Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Microorganisms and wood decomposition'

Sammanfattning: Wood decay fungi are the main decomposer of lignocellulose material stored in wood. Thus, all factors that affect them could affect their ecological function. This in return, may affect ecosystem functioning in terms of altered carbon emissions from dead wood. Increased temperature is one of the main factors influencing fungal decay. The aim of the current study is to explore the effects of temperature and assembly history (order of species arrival), two important regulators of fungal communities, on wood decomposition. I conducted a microcosm experiment with two temperature treatments and eight assembly histories where each species was allowed to colonize the wood two weeks ahead of the rest of the species. The temperature treatments were set to mimic the effect of climate induced warming. Therefore, I had one treatment with relatively high temperature, representing the expected temperatures year 2100 given the current emission trends of the northern inland of Sweden, and another treatment representing the current normal temperature (1961-1990). The temperature treatments had an average difference of 5°C. In order to see how climate induced warming and fungal assembly history influenced decomposition, I measured and analyzed initial fungal growth, fungal respiration and wood weight loss. Both temperature and assembly history had a significant influence on fungal growth, fungal respiration and wood decomposition. There was also strong interaction between the two factors. The average increase in mass loss under elevated temperature was 19% compared to 14% under normal temperature. The highest mass loss (25%) was when Phlebia centrifuga was the initial species under elevated temperature and the lowest (12%) was when Climacocystis borealis was initial species under normal temperature. All assembly histories had higher mass loss under elevated temperature, but the magnitude varied. For example, when C. borealis was the initial species, mass loss increased by 60% compared to only 7% when Antrodia sinuosa was the initial species. Six out of eight assembly histories had higher CO2 under elevated temperature, with the highest increase (88%) in P. centrifuga histories and the lowest (7%) in C. borealis histories. Even if the results need to be confirmed by field studies, my data illustrates that climate induced warming probably results in higher fungal respiration and deadwood decomposition and that the magnitude of this effect depends on fungal assembly history.

The distribution of bacteria in Sitka spruce stumps between one and ten years old was investigated by dilution plating wood chips taken from seven sampling positions up to 55 mm from the stump surface. The same wood chips were used to determine the presence Basidiomycotina within the stump wood. The number of bacterial colony forming units in the wood samples decreased in stumps between one and five years old, reaching a minimum after six years, before increasing in stumps up to ten years old. There was also a decline in numbers of bacteria isolated with increasing distance from the stump surface and the stump edge. A similar trend was detected in the diversity of the bacterial community. The size of the bacterial population was also correlated with stump moisture content. The presence of Basidiomycotina was associated with the presence of bacteria within the sample. However, the number of bacteria isolated from samples containing Basidiomycotina did not differ from that where no Basidiomycotina were isolated. Interactions between wood-decay fungi, including Heterobasidion annosum, and bacterial isolates were studied in vitro. The growth medium, timing of inoculations, and bacterial and fungal species tested were fund to significantly affect the outcome of the interaction. Bacterial isolates degraded cellulose, pectin and starch, cellulolytic ability increased with increasing stump age. Siderophores and chitinase, potential antifungal compounds, were produced by 29% and 2% of isolates respectively, however, these isolates had no effect on the distribution of Basidiomycotina in the stumps. Four groups of bacteria were identified from cluster analysis of 13 phenotypic characteristics. Different groups of bacteria were found to dominate bacteria isolated from stumps of different ages indicating that bacterial successions occur in decaying Sitka spruce stumps.

Thujaplicins are the major components in the steam-volatile fraction of western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn.) (WRC) heartwood extractives. They are consided to be highly toxic to fungi and are chiefly responsible for WRC heartwood decay resistance. This study proves that this traditional concept of toxicity is not completely correct. Thujaplicins are toxic to common decay fungi isolated from decayed WRC wood in living trees or wood in service, such as Poria albipelIucida Baxter. On the other hand, when a fungus such as Sporothrix sp. invades sound heartwood of living WRC, thujaplicins do not provide resistance but instead are altered by that fungus, so that their toxicity to decay fungi is destroyed. Evidence obtained in this study indicates that the mechanism of thujaplicin toxicity to common decay fungi involves the reactive keto-enolic group. As example, thujaplicin toxicity disappears if this reactive group is blocked by laboratory methylation. In living trees detoxification by Sporothrix sp. is demonstrated to involve a process of oxidative dimerization and isomerization of the thujaplicins to a new lactone compound. This compound is proven to have no toxicity to decay fungi, such as Poria albipelIucida Baxter. The dimerization and isomerization destroy the reactivity of the keto-enolic group and thus thujaplicin toxicity. Isolation, purification, and determination of the chemical structure of the new lactone compound produced from thujaplicins during Sporothrix sp. infection was carried out by chemical, chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. This naturally occurring compound has not been isolated previously and there are no previous reports in the literature about a compound with this structure. Following IUPAC rules, the compound is named as 3,3,4,7,7,8-hexamethyl-2,6-dioxa-1,5-anthracene-dione, and given the trivial name 'Thujin'. Biological experiments carried out in this study clearly show that in living WRC trees, fungal attack involves a succession of microorganisms. Three early stage attacking fungi were consistantly isolated from discolored WRC heartwood. They are identified as Sporothrix sp. KirschsteinieIIa thujina (Peck) Pomerleau & Etheridge and Phialophora sp. Biological roles of these fungi are demonstrated based upon the results of wood block bioassays and chemical analysis of wood blocks treated with the three fungal isolates.
Forestry, Faculty of
Graduate

Kyoto University (京都大学)
0048
新制・課程博士
博士(農学)
甲第13891号
農博第1706号
新制||農||955(附属図書館)
学位論文||H20||N4358(農学部図書室)
UT51-2008-C807
京都大学大学院農学研究科応用生命科学専攻
(主査)教授 梅澤 俊明, 教授 矢﨑 一史, 教授 江﨑 信芳
学位規則第4条第1項該当

Reactive Black 5 and Procion Red MX 5B, an azo and anthraquinone dye repectively were decoulorized by mean of microorganisms growing on wood chips. The process consisted of three reactors, two anaerobic reactors and one aerobic reactor. The anaerobic process was used in order to make it possible to break the nitrogen bond of the azo group, (-N=N-) and the aerobic one to increase the possibility for the degradation of possible intermediates. After pumping wastewater through the system it was shown that mixtures or Reactive Black 5 and Procion Red MX 5B were efficiently decolourised at 50 mg/l as well as 200 mg/l of each of the dyes.

 

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Dissertacao (Mestrado)
IPEN/D
Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

La contamination fongique est un problème majeur de conservation des œuvres d’art et des monuments historiques. Les travaux de thèse ont pour objet d’étudier la biodiversité microbienne associée à la biodégradation du bois dans les bâtiments historiques dans un contexte de développement de traitements alternatifs aux traitements actuels. Différents monuments historiques seront inclus dans l’étude avec notamment le pavillon de la Muette dans la forêt de Saint Germain en Laye. La biodiversité microbienne sera appréhendée par des approches classiques de culture et par des approches de biologie moléculaire. La sensibilité à des agents antifongiques de référence, à des biocides couramment utilisés en traitement de bâtiments et à des molécules naturelles (huiles essentielles, tanins, etc.), de souches de champignons isolées de monuments contaminés sera étudiée. L’action antimicrobienne sera appréhendée par quantification d’inhibition de croissance et par imagerie afin de décrire les effets morphologiques. De la même manière que les traitements antifongiques, l’application de stratégies de biocontrôle du développement de champignons lignivores sera évaluée in vitro avec différents microorganismes décrits comme ayant ce type d’activité (souches de Bacillus, de Trichoderma). Les différents traitements seront évalués en laboratoire selon les tests de référence. Des associations de différents traitements seront testées afin de rechercher des effets synergiques ou additifs. L’objectif global est d’apporter de nouvelles connaissances sur les champignons lignivores et leur biodiversité et d’ouvrir la voie vers le développement de traitements du bois innovants applicables à la préservation du patrimoine
Fungal contamination is a major problem for art and historical monuments conservation. The thesis work aims to study microbial diversity associated with biodegradation of wood in historic buildings in a context of development of alternative treatments to current treatments. Various historical monuments will be included in the study including the Pavilion de la Muette in the forest of Saint Germain en Laye. Microbial biodiversity will be apprehended by conventional culture approaches and by molecular biology approaches. The sensitivity to antifungal agents of reference, biocide commonly used in treatment of buildings and natural molecules (essential oils, tannins, etc.) will be studied on the fungal strains isolated from contaminated monuments. The antimicrobial action will be apprehended by growth inhibition and quantification imaging to describe the morphological effects. Application of biocontrol strategies for the development of wood-destroying fungi will be evaluated in vitro with different microorganisms described as having this type of activity (Bacillus strains of Trichoderma). The treatments will be evaluated according to laboratory reference testing. Different associations of treatments will be performed to find synergistic or additive effects. The overall goal is to bring new data on wood-destroying fungi and their biodiversity and to pave the way towards the development of innovative timber treatment applicable to heritage preservation

Dans les écosystèmes forestiers, la décomposition du bois est un processus majeur, notamment impliqué dans le cycle du carbone et des nutriments. Les champignons basidiomycètes saprotrophes, incluant les pourritures blanches, sont les principaux agents de cette décomposition dans les forêts tempérées. Bien que peu étudiées, des communautés bactériennes sont également présentes dans le bois en décomposition et cohabitent avec ces communautés fongiques. L'impact des interactions bactéries-champignons sur le fonctionnement d'une niche écologique a été décrit dans de nombreux environnements. Cependant, leur rôle dans le processus de décomposition du bois n'a été que très peu investigué. A partir d'expériences en microcosme et en utilisant une approche non cultivable, il a été démontré que la présence du champignon Phanerochaete chrysosporium influençait significativement la structure et la diversité des communautés bactériennes associées au processus de décomposition du hêtre (Fagus sylvatica). Par une approche cultivable, cet effet mycosphère a été confirmé, se traduisant par une augmentation de la densité des communautés bactériennes en présence du champignon ainsi que par une modification de la diversité fonctionnelle de ces communautés. Enfin, une approche polyphasique a été développée, combinant l'analyse des propriétés physico-chimiques du bois et des activités enzymatiques extracellulaires. Les résultats de cette expérience ont révélé que l'association de P. chrysosporium avec une communauté bactérienne issue de la mycosphère de ce dernier aboutissait à une dégradation plus importante du matériau bois par rapport à la dégradation par le champignon seul, démontrant pour la première fois des interactions bactéries-champignons synergiques dans le bois en décomposition
Wood decomposition is an important process in forest ecosystems in terms of their carbon and nutrient cycles. In temperate forests, saprotrophic basidiomycetes such as white-rot fungi are the main wood decomposers. While they have been less studied, bacterial communities also colonise decaying wood and coexist with these fungal communities. Although the impact of bacterial-fungal interactions on niche functioning has been highlighted in a wide range of environments, little is known about their role in wood decay. Based on microcosm experiments and using a culture-independent approach, we showed that the presence of the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium significantly modified the structure and diversity of the bacterial communities associated with the degradation of beech wood (Fagus sylvatica). Using a culture-dependent approach, it was confirmed that in the presence of the fungus the mycosphere effect resulted in increased bacterial abundance and modified the functional diversity of the fungal-associated bacterial communities. Lastly, a polyphasic approach simultaneously analysing wood physicochemical properties and extracellular enzyme activities was developed. This approach revealed that P. chrysosporium associated with a bacterial community isolated from its mycosphere was more efficient in degrading wood compared to the fungus on its own, highlighting for the first time synergistic bacterial-fungal interactions in decaying wood

