Western Hemlock Research Articles

A Note of the Positive Effects of Double-Sided Profiling on the Cupping and Checking of ACQ-Treated Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock and White Spruce Deckboards Exposed to Natural Weathering

Machining grooves into the upper surface of wooden deckboards reduces undesirable checking that develops when deckboards are exposed to weather. But profiled boards cup more than unprofiled boards. We sought a solution to this problem and hypothesized that profiling both sides of boards would reduce the cupping of profiled boards. We tested the effects of profile type (Flat, single-, and double-sided profiles) and growth ring orientation (concave vs convex) on the cupping and checking of alkaline copper quaternary-treated deckboards made from Douglas fir, western hemlock, and white spruce. There were significant differences in the cupping of deckboards made from the three different wood species (Douglas fir<white spruce<western hemlock), and boards with concave growth ring orientations cupped significantly less than boards with convex growth ring orientations. Most importantly, our results show that double-sided profiling reduces the cupping of deckboards, irrespective of wood species, and growth ring orientations of deckboards. Double-sided profiling also significantly reduced checking of deckboards exposed to the weather. We conclude that profiling the underside or profiled deckboards to create a “balance” double-sided board is a simple solution to the problem of increased cupping that develops when profiled (single-sided) softwood deckboards are exposed to weather.

Examination of the block shear fracture test method to measure the Mode-II critical stress intensity factor

Block shear fracture tests were conducted using specimens of western hemlock to determine the properties of the fracture mechanics under the Mode-II condition. In the test, a fixture standardised as the block shear test of solid wood in the Japanese Industrial Association (JIS Z2101-2009) was used. The specimen configuration, location of the crack, and initial crack length were varied, and the effects of these conditions were examined. The Mode-II critical stress intensity factor was effectively obtained when the initial crack was introduced at the opposite location to that where the shear load was applied using a specimen with a cubic configuration. Additionally, the introduction of the additional crack length due to the fracture process zone ahead of the crack tip was also effective in the block shear fracture test and other Mode-II fracture tests.

Estimation of yield gains at rotation-age from genetic tree improvement in coast Douglas-fir

Application of progeny test breeding values to forecast yield gains at rotation-age in genetically improved stands remains a very challenging yet crucial task for breeders of Douglas-fir and other long-rotation timber species such as western hemlock, white spruce, Norway spruce, and Scots pine. Evaluation of the economic returns on genetic improvement requires reliable estimates of yield gains at rotation age. Large-plot realized gain trials should provide more accurate estimates of yield gain than inferences from progeny tests, but are most dependable when they reach rotation age or at least approach rotation age.A set of coastal Douglas-fir realized genetic gain trials in western Oregon, based on a first-generation breeding program, was measured most recently at plantation ages ranging between 17 and 21 years. The trial was established on five sites at a spacing wide enough (3.6 × 3.6 m) to assume that the trees could be grown to rotation age with no further silvicultural intervention. A growth model, CIPSANON v. 4.0, projected the current tree lists from these trials to plantation age 60 years to facilitate estimation of yield gains at various rotation ages up to 60 years. The following two simulation approaches were explored: (1) apply genetic-gain multipliers developed from a previous study for diameter and height growth, and (2) assume that genetic gain differences were fully represented by plot-level site index expressed at the most recent measurement. The two approaches resulted in similar estimates of realized yield gain at plantation ages up to 60 years. Relative gain decreased over time, but absolute gain (in cubic meters or board feet) increased over time. Relative stand volume gain simulated to the average current rotation age of 50 years was about 30% of the relative realized gain measured at plantation age 10/12 years (birth age 13/15 years) and about 38% of the relative realized gain measured at plantation age 17–21 years (birth age 20–24 years).Several validation needs were identified including magnitude of genetic-gain multipliers, duration of annual multiplier application over the duration of a simulation, adjustment of multipliers as the stand ages, and most appropriate multiplier resolution (tree versus stand). A potentially critical knowledge gap remains about any genetic improvement effects on yield gains associated specifically with increased carrying capacity that would be consistent with the crop ideotype concept.

