This study was established to: determine the source and magnitude of below-ground limitation and its interaction with light availability / canopy cover for seedlings common to ICH forests; assess potential below-ground limitations to growth and to make recommendations on the efficiency of artificial regeneration along a continuum of overstory removal.

Contact: Dave Coates.
 
 

The research objectives of this study were to determine the rates of litter decomposition (pine needles, aspen leaves and forest floor material) over a range of canopy cover within the Date Creek study area and elsewhere in British Columbia.

Contact: Cindy Prescott.
 
 

This study was set up to investigate the decay fungi present in forest stands within the Date Creek study area and to isolate and identify fungal decay organisms from sample trees.  Forty nine sample disks were collected from trees felled for the stand dynamics study.	Phellinus pini conk
Phellinus pini rot on wood sample

Available Literature:

Allen, E. 1992. Isolation and identification of decay fungi from the Date Creek study. Can. For. Ser., Victoria, B.C. Contract report. 40 p.

This report presents the results of an investigation to identify fungal decay organisms in tree samples from a B.C. Ministry of Forests study at Date Creek, British Columbia.  Fungi were isolated from decayed wood samples, grown on artificial culture media and identified using standard methods.  The identification of basidiomycete fungi using cultural characteristics alone is a difficult and sometimes unsuccessful endeavor.  "Normal" mycological taxonomy utilizes the characteristics of fruiting structures, spore size and ornamentation, chemical tests, etc.  Fungal cultures isolated from decayed wood lack many or most of these helpful characteristics.  Taxonomic keys have been developed to aid in the identification of these cultures, however, fungal characters necessary for identification may be transient, are generally widely variable, or may not form at all.  Notwithstanding these difficulties, accurate identifications can generally be made to genus and species.  In this investigation, I have tried to provide a name for all isolates.  This was not always possible; the assignment of some names was quite tentative and some cultures remain under investigation.

Silvicon Services Ltd. 1992. Tomentosus root disease survey. B.C. Min. For., For. Sci. Sec., Smithers, B.C. Contract report, 22 p.
 

Available Literature:

P. Mark S. Ashton, Lydia P. Olander, Graeme P. Berlyn, Rajesh Thadani, and Ian R. Cameron. 1998. Changes in leaf structure in relation to crown position and tree size of Betula papyrifera within fire-origin stands of interior cedar-hemlock. Can. J. Bot. 76(7): 1180-1187.

Abstract:  Dimensions of anatomical and morphological attributes of leaves can influence physiological response to changes in environment over time. Linking structural attributes of leaves to crown position and tree size within naturally developing cohorts of trees can provide a clearer understanding of changes in crown morphology for a species. This study examined leaf anatomy and morphology of Betula papyrifera Marsh. growing in two stages of stand development of interior cedar-hemlock forest, northern British Columbia. Anatomical and morphological measurements of leaves located at six different positions within the crown were made on trees selected from stands that originated 15 years (small tree size) and 145 years (large tree size) after catastrophic fire. Leaf area and mass were measured in the field. Microscopic measures were made in the laboratory of thicknesses of leaves, cuticle, upper and lower epidermis, palisade, and spongy mesophyll. Stomatal density and stomatal aperture lengths were also determined. Leaf anatomy and morphology varied significantly with position in the crown and among size-classes of trees. Changes in leaf anatomy observed among positions within the crown reflect the changing availability of light and moisture experienced during crown development. For both size-classes of tree the largest anatomical dimensions of leaves were at the outer and uppermost parts of the crown, whilst the smallest were at the lower and innermost parts. Foliage of large trees (145 years) exhibit leaf attributes characteristic of the sun-shade dichotomy reported in the literature, but this was not shown for foliage of young saplings (15 years). For the small trees (15 years) the largest leaves were located at the top of the crown while the smallest were located at the bottom. This has been reported for many tropical pioneers but is in contrast to the usual sun-shade dichotomy of temperate pioneers. The large trees (145 years) followed the typical pattern with the smallest leaves at the top of the crown. Information from this study contributes to our understanding of foliar development of tree crowns by demonstrating how leaf structure changes with crown position and tree size under stand competition.

A.D. Richardson, G.P. Berlyn, P.M.S. Ashton, R. Thadani, and I.R. Cameron. 2000.  Foliar plasticity of hybrid spruce in relation to crown position and stand age. Can J. Bot. 78(3): 305-317

Abstract: This study examined the foliar response of putative hybrid Engelmann × white × Sitka spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry × Picea glauca (Moench) Voss × Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr) needles in relation to crown position and across three stages of development (15, 55, and 145 years). We focused on the morphological and anatomical response, and used physiological measures (photosynthesis and stomatal conductance) to emphasize the important relationship between structure and function. We found that needles from the upper outer crown position were adaptated to reduce stress from evapotranspiration. Trees from the 15- and 55-year-old stands generally responded the most, and trees from the 145-year-old stand responded the least. As they mature, these spruce trees may have reduced ability to adapt to their environment. Some of our results contradict what the literature considers "typical" for sun-shade dimorphism in temperate forests. For example, in all stands, sun needles were broader than shade needles and, in the two younger stands, sun needles were larger in area, not smaller, than shade needles. Also, in the youngest stand, stomatal pores were longer on sun needles than on shade needles. There were no definite patterns in stomatal spacing with regard to crown position. Our results are indicative of the strategies adopted to increase competitiveness in a resource-limited environment. We suggest that, in the 15-year-old stand, neither water nor light is limiting; in the 55-year-old stand, both water and light are highly limiting; and in the 145-year-old stand, water is most limiting.
 

Available Literature:

Coates, K.D., Banner, A., Steventon, D., LePage, P., and Bartemucci, P. 1997. The Date Creek Silvicultural systems study in the Interior Cedar-Hemlock forests of northwestern British Columbia: overview and treatment summaries. Land Management. Handbook No. 38, B.C. Min. For., Res. Branch, Victoria, B.C.

LePage, P. 1998. The Date Creek Research Forest - Extension Trail Brochure: A Self-Guided Tour.