Biological and Forest Health Trends Myron J. Mitchell - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Biological and Forest Health Trends

Myron J. Mitchell SUNY-Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse, New York

Outline of Presentation

• Chemical versus biological response
• Aquatic biota

– Fish – Other Biota

• Terrestrial biota with emphasis on sugar

maple

• Need for integrated approach

SOx NHx , NOx H2 SO4 HNO3 Anions Mobile SO4

2-

NO3

• Biotic

Impacts Nutrient Depletion Toxicity

Cations Nutrient Ca2+, Mg2+ Toxic H+, Al+3

From Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation

Fish

From: Driscoll, C.T., K.M. Driscoll, M.J. Mitchell and D.J.

• Raynal. 2003. Effects
• f acidic deposition
• n forest and aquatic

ecosystems in New York State. Environmental Pollution 123:327-336.

Other Aquatic Biota Example of Brooktrout Lake in the Adirondack Mountains (from Clifford Siegfried)

4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 1 9 8 4 1 1 / 1 / 1 9 9 2 9 / 1 / 1 9 9 3 7 / 1 / 1 9 9 4 5 / 1 / 1 9 9 5 3 / 1 / 1 9 9 6 1 / 1 / 1 9 9 7 1 1 / 1 / 1 9 9 8 9 / 1 / 1 9 9 9 7 / 1 / 2 5 / 1 / 2 1 3 / 1 / 2 2 1 / 1 / 2 3 1 1 / 1 / 2 4 1 1 / 1 / 2 5 7

• J

u n

Brooktrout Lake –pH; 1984-2006

pH

ZOOPLANKTON TAXA - BROOKTROUT LAKE

1984, 1987-88, 2005-2007 (preliminary)

Species Richness

5 10 15 20 25 1 9 8 4 1 9 9 4 1 9 9 6 1 9 9 8 2 2 2 2 4 2 6 2 4 6 8 10 1 9 8 4 1 9 9 4 1 9 9 6 1 9 9 8 2 2 2 2 4 2 6

Forest Ecosystems Red Spruce Decline (higher elevations) Sugar Maple Decline

From: Bailey S. W., S. B. Horsley, R. P. Long, and R. A. Hallett.2004. Influence of Edaphic Factors on Sugar Maple Nutrition and Health on the Allegheny Plateau. SSSAJ 68:243–252

bedrock residuum/colluvium nutrient poor seep glacial till glacial outw ash nutrient rich bedrock

Upper B-horizon

Ca saturation%

0.1 1 10 100

Mortality (% dead basal area)

10 20 30 40 50 60

less severe defoliation severe defoliation

Mg saturation%

0.01 0.1 1 10 10 20 30 40 50 60

2% Threshold 0.5% Threshold

Atmospheric Deposition Major Driver: But Other Factors Matter

• Other components of air pollutants including
• zone
• Geology (location and substrate)
• Introduction of exotic species
• Herbivory (Deer, Moose, Insects)
• Land use change including forest

management

• Climatic effects
• Not only is the biota affected, but the biota

can have a marked impact on the chemistry especially N cycling and nitrate in surface waters

Exotic Pests and Pathogens as Agents of Species Change

Gypsy moth Hemlock woolly adelgid Beech scale Asian longhorned beetle Emerald ash borer Sudden oak death

New pests & pathogens: Established pests:

From: Lovett, G. M., C. D. Canham, M. A. Arthur, K. C. Weathers, and R. D. Fitzhugh. 2006. Forest ecosystem responses to exotic pests and pathogens in eastern North America. Bioscience 56:395-405.

Stream NO3 vs. Soil C:N

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Mean Soil C:N Annual Mean Stream NO3 (μmol/L)

R2=0.59 p=0.0022

Variance in soil C:N is primarily explained by species composition, especially sugar maple and red oak

Control of Nitrate in Catskill Streams

From: Lovett, G. M., K. C. Weathers, and

• M. A. Arthur. 2002. Control of nitrogen loss

from forested watersheds by soil carbon:nitrogen ratio and tree species

• composition. Ecosystems 5:712-718

Stream Low Ca2+ Low NO3

• Leaching

weathering Ca-poorer parent material

Litter High C:N Litter Low Ca

NO3

• Ca2+

L e a c h i n g

Low Mineralization & Nitrification

Uptake

NO3

• Stream

High Ca2+ High NO3

• Litter

High Ca

Leaching w e a t h e r i n g

Litter Low C:N

Ca2+

L e a c h i n g

Ca-rich parent material

H i g h M i n e r a l i z a t i

• n

& N i t r i f i c a t i

• n

Uptake

Ca Rich Site (S14) Ca Poorer Site (S15)

From: Christopher, S.F., B.D. Page, J.L. Campbell and M.J. Mitchell. 2006. Contrasting stream water NO3

• and Ca2+ in

two nearly adjacent catchments: the role of soil Ca and forest vegetation. Global Change Biology 12:364-381.

SOx NHx , NOx H2 SO4 HNO3 Anions Mobile SO4

2-

NO3

• Biotic

Impacts Nutrient Depletion Toxicity

Cations Nutrient Ca2+, Mg2+ Toxic H+, Al+3