Depth of water table prior to ditch network maintenance is a key factor for tree growth response

Sarkkola, Sakari; Hökkä, Hannu; Ahti, Erkki; Koivusalo, Harri; Nieminen, Mika

doi:10.1080/02827581.2012.689004

Cited by 34 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The largest growth responses to DNM were observed in Scots pine stands where the pre-treatment GWD was 25-30 cm or shallower, while in stands where it was deeper than 35-40 cm there were minor growth increases. Sarkkola et al (2012) also observed high variability in growth responses to DNM in stands where the pre-treatment GWD was 20-35 cm, concluding that other factors also strongly influence the optimal timing for DNM to obtain adequate growth responses. The growth responses reported by averaged 0.6 m 3 ha -1 yr -1 at sites in northern Finland, and 1.1 m 3 ha -1 yr -1 at sites in southern Finland, during the 20-year effect period.…”

Section: Responses Of Gwl and Tree Growth To Dnmmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…In a further subsequent study of the experimental material used by Ahti and Päivänen (1997) and Lauhanen and Ahti (2001), Sarkkola et al (2012) found that the 20-year growth response, in terms of increases in average annual volume growth and relative volume growth, were negatively related to the GWL before the DNM. The largest growth responses to DNM were observed in Scots pine stands where the pre-treatment GWD was 25-30 cm or shallower, while in stands where it was deeper than 35-40 cm there were minor growth increases.…”

Section: Responses Of Gwl and Tree Growth To Dnmmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Wang et al 2013). Sarkkola et al (2012) conclude that the GWD should be 35-40 cm in drained peatland during late summer to assure favorable soil-water conditions for tree growth.…”

Section: Tree Growth In Poorly Drained Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In research, the reference growth problem has been solved in two ways. Data obtained from observations of experimentally treated material are usually compared to corresponding data for non-treated controls (Ahti and Päivänen 1997;Hökkä 1997;Lauhanen and Ahti 2001;Ahti 2005;Ahti et al 2008;Sarkkola et al 2012). A drawback of this approach is the possibility of bias related to incomplete isolation of treatments in the experimental lay-out (e.g.…”

Section: Responses Of Gwl and Tree Growth To Dnmmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interactions between soil water conditions and forest stands in boreal forests with implications for ditch network maintenance

Sikström¹,

Hökkä²

2016

Silva Fenn.

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Interactions between soil water conditions and forest stands in boreal forests with implications for ditch network maintenanceSikström U., Hökkä H. (2016). Interactions between soil water conditions and forest stands in boreal forests with implications for ditch network maintenance. Silva Fennica vol. 50 no. 1 article id 1416. 29 p. Highlights• Ditch network maintenance (DNM) may influence soil water conditions less than initial ditching due to reduced hydraulic conductivity of the peat. • Stand stocking and management substantially influence soil-water conditions. • DNM can lower the GWL and increase tree growth.• DNM growth responses of 0.5-1.8 m 3 ha -1 yr -1 during 15-20-years in Scots pine peatland stands reported. • Greatest need for DNM in the early phase of a stand rotation.• Need for better understanding of the link between soil water and tree growth. AbstractAt sites with either peat or mineral soils in large areas of boreal forests, high soil-water contents hamper tree growth and drainage can significantly increase growth. Hence, areas covering about 15 × 10 6 ha of northern peatlands and wet mineral soils have been drained for forestry purposes. Usually ditches gradually deteriorate, thus reducing their functionality as drains, and ditch-network maintenance (DNM) might be needed to maintain stand growth rates enabled by the original ditching. This article reviews current knowledge on establishing the need for DNM in boreal forest stands, subsequent growth responses, and the financial outcome of the activity. The issues covered in the review are: (i) ditching, changes in ditches over time and the need for DNM; (ii) interactions between soil water and both stand properties and stand management; (iii) ground-water level (GWL) and tree growth responses to DNM; and (iv) financial viability of DNM. Conclusions about the current understanding of issues related to DNM are drawn and implications for DNM in practice are summarized. Finally, gaps in knowledge are identified and research needs are suggested.

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Section: Responses Of Gwl and Tree Growth To Dnmmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Responses Of Gwl and Tree Growth To Dnmmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Wang et al 2013). Sarkkola et al (2012) conclude that the GWD should be 35-40 cm in drained peatland during late summer to assure favorable soil-water conditions for tree growth.…”

Section: Tree Growth In Poorly Drained Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Responses Of Gwl and Tree Growth To Dnmmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interactions between soil water conditions and forest stands in boreal forests with implications for ditch network maintenance

Sikström¹,

Hökkä²

2016

Silva Fenn.

