Jessica Alone

[the-warmest-hands]

I am now ISA certified, hurray!

This does not mean I am any more of an arborist than I was 24h ago lol. I have the same knowledge. It's just that I applied the knowledge to taking a test and now I've taken and passed the test. But I am now ready to begin learning more. Yay!

[the-warmest-hands]

Ch 12 - Tree assessment and risk management

Air excavation device - device used to clear soil around roots to look at roots

basal rot - fungal bodies forming near root crown

bracket - ? something to do with branch? a type of fruiting body

brown rot - fungus that eats cellulose and looks like powder? looks like bricks/cubes because the lignin is left behind.

causation in fact - ???????????

cavity - a hole in the heartwood/xylem

codominant stem - competing equally sized stems that are at an acute angle relative to each other

conk - fungal growth on wood; saprophytic polypore

decay detection device - resistograph? boring instrument to determine location and severity of rot inside trunk/stem

duty of care - ???"obligation to remedy something that is a problem/could be a problem" -- nate

failure potential - probability of tree breaking wrt structure, proximity to other things, env conditions, etc

fruiting body - sign that there is rot - mushroom

heartwood rot - center of the tree rots

included bark - secondary growth growing over bark because the branches are growing at a very acute angle and both have secondary growth

increment borer - resistograph again?

liability - danger potential

load - weight of branches

mitigation - to prevent or try to prevent failures

negligence - not doing mitigation

proximate cause - ?? secondary cause of failure

reaction wood - growth in response to a cut or other external factors

resonance testing - use sound wave to see inside the tree idfk

risk assessment - looking at tree/env to determine possible risk

risk management - knowing the possible risk and taking measures to prevent

root collar excavation - my fave thing

sapwood rot - idk ive never seen this

soft rot - idk mushiness?

standard of care - idk

structural defect - something about the branching that will or does already cause problems

taper - amount of size difference btwn the start and end of a branch

target - something that can be damaged by tree failure

tomogram - ?

visual tree assessment - look at tree and consider how it could fail/look for issues

white rot - the one where the fungus eats the lignin? where it becomes cubes? i can never remember which is which white = powder. it does eat lignin.

---

sapwood rot is seen as many small fruiting bodies on a branch

resonance testing is you hit the suspected decayed thing with a hammer and listen to the sound. we've done this at tree training!

increment borer is a thing that takes a core sample of the trunk. this seems like an invitation for decay if there isnt already some lol

tomogram is a picture of decay inside tree, made by movement of sound inside the tree.

oh and load is how much crap a tree can handle (wind, rain, weight, etc). at some point the load will cause failure.

standard of care is what a reasonable person would do to care for the tree. if you do less than that standard then you could be sued.

[the-warmest-hands]

Chapter 9 - Tree support and lightning protection

7-strand common grade cable - idk the gauge of cable for cabling limbs?

air terminal - not sure what this refers to

aircraft cable - uh

amon-eye nut - the nut put on the rod to keep branches from splitting? i forgot what this is

anchor hardware - the thing you screw into the limb that you then attach the cable to

bend radius - uh

cable aid - the soft cushiony thing around the cable? idk

fuckit im just gonna fail that chapter. in my opinion cabling trees is stupid and is like when people try to tie their leggy/floppy plants to the fence. i hope i never have to cable a tree.

Chapter 10 - Diagnosis and Plant Disorders

abiotic disorder - a problem not caused by a living thing (ie virus or bacteria or fungus); usually refers to an environmental condition

acute - sudden, noticeable

aerobic - oxygenated

allelopathy - when the plant puts out a substance to make growing conditions undesirable for other plants

biotic disorder - problem caused by a living thing (see above)

blight - virus causing leaves to deform (actually i dont know the exact definition of a blight)

canker - an oozing area caused by beetle or other pest?

