Article

 

Lean in red alder (Alnus rubra): growth stress, tension wood, and righting response Public Deposited

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/8c97kq936

Descriptions

Attribute NameValues
Creator
Abstract
  • Natural stands and a 3-year-old plantation of red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) trees were used to study the incidence of leaning stems, the level of growth stresses and tension wood formation, and the ability of the stems to right themselves to vertical. Overall, 10% of the 512 trees in 10 natural stands leaned <22°. The largest diameter trees on the steepest slopes leaned most. Most (61%) of the trees curved upward, showing a righting response. For samples without tension wood, growth stress levels on the upper side of leaning stems, but not on the lateral or lower sides, were positively correlated with lean angles above 6°. These leaning stems had a significant righting response without tension wood. Tension wood formation was variable at leans from 9° to 26° both within and among trees, but was correlated with eccentric growth rings. We measured stem recovery in the year-old stem of 3-year-old trees bent to angles of 0-37.5°. During the 5-month experiment all stems righted to near vertical. Tension wood formed on the upper side in stems bent >6°, but reversed to the lower side before reaching vertical in 22 of 30 trees.
  • Keywords: growth strain, reaction wood
Resource Type
DOI
Date Available
Date Issued
Citation
  • Brayton F. Wilson, and Barbara L. Gartner. 1996. Lean in red alder (Alnus rubra): growth stress, tension wood, and righting response. Can. J. For. Res. 26: 1951-1956.
Journal Title
Journal Volume
  • 26
Journal Issue/Number
  • 11
Academic Affiliation
Rights Statement
Publisher
Peer Reviewed
Language
Replaces

Relationships

Parents:

This work has no parents.

Items