Contrasting conifer species productivity in relation to soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry of British Columbia perhumid rainforests

Abstract. Temperate rainforest soils of the Pacific Northwest are often carbon (C) rich and encompass a wide range of fertility, reflecting varying nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability. Soil resource stoichiometry (C : N : P) may provide an effective measure of site nutrient status and help refine species-dependent patterns in forest productivity across edaphic gradients. We determined mineral soil and forest floor nutrient concentrations across very wet (perhumid) rainforest sites of southwestern Vancouver Island (Canada) and employed soil element ratios as covariates in a long-term planting density trial to test their utility in defining basal area growth response of four conifer species. There were strong positive correlations in mineral soil C, N, and organic P (Po) concentrations and close alignment in C : N and C : Po both among and between substrates. Stand basal area after 5 decades was best reflected by mineral soil and forest floor C : N, but in either case included a significant species–soil interaction. The conifers with ectomycorrhizal fungi had diverging growth responses displaying either competitive (Picea sitchensis) or stress-tolerant (Tsuga heterophylla, Pseudotsuga menziesii) attributes, in contrast to a more generalist response by an arbuscular mycorrhizal tree (Thuja plicata). Despite the consistent patterns in organic matter quality, we found no evidence for increased foliar P concentrations with declining element ratios (C : Po or C : Ptotal) as we did for N. The often high C : Po ratios (as much as 3000) of these soils may reflect a stronger immobilization sink for P than N, which, along with ongoing sorption of PO4-, could limit the utility of C : Po or N : Po to adequately reflect P supply. The dynamics and availability of soil P to trees, particularly as Po, deserves greater attention, as many perhumid rainforests were co-limited by N and P, or, in some stands, possibly P alone.

Modelling the Crown Profile of Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) with a Combination of Component and Aggregate Measures of Crown Size

Research Highlights: We present statistical methods for using crown measurement data from multiple destructive sampling studies to model crown profiles in the Tree and Stand Simulator (TASS) and evaluate it using component (branch-level) and aggregate (tree-level) predictions. Combining data collected under different sampling protocols offered unique challenges. Background and Objectives: The approach to modelling crown profiles was based on Mitchell’s monograph on Douglas-fir growth and simulated dynamics. The functional form defines the potential crown size and shape and governs the rate of crown expansion. With the availability of additional data, we are able to update these functions as part of ongoing TASS development and demonstrate the formulation and fitting of new crown profile equations for stand-grown western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg. Materials and Methods: Detailed measurements on 1616 branches from 153 trees were collected for TASS development over a 40-year period. Data were collected under two different sampling protocols and the methods were designed to allow the use of data from both protocols. Data collected on all branches were then introduced through the application of the ratio of length of each of the selected branches to the largest branch in the internode (RL). Results: A mixed-effects model with two random effects, which accounted for tree-level variation, provided the best fit. From that, a model that expressed one parameter as a function of another with one random effect was developed to complement the structure of the Tree and Stand Simulator (TASS). The models generally over-estimated crown size when compared to the projected crown area recorded from field measurements, and a scalar adjustment factor of 0.89 was applied that minimised mean-squared error of the differences. The new model is fit from direct measures of crown radius and predicts narrower crown shapes than previous functions used in TASS.

Transforming even-aged coniferous stands to multi-aged stands: an opportunity to increase tree species diversity?