chlorosis - nitrogen deficiency exhibited by yellowing around the veins

chronic - repetitive / re-occuring

complex - ? need more context for this one

decay - when the tissue starts to decompose and fungus starts to eat it

defoliation - loss of leaves

dieback - necrosis starting from the edges of the plant inward

frass - insect poop

frost crack - cracking in limbs or trunk from extremes in temperature

gall - growth that the tree or plant produces in response to an insect embedding their egg in the plant, to try and encapsulate the insect away from the other tissue

gummosis - ok i dont know this word

honeydew - sticky syrup produced by aphids that other insects like

infectious - issue that can spread

leaf blotch - idk blotches on leaves

necrosis - dying of plant tissue

nematode - microorganism that could be good or bad

noninfectious - issue that will not spread

pathogen - the thing causing the problem

physiological disorder - a disorder that makes you look bad

phytotoxicity - poisonous to plants

powdery mildew - fungus that exhibits its spores as white powder

rust - fungus that exhibits its spores as red powder :)

scorch - when the sun fries the plant cells

sign - an indication that there is a problem

skeletonized - everything is gone except the veins

sooty mold - the fungus that appears as black powder :)

stunting - growth is greatly diminished

symptom - a reaction of the plant that indicates that there is a problem

systemic - it is inside the plant (the call is coming from inside the house)

tree stress - when the tree is stressed and shows it by looking sickly

trunk flare - the part where the trunk turns into the roots which is very susceptible to being buried and rotting

vascular discoloration - ????

vector - a thing that can spread a disease

wilt - decreased turgidity of leaf/stem

witch's broom - stunted growth caused by something. virus? idk.

---

yknow i am actually very interested in plant pathology. HOWEVER i do not believe in the ways of the sprays.

gummosis is when sap starts eking out

[the-warmest-hands]

Chapter 8 - Pruning

im gonna be angry at this chapter

ANSI A300 - no idea what this is antigibberellin - ok i know gibberellin is a plant hormone controlling growth, fruiting, and all the other shit that plants do :). so i will assume that antigibberellin is some human-created thing to prevent the plant from making gibberellins apical control - the fact that the apical meristem always grows with apical dominance? branch bark ridge - the line that forms to show the separation from branch from another - do not cut into this branch collar - the area where meristematic cells can help heal over whatever wounds branch protection zone - see above codominant stem - two stems equal in size that are right next to each other and neither is dominant. this causes potential for breaking / poor union/included bark thus breaking compartmentilization - the ability of plant to separate wound/pathogen from the rest of the healthy tissue crown cleaning - removing dead limbs from canopy espalier - shaping plant into a flat/screen type shape frond - part of a fern heading - type of pruning cut that results in bushy weak growth included bark - when there is not enough space between two branches and bark gets trapped in the union and potentially causes decay and/or invites pathogen internodal - btwn nodes lateral - coming off the main stem leader - the most vertically dominant stem of the plant lion tailing - a bad form of pruning where all the interior growth/branches are removed, leaving all the foliage and weight on the ends of the branches. permanent branch - ummm a branch that is meant to remain there for the life of the plant? like one of the main structural ones? plant growth regulator - hormones or artificial thing that mimic hormones ugh i forgot what this is actually pollarding - cutting back to a stub annually to maintain a certain size or height raising - removing weight off branches and/or low foliage in order to lift the canopy, usually for clearance reduction - to cut a branch or stem back to a smaller side shoot and allow energy to be redirected to that side shoot reduction cut - making the cut to reduce restoration - whatever you think this means :) scaffold branch - main structural branch off the main trunk structural pruning - pruning based on creating space between branches to promote good tree form and balance, and to mitigate any potential branch failure subordinate - uhhh? the smaller branch that is being reduced to? i need more context temporary branch - a branch anticipated for future removal but left on tree for now to keep generating energy and helping the tree grow thinning - de-densify the canopy by combination of reduction and removal cuts topping - using heading cuts to chop off the top whatever inches/ft of canopy utility pruning - usually terrible pruning involving topping in order to create clearance for utility lines or structures vista pruning - rich people who dont want their views blocked by trees will chop the tree :) watersprout - vertical growth off a branch; usually a sign of plant needing more light and/or being pissed it's been pruned a certain way wound dressing - unnecessary obsolete recommendation for pruning cuts

---

ANSI A300 is the standards for tree pruning

[the-warmest-hands]

