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Scientifically sound methods are essential to estimate the survival of trees, as they can substantially support sustainable management of natural forest resources. Tree mortality assessments have mainly been based on forest inventories and are mostly limited to planted forests; few studies have conducted age-based survival analyses in natural forests. We performed survival analyses of individual tree populations in natural forest stands to evaluate differences in the survival of two coniferous species (Abies sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) Mast. and Picea jezoensis var. microsperma) and all broad-leaved species. We used tree rings and census data from four preserved permanent plots in pan-mixed and sub-boreal natural forests obtained over 30 years (1989–2019). All living trees (diameter at breast height ≥ 5 cm in 1989) were targeted to identify tree ages using a Resistograph. Periodical tree age data, for a 10-year age class, were obtained during three consecutive observation periods. Mortality and recruitment changes were recorded to analyze multi-temporal age distributions and mean lifetimes. Non-parametric survival analyses revealed a multi-modal age distribution and exponential shapes. There were no significant differences among survival probabilities of species in different periods, except for broad-leaved species, which had longer mean lifetimes in each period than coniferous species. The estimated practical mean lifetime and diameter at breast height values of each coniferous and broad-leaved tree can be applied as an early identification system for trees likely to die to facilitate the Stand-based Silvicultural Management System of the University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest. However, the survival probabilities estimated in this study should be used carefully in long-term forest dynamic predictions because the analysis did not include the effects of catastrophic disturbances, which might significantly influence forests. The mortality patterns and survival probabilities reported in this study are valuable for understanding the stand dynamics of natural forests associated with the mortality of individual tree populations.

Ancient tree community surveys have great scientific value to the study of biological resources, plant distribution, environmental change, genetic characteristics of species, and historical and cultural heritage. The largest ancient pear tree communities in China, which are rare, are located in the Daxing District of Beijing. However, the environmental conditions are tough, and the distribution is relatively dispersed. Therefore, a low-cost, high-efficiency, and high-precision measuring system is urgently needed to complete the survey of ancient tree communities. By unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetric program research, ancient tree information extraction method research, and ancient tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and age prediction model research, the proposed method can realize the measurement of tree height, crown width, and prediction of DBH and tree age with low cost, high efficiency, and high precision. Through experiments and analysis, the root mean square error (RMSE) of the tree height measurement was 0.1814 m, the RMSE of the crown width measurement was 0.3292 m, the RMSE of the DBH prediction was 3.0039 cm, and the RMSE of the tree age prediction was 4.3753 years, which could meet the needs of ancient tree survey of the Daxing District Gardening and Greening Bureau. Therefore, a UAV photogrammetric measurement system proved to be capable when applied in the survey of ancient tree communities and even in partial forest inventories.

We currently have a poor understanding of how different soil sampling methods (pedogenetic horizon versus fixed-depth) influence the evaluation of soil properties. Here, 159 soil profiles were sampled from larch (Larix gmelinii) plantations in northeast China using both the pedogenetic horizon and fixed-depth sampling methods. Analysis of variance was used to determine how sampling method influences the assessment of the spatial variation in the concentration and storage of soil organic C (SOC) and N (SON), as well as how these properties are affected by tree age-group (<20, 20–40, and >40 years). In both the 20 cm (surface) and 80 cm (whole profile) sampling depths, pedogenetic sampling resulted in 1.2- to 1.4-fold higher SOC and SON concentrations than fixed-depth sampling. Surface soil nutrient storage between the two sampling methods was not significantly different, but was it was 1.2-fold higher (p < 0.05) with pedogenetic sampling than with fixed-depth sampling in the whole soil profile. For a given error limit in SOC and SON assessments, fixed-depth sampling had a 60%~90% minimum sampling intensity requirement compared with pedogenetic horizon sampling. Additionally, SOC was 1.1- to 1.3-fold greater in the >40 years age-group than in the <20 years age-group (p < 0.05), while SON was the highest in the 20–40 years age-group (p < 0.05). The total amount of SOC and nutrients in soil is fixed regardless how you sample, it is the different assumptions and different ways of extrapolation from samples to the population that cause sampling by horizon versus fixed depth to lead to different conclusions. Our findings highlight that soil sampling method and tree age-group affect the determination of the spatial variation of SOC and SON and future soil assessments should control for methodological differences.

