Anatomical growth response of Fagus sylvatica L. to landslide movements

0570885 - ÚSMH 2024 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Šilhán, K. - Balek, Jan - Hartvich, Filip - Klimeš, Jan - Blahůt, Jan - Hampel, F.
Anatomical growth response of Fagus sylvatica L. to landslide movements.
Science of the Total Environment. Roč. 867, APR 1 2023 (2023), č. článku 161554. ISSN 0048-9697. E-ISSN 1879-1026
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA22-12522S
Institutional support: RVO:67985891
Keywords : Dendrogeomorphology * Landslide dating * Tree anatomy * Landslide monitoring
OECD category: Geology
Impact factor: 9.8, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161554

Determining the age of landslide events is crucial for determining landslide risk, triggers, and also for predicting future landslide occurrence. Currently, the most accurate method for dating historical landslide events is dendrogeomorphic analysis. Unfortunately, the standard use of macroscopic growth responses of damaged trees for dating landslide activ-ity suffers from many shortcomings. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyze in detail the growth response of trees to landslide movements at the anatomical level, a completely groundbreaking methodological approach. Ten specimens of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) were analyzed at two sampling heights, growing in two morphologically con-trasting zones of the landslide area. Detailed anatomical analysis was focused on changes in morphometric parameters of the vessels and in the number of radial rays. The period (2008-2012) with the occurrence of the largest landslide movement (2010) recorded by long-term monitoring was analyzed. The results obtained revealed different anatomical responses in trees growing in different morphological zones of landslide. The tree responses on the ridge corresponded to the manifestations of tension wood formation, which corresponded to the stem tilting due to the landslide block movement. In the case of the trees in the trenches, root damage due to the subsidence of the landslide block blocked the flux of phytohormones, and their accumulation caused a significant reduction in the parameters of vessels and an increase in the number of rays. The study also includes recommendations in the future application of anatomical anal-yses in landslide research resulting from the obtained results. Thus, the obtained findings will improve the acquisition of chronological data for the purpose of landslide risk assessment.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0342236