Collybia fusipes

[Bundle 2]

of interest here is the dynamic whereby space is recharged.....

Clearly this is not an issue above ground unless physical restraints impede growth patterns but underground this is a different story. If you can picture the scenario, continual incremental growth on the undersides would, and can infact, gradually lift a tree from its setting, literally picking itself up.....Its got to go somewhere!

A continual removal of dead material and its digestion by fungi is essential to maintain a soilroot environment that is both fertile and able to accommodate an expansive mass " growing" whilst maintaining an equilibrium ( I allude to compaction here....)

[BatiArb]

I've just about exhausted all the reading material I have on root physiology. Very little is written in botanical textbooks about secondary growth of roots.

 

I never really picked up on the concept of roots living for relatively short periods of time before.

 

Their seems to be a real gap in the literature when it comes to the responses of the root system to fungal decay.

.

 

 

This is an unfortunate fact from a literary research point of view but if you are interested in some exploratory observations yourself then there is an exciting opportunity to learn more.

 

That opportunity is something that certainly maintains my interest in arboriculture, there is just so much more to learn and there is really no need to worry about your educational background because practical arborists are in a position to literally show academic researchers what is actually going on……

 

The advance of arboricultural knowledge in the hands of practical arborists and all we have to do is find a way of communicating our observations and ideas.

 

This forum and others like it are where it is at and where ideas are communicated that will change the perception of trees in the future…….

 

Keep it up guys…..

 

:beerchug:

[BatiArb]

I hope the following series of drawings will illustrate the progression I described in my earlier posting, and at the moment they form the three stages of root system development which I have observed.

 

However, there are many variations on this theme, especially when you consider the locations where trees grow, such as on slopes and banks. There is also definitely a fourth stage when trees are in advanced maturity and the tree is recycling itself in a big way with a fibrous root system under the base of the tree, which could be directly linked with the decay fungi, such at that observed in the Grifola root exploration described in:

 

http://www.arbtalk.co.uk/articles/biomechanicaloptimisation.pdf

[Rebecca Harrison]

This has been completely fascinating, thank you all. Over the last few years we have lost a few oaks where they have literally just fallen over, a few in high winds and rather worringly a few on clear beautiful windless days. Canopies were looking stressed and most have had Collybia fusipes for a few years at least. Collybia fusipes is very common in our wood ..... Anyway each time I've looked for more information because I began to suspect Collybia as being a factor, I drew a blank ...until now. If I have understood this right, you are not suggesting that Collybia is to 'blame' but more that it is taking advantage of already dead roots as part of the process of the roots 'life cycle'.

However if I have a tree that is surrounded by Collybia fusipes then maybe I should be worried?

 

Once again thank you all for providing really useful information and discussion.

[BatiArb]

This has been completely fascinating, thank you all.

 

If I have understood this right, you are not suggesting that Collybia is to 'blame' but more that it is taking advantage of already dead roots as part of the process of the roots 'life cycle'.

However if I have a tree that is surrounded by Collybia fusipes then maybe I should be worried?

 

 

Yes, this is a reasonable summary, but I would caution that there is no evidence either way and it could still be that Collybia is able to contribute to the death of cambial tissue. However, it would also seem logical that this is more likely to occur on trees that are stressed and unable to maintain healthy cells in proximity to the growth of a decay fungus.

 

The stimulus for the growth and living processes of any organism is the presence of oxygen and this will have an influence on the ability of a fungus such as Collybia to colonise the dead and dying wood of a tree. The tree is also maintaining a balance within its living system and its growing conditions and physiological health will dictate its ability to sustain water saturated cells within its sapwood and central core.

 

To link this to another thread, the presence of water within the tree, held in both living and dead cells, is an integral part of its thermo dynamic functionality. This is effectively how thermal imaging works because it allows us to see and interpret the thermal functionality of the tree and therefore the proportion of cells that are maintaining hydrological integrity.

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3560&page=2

 

Where cells have lost hydrological integrity, and therefore started to dry out, there will be an ingress of oxygen. Combine this with the presence of a decay organism close to or within these cells and there will be a natural progression to cellular breakdown…….

 

We can now observe such things using thermal imaging cameras and dysfunction within the root system can be seen clearly because it affect the functional flow of water (and therefore heat) through the trunk above the dysfunctional sections of root system.

 

With consideration to the trees you are describing within your woodland I would suggest that it would be productive to undertake an inspection using thermal imaging and then follow this up with a more detail root investigation of the trees that are highlighted with significant root dysfunction.

[Bundle 2]

I like the idea of thermal investigation as an informative process as it is alot less invasive than an airspade investigation which will inevitably disturb soilroot matter, messin' with the mojo of the delicate balance maintained as an ecosystem under duress between tree and fungus.....?( I think I can say this here as the Collybia is likely taking advantage of stressed tree....? ) Does the airspade infact introduce embollism to the vascular system? Perhaps grit blasting can be somewhat damaging to the rootsystem physically also?

[BatiArb]

I like the idea of thermal investigation as an informative process as it is alot less invasive than an airspade investigation ..

 

Does the airspade infact introduce embollism to the vascular system? Perhaps grit blasting can be somewhat damaging to the rootsystem physically also?

 

Root damage while undertaking a root investigation using compressed air is clearly an issue that requires careful consideration by the operator. This is why it needs to not only be an arborist undertaking the work but one that has appropriate experience of the equipment and root morphology.

 

The pressure of air coming out the end of a tool such as an AirSpade can average at 125 psi, which is the pressure at which air will penetrate skin, so it is more than enough to cause damage to the bark of trees.

 

These tools must be used with respect and consideration, although they are invaluable at providing us with the ability to undertake root investigations that are not practical with traditional digging equipment such as spades, they are not without their limitations.

 

Used appropriately an effective root investigation will tell the operator a lot about the condition of roots affected by decay fungi and de-compact the soil around them as well, which improves root growth post the operation.

 

Given that we now have the availability of thermal imaging to undertake an initial inspection before disrupting the soil environment I would certainly look to do it first as suggested in my earlier posting and then follow up with the AirSpade to target specific trees that we find an issue with.

[Amelanchier]

The pressure of air coming out the end of a tool such as an AirSpade can average at 125 psi, which is the pressure at which air will penetrate skin, so it is more than enough to cause damage to the bark of trees.

 

Andrew,

 

A colleague of mine is undertaking some research just this very topic. Do you know of any existing research on this matter???

 

Cheers

[BatiArb]

Andrew,

 

A colleague of mine is undertaking some research just this very topic. Do you know of any existing research on this matter???

 

Cheers

 

 

I did hear that they had an issue in the oak woodland down at Merrist Wood and that someone from Alise Holt was looking into it.

 

As for research references I could not say.

[Rebecca Harrison]

With consideration to the trees you are describing within your woodland I would suggest that it would be productive to undertake an inspection using thermal imaging and then follow this up with a more detail root investigation of the trees that are highlighted with significant root dysfunction.

 

thanks Andew for your input ... I will asking my Manager but suspect it will be in the new financial year!!!!