Chapter 7 - Installation and Establishment

balled and burlapped - the roots are wrapped up in a burlap ball

bare root - the roots are exposed / not in dirt / could temporarily be in woodshavings for moisture retention reasons

container grown - grown in container, potentially rootbound and shitty

containerized - put into a container? wtf is this

drum lace - wow i dont know what this is

girdling root - all of watershed nursery's trees :)

guying - putting a cable btwn two branches that are anticipated to split apart

hardened off - getting a seedling grown inside or in protected conditions to get used to the Real World environmental conditions

perched water table - water being stuck at a higher level / not draining, probably due to morons putting gravel at the bottom of the pot because they don't understand how saturation works

planting specifications - recommendations for how to plant something? or is this the landscape architect's command

root ball - the mass of roots and dirt of a plant

root pruning - when you trim roots in order to correct girdling roots, or to keep a rootball small, or some other reason

staking - putting a stick in the ground and tying the plant to that stick so it doesnt whip around in the wind because the plant was not adapted to existing wind conditions and hasn't had a chance to root due to being grown elsewhere

substrate - medium that the plant is grown in

transplant shock - when you did not do a good job and the plant is suffering because of you

tree spade - a shovel

tree wrap - some stupid thing that the industry tries to make you think you need, probably

wire basket - some stupid thing that will probably girdle roots in the long run but in the interim it will discourage gophers and/or other pests from eating the entire root crown. but they will still eat whatever roots extend past the basket :)

---

yep containerized means it didnt start in a container but when you buy it it's in a container :) ok

oh the wire basket is to support the burlapping. but everything i said is still true :)

i wonder how i will do on this section of the test. in practice i know how to install and establish a tree, but that doesn't matter because i still have to answer test questions

oh drum lacing is tying the root ball/burlap in the format that a drum is created (zigzag-esque)

tree spade is a large machine for digging up trees.

roots will desiccate if not kept moist

oh also guying isn't when you cable a tree (that's cabling LOL) guying is just staking a tree down in place with wires.

---

Trees are generally available from the nursery in one of four forms: bare root, container, burlapped, or *containerized* i truly dont care about this distinction

Bare-root trees are normally planted when __dormant__, before buds begin to grow.

__Girdling__ roots can become a problem because they can constrict the vascular system in the trunk or in other roots.

Planting holes should be dug __2__ to __3__ times the width of the root ball at the surface, with the sides sloping down to the diameter at the base of the root ball.

Trees that are dug in the nursery are often wrapped with __twine__ to keep the root ball intact and reduce exposure of the roots to air.

The planting hole should never be __deeper__ than the root ball.

In areas where the soil is heavy clay, plant trees with the root ball __2__ to __3__ inches higher than the original grade.

True/False- Research has shown that soil amendments generally do not assist the tree in establishment and growth. True? i mean if you put mulch or compost on top, that could help. but "soil amendment" really means nothing to me

True/False- digging a tree for transplanting can remove as much as 90 percent of the absorbing roots. True and also it could remove more. what's to stop an idiot from destroying all roots. "can remove" what is this line of questioning

In temperate climates, the two best times to transplant most trees are __late fall__ and __early spring__ ok i don't really agree with that because why would i wait until early spring. just do it in the fall.

When transplanting a tree, the root ball should be __ to __ inches diameter for every inch of tree caliper. In general, a root ball depth of __ to __ inches should be sufficient. i don't care for this question either because it depends. this is the sort of question i would get wrong just because i don't like memorizing arbitrary numbers. also what's the age/size of the tree being transplanted?? is it the same for a dogwood as it is for a redwood? this question is dumb. the book really wanted me to say 10-12 inches for every inch of tree caliper. bro are you kidding me. first of all by that math i would never transplant a tree over 2". do you think im tryna dig a rootball wider than 2' ??? how would i even pick that up. do you know how heavy 2 cubic feet of clay soil is. and if it's sand then say goodbye to all the absorbing roots (see previous question). and then the book wanted me to say 30-36" deep for the root ball. are you fuckin serious??? you think i'm digging 3 feet into the ground?!?!?!?! i could see this if i were working at a nursery and using a backhoe and a lift. but there is no fucking way i would ever dig a 3' deep root ball by hand. just from soil disturbance alone. the width of my hole would be triple the size of the actual rootball just so i could get the soil out.

