Mari T. Jönsson, Shawn Fraver, Bengt Gunnar Jonsson. (2011). Spatio-temporal variation of coarse woody debris input in woodland key habitats in central Sweden. Silva Fennica vol. 45 no. 5 article id 80. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.80

Keywords: boreal forest; Picea abies; dendrochronology; disturbance dynamics; tree mortality; woodland key habitats; windstorms

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The persistence of many saproxylic (wood-living) species depends on a readily available supply of coarse woody debris (CWD). Most studies of CWD inputs address stand-level patterns, despite the fact that many saproxylic species depend on landscape-level supplies of CWD. In the present study we used dated CWD inputs (tree mortality events) at each of 14 Norway spruce (Picea abies) dominated woodland key habitat sites to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of CWD additions between 1950 and 2002 within a small landscape in central Sweden. We found that inputs were episodic within sites, where local windstorms created pulses in CWD input. Pulses occurred simultaneously in many sites, yielding landscape-level synchrony of CWD input. These synchronous pulses, and importantly, the breaks between pulses, may have negative implications for saproxylic species that are dependent on large volume inputs of freshly killed Norway spruce. In addition, the inherent small size and relative isolation of these sites may further increase extinction risks due to stochastic events. However, background CWD input rates occurring between pulses varied substantially among sites, presumably the result of the sites’ varied histories and structural characteristics. This finding suggests that the different sites have varied abilities to provide habitat for saproxylic species during periods with low landscape-level input of CWD.

Jönsson, Department of Ecology, SLU, P.O. Box 7044, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden (current); Department of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden E-mail: mari.jonsson@slu.se
Fraver, U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Grand Rapids, Minnesota, USA (current); Department of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden E-mail: sf@nn.us
Jonsson, Department of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden E-mail: bgj@nn.se

article id 408, category Research article

Sakari Sarkkola, Hannu Hökkä, Timo Penttilä. (2004). Natural development of stand structure in peatland Scots pine following drainage: results based on long-term monitoring of permanent sample plots. Silva Fennica vol. 38 no. 4 article id 408. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.408

Keywords: Pinus sylvestris; peatland; tree mortality; stand structure; drainage; dbh distribution

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We studied the dynamics of stand structure on drained peatland sites in Scots pine dominated stands untreated with thinnings. The data consisted of consecutive stand measurements in 10 permanent sample plots where the monitoring periods varied from 29 to 66 years. We assumed that the stand’s structural development was driven by the natural processes of regeneration, growth, and mortality, all related to inter-tree competition within the stand. The DBH distributions of live and dead trees at different times of post-drainage stand development – smoothed by Weibull function – were analysed to characterise the change in stand structure. The initial uneven-sized structure of the natural, widely-spaced stands became more uneven during the first decades following drainage due to enhanced regeneration. Later, as stand density and mean tree size continuously increased, the DBH distributions approached bell-shaped distributions. Accordingly, the suppressed trees showed their highest mortality rate during the first decades, but the peak of the mortality distribution shifted to larger trees along stand succession. The change in structure was faster in southern Finland than in northern Finland. We assumed the changes in stand dynamics reflected increased inter-tree competition, initiated by enhanced site productivity and increased stand stocking resulting from the ditching operation.

Sarkkola, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: sakari.sarkkola@helsinki.fi
Hökkä, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Rovaniemi Research Station, P.O. Box 16, FI-96301 Rovaniemi, Finland E-mail: hh@nn.fi
Penttilä, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Centre, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: tp@nn.fi

article id 675, category Research article

Per Linder, Peter Jonsson, Mats Niklasson. (1998). Tree mortality after prescribed burning in an old-growth Scots pine forest in northern Sweden. Silva Fennica vol. 32 no. 4 article id 675. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.675

Keywords: forest management; coarse woody debris; tree mortality; nature conservation; forest fire; dead trees

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Tree mortality and input of dead trees were studied after a prescribed burning in a forest reserve in northern Sweden. The stand was a multi-layered old-growth forest. The overstorey was dominated by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and the understorey consisted of mixed Scots pine and Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.). Ground vegetation was dominated by ericaceous dwarf-shrubs and feathermosses. The stand has been affected by six forest fires during the last 500 years. The prescribed burning was a low intensity surface fire that scorched almost 90% of the ground. Tree mortality for smaller pines and spruces (DBH < 10 cm) was over 80% in the burned parts of the reserve. For larger pines, 10–50 cm DBH, mortality showed a decreasing trend with increasing diameter, from 14% in class 10–20 cm DBH to 1.4% in class 40–50 cm DBH. However, pines with DBH ≥ 50 cm had a significantly higher mortality, 20%, since a high proportion of them had open fire scars containing cavities, caused by fungi and insects, which enabled the fire to burn inside the trunks and hollow them out. The fire-induced mortality resulted in a 21 m3 ha–1 input of dead trees, of which 12 m3 ha–1 consisted of trees with DBH ≥ 30 cm. An increased mortality among larger trees after low-intensity fires has not previously been described in Fennoscandian boreal forests, probably owing to a lack of recent fires in old-growth stands. However, since large pines with open fire scars were once a common feature in the natural boreal forest, we suggest that this type of tree mortality should be mimicked in forestry practices aiming to maintain and restore natural forest biodiversity.

Linder, Department of Forest Vegetation Ecology, SLU, S-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: pl@nn.se
Jonsson, Department of Forest Vegetation Ecology, SLU, S-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: pj@nn.se
Niklasson, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, SLU, Box 49, S-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden E-mail: mn@nn.se

Category : Research note

article id 1145, category Research note

Juha Siitonen. (2014). Ips acuminatus kills pines in southern Finland. Silva Fennica vol. 48 no. 4 article id 1145. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1145

Keywords: tree mortality; Scots pine; Ips acuminatus; Phaenops cyanea; drought

Highlights: Recently dead pines colonized by Ips acuminatus were frequently found in southern Finland, in a region where the species was thought to be absent; Colonized trees were typically large (average DBH 30 cm), located at open spots in pine-dominated stands, often forming groups of several trees; The damages may be a consequence of dry and hot summers during the 2000s.

Abstract | Full text in HTML | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Recently dead Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) apparently killed by Ips acuminatus (Gyllenhal) were observed in Sipoo, southern Finland, in summer 2013. This record was unexpected and in contradiction with what is currently known about the distribution and aggressiveness of the species in Finland. The aim of this study was to survey a larger area in Uusimaa region, to find out whether I. acuminatus occurs frequently in recently dead pines, and whether inhabited trees share some common tree- or site-level characteristics. Galleries of I. acuminatus were found in most of the studied trees. A total of 96 inhabited trees were found in 21 separate sites. Colonized pines were typically large (average DBH 30 ± 9 cm) trees located in relatively open pine-dominated heathland stands at half-open, sun-exposed spots. The whole upper part of the trunk with thin bark was usually occupied. Galleries of Tomicus piniperda L. or T. minor Hartig occurred only in few cases in the same trees, indicating that the trees had died later in the summer. Galleries of the jewel beetle Phaenops cyanea F. were found in 13 trees. Trees colonized by I. acuminatus often occurred as small groups, with generally 1–12 trees (average 3 trees), but in one exceptional group there were no less than 35 trees. It is possible that the hot and dry summers during the 2000s have increased the susceptibility of pines to insect damage, and have contributed to a population growth of I. acuminatus.

Siitonen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: juha.siitonen@metla.fi

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