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Mean tree ring width (µm) for resin tapped and control pines. Orange bold line—tree ring width of resin tapped trees, gray line—tree ring width of control trees
Source publication
Key message
After 5–6 decades since inflicting resin tapping wounds, overmature (> 120 years old) Pinus sylvestris stems remain undecayed and vigorous.
Abstract
Overmature trees of Pinus sylvestris bearing large wounds made by resin tapping decades ago are still present in woodlands of south-eastern Baltic Sea region. The aim of the present study...
Citations
... While tapped trees occasionally matched untapped growth rates, the cumulative effects of tapping led to long-term growth reductions, as observed in Pinus sylvestris in Sweden (Zaluma et al., 2022). Growth imbalance, with narrower rings on tapped sides, mirrors findings from other studies (Zeng et al., 2021). ...
... mm²). This discrepancy highlights the long-term impact of resin extraction on tree vitality, consistent with findings from studies on other pine species, such as Pinus sylvestris in Sweden (Zaluma et al., 2022;García-Méijome et al., 2023;Duchesne and Moore, 2021). ...
... García Iruela et al. (2016) found an increment of 25% in the density of resin-tapped wood with very long extraction times (for 25 years and with 5-side resin-tapped wood). Moreover, the same has been observed in other coniferous species with long-term resin-tapping process, such as Pinus sylvestris for 50-60 years (Zaluma et al. 2022). In this work, when specimens with resin marks were considered, 4% increase of mean density was found in the 1RT-I group and 7% in 2 RT-I I, with a mean and standard deviation of 589.5 ± [59.3] kg/m 3 and 608.8 ± [75.6] kg/m 3 , respectively. ...
Unlike the conventional resin tapping processes throughout long periods of time or the complete life of the trees, in which the cellular and physical–mechanical characteristics of the whole wood could be modified, the resin tapping system, only in the last years before the ideal-timber cutting shift, shows no significant influence on some physical–mechanical timber properties. Samples of one-face and two-face resin-tapped trees were compared with samples of untapped tress. Using wood density as a reference property in solid wood and after checking the normality of the samples, no significant differences were observed. Therefore, according to the results of this work, the tapping process in the last three years combined with timber logging should not affect or limit its use as solid wood. For a better adjustment in the study, untapped wood and wood from resin tapping logs of the furthest (upper) and closest (lower) part from the tapping area were compared. The wood density mean values were, respectively for the upper and lower areas: 557 kg/m³ and 570 kg/m³ for one-face resin-tapped wood; 567 kg/m³ and 564 kg/m³ for two-face resin-tapped wood; and 556 kg/m³ and 560 kg/m³ for untapped wood. The tapping techniques used in the study are identified as common extract methods, and, according to the results, adequate added value with multifunctional forest use without a potential depreciation in the mechanical properties was found.
... The only parts taken out are the phloem and bark. The grooves range in height from 2 to 3 cm and measure around one-third of the tree's girth in length (Zaluma et al., 2022) [23] . [24,25] involve collecting the oleoresin in a sealed receiver. ...
... The only parts taken out are the phloem and bark. The grooves range in height from 2 to 3 cm and measure around one-third of the tree's girth in length (Zaluma et al., 2022) [23] . [24,25] involve collecting the oleoresin in a sealed receiver. ...
Resin tapping in pine trees, a practice with deep historical roots, has significant ecological, economic, and social impacts. This review explores various resin tapping techniques, from traditional methods to modern innovations, and their effects on trees and forest ecosystems. It highlights resin's role as a vital raw material for numerous industries, underscoring its economic importance. Additionally, the article examines the societal benefits of resin tapping, such as job creation, community development, and cultural preservation. It further illustrates diverse resin-tapping methods and emphasizes the necessity of sustainable forest management. These examples show how resin extraction can be conducted in an environmentally responsible manner, balancing resource use with ecosystem health. By analyzing both the benefits and challenges of resin tapping, the review provides a comprehensive understanding of its multifaceted impacts, offering insights into best practices that support both economic growth and ecological sustainability.
