by Audrey Verreault | 21 November 2024
Published in Dendrochronologia 88: 126274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2024.126274
Accurately determining the position of pith and accessing tree-ring density profiles, including intra-ring variations, is important for both the forest industry and dendroclimatology. Although several available methods exist for acquiring this information, such as X-ray computed tomography (CT), micro-CT, and X-ray films, the availability of open-source programs for extracting data remains limited. The CTRing package in the R environment integrates a series of functions to detect precisely the pith and tree-ring boundaries and generate tree-ring density profiles using CT images of tree cross sections. Before processing, grey values are transformed into density using a calibration function. Pith position is then detected by combining an adapted Hough Transform method and a one-dimensional edge detector. Tree-ring profiles along the pith-to-bark path of interest are inspected visually, and tree-ring boundaries can be easily added or removed manually via a graphical user interface. After correcting for tree-ring boundaries, the inflection points of a 3rd-degree polynomial obtained from density profiles are used to delimit the earlywood–latewood transition. We tested this package using 60 CT-scanned images of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) discs collected at various tree heights (0 %, 25 %, 50 % and 75 % of the total tree height as well as at 1.3 m). The pith detection function had an average mean error of 0.72 mm with 95 % of the automatically detected pith locations that differed by less than 2 mm from their manually located positions. Error decreased toward the apex of the tree. The functions of the CTRing package are flexible and can be easily implemented or adapted. The package could also be used with simple images of discs to obtain ring-width time series; however, this use must be evaluated further. Future work with this package involves assessing the use of low-quality images and ring-porous species.
by Audrey Verreault | 19 November 2024
Published in Canadian Journal of Forest Research (Just-IN). https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2024-0057
Increasing the productivity of planted forests may efficiently provide an important part of the world’s growing demand for wood while protecting natural forests. In this study, we developed an integrated modelling framework to evaluate the financial impacts of improving productivity of planted forests by tree breeding. Using this framework, we compared three genetic improvement scenarios of white spruce plantations, a key reforestation species in North America, and evaluated the differences in the derived wood product assortments in terms of quantity, quality, and revenues. Favouring the production of wood volume appears as the best way to enhance financial gains from white spruce plantations in the current market. The scenario that focused on increasing tree height produced a greater volume of wood products and larger lumber pieces, which resulted in the greatest revenues. In comparison, favouring wood stiffness over volume led to poorer results, as the increased product quality was not sufficient to surpass the financial gain associated with greater wood volumes. While we successfully provided an evaluation of the product assortments derived from genetically improved plantations, the proposed framework would benefit from more data input to help maximize financial gains from a range of tree breeding strategies.
by Audrey Verreault | 14 November 2024
Published in Environmental Research: Climate 3: 045020. https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5295/ad8d00
The characteristics of the frost regime (intensity, frequency, and timing) contribute to shaping tree species adaptations and distribution as well as ecosystem productivity and functions. However, climate change increases the variability in extreme events; therefore, the different characteristics of the frost regime may diverge under climate change. Using the BioSim 11 software, we simulated daily air temperature at 512 locations over northeastern North America between 1901–2021 to determine how the spatio-temporal trends in the frost regime varied over this complex landscape and if spatio-temporal trends in extreme climatic events such as frosts are stronger compared to changes in aggregated climate variables such as mean annual air temperature and growing degree-days. We also used an eco-physiological model to conduct a case study focussing on white spruce to determine if trees are currently more exposed to growing season frosts than they were in the past by modelling the timings of budburst using the thermal time model. Our results showed that, at 67% of locations (343 locations), the day of the year of the last frost in spring (minimum daily air temperature<0 ◦C) occurred, on average, earlier by seven days during 2001–2021 compared to 1901–1920, whereas it occurred, on average, later by four days at 33% of locations (169 locations). The average temporal trends in frost occurrence were similar in magnitude to the average trends in aggregated climate variables; however, their variances were larger compared to the aggregated climate metrics, showing that the frost regime does not change uniformly throughout our study area. Our case study also revealed that white spruce remains exposed to late frosts of low and intermediate intensities (minimum daily air temperature <0; <−2 ◦C) compared to the past but exposure to high-intensity frosts (minimum daily air temperature <−4 ◦C) is rare. Since extreme events such as late frosts diverge in their response to climate change compared to aggregated climate variables, the mean annual temperature is not sufficient to predict how climate change will impact ecosystems through frost regimes.
by Audrey Verreault | 25 October 2024
Published in Canadian Journal of Forest Research (Just-IN). https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2024-0119
Genetic parameters for growth (height, diameter and volume) and resistance to the white pine weevil were estimated from 209 Norway spruce families aged 15 or 20 years old. Individual heritability values ranged from low to moderate, while family heritability values were moderate to high. This suggests that there is a genetic control for these variables. A selection index was developed to rank individuals on both volume growth and resistance to the white pine weevil. Opsel 2.0 software was used for selection to optimize genetic gain while keeping the level of relatedness between selected trees below an acceptable threshold. The selection of the best 70 individuals, i.e., the top 1% of the populations evaluated, resulted in volume gains of 15.5% and weevil resistance gains of 30.3% making it possible to create a new, more productive and weevil-resistant Norway spruce population. These new breeding and propagation populations will be planted in various locations in the province of Quebec and will be used for the operational deployment of this improved material.
by Audrey Verreault | 21 October 2024
Published in Environmental Reviews 30(2): 8. https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2021-0074
Over the past few decades there has been increasing concern that boreal forests could convert from a carbon sink to a carbon source, thus accentuating the effects of climate change. Although forest fires are generally regarded as mainly responsible for causing boreal forests to transition to a carbon source, other factors, such as the activity of exotic earthworm species, could also play an important role. Invasive and exotic species of earthworm can affect nutrient cycling, biodiversity, and forest dynamics. In this context, greater knowledge of the distribution of exotic species of earthworm could help researchers to understand the likely changes in the ecosystems that they have colonized. Herein, we report the results of an exhaustive literature review of the presence of exotic species of earthworm in the Canadian boreal forest and taiga zones. We identified 230 sectors containing 14 earthworm species (11 exotic, two native, and one putative native) in six provinces and three territories across Canada’s boreal forest and taiga zone. We also report 23 as-yet unpublished observations from the province of Quebec. We noted the presence of earthworms in environments (acid soils, harsh climate) that were historically considered inadequate for their survival. This suggests that the portion of Canada’s boreal forests suitable for the presence or colonization of exotic species of earthworm is larger than was previously believed. This study represents the first compilation of locations with exotic species of earthworm in this large northern area. Factors that could affect their distribution and potential effects on boreal ecosystems are also discussed. We also report that several earthworm species seem to be overcoming the previously assumed limitations of temperature and soil pH.