True/False- if trees have wire baskets to help maintain the integrity of the root ball, these baskets should never be removed nor should the top portion be cut off at planting. FALSE always remove anything restricting the roots

True/False- most of the new roots generated after planting will grow horizontally and near the soil surface. False? what the fuck is this question. they'll grow everywhere as far as i know

Pre-digging to create a more densely rooted ball is called __idiocy__. it's called root pruning. i don't care for this technique

True/False- staking of newly planted trees is not always necessary. True. nothing is necessary

ok i am getting too irritated by whoever wrote this chapter. this is a 100% ego thing because i feel like i know what i needa know about planting trees already

also this is kevin wiecks' book and i think he got some answers wrong. he (or somebody) circled the multiple choice (something i would never do because i don't write in books) and i have now corrected them.

[the-warmest-hands]

Chapter 6 - Tree Selection

acclimation - when the plant gets used to its surroundings and grows well.

adaptability - the ability of the plant to get used to its surroundings and grow well

design criteria - what you needa know about the site before you start making decisions

exfoliating bark - when bark peels off the trunk. people tend to like this look for some reason.

functional goal - the purpose of the design

growth rate - how fast a plant grows

habit - the form that a plant has when it grows

hardiness - the ability of a plant to withstand low temperatures

introduced species - species not indigenous to the area that now grow in the area thanks to human intervention

microclimate - the environmental conditions of a region that is different from the surrounding areas due to certain factors being exaggerated by the environment (ex: a sunny spot created by a reflection that is then able to support heat-loving plants in an otherwise cool area)

native species - species indigenous to the area that grow in the area

naturalized species - species not indigenous to the area that now grow in the area without human intervention

pest resistance - ability of plant to defend itself against pest attacks / still grow in spite of being attacked

site analysis - going to the site and noting features of the site that may influence your design or project goals

site consideration - finding a site that fits your goals

susceptibility - how much a plant is prone to something (pest, disease, etc)

---

ok time to read the chapter and see how close i got with my answers lol

"A poorly sited tree will eventually require more frequent and costly maintenance." im gonna frame this sentence and put it on the wall when i become an arborist

oh the adaptability is a genetic characteristic

acclimation and adaptability depend heavily on *provenance* kevin wiecks' fave word lol

Name five tree species that would not be appropriate for planting under utility wires - Eucalyptus globulus - Quercus agrifolia - Sequoia sempervirens - Cedrus atlantica - Pinus radiata

__Cold hardiness__ is the ability of a tree to withstand low temperatures and winter stresses in a given site.

True/False-- although a tree may be considered hardy in a given area, it may decline or die if the roots are unprotected. TRUE

Name three site characteristics that must be considered in tree selection. - soil type - exposure - proximity to other things (buildings/road/etc)

Upright, pyramidal, and weeping are three examples of tree __habit__ that are important in selection.

If a particular disease is known to be a problem, a tree species or cultivar should be selected that is __resistant__ to that disease.

Name three plant characteristics that may make a tree aesthetically desirable. - habit - flowers - foliage

__Acclimation__ is the gradual process by which a tree adapts to changes in its environment.

True/False-- a tree listed as adaptable to wet soil conditions will always thrive if planted in those conditions. FALSE

Name five characteristics to look for when selecting a tree in the nursery. - exposed root flare - well distributed branches - foliage in the upper 2/3 of tree and not just at the top - no wounds on trunk - no wilting/diseased leaves

Give examples of the architectural and engineering functions of trees in the landscape: - shade - noise screen - aesthetics - mental health - better air

Name five tree species adaptable to each of the following site conditions: - wet soils - Metasequoia glyptostroboides - shade - Acer palmatum - high light - Pinus longaeva - dry soil - Eucalyptus sp

Name five plant attributes that may make a tree desirable for a given area: - habit/form - evergreen or deciduous - flowering - size - maintenance (low-water)

Why is seed source or parent plant source so important in the adaptability of a tree to its site? Genetics play important role in each specimen that can vary its survival in different conditions.

Discuss the merits and limitations of using only native species in new plantings as opposed to naturalized or introduced species. Merits: easy to grow/adaptable to env Limitations: might not have the right aesthetics or functional use as a non-native plant

[the-warmest-hands]

Studying

After literally four years of not taking my ISA cert, I have finally scheduled the exam and now imma resume studying.

I will start with chapter 5 because I feel like I have gone through chapters 1-4 a billion times.

