Does CWD mediate microclimate for epixylic vegetation in boreal forest understories? A test of the moisture-capacitor hypothesis

Haughian, Sean R.; Frego, Katherine A.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2017.01.011

Cited by 15 publications

(17 citation statements)

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“…Understory ambient mesoclimate (humidity and temperature) data from each treatment block were obtained in another study of woody debris and microclimate relationships with epixylic vegetation (Haughian & Frego ). In that study, three ibutton Hygrochron ® (Maxim I C ) data loggers were placed in the unthinned treatment, and six were placed in the thinned treatment.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…). Although this is an unusually high error rate, it was considered acceptable because these data were of secondary importance, and because the number and distribution of loggers was limited by logistical constraints (Haughian & Frego ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ANOVA was performed twice: once with the birch and Thuja logs combined as 'natural logs' to achieve a balanced design, and once with the Thuja and birch logs separate, to account for interspecific differences. Understory ambient mesoclimate (humidity and temperature) data from each treatment block were obtained in another study of woody debris and microclimate relationships with epixylic vegetation (Haughian & Frego 2017). In that study, three ibutton Hygrochron Ò (Maxim I C 2011) data loggers were placed in the unthinned treatment, and six were placed in the thinned treatment.…”

Section: S T U D Y S P E C I E Smentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Both mean Ψ, and the frequency of Ψ > À20 MPa, were tested for differences between thinned and unthinned treatments using a paired t-test in Excel (Microsoft Corp. 2007), with an effect size of 0Á15 (Cohen's d) and a = 0Á34 (at b = 0Á64), determined using the Optimal a method (Mudge et al 2012). Although this is an unusually high error rate, it was considered acceptable because these data were of secondary importance, and because the number and distribution of loggers was limited by logistical constraints (Haughian & Frego 2017).…”

Section: S T U D Y S P E C I E Smentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, Jansov a & Sold an (2006) found that, for logs >15 cm in diameter, log girth was not an important predictor of bryophyte composition compared to decay stage and other features, and Botting & DeLong (2009) found that the impact of CWD-size on epixylic flora was eliminated after accounting for species-area relationships. More recently, Haughian & Frego (2017) found that CWD and the forest floor did not differ, in terms of moisture availability, and that log properties were more strongly related to bryophyte abundance directly than through surface microclimate. Although many others have found that CWD size is an important predictor of epixylic richness and composition, particularly for liverworts (S€ oderstr€ om 1988b; Andersson & Hytteborn 1991;Rambo & Muir 1998;Kruys et al 1999;Odor & Standov ar 2001), it is difficult to say whether (and why) log size, log longevity, or stand properties are most important, because stand age has often been correlated with log size and abundance in such studies (Heilmann-Clausen et al 2014).…”

Section: M P a C T S O F L O G M O I S T U R E C A P A C I T Ymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Log moisture capacity does not predict epixylic bryophyte growth under thinned and unthinned forest canopies

Haughian

Frego

2017

Functional Ecology

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Summary Coarse woody debris (CWD) serves as habitat for diverse and rare taxa in forest systems. Because the abundance of mosses appears to be correlated with log size and stage of decay, many have suggested that CWD serves as a moisture reservoir, ensuring a humid microclimate and facilitating moss growth, but no one has tested this connection. Intact forest canopies are also thought to maintain humid conditions that benefit moss growth. If microclimatic regulation is the primary mechanism contributing to high moss abundance on CWD, then epixylic moss growth should increase with the capacity of the log moisture reservoir, and the importance of the reservoir size should increase with canopy opening. Three types of synthetic logs, identical in size and shape but differing in moisture capacity, and two natural substrates, well‐decayed birch and cedar logs, were used to test the effects of log moisture capacity on growth of Dicranum flagellare under thinned and intact canopies of a spruce plantation over 20 months. Surface humidity was positively associated with moisture capacity, but did not reach the water compensation point outside of precipitation events. Under a closed forest canopy, moss growth was negligible across all log types. Under an open forest canopy, moss growth was greater on natural substrates than synthetic ones, and negatively related to moisture capacity. Coarse woody debris facilitates a sufficiently humid surface for only a short time after precipitation, presumably when a film of liquid water is maintained near the surface. For D. flagellare, canopy condition is a more accurate predictor of growth than CWD‐moisture capacity; any beneficial properties of CWD appear to be lessened by a dense forest canopy (as in silvicultural plantations), probably because it reduces access to liquid water from precipitation. We propose that the surface moisture availability of CWD depends on optimal depth of a ‘resisting layer’ below the log surface, representing a tradeoff between water retention and loss (via percolation or runoff at extremely deep vs. shallow resisting layer depth). Coarse woody debris may possess microclimate‐regulating traits that benefit moss growth, but it does not appear to act as a moisture capacitor. A http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.12864/suppinfo is available for this article.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: S T U D Y S P E C I E Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: S T U D Y S P E C I E Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: M P a C T S O F L O G M O I S T U R E C A P A C I T Ymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Log moisture capacity does not predict epixylic bryophyte growth under thinned and unthinned forest canopies

Haughian

Frego

2017

Functional Ecology

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Microclimatic conditions mediate the effect of deadwood and forest characteristics on a threatened beetle species, Tragosoma depsarium

2022

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While climate change has increased the interest in the influence of microclimate on many organisms, species inhabiting deadwood have rarely been studied. Here, we explore how characteristics of forest stands and deadwood affect microclimate inside deadwood, and analyse how this affects wood-living organisms, exemplified by the red-listed beetle Tragosoma depsarium. Deadwood and forest variables explained much of the variation in temperature, but less of the variation in moisture within deadwood. Several variables known to influence habitat quality for deadwood-dependent species were found to correlate with microclimate. Standing deadwood and an open canopy generates warmer conditions in comparison to downed logs and a closed canopy, and shaded, downed and large-diameter wood have higher moisture and more stable daily temperatures than sun-exposed, standing, and small-diameter wood. T. depsarium occupancy and abundance increased with colder and more stable winter temperatures, and with higher spring temperatures. Consistently, the species occurred more frequently in deadwood items with characteristics associated with these conditions, i.e. downed large-diameter logs occurring in open conditions. Conclusively, microclimatic conditions were found to be important for a deadwood-dependent insect, and related to characteristics of both forest stands and deadwood items. Since microclimate is also affected by macroclimatic conditions, we expect species’ habitat requirements to vary locally and regionally, and to change due to climate warming. Although many saproxylic species preferring sun-exposed conditions would benefit from a warmer climate per se, changes in species interactions and land use may still result in negative net effects of climate warming.

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Effects of Epixylic Vegetation Removal on the Dynamics of the Microbial Community Composition in Decaying Logs in an Alpine Forest

Chang

Wang

et al. 2019

Ecosystems

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Does CWD mediate microclimate for epixylic vegetation in boreal forest understories? A test of the moisture-capacitor hypothesis

Cited by 15 publications

References 76 publications

Log moisture capacity does not predict epixylic bryophyte growth under thinned and unthinned forest canopies

Log moisture capacity does not predict epixylic bryophyte growth under thinned and unthinned forest canopies

Microclimatic conditions mediate the effect of deadwood and forest characteristics on a threatened beetle species, Tragosoma depsarium

Effects of Epixylic Vegetation Removal on the Dynamics of the Microbial Community Composition in Decaying Logs in an Alpine Forest

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