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Dear All, Jan 4, 2015
Having mentioned leaving wood for insects reminded me of something that
I have intended to comment on for some years.
About 10 years ago I felled and chunked a large dead poplar that was
leaning over the road and by chance two pieces that I moved off of the road
were left with a cut surface facing up. Within about 2-3 years those two
pieces, which had been placed on end, had a good growth of leafy liverwort
on the exposed cut surface [now largely replaced by a felt of moss
gametophytes] whereas much of the surface of chunks resting on one side is
still relatively free of growth.
I suspect this rapid invasion of the cut surface by liverworts reflects
better regularity of water supply, more water captured by the cut end and
then moved up to the surface by capillary movement up xylem elements, as
opposed to a reduced chance of a germinating spore being flushed off of the
cut surface by rain.
If one had time to burn it would be interesting to set porous surfaces
out, wood or artificial, and see what invaded the potential habitat.
Yt, DW, Kentville
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