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“…Spruce swamp forests have been commonly drained due to their large timber production potential (Päivänen and Hånell 2012). In Finnish peatlands drained for forestry, the water table typically lies at -30 to -40 cm, which is considered deep enough to sustain a well growing tree stand by means of transpiration and canopy interception (Sarkkola et al 2010;Sarkkola et al 2012). Lowering of the water table increases the rate of peat mineralization and CO 2 emissions; however, increased tree growth and litter production in conditions with a lower water table can fix more CO 2 (Ojanen et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of waterlogging on boreal forest tree seedlings during dormancy and early growing season

Wang¹

2017

Diss. For.

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More precipitation in the form of rain in winter together with deteriorated ditch networks may expose drained peatland forestry to winter or spring waterlogging in boreal forests. The response of main boreal forest species on soil waterlogging is important for predicting forest productivity and justifying the demand for ditch network maintenance. In this study, the aim was to find out the physiological and growth responses of 1-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) and pubescent birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) seedlings subjected to one-month waterlogging at the end of the dormancy phase, and to find out the morphology, physiology and growth of silver birch and pubescent birch seedlings subjected to one-month waterlogging at the beginning of the growing season.Two experiments were carried out in growth chambers. In experiment 1, Norway spruce seedlings were subjected to either no waterlogging or waterlogging for one month at 2 o C, after which a six-week follow-up growing season allowed the seedlings to recover. In experiment 2, silver birch and pubescent birch seedlings went through a four-week dormancy (weeks 1-4), a four-week early growing season (weeks 5-8), and a four-week late growing season (weeks 9-12). The treatments were 1) no waterlogging throughout the experiment (NW); 2) four-week waterlogging during dormancy (Dormancy waterlogging, DW); 3) four-week waterlogging during the early growing season (Growth waterlogging, GW); and 4) four-week dormancy waterlogging followed by four-week growth waterlogging during the early growing season (DWGW).Dormancy waterlogging reduced root volume and increased root mortality, but did not affect dark-acclimated chlorophyll fluorescence (F v /F m ) or the biomass of leaves, stems and roots in Norway spruce. Root biomass and root hydraulic conductance (K r ) of silver birch was reduced but aboveground organs were not affected by dormancy waterlogging. On the contrary, in pubescent birch root morphology, biomass and K r were not affected, but gas exchange was reduced by dormancy waterlogging. However, the biomass of leaves and stems was not negatively affected in pubescent birch. In conclusion, these tree species can tolerate a one-month winter waterlogging well.Growth waterlogging led to the reduction of stomatal conductance (g s ), and thus the reduction of light-saturated photosynthesis rate (A max ) in both birch species, although recovery was seen during the follow-up growing season. It also led to lower leaf area in both birch species. Growth waterlogging led also to decreased the K, Ca, Mg, Mn and B contents of leaves in silver birch, whereas in pubescent birch only Ca and Mg contents were decreased. In pubescent birch, fine cluster roots, the incidence of non-glandular trichomes, and stem lenticels were increased by growth waterlogging. However, silver birch did not show such acclimation to waterlogging. In conclusion, growth waterlogging caused more negative effects to both birch species than dormancy waterl...

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Distributed hydrological modeling with channel network flow of a forestry drained peatland site

Haahti

Warsta

Kokkonen

et al. 2016

Water Resources Research

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Peatland drainage has been an important component of forestry management in the boreal zone and the resulting ditch networks are maintained regularly to sustain forest productivity. In Finland, this is recognized as the most detrimental forestry practice increasing diffuse loads of suspended solids. Alongside forestry management on peatlands, interest in peatland restoration has grown lately. Distributed hydrological modeling has the potential to address these matters by recognizing relevant physical mechanisms and identifying most suitable strategies for mitigating undesired outcomes. This study investigates the utility of such a modeling approach in a drained peatland forest environment. To provide a suitable tool for this purpose, we coupled channel network flow to the three-dimensional distributed hydrological model FLUSH. The resulting model was applied to a 5.2 ha drained peatland forest catchment in Eastern Finland. The model was calibrated and validated using field measurements obtained over frost-free periods of five months. The application showed that distributed modeling can disentangle the importance of spatial factors on local soil moisture conditions, which is significant as peatland drainage aims to control these conditions. In our application, we limited the spatial aspect to the topography and the drainage network, and found that the drainage configuration had a clear effect on the spatial soil moisture patterns but that the effect was less pronounced during the wetter summer. Future applications of distributed modeling in this field comprises investigating the impacts of other spatial factors, modeling channel erosion and solid transport to address strategies for their mitigation, and evaluating restoration schemes.

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Depth of water table prior to ditch network maintenance is a key factor for tree growth response

Cited by 34 publications

References 13 publications

Interactions between soil water conditions and forest stands in boreal forests with implications for ditch network maintenance

Interactions between soil water conditions and forest stands in boreal forests with implications for ditch network maintenance

Effect of waterlogging on boreal forest tree seedlings during dormancy and early growing season

Distributed hydrological modeling with channel network flow of a forestry drained peatland site

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