Microorganisms are known to be agents involved in the decomposition of organic matter. However, little is known about the participation of the microbial communities during the decomposition of mammalian skeletal muscle tissue. This study investigates the capacity of the soil microbial community to adapt to the decomposition of skeletal muscle tissue in differing soils. This has implications for the study of mass graves and sites of repeated burial. A controlled laboratory experiment was designed to assess the adaptability of microbial communities present in three distinct soil types (sand, loamy sand and sandy clay loam) found near Perth, Western Australia. This experiment was split into two main stages. The initial decomposition stage involved the addition of porcine skeletal muscle tissue (SMT) (Sus scrofa) to each of the three soil types which were then left to decompose for a period of time. Controls were run in parallel, which had no porcine SMT present. The second decomposition stage involved a second addition of SMT to the soils obtained from the initial decomposition stage. Therefore, for each soil, SMT was either decomposed in the soil that had been pre-exposed to SMT or not. The rate of decomposition, microbial activity (CO2 respiration) and microbial biomass (substrate-induced respiration) were monitored during the second decomposition stage. The functional diversity of the microbial populations in the soil were assessed using Community-Level Physiological Profiling (CLPP). Across the three soil types, the re-introduction of SMT to the soil has led to its enhanced decomposition (measured by tissue mass loss and microbial activity) by the microbial communities. This microbial adaptation may have been facilitated by a functional change in the soil microbial communities.

I dag råder det brist på död ved i Sveriges skogar. Detta på grund av det intensiva skogsbruket där man kalhugger och plockar bort all liggande ved. Dock är det viktigt med många döda träd i olika nedbrytningsstadier för många skogslevande arter. Svenska skogar har få urskogar där naturliga avdödningsprocesser av träd får ske och därför minskar den biologiska mångfalden i skogen. Tre arter som endast trivs i naturskog är tickorna ullticka, Phellinus ferrugineofuscus, gränsticka, Phellinus nigrolimitatus och vedticka, Phellinus viticola. Dessa arter är användbara som indikatorarter då de nästan endast växer i skog med höga naturvärden eftersom de växer på lågor i olika nedbrytningsstadier. I denna studie undersöktes dessa arter i syfte att påvisa vilka faktorer som krävs för att de ska trivas, och på så sätt kunna förutse på vilka lågor de kan påträffas. Som en jämförande art undersöktes klibbtickan, Fomitopsis pinicola¸ då den inte är lika krävande och kan växa i många skogar på nyfallna träd. Genom att undersöka dessa arter och vad de kräver kan man bedöma en skog utifrån deras faktorer och på så sätt se om skogen har höga naturvärden, och vad som krävs i form av död ved. Resultatet visar att ju större låga, i både bredd och längd (större area), och ju mer nedbruten den var, desto större utbredning av arten P. nigrolimitatus kan man hitta. P. viticola kräver högre nerbrytningsklass och tjockare diameter på lågan. Undersökningen visar även att hos F. pinicola var nästan alla faktorer lika viktiga, och att den kan växa nästan var som helst, fast minskar i förekomst på mer nedbrutna träd. Tyvärr fanns inte tillräckligt med P. ferrugineofuscus för att kunna göra statistiska undersökningar, vilket i sig indikerar att den är ovanlig och har höga krav vad gäller dess habitat.
Because of the conditions in Swedish forests, where forestry predominate, biodiversity is degrading when the important wood-debris is removed. The purpose of this study was to determine the conditions under which the polypore species Phellinus ferrugineofuscus, Phellinus nigrolimitatus, Phellinus viticola and Fomitopsis pinicola occur on logs of downed dead wood in and around a virgin forest. P ferrugineofuscus, P. nigrolimitatus and P. viticola are known indicator species that indicates forests with high natural values. F. pinicola is not an indicator species. The results indicate that the size of the log and its state of decomposition are the major factors for P. nigrolimitatus and P. viticola. F. pinicola grows on wood-debris with smaller degree of decomposition and also grows in managed forests. P. ferrugineofuscus was too rare in the data to allow statistical analysis. The study indicates the importance of untouched forest in which species who demands continuous conditions and availability of dead wood in different stages of decay can thrive.

Kyoto University (京都大学)
0048
新制・課程博士
博士(地球環境学)
甲第19387号
地環博第143号
新制||地環||29(附属図書館)
32401
新制||地環||29
京都大学大学院地球環境学舎環境マネジメント専攻
(主査)教授 勝見 武, 教授 高岡 昌輝, 准教授 乾 徹
学位規則第4条第1項該当

Phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resole and polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate (PMDI) are two commonly used exterior thermosetting adhesives in the wood-based composites industry. There is an interest in combining these two adhesives in order to benefit from their positive attributes while also neutralizing some of the negative ones. Although this novel adhesive system has been reportedly utilized in some limited cases, a fundamental understanding is lacking. This research serves this purpose by investigating some of the important aspects of this novel adhesive system. The adhesive rheological and viscometric properties were investigated with an advanced rheometer. The resole/PMDI blends exhibited non-Newtonian flow behavior. The blend viscosity and stability were dependent on the blend ratio, mixing rate and time. The adhesive penetration into wood was found to be dependent on the blend ratio and correlated with the blend viscosity. By using dynamic mechanical analysis, the blend cure speed was found to increase with the PMDI content. Mode I fracture testing of resole/PMDI hybrid adhesive bonded wood specimens indicated the dependence of bondline fracture energy on the blend ratio. The 75/25 PF/PMDI blend exhibited a high fracture energy with a fast cure speed and processable viscosity. Exposure to water-boil weathering severely deteriorated the fracture energies of the hybrid adhesive bondlines. More detailed chemistry and morphological studies were performed with cross-polarization nuclear magnetic resonance and 13C, 15N-doubly labeled PMDI. A spectral decomposition method was used to obtain information regarding chemical species concentration and relaxation behavior of the contributing components within the major nitrogen resonance. Different urethane concentrations were present in the cured blend bondlines. Water-boil weathering and thermal treatment at elevated temperatures (e.g. > 200°C) caused reduced urethane concentrations in the bondline. Solid-state relaxation parameters revealed a heterogeneous structure in the non-weathered blends. Water boil weathering caused a more uniform relaxation behavior in the blend bondline. By conducting this research, more fundamental information regarding the PF/PMDI hybrid adhesives will become available. This information will aid in the evaluation of, and improve the potential use of PF/PMDI hybrid adhesives for wood-based composites.
Ph. D.

This diploma thesis deals with issues of fine and ultrafine particles formation during thermal decomposition and combustion of biomass. An introduction is devoted to a utilization of biomass as fuel. A following part describes the gas products emerging generally during combustion process. A current emission and air pollution situation in the Czech Republic as well as the health impacts of solid pollutants on human are also mentioned. Within an experimental measurement three basic factors that have impact on fine particles formation during combustion of beech wood (i. e. oxygen content in combustion atmosphere, type of the sample and size of the sample) were thoroughly analyzed. Attention was paid to a progress of thermal decomposition and combustion of sample with respect to the particles formation. Finally, a measurement of fine particles amount was accomplished in a real boiler successively with four different biomass pellet types.

La décomposition des résidus de culture est un processus essentiel en sols de grandes cultures car elle représente la principale source carbone (C) exogène de ces systèmes. Bien que la dégradation des végétaux de diverses quantités et qualités soit bien connue, ses conséquences sur les communautés du sol et sur les fonctions qui en découlent sont moins maîtrisées. Pour mieux comprendre ces effets, nous avons suivi à des étapes clés de la décomposition l’évolution de composantes majeures de la diversité du sol (micro-organismes, nématodes, microarthropodes et macrofaune) en lien avec les principaux flux de C, d’azote (N) et les activités enzymatiques associées pour différentes quantités et qualités de litières. Les expériences ont été menées à différentes échelles spatiales et temporelles (champ, mésocosme et microcosme).La quantité et qualité de litières ont des effets distincts sur les communautés du sol. La quantité de litière impacte les détritivores, et la qualité de litière affecte plus généralement les principaux groupes fonctionnels. La litière labile affecte plus la voie bactérienne et les macro-détritivores en début de décomposition, et la litière récalcitrante la voie fongique et les méso-détritivores en fin de décomposition. Ces évolutions sont reflétées par les dynamiques enzymatiques. Plus spécifiquement, la régulation top-down de la faune (manipulations de L.terrestris et de nématodes) a montré de forts impacts sur les enzymes. De manière similaire, la composition initiale du micro-réseau trophique du sol a fortement conditionné les dynamiques enzymatiques. Au contraire, la minéralisation du C de la litière demeure principalement dictée par sa qualité initiale. Cette thèse démontre l'importance de la gestion des litières sur les fonctions biologiques des sols agricoles. Faire varier la qualité et quantité des litières apparaît comme un levier pour moduler la santé des sols et certains services écosystémiques à long terme
Crop residues decomposition is an essential process in cultivated lands since it constitutes the main source of organic matter in these systems. Although the underlying mechanisms of residues degradation of varying qualities and quantities are well-known, their consequences on soil biota and the related functions are less understood. To better understand this process, we chose to follow at key steps of decomposition the evolution of major components of soil diversity (microorganisms, nematodes, micro-arthropods and macrofauna), the evolution of litter quality, the main carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) fluxes and enzyme activities associated, for different quantities and qualities of litter added. The experiments were set up at different spatial and temporal scales (field, mesocosm and microcosm experiments) in function of our objectives.Litter quantity and quality have distinct effects on soil biota. Litter quantity influences the detritivores, and litter quality influences more generally the main functional groups. Labile litter impacts more the bacterial energy channel and the macrodetritivores at the first stages of decomposition, and recalcitrant litter impacts more the fungal energy channel and the mesodetritivores at the latter stage of decomposition. These evolutions are mirrored by the enzymatic dynamics. More specifically, fauna top-down regulations (L.terrestris and nematodes manipulations) exhibit high effects on soil enzymes. Similarly, soil micro-food web initial composition drives enzymatic dynamics. Contrastingly, litter C mineralization depends mainly on its initial quality. This PhD shows the importance of litter management on the biological functions of cultivated soils. Varying litter quality and quantity appear as a mean to influence soil health and some ecosystem services on the long term