Abstract Transforming even-aged coniferous stands into multi-aged ones is attracting growing interest in Europe. However, applying this silvicultural treatment, maintaining a continuous cover and relying on natural regeneration require a deep understanding of the factors driving interspecific competition in the understorey. In particular, knowledge of species-specific response to different light conditions is needed to plan silvicultural treatments and forecast long-term stand composition. In this context, we assessed regeneration (±10–400 cm in height) and light conditions (±1–40 per cent of transmittance) in nine coniferous stands with ranging stand age (±20–120 years) and species composition (Norway spruce, Douglas fir, larch, silver fir and western hemlock) in Belgium. We then modelled interspecific differences in regeneration height growth to forecast the outcome of interspecific competition in different light conditions. Controlling understorey light seems an efficient way to control the interspecific competition, but with some limits, and taking into account sapling size. Maintaining low light conditions (transmittance < 15 per cent) probably reduces interspecific competition as it allows small saplings (height < 100 cm) of most species to grow at a comparable rate. Maintaining higher light conditions might allow a few species to rapidly overgrow the others. Species ranking in height growth changed across the studied light range only between spruce and larch, suggesting that the competition between these two species can be driven through the control of understorey light. On the other hand, controlling canopy openness was found to be insufficient, for example, to promote an advanced regeneration (height ≥ 200 cm) of fir over advanced regeneration of spruce, to promote any species over western hemlock or to promote Douglas fir. Western hemlock, a very shade-tolerant species, was found to grow three times faster than the other species in all the observed conditions (PACL = 5–20 per cent). Douglas fir saplings showed weak growth and marked defoliation, which we hypothetically relate to the recent outbreak of Contarinia pseudotsugae in Western Europe.

What influences the long-term development of mixtures in British forests?

Abstract Six experiments were established between 1955 and 1962 in different parts of northern and western Britain which used replicated randomized block designs to compare the performance of two species 50:50 mixtures with pure stands of the component species. The species involved were variously lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl.), Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi Lamb. Carr.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis Bong. Carr.) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla Raf. Sarg.). The first four species are light demanding, while Sitka spruce is of intermediate shade tolerance and western hemlock is very shade tolerant: only Scots pine and silver birch are native to Great Britain. In three experiments (Bickley, Ceannacroc, Hambleton), the mixtures were of two light-demanding species, while at the other three sites, the mixture tested contained species of different shade tolerance. The experiments were followed for around 50 years, similar to a full rotation of even-aged conifer stands in Britain. Five experiments showed a tendency for one species to dominate in mixture, possibly reflecting differences in the shade tolerance or other functional traits of the component species. In the three experiments, the basal area of the mixtures at the last assessment was significantly higher than predicted based on the performance of the pure stands (i.e. the mixture ‘overyielded’). In two of these cases, the mixture had had a higher basal area than found in the more productive pure stand indicating ‘transgressive overyielding’. Significant basal area differences were generally more evident at the later assessment date. The exception was in a Scots pine: western hemlock mixture where greater overyielding at the earlier date indicated a nursing (‘facilitation’) effect. In the remaining experiments, the performance of the mixture conformed to predictions from the growth of the component species in pure stands. Taken overall, the results suggest that functional traits can be used to interpret the performance of mixtures but prediction of the outcome will require better understanding of the interplay between species and site characteristics plus the influence of silvicultural interventions.

Antioxidant Capacity and Tentative Identification of Polyphenolic Compounds of Cones of Selected Coniferous Species

The cones of coniferous species are a waste biomass byproduct that can be potentially utilized for a variety of purposes. One of the many application fields is the extraction of bioactive materials, particularly antioxidant polyphenols. Scientific literature on the antioxidant content of coniferous cones at different ripening stages is limited. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the antioxidant content of selected taxa that are either common in Hungary or that have not yet been investigated in the scientific literature in any great detail (Cedrus atlantica, Larix decidua, Picea abies, Pinus mugo, Pinus nigra, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus wallichiana, Tsuga canadensis, Tsuga heterophylla, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, Taxodium distichum, Thuja occidentalis, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Thuja orientalis, Cryptomeria japonica, Cunninghamia lanceolata). A comparison of green, mature and opened cones was performed for the assigned taxa. Folin-Ciocâlteu total polyphenol content (TPC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays were used to assess the antioxidant contents. Overall antioxidant power was determined by a scoring system that combined the three assay results. In general, best values were found for green cones, followed by mature, and opened cones for each taxon. Tsuga canadensis, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, Cryptomeria japonica, Thuja orientalis and Picea abies all contained high amounts of antioxidants in both green and mature cones and attained the highest scores. High-performance liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric profiling of the cone polyphenols was also completed for selected samples. Results provide a basis for future bioactivity testing of these samples.

