Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating
Due to the large size (e.g. sections of tree trunks) and highly heterogeneous spatial distribution of deadwood, the timescales involved in the coarse woody debris (CWD) decay of <i>Picea abies</i> (L.) Karst. and <i>Larix decidua</i> Mill. in Alpine forests are largely unknow...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2016-03-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.biogeosciences.net/13/1537/2016/bg-13-1537-2016.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818499483341684736 |
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| author | M. Petrillo P. Cherubini G. Fravolini M. Marchetti J. Ascher-Jenull M. Schärer H.-A. Synal D. Bertoldi F. Camin R. Larcher M. Egli |
| author_facet | M. Petrillo P. Cherubini G. Fravolini M. Marchetti J. Ascher-Jenull M. Schärer H.-A. Synal D. Bertoldi F. Camin R. Larcher M. Egli |
| author_sort | M. Petrillo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Due to the large size (e.g. sections of tree trunks) and highly heterogeneous
spatial distribution of deadwood, the timescales involved in the coarse
woody debris (CWD) decay of <i>Picea abies</i> (L.) Karst. and
<i>Larix decidua</i> Mill. in Alpine forests are largely unknown. We
investigated the CWD decay dynamics in an Alpine valley in Italy using the
chronosequence approach and the five-decay class system that is based on a
macromorphological assessment. For the decay classes 1–3, most of the
dendrochronological samples were cross-dated to assess the time that had
elapsed since tree death, but for decay classes 4 and 5 (poorly preserved
tree rings) radiocarbon dating was used. In addition, density, cellulose, and
lignin data were measured for the dated CWD. The decay rate constants for
spruce and larch were estimated on the basis of the density loss using a
single negative exponential model, a regression approach, and the stage-based
matrix model. In the decay classes 1–3, the ages of the CWD were similar and
varied between 1 and 54 years for spruce and 3 and 40 years for larch, with no
significant differences between the classes; classes 1–3 are therefore not
indicative of deadwood age. This seems to be due to a time lag between the
death of a standing tree and its contact with the soil. We found distinct
tree-species-specific differences in decay classes 4 and 5, with larch CWD
reaching an average age of 210 years in class 5 and spruce only 77 years. The
mean CWD rate constants were estimated to be in the range 0.018 to
0.022 y<sup>−1</sup> for spruce and to about 0.012 y<sup>−1</sup> for larch.
Snapshot sampling (chronosequences) may overestimate the age and mean
residence time of CWD. No sampling bias was, however, detectable using the
stage-based matrix model. Cellulose and lignin time trends could be derived
on the basis of the ages of the CWD. The half-lives for cellulose were
21 years for spruce and 50 years for larch. The half-life of lignin is
considerably higher and may be more than 100 years in larch CWD.
Consequently, the decay of <i>Picea abies</i> and <i>Larix decidua</i> is
very low. Several uncertainties, however, remain: <sup>14</sup>C dating of CWD from
decay classes 4 and 5 and having a pre-bomb age is often difficult (large age
range due to methodological constraints) and fall rates of both European
larch and Norway spruce are missing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:30:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-96c0478f810a402fa6bcb920ca929ddb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:30:10Z |
| publishDate | 2016-03-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biogeosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-96c0478f810a402fa6bcb920ca929ddb2022-12-22T01:34:43ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892016-03-011351537155210.5194/bg-13-1537-2016Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon datingM. Petrillo0P. Cherubini1G. Fravolini2M. Marchetti3J. Ascher-Jenull4M. Schärer5H.-A. Synal6D. Bertoldi7F. Camin8R. Larcher9M. Egli10Department of Geography, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandWSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, 8903 Birmensdorf, SwitzerlandDepartment of Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, 86090 Pesche, ItalyDepartment of Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, 86090 Pesche, ItalyDepartment of Agrifood and Environmental Science, University of Florence, 50144 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Geography, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandLaboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, SwitzerlandFondazione Edmund Mach, 38010 San Michele all'Adige, ItalyFondazione Edmund Mach, 38010 San Michele all'Adige, ItalyFondazione Edmund Mach, 38010 San Michele all'Adige, ItalyDepartment of Geography, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandDue to the large size (e.g. sections of tree trunks) and highly heterogeneous spatial distribution of deadwood, the timescales involved in the coarse woody debris (CWD) decay of <i>Picea abies</i> (L.) Karst. and <i>Larix decidua</i> Mill. in Alpine forests are largely unknown. We investigated the CWD decay dynamics in an Alpine valley in Italy using the chronosequence approach and the five-decay class system that is based on a macromorphological assessment. For the decay classes 1–3, most of the dendrochronological samples were cross-dated to assess the time that had elapsed since tree death, but for decay classes 4 and 5 (poorly preserved tree rings) radiocarbon dating was used. In addition, density, cellulose, and lignin data were measured for the dated CWD. The decay rate constants for spruce and larch were estimated on the basis of the density loss using a single negative exponential model, a regression approach, and the stage-based matrix model. In the decay classes 1–3, the ages of the CWD were similar and varied between 1 and 54 years for spruce and 3 and 40 years for larch, with no significant differences between the classes; classes 1–3 are therefore not indicative of deadwood age. This seems to be due to a time lag between the death of a standing tree and its contact with the soil. We found distinct tree-species-specific differences in decay classes 4 and 5, with larch CWD reaching an average age of 210 years in class 5 and spruce only 77 years. The mean CWD rate constants were estimated to be in the range 0.018 to 0.022 y<sup>−1</sup> for spruce and to about 0.012 y<sup>−1</sup> for larch. Snapshot sampling (chronosequences) may overestimate the age and mean residence time of CWD. No sampling bias was, however, detectable using the stage-based matrix model. Cellulose and lignin time trends could be derived on the basis of the ages of the CWD. The half-lives for cellulose were 21 years for spruce and 50 years for larch. The half-life of lignin is considerably higher and may be more than 100 years in larch CWD. Consequently, the decay of <i>Picea abies</i> and <i>Larix decidua</i> is very low. Several uncertainties, however, remain: <sup>14</sup>C dating of CWD from decay classes 4 and 5 and having a pre-bomb age is often difficult (large age range due to methodological constraints) and fall rates of both European larch and Norway spruce are missing.http://www.biogeosciences.net/13/1537/2016/bg-13-1537-2016.pdf |
| spellingShingle | M. Petrillo P. Cherubini G. Fravolini M. Marchetti J. Ascher-Jenull M. Schärer H.-A. Synal D. Bertoldi F. Camin R. Larcher M. Egli Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating Biogeosciences |
| title | Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating |
| title_full | Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating |
| title_fullStr | Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating |
| title_full_unstemmed | Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating |
| title_short | Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating |
| title_sort | time since death and decay rate constants of norway spruce and european larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating |
| url | http://www.biogeosciences.net/13/1537/2016/bg-13-1537-2016.pdf |
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