CWD

Question 1

What is an important feature of dead wood?

Answer 1

Structural component of forest and stream ecosystems, even estuaries and oceans.
(dead wood in forests finds its way to ocean as logs or dissolved OM)
- positively correlated to biodiversity and ecosystem processes
- provides habitat for a broad array of organisms
- key role in energy flow and nutrient cycling
- influences soil sediment transport and storage

Question 2

What do organisms use dead wood for?

Answer 2

• Shelter
• Feeding substrate
• Breeding
• rearing offspring
• nurse logs

Question 3

Where does most diversity come from in coastal forests?

Answer 3

Bryophytes, fungi and lichen, all of which depend on dead wood.

Question 4

What function does woody debris play in streams?

Answer 4

creates pool/riffle complex that creates optimum salmon habitat.

Question 5

What defines CWD?

Answer 5

dead, non self supporting wody material in various stages of decomposition, located above soil.

• greater than 7.5 - 10cm diameter
• downed logs and upturned stumps
• rotting or sound wood
• not necessarily in contact with FF

Question 6

How is CWD sampled for?

Answer 6

Line Intersect method

Question 7

What are the 2 different strata for line intersect CWD samples?

Answer 7

• round, semi round pieces

- odd shaped pieces and accumulations

Question 8

What is an important measurement to take doing CWD surveys?

Answer 8

slope of piece and slope of ground

Question 9

What are the different transects that can be down with line intersect?

Answer 9

Triangles (3 x 30m for fuel loading)
L shape (2 x 24m for VRI sampling)
this is because CWD is often clumped or oriented in a certain direction due to yarding.

Question 10

What are line intersects based on?

Answer 10

horizontal length (correct for slope)

Question 11

What is done to ensure low bias while having some order to your sample?

Answer 11

Systematic points of origin, random direction

Question 12

Where is diameter measured on a transect?

Answer 12

at the transect intersection, perpendicular to length

-measure each time the piece crosses

Question 13

if wood is tilted up, how does it affect sampling probability?

Answer 13

less than 10-15 degrees or 2-4%

Question 14

When would length be important to measure?

Answer 14

if you are trying to determine pieces/ha or avreage length.

Question 15

DECAY CLASSES***

Answer 15

need to make card***

Question 16

What are the decay classes? how are they differentiated?

Answer 16

Classes go from 1-5 1=intact hard 5=many small pieces w/ soft portions
differentiated by wood texture, portion on ground, twigs over 3cm, bark, shape, invading roots.