How does tree regeneration respond to mixed‐severity fire in the western Oregon Cascades, USA?

AbstractDendroecological studies of historical tree recruitment patterns suggest mixed‐severity fire effects are common in Douglas‐fir/western hemlock forests of the Pacific Northwest (PNW), USA, but empirical studies linking observed fire severity to tree regeneration response are needed to expand our understanding into the functional role of fire in this forest type. Recent increases in mixed‐severity fires offered this opportunity, so we quantified the abundance, spatial distribution, species richness, and community composition of regenerating trees across a mixed‐severity fire gradient (unburned–high‐severity fire) 10 and 22 yr post‐fire, and use our results to inform a discussion of fire's functional role in western Oregon Cascades Douglas‐fir forests. Regeneration abundance was unimodal across the fire severity gradient such that the greatest mean abundance followed moderate‐severity fire (25–75% basal area mortality). Similarly, the greatest number of species was present within the most 25‐m2 regeneration quadrants (most extensive distribution) following moderate‐severity fire, relative to any other fire severity class. On average, species richness also exhibited a unimodal distribution across the severity gradient, increasing by 100% in stands that experienced moderate‐severity fire relative to unburned forests or following high‐severity fire, as predicted by the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis. Several distinct regeneration communities emerged across the fire severity gradient, including early seral tree communities indicative of those observed in initial and relay floristics successional models for this forest type. Most significantly, moderate‐severity fire alters successional trajectories and facilitates the establishment of a more diverse tree regeneration community than observed following low‐ or high‐severity fire. These communities are reflective of the diverse overstory communities commonly encountered throughout this forest type. The emergence of these diverse forests is unlikely to develop or persist in the absence of moderate‐severity fire effects, and may be perpetuated longer by recurring moderate‐severity fire relative to experiencing stand replacing fire. Therefore, moderate‐severity fire may be the most functionally important fire effect in Douglas‐fir forests and should be better represented in successional models and more prominent in ecologically based fire and forest management.

Plant Water Stress and Soil Depletion in Variable-Density, Red Alder/Western Hemlock Coastal Oregon Plantations

Abstract Riparian ecosystems provide critical habitat and functions while being some of the most productive areas in forests. Both conifers and hardwoods contribute to maintenance of habitat and function. To determine the impact of water stress on growth of red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla [Raf.] Sarg.), we installed Nelder type 1a combined with replacement series plots on three Oregon Coast Range sites. Densities ranged from 988 to 85,400 trees/hectare, with ratios (hemlock:alder) of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100. In the first 4 years after planting, alder used water in the growing season at greater depths earlier than western hemlock. Higher densities resulted in greater water stress later in the growing season in weeded areas (maintained by herbicide applications), but stress was similar across densities in unweeded areas. Water stress at early ages was correlated with decreased size 14 or 24 years after planting for both species, but these correlations were confounded with other effects of density. Increasing water availability in areas with low summer precipitation could enhance growth of red alder and western hemlock, even in highly productive riparian areas.

On-line species identification of green hem-fir timber mix based on near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics

In this study, a method suitable for on-line rapid species classification of western hemlock and amabilis fir (hem-fir) green mix of timber was developed and tested with the use of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and chemometrics. The spectra of 600 wood specimens obtained from each species were collected over the wavelength range of 350–2500 nm. They were thereafter pretreated by smoothing; first derivative, second derivative and standard normal variate and calibration models were developed using the wavelength range of 800–1800 nm by partial least squares-linear discriminant analysis (PLS-LDA) and least squares-support vector machines (LS-SVM). The effects of wood surface (transverse, tangential and radial), wood zone (heartwood and sapwood) and sample moving speed (0, 0.5 and 1 m/s) were also explored. LS-SVM is superior to PLS-LDA in terms of classification performance at moving conditions. The best results were obtained using the LS-SVM method when spectra were collected on the transverse surface at a speed of 1 m/s and pretreated by smoothing. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for both calibration and validation sets were all 100%. Collectively, NIR spectroscopy combined with LS-SVM is capable of on-line species separation of green hem-fir mix prior to wood drying.

