Decay of Sitka spruce on the Queen Charlotte Islands / : Studies in forest pathology

In 1946 Bier and Nobles (2) described brown pocket rot of Sitka spruce and, on the basis of constant association of the fungus with the decay and of the identity of cultures obtained from spores and context of the fruiting bodies and from the decayed wood, concluded that it was caused by Lentinus Kauffmanii. [...] The size of the areas varied in accordance with local con- ditions, such as area of the patch of timber felled, width of the cutting strips, and location of creeks and roads. [...] It is pointed out that in the absence of sporophores it was not possible in many instances to distinguish the different brown trunk rots from the appearance of the decays on the ends of logs. [...] In the overmature forests investigated it would appear that the principle of the survival of the fittest has been in progress for many years, and it was these survivors which formed the basis of this investigation. [...] Because of the predominance of one or two age classes in all stands investigated, it was felt that with some experience it would be feasible to place the trees into broad age classes on the basis of the size of the trees, appearance of the bark, and form of the crown.