Year-end Sale % OFF 
Abstract
Boreal black spruce (Picea mariana) forests are prone to developing thick organic layers (paludification). Black spruce is adapted to this environment by the continuous development of adventitious roots, masking the root collar and making it difficult to age trees. Ring counts above the root collar underestimate age of trees, but the magnitude of age underestimation of trees in relation to organic layer thickness (OLT) is unknown. This age underestimation is required to produce appropriate age-correction tools to be used in land resource management. The goal of this study was to assess aging errors that are done with standard ring counts of trees growing in sites with different degrees of paludification (OLT; 0–25 cm, 26–65 cm, >65 cm). Age of 81 trees sampled at three geographical locations was determined by ring counts at ground level and at 1 m height, and real age of trees was determined by cross-dating growth rings down to the root collar (root/shoot interface). Ring counts at 1 m height underestimated age of trees by a mean of 22 years (range 13–49) and 52 years (range 14–112) in null to low vs. moderately to highly paludified stands, respectively. The percentage of aging-error explained by our linear model was relatively high (R2adj = 0.71) and showed that OLT class and age at 0-m could be used to predict total aging-error while neither DBH nor geographic location could. The resulting model has important implications for forest management to accurately estimate productivity of these forests.
Highlights
Northern Canadian boreal forests provide a broad range of ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, habitat and biodiversity, air and water purification, and regional and global climate regulation
True age of sampled trees varied from 87 to 299 years, while age measured at 1 m ranged 62–218 years (Table 2), which resulted in an average age difference of 44 years
Trees growing on thicker organic layers (OLT classes B and C), had greater aging errors than trees on shallower organic layers (OLT class A; Table 2)
Summary
Northern Canadian boreal forests provide a broad range of ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, habitat and biodiversity, air and water purification, and regional and global climate regulation These forests provide numerous resources for the Forest Industry in Canada such as black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP.) wood products, one of the dominant species [1]. Paludification is a natural process where organic material accumulates on the ground surface over time, resulting in higher soil moisture levels and elevated water tables [2,3]. These conditions alter forest succession dynamics and favor the invasion of Sphagnum moss species [4,5,6]. Black spruce trees are well adapted to paludified sites because of the development of an adventitious root system, i.e., the continuous upward development of roots at the base of the stem [7,8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
