Wood Debris Research Articles

Records of rare aphyllophoroid fungi on Scots pine in northern Sweden

JOSEFSSON, T. & SPIRIN, V.A. 2010: Records of rare aphyllophoroid fungi on Scots pine in northern Sweden – Karstenia 50: 45–52. Helsinki ISSN: 0453-3402.Wood-inhabiting fungi on Pinus sylvestris were examined in three old-growth forests in northern Sweden. A total of 16 rare species of aphyllophoroid fungi are reported. Among the species discussed are Antrodiella pallasii and Skeletocutis kuehneri which are successors of Trichaptum species and previously known from only a few localities in Sweden, and Byssoporia terrestris and Hydnellum gracilipes which are mycorrhizal species with specific ecological preferences. Three corticioid species from genera Cera-ceomyces and Sistotrema represent possible new taxa.Keywords: Fennoscandia, fungi, coarse wood debris, red-listed species, Anomoporia, Antrodia, Gleophyllum, Phlebia, PostiaTorbjorn Josefsson, Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish Univer-sity of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83 Umea; Sweden; e-mail: torbjorn.josefsson@svek.slu.seViacheslav A. Spirin, Botanical Museum, Finnish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 7, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland; e-mail: slava_spirin@mail.ru

Comparison of Metals Leaching from CCA- and ACQ-Treated Wood in Simulated Construction and Demolition Debris Landfills

Pressure-treated wood is often disposed of in landfills in the United States, very frequently in construction and demolition (C&D) debris landfills. C&D debris landfills in many states are not equipped with liner systems to protect groundwater. With the voluntary withdrawal of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated wood for most residential applications in January 2004, copper-based wood preservatives, including alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ), are more widely used. To evaluate the impact of metal losses from ACQ-treated wood disposed in C&D debris landfills and compare to those of CCA-treated wood under similar conditions, leachates from three simulated C&D debris landfills (lysimeters) were collected and analyzed for over a period of one year. The wood component in one lysimeter (the control lysimeter) contained pallet wood; the second lysimeter contained CCA-treated wood, and the third contained ACQ-treated wood. Each lysimeter was buried in an active landfill for temperature control. Several batch leaching tests [including the standardized toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and the synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP)] were also conducted for comparison purposes. Although the two lysimeters containing treated wood had elevated copper concentrations within the waste matrix, the concentration in the leachate samples from these lysimeters was below detection for Cu (<4 μg/L) throughout the duration of the experiment, likely a result of precipitation as copper sulfide mineral in the reducing conditions of the simulated C&D landfills. As expected, the lysimeter containing CCA-treated wood showed elevated concentrations of arsenic and chromium, with maximum concentrations of 1.16 mg/L and 0.2 mg/L respectively. Greater amounts of boron (B) leached from ACQ-treated wood than CCA-treated wood or pallet wood debris. The results suggest that copper leaching will not be a major concern upon the disposal of ACQ-treated wood in C&D debris landfills. Arsenic leaching from CCA-treated wood remains a concern for unlined C&D debris landfills.

Sources of plant‐derived carbon and stability of organic matter in soil: implications for global change

AbstractAlterations in forest productivity and changes in the relative proportion of above‐ and belowground biomass may have nonlinear effects on soil organic matter (SOM) storage. To study the influence of plant litter inputs on SOM accumulation, the Detritus Input Removal and Transfer (DIRT) Experiment continuously alters above‐ and belowground plant inputs to soil by a combination of trenching, screening, and litter addition. Here, we used biogeochemical indicators [i.e., cupric oxide extractable lignin‐derived phenols and suberin/cutin‐derived substituted fatty acids (SFA)] to identify the dominant sources of plant biopolymers in SOM and various measures [i.e., soil density fractionation, laboratory incubation, and radiocarbon‐based mean residence time (MRT)] to assess the stability of SOM in two contrasting forests within the DIRT Experiment: an aggrading deciduous forest and an old‐growth coniferous forest. In the deciduous forest, removal of both above‐ and belowground inputs increased the total amount of SFA over threefold compared with the control, and shifted the SFA signature towards a root‐dominated source. Concurrently, light fraction MRT increased by 101 years and C mineralization during incubation decreased compared with the control. Together, these data suggest that root‐derived aliphatic compounds are a source of SOM with greater relative stability than leaf inputs at this site. In the coniferous forest, roots were an important source of soil lignin‐derived phenols but needle‐derived, rather than root‐derived, aliphatic compounds were preferentially preserved in soil. Fresh wood additions elevated the amount of soil C recovered as light fraction material but also elevated mineralization during incubation compared with other DIRT treatments, suggesting that not all of the added soil C is directly stabilized. Aboveground needle litter additions, which are more N‐rich than wood debris, resulted in accelerated mineralization of previously stored soil carbon. In summary, our work demonstrates that the dominant plant sources of SOM differed substantially between forest types. Furthermore, inputs to and losses from soil C pools likely will not be altered uniformly by changes in litter input rates.

