Boreal Jack Pine Forest Research Articles

Trade-Offs among Release Treatments in Jack Pine Plantations: Twenty-Five Year Responses

We assessed 27 indicators of plant diversity, stand yield and individual crop tree responses 25 years post-treatment to determine long-term trade-offs among conifer release treatments in boreal and sub-boreal forests. This research addresses the lack of longer-term data needed by forest managers to implement more integrated vegetation management programs, supporting more informed decisions about release treatment choice. Four treatments (untreated control, motor-manual brushsaw, single aerial spray, and complete competition removal) were established at two jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) sites in Ontario, Canada. Our results suggest that plant diversity and productivity in boreal jack pine forests are significantly influenced by vegetation management treatments. Overall, release treatments did not cause a loss of diversity but benefitted stand-scale yield and individual crop tree growth, with maximum benefits occurring in more intensive release treatments. However, none of the treatments maximized all 27 indicators studied; thus, forest managers are faced with trade-offs when choosing treatments. Research on longer term effects, ideally through at least one rotation, is essential to fully understand outcomes of different vegetation management on forest diversity, stand yield, and individual crop tree responses.

Inter-annual variability of ecosystem production in boreal jack pine forests (1975–2004) estimated from tree-ring data using CBM-CFS3

We describe and apply a method of using tree-ring data and an ecosystem model to reconstruct past annual rates of ecosystem production. Annual data on merchantable wood volume increment and mortality obtained by dendrochronological stand reconstruction were used as input to the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector (CBM-CFS3) to estimate net ecosystem production (NEP), net primary production (NPP), and heterotrophic respiration (Rh) annually from 1975 to 2004 at 10 boreal jack pine ( Pinus banksiana Lamb.) stands in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada. From 1975 (when sites aged 41–60 years) to 2004 (when they aged 70–89 years), all sites were moderate C sinks except during some warmer than average years where estimated Rh increased. Across all sites and years, estimated annual NEP averaged 57 g Cm −2 yr −1 (range −31 to 176 g Cm −2 yr −1), NPP 244 g Cm −2 yr −1 (147–376 g Cm −2 yr −1), and Rh 187 g Cm −2 yr −1 (124–270 g Cm −2 yr −1). Across all sites, NPP was related to stand age and density, which are proxies for successional changes in leaf area. Regionally, warm spring temperature increased NPP and defoliation by jack pine budworm 1 year previously reduced NPP. Our estimates of NPP, Rh, and NEP were plausible when compared to regional eddy covariance and carbon stock measurements. Inter-annual variability in ecosystem productivity contributes uncertainty to inventory-based assessments of regional forest C budgets that use yield curves predicting averaged growth over time. Our method could expand the spatial and temporal coverage of annual forest productivity estimates, providing additional data for the development of empirical models accounting for factors not presently considered by these models.

Soil surface CO<sub>2</sub> flux increases with successional time in a fire scar chronosequence of Canadian boreal jack pine forest

Abstract. To fully understand the carbon (C) cycle impacts of forest fires, both C emissions during the fire and post-disturbance fluxes need to be considered. The latter are dominated by soil surface CO2 flux (Fs), which is still subject to large uncertainties. Fire is generally regarded as the most important factor influencing succession in the boreal forest biome and fire dependant species such as jack pine are widespread. In May 2007, we took concurrent Fs and soil temperature (Ts) measurements in boreal jack pine fire scars aged between 0 and 59 years since fire. To allow comparisons between scars, we adjusted Fs for Ts (FsT) using a Q10 of 2. Mean FsT ranged from 0.56 (± 0.30 sd) to 1.94 (± 0.74 sd) μmol CO2 m−2 s−1. Our results indicate a difference in mean FsT between recently burned (4 to 8 days post fire) and non-burned mature (59 years since fire) forest (P < 0.001), though no difference was detected between recently burned (4 to 8 days post fire) and non-burned young (16 years since fire) forest (P = 0.785). There was a difference in mean FsT between previously young (16 years since fire) and intermediate aged (32 years since fire) scars that were both subject to fire in 2007 (P < 0.001). However, there was no difference in mean FsT between mature (59 years since fire) and intermediate aged (32 years since fire) scars that were both subjected to fire in 2007 (P = 0.226). Furthermore, there was no difference in mean FsT between mature (59 years since fire) and young scars (16 years since fire) that were both subjected to fire in 2007 (P = 0.186). There was an increase in FsT with time since fire for the chronosequence 0, 16 and 59 years post fire (P < 0.001). Our results lead us to hypothesise that the autotrophic:heterotrophic soil respiration ratio increases over post-fire successional time in boreal jack pine systems, though this should be explored in future research. The results of this study contribute to a better quantitative understanding of Fs in boreal jack pine fire scars and will facilitate meta-analyses of Fs in fire scar chronosequences.