Les forêts de montagne sont des ouvrages de protection naturels, qui en fonction des situations sont en mesure d'offrir une protection efficace vis-à-vis des risques naturels d'origine gravitaire : les chutes de pierres, les avalanches, les glissements de terrains, les laves torrentielles et l'érosion. Les interventions forestières, telles que les grands reboisements issus de la politique de Restauration des Terrains en Montagne (RTM) du XIXe siècle, ont démontré leur efficacité pour maîtriser l'érosion des versants en lien avec le phénomène de torrentialité. Depuis 2006, les nouveaux Guides des Sylvicultures de Montagne (GSM), français, suisse et italien, préconisent des nouvelles techniques sylvicoles pour la gestion et l'optimisation de la fonction de protection des peuplements forestiers de montagne. Ces préconisations concernent entre autre la réalisation d'ouvrages biologiques par l'utilisation des rémanents. Ces ouvrages ont pour vocation de limiter et le cas échéant de stopper la propagation de blocs rocheux, et de limiter le départ d'avalanches. Ils sont composés de grumes laissées au sol, parfois empilées les unes sur les autres, maintenues dans la pente par leur propres souches, d'autres souches ou des arbres encore sur pieds. Mais, si des directives techniques existent pour réaliser de tels ouvrages, aucune donnée scientifique n'était à ce jour disponible pour quantifier la pérennité de ces ouvrages.Ce travail de thèse s'inscrit dans la volonté de fournir ces connaissances scientifiques en se focalisant sur l'étude de la corrélation entre la durabilité des rémanents et leur dynamique de protection face aux chutes de blocs. L'objectif principal de cette thèse consiste à fournir des connaissances sur la cinématique de décomposition du bois et de proposer des modèles d'efficacité des rémanents en fonction du temps. A partir de mesures in situ, en laboratoire et d'une approche basée sur l'analyse de chronoséquences, nous avons étudié la cinématique de décomposition de trois espèces d'arbres présentes dans les Alpes (Pinus nigra, Picea Abies, Fagus sylvatica), et analysé les corrélations entre les variables physiques, chimiques et mécaniques qui ont été utilisées. Des premiers modèles prédictifs de l'évolution de l'efficacité des ouvrages pare-pierres en fonction du temps ont ainsi pu être construits.

De plus en plus, les études de sécurité incendie reposent sur l’ingénierie de la sécurité incendie. Il s’agit notamment à l’aide de codes de calcul, de réaliser des simulations numériques visant à définir les règles de sécurité à appliquer. Ainsi, des nombreuses études ont permis d’améliorer les codes de calcul et de définir les bases et guides techniques à respecter pour la réalisation de ces études. Toutefois, si cela est vrai pour le domaine de la résistance au feu, de l’évacuation ou du désenfumage, ce n’est pas encore le cas dans le domaine de la réaction au feu. Cette dernière représente la manière dont le matériau va se comporter comme combustible et elle caractérise l’aptitude de ce matériau à s’enflammer et à contribuer à un incendie.Dans ce contexte, l’objectif de ces travaux de thèse est d’étudier et de prédire la cinétique de décomposition thermique, la combustion et la propagation de flamme d’un matériau bois. Pour cela, la méthode de travail retenue est multi-échelle, à la fois expérimentale et numérique. Cette approche permet dans un premier temps de simplifier les phénomènes dans le but de déterminer les propriétés du matériau, puis d’ajouter de la complexité à échelle croissante, afin d’identifier les processus pilotant la propagation de flamme et de définir les bases pour une étude d’ingénierie. Au total, 4 échelles de travail ont été étudiées :- A petite échelle, concernant uniquement la phase solide. Elle permet d’extraire certaines propriétés du matériau en travaillant sur des échantillons de l’ordre du milligramme. Les propriétés extraites sont les propriétés thermiques et cinétiques, indispensables pour caractériser l’échauffement et la décomposition thermique du matériau à échelle plus grande.- A moyenne échelle, incluant l’influence de la phase gazeuse avec notamment le développement de la flamme à la surface de l’échantillon. Les échantillons sont de l’ordre de la centaine de gramme avec une épaisseur identique à l’application finale du produit. L’objectif est dans un premier temps d’identifier les paramètres de combustion du matériau, tels que la chaleur de combustion, le taux de formation de suie, de monoxyde de carbone, etc. Dans un second temps, il a s’agit de valider numériquement l’ensemble des propriétés ainsi extraites (propriétés thermiques, cinétiques et de combustion) par comparaison avec les données expérimentales (taux de dégagement de chaleur, perte de masse, températures, etc.).- A échelle intermédiaire, utilisant des échantillons de l’ordre du kilogramme. Elle tient compte de la propagation de flamme à la surface de l’échantillon. De ce fait, les processus pilotant cette propagation sont étudiés. Cette échelle permet d’évaluer l’aptitude du code à prédire la cinétique de propagation de flamme. Deux modes de propagation sont investigués : contre-courant et co-courant. Cette échelle permet également d’établir certaines bases pour la réalisation d’étude d’ingénierie de réaction au feu.- A échelle finale, couplant les deux modes de propagation étudiés. L’objectif est alors de valider les observations faites à l’échelle précédente et d’étayer les bases pour une étude d’ingénierie
Increasingly, fire safety relies on fire safety engineering. This involves, in particular, using calculation codes, performing numerical simulations aimed at defining the safety rules to be applied. Thus, numerous studies have made it possible to improve the calculation codes and define the bases and technical guides to be respected for carrying out these studies. However, while this is true in the field of fire resistance, evacuation or smoke control, it is not yet the case in the field of reaction to fire. The latter represents how the material will behave as a fuel and it characterizes the ability of that material to ignite and contribute to a fire.In this context, the objective of this thesis work is to study and predict the kinetics of thermal decomposition, combustion and flame propagation of wood material. For this, the working method adopted is multi-scale, both experimental and digital. This approach allows initially to simplify the phenomena in order to determine the properties of the material, then to add complexity on an increasing scale, in order to identify the processes controlling the propagation of flame and to define the bases for an engineering study. In total, 4 working scales were studied:- At a small scale, which concerns only the solid phase. It permits to extract some properties of the material by working on samples of the order of a milligram. The properties extracted are the thermal and kinetic properties, essential to characterize the heating and thermal decomposition of the material on a larger scale.- At medium scale, including the influence of the gas phase within particularly the development of the flame on the surface of the sample. The samples are of the order of a hundred grams with a thickness identical to the final application of the product. The objective is first to identify the combustion parameters of the material, such as the heat of combustion, the rate of formation of soot, carbon monoxide, etc. Secondly, it concerns the numerical validation of all the properties extracted (thermal, kinetic and combustion properties) by comparison with the experimental data (rate of heat release, loss of mass, temperatures, etc. ).- At the intermediate scale, using samples of the order of one kilogram. It takes into account the propagation of flame on the surface of the sample. Therefore, the processes driving this propagation are studied. This scale is used to assess the ability of the code to predict the kinetics of flame propagation. Two modes of propagation are investigated: counter-current and co-current. This scale also makes it possible to establish certain bases for carrying out a reaction to fire engineering study.- At final scale, two studied modes of propagation are coupled. The objective is then to validate the observations made at the previous scale and to support the basis for an engineering study

Depuis quelques années la sylviculture intensive prend une grande ampleur afin de rapprocher la source de fibres des usines, d'accroître la productivité des plantations, et de diminuer la pression de coupe sur les forêts naturelles. Toutefois un débat sur le type d'aménagement optimal des plantations oppose l'aménagement mono- et pluri-spécifique. Il est important de mieux comprendre le fonctionnement de ces écosystèmes pour en effectuer une bonne gestion et d'optimiser les services écosystémiques que ces plantations fournissent. La décomposition des litières et le recyclage des nutriments sont des processus complexes essentiels au fonctionnement des écosystèmes. Ainsi mon projet de thèse visait à mieux comprendre l'influence de la mixité de deux essences forestières, à savoir l'épinette blanche et le peuplier hybride, en comparaison à des plantations pures sur le processus de décomposition des litières et le stockage de carbone. Les résultats de cette étude ne montrent pas d'amélioration du processus de décomposition avec le mélange du peuplier et de l'épinette ou de leurs litières. En revanche, le mélange de ces deux espèces en plantation tamponne les effets contrastés du peuplier et de l'épinette observés dans les plantations monospécifiques. De plus, le stockage de carbone et la productivité du peuplier sont améliorés dans les plantations mixtes par rapport aux plantations monospécifiques. Les herbacées semblent être bénéfiques pour la diversité d'organismes et favorisent la libération d'azote des litières d'arbres. Cet aspect pourrait contrebalancer l'effet négatif de la présence d'herbacées qui entrent en compétition avec les arbres pour les ressources
The use of trees under intensive management is particularly important for rapid fibre production and for reduce cutting pressure on natural forests in boreal regions. However, a debate on the best type of plantation management opposes the mono-and pluri-specific management. Despite the possible antagonistic effects on productivity, it seems that mixed plantations would have benefits on soil properties, environmental stability, but also to maintain biodiversity and aesthetic value. It is important to better understand the functioning of these ecosystems to make good management in order to optimize ecosystem services of these plantations. Litter decomposition and nutrient cycling are essential process for the ecosystems functioning. My thesis project was to better understand the influence of the mixing of two tree species planted in comparison to monospecific plantations, namely white spruce and hybrid poplar, on the litter decomposition process and carbon storage. The results of this study showed no improvement in the decomposition process with the mixture of poplar and spruce in plantation or by their litters mixture. However, the mixture of the two species in plantation buffers the contrasting effects of poplar and spruce observed in monospecific plantations. In addition, carbon storage and productivity of poplars are improved in mixed plantations compared to monospecific plantations. Herbaceous litter appears to be beneficial for the abundance of organisms and promote the release of nitrogen from tree litter. This could offset the negative effect of the presence of grasses that compete with trees for resources

