(Arboricultural-styled) 'Fact of the Day'

[Jon Heuch]

2. The Arboricultural Practice Notes are going to feature in the digitisation process the Forestry Commission are going through with regards to their publications. They should therefore be available online at some point in the future.

 

Is the AA not doing this, or has it passed to the FC?

[Jon Heuch]

Does not the presence (or absence) of heartwood play a role? And not just heartwood, but damp heartwood? Dry dead wood will degrade much more slowly and be much less use (as food) than damp wood; however, structures such as holes may last longer if the wood is dry.

So large trees with decaying heartwood that is not exposed to sun and other drying factors may be very valuable as habitat.

As for the temperature effect I think this is probably more significant in northerly climes (much of the UK) but as you go further south shade might be more valuable in keeping temperatures down and preserving moisture.

[Kveldssanger]

Trouble with this research, other than stating the obvious that trees provide shade and cooling, is that Manchester is a cold, wet miserable place and a bit less shade might make it a bit more tolerable. And if it ever did get a bit hot on a few days of the year, go and buy a fan or even an air conditioner!

We can learn a lot from the people of Manchester, who, in all those hot stinking days in Manchester when they are gasping for a bit of shade do what? Head to the airport to go somewhere a bit warmer!

 

I am of course joking to some degree but the blinkered logic of more-trees-must-be-good because, god help us, climate change is going to make life SO unbearable needs to be challenged.

 

May be too many Smilies?

 

I wouldn't say trees are needed because of climate change; at least, exclusively. If I am honest, climate change wouldn't rank in the top 2-3. Ultimately it depends how you view climate change.

 

Watched this interesting video today on the topic - [ame]

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[Kveldssanger]

Is the AA not doing this, or has it passed to the FC?

 

I asked Alice Holt Lodge directly, and Forest Research replied and provided me with some of the PDFs.

[Kveldssanger]

Does not the presence (or absence) of heartwood play a role? And not just heartwood, but damp heartwood? Dry dead wood will degrade much more slowly and be much less use (as food) than damp wood; however, structures such as holes may last longer if the wood is dry.

So large trees with decaying heartwood that is not exposed to sun and other drying factors may be very valuable as habitat.

As for the temperature effect I think this is probably more significant in northerly climes (much of the UK) but as you go further south shade might be more valuable in keeping temperatures down and preserving moisture.

 

It you mean wetwood, I actually haven't read anything on how saproxylic species interact with bacterial wetwood. Given invertebrates are aerobic (I am taking an educated guess; correct me if I am wrong), I doubt the anaerobic conditions of wetwood are desirable.

 

However, for the most part, varied internal wood properties will provide for the best conditions. Different stages of decay, and sometimes in different species, and in different micro-climates. Some species will obviously prefer shadier conditions, though by-and-large the incubation effect of wood exposed to the sunlight enables higher breeding rates.

 

I would also note that lots of the species don't ever leave the tree, and those that do require nectar for food. Therefore, trees in open landscape where there are herbaceous species are much more preferable, as there is otherwise no food source for particular species.

 

Where fungi break down wood, particularly the brown heart rots, the moisture created during the decay process is probably sufficient enough for the saproxylic species (I do assume here, however). If there are few openings, humidity created by the incubation will likely also be of aid. Direct sun exposure to the wood is likely not desirable, though exposure to the outer bark surface thereby heating the internal structure is.

 

Hope this makes sense - just wrote as thoughts came into my head.

[Kveldssanger]

15/09/15. Fact #33.

 

No text today, but a video! The guy actually has a great playlist on plant biology.

 

[ame]

[/ame]

[Paul Cleaver]

Does not the presence (or absence) of heartwood play a role? And not just heartwood, but damp heartwood? Dry dead wood will degrade much more slowly and be much less use (as food) than damp wood; however, structures such as holes may last longer if the wood is dry.

 

Fungi do best when conditions are neither to dry or too wet

[Kveldssanger]

Started the Lvl 4 Diploma today so won't be posting anything.

[David Humphries]

Started the Lvl 4 Diploma today so won't be posting anything.

 

So selfish

 

What are we all meant to do now?

 

 

 

Good luck with the load Chris, you'll undoubtedly enjoy the ride.

 

Who's your tutor?

 

 

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[Kveldssanger]

I only meant I'd not post for the day - I'll have something later haha!

 

Darren Blunt is my tutor. Good guy - should be a good year of learning. He did the Basic Tree Inspection course at Writtle I attended around a year ago, so going by how that went and how the first day went at Parndon Wood, I'm sure it'll be enjoyable and enlightening.