Impacts of Prescribed Fire Frequency on Coarse Woody Debris Volume, Decomposition and Termite Activity in the Longleaf Pine Flatwoods of Florida

Hanula, James L.; Ulyshen, Michael D.; Wade, Dale D.

doi:10.3390/f3020317

Cited by 26 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Despite the substantial changes that occur to above-ground vegetation following fire in mallee ecosystems [ 3 ], fire history (time since fire) had no effect on any termite species or on termite richness, in any vegetation type. This finding lends support to recent studies which have concluded that termites generally are resilient to fire when considered over long time periods [ 26 , 55 , 56 ]. One explanation for the lack of response to fire in this study concerns the ecological traits of the species in our study region.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Termites Are Resistant to the Effects of Fire at Multiple Spatial Scales

et al. 2015

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Termites play an important ecological role in many ecosystems, particularly in nutrient-poor arid and semi-arid environments. We examined the distribution and occurrence of termites in the fire-prone, semi-arid mallee region of south-eastern Australia. In addition to periodic large wildfires, land managers use fire as a tool to achieve both asset protection and ecological outcomes in this region. Twelve taxa of termites were detected by using systematic searches and grids of cellulose baits at 560 sites, clustered in 28 landscapes selected to represent different fire mosaic patterns. There was no evidence of a significant relationship between the occurrence of termite species and time-since-fire at the site scale. Rather, the occurrence of species was related to habitat features such as the density of mallee trees and large logs (>10 cm diameter). Species richness was greater in chenopod mallee vegetation on heavier soils in swales, rather than Triodia mallee vegetation of the sandy dune slopes. At the landscape scale, there was little evidence that the frequency of occurrence of termite species was related to fire, and no evidence that habitat heterogeneity generated by fire influenced termite species richness. The most influential factor at the landscape scale was the environmental gradient represented by average annual rainfall. Although termites may be associated with flammable habitat components (e.g. dead wood), they appear to be buffered from the effects of fire by behavioural traits, including nesting underground, and the continued availability of dead wood after fire. There is no evidence to support the hypothesis that a fine-scale, diverse mosaic of post-fire age-classes will enhance the diversity of termites. Rather, termites appear to be resistant to the effects of fire at multiple spatial scales.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Termites Are Resistant to the Effects of Fire at Multiple Spatial Scales

et al. 2015

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“…This is a higher rate than reported for pine elsewhere in the southeastern United States (Barber and Van Lear 1984, Eaton and Sanchez 2009, Hanula et al 2012, Mobley et al 2013). Although differences in site conditions and bolt lengths are likely important variables, this discrepancy is probably due in part to our use of initial volume (Ulyshen and Wagner 2013), as opposed to final water displaced volume when calculating specific gravity.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 41%

Contrasting effects of insect exclusion on wood loss in a temperate forest

2014

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Abstract. Experimental efforts to determine how insects influence terrestrial wood decomposition are few, especially in temperate regions. To address this need, a five-year exclusion study was conducted in northern Mississippi, U.S.A., to quantify insect contributions to wood decay using one-meter loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) bolts. The study included three treatments: (1) ''partially protected'' bolts that were placed on cypermethrin-treated soil to exclude subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae: Reticulitermes spp.) while permitting colonization by beetles (Coleoptera) and other saproxylic taxa, (2) ''fully protected'' bolts that were placed on cypermethrin-treated soil and enclosed within screen cages to protect against all insects and (3) ''unprotected'' bolts that were not subjected to either exclusion treatment. The full insect community consumed approximately 15-20% of wood volume in unprotected bolts, about six times more than in partially protected bolts from which termites were excluded. There were no differences in specific gravity (based on initial wood volume) or mass loss among treatments, however. It is not clear whether these findings are due to an inhibition of microbial decomposers by insects (e.g., antimicrobial compounds secreted by termites or ants), a stimulatory effect of the exclusion treatments (e.g., cypermethrin stimulating fungal growth or cages favorably altering wood moisture), or some combination of both. When based on final water-displaced volume, specific gravity was significantly higher for unprotected bolts than for those fully protected, probably because termites selectively consume the least dense wood. By the end of the study, about 20% of the final dry weight of unprotected bolts consisted of termite-imported soil. Wood volume consumed and soil content decreased with distance from the ends of the bolts whereas water content exhibited the opposite pattern. We detected a significant negative relationship between water content and volume consumed by termites, possibly because water content decreases with increasing wood density and termites tend to avoid high density wood. While insects clearly consume large volumes of wood in southeastern U.S. forests, our results suggest they do not act to accelerate mass loss beyond what is achieved by microbial decomposers. More research is needed to confirm this, however-especially given the uncertainties inherent to exclusion studies.

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“…This species was previously reported to be associated with heartwood hollows in Amazonian forest trees [42,43], but at low frequencies [26]. Species of Reticulitermes, another member of the Rhinotermitidae, and other species of Coptotermes are reportedly common colonizers of the heartwoods of urban trees and trees in forests subjected to prescribed burns [59,60]. The Formosan subterranean termite, C. formosanus, which is considered an urban pest, for instance, was present in 37 and 52% of forest fragments near two urban areas in Southeastern USA [28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Stem Decay in Live Trees: Heartwood Hollows and Termites in Five Timber Species in Eastern Amazonia

Eleutério

Jesús

Putz

2020

Forests

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Research Highlights: Tree size and wood characteristics influenced the susceptibility of five Amazonian timber tree species to heartwood decay and colonization by termites. Termites occurred in the heartwoods of 43% of the trees, with Coptotermes testaceus the most abundant species. Background and Objectives: Hollows and rotten cores in the stems of living trees have ecological and economic impacts in forests managed for timber. The decision on whether to cut or maintain hollow trees in such forests must account for the susceptibility of different tree species to decay. We investigated tree and wood characteristics of living trees of five commercial timber species in the eastern Amazon that influenced the likelihood of heartwood decay and the occurrence of termite nests inside the rotten cores. Materials and Methods: We used Pearson’s correlations and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to explore relationships among tree basal area and hollow area. We used principal components analysis (PCA) to analyze the variation of wood anatomical traits, followed by a linear regression to explore the relationships between PCA scores, and heartwood hollow area. We used a logistic model to investigate if the probability the occurrence of colonies of C. testaceus inside tree cores varied with tree and species characteristics. Results: Heartwood hollow areas increased with stem basal area. Larger hollows were more likely to occur in species with higher vessel and ray densities, and smaller diameter vessels. Termites occurred in the hollows of 43% of the trees sampled, with C. testaceus the most common (76%). The probability of encountering termite nests of C. testaceus varied among tree species and was positively related to wood density. Conclusions: This study shows that given the increased likelihood of stem hollows and rotten cores in large trees, tree selection criteria in managed tropical forests should include maximum cutting sizes that vary with the susceptibility of different tree species to stem decay.

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Impacts of Prescribed Fire Frequency on Coarse Woody Debris Volume, Decomposition and Termite Activity in the Longleaf Pine Flatwoods of Florida

Cited by 26 publications

References 29 publications

Termites Are Resistant to the Effects of Fire at Multiple Spatial Scales

Termites Are Resistant to the Effects of Fire at Multiple Spatial Scales

Contrasting effects of insect exclusion on wood loss in a temperate forest

Stem Decay in Live Trees: Heartwood Hollows and Termites in Five Timber Species in Eastern Amazonia

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