The presented thesis investigates the role of bryophytes in the deadwood and carbon (C) cycle of boreal black spruce forests in Labrador, Canada. All major forest C pools (live-tree, standing and downed deadwood, organic layer, mineral soil) were quantified for three old-growth, nine clearcut harvested, and three burned forest stands in order to characterize forest C dynamics of a high-latitude humid boreal forest ecosystem. Tree and aboveground deadwood C dynamics of Labrador black spruce forests were similar to those of drier or warmer boreal forests. However, due to bryophyte-driven processes such as woody debris (WD) burial and paludification, the studied forests contained high organic layer, mineral soil, and buried wood C stocks. The comprehensive field-measured data on C stocks was used to evaluate the CBM-CFS3, a Canadian national-scale C budget model, with respect to its applicability to Labrador black spruce and humid boreal forests elsewhere. After selected biomass estimation and deadwood decay parameters had been adjusted, the CBM-CFS3 represented measured live-tree and aboveground deadwood C dynamics well. The CBM-CFS3 was initially designed for well-drained upland forests and does not reflect processes associated with bryophytes and high forest floor moisture content, thus not capturing the large amounts of buried wood and mineral soil C observed in the studied forests. Suggestions are made for structural changes to the CBM-CFS3 and other forest ecosystem C models to more adequately represent the bryophyte-regulated accumulation of buried wood, organic layer, and mineral soil C. Accuracy of forest C models could be further improved by differentiating WD decomposition rates by disturbance history, because WD respiration reflects disturbance-induced changes in temperature and moisture regimes. In Labrador, WD respiration was limited by low WD moisture levels and high temperatures in burned stands, and by high WD moisture contents and low temperatures in old-growth stands. Following harvesting, residual vegetation prevents the desiccation of WD, resulting in significantly higher WD respiration compared to old-growth and burned stands. Moreover, the bryophyte layer recovers faster following harvest than following fire, which reduces WD desiccation due to moisture retention, water transfer, and moisture-induced cooling and results in higher WD decomposition rates. Bryophytes are thus a key driver of the deadwood and C cycle of humid boreal Labrador black spruce forests. The author recommends to classify these and similar boreal forests as a functional ecosystem group called “humid boreal forests”, preliminarily defined as “boreal forest ecosystems featuring a bryophyte-dominated ground vegetation layer associated with low soil temperatures, high moisture levels, low dead organic matter decomposition rates, and subsequently (in the absence of stand-replacing disturbances) an accumulation of buried wood embedded in a thick organic layer”. Bryophytes are also an integral component of many coniferous forests outside the boreal biome. Bryophyte-regulated processes such as WD burial or paludification are thus likely significant to the global C cycle. The potential climate change-induced release of large amounts of CO2 from buried wood and soil C pools necessitates an increased understanding of how bryophyte productivity and decomposition constraints will change with increasing temperature and varying moisture regimes. Ecosystems such as humid boreal forests with potentially high C losses to the atmosphere may thus be identified and counteractive forest management strategies can be developed and implemented
Cette thèse de doctorat s’intéresse à l’influence qu’exercent les mousses sur les cycles du bois mort et du carbone (C) dans des pessières noires boréales humides du Labrador, Canada. Toutes les réservoirs majeurs de C (arbres vivants, bois mort sur pied et effondré, l’horizon de matière organique, sol minéral) de trois pessières vierges, neuf coupes à blanc et de trois pessières brûlées ont été quantifiés pour caractériser le cycle du C des forêts humides boréales du nord. Les dynamismes de C des arbres vivants et du bois mort supraterrestre ressemblaient à ceux des forêts boréales plus sèches ou aux températures plus chaudes. À cause des processus régulés par les mousses (l’enterrement du bois mort ou la paludification), les forêts étudiées contenaient des stocks élevés de C au sein de l’horizon de matière organique, le sol minéral et le bois enterré. Les données ont aussi été utilisées pour évaluer le MBC-SFC3, un modèle national canadien du bilan du C, concernant son applicabilité aux pessières boréales humides de Labrador et d’ailleurs. Suite à l’ajustement de quelques paramètres, p.ex. des taux de décomposition, le MBC-SFC3 reproduisait bien le dynamisme mesuré des arbres vivants et du bois mort supraterrestre. Le MBC-SFC3 a initialement été développé pour les sites bien drainés et ne considère pas les processus associés avec les mousses ou l’humidité élevée du sol. Conséquemment, le MBC-SFC3 ne représentait pas les stocks élevés de C mesurés pour le bois enterré et pour le sol. Les modifications structurelles du MBC-SFC3 et d’autres modèles du C forestier sont nécessaires pour représenter adéquatement l’accumulation du C au sein de ces réservoirs. La précision des modèles du C forestier pourrait encore être améliorée par une différenciation des taux de décomposition selon le régime de perturbations, parce que la respiration du bois mort reflète les changements de la température et d’humidité associés avec une perturbation spécifique. Dans les pessières brûlés du Labrador, la respiration du bois mort était limitée par a faible humidité du bois et des températures élevées; dans les pessières vierges, par l’humidité élevée du bois et des températures basses. Dans les coupes à blanc, la végétation résiduelle empêchait le dessèchement du bois mort. Il s’y ensuivit que la respiration du bois mort y est nettement plus élevée en comparaison avec des pessières brûlés ou vierges. La décomposition du bois mort après coupe à blanc est aussi favorisée par la récupération plus rapide de la couche de mousses, diminuant conséquemment le dessèchement du bois mort par la conservation d’humidité, les transports vertical et horizontale d’eau et le refroidissement induit par l’humidité. Ainsi, les mousses sont les facteurs clés dans les cycles du bois mort et du C des pessières noires boréales au Labrador. L’auteur préconise la classification de ces pessières et des forêts semblables comme un groupe fonctionnel d’écosystèmes nommé : « pessières boréales humides » ; provisoirement définies comme « des écosystèmes forestiers avec une végétation terrestre dominée par les mousses et par conséquent associée avec des températures basses du sol, une humidité élevée, des taux de décomposition faibles et (en l’absence de perturbations) l’accumulation du bois enterré dans des couches organiques epaisses ». En outre, les mousses sont des éléments principaux des nombreuses forêts résineuses n’appartenant pas au biome boréal. Les processus régulés par les mousses tels l’enterrement du bois mort ou la paludification sont probablement importants pour le cycle global de C. La libération potentielle de grandes quantités de CO2 des réservoirs « bois enterré » et « sol » à la suite des changements climatiques exige une meilleure compréhension des transformations de la productivité des mousses et des limitations de la décomposition dues aux températures plus élevées et au taux d’humidités variables. Ainsi, les écosystèmes aux pertes potentielles de C élevées (p.ex. les pessières boréales humides) peuvent être identifiés et des mesures d’aménagement antagonistes peuvent être développées et implémentées. Traduction assistée par : Karl-Heinrich von Bothmer, Géry van der Kelen
Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht die Einflüsse von Moosen auf den Totholz- und Kohlenstoff-(C)-Kreislauf in borealen Schwarzfichtenwäldern in Labrador, Kanada. Um den C-Kreislauf dieses humiden borealen Waldökosystems zu charakterisieren, wurden alle bedeutenden C-Speicher (lebende Bäume, stehendes und liegendes Totholz, organische Auflage, Mineralboden) von drei Primärwald-, neun Kahlschlags- und drei Brandflächen quantifiziert. Die C-Dynamiken der Bäume und des oberiridischen Totholzes der Untersuchungsflächen ähnelten denen von trockeneren und/oder wärmeren borealen Wäldern, während die organische Auflage, der Mineralboden und das begrabene Totholz bedingt durch von Moosen regulierte Prozesse wie Totholzeinlagerung und Paludifizierung besonders hohe C-Vorräte aufwiesen. Mit dem umfangreichen C-Datensatz wurde das CBM-CFS3, das nationale kanadische C-Modell, am Beispiel Labradors im Hinblick auf seine Anwendbarkeit in humiden borealen Wäldern evaluiert. Nach Anpassung ausgewählter Parameter, z.B. der Totholzabbauraten, wurden die gemessenen C-Dynamiken der Bäume und des oberiridischen Totholzes vom Modell abgebildet. Das CBM-CFS3 wurde ursprünglich für staunässefreie, terrestrische Waldstandorte entwickelt und berücksichtigt keine mit Moosen oder hoher Bodenfeuchte assoziierten Prozesse, so dass es die hohen C-Vorräte des begrabenen Totholzes und des Bodens nicht widerspiegelte. Eine adäquate Abbildung der Akkumulation von C in diesen Speichern erfordert strukturelle Änderungen des CBM-CFS3 und anderer Wald-C-Modelle. Die Genauigkeit von Wald-C-Modellen könnte darüber hinaus durch eine Differenzierung der Totholzabbauraten in Abhängigkeit vom Störungsregime verbessert werden, da störungsspezifische Veränderungen von Temperatur und Feuchte von der Totholzatmung widergespiegelt werden. Im Untersuchungsgebiet limitierten geringe Holzfeuchten und hohe Holztemperaturen die Totholzatmung auf Brandflächen. In Primärwäldern wirkten dagegen hohe Holzfeuchten und geringe Holztemperaturen hemmend. Auf Kahlschlägen verhinderte die verbleibende Vegetation die Austrockung des Totholzes, was zu signifikant erhöhten Atmungsraten im Vergleich zu Brand- und Primärwaldflächen führte. Zudem wird der Totholzabbau auf Kahlschlen durch eine schnellere Erholung der Moosdecke als auf Brandflächen gefördert, da Moose durch ihr hohes Wasserspeichervermögen, vertikalen und horizontalen Wassertransport und feuchte-induzierte Kühlung der Austrockung des Totholzes entgegenwirken. Moose sind somit ein Schlüsselfaktor im Totholz- und C-Kreislauf der humiden borealen Schwarzfichtenwälder Labradors. Die Autorin empfiehlt die Klassifikation dieser und ähnlicher borealer Wälder als eine funktionelle Ökosystemgruppe namens “humid boreal forests”; vorläufig definiert als “boreale Waldökosysteme mit durch Moose dominierter Bodenvegetation und damit assoziierten niedrigen Bodentemperaturen, hohen Bodenfeuchten, geringen Abbauraten und (in Abwesenheit großflächiger Störungen) der Akkumulation von begrabenem Totholz in mächtigen organischen Auflagen”. Auch außerhalb des borealen Bioms sind Moose ein wesentlicher Bestandteil vieler Nadelwälder. Durch Moose regulierte Prozesse wie Totholzeinlagerung und Paludifizierung sind daher wahrscheinlich relevant für den globalen C-Kreislauf. Die durch den Klimawandel bedingte potentielle Freisetzung von großen Mengen CO2 aus begrabenem Totholz und dem Boden macht ein besseres Verständnis der zu erwartenden Veränderungen von Mooswachstum und Abbauhemmnissen als Folge erhöhter Temperaturen und variabler Feuchteverhältnisse erforderlich. Somit können Ökosysteme mit potentiell hohen C-Verlusten, wie z.B. humide boreale Wälder, identifiziert und diesen entgegenwirkende Bewirtschaftungsmaßnahmen entwickelt und umgesetzt werden