... The low wood density of hybrid aspens, particularly when ramets are young (less than 10 years), facilitates frost cracking as trees grow older [6,7]. Bark wounds can serve as a gateway for fungal infections, which reduce timber quality and stored carbon, thus affecting field performance and sustainability of stands, e.g., [8][9][10][11][12]. Nevertheless, studies on the occurrence and pathogenicity of fungi in hybrid aspen stand in association with frost cracks are very limited despite the high occurrence of frost cracks [5]. ...
... Each tree core without the bark layer was split into approx. 8 cm long pieces, and, after sterilization by flame, each piece was individually placed in a 9 cm plastic Petri dish with Hagem agar media (5 g glucose, 0.5 g NH 4 NO 3 , 0.5 g MgSO 4 7H 2 O, 5 g malt extract, 20 g agar, 1000 mL distilled H 2 O at pH 5.5) and incubated at room temperature [9,10,12,27]. Plated cores were examined every three days, and all morphologically distinct fungi were isolated to pure cultures. Fungal cultures were identified or sorted by their growth morphologies using a Leica DM 4000B (100× magnitude) microscope (Leica, Wetzlar, Germany). ...
... Fungal cultures were identified or sorted by their growth morphologies using a Leica DM 4000B (100× magnitude) microscope (Leica, Wetzlar, Germany). Considering that Basidiomycetes and Ascomycetes may not form characteristic structures (e.g., conidia) under the laboratory conditions, thus being morphologically unidentifiable, fungal ITS region sequencing, which is a universal method, was used for the identification [10,12,28,29]. The mycelium of a representative isolate of each unidentified morphotype was collected from the surface of the media by a sterilized scalpel and stored in a 2 mL Eppendorf tube for molecular identification. ...
Hybrid aspen Populus tremula L. × Populus tremuloides Michx. is fast-growing and a potential source of biomass for bioenergy production in Europe. However, knowledge about the phytopathological risks to hybrid aspen clones, particularly about frost crack damage as a possible infection gateway of fungal infections, is scarce. Five clones, represented by 205 trees from three trials in Latvia, were studied; two wood samples (at root collar and 1.3 m height) were obtained from each tree. Wood-inhabiting fungi were isolated and identified by the morphology and sequencing of the ITS region with fungal-specific primers, and fungal communities were compared using PERMANOVA. Fungal communities from trees with stem cracks were richer in species, especially pathogens, and species richness was higher in samples collected at 1.3 m height. Plant pathogens were isolated from 52% of all samples. Soft rot-causing Alternaria and Fusarium were dominant; Alternaria was more common at the height of 1.3 m, while Fusarium was more common at the root collar. White rot fungi were isolated from less than 2% of all samples, indicating a low degree of tree infection in the 15- to 16-year-old plantations. Clonal differences were not significant for fungal communities in general; nevertheless, for the occurrence of the genus Cladosporium, clonal differences were observed. In conclusion, the differences in fungal communities in relation to stem cracks implied only indirect clonal effects on phytopathological risks, emphasizing the resistance to stem cracking as a crucial trait for the sustainability of hybrid aspen plantations.
... In addition to these four species, P. pinaster is widely used in the Iberian Peninsula and France (Picardo, 2013;Palma et al., 2016), P. oocarpa in Mexico (Reyes-Ramos et al., 2019), P. roxburghii in India (Sharma et al., 2018a), P. kesiya also in China (Wang et al., 2015), P. nigra ssp. laricio in Corsica (Rezzi et al., 2005), P.caribaea in Brazil and Malaysia (Jantan and Ahmad, 1999), P. sylvestris in north Europe and Slovenia (Rissanen et al., 2021;Zaluma et al., 2022) and P. halepensis in Greece and Tunisia (Aloui et al., 2022;Papadopoulos, 2013). Some hybrids between some of these species are also used for resin-tapping in different countries (Liu et al., 2022). ...