Grass-dominated stream sites exhibit low fish species diversity and dominance by guppies: an assessment of two tropical pasture river basins

This study investigates whether (1) structural configuration (considering substrate composition, wood debris, marginal and riparian vegetation) of streams suggests habitat simplification on a basin scale and (2) fish assemblage structure follows stream habitat configurations. Ninety-five sites in two pasture basins in southeastern Brazil were randomly selected. Two passes of electro-fishing were done in a 75-m reach at each site. Ten habitat descriptors related to in-stream and riparian physical structures were evaluated at each stream reach. Two groups of streams were identified by principal component analysis: a grassy and a non-grassy group. In comparison to non-grassy sites, grass-dominated streams exhibited a more homogenous fish fauna due to lower species diversity and higher dominance, especially by the guppy Poecilia reticulata, a highly generalist exotic species. The grassy group had not only the most simplified habitat but also the most simplified fish fauna, and the combination of grass-dominated, completely deforested, heavily silted conditions with recent land use conversion may cause a future habitat homogenization followed by a fish fauna homogenization on a regional scale.

Isotopic signals from Callovian–Kimmeridgian (Middle–Upper Jurassic) belemnites and bulk organic carbon, Staffin Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Abstract: The stable isotope data presented here significantly extend and expand upon previous isotopic investigations of the Middle to Late Jurassic interval. The belemnite samples collected from the Staffin Bay and Staffin Shale formations from the Isle of Skye, Scotland, yielded oxygen isotope values consistent with Callovian–Kimmeridgian palaeotemperatures of 6.7–20.6 °C. The carbon isotope data comprise one of the first moderately high-resolution investigations of the relationship between terrestrial δ 13 C org (predominantly fossil wood debris) and marine δ 13 C carb (belemnites) as derived from a geologically coeval record. The Staffin Bay data reveal a broad Early to Mid-Oxfordian positive carbon isotope excursion. The excursion maximum occurs in the cordatum Zone (British Boreal ammonite zonation), although high values persist into the tenuiserratum Zone. The correspondence between the marine and terrestrial records indicates a strong coupling of the ocean–atmosphere system and suggests that the total exchangeable carbon reservoir would have been affected at this time. The Mid-Oxfordian negative carbon isotope excursions identified in published Tethyan records and commonly attributed to methane release are not recorded in the Staffin Bay data, which may suggest that the Tethyan excursions do not represent fluctuations in the global carbon reservoir and that the fidelity of the methane hypothesis should be re-evaluated. Supplementary material: Isotopic and geochemical data are available at http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18339 .

MORFOLOGIA E PROCESSOS FLUVIAIS:O PAPEL DOS DETRITOS LENHOSOS

The riparian vegetation, due to its individual’s physiological conditions, provides a large quantity of organic debris to the fluvial courses. Different authors have propose the utilization of the term wood debris to all material of vegetal origin, as leaves, branches, boles and roots, that are found inside or on the bank of fluvial channels. The present paper is set to demonstrate the role of wood debris on the morphology and fluvial processes, by an evaluation of recent researches on the theme and contextualization starting from observations done in field works at Rio das Pedras and Rio Guabiroba, Guarapuava-PR.