Bei strukturorientierten, aus relativ großen Holzpartikeln aufgebauten Holzwerkstoffen wie z.B. OSB (oriented strand board) addieren sich die gerichteten Festigkeiten der einzelnen Lagen je nach Orientierung der Partikel und der Verteilung ihrer Größenparameter. Wünschenswert wäre eine Messung der Partikelgeometrie und Orientierung möglichst im Prozess, z.B. am Formstrang vor der Presse direkt durch den „Blick auf das Vlies“. Bisher sind regelmäßige on-line-Messungen der Spangeometrie aber nicht möglich, und Einzelspanmessungen werden nicht vorgenommen, weil sie zu aufwändig wären. Um die Partikelkonturen zunächst hinreichend für die Vermessung zu restaurieren und dann zu vermessen, muss ein mehrstufiges Verfahren angewendet werden, das eine Szene mit Strands und mehr oder weniger deutlichen Kanten zunächst als „Grauwertgebirge“ auffasst. Zur Segmentierung reicht ein Watershed-Algorithmus nicht aus. Auch ein zweistufiger Kantendetektor nach Canny liefert allein noch kein ausreichendes Ergebnis, weil sich keine geschlossenen Objektkonturen ergeben. Hinreichend dagegen ist ein komplexes Verfahren auf der Grundlage der Höhenschichtzerlegung und nachfolgenden Synthese: Nach einer Transformation der Grauwerte des Bildes in eine reduzierte, gleichverteilte Anzahl von Höhenschichten werden zwischen diesen die lokalen morphologischen Gradienten berechnet und herangezogen für die Rekonstruktion der ursprünglichen Spankonturen. Diese werden aus den Höhenschichten aufaddiert, wobei allerdings nur Teilflächen innerhalb eines für die gesuchten Spangrößen plausiblen Größenintervalls einbezogen werden, um Störungen zu unterdrücken. Das Ergebnis der Rekonstruktion wird zusätzlich verknüpft mit den bereits durch einen Canny-Operator im Originalbild detektierten deutlichen Kanten und morphologisch bereinigt. Diese erweiterte Höhenschichtanalyse ergibt ausreichend segmentierte Bilder, in denen die Objektgrenzen weitgehend den Spankonturen entsprechen. Bei der nachfolgenden Vermessung der Objekte werden Standard-Algorithmen eingesetzt, wobei sich die Approximation von Spankonturen durch momentengleiche Ellipsen als sinnvoll erwies. Verbliebene Fehldetektionen können bei der Vermessung unterdrückt werden durch Formfaktoren und zusätzliche Größenintervalle. Zur Darstellung und Charakterisierung der Größenverteilungen für die Länge und die Breite wurden die nach der Objektfläche gewichtete, linear skalierte Verteilungsdichte (q2-Verteilung), die Verteilungssumme und verschiedene Quantile verwendet. Zur Umsetzung und Demonstration des Zusammenwirkens der verschiedenen Algorithmen wurde auf der Basis von MATLAB das Demonstrationsprogramm „SizeBulk“ entwickelt, das Bildfolgen verarbeiten kann und mit dem die verschiedenen Varianten der Bildaufbereitung und Parametrierung durchgespielt werden können. Das Ergebnis des Detektionsverfahrens enthält allerdings nur die vollständigen Konturen der ganz oben liegenden Objekte; Objekte unterhalb der Außenlage sind teilweise verdeckt und können daher nur unvollständig vermessen werden. Zum Test wurden daher synthetische Bilder mit vereinzelten und überlagerten Objekten bekannter Größenverteilung erzeugt und dem Detektions- und Messverfahren unterworfen. Dabei zeigte sich, dass die Größenstatistiken durch den Überlagerungseffekt und auch die Spanorientierung zwar beeinflusst werden, dass aber zumindest die Modalwerte der wichtigsten Größenparameter Länge und Breite meist erkennbar bleiben. Als Versuchsmaterial dienten außer den synthetischen Bildern verschiedene Sortimente von OSB-Strands aus Industrie- und Laborproduktion. Sie wurden sowohl manuell vereinzelt als auch zu einem Vlies arrangiert vermessen. Auch bei realen Strands zeigten sich gleiche Einflüsse der Überlagerung auf die Größenverteilungen wie in der Simulation. Es gilt aber auch hier, dass die Charakteristika verschiedener Spankontingente bei gleichen Aufnahmebedingungen und Auswerteparametern gut messbar sind bzw. dass Änderungen in der gemessenen Größenverteilung eindeutig den geometrischen Eigenschaften der Späne zugeordnet werden können. Die Eignung der Verarbeitungsfolge zur Charakterisierung von Spangrößenverteilungen bestätigte sich auch an Bildern, die ausschließlich am Vlies auf einem Formstrang aufgenommen wurden. Zusätzlich wurde nachgewiesen, dass mit der erweiterten Höhenschichtanalyse auch Bilder von Spanplattenoberflächen ausgewertet werden könnten und daraus auf die Größenverteilung der eingesetzten Deckschichtspäne geschlossen werden kann. Das vorgestellte Verfahren ist daher eine gute und neuartige Möglichkeit, prozessnah an Teilflächen von OSB-Vliesen anhand von Grauwertbildern die Größenverteilungen der Strands zu charakterisieren und eignet sich grundsätzlich für den industriellen Einsatz. Geeignete Verfahren waren zumindest für Holzpartikel bisher nicht bekannt. Diese Möglichkeit, Trends in der Spangrößenverteilung automatisch zu erkennen, eröffnet daher neue Perspektiven für die Prozessüberwachung
The strength of wood-based materials made of several layers of big and oriented particles like OSB (oriented strand board) is a superposition of the strengths of the layers according to the orientation of the particles and depending from their size distribution. It would be desirable to measure particle geometry and orientation close to the production process, e.g. with a “view onto the mat”. Currently, continuous on-line measurements of the particle geometry are not possible, while measurements of separated particles would be too costly and time-consuming. Before measuring particle shapes they have to be reconstructed in a multi-stage procedure which considers an image scene with strands as “gray value mountains”. Segmentation using a watershed algorithm is not sufficient. Also a two-step edge detector according to Canny does not yield closed object shapes. A multi-step procedure based on threshold decomposition and recombination however is successful: The gray values in the image are transformed into a reduced and uniformly distributed set of threshold levels. The local morphological gradients between these levels are used to re-build the original particle shapes by adding the threshold levels. Only shapes with a plausible size corresponding to real particle shapes are included in order to suppress noise. The result of the reconstruction from threshold levels is then matched with the result of the strong edges in the original image, which had been detected using a Canny operator, and is finally cleaned with morphological operators. This extended threshold analysis produces sufficiently segmented images with object shapes corresponding extensively to the particle shapes. Standard algorithms are used to measure geometric features of the objects. An approximation of particle shapes with ellipses of equal moments of inertia is useful. Remaining incorrectly detected objects are removed by form factors and size intervals. Size distributions for the parameters length and width are presented and characterized as density distribution histograms, weighted by the object area and linearly scaled (q2 distribution), as well as the cumulated distribution and different quantiles. A demonstration software “SizeBulk” based on MATLAB has been developed to demonstrate the computation and the interaction of algorithms. Image sequences can be processed and different variations of image preprocessing and parametrization can be tested. However, the detection procedure yields complete shapes only for those particles in the top layer. Objects in lower layers are partially hidden and cannot be measured completely. Artificial images with separated and with overlaid objects with a known size distribution were generated to study this effect. It was shown that size distributions are influenced by this covering effect and also by the strand orientation, but that at least the modes of the most important size parameters length and width remain in evidence. Artificial images and several samples with OSB strands from industrial and laboratory production were used for testing. They were measured as single strands as well as arrangements similar to an OSB mat. For real strands, the same covering effects to the size distributions revealed as in the simulation. Under stable image acquisition conditions and using similar processing parameters the characteristics of these samples can well be measured, and changes in the size distributions are definitely due to the geometric properties of the strands. The suitability of the processing procedure for the characterization of strand size distributions could also be confirmed for images acquired from OSB mats in a production line. Moreover, it could be shown that the extended threshold analysis is also suitable to evaluate images of particle board surfaces and to draw conclusions about the size distribution of the top layer particles. Therefore, the method presented here is a novel possibility to measure size distributions of OSB strands through the evaluation of partial gray value images of the mat surface. In principle, this method is suitable to be transferred to an industrial application. So far, methods that address the problem of detecting trends of the strand size distribution were not known, and this work shows new perspectives for process monitoring

Previous research on coarse woody debris (CWD) indicated that moisture content and initial heterotrophic colonization of decaying wood can affect the decomposition process. Six heterotrophic treatments were created to simulate the effects of physical penetration of the bark and wood and the transmission of ascomycetes versus basidiomycetes into CWD. In 1995, 360 Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) were randomly placed at five replicate sites in old-growth stands. Each site had 6 heterotrophic (HET) x 2 moisture combinations (TENT). One set of logs representing the treatment combinations was used for sampling respiration and another set was used to measure volume affected by insect gallery excavations and fungal rot and to determine decay rates. Respiration was sampled three times during the summer of 2001. The results indicated that the HET treatments were no longer affecting respiration rates. Analysis of the average of the three sampling periods revealed no TENT effect but examinations of the individual sampling dates suggests that tented logs might have higher respiration rates than non-tented logs as summer progresses. In the aggregate, the TENT treatment reduced moisture content from 45% to 36%, a 20 percent reduction in moisture levels. The HET and the TENT treatments did not affect decay rates. The mean density change for the logs was -0.072 g/cm�� �� 0.03 and the mean decay constant was 0.026 �� 0.011. The TENT treatment did affect heterotrophic activity. The mean volume of wood borer excavation and extent of brown rot was higher in the tented logs (256 cm��) than in the non-tented logs (59.9 cm��). There was also a statistically significant interaction between the HET and TENT treatments. The largest differences in volume affected by wood borers and fungal rot were found in treatments that injected ascomycetes into the experimental logs. In sum, there was limited evidence that the differences in moisture content caused by the TENT treatment affected the decomposition process but the HET treatments appear to not be directly influencing decomposition after six years. The findings suggest differences in the initial community composition of heterotrophs have a decreasing impact on the decomposition process as it progresses.
Graduation date: 2004

