influence of nutrition and stress on sugar maple at a regional scale scott w. baileyrichard a....
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Influence of Nutrition and Stress on
Sugar Maple at a Regional Scale
Scott W. Bailey Richard A. Hallett
Robert P. Long Stephen B. Horsley
Philip M. Wargo
USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station
Sugar Maple Decline
• Scattered, episodic occurrences
• First documented in 1913
• Increasing frequency since 1960
• Throughout range (WI, ON, QC, VT, MA)
• Recent declines in northern Pennsylvania
Symptoms of Declines
• Reduced growth• Shoot and diameter• Shorter internodes produce tufted appearance
• Premature fall coloration
• Unusual levels of twig and branch dieback
• Individual trees showing these symptoms are randomly dispersed in the stand.
Decline Disease Characteristics
• Interaction of multiple causal factors• Abiotic and biotic factors• Gradual general deterioration, often ending in
death of trees• Often poorly understood
after Manion (1991) Tree Disease Concepts
Stress Factors
1. Predisposing factorsImbalanced Nutrition
Calcium
Magnesium
Manganese
(Aluminum)
Stress Factors
2. Inciting factors• Defoliating Insects• Drought• Soil Freezing• Winter Injury
3. Contributing factors• Fungi (esp. Armillaria)• Borers• Viral infections
Stress Factors
The Allegheny Problem
• 1994 survey showed 38,000 hectares with severe mortality on the Allegheny National Forest
• An additional 19,000 hectares with severe mortality were on state forests across the northern tier
• Sugar maple is the most severely impacted species with unusual mortality levels first noted in the early 1980’s
Dea
d B
asal
Are
a (%
)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
unglac-up unglac-low glac-up glac-low
Vig
or
Cla
ss
0
1
2
3
Dead
Basal
Area
%
Vigor
Class
upper lower upper lowerunglaciated glaciated
1
2
30
10
20
30
Nit
rog
en
(%
)
0 .0
0 .5
1 .0
1 .5
2 .0
Ph
os
ph
oru
s (
%)
0 .0 0
0 .0 5
0 .1 0
0 .1 5P
ota
ss
ium
(%
)
0 .0
0 .3
0 .6
0 .9
Foliar N
%
P
K
0.3
0.6
0.05
0.10
1.0
2.0
0.9
0.15
upper lower upper lowerunglaciated glaciated
unglac-up unglac-low glac-up
Ca
lciu
m (
%)
0 .0
0.5
1.0
1.5
unglac-up unglac-low glac-up
Ma
gn
es
ium
(%
)
0 .00
0.05
0.10
0.15
Ma
ng
an
es
e (
%)
0 .0
0.1
0.2
0.3
Foliar Ca
%
Mg
Mn
upper lower upper lowerunglaciated glaciated
0
0.1
0.2
0
0.05
0.10
0
0.5
1.0
Insect Defoliation
•Between 1984 and 1996 eighty-six percent of the Allegheny National Forest received from 1 to 5
moderate to severe defoliations by:
Fall Cankerworm, elm spanworm, forest tent caterpillar, saddled prominent, gypsy
moth and pear thrips.
X Data
500 1000 1500
Y D
ata
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
severe
mild
defoliation
Dead
Map
le (
% B
asa
l A
rea)
Foliar Magnesium (%)
0
10
20
30
40
50
0.05 0.10 0.15
Vermont and New Hampshire Stands
• The additional stands were all glaciated and the till quality was variable.
• The range in nutrient status was similar to the stands in PA/NY.
• Generally lacked defoliation events during the past 20 years.
Foliar Nutrients
3300300
600900
12001500
18002100
24002700
3000
Calcium
Magnesium
PA/NY
NH/VT
20004300
66008900
1120013500
1580018100
2040022700
25000
PA/NY
NH/VT
5500 ppm
700 ppm?
?Will these low nutrient status stands that have NOT been
stressed have poorer health?
Sugar Maple Fine Twig Dieback vs.
Foliar Mg and Ca
Foliar Ca (ppm)
Su
gar
Map
le D
ieb
ack
Plateau - mild defoliationPlateau - severe defoliation
Foliar Mg (ppm)
Su
gar
Map
le D
ieb
ack
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 300000%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 30000%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Northern New England
Health Threshold
Health Threshold
De
ad
Su
ga
r M
ap
le B
as
al
Are
a
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
NH/VTPA/NY
Low Defoliation Stress
High Defoliation Stress
High Mg High CaLow Mg Low Ca
Putting it all together: Stress, Ca, Mg, and Dead Sugar Maple
Defoliation stress does not impact SM mortality when nutrient thresholds are exceeded. In addition SM mortality is not effected in low nutrient status stands when defoliation stress is low. However when nutrient status is low AND trees are stressed, sugar maple mortality increases.
Fin
e T
wig
Die
ba
ck
0%
5%
10%
15%
NH/VTPA/NY
Low Defoliation Stress
High Defoliation Stress
High Mg High CaLow Mg Low Ca
Putting it all together: Stress, Ca, Mg, and Fine Twig Dieback
Fine twig dieback is a less severe health indicator than mortality.Again, adequate nutrients result in good health regardless of stress.However we see that poor nutrient status results in poorer health even when there is no defoliation stress.
Fin
e T
wig
Die
ba
ck
0%
5%
10%
15%
NH/VTPA/NY
Low Defoliation StressHigh Defoliation Stress
Low Mn High Mn
Putting it all together: Manganese Toxicity
De
ad
Su
ga
r M
ap
le B
as
al
Are
a
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
NH/VTPA/NY
Low Defoliation StressHigh Defoliation Stress
High Mn
Low Mn
Low Mn Low Mn
High Mn
High Mn
High Manganese and high stress result in higher mortality and more fine twig dieback.
But again we see that even without defoliation stress, high Mn results in poorer health in NH/VT.
Although Mn is an essential nutrient, in high enough quantities it becomes toxic to sugar maple trees.
These data suggest that low Mg and Ca OR high Mn
AND
excessive stress (≥2 moderate – severe defoliations in 10 years)
are required for mortality to occur.
In addition poor nutrient status stands that have not been severely stressed are likely to be less healthy and are consideredto be at risk.
Sugar Maple Health: Regional Implications
Calcium2000
43006600
890011200
1350015800
1810020400
2270025000
PA/NY
NH/VT
5500 ppm
3300300
600900
12001500
18002100
24002700
3000
Magnesium
PA/NY
NH/VT
700 ppm
Growth and Health
Available Base Cations
-
Net Photosynthesis
-
Carbohydrate Supply
SecondaryStressors
+
+
+
Available Al
Available Mn
Acidification
-
-+
+
-
-
Conceptual Model
DefoliationDeep soil freezingDroughtAir pollutionRoot compactionArmillaria
Reduce chlorophyllReduce PhotosynthesisInterfere with carb transport
Acid rain also increases Al availability which along with Mn can have a negative impact on available Ca and Mg.
Summary•Overall, sugar maple health region-wide is good.
•However, decline syndrome is a concern range-wide.
•Tailoring management to site specific conditions can minimize occurrence of decline.
Recommendations
•Choosing appropriate sites for sugar maple culture.
•Examining nutrition.
•Monitoring stress events.
Managers can take positive steps to maintain the health of sugar maple by:
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