Clusiidae (Diptera) from log emergence traps in the Yambaru, a subtropical forest of Japan

AbstractFive species of Clusiidae (Diptera), Craspedochaeta biseta (Hendel), hendelia plumosa (Sasakawa), Heteromeringia sexramifera Sueyoshi, Phylloclusia yambarensis sp. n., and Sobarocephala uncinata Sueyoshi, were collected from log emergence traps installed in a subtropical forest of Japan from February 2006 to February 2008. Craspedochaeta biseta (Hendel) was newly recorded in Japan. Wood debris was gathered from 1–22 year old secondary stands managed by the improvement cutting of natural forest (ICNF) and unmanaged stands, and categorized by stage of decay and size, and then enveloped in fine net bags (emergence trap). In total, 84 clusiid adults were obtained. Most were reared from wood debris in an advanced stage of decay and from 2 year old or older managed and unmanaged forest stands, although P. yambarensis was reared from wood debris in an early stage of decay and from 1 year old forests after cuttings. Log emergence traps effectively sample clusiids, taking both sexes in approximately equal numbers. Specimens collected by this trap may resolve the difficulty in identifying male and female specimens of several clusiid species that show sexual dimorphism.

Spatial patterning of habitat for Oncorhynchus mykiss in a system of intermittent and perennial streams

Abstract – The salmonid Oncorhynchus mykiss tends to inhabit forested or snow‐fed streams having cold reliable flows, but in the California chaparral they inhabit rain‐fed stream networks with extensive areas of intermittent flow. We hypothesised that hydrological mechanisms in such watersheds tend to spatially segregate spawning and over‐summering habitats, and tested the hypothesis using observations from a series of tributaries in a pristine watershed. Consistent with the hypothesis, reaches with suitably sized spawning gravels tended to occur in intermittent tributaries, and also the perennial mainstem (which was too warm for over‐summering). In early summer, juvenile O. mykiss (&lt;10 cm) occurred at similar densities in the intermittent and perennial tributaries, but larger fish had greater densities in perennial tributaries. Large wood debris would be expected to mitigate the spatial segregation of habitats somewhat, but was scarce, though stream‐side outcrops appeared to partially compensate by forcing gravel bars in high‐gradient channels.

Wood debris transport processes and formation and failure of wood debris dams in mountain channel networks

Wood debris transport processes and formation and failure of wood debris dams in mountain channel networks

Wood Debris in Rivers - One of the Key Factors for Management of the Floodplain Forest Biotope of European Importance

Wood Debris in Rivers - One of the Key Factors for Management of the Floodplain Forest Biotope of European Importance

Mass loss and nitrogen release of wood debris remaining after thinning in Japanese cedar and hinoki cypress plantations

Mass loss and nitrogen release of wood debris remaining after thinning in Japanese cedar and hinoki cypress plantations

Insect frass in Baltic amber

Inclusions of wood debris loosened from pine-like trees are abundant in Baltic amber of Eocene and Oligocene age. The possibilities to find insect frass and excrement among wood debris are outlined and some examples are given. Comparison with the frass and excrement produced by present-day insects provide a possibility to identify insects even though their fossils are lacking. This information can be used to characterize former forest environments. Amber forests may have also covered Southern Finland, and this possibility is discussed. Furthermore, the presence of wood debris may be utilized to recognize amber fakes, which is important for both gem trade and paleontology. It is proposed that databases and identification keys of frass and excrement should be constructed.

&lt;i&gt;Morchella conica&lt;/i&gt; Pers. proliferation in post-fire forests in northern Israel

Proliferation of Morchella conica Pers. was observed in pine tree (Pinus halepensis) plantation forests in the Galilee region following major fires that occurred during July and August 2006. Many ascocarps were found as early as 5 months after the fires, emerging in two flushes in the same forest in early spring. The mushrooms grew mainly near piles of wood debris following intensive forest management activities applied at the site. However, the morels did not reappear at the same site the following year.