Species Diversity and Genetic Variation of Terrestrial Lichens and Bryophytes in A Boreal Jack Pine Forest of Central Canada

Little is known about species diversity and genetic structure of populations of lichens and bryophytes in the Sandilands Provincial Forest in Manitoba. This study investigated the current species diversity of lichens and bryophytes in the area. It also examined the population structure and gene flow in the lichen (Cladonia arbuscula) with the highest cover and second most frequent occurrence, and bryophyte (Pleurozium schreberi) with the highest frequency and percent ground cover. Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) of the presence and absence of group I introns in the fungal small subunit (SSU) nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLP) of the algal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) rDNA suggests that low levels of gene flow were occurring in the fungus while a single algal genotype was maintaining the lichen association. Similarly, Interspersed Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers of the bryophyte suggested low levels of gene flow. The examination of variation in both lichen symbionts and a bryophyte, dominant within the same habitat, is a novel aspect of this study. Both these widespread species, dominating the understory in mature jack pine forests, exhibited low levels of sexual reproduction.

Mountain pine beetle‐associated blue‐stain fungi are differentially adapted to boreal temperatures

SummaryMountain pine beetles (MPB) are the most serious pest of lodgepole pine in Canada and are likely to invade boreal jack pine forests. MPB vector three blue‐stain fungi, Grosmannia clavigera, Ophiostoma montium and Leptographium longiclavatum, which contribute to beetle success. Fungal survival at extreme boreal temperatures will contribute to their success in jack pine. Growth, sporulation and survival of the three fungi at −20 to 37°C were tested in vitro. Overwintering survival of G. clavigera and O. montium was assessed in vivo. All species grew at 5–30°C, with optimal growth at 20–25°C. Grosmannia clavigera and L. longiclavatum survived at −20°C, but O. montium died. Growth of G. clavigera and L. longiclavatum was inhibited at 30°C, but O. montium grew well. Grosmannia clavigera and O. montium overwintered in living pines. These results suggest that G. clavigera and L. longiclavatum were adapted to cold boreal winters but not hot summers, with the converse true for O. montium. Temperature tolerance varied among G. clavigera isolates. British Columbian and Californian isolates grew faster at 25°C than Albertan isolates. Isolates from Alberta and Idaho/Montana grew optimally at 20°C, while British Columbian and Californian isolates grew optimally at 25°C.

Growing season water balance at a boreal jack pine forest

Measurements of energy and CO2 fluxes were made over the growing seasons of 1994 and 1996 in a northern jack pine forest as part of the Boreal Ecosystem‐Atmosphere Study (BOREAS). Simultaneous measurements of soil water potential and content, rainfall, leaf wetness, and air specific humidity by our group and others allowed us to construct a complete water balance at this site for the 1994 season. The longer‐term (spanning weeks) rate of loss of soil moisture in the upper 0.25 m of soil matched the total evapotranspiration, measured by eddy covariance. Evapotranspiration (measured as QE, latent heat flux) was just 24% of the net radiation, a result that has been found in many boreal forest types, regardless of the canopy coverage. Low canopy conductances (typically 2–4 mm s−1) probably represent an adaptation to the extremely low soil moistures and poor nutrient status of the site. Net radiation was the best single‐variable predictor of evapotranspiration, having a correlation coefficient of 0.8 with QE for the 1994 season. Afternoons with sustained (>4 continuous hours) cloudless conditions resulted in water stress detectable as reduced QE relative to what would be predicted from the net radiation alone. The open canopy at our site promoted the role of the lichen‐covered surface in the overall water vapor exchange; subcanopy QE was 26% of the total.

Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics of Boreal Jack Pine Stands With and Without a Green Alder Understory

We compared the species composition, structure and selected components of the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) budgets of similar-aged, mature boreal jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) forests with and without green alder [Alnus crispa (Ait.) Pursh.] in two different boreal environments. The C and N content of the overstory biomass components (for example, stem, branch, and foliage), total vegetation, forest floor, and mineral soil were greater (P= 0.05 to P= 0.10) for jack pine with alder (JPA) stands than for jack pine without alder (JP) stands at both study areas. Jack pine foliage N isotopic discrimination (δ15N) and annual litterfall N content were significantly greater (P < 0.05) in the JPA than the JP stands at both study areas, suggesting that alder was fixing N and that N availability was greater in the JPA than the JP stands. The greater leaf area index (LAI) and overstory C accumulation in the JPA than the JP stands (P < 0.05) is likely because of the greater N availability in the JPA stands, but the effect of soil texture discontinuity on water availability in the JPA stands can not be dismissed. Percent ground cover by feathermoss varied among the jack pine communities and was positively correlated with overstory LAI (r 2= 0.83, P< 0.05). One index of N-use efficiency (NUE), defined as aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) per litterfall N, was significantly greater (P < 0.05) for the JP than the JPA stands, but a second index of NUE, ANPP/N uptake, did not differ between the two jack pine communities. Jack pine trees growing without alder produced more organic matter per unit of N, but percent N retranslocation from senescing foliage and N mean residence time in the overstory did not differ between the JPA and the JP stands. A conceptual model is presented that illustrates the potential influence of alder on the species composition, structure, and function of boreal jack pine forests.

Snow ablation modeling at the stand scale in a boreal jack pine forest

The purpose of this study is to predict spatial distributions of snow properties important to the hydrology and the remote sensing signatures of the boreal ecosystem. This study is part of the Boreal Ecosystems Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) of central Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba. Forested environments provide unique problems for snow cover process modeling due to the complex interactions among snow, energy transfer, and trees. These problems are approached by coupling a modified snow process model with a model of radiative interactions with forest canopies. Additionally, a tree well model describes the influence of individual trees on snow distribution on the ground. The snow process and energy budget model calculates energy exchange at the snow surface, in‐pack snow processes, melting and liquid water flow, heat conduction, and vapor diffusion. The surface radiation model provides input on the radiation receipt at the snow surface for model runs in the jack pine forest. Field data consisted of measured meteorological parameters above and within the canopy, spatial variability of snow properties, and variations of incoming solar irradiance beneath the forest canopy. Results show that the area beneath tree canopies accumulated 60% of the snow accumulated in forest openings. Peak solar irradiance on the snow cover was less than one half that measured above the canopy. Model runs are compared between the open and the forested sites and show the open area ablating four days before areas beneath the canopy and eight days before forest openings and compare favorably with measured data. Physically based modeling of snow ablation was successful at the forested site and nearby open area.

Seasonal variation of energy and water vapor exchange rates above and below a boreal jack pine forest canopy

Fluxes of energy and water vapor over boreal forest stands are expected to vary during the growing season due to temporal variations in solar energy, soil and air temperature, soil moisture, photosynthetic capacity, and leaf area. To investigate this hypothesis, we measured fluxes of energy balance components (solar, latent and sensible heat, and soil and canopy heat storage) over and under a boreal jack pine forest in central Canada during the 1994 growing season. Temporal trends of daily‐integrated energy fluxes were significant during a 117 day period between spring and autumn. Mean fluxes of net radiation and latent heat peaked near the summer solstice. By the autumnal equinox their magnitudes were half of their peak values. On a day‐to‐day basis the presence or absence of clouds modulated solar energy fluxes, while evaporation rates were dependent on whether the canopy was dry or wet. When the canopy was dry, daily evaporation was generally less than 2.5 mm d−1. This amount was less than one‐half the rate of equilibrium evaporation and was low compared to evaporation from vegetation in temperate zones. When the canopy was wet, daily evaporation approached 3 mm d−1 and exceeded predicted rates of equilibrium evaporation. Evaporation from the dry forest was weakly coupled to available energy and was restricted by the canopy AEs low‐surface conductance. Biotic factors limiting the forest AEs surface conductance include the forest AEs low‐leaf area index and partial stomatal closure. Abiotic and physiological factors restricting stomatal opening included a scarce supply of soil moisture, limiting vapor pressure deficits and the low photosynthetic capacity of the needles. The fluxes of solar energy and latent and sensible heat at the floor of the forest were a significant portion of energy exchange between the forest and the atmosphere. Typically, 20 to 40% of the total energy exchange by the jack pine stand originated at the understory. Since a substantial amount of energy occurs under the forest, two‐layer, not a big‐leaf AE, evaporation models are recommended as a tool for estimating water vapor fluxes from this open forest stand.

