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Publications

NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.

2013

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Abstract

In cases where sap flow is measured in trees and cross-sectional sapwood is not uniformly distributed, as in stems of diseased trees, an additional method may refine the sap flow measurements. If the studied trees are felled, the modified differential translucence method (MDT) for quantifying sapwood distribution in cross-sectional area may be compared with sap flow measurements. We studied sap flow by the heat field deformation method (HFD) in 12 Norway spruce trees with visible dieback symptoms and 12 without symptoms. Later, all sample trees were felled and analysed by MDT method. Results from MDT described well the differences and abnormalities which were also detected by HFD at any depth of the sapwood. Sap flow for whole tree (SF1) was calculated in accordance with radial and circumferential variation of sap flow density detected by HFD (based on average sap flow radial profiles). Other sapwood disturbances in parts not covered by HFD measurements were later corrected by MDT and refined total sap flow (SF2) was calculated. Relative differences between SF1and SF2 reached an interval from -0.21 to 0.41 for symptomatic trees and from -0.15 to 0.29 for non-symptomatic trees. The majority of the non-symptomatic trees had the relative difference close to zero. The theoretical use of single-point sensors for sap flow measurement was compared with the proportions of three wood types in a line 2 cm below the vascular cambium (a-sapwood, b-borders sapwood/heartwood or embolism, c-heartwood or embolism). The variability across wood types in the chosen line in the symptomatic trees was high and therefore quantifying the sap flow by the single point method was not possible.

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Abstract

Estimates of root absorption magnitude are needed for the balanced management of forest ecosystems, but no methods able to work on the whole tree and stand level were available. Modified earth impedance method was developed recently and here it was tested, by comparing the results with those obtained by combination of several classical methods. Methods We used direct (soil cores, scanning and microscopy) and indirect (sap flow patterns and modified earth impedance) methods in an attempt to estimate the absorptive root area indexes (RAI) at two sites of about 25 and 40-years-old Norway spruce. We considered the geometric surfaces of all scanned fine roots to be equal to the fine root absorptive area (RAIscan). To estimate the potentially physically permeable area of fine roots, we microscopically evaluated the point of secondary xylem appearance and calculated the geometric area of root portions with primary structure (RAImicro). We termed the area of electrically conductive root surface as the active (ion) absorptive area (RAImei) and measured its extent by the modified earth impedance (MEI) method. Results The highest values for absorptive root areas at the two experimental sites we obtained with the scanning method (RAIscan was considered to be 100%), followed by the RAImicro (51%) and RAImei (32%). RAImei reached about 2/3 of RAImicro. The surface area of the ectomycorrhizal hyphae was an order of magnitude larger than that of all fine roots, but the MEI did not measure such increase. Conclusions We showed that the absorptive root area, indirectly estimated by the MEI, provides consistent results that approach the values obtained for fine roots with a primary structure estimated by traditional direct methods. The similar range of the values for the absorptive root surface area obtained by microscopy and by the MEI method indicates that this method is feasible and that it could be used to determine the extent of active absorptive root surface areas in forests.