Estimation of the dispersion coefficient in rivers with riparian vegetation

The study of the transport processes in the riparian environment is currently a subject of great interest. In this context, the evaluation of longitudinal dispersion is a fundamental issue. Although it plays an important role in the transport of chemicals, nutrients, and wood debris, few works have studied the effects of riparian vegetation on the dispersion coefficient in transversally non-uniform streams. Here, a quasi two-dimensional model is proposed to evaluate the transverse profile of the depth-averaged velocity in the presence of any vegetation distribution along the riparian transect. Once velocity profile is obtained, the dispersion coefficient is evaluated and the remarkable role of vegetation is shown. Both the velocity profile and the dispersion coefficient have been validated using our new experimental results and literature data. The work highlights the importance of taking into account the presence of vegetation along river banks. The estimation of the longitudinal dispersion in vegetated rivers can be affected by as much as 70–100% compared to the case without vegetation.

Influences of flooding and hyporheic exchange on floodplain plant richness and productivity

AbstractFlooding disturbance and associated fluvial processes are generally thought to be the primary controls on floodplain species richness patterns. We expanded this idea to include ground and surface water (hyporheic) exchange within alluvial flood plains. At the floodplain scale, we hypothesized that upwelling areas would be richer in species and support higher growth rates of woody plants. At reaches within each flood plain, we evaluated the mechanisms of flood duration, patterns in sedimentation and driftwood as influences. We found patterns of species richness within the shifting mosaic of floodplain wetland habitats to be incoherent with flood duration for large flood plains on the Flathead and Talkeetna Rivers. Rather, species richness was closely associated with hyporheic exchange at the floodplain scale and locally with alluvial particle size. Species richness was highest in areas of both flood plains characterized by upwelling groundwater. On annually scoured surfaces, richness was affected by large wood debris that reduced flow competence, allowing fine sediment deposition and plant establishment. Richness within upwelling and downwelling reaches was highest at sites with the finest alluvia.Growth rates of woody species used as indices of site productivity were also significantly higher at areas characterized by upwelling. We concluded that plant species richness was strongly controlled by hyporheic exchange at the floodplain scale and locally by the deposition of fine alluvia. This interpretation was not consistent with intermediate levels of flood disturbance. Indeed, areas of the flood plain least influenced by flow energy had the highest richness on both flood plains. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Population Density, Species Abundance, and Breeding Structure of Subterranean Termite Colonies in and Around Infested Houses in Central North Carolina

Pressure from subterranean termites is known to vary geographically across the United States, but there are few quantitative studies concerning the threat of structural infestation for any geographic region. We assessed the number and locations of termite colonies present on 20 infested residential properties in central North Carolina, where subterranean termite pressure is considered to be heavy. This was achieved by using microsatellite markers to determine colony identity of termites collected over 6-14 mo from mud tubes in structures, below-ground monitors, and wood debris in the yard. In total, we identified 188 distinct colonies and determined their breeding structures. Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) was by far the most common species, accounting for nearly 90% of all colonies; the remaining colonies belonged to Reticulitermes hageni Banks and Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks). In four cases, there were two colonies infesting a structure simultaneously; in all other cases only a single colony was detected in the structure. Colony densities were high, averaging 62 colonies per ha (25 per acre) with a maximum of 185 colonies per ha (75 colonies per acre). Foraging ranges of R. flavipes and R. hageni colonies were generally small (<30 linear m), and most colonies were headed by a single pair of monogamous reproductives with nearly all the remaining colonies headed by relatively few inbreeding descendants of the original monogamous pair. These results provide the most detailed picture to date of the number, distribution, and colony characteristics of subterranean termite colonies located in and around residential structures.

