Trampling as a major ecological factor affecting the radial growth and wood anatomy of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) roots on a hiking trail
The impact of hiking in forested areas is one of the main factors affecting the condition of tree growth along hiking trails. Trampling causes common exposure of roots and quantification of the human impact on root radial growth and wood anatomy requires careful assessment. To accurately identify th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X20310347 |
| _version_ | 1818346481887739904 |
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| author | P. Matulewski A. Buchwal A. Zielonka D. Wrońska-Wałach K. Čufar H. Gärtner |
| author_facet | P. Matulewski A. Buchwal A. Zielonka D. Wrońska-Wałach K. Čufar H. Gärtner |
| author_sort | P. Matulewski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The impact of hiking in forested areas is one of the main factors affecting the condition of tree growth along hiking trails. Trampling causes common exposure of roots and quantification of the human impact on root radial growth and wood anatomy requires careful assessment. To accurately identify the radial growth changes in Pinus sylvestris roots, we conducted a stepwise cross-dating using trampled roots from a hiking trail and reference roots. Such approach was previously not applied in a lowland area. In addition, we investigated the factors that influence the root-stem radial growth coherency, including soil properties, root and trail morphology. Changes in radial growth and wood anatomy were examined in three parts of the root system: buried, transition and trampling zone. The radial growth for each root zone was compared with corresponding stem and reference root and stem chronology. In total, we investigated 204 roots and 97 tree stems for the common period 1970–2015. Missing rings were found to be a common phenomenon in all root zones, except in the exposed lateral roots in the trampling zone. The highest number of wedging and missing rings was observed in the trampling and transition zones, respectively. The total number of wedging rings increased with an increasing distance from the stem. The events of root exposure in the trampling zone were highly coupled with the formation of scars (r = 0.51, p < 0.001) and pronounced resin ducts (PRDs) (r = 0.52, p < 0.001). The majority of the wood anatomical changes (i.e., 84% of scars and 85% of PRDs) were identified in the trampling zone. The highest degree of correlation between raw stem chronology and raw root chronology was found for the exposed trampled roots (r = 0.69, p < 0.001). In the trampling zone, the root-stem radial growth coherency was determined primarily by root type (77.3%) and root age (17.4%), whereas in the buried zone, by the soil organic matter content (55.4%) and soil compaction (39.7%). It has been proved that the record of radial growth and wood anatomy changes in Scots pine roots serve as a valuable ecological archive of trampling impact with high temporal resolution. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T17:18:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-36116f8f6ddd4e369762fa57c6803475 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T17:18:58Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj.art-36116f8f6ddd4e369762fa57c68034752022-12-21T23:37:22ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2021-02-01121107095Trampling as a major ecological factor affecting the radial growth and wood anatomy of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) roots on a hiking trailP. Matulewski0A. Buchwal1A. Zielonka2D. Wrońska-Wałach3K. Čufar4H. Gärtner5Institute of Geoecology and Geoinformation, Faculty of Geographical and Geological Sciences, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. B. Krygowskiego 10, 61-680 Poznań, Poland; Corresponding author.Institute of Geoecology and Geoinformation, Faculty of Geographical and Geological Sciences, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. B. Krygowskiego 10, 61-680 Poznań, PolandInstitute of Geography and Spatial Management, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland; Institute of Urban and Regional Development, ul. Targowa 45, 03-728 Warsaw, PolandInstitute of Geography and Spatial Management, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, PolandDepartment of Wood Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaSwiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, SwitzerlandThe impact of hiking in forested areas is one of the main factors affecting the condition of tree growth along hiking trails. Trampling causes common exposure of roots and quantification of the human impact on root radial growth and wood anatomy requires careful assessment. To accurately identify the radial growth changes in Pinus sylvestris roots, we conducted a stepwise cross-dating using trampled roots from a hiking trail and reference roots. Such approach was previously not applied in a lowland area. In addition, we investigated the factors that influence the root-stem radial growth coherency, including soil properties, root and trail morphology. Changes in radial growth and wood anatomy were examined in three parts of the root system: buried, transition and trampling zone. The radial growth for each root zone was compared with corresponding stem and reference root and stem chronology. In total, we investigated 204 roots and 97 tree stems for the common period 1970–2015. Missing rings were found to be a common phenomenon in all root zones, except in the exposed lateral roots in the trampling zone. The highest number of wedging and missing rings was observed in the trampling and transition zones, respectively. The total number of wedging rings increased with an increasing distance from the stem. The events of root exposure in the trampling zone were highly coupled with the formation of scars (r = 0.51, p < 0.001) and pronounced resin ducts (PRDs) (r = 0.52, p < 0.001). The majority of the wood anatomical changes (i.e., 84% of scars and 85% of PRDs) were identified in the trampling zone. The highest degree of correlation between raw stem chronology and raw root chronology was found for the exposed trampled roots (r = 0.69, p < 0.001). In the trampling zone, the root-stem radial growth coherency was determined primarily by root type (77.3%) and root age (17.4%), whereas in the buried zone, by the soil organic matter content (55.4%) and soil compaction (39.7%). It has been proved that the record of radial growth and wood anatomy changes in Scots pine roots serve as a valuable ecological archive of trampling impact with high temporal resolution.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X20310347Tree rootsCross-datingRoot exposurePinus sylvestris L.Human impactWood anatomy |
| spellingShingle | P. Matulewski A. Buchwal A. Zielonka D. Wrońska-Wałach K. Čufar H. Gärtner Trampling as a major ecological factor affecting the radial growth and wood anatomy of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) roots on a hiking trail Ecological Indicators Tree roots Cross-dating Root exposure Pinus sylvestris L. Human impact Wood anatomy |
| title | Trampling as a major ecological factor affecting the radial growth and wood anatomy of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) roots on a hiking trail |
| title_full | Trampling as a major ecological factor affecting the radial growth and wood anatomy of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) roots on a hiking trail |
| title_fullStr | Trampling as a major ecological factor affecting the radial growth and wood anatomy of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) roots on a hiking trail |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trampling as a major ecological factor affecting the radial growth and wood anatomy of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) roots on a hiking trail |
| title_short | Trampling as a major ecological factor affecting the radial growth and wood anatomy of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) roots on a hiking trail |
| title_sort | trampling as a major ecological factor affecting the radial growth and wood anatomy of scots pine pinus sylvestris l roots on a hiking trail |
| topic | Tree roots Cross-dating Root exposure Pinus sylvestris L. Human impact Wood anatomy |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X20310347 |
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