Seasonal variation of carbon dioxide exchange rates above and below a boreal jack pine forest

Fluxes of carbon dioxide were measured above and below a boreal jack pine stand with the eddy covariance method. Our goal was to examine the seasonal variation of the net carbon dioxide exchange between the ecosystem and the atmosphere and to understand the relative contributions of the vegetation and rhizosphere to these fluxes. Over the course of the growing season the jack pine stand was a small, net sink of carbon dioxide—47 g C m −2 were assimilated during a 115 day period between spring (day 144) and autumn (day 259). On a daily basis, the magnitude of the net uptake of CO 2 by the forest was relatively small, less than 4 g C m −1 day −1. We also observed many days when carbon dioxide was lost from the forest stand (up to 2 g C m −2 day −1). Day to day sums of net carbon dioxide exchange exhibited little seasonality, despite the seasonality experienced by controlling environmental and biological variables. The aseasonality of net canopy CO 2 exchange occurred because temporal variations associated with canopy photosynthesis and plant and microbial respiration offset one another over the growing season. Canopy photosynthesis rates of the jack pine stand were evaluated using CO 2 flux measurements made above and below the canopy. Daily totals of canopy photosynthesis were a linear function of available solar energy and exhibited a quadratic dependence on temperature, with optimum photosynthesis occurring between 15 and 25°C. We also observed that the net daily uptake of carbon dioxide was independent of soil moisture in the upper 0.15 m of the soil profile, despite the wide range of soil moisture that was experienced. Finally, the net gain of carbon by a jack pine canopy came with a relatively large respiratory expense. On average, 68% of the carbon gained by photosynthesis was consumed by plant respiration, over the course of a day.

Energy and CO(2) flux densities above and below a temperate broad-leaved forest and a boreal pine forest.

Fluxes of carbon dioxide, water vapor and energy were measured above and below a temperate broad-leaved forest and a boreal jack pine (Pinus banksiania Lamb.) forest by the eddy covariance method. The aim of the work was to examine differences between the biological and physical processes that control the fluxes of mass and energy over these disparate forest stand types. Carbon and latent heat flux (LE) densities over the temperate broad-leaved forest were about three times larger than those observed over the boreal forest. Available energy was the key variable modulating LE over the temperate broad-leaved forest, whereas LE over the boreal jack pine stand was sensitive to variations in water vapor pressure deficits (VPDs) and available energy. It was also noted that VPDs had different impacts on transpiration rates of the two forest stands. Increasing VPDs forced a negative feedback on jack pine transpiration, whereas transpiration rates of the well-watered broad-leaved forest responded favorably to increasing VPDs. Carbon dioxide flux densities over the broad-leaved forest stand were more sensitive to changes in absorbed photosynthetic photon flux density than those over the boreal forest. The efficiency of CO(2) uptake over the jack pine stand was reduced, in part, because the low leaf area of the stand caused a sizable fraction of available quanta to be absorbed by nonphotosynthetic organs, such as limbs and trunks. Over both forest stands, variations in photosynthetic photon flux density of photosynthetically active radiation (Q(P)) explained only 50 to 60% of the variance of CO(2) exchange rates. Consequently, caution should be exercised when scaling carbon fluxes to regional scales based on unmodified, satellite-derived indices. The more open nature of the boreal jack pine forest caused water vapor, CO(2) and heat fluxes at the forest floor to be a significant component of whole canopy mass and energy exchange rates. About 20 to 30% of net canopy mass and energy exchange occurred at the forest floor. Much smaller rates of mass and energy exchange occurred under the temperate broad-leaved forest.