Let me define what I think all these words are before I read the chapter (which I have read before, but who knows if any of the info stuck):

cation exchange capacity (CEC) - how much the roots can access the nutrients which are in the form of cation. if the soil is in a certain pH, the elements may not be able to dissolve into a cation that can be taken up by the roots

chelate - yea i don't know this word

chlorosis - when a plant is deficient in nitrogen and the leaves get that yellow-around-the-veins look

complete fertilizer - a fertilizer that has n, p, and k

drill-hole method - i think this is like, putting holes in the root zone and pouring fert in the holes so that the roots can get to them. personally i think this is stupid because ... just use mulch? but maybe this is for places where they don't wanna use mulch cuz they're stupid

drip line - edge of canopy projected onto the ground

essential element - some elements that plants need to live idk i forgot what they are :)

fertilizer analysis - ?? the analysis of what's in the fertilizer i guess?

fertilizer burn - too much or too concentrated of a fertilizer on the plant

foliar analysis - looking at the foliage to determine any issues

foliar application - spraying stuff on leaves where it will be uptaken by the plant thru the leaf

implant - i do not know

injection - ?? where

inorganic - non carbon-based

leaching - when accessible nutrients get carried away from the root zone and the plant can't get to them anymore

liquid injection fertilization - injecting the ground with fert idfk?

macronutrient - one of the elements the plant needs in greater quantities than micronutrient?

micronutrient - one of the elements that the plant needs in smaller quantities than macronutrient

organic - carbon-based

prescription fertilization - idk Dr. Arborist PhD prescribes some shit for some ailing tree and then we go INJECT it into the ground yep that's how plants work kool

secondary nutrient - honestly i don't know LOL

slow-release fertilizer - fertilizer that you can just put on top of the ground instead of injecting it LOL

soil analysis - get some soil samples send them to the lab and the lab tells you how much of each element is in there and also how much organic matter is in there

subsurface application - injection?

surface application - throw it on the ground

volatilization - ummm when the fert loses potency because the elements react w the air?

water-insoluble nitrogen (WIN) - honestly what the f is this

---

cool it seems like I need to read the chapter :) also you can tell my disdain for many of these processes.

ah ok so we have macronutrient and then we have secondary nutrients and then we have micronutrients

why the fuck did they name it like that

how annoying

oh fertilizer analysis is just the listing of the N P and K (like 5-5-5 or 10-6-4) cool

water-insoluble nitrogen is exactly what it sounds like, and this book recommends using at least 50% of it in your nitrogen fertilizer for trees.

still don't know what chelated means. why the fuck did this book make this a vocab word if it's not gonna tell me what the definition is

i had to google it and it means some special molecular shit where the ions will bond better. ok whatever honestly i will never need this in my life i hope

---

Workbook questions:

Trees take up essential elements, dissolved in __water__, through the roots.

__Macronutrients__ are elements required by trees in relatively large quantities.

The macronutrient __nitrogen__ is a constituent of chlorophyll, and if deficient, can cause reduced growth and yellowing of the foliage.

Yellowing between the leaf veins is called __chlorosis__ and may be the result of mineral deficiencies.

It is desirable to use __slow-release fertilizer__, because they release nutrients, usually nitrogen, over an extended period of time.

The __fertilizer analysis__, listed on the container, gives the relative percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

A 50-pound (23-kg) bag of 20-10-5 fertilizer contains __10__ pounds of actual nitrogen.

Manure and sewage sludge are __organic__ forms of fertilizer.

If fertilizer "burn" or leaching are potential problems, it may be desirable to use a __slow-release__ fertilizer.

If the concentration of salts within the surrounding soil is much greater than the concentration of solutes (salts) found in the root cells, this leads to a phenomenon known as __reverse osmosis__, in which water is "drawn out" of the roots.

The most important factor for good uptake of fertilizer elements is adequate __water__.

True/False-- surface application of fertilizer is relatively inexpensive and makes the fertilizer available in the upper few inches of soil. True

What is the biggest problem with deep root fertilization? Uhhh most of the absorbing roots are not deep? idk

Foliar application of fertilizer is sometimes used to correct __micronutrient__ deficiencies.

Name two limitations to trunk implants and microinjections: damaging the cambium/forming a wound so you can't do it that often / also it's stupid? LOL is that not a limitation? being fucking extra?