Effects on understory biomass and forage 8–10 years after precommercial thinning of Sitka spruce – western hemlock stands in southeast Alaska

In southeast Alaska, United States, multiple-use forest management objectives include both timber production and wildlife habitat. Following stand-replacing disturbances such as clear-cutting, Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carrière) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) naturally regenerate and competitively dominate resources, excluding understory biomass and biodiversity. Thinning may mitigate the effects of canopy closure and permit understory development, but evidence of the effect on understories 8–10 years after thinning is lacking. We report results 4–5 and 8–10 years after thinning experiments on the Tongass National Forest to demonstrate the effects of precommercial thinning (thinned versus control), stand age (15–25, 25–35, and 35–50 years), and weather on understory dynamics and Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis Merriam, 1898) forage availability. Stand density negatively affected understory biomass, whereas temperature and precipitation positively interacted to increase biomass. Thinning had an enduring effect on understories, with biomass at least twice as great in thinned versus unthinned stands through year 10. We identified compositional differences from thinning as stand age class increased. Deer forage responded similarly to biomass, but thinning-induced differences faded with increased winter snowfall scenarios, especially in older stands. This study aids the understanding of stand overstory and understory development following silvicultural treatments in the coastal temperate rain forest of Alaska and suggests management implications and applications for balancing objectives throughout the forest type.

Exploratory thermal modification of western hemlock

ABSTRACT This research focuses on exploring commercial heat treatment on western hemlock product quality for potentially new applications and markets for this abundant Pacific Northwest coast softwood species. In this regard, flatsawn and quartersawn kiln-dried hemlock boards were subjected to the ThermoWood® process in a commercial unit at three temperatures, i.e. 170°C, 212°C, 230°C and for 2 h. Samples were cut from treated and untreated boards for evaluation of basic density, hygroscopicity, water absorption, anti-swelling efficiency, color change, Janka hardness, and dynamic modulus of elasticity. Results revealed that basic density, hygroscopicity, and water absorption decreased at higher treatment temperatures, while dimensional stability considerably increased. Treatment temperatures had a minor effect on hardness and stiffness, but they made the samples darker in color. No significant property differences between the two cuts were observed. Within the scope and limitations of this study, the treatment that enables improved dimensional stability and provides a darker color without significantly affecting hemlock strength was the 212°C/2 h combination. Further research is required to fully determine the performance of thermally modified hemlock under expanded treatment combinations for interior and exterior applications.

Species- and moisture-based sorting of green timber mix with near infrared spectroscopy

Methods suitable for the determination and classification of green timber mix (western hemlock and amabilis fir), with respect to species and moisture content, were developed and tested using near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics. One thousand two hundred samples were distributed into a calibration set (720 samples) and a prediction set (480 samples). Partial least squares (PLS) and least squares-support vector machines (LS-SVM) for both regression (PLSR and LS-SVR) and classification (PLS-DA and LS-SVC) with different spectral preprocessing methods were implemented. LS-SVM outperformed PLS models for both regression and classification. The coefficient of determination (R2p) and root mean square error (RMSEP) of prediction for the best LS-SVR model with spectra pretreated by smooth and first derivative were 0.9824 and 8.7%, respectively, for wood moisture content prediction in the range of 30% to 253%. The best classification model was LS-SVC with spectra pretreated by smooth and second derivative, with overall accuracies of 99.8% in the prediction set, when the samples were divided into four classes. NIRS combined with LS-SVM can be used as a rapid alternative method for qualitative and quantitative analysis of green hem-fir mix before kiln drying. The results could be helpful for sorting green hem-fir mixes with an on-line application.