The establishment of oak trees is often a slow and difficult process. Hence, it is necessary to determine the characteristics that can lead to improving their regeneration. In this genus, seed size is highly variable both at the interspecific and intraspecific levels, and the effects of intrapopulation variability are not well understood, being even less so for Quercus faginea. In this study, the effects of the age of the mother tree, seed weight and the interaction between these two factors on seed germination, emergence and growth (biomass) were analysed. For this purpose, 16 trees—8 young and 8 old—were selected with the intent to cover the entire range of acorn weights produced in this population. Among the main results, it should be noted that: (1) in older trees, it is easier to find larger acorns; (2) the percentage and the speed of germination of the acorns of young trees is greater than that of old trees; (3) the percentage and the speed of seedling emergence of young trees is greater than that of old trees; and (4) cotyledon weight is the variable that most influences biomass, quite often in a positive way. Therefore, maintaining intrapopulation variability seems to be an approach that most favours the persistence of these populations.

Pu-erh tea is a famous tea worldwide, and identification of the geographical origin of Pu-erh tea can not only protect manufacture’s interests, but also boost consumers’ confidence. However, tree age may also influence the fingerprints of Pu-erh tea. In order to study the effects of the geographical origin and tree age on the interactions of stable isotopes and multi-elements of Pu-erh tea, 53 Pu-erh tea leaves with three different age stages from three different areas in Yunnan were collected in 2023. The δ13C, δ15N values and 25 elements were determined and analyzed. The results showed that δ13C, δ15N, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu had significant differences among different geographical origins (p < 0.05). Mn content was significantly influenced by region and tree age interaction. Based on multi-way analysis of variance, principal component analysis and step-wised discriminant analysis, 24 parameters were found to be closely related to the geographical origin rather than tree age, and the geographical origin of Pu-erh tea can be 100.0% discriminated in cross-validation with six parameters (δ13C, δ15N, Mn, Mg, La, and Tb). The study could provide references for the establishment of a database for the traceability of Pu-erh tea, and even the identification of tea sample regions with different tree ages.

1. Old trees have declined in Europe due to agricultural intensification and forestry. For shade-intolerant epiphytic species occurring on old trees in semi-open landscapes, host tree numbers have further decreased because of shading by developing secondary woodland. Moreover, in this habitat, regeneration that could replace the extant old trees is low. This suggests that epiphytic species associated with old trees are declining. However, for species with low extinction rates, the decline may be slow and hard to elucidate. 2. We investigated the persistence of five old-oak-associated epiphytic lichens with different traits by simulating metapopulation dynamics using Bayesian incidence function models for dynamic landscapes. With an oak-rich landscape as a reference, we investigated effects of (i) drastic habitat decline, (ii) conservation actions such as clearing around trees or increased regeneration rate, (iii) low tree regeneration and (iv) clearing and increased regeneration after 100 years of low regeneration. 3. After drastic habitat decline, the number of occupied trees continued to decrease, displaying long time-lags before reaching new metapopulation equilibriums. Lichen extinction risks increased with decreasing habitat and were highest for species that only colonise very old trees or have large dispersal propagules. In landscapes with low tree densities, conservation actions had only minor effects on lichen extinction risks. 4. Low tree regeneration rates increased lichen extinction risks, but species declines were slow. Conservation actions that increased regeneration after 100 years of low regeneration decreased the extinction risks to very low levels. 5. Synthesis and applications. Due to low rates of local extinction, epiphytes display long time-lags to reach new equilibriums after habitat loss. Thus, we should expect ongoing declines in epiphyte metapopulations in landscapes where old trees have recently declined. Slow extinction gives an opportunity to improve persistence by conservation actions, but the success depends on species traits and the current density of old trees. In landscapes with many old but few young trees, epiphytes may persist if conservation actions quickly address the need to increase tree regeneration rates. The best conservation approach for long-term persistence of epiphytic lichens is to ensure regular tree regeneration in landscapes with a current high density of old trees.

Tree-age data in combination with fire scars improved inverse-distance-weighted spatial modelling of historical fire boundaries and intervals for the Darkwoods, British Columbia, Canada. Fire-scarred trees provided direct evidence of fire. The presence of fire-sensitive trees at sites with no fire scars indicated fire-free periods over their lifespan. Sensitivity analyses showed: (1) tree ages used in combination with fire-scar dates refined fire boundaries without biasing mean fire return intervals; and (2) compared with derived conservative, moderate and liberal thresholds (i.e. minimum burn likelihood cut-off values), fixed thresholds generated area burned estimates that were most consistent with estimates based on the proportion of plots that recorded historical fires. Unweighted and weighted spatial mean fire intervals (50–56 and 58–68 years respectively) exceeded dendrochronological plot-level (38-year) estimates based on fire scars only. Including tree-age data from fire-sensitive trees to calculate landscape-level fire interval metrics lengthened the mean return intervals, better representing historical high-severity fires. Supplementing fire scars with tree ages better reflects the spatiotemporal diversity of fire frequencies and severities inherent to mixed-severity fire regimes.

