An Approach for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Various Ozone Air Quality Standards for Protecting Trees

We demonstrate an approach for evaluating the level of protection attained using a variety of forms and levels of past, current, and proposed Air Quality Standards (AQSs). The U.S. Clean Air Act requires the establishment of ambient air quality standards to protect health and public welfare. However, determination of attainment of these standards is based on ambient pollutant concentrations rather than prevention of adverse effects. To determine if a given AQS protected against adverse effects on vegetation, hourly ozone concentrations were adjusted to create exposure levels that “just attain” a given standard. These exposures were used in combination with a physiologically-based tree growth model to account for the interactions of climate and ozone. In the evaluation, we used ozone concentrations from two 6-year time periods from the San Bernardino Mountains in California. There were clear differences in the level of vegetation protection achieved with the various AQSs. Based on modeled plant growth, the most effective standards were the California 8-hr average maximum of 70 ppb and a seasonal, cumulative, concentration-weighted index (SUM06), which if attained, resulted in annual growth reductions of 1% or less. Least effective was the 1-hr maximum of 120 ppb which resulted in a 7% annual reduction. We conclude that combining climate, exposure scenarios, and a process-based plant growth simulator was a useful approach for evaluating effectiveness of current or proposed air quality standards, or evaluating the form and/or level of a standard based on preventing adverse growth effects.     

Long term changes in atmospheric N and S throughfall deposition and effects on soil solution chemistry in a Scots pine forest in the Netherlands

In a Scots pine forest the throughfall deposition and the chemical composition of the soil solution was monitored since 1984. (Inter)national legislation measures led to a reduction of the deposition of nitrogen and sulphur. The deposition of sulphur has decreased by approximately 65%. The total mineral-nitrogen deposition has decreased by ca. 25%, which is mainly due to a reduction in ammonium-N deposition (−40%), since nitrate-N deposition has increased (+50%). The nitrogen concentration in the upper mineral soil solution at 10 cm depth has decreased, leading to an improved nutritional balance, which may result in improved tree vitality. In the drainage water at 90 cm depth the fluxes of NO₃⁻ and SO₄²⁻ have decreased, resulting in a reduced leeching of accompanying base cations, thus preserving nutrients in the ecosystem. It may take still several years, however, before this will meet the prerequisite of a sustainable ecosystem.     

Gradient analysis of the chrogenetic structure of lowland and highland scotch pine populations

Gradients of genetic distances (GGDs) between 26 adjacent cenopopulations of Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) along the transects through the distinct landscape-ecotopic isolation borders were analyzed graphically. The results made it possible to reveal and quantitatively estimate gradients and borders of gene-pool structural patterns in populations of this species in the central part of Northern Eurasia. In lowland areas, the most distinct borders were found between pine populations growing on dry lands and bogs (Pineta sphagnosa) in the forest zone of the Transural region, as well as between the Arakaragaiskii and Amankaragaiskii island pine forests in the steppe zone (Northern Turgai). In highland areas (the Urals and the Carpathians), the greatest GGDs were observed between low-mountain (about 600 m above sea level) and middle-mountain (850–900 m) populations. Analysis of GGDs is a promising gene-geographic method for determining population borders and studying the chorogenetic structure of species.     

Can intensive management increase carbon storage in forests?

A possible response to increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration is to attempt to increase the amount of carbon stored in terrestrial vegetation. One approach to increasing the size of the terrestrial carbon sink is to increase the growth of forests by utilizing intensive forest management practices. This article uses data from the literature and from forest growth and yield models to analyze the impact of three management practices on carbon storage: thinning, fertilization, and control of competing vegetation. Using Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) as example species, results from experiments with computer simulation models suggest that, for these two species, thinning generally does not increase carbon storage and may actually cause a decrease. The exception is thinning of very dense young stands. Fertilization generally increases carbon storage, although the response can be quite variable. The largest gains in carbon storage are likely to come from fertilizing lower-quality sites and from fertilizing thinned or less dense stands. Forests usually show increased growth in response to fertilization over a wide range of ages. Simulation of the growth of loblolly pine indicates that controlling competing vegetation at an early age helps to maximize stand growth and carbon storage. The research described in this article has been funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency. This document has been prepared at the EPA Environmental Research Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon, through contract number 68-C8-0006 to NSI Technology Inc. It has been subjected to the agency’s peer and administrative review and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.     