... In addition, the major source of wood resins today is as a byproduct from the kraft pulping process (Aro and Fatehhi 2017). Furthermore, synthetic substitutes have replaced natural resins due to lower cost and easier production, and therefore the tapping procedure was abandoned (Coppen et al. 1995;Tomusiak and Magnuszewski 2009;Soliño et al. 2018;Zaluma et al. 2022). ...
... The procedure was repeated several times every week, leading to the formation of parallel scars located 1 to 1.5 cm away from each other. Resin harvesting was performed for several years in the chosen trees and then, following the formal forestry regulations, the tree had to be cut down (Zaluma et al. 2022). However, in European forests a large number of such trees have remained uncut through many years after the procedure. ...
... There are studies that have shown that tree physiology and defense mechanisms might be altered to a certain extent in the stands used for natural product acquisition (e.g., Rodríguez-García et al. 2014). However, other authors demonstrate that there is little or no influence of resin tapping on tree growth and development (Velkov and Kaludin 1970;Zaluma et al. 2022). These discrepancies may be due to difficulties linked with field studies and the fact that even individual trees in particular stand may not be subjected to equal conditions. ...
This study was conducted in Central Europe (Poland) in pine forests that were subjected to the process of resin harvesting in the 1970s. Forty trees were designated for the study, which had one or two resin blazes. The objectives of the experiment were to determine the effect of resin tapping on the changes in annual growth, wood density, and mechanical strength of wood in the damaged trees. Resin tapping affected the development dynamics, especially in trees with a single resin blaze. In addition, bark cutting affected wood density over the cross-section. However, no significant variation was found in terms of the mechanical properties of wood, which may support the theory of adaptive tree growth and optimization of tree’s structure to its functions.
... Sobre el impacto del aprovechamiento resinero sobre las interacciones entre los pinos y sus enemigos naturales la información es todavía más limitada (Zevgolis et al., 2022;Zaluma et al., 2022). A nivel teórico, es bien conocido que los pinos son capaces de responder a agresiones externas desencadenando un amplio abanico de respuestas defensivas que protegen al árbol y evitan que el ataque prospere. ...
Buscando dar respuesta a la inquietud existente sobre la com-patibilidad de la producción de madera y resina en los pinares atlánticos, dentro del proyecto ACREMA hemos analizado el efecto de la resinación durante varios años seguidos sobre la calidad de la madera y sobre el crecimiento, la reproducción y la sanidad de los árboles. Los resultados sugieren un mínimo impacto del apro-vechamiento resinero sobre las principales funciones del árbol. En particular, el impacto sobre el crecimiento y sobre la inversión defensiva y reproductiva son pequeños y no siempre en sentido negativo. Con este trabajo aportamos conocimientos sólidos que pueden ser importantes para que el sector resinero resurja con fuerza y contribuya al desarrollo económico y social de zonas ru-rales en riesgo de despoblamiento.
... Our observations in the field showed that the bigger the tree, the more tapping holes were found. Zaluma et al. (2022) revealed that if a pine tree is tapped for a long time, especially if there are too many holes, the tree's health will decrease and it will be susceptible to pathogens. Trees that are tapped for too long with too many tapping holes may be not only weak against pathogen attack but also have weak resistance to fire. ...
Forest fires are not solely determined by the quantity and quality of plant debris as fuel, but also influenced by some extrinsic factors. This study aims to examine the effect of some factors (slopes, tree density, and tree basal area) on the intensity of forest fires. The study was conducted in a 1 ha (100m x 100m) plot in the Pinus merkusii plantation 10 months after the fire. The plot was divided into 10 m x 10 m subplots, therefore there were 100 subplots. Each tree over 5 cm in diameter found in the plot was numbered consecutively, recorded its species name, measured its diameter, and determined whether it was alive or dead. The slope level in each subplot was measured. Multiple regression analysis was used to detect the influence of slope level, tree density, and basal area on the number of dead trees in each subplot. Results show that slopes, tree density, and basal area influenced proportionally the intensity of forest fires (R2 = 0,507; p<0.05). However, when the partial analysis was applied to detect the influence of each class factor, not all of the classes were found significant. These results reveal that there are several other factors not measured in this study that also influence fire intensity, which we suspect are tapping holes and tree diameter.