The effects of soil drought on transpiration are often neglected when predicting transpiration for forests in humid regions under the influence of the Asian monsoon. These effects have indeed been neglected for Japanese cypress, Chamaecyparis obtusa, a major plantation species in Japan and the surrounding area, probably because previous studies have reported no clear effects of soil drought on transpiration for Japanese cypress forests. However, a few studies have reported an apparent reduction in transpiration with soil drought for young Japanese cypress forests. It remains unclear whether such a reduction in transpiration is limited to young Japanese cypress forests or if it is not uncommon for mature Japanese cypress forests, which occupy a large area in Japan. To clarify this point, we conducted sap flux measurements in a year with soil drought on three differently aged Japanese cypress stands including mature (43 years old) and relatively young (23 and 26 years old) trees. In a diurnal time scale, a cross correlation analysis of sap flux density (Fd) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) showed that the time lags between Fd and VPD were 1-3 h in dry soil conditions. These were larger than those of wet soil conditions (<1 h) for all sample trees. Fd at a given VPD in dry soil conditions was smaller than that in wet soil conditions for all sample trees; a 28%–63% reduction in the rate of change in Fd was observed under dry soil conditions. Because our results were obtained when the non-exceedance probability of recorded monthly precipitation was 9%–18%, the results suggest the need to consider the effects of soil drought more extensively. Those effects should be considered for not only relatively young but also mature Japanese cypress when predicting diurnal and seasonal patterns of transpiration in years with soil drought, and when predicting inter-annual patterns of transpiration for Japanese cypress despite humid temperate climate. 

The allocation of nonstructural carbon (NSC) to growth, metabolism and storage remains poorly understood, but is critical for the prediction of stress tolerance and mortality. We used the radiocarbon (14C) ‘bomb spike’ as a tracer of substrate and age of carbon in stemwood NSC, CO2 emitted by stems, tree ring cellulose and stump sprouts regenerated following harvesting in mature red maple trees. We addressed the following questions: which factors influence the age of stemwood NSC?; to what extent is stored vs new NSC used for metabolism and growth?; and, is older, stored NSC available for use? The mean age of extracted stemwood NSC was 10 yr. More vigorous trees had both larger and younger stemwood NSC pools. NSC used to support metabolism (stem CO2) was 1–2 yr old in spring before leaves emerged, but reflected current-year photosynthetic products in late summer. The tree ring cellulose 14C age was 0.9 yr older than direct ring counts. Stump sprouts were formed from NSC up to 17 yr old. Thus, younger NSC is preferentially used for growth and day-to-day metabolic demands. More recently stored NSC contributes to annual ring growth and metabolism in the dormant season, yet decade-old and older NSC is accessible for regrowth.

Recent world-wide episodes of tree dieback have been attributed to increasing temperatures and associated drought. Because these events are likely to become more common, improved knowledge of their cumulative effects on resilience and the ability to recover pre-disturbance conditions is important for forest management. Here we propose several indices to examine components of individual tree resilience based on tree ring growth: resistance (inverse of growth reduction during the episode), recovery (growth increase relative to the minimum growth during the episode), resilience (capacity to reach pre-episode growth levels) and relative resilience (resilience weighted by the damage incurred during the episode). Based on tree ring analyses, we analyzed historical patterns of tree resilience to successive drought-induced low growth periods in ponderosa pine trees growing in unmanaged, remote forests of the Rocky Mountains. Low-growth periods registered in tree rings were related to anomalies in the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) and were attributed to drought. Independently of the impact of a specific event, subsequent growth after a single low-growth episode was related to the growth prior to the event. Growth performance differed with tree age: young trees were overall more resistant to low-growth periods, but older trees recovered better from more recent events. Regardless of tree age, recently burned sites exhibited lower post-episode growth and lower resistance and resilience than unburned ones. We found mixed evidence for the cumulative effect of past low-growth episodes: overall, greater impacts of a prior event and greater cumulative effects of past low-growth periods caused a decrease in resistance. However, we did not find a progressive decrease in resilience over time in old trees. Our results highlight the value of using a combination of estimators to evaluate the different components of resilience. Specifically, while tree responses to disturbance depend on past disturbance episodes, the response is context-specific and depends on the impact the capacity to recover after disturbance. This suggests that recent increases in forest mortality under current climate trends could relate to thresholds on specific components of resilience (resistance, recovery, resilience itself) rather than to an overall loss of resilience over time. Identifying such thresholds and their underlying mechanisms is a promising area of research with important implications for forest management.