黄土高原人工油松林枯枝落叶截留动态研究

用定位观测的方法研究了人工油松林枯枝落叶的截流量及其截留的动态过程。结果表明,黄土高原人工油松林枯枝落叶的截流量年均为49.3mm,截留率为12.5%。枯枝落叶截留的动态过程受大气降水和环境因子的影响较大,也与其自身湿润程度有关。在次降水过程中,其截留的过程是当降水开始时,截留量增加迅速;降水持续到一定时间后,截流量的增量变小,达到最大值后,截流量在此处上下增减。枯枝落叶截留的动态过程可用直线和正弦函数的组合描述,且该函数能揭示枯枝落叶截留的生物学特性和环境因素对其过程的影响。该模型在计算森林水文及其水土保持效应评价中有广泛的应用前景。     

火炬松浆材建筑材林经营模型系统的研究

根据火炬松样地资料，建立火炬松林分生长模型、结构模型、商品材产量预估模型、营林措施(含间伐、施肥、整地、抚育等)效应模型及营林效益评估模型，构成火炬松纸浆材与建筑材林经营的模型系统，为火炬松纸浆材与建筑材林定向培育和优化决策提供了系列模型．     

马尾松种实病虫害防治研究

湖南马尾松种实害虫有七种,松梢小巷蛾和微红班螟是主要害虫。主要危害二年生球果,被害率高达46.49-47.76％。害虫天敌有三种。种实病害主要表现在一年生幼果大量脱落,落果率达33.35-36.12％。发病原因经室内病原茵诱发试验和分离培养,尚未获得致病茵,初步诊断为一种生理病害。病虫发生高峰期均在4-6月份,此时为防治关健时期。氧化乐果等防治马尾松种实害虫效果可达70％以上。无性乐间搞虫性略有差异。九二0生长激素和钼酸钠微肥防治生理落果有较明显防治效果。     

离子强度、pH值和Ca2+/Al3+对马尾松幼苗的铝毒影响

测定了在不同溶液酸度、不同离子强度和Ca²⁺/Al³⁺比下,铝对马尾松幼苗生长状况的影响。结果表明,溶液酸度增加,离子强度减小时,铝的毒害作用增大。钙对铝毒有明显缓解作用,当Ca²⁺/Al³⁺增大时,铝的毒性减小,但其缓解作用与铝浓度有关,当铝浓度增加,钙的缓解能力下降。     

铝处理马尾松对高温、低温、干旱和SO_2的抗性研究

马尾松在不同浓度铝溶液(0、30、60、120、240、480ppm)中生长两个月后,转移至高温、低温、干旱或SO_2熏气罩中,结果发现,经过铝培养松苗的膜透性显著高于未经过铝培养松苗的膜透性,且铝浓度越大,膜透性越大,表明铝处理马尾松对高温、低温、干旱和SO_2的抵抗性降低.300ppb的SO_2熏气30h后,未经铝培养的松苗没有明显受害症状出现,而经过铝培养的松苗却表现出针叶发黄、叶缘和叶尖出现明显可见伤害斑点等SO_2受害症状,高温、低温和干旱处理的主要症状表现为针叶发黄、萎蔫。     

Models to Assess the Risk of Snow and Wind Damage in Pine, Spruce, and Birch Forests in Sweden

3 are damaged annually by snow and wind, roughly corresponding to a value of US$150 million, and in Europe, the damage amounts to hundreds of millions of US dollars each year. To help to reduce these losses, tools for risk assessment within forest management have been developed. Predictions were developed of the risk of damage from snow and wind to Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] and Birch (Betula spp. L.) plots using tree, stand, and site characteristics. The data were obtained from 6756 permanent sample plots within the Swedish National Forest Inventory, which were inventoried twice at five-year intervals between 1983 and 1992. Input data for model development used measurements from the first inventory of tree characteristics for the largest sample tree, stand, and site data, and records of snow and wind damage from the second inventory. Models were developed for three different regions for pine- and spruce-dominated sites, while models for the whole country were developed for birch sites. In general the estimated proportion of damaged plots was highly overestimated (31.7%–56.2%), compared with the observed proportion of 3.4%–11.9%. The models for Norway spruce comprising tree, stand, and site data show the best predictability of damaged plots, with 60.6%–67.6% of plots correctly classified. It is concluded that the models developed can be used to detect sites with a high probability of damage from snow and wind, and thus be used as tools to reduce future damage and costs in practical forestry.