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Fruiting bodies of Armillaria species. Armillaria ostoyae commonly fruits in large clusters; however, mushrooms of other Armillaria species also grow in clusters. (Photo courtesy of R.C. Rippy)
Source publication
After nearly 100 years of fire exclusion, introduced pests, and selective harvesting, a change in forest composition has occurred in many Inland West forests of North America. This change in forest structure has frequently been accompanied by increases in root diseases and/or an unprecedented buildup of fuels. Consequently, many forest managers are...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... Presence of honey-colored mushrooms (the fruiting bod- ies of the pathogen) produced in late summer or fall after rain ( fig. 3) (Morrison 1981; Hadfield and others 1986; Williams and others ...
Context 2
... becomes spongy, light yellow, and may be marked with numerous black lines, called "zone lines" (Morrison and others 1992). Decayed wood becomes hard and fibrous as it dries, as can be seen in wind-blown trees. Mush- rooms produced by Armillaria species are often called honey mushrooms because of the honey-colored caps produced by some species (fig. 3). The mushrooms have white spores, gills attached to the stem, minute peg-like hairs at the center of the upper cap, and a cottony ring around the upper stem (stipe). These mushrooms are often found growing in clusters near the bases of infected trees or stumps ( fig. 4). Although, mush- rooms are typically produced during moist ...
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Citations
... These methods are effective at reducing overall canopy bulk density and increasing canopy base height in a stand, which reduces the hazard of crown fire. Fuel reduction treatments, however, can result in unintended consequences including exacerbating the incidence and severity of root diseases [239]. Mechanical damage to tree boles during tree removal operations may also weaken trees, leaving them more susceptible to insect infestation and infection by decay fungi [240]. ...
Interior Douglas-fir is a prevalent forest type throughout the central Rocky Mountains. Past management actions, specifically fire suppression, have led to an expansion of this forest type. Although Douglas-fir forests cover a broad geographic range, few studies have described the interactive effects of various disturbance agents on forest health conditions. In this paper, we review pertinent literature describing the roles, linkages, and mechanisms by which disturbances, including insect outbreaks, pathogens, fire, and other abiotic factors, affect the development, structure, and distribution of interior montane forests primarily comprised of Douglas-fir. We also discuss how these effects may influence important resource values such as water, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, timber, and recreation. Finally, we identify gaps where further research may increase our understanding of these disturbance agents, their interacting roles, and how they influence long-term forest health.
... These methods are effective at reducing overall canopy bulk density and increasing canopy base height in a stand, which reduces the hazard of crown fire. Fuel reduction treatments, however, can result in unintended consequences including exacerbating the incidence and severity of root diseases [239]. Mechanical damage to tree boles during tree removal operations may also weaken trees, leaving them more susceptible to insect infestation and infection by decay fungi [240]. ...
Interior Douglas-fir is a prevalent forest type throughout the central Rocky Mountains. Past management actions, specifically fire suppression, have led to an expansion of this forest type. Although Douglas-fir forests cover a broad geographic range, few studies have described the interactive effects of various disturbance agents on forest health conditions. In this paper, we review pertinent literature describing the roles, linkages, and mechanisms by which disturbances, including insect outbreaks, pathogens, fire, and other abiotic factors, affect the development, structure, and distribution of interior montane forests primarily comprised of Douglas-fir. We also discuss how these effects may influence important resource values such as water, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, timber, and recreation. Finally, we identify gaps where further research may increase our understanding of these disturbance agents, their interacting roles, and how they influence long-term forest health.
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A dendropyrochronological study was conducted in the pine and pine-oak forests of the Las Joyas Scientific Research Station in the Sierra de Manantlán Biosphere Reserve located in the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range in western México. This study was undertaken to expand our understanding of historical fire frequency in that region and to inform future fire and land management decisions. Objectives included development of a master tree-ring width chronology for the Biosphere Reserve, determination of whether tree rings are a viable source of information about historical fires in this ecosystem, reconstruction of the historical fire frequency in pine-dominated forests, and investigation of the seasonality of fires. Tropical pines present several difficulties for tree-ring research including missing, false and diffuse rings, which make crossdating of these trees challenging. This study, which is the first dendrochronological fire history study south of the Tropic of Cancer in western México, demonstrates that tree rings from tropical Pinus douglasiana and Pinus herrerae can be used in fire history studies. Across the study site, seventeen unique fire years were identified between 1938 and 2009 with a mean fire-return interval of four years and a range of one to fourteen years. Most fires occurred early in the growing season, coinciding with agricultural fires prior to the start of summer monsoon rains.
Forest thinnings implemented with cut-to-length and whole-tree harvesting systems followed by underburning were evaluated for their effects on individual tree and stand level growth responses in pure, uneven-aged Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) accompanied by isolated California white fir (Abies concolor var. lowiana [Gord.] Lemm.). Based on both dimension and volume measures, trees of the unburned whole-tree treatment combination exhibited the greatest individual growth responses. At the stand level, a diminished volume growth response in the whole-tree treatment was especially pronounced in the burned portion, mostly attributable to exaggerated stocking losses, while a superior response in the unburned cut-to-length combination likely reflected not only the absence of detrimental fire impacts but also benefits of on-site slash retention. For stand level biomass, diminished growth in the whole-tree treatment was again evident, with that in the burned portion again most pronounced, while biomass accrual in the unburned cut-to-length treatment combination was generally comparable to that in the unthinned control. Increasingly utilized in forest restoration efforts in the western USA, the responses presented herein to these thinning and burning practices provide natural resource managers insight into potential compromised outcomes when implemented in Jeffrey pine and similar dry site forest types.