Treatment of log yard runoff with a continuous fixed film bioreactor

Runoff is generated at log yards when precipitation comes into contact with logs, wood debris, and equipment at outdoor wood processing, sorting and storage facilities. Log yard runoff, which can be toxic and have high levels of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and tannin and lignin (T&amp;L), is a potential threat to nearby receiving environments. Runoff samples were collected from two sawmills located in British Columbia (BC). The runoff samples collected had BOD ranging from 16 to 371 mg/L, COD from 230 to 2660 mg/L, and tannin and lignin from 200 to 680 mg/L of tannic acid. Four runoff samples were acutely toxic according to the Microtox® toxicity test. A continuous lab-scale fixed film bioreactor was used to treat the runoff over a range of temperature (5–30 °C) and hydraulic retention times (4–24 h). The reactor was capable of treating runoff with BOD removal ranging from 73.0% to 97.6%, COD removal ranging from 48.0% to 76.9%, and tannin and lignin removal ranging from 27.8% to 60.1%. There appeared to be a transitional change in the makeup of the microbial community in the reactor as the temperature decreased from 15 °C to 10 °C. The reactor was able to remove all acute toxicity at 30 °C, but at lower temperatures treated runoff remained acutely toxic.

Stand characteristics of three forest types within the dry interior forests of British Columbia, Canada: Implications for biodiversity

Coarse wood debris and plant communities within forested ecosystems play vital roles in the life history of many wildlife species. Descriptions of the characteristics and dynamics of these ecosystem properties therefore are crucial for guiding managers interested in maintaining biodiversity and site productivity. In North America, stands of trembling aspen ( Populus tremuloides) have been identified as making an important contribution to the biodiversity in certain forested landscapes. These stands are relatively rare within the dry conifer-dominated forests of interior British Columbia (western Canada), yet detailed work on their structural and vegetative properties has been lacking. To this end, we investigated coarse woody debris and plant communities in aspen stands, within a dry-forest ecosystem near Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. Downed and standing coarse woody volumes, plant diversity, and plant abundance all were significantly higher in aspen stands, as compared to neighbouring Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) and mixedwood (aspen + Douglas-fir) stands. Aspen stands also contained a relative abundance of snags and coarse woody debris. Because of these attributes, these stands likely serve as an integral part of the dry interior British Columbia forest ecosystems, representing areas of high biological diversity. This information, along with the fact that these stands may be threatened due to anthropogenic influence, make it critical that a significant component of aspen remains within these forested ecosystems.

Salmon carcass retention in recently formed stream habitat

Habitat manipulation for migratory fish is typically aimed at fulfilling particular life-cycle stages and rarely acknowledges the wider role of these fish in lotic ecosystems. Recent research, indicating the importance of salmon carcasses in stream ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest has highlighted their potential contribution in restoring degraded rivers. Previous research has emphasised the importance of in-stream habitat features such as pools and debris dams for carcass retention in mature river systems but carcass retention in other river habitats has not been well studied. This study documents the spawning runs of pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and the retention of their carcasses in the early successional habitat of a recently formed stream. Eight years after initial colonisation, the estimated number of pink salmon spawners exceeded 10,000. Overall carcass retention was low and strongly related to discharge, with most carcasses transported out of the freshwater system to the estuary within a few days. The majority of carcasses that were retained accumulated in the slower moving waters in the stream margins, whilst the spatially scarce habitats of boulders, shallow areas and coarse woody debris were associated with comparatively high carcass densities. Mark and recapture of carcasses indicated that, with the exception of coarse wood debris, the retention of carcasses was an ephemeral and highly dynamic process with the structurally simple retentive features of this stream associated with a high turnover of carcasses.

Habitat features affecting the small-scale distribution and longitudinal migration patterns of Calotriton asper in a Pre-Pyrenean population

AbstractThe longitudinal movements and abiotic factors that determine the distribution of Pyrenean mountain newts (males, females, amplexus and metamorphic newts) were examined in a 1500 meters segment of a Pre-Pyrenean stream. Migration of adult newts was studied by means of capture-recapture techniques in the course of one year. Our results indicate that the mean distance the newts migrated per year was less than 50 meters and the population could be considered sedentary. No significant differences in longitudinal movement patterns between the sexes were observed, and movement patterns were more or less constant over time. Habitat variables determining newt abundance was estimated by means of a GLM. Our results indicate that the number of refugia (wood debris, stones and fissures) determines the distribution of newts. Larval abundance was correlated with stream-bed structure.