Wilting, marginal burning, and dieback may be symptoms of excess __salinity__ in the root zone.

__Leaching__ is the washing out of chemicals down through the soil.

Fertilization recommendations should be based on __soil analysis__ and __looking at the plant__.

Two of the most important levels measured in a soil analysis are the __pH__ and the salt levels (especially in arid regions).

Studies now show that nitrogen fertilization can trigger a tree's energy allocation toward growth, sometimes at the expense of __defense__.

Explain how a nutrient can be plentiful according to a soil analysis, yet be deficient in a tree. The soil could be at a pH that does not let those nutrients dissolve in water; thus the tree cannot absorb it. Also, there could be too many salts in the soil and not enough water for the tree to absorb. In this case the tree would die because reverse osmosis.

If a fertilizer with an analysis of 10-0-0 costs $15 for a 60-pound bag, what will be the fertilizer cost for fertilizing 2000 square feet of root area at the rate of 2 pounds per 1000 square feet? So we need 4 lbs of nitrogen. This bag has 6 lbs of nitrogen. I will use 2/3 of this bag and it will only cost me $15. The end.

What are the advantages to using slow-release forms of nitrogen? Avoid fertilizer burn and other problems that over-fertilization can cause. It's also cheaper than injecting the ground or whatever nonsense.

Compare and contrast the various methods of fertilizer application, including surface broadcast, drill-hole, liquid injection, foliar spray, and implants or injections. Well one of those makes sense, and the others don't.

[the-warmest-hands]

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

Tuesday: dropped off car in Santa Rosa, biked to smart train, took smart train to Larkspur, biked home from Larkspur. Camino Alto southbound is not difficult for me (at least on gangster). But I am slow after months and months of no biking/all biking under 10 miles.

Wednesday: spending a week on the east coast. Nate loves biking around new york so we rode around eating stuff. Katz's, Doughnut Plant, Seward Park, Wburg, getting lost around the orthodox jewish neighborhood, Prospect Park, BBG, Bay Ridge, home. I remember when biking home from Bay Ridge at night used to be a blissful meditative night ride. This is no longer the case. Thousands of mopeds and double-parked cars make it stressful to have to watch out for sudden and erratic movements. I hate it. I honestly do not feel mentally equipped to ride around new york anymore. Maybe it just takes a bit of practice. But I fucking hate the mopeds and scooters and little motorized vehicles. That shit needs to end. Too much acc/deceleration too suddenly.

Thursday: we biked around Portland, ME. It's nice. Started near the water at the tourism area, then found part of a bike trail and followed it partially on the way to Allagash Brewery, then returned to the main part of the city for dinner. Logged a good number of miles, mostly flat, a few decent but not brutal hills. Congress to the Observatory from ...India? is a very fun hill to go up.

Here's Strava. We wanted to go in a circle around the city but went the wrong way when we got back to the trail and ended up kinda doubling back. But we saw the lower part of the waterfront which was cool!

[the-warmest-hands]

Ch 10

notes i am taking from the ISA book chapter 10 diagnosis and plant disorders

usually when a tree suffers from pest or disease, it's something else that has made it susceptible to that pest or disease (ok but to what end. what is the original cause of weakening?)

how to diagnose

first ask questions about the history of the site and the tree

how long has the problem been going on. what were early symptoms.

history of the site - any construction? excavation? chemical treatment?

ask in different ways/ diff angles so the client can divulge more info

types of problems: biotic or abiotic biotic includes pathogens (fungi, bacteria, viruses, phytoplasmas(?what's this), parasitic plants, nematodes, and then insects/animals) pathogens are considered infectious cuz they can spread abiotic includes environmental conditions (temp, moisture) and other environmental issues (mechanical injuries, soil compaction, mineral deficiency, etc)

symptoms vs signs symptoms are how the tree responded to the disorder. they are EFFECTS of causal agents or factors. examples are chlorosis, wilting, etc. it's something the tree did. signs are direct signs of the causal agents, such as insect poop, or emergence of conks. it's something that came from the cause (not done by the tree).

