Hamadryads diary- a new chapter

[Bart]

Another fine descriptive thread Tone . You and monkey have inspired me and may others with you passion for trees and fung, so thanks for taking the time to share it with us

[Tommy_B]

Good on you Tony. I might not post much on your threads but I follow them with interest. Keep em coming!!

[armybloke]

Another piece of quality T and like the others I will follow with interest with my scribble pad close by for my notes. You, Dave and Gerrit have made fungi far more interesting than I could have imagined - like the rest of your threads; keep it going.

[RopeKnight]

Great big thank you.

Much appreciated from across the pond!

[gibbon]

Todays post comes via a beech we ( J & D Clarks of Chesham- AAAC) felled over two days (Thur/friday) The tree is around 60 -70 years old, the property was a new build ten years ago, decking had been built up around the base some time later. Many posts had been dug in to support the framework of the deck, and a boundary wall showed possible changes in level between properties during the site development. Obviously planning should have seen this root disturbance minimised, maybe ten years ago was different? I dont think so however, as this is still an all too regular theme amoung developments of all class and sizes.

 

I have no doubt that the root disturbances involving a change in levels on one side of the tree to within a metre or so, and the many holes dug for the timber framed decking was responsible for the early demise and colonisation by principal decay fungi, in this case Ganoderma sp (lipsiense/australe to be confirmed) kretzschmaria deusta and some indication of a slight colonisation of Armillaria sp, see images below.

 

As we can see in this overall view of the tree the crown is dying back more on one side, this later correlated with the majority of the decay and dysfunction being on that side of the main stem. Only very few vascular connections remained maybe sub 10% of the stem volume, and limited to a few remaining upper root regions.

 

Also worth mentioning that this tree was rigged down in its entirety, once all the limb wood was removed stability was evident and I was happy to rig substantial lumps of cord (upto around a 1/4 ton) But this doesn't mean to say YOU should do likewise, I had made my assessment as to our rigging specific sheet (see RR688 for example) and was more than happy with residual strengths. This is one of the reasons why mycology SHOULD be part of your arboricultural courses, fungal startegies and modes of decay are important to even the most modest arb because one MUST understand and be able to evaluate the scenario laid before them even in rigging situations such as this one. Understanding VTA (Visual Tree Assesment is also key in getting to grips with what is going on with YOUR tree, a vital component of the tree assemsent we must ALL make not just the consultants! so get yourself some VTA guides and a copy of Keizers encyclopedia, time you lot got up to speed!

 

NEVER underestimate the value of understanding the fungi, they effect EVERY apsect of what WE do on a day to day basis.

 

This post could so easily have been one of you posting under the heading "would you climb this" and I hope that this post helps you on your ways to a better more informed approach.

 

 

Tony. I'm looking at this post again on the computer (not phone screen). Do you think that there was any significant soil compaction beneath the decking prior to the decking being layed? Were the decking posts concreted in?

 

Mat

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Tony. I'm looking at this post again on the computer (not phone screen). Do you think that there was any significant soil compaction beneath the decking prior to the decking being layed? Were the decking posts concreted in?

 

Mat

 

It was beyond our remit to look into it further, it was hard to tell if compaction had occured around the root plate, a mulch matt had been installed under the deck, probably further altering the rhizospheres prior makeup and not helping matters (changes are often bad enough in singles, this many changes just where too much) as for the posts yes I believe they where concreted in but I couldn't confirm it.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I have posted these photos in the species specific thread, but They do belong here, especially as they are so very very rare.

 

Trametes trogii- 6 records for the U.K a sample ready to go to kew for confirmation too.

 

Finally got that in the bag! The Hama is rather pleased with himself today, told you i was good!

 

 

[sean freeman]

What a lovely furry fella..well done Tony, can't help but wonder about how many spores just get caught up in the fruiting bodies directly below.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

What a lovely furry fella..well done Tony, can't help but wonder about how many spores just get caught up in the fruiting bodies directly below.

 

As we drove back i held a fruit body out the windo to blow spores all over the place!

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

This new diary chapter is well and truly off to a flying start, and this addition just keeps the quality on a level Im happy to submit!

 

You will find in many great txts on entomology/mycology, that the The Yellow Flat-footed Fly (Agathomyia wankowiczii) can ONLY be found on ganoderma applanatum, that the galls associated with the flys larvae are a key in identifying the brackets of G. applanatum. Last year both myself and Monkey had discussed on the forum the findings of Andy Overall in discovering and confirming with a field scope the galls of the flat footed fly on G. australe. At the time I mentioned that it may be (unsuccsesful oportunism) due to a lack of deadwood and applanatum in the modern landscape.

 

This may well be the first sighting of The Yellow Flat-footed Fly (Agathomyia wankowiczii) within the Sporocarp (fruiting body) of Ganoderma peifferi, I have to confirm wether this has been documented before, but I am 100% certain of the bracket ident and the galls being one and the same.

 

First two posts in my new diary and I give you Tarmetes trogii and Flat foots on G. pfeifferi, darn im on fire lately!

 

Theres only one Hamadryad!