Trees are larger on southern slopes in late-seral conifer stands in northwestern British Columbia

Mid-latitude forests commonly show increased productivity and ultimately produce larger trees on shaded, northern aspects compared with those on sunny, southern aspects. Little research has been conducted on this phenomenon at higher latitudes where solar radiation is less available. We examined patterns of canopy tree size in a set of 142 naturally regenerated, late-seral conifer stands in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, at latitudes of 54°N–56°N. The height, diameter, and total stem volume of three shade-tolerant conifers (western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.), and hybrid spruce (Picea glauca × engelmannii (Moench) Voss)) and shade-intolerant lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm. ex S. Watson) were analyzed. In contrast to most previous studies, mean canopy tree height, diameter, and volume were greatest on southern aspects and lowest on northern aspects for the subset of sites with pronounced slopes (≥30%). There was some variation in patterns among species, with western hemlock responding most strongly to topography, and species-specific effects of topography on height–diameter allometry. We suggest that decreased levels of radiation at northern latitudes and increased light and warmer temperatures on steeper, southern aspects promote growth. In contrast, colder, shaded, northern aspects with increased snow accumulation, delayed snowmelt, and decreased nitrogen mineralization inhibit growth. Our results, together with published data, suggest that a latitudinal shift from higher forest productivity on northern aspects to higher productivity on southern aspects typically occurs between 40°N and 50°N.

Tree growth declines and mortality were associated with a parasitic plant during warm and dry climatic conditions in a temperate coniferous forest ecosystem.

Insects and pathogens are widely recognized as contributing to increased tree vulnerability to the projected future increasing frequency of hot and dry conditions, but the role of parasitic plants is poorly understood even though they are common throughout temperate coniferous forests in the western United States. We investigated the influence of western hemlock dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium tsugense) on large (≥45.7cm diameter) western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) growth and mortality in a 500year old coniferous forest at the Wind River Experimental Forest, Washington State, United States. We used five repeated measurements from a long-term tree record for 1,395 T. heterophylla individuals. Data were collected across a time gradient (1991-2014) capturing temperature increases and precipitation decreases. The dwarf mistletoe rating (DMR), a measure of infection intensity, varied among individuals. Our results indicated that warmer and drier conditions amplified dwarf mistletoe effects on T. heterophylla tree growth and mortality. We found that heavy infection (i.e., high DMR) resulted in reduced growth during all four measurement intervals, but during warm and dry intervals (a) growth declined across the entire population regardless of DMR level, and (b) both moderate and heavy infections resulted in greater growth declines compared to light infection levels. Mortality rates increased from cooler-wetter to warmer-drier measurement intervals, in part reflecting increasing mortality with decreasing tree growth. Mortality rates were positively related to DMR, but only during the warm and dry measurement intervals. These results imply that parasitic plants like dwarf mistletoe can amplify the impact of climatic stressors of trees, contributing to the vulnerability of forest landscapes to climate-induced productivity losses and mortality events.

Tree species diversity and composition relationship to biomass, understory community, and crown architecture in intensively managed plantations of the coastal Pacific Northwest, USA

Trends in land cover and the demand for ecosystem services suggest that plantation forests will be expected to provide a larger quantity and diversity of ecosystem services. We identified three measures indicative of diverse ecosystem services (aboveground biomass, understory biodiversity, and crown length) and compared their relationships to tree species composition in intensively managed forest plantations of the Coast Range mountains of the Pacific Northwest, United States. This study was conducted in stands of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), and red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.), as well as in mixtures of the three species that were 35–39 years old. In this operational setting, we did not observe the positive relationship between species diversity and productivity observed in other studies, which we attributed to management practices that minimize interspecific interaction during most of the rotation. Crown length and understory species diversity were greater in mixtures of tree species than in (monospecific) monocultures. When multiple ecosystem components were considered simultaneously, mixtures of tree species outperformed monocultures. The observed relationships of the three responses to tree species composition and diversity are likely explained by differences in tree phenology, shade tolerance, disease susceptibility, and management interventions. Based on the results, management that is solely fixated on wood production homogeneously throughout the plantation may miss opportunities to provide other ecosystem services.

