The role of root system in silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) dieback in the air-polluted area of Krušné hory Mts

O. Mauer and E. Palátová
Additional contact information
O. Mauer: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
E. Palátová: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Brno, Czech Republic

Journal of Forest Science, 2003, vol. 49, issue 5, 191-199

Abstract: 120 root systems and trunks of 20 years old birch trees and 60 root systems and trunks of 15 years old birch trees affected by defoliation and with no visual symptoms of damage were analyzed in the air-polluted area of Krušné hory Mts. In the given area, birch develops a superficial or anchoring root system of circular shape. A greater effect of defoliation was recorded in trees with the superficial root system. The defoliation was in correlation with the extent of bole rot, root system rot and rooting depth. The proportion of root system branches infested by rot increased with increasing defoliation. Dominating fungi on roots were Armillaria gallica and Armillaria ostoyae. The degree of defoliation was directly proportional to the extent of bole rot induced by Trametes confragosa and Armillaria gallica, infecting frost ribs in the trunks. Extensive defoliation was recorded if more than 25% of peripheral tissues of the trunk and over 15% of root system branches were infected by rot. The defoliated trees showed a marked loss of fine roots, impaired longevity of fine roots and a change of ectomycorrhiza into ectendomycorrhiza.

Keywords: Betula pendula Roth; root system; air pollution; bole rot; root rot; mycorrhiza (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2003
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4693-JFS.html (text/html)
http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4693-JFS.pdf (application/pdf)
free of charge

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:49:y:2003:i:5:id:4693-jfs

DOI: 10.17221/4693-JFS

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Forest Science is currently edited by Mgr. Ilona Procházková

More articles in Journal of Forest Science from Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Ivo Andrle ().