roughening of wood fractured surfaces

Scaling properties of wood fractured surfaces are obtained from samples of three different sizes. Two different woods are studied: Norway spruce and Maritime pine. Fracture surfaces are shown to display an anomalous dynamic scaling of the crack roughness. This anomalous scaling behavior involves the existence of two different and independent roughness exponents. We determine the local roughness exponents ${\zeta}_{loc}$ to be 0.87 for spruce and 0.88 for pine. These results are consistent with the conjecture of a universal local roughness exponent. The global roughness exponent is different for both woods, $\zeta$ = 1.60 for spruce and $\zeta$ = 1.35 for pine. We argue that the global roughness exponent $\zeta$ is a good index for material characterization.Comment: 7 two columns pages plus 8 ps figures, uses psfig. To appear in Physical Review