... Pine resin tapping in Poland was conducted intensively after World War II, reaching a peak in the 1960s-1970s. About 15,000-20,000 tons of resin were tapped per year in Poland, mostly from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), which was also commonly tapped for resin in other European countries [1][2][3][4]. Over time, the mass cultivation of more productive pines in other regions of the world caused resin-tapping activities to cease in the Central European area, although in Western Europe, Pinus pinaster Aiton is still being resin-tapped (RT) [5]. ...
... Wounding pine trees at around 70% of their circumference must force an incremental response in the life bands that occupy the remaining 30%. This is logical and has also been confirmed by other studies, such as that of Zaluma et al. [4] in Latvia, where RT pines showed wider growths after resin tapping than the control trees. Other authors have also reported a similar phenomenon [3,37]. ...
The resin tapping of pine trees in Poland ended in the early 1990s. However, we can still find individual trees, and sometimes larger groups of trees, that were tapped. This study focused on the effect of the mechanical wounding of trees during resin tapping on the growth and climatic sensitivity of pine trees. The study concerned a 160-year-old pine stand in northwestern Poland in which resin tapping was last performed in the 1970s. All the trees had remained standing because of their high quality, which had destined them for seed collection. The stand included both resin-tapped (RT) and non-RT (NRT) trees. Our study was based on a dendrochronological analysis of two signals—annual tree ring widths (TRWs) and their delta blue intensity (DBI). We observed a significant increase in annual TRW after resin tapping had ceased, alongside a decrease in the DBI. The temporal stability in growth response was examined using daily climatic correlations from 1921 to 2021. It was found that the climatic sensitivity of RT and NRT pines was similar. There were differences in only some of the years, most while resin tapping was occurring, and then approximately 20 years after the resin tapping had ceased. However, these were small differences that mainly related to the strength of the correlation. It was also discovered that we can obtain different types of information from the study of TRWs and DBI.
... Indeed, previous works have shown a negative impact of tapping on pine growth (Chen et al., 2015;Papadopoulos, 2013). The tapping, however, has been reported to alter radial growth only along the damaged portion of the stem and stimulate the growth of its intact part (van der Maaten et al., 2017;Zaluma et al., 2022). No effect on yearly growth changes and response to climate variability has been reported for maritime pine (Génova et al., 2014). ...
The extensive radioactive fallout resulting from the 1986 Chornobyl accident caused tree death near the nuclear power plant and perturbed trees communities throughout the whole Chornobyl exclusion zone. Thirty years into the post-accident period, the radiation continues to exert its fatal effects on the surviving trees. However, to what extent the continuous multi-decadal radiation exposure has affected the radial tree growth and its sensitivity to climate variation remains unascertained. In this comparative study, we measure the Scots pine radial growth and quantify its response to climate at two sites along the western track of the nuclear fallout that received significantly different doses of radiation in 1986. The common features of the two sites allow us to disentangle and intercompare the effects of sub-lethal and moderate radiation doses on the pine's growth and climatic sensitivity. We extend the response function analysis by making the first use of the Full-Duration at Half-Maximum FDHM method in dendrochronology and apply the double-moving window approach to detect the main patterns of the growth-to-climate relationships and their temporal evolution. The stand exposed to sub-lethal radiation shows a significant radial growth reduction in 1986 with a deflection period of one year. The stand exposed to moderate radiation, in contrast, demonstrates no significant decrease in growth either in 1986 or in the following years. Beyond the radiation effects, the moving response function and FDHM enabled us to detect several mutual patterns in the growth-to-climate relationships, which are seemingly unrelated to the nuclear accident. To advance our predictive understanding of the response of forest ecosystems to a massive radioactive contamination, future studies should include quantitative wood anatomy techniques.