碩士
國立臺灣大學
環境工程學研究所
87
Abstract In view of the ultimate availability of fossil, as well as the problem of waste disposal, it is seen as a vital issue to transform biomass into available resources, especially, two-thirds of biomass of trees and other fiber materials above the land. Nowadays, it is proved that the way to transform biomass into liquid or gaseous is thermal decomposition, The study is, however, mainly to explore how the various oxygen concentrations with nitrogen as the carrier gas affect thermal decomposition of Cryptomeria japonica chips, the reaction kinetics and products analysis of pyrolysis are studied. The results of this study may be of great use for the design of biomass pyrolysis process. The variation of residual mass fraction of Cryptomeria japonica chips thermal decomposition at various oxygen concentrations of carrier gas consists of two distinct stages, with increasing the quantity of oxygen concentrations, the reaction rate will become fast and the reaction temperature occurs more early than in pure nitrogen. At the second stage, the reaction rate at partial oxygen in the carrier gas becomes quicker than in pure nitrogen. At pure nitrogen, the mass ratio of the two reactions was 0.72 : 0.28, with activation energies of 41.08 and 13.22 Kcal/mole, reaction orders of 2.04 and 1.33; and frequency factors of 8.87 * 1013 and 38.13 min-1. The averaged R2 value between experimental results and model prediction was 0.9947. At oxygen, the mass ratio of the two reactions was 0.61:0.39, with activation energies of 29.70 and 10.53 Kcal/mole, reaction orders of residuals were 2.17 and 0.93, for oxygen were 1.43 and 0.68; and frequency factors of 1.77 *1011 and 467.36 min-1. The averaged R2 value between experimental results and model prediction was 0.990. Thus, the experimental data of Cryptomeria japonica chips thermal decomposition are well fitted by the obtained reaction kinetic expressions. For the product analysis, the carbon of residuals increases as compare to pyrolysis before and the mass fraction of residual in pure nitrogen are more than that in partial oxygen. The major gaseous products are CO2、CO, which higher as oxygen concentrations increase and the temperature with maximum reaction rate will occur more early.

碩士
國立臺灣大學
昆蟲學研究所
90
Effects of wood species, wood moisture content, and soldier proportions on the decomposition rates of Reticulitermes flaviceps (Oshima) and Nasutitermes parvonasutus (Shiraki) and caloric content changes in decomposing wood of these two termite species were studied. Decomposition ability of wood by R. flaviceps was greater than that of N. parvonasutus. Both termites consumed more mass of soft wood species than hard one. The decomposition rate of wood by R. flaviceps was not influenced by the water content in wood; however, N. parvonasutus decomposed more wood mass with 50 ± 5 % water content. Soldier proportion in a termite colony affected the mortality and decomposition rate of wood. ECI (efficiency of conversion of ingested food) of R. flaviceps (3.57 %) was lower than that of N. parvonasutus (14.54 %), that is, N. parvonasutus has greater ability to reverse caloric content than R. flaviceps.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2005.
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Using ����C cross polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance techniques on 5 species of dead trees from the northwest (western hemlock, Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, lodgepole pine and ponderosa pine) I tracked the lignin and cellulose content over a 22 to 36 year period in order to determine the effects of decay fungi, if any, that is attacking certain species of tree. I had samples from the wood of the roots, the bark on the roots and, in some cases, the resin core of the roots. The Department of Forest Science at Oregon State University has studied this problem by using wet chemical analysis, and direct visual observation. Mark Harmon and Hua Chen of the Department of Forest Science believe that white rot occurred most frequently in the lodgepole pine and ponderosa pine and brown rot was more frequent in the Douglas-fir and Sitka spruce. Western hemlock seemed to have both brown and white rots active. The Douglas fir bark sample showed definite decomposition consistent with white rot during the first 10 years. The ponderosa pine sap showed decomposition consistent with white rot in the 10 to 22 year period. Sitka Spruce showed some decomposition consistent with white rot in the bark from 7 to 33 years, and the western hemlock showed some decomposition consistent with white rot in the sap in the first 10 years. The decompositions consistent with brown rot were much easier to see in this study. Virtually all the sap and bark samples showed decomposition consistent with brown rot at some point. The Douglas fir was the only species, other than lodgepole pine, not to show any decomposition consistent with brown rot in the bark of the tree, only decomposition consistent with white rot. The Douglas fir did show a decay consistent with brown rot in the sap for the first ten years. Ponderosa pine showed evidence of decay that brown rot would cause for the first 10 years in the sap and the bark. The Sitka spruce species analysis showed brown rot type decay in the bark for the first 7 years and in the sap for the entire time studied of 33 years. The lodgepole pine was the only species to not show any brown rot type decay in the sap or bark for the entire 22 year period studied. The western hemlock was distinct by not showing any definitive brown rot type decay for the first 10 years, but showed massive decay consistent with brown rot in both sap and bark during the following 26 years studied. I used an 8 Tesla magnet and the MAS frequency was at 5 kHz. The recycle time was 1.5 seconds and the contact time was 1 ms. I generally took about 10,000 acquisitions per sample, which added up to about 4 hours total acquisition time per sample. Presence of these rots shows that certain species are more susceptible than others, and also shows that local environmental conditions can contribute to rot susceptibility.
Graduation date: 2003

博士
國立中興大學
森林學系所
105
In this study, methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS), methyltriethoxysilane (MTEOS), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), and titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TTIP) were used as reagents to prepare the wood-inorganic composites by sol-gel process. The optimal sol-gel condition, inorganic component distributions within the composites, physicomechanical properties, thermal decomposition kinetics, and creep properties were evaluated. The results revealed that, under impregnation time of 3 days, the solutions of MTMOS/methanol/acetic acid and TTIP/2-propanol/acetic acid with molar ratios of 0.12/1/0.08 and 0.12/1/0.02 exhibited the highest weight percent gain (WPG) for wood-SiO2 composite and wood-TiO2 composite, respectively. In addition, the dimensional stabilities and modulus of rupture (MOR) of wood-SiO2 composite and wood-TiO2 composite (WPG 20) were better than those of untreated Japanese cedar wood, especially for the wood-SiO2 composite. The scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS) showed that the titanium were deposited principly in the cell lumens of wood-TiO2 composite, but the silicon deposition site within the composite was significantly dependent on the moisture content of wood. For instance, most silicon was deposited in the cell wall of conditioned wood (moisture content = 9%) after sol-gel process, while the silicon was deposited in both cell wall and cell lumen for the water saturated wood. According to the results of the 29Si NMR, two different siloxane peaks (T2 and T3) were observed, which supporting the MTMOS formed a network structure in the composite. The thermal decomposition experiments were carried out in a TG analyzer under a nitrogen atmosphere, and four iso-conversional methods, including Friedman, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (F-W-O), modified Coats-Redfern (modified C-R), and Starink, were used to determine the thermal decomposition kinetics. The results showed that the activation energies of thermal decomposition between 10% and 70% conversion were 147–172, 170–291, 189–251, and 192–248 kJ/mol for Japanese cedar wood and its SiO2 composites prepared from MTMOS with a WPG of 10, 20, and 30%, respectively. The average activation energies of wood-SiO2 and wood-TiO2 composites prepared from TEOS and TTIP were similar to the MTMOS treated one. However, the average reaction order of wood-inorganic composites was lower than that of untreated wood (0.52). On the other hand, according to the result of stepped isostress method (SSM), smooth master curves were obtained from different SSM testing parameters, and they fitted well with the long-term creep curves of wood and wood-inorganic composites. These results demonstrated that SSM could be used to evaluate the long-term creep behavior of wood and wood-inorganic composites. The creep resistance of wood-inorganic composites was greater than that of untreated wood. Among all wood-inorganic composites, the wood-SiO2 composite prepared from MTMOS with a WPG of 20% exhibited the lowest reduction in time-dependent modulus. According to the activation volume of specimens calculated by the Eyring equation, the activation volume of wood-SiO2 composite (WPG 20) prepared from MTMOS (0.799 nm3) and TEOS (0.750 nm3) were lower than that of untreated wood (0.856 nm3). Accordingly, the dimensional stability, thermal stability, and creep resistance of the wood could be effectively enhanced by metal alkoxides treatment.

Dead wood plays an important role in forest ecosystems in the context of C dynamics, nutrient cycling, forest regeneration and biodiversity. Decaying wood sustains biodiversity by providing habitats and energy for fungi, bacteria, invertebrates, and many other organisms. Dead wood is resistant to decomposition and its decay is driven mainly by filamentous fungi. Community structure of wood- inhabiting fungi changes during decomposition, but the relationship between substrate quality and decomposer community is still poorly understood. This work studied fungal community composition with respect to tree species, stage of decay, volume and physico-chemical properties (such as pH, carbon and nitrogen content) of dead wood. Fungi were identified using next generation sequencing approaches - 454-pyrosequencing and Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Tree species, volume of dead wood (branches x logs) and stage of decay were the main variables affecting fungal community composition. Higher enzyme activities and content of fungal biomass indicate faster colonization of small branches than tree trunks by fungi. Fungal community composition, wood chemical properties and enzyme activities changed during decomposition. Both content of nitrogen and fungal biomass increased during decomposition. Enzyme activites peaked...

The decomposition of organic substrates represents an important part of the global carbon cycle and affects its global change through CO2 release. In temperate forests, deadwood represents a large carbon stock, its amount and decomposition is crucial for ecosystem biodiversity and functioning. The fungi are omnipresent powerful decayers in all terrestrial ecosystems. Their ability to decompose all deadwood compounds, mainly lignocellulose, is highly important. Without fungi, the wood decompositions and the release of withheld nutrients back to nutrient cycles couldn't be performed. While many studies were concerned with the estimation of decomposition rates of deadwood, still deeper knowledge about microbial decomposition processes and the diversity of saproxylic species and their interaction is needed. The fungi are still underrepresented in dead wood studies. This study had two main objectives. First was to describe the fungal community on downed deadwood of Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba in natural forest of Salajka in the Czech Republic, to reflect the substrate changes during the different decay stages, and to link the enzyme activities to fungal community composition and their described ecophysiologies. Second aim was to describe the fungal communities on standing and downed dead logs of...