Evaluating possible intraspecific variation in resistance of western hemlock (Pinaceae) toAdelges tsugae(Hemiptera: Adelgidae)

AbstractWestern hemlock,Tsuga heterophylla(Rafinesque) Sargent (Pinaceae), trees growing in a clonal, commercial seed orchard on Whidbey Island, Washington, United States of America were assessed forAdelges tsugae(Annand) (Hemiptera: Adelgidae) infestation levels to determine whether there was any evidence of resistance to this herbivore. Join-count statistics revealed thatA. tsugaeinfested trees were not clumped, but instead were randomly distributed throughout the seed orchard. Chi-square analyses suggested that there is a genetic basis for different levels ofA. tsugaeinfestation among the genets represented in the orchard. However, since none of the genets were completely free ofA. tsugaeinfestation, differences among genets seem to be related more to susceptibility or tolerance than complete resistance. Among the 17 genets that had five or more ramets in the seed orchard, only one had more than one ramet free ofA. tsugae. That genet had four of five ramets that were free ofA. tsugae. However, it is not possible to say whether that was due to chance or inherent tree characteristics that make it less susceptible toA. tsugaeinfestation.

Coexistence of three specialist predators of the hemlock woolly adelgid in the Pacific Northwest USA.

The hemlock woolly adelgid (Hemiptera: Adelgidae: Adelges tsugae Annand) is an invasive insect, introduced from Japan to eastern North America, where it causes decline and death of hemlock trees. There is a closely related lineage of A. tsugae native to western North America. To inform classical biological control of A. tsugae in the eastern USA, the density and phenology of three native western adelgid specialist predators, Leucopis argenticollis (Zetterstedt), Le. piniperda (Malloch) (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae), and Laricobius nigrinus Fender (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), were quantified in the Pacific Northwest. Infested branches were collected from western hemlock (Pinaceae: Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) at four sites around the Puget Sound, Washington and three sites in Oregon. Immature Leucopis were identified to species using DNA barcodes. Leucopis argenticollis was roughly twice as abundant as Le. piniperda. Laricobius nigrinus larvae were more abundant than the two species of Leucopis during the egg stage of the first adelgid generation, but Leucopis were present as feeding larvae during the second adelgid generation when La. nigrinus was aestivating in the soil, resulting in Leucopis being more abundant than La. nigrinus across the entire sampling period. Adelges tsugae and La. nigrinus densities were not correlated, while A. tsugae and Leucopis spp. densities were positively correlated. Leucopis spp. and La. nigrinus densities were negatively correlated. These results support the complementary use of La. nigrinus and the two Leucopis species for biological control of A. tsugae in the eastern USA, and point to the need for further investigation of spatial and temporal niche partitioning among the three predator species.

High temperature and fire behavior of hydrothermally modified wood impregnated with carbon nanomaterials

Wood is one of the most widely used construction materials but it is thermally degradable and combustible, which poses serious safety concerns. In this research, the high temperature and fire behavior of hydrothermally modified western hemlock, impregnated with carbon nanomaterials pre-adsorbed with alkali lignin, was examined by cone calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The hydrothermal treatment made the wood less hydrophilic, allowing the formation of a dense protective layer of carbon-rich additives on the external wood surface at low loading (5 wt%) after aqueous-phase vacuum impregnation. Results revealed that the unique combination of these two processes reduced the total heat release by up to 32%, diminished flame spread by 31%, decreased the average carbon dioxide yield by 12%, lowered the total mass loss by 10%, and significantly slowed the pyrolytic reactions of wood. This research has important implications for the development of valued-added wood products with superior fire safety from relatively low cost timbers, such as western hemlock.