🚀 go-pugleaf

Todd M. Bolton wrote:
> 
> Joseph Zorzin wrote:
> >
> > Todd M. Bolton wrote:
> > >
> > > Joseph Zorzin wrote:
> > >
> > > snips
> > > > The diameter growth rate of trees decreases as the tree matures, but
> > > > that's over a larger circumferance- so the amount of carbon fixed may be
> > > > the same- if the tree is healthy. However, many large trees are decaying
> > > > at the core- even while healthy on the outside.
> > > >
> > >
> > > I realize we are getting a bit far off the title, but you have made the
> > > statement that "many large trees are decaying at the core" several times.  I
> > > am curious about how many you have found this to be true of in what
> > > situatoins, and if you have discovered a cause of the injuries that led to
> > > the fungal entrance?
> 
>  snips
> 
> > But, a short answer to your question is that most damage to the trees in
> > my area is caused by BAD logging in the past. Logging equipment can
> > easily rip the bark off the trees and run over exposed roots. This
> > damage results in millions of dollars of damage over the long term. This
> > damage is far more destructive to forests than erosion, and habitat
> > damage. The ground vegetation and the fauna seem to adjust fine to the
> > most violent and hideous logging. But the dollar value of the future
> > forests can be damage to the extent of 90%.
> >
> > (I added bionet.agroforestry to the list)
> > --
> > http://forestmeister.com
> > "The ONLY forester's web page in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts".
> It took me a while to get back from vaca but,  If your are involved in second, or
> third, crop forestry I can understand the root damage induced heart rots you keep
> seeing.  I *do not* see the same conditions around here during clearing for
> construction.  Most of the forests I see removed are second or third phase
> succession after farm abandonment, and so have not suffered through previous logging
> operations. In htses operations the rotted log is the oddball.

In our area of forests (N. California) insect vectors are the culprits.
They carry fungal spores and bore into the trees to lay eggs which hatch
into borer larva.  Healthy trees can push these larva out the holes
formed by the boring adults with sap but still succumb later to the
fungal rot.  One side benefit of dying forests is the super abundance of
numerous species of woodpeckers. They are really cool birds and fun to
watch, especially when they go after the steel power poles.

Various species of pine and fir have specific insects which prey only on
that species so a "new" virus or fungus sreads through a species
extremely rapidly. Certain species such as Monterey Pine are suffering
an 85% mortality from a canker virus carried by a beetle that will also
attack Pondorosa Pine and Douglas Fir but these two only suffer about
15% mortality.  The really bad thing is that the three "natural" stands
of Monterey Pines from where the original seeds were taken are all dying
-- 

David B. Green
Barclay Laboratory
916-244-4460
FAX 916-244-2924