Summary: This thesis is focused on collecting information on the importance of dead wood on biogeochemical cycles of chemical elements in the mountain forest ecosystems of central Europe. The goal of this thesis was to determine the concentration of various elements(C, N, P, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Mn, Al, Fe) in the coarse woody debris of spruce samples of different age, stage of decomposition which were collected in different localities in the national park Šumava. Another goal was to determine the speed of which these elements are released from the dead wood. The information on the quantity of different elements and the speed of their release is currently lacking and could lead to better understanding of various biogeochemical cycles of elements in the mountain forest. During the decomposition the concentration of the elements N, P, Al and Fe increased whereas the Kalium concentration decreased. The other elements' (C, N, Ca, Mg, Mn) concentrations varied. Carbon constituted approximately 50% of weight in all of the samples analyzed. We carried out a laboratory experiment based on decomposition of dead wood samples in various stage of decay during a period of six months. The released concentration of CO2 was measured at two to four weeks intervals. The release of CO2 continually decreased during the experiment.....

Die Geruchswahrnehmung von Insekten ist an die spezifischen Anforderungen der Ökosysteme angepasst, in denen sie leben. Von Insekten wahrgenommene Volatile können Informationen über den Ort eines geeigneten Ovipositionsplatzes oder den physiologischen Zustand einer Wirtspflanze geben. Da der Geruchssinn der Insekten sich seit Millionen von Jahren an die Wahrnehmung bestimmter Volatile angepasst hat, können die wahrgenommenen Volatile als Markerstoffe angesehen werden, die zuverlässig einen Ökosystemzustand angeben können. Die Identifikation dieser Markerzustände und die Evaluation ihrer Nützlichkeit für spurenanalytische Anwendungen ist das Ziel dieser Arbeit. Es wurden drei Themen ausgewählt um die Verwendungsmöglichkeit des Insektengeruchssinns für Sensoranwendungen zu überprüfen: Fleischfrische, Todeszeitbestimmung (post mortem Intervall, PMI) und frühzeitige Feuererkennung. Spurenanalytik (GC-MS), Elektrophysiologie (EAG, GC-MS/EAD), Verhaltensversuche und Feldtests wurden angewandt, um die chemoökologische Interaktion der Schmeißfliege Calliphora vicina und der „Feuerkäfer“ Melanophila cuspidata, Merimna atrata and Acanthocnemus nigricans mit ihrer natürlichen Umgebung zu untersuchen. Die Resultate aus diesen Methoden erlaubten die Selektion von Volatilen, die drei Kriteria erfüllen: hohe Quantität, zuverlässige Emission und die ausschliessliche Emission von der untersuchten und keiner anderen Quelle. Diese drei Auswahlkriterien wurden aufgestellt um zu gewährleisten, dass die ausgewählten Markervolatile nicht nur zuverlässig mit dem physiologischen Status der Substrate (Alter von verderbendem Fleisch, PMI, Temperatur von erhitzten Spänen) korrelieren, sondern auch den Ansprüchen technischen Sensorsysteme genügen. Im Falle des alternden Fleisches unter warmen und trockenen Bedingungen ist Nonanal ein Zeiger für die korrekte Reifung des Fleisches zu Schinken. Dimethyl Trisulfid, Phenol und Indol zeigen das Verderben des Fleisches unter warmen und feuchten Bedingungen an. Bei niedrigen Temperaturen sind zunehmende 2,3 Butandiol Emission und abnehmende Nonanal Emission ein Zeiger für zunehmendes Verderben des Fleisches, sowohl unter trockenen als auch feuchten Bedingungen. Allerdings wurde 2,3 Butandiol nicht von C. vicina wahrgenommen, da die Fliege während der Vegetationszeit aktiv ist und unter diesen Bedingungen Dimethyl Trisulfid, Phenol und Indol emittiert werden. Nonanal, Hexanal, Dimethyl Disulfid, Dimethyl Trisulfid, Butan-1-ol und Phenol wurden als nützliche Volatile zur Eingrenzung der Leichenliegezeit ausgewählt. Die genannten Aldehyde sind typisch für die frühen Stadien der Verwesung, gefolgt von Butan-1-ol und den Schwefelsulfiden. Phenol wird hauptsächlich in den späteren Verwesungsstadien emittiert. Allerdings werden Phenol und 1-Butanol nicht von der Fliege wahrgenommen, da diese ein Generalist ist und nicht zwischen dem geblähten und aktivem Stadium der Verwesung unterscheiden muss. Daher wird zusätzlich die Geruchswahrnehmung des Speckkäfers Dermestes maculans betrachtet. Die Untersuchung anderer necrophager Insekten können weitere Einblicke in die Zeitabhängigkeit der Volatilemissionen während der Vertebratenverwesung geben. Die im Rahmen dieser Arbeit gewonnenen Ergebnisse erlauben eine Korrelation zwischen Emissionen und Leichenliegezeit und können eine Grundlage für eine volatilenbasierte post mortem Zeitbestimmung für Polizeikräfte sein. Terpene, aliphatische Aldehyde, Furfural und Methoxyphenole werden von erhitztem Holz emittiert. Komponenten aus all diesen Stoffklassen werden von M. cuspidata und M. atrata wahrgenommen, da diese Käfer den Erhitzungszustand von Baumstämmen nach einem Feuer erkennen können, um einen geeigneten Ovipositionsplatz zu finden. A. nigricans nimmt vor allem Methoxyphenole wahr, wohingegen M. atrata und M. acuminata Furfural zur Orientierung verwenden. Diese Unterschiede komplementieren das bekannte Verhalten dieser Käfer in ihrer natürlichen Umgebung, da A. nigricans auf verkohlten Stämmen, die große Mengen von Methoxyphenolen emittieren, seine Eier ablegt, und M. atrata und M. cuspidata auf Stämmen ihre Eier ablegen, die vom Feuer zwar äußerlich verkohlt, aber innerlich nur erhitzt wurden und daher Furfural emittieren. Halbleitergassensoren, die Furfural mit einer ausreichenden Selektivität vermessen können, können Holzbrände schon während ansteigender Temperatur und damit vor der Entzündung detektieren. Derartige Sensoren können sowohl als neuartige Frühwarnsysteme für die holzverarbeitende Industrie als auch für Waldbrandwarnsysteme oder den Haushalt dienen.

This thesis consists of one chapter accepted for publication in a book and four papers published in international journals with impact factors. All of the contributions deal with the role of wood ants in energy and nutrient fluxes in forest ecosystems. Wood ant nests are known as hot spots of carbon dioxide (CO2) production and are also thought to affect methane (CH4) flux. Stable high temperatures are maintained in ant nests even in cold environments. This study is focused on quantification of CO2 and CH4 flux in wood ant nests, contribution of ants and microbes to CO2 production, properties of nest material that affect CO2 production and the role of ants and microbes in the maintenance of nest temperature. The research was conducted in temperate and boreal forests inhabited by wood ants (Formica s. str.). Gas fluxes were measured either by an infrared gas analyser or a static chamber technique. Ants and nest materials were also incubated in a laboratory. Material properties potentially influencing CO2 flux, such as moisture, nutrient content or temperature were determined. According to the results, CH4 oxidation was lower in wood ant nests than in the surrounding forest soil suggesting that some characteristics of ant nests hinder CH4 oxidation or promote CH4 production. Wood ant nests clearly are hot...

Dead wood is one of the most important reservoirs associated with forest ecosystems. In natural forests, its volume is counted in hundreds of m3 ha-1 , whereas it reaches only tens of m3 ha-1 in productive commercial forests. In contrast to soil and plant litter, deadwood is unevenly distributed on the forest floor. The specific physicochemical properties such as high content of recalcitrant polymers, low nitrogen level and impermeability negatively affect the rate of decomposition especially in the initial stages of wood deconstruction. The deadwood decomposition is very slow in comparisons with other substrates, it accumulates and thus it represents the important reservoir of nutrients. This thesis is focused on the structure, development and function of microbial (fungal) community in decomposing deadwood in unmanaged forest. Functional screening of fungi isolated from fruit bodies collected from coarse deadwood was set aside. Physico-chemical properties of deadwood including pH, carbon and nitrogen content and microbial biomass were estimated for four wood decomposition stages and three different tree species. New generation sequencing (Illumina MiSeq platform) was applied for fungal community structure analysis based on ITS2 fragment. Fungal functional screening was based on physico-chemical...

The aim of the thesis was to analyze soil microbial communities of three ecologically different locations, about 25 years old, forestry reclaimed dumps in the Republic of Poland, namely dumps of brown coal mine Bełchatów and sand mines Piaseczno and Szczakowa. I evaluated the degree of dependence of structure and composition of these communities on various substrate grain sizes and the influence of the dominant tree species. These were stands of birch (Betula pendula), pine (Pinus silvestris), oak (Quercus robur) and alder (Alnus glutinosa). Analysis of soil microbial communities was made by evaluating specific phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) of microorganisms. It is the most appropriate way to implement the relatively rapid analysis of large numbers of samples, since PLFA are easily extractable and act as biomarkers indicating the presence of a number of different microorganisms (fungi, G- and G + bacteria, Actinobacteria, etc.) and thus allowing a qualitative and quantitative assessment of whole microbial communities. PLFA analysis enables to detect a total concentration of PLFA only in living soil microbial biomass. I analyzed 66 soil samples, 33 from an Oe layer and 33 from an A layer, every in three replications, i.e. three replications were collected at each location below each tree...

The presented thesis investigates the role of bryophytes in the deadwood and carbon (C) cycle of boreal black spruce forests in Labrador, Canada. All major forest C pools (live-tree, standing and downed deadwood, organic layer, mineral soil) were quantified for three old-growth, nine clearcut harvested, and three burned forest stands in order to characterize forest C dynamics of a high-latitude humid boreal forest ecosystem. Tree and aboveground deadwood C dynamics of Labrador black spruce forests were similar to those of drier or warmer boreal forests. However, due to bryophyte-driven processes such as woody debris (WD) burial and paludification, the studied forests contained high organic layer, mineral soil, and buried wood C stocks. The comprehensive field-measured data on C stocks was used to evaluate the CBM-CFS3, a Canadian national-scale C budget model, with respect to its applicability to Labrador black spruce and humid boreal forests elsewhere. After selected biomass estimation and deadwood decay parameters had been adjusted, the CBM-CFS3 represented measured live-tree and aboveground deadwood C dynamics well. The CBM-CFS3 was initially designed for well-drained upland forests and does not reflect processes associated with bryophytes and high forest floor moisture content, thus not capturing the large amounts of buried wood and mineral soil C observed in the studied forests. Suggestions are made for structural changes to the CBM-CFS3 and other forest ecosystem C models to more adequately represent the bryophyte-regulated accumulation of buried wood, organic layer, and mineral soil C. Accuracy of forest C models could be further improved by differentiating WD decomposition rates by disturbance history, because WD respiration reflects disturbance-induced changes in temperature and moisture regimes. In Labrador, WD respiration was limited by low WD moisture levels and high temperatures in burned stands, and by high WD moisture contents and low temperatures in old-growth stands. Following harvesting, residual vegetation prevents the desiccation of WD, resulting in significantly higher WD respiration compared to old-growth and burned stands. Moreover, the bryophyte layer recovers faster following harvest than following fire, which reduces WD desiccation due to moisture retention, water transfer, and moisture-induced cooling and results in higher WD decomposition rates. Bryophytes are thus a key driver of the deadwood and C cycle of humid boreal Labrador black spruce forests. The author recommends to classify these and similar boreal forests as a functional ecosystem group called “humid boreal forests”, preliminarily defined as “boreal forest ecosystems featuring a bryophyte-dominated ground vegetation layer associated with low soil temperatures, high moisture levels, low dead organic matter decomposition rates, and subsequently (in the absence of stand-replacing disturbances) an accumulation of buried wood embedded in a thick organic layer”. Bryophytes are also an integral component of many coniferous forests outside the boreal biome. Bryophyte-regulated processes such as WD burial or paludification are thus likely significant to the global C cycle. The potential climate change-induced release of large amounts of CO2 from buried wood and soil C pools necessitates an increased understanding of how bryophyte productivity and decomposition constraints will change with increasing temperature and varying moisture regimes. Ecosystems such as humid boreal forests with potentially high C losses to the atmosphere may thus be identified and counteractive forest management strategies can be developed and implemented.
Cette thèse de doctorat s’intéresse à l’influence qu’exercent les mousses sur les cycles du bois mort et du carbone (C) dans des pessières noires boréales humides du Labrador, Canada. Toutes les réservoirs majeurs de C (arbres vivants, bois mort sur pied et effondré, l’horizon de matière organique, sol minéral) de trois pessières vierges, neuf coupes à blanc et de trois pessières brûlées ont été quantifiés pour caractériser le cycle du C des forêts humides boréales du nord. Les dynamismes de C des arbres vivants et du bois mort supraterrestre ressemblaient à ceux des forêts boréales plus sèches ou aux températures plus chaudes. À cause des processus régulés par les mousses (l’enterrement du bois mort ou la paludification), les forêts étudiées contenaient des stocks élevés de C au sein de l’horizon de matière organique, le sol minéral et le bois enterré. Les données ont aussi été utilisées pour évaluer le MBC-SFC3, un modèle national canadien du bilan du C, concernant son applicabilité aux pessières boréales humides de Labrador et d’ailleurs. Suite à l’ajustement de quelques paramètres, p.ex. des taux de décomposition, le MBC-SFC3 reproduisait bien le dynamisme mesuré des arbres vivants et du bois mort supraterrestre. Le MBC-SFC3 a initialement été développé pour les sites bien drainés et ne considère pas les processus associés avec les mousses ou l’humidité élevée du sol. Conséquemment, le MBC-SFC3 ne représentait pas les stocks élevés de C mesurés pour le bois enterré et pour le sol. Les modifications structurelles du MBC-SFC3 et d’autres modèles du C forestier sont nécessaires pour représenter adéquatement l’accumulation du C au sein de ces réservoirs. La précision des modèles du C forestier pourrait encore être améliorée par une différenciation des taux de décomposition selon le régime de perturbations, parce que la respiration du bois mort reflète les changements de la température et d’humidité associés avec une perturbation spécifique. Dans les pessières brûlés du Labrador, la respiration du bois mort était limitée par a faible humidité du bois et des températures élevées; dans les pessières vierges, par l’humidité élevée du bois et des températures basses. Dans les coupes à blanc, la végétation résiduelle empêchait le dessèchement du bois mort. Il s’y ensuivit que la respiration du bois mort y est nettement plus élevée en comparaison avec des pessières brûlés ou vierges. La décomposition du bois mort après coupe à blanc est aussi favorisée par la récupération plus rapide de la couche de mousses, diminuant conséquemment le dessèchement du bois mort par la conservation d’humidité, les transports vertical et horizontale d’eau et le refroidissement induit par l’humidité. Ainsi, les mousses sont les facteurs clés dans les cycles du bois mort et du C des pessières noires boréales au Labrador. L’auteur préconise la classification de ces pessières et des forêts semblables comme un groupe fonctionnel d’écosystèmes nommé : « pessières boréales humides » ; provisoirement définies comme « des écosystèmes forestiers avec une végétation terrestre dominée par les mousses et par conséquent associée avec des températures basses du sol, une humidité élevée, des taux de décomposition faibles et (en l’absence de perturbations) l’accumulation du bois enterré dans des couches organiques epaisses ». En outre, les mousses sont des éléments principaux des nombreuses forêts résineuses n’appartenant pas au biome boréal. Les processus régulés par les mousses tels l’enterrement du bois mort ou la paludification sont probablement importants pour le cycle global de C. La libération potentielle de grandes quantités de CO2 des réservoirs « bois enterré » et « sol » à la suite des changements climatiques exige une meilleure compréhension des transformations de la productivité des mousses et des limitations de la décomposition dues aux températures plus élevées et au taux d’humidités variables. Ainsi, les écosystèmes aux pertes potentielles de C élevées (p.ex. les pessières boréales humides) peuvent être identifiés et des mesures d’aménagement antagonistes peuvent être développées et implémentées. Traduction assistée par : Karl-Heinrich von Bothmer, Géry van der Kelen
Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht die Einflüsse von Moosen auf den Totholz- und Kohlenstoff-(C)-Kreislauf in borealen Schwarzfichtenwäldern in Labrador, Kanada. Um den C-Kreislauf dieses humiden borealen Waldökosystems zu charakterisieren, wurden alle bedeutenden C-Speicher (lebende Bäume, stehendes und liegendes Totholz, organische Auflage, Mineralboden) von drei Primärwald-, neun Kahlschlags- und drei Brandflächen quantifiziert. Die C-Dynamiken der Bäume und des oberiridischen Totholzes der Untersuchungsflächen ähnelten denen von trockeneren und/oder wärmeren borealen Wäldern, während die organische Auflage, der Mineralboden und das begrabene Totholz bedingt durch von Moosen regulierte Prozesse wie Totholzeinlagerung und Paludifizierung besonders hohe C-Vorräte aufwiesen. Mit dem umfangreichen C-Datensatz wurde das CBM-CFS3, das nationale kanadische C-Modell, am Beispiel Labradors im Hinblick auf seine Anwendbarkeit in humiden borealen Wäldern evaluiert. Nach Anpassung ausgewählter Parameter, z.B. der Totholzabbauraten, wurden die gemessenen C-Dynamiken der Bäume und des oberiridischen Totholzes vom Modell abgebildet. Das CBM-CFS3 wurde ursprünglich für staunässefreie, terrestrische Waldstandorte entwickelt und berücksichtigt keine mit Moosen oder hoher Bodenfeuchte assoziierten Prozesse, so dass es die hohen C-Vorräte des begrabenen Totholzes und des Bodens nicht widerspiegelte. Eine adäquate Abbildung der Akkumulation von C in diesen Speichern erfordert strukturelle Änderungen des CBM-CFS3 und anderer Wald-C-Modelle. Die Genauigkeit von Wald-C-Modellen könnte darüber hinaus durch eine Differenzierung der Totholzabbauraten in Abhängigkeit vom Störungsregime verbessert werden, da störungsspezifische Veränderungen von Temperatur und Feuchte von der Totholzatmung widergespiegelt werden. Im Untersuchungsgebiet limitierten geringe Holzfeuchten und hohe Holztemperaturen die Totholzatmung auf Brandflächen. In Primärwäldern wirkten dagegen hohe Holzfeuchten und geringe Holztemperaturen hemmend. Auf Kahlschlägen verhinderte die verbleibende Vegetation die Austrockung des Totholzes, was zu signifikant erhöhten Atmungsraten im Vergleich zu Brand- und Primärwaldflächen führte. Zudem wird der Totholzabbau auf Kahlschlen durch eine schnellere Erholung der Moosdecke als auf Brandflächen gefördert, da Moose durch ihr hohes Wasserspeichervermögen, vertikalen und horizontalen Wassertransport und feuchte-induzierte Kühlung der Austrockung des Totholzes entgegenwirken. Moose sind somit ein Schlüsselfaktor im Totholz- und C-Kreislauf der humiden borealen Schwarzfichtenwälder Labradors. Die Autorin empfiehlt die Klassifikation dieser und ähnlicher borealer Wälder als eine funktionelle Ökosystemgruppe namens “humid boreal forests”; vorläufig definiert als “boreale Waldökosysteme mit durch Moose dominierter Bodenvegetation und damit assoziierten niedrigen Bodentemperaturen, hohen Bodenfeuchten, geringen Abbauraten und (in Abwesenheit großflächiger Störungen) der Akkumulation von begrabenem Totholz in mächtigen organischen Auflagen”. Auch außerhalb des borealen Bioms sind Moose ein wesentlicher Bestandteil vieler Nadelwälder. Durch Moose regulierte Prozesse wie Totholzeinlagerung und Paludifizierung sind daher wahrscheinlich relevant für den globalen C-Kreislauf. Die durch den Klimawandel bedingte potentielle Freisetzung von großen Mengen CO2 aus begrabenem Totholz und dem Boden macht ein besseres Verständnis der zu erwartenden Veränderungen von Mooswachstum und Abbauhemmnissen als Folge erhöhter Temperaturen und variabler Feuchteverhältnisse erforderlich. Somit können Ökosysteme mit potentiell hohen C-Verlusten, wie z.B. humide boreale Wälder, identifiziert und diesen entgegenwirkende Bewirtschaftungsmaßnahmen entwickelt und umgesetzt werden.