the problem with diagnosis via symptoms is that a symptom could be a reaction to many diff things. so it is hard. gotta look at other clues and info 1) accurately identify the plant. by knowing the plant and its related common disease/pests, you can narrow down the one in question 2) look for a pattern of abnormality. you need to figure out what is the normal behavior and what is the abnormal behavior. you can do this by looking at other plants of the same type and comparing the behaviors. also you can compare the damage amongst diff specimens of the same type by seeing if they are all suffering the same, then it prolly is abiotic reason. if it varies, then it could be a biotic cause. 3) carefully examine the site. note the light, soil, water, winds, and other factors. look at the landscape contours and see if those affect the site conditions. think about other activities that happen on the site that could be damaging the specimen thru side effects (example is using sidewalk salts to melt ice) 4) note the color, size, and thickness of the foliage. 5) note the trunk and branches. check for wounds and other abnormalities. 6) note the roots and root collar. also, try to rule out possibilities in order to narrow it down. the actual cause is actually multiple causes (a combination of things impacting the plant). always remember that there are primary stressors and secondary stressors. don't forget to trace the problem back to the primary cause.

tree stress

any condition that causes a decline in tree health stress can be acute or chronic

acute is like a sudden (maybe 1 time) thing that affects you immediately

chronic is slow and imperceptible at first until it finally takes its toll over time usually these are environmental stress factors are also cumulative. they can compound and overlap and then become a spiral of decline. decline is not always irreversible, but you must be able to fix the primary (or main) stressors. not just the secondary ones.

abiotic disorders

affect growth and dev of tree

u can track them through the history of the site conditions, to see if things were consistently unideal for the tree, or if there was an event (construction) that impacted the tree for years afterwards.

can take a while for tree to exhibit symptoms

soil and site problems

need to check roots for these issues.

nutrient deficiency / soil pH leading to inability to take up nutrients

water: too much/not enough

decay (lol)

physical and mechanical injuries

lightning

getting maimed by construction

getting maimed by mowers or line trimmer

weather problems

temp extremes

heat. leads to scorch, dessication, sunburn, etc

cold. frost leads to tissue death. shrinking, cracking, etc. defoliation

wind

extreme tension put on branches/plant

lightning

bark or sapwood explodes off the trunk and causes a scar. unknown extent of damage

competition and allelopathy

pollution

chemical injury (usually thru herbicides)

water

girdling roots

biotic disorders

remember that they are usually secondary to an abiotic problem insects

one stage of the life cycle of insect may cause problem while another may not nematodes mites and stuff animals

diseases susceptibility triangle:

a host

a pathogen

the conditions for the pathogen to fuck up the host

foliar diseases blights vascular wilt - xylem/phloem (vascular tissue) gets blocked, thus preventing flow of nutrients to parts of plant

fungi cause a lot of plant disease symptoms can vary but fruiting bodies are a very good SIGN insects can be vectors for many diseases (ex bacterial - fire blight, bacterial leaf scorch) viruses are spread by insects too management of plant diseases usually involve prevention rather than solving the problem after it has occurred

new diseases and whatever are usually due to exotic imports there are no natural defenses built into the native species also hard to track/detect

[the-warmest-hands]

notes 3

time for another edition of studying. i read these chapters last week while i was waiting for tala in berkeley but i didn't take notes. so here are the notes

Chapter 4 - Water Management

Water is important to trees because it keeps nutrients moving up to the leaves and it keeps the tree photosynthesizing. Water is pulled up through the xylem and helps the tree transpire. Most of the water that travels through the tree is transpired. This is why it is extra important that the roots have access to adequate water.

Water in soil is held by the micropores. Macropores of soil fill with water that then drains away due to gravitational forces. When soil saturates and then drains, it is at what is called "field capacity." The water that remains in micropores is either available (capillary water) or unavailable (hygroscopic water). Water-holding capacity of soil is the amt of water in the soil when it is at field capacity. Infiltration refers to downward movement of water into the soil, while percolation refers to movement within the soil.

How do trees manage their water - movement of water is controlled by stomata - some trees go seasonally dormant when water is more scarce - some trees have smaller leaves which have reduced surface area, or a leaf that has a waxy cuticle, or hairs/other adaptations on the surface of the leaves which also help reduce water loss

Frequent shallow waterings cause tree roots to stay within the upper layers of soil, and this can cause them to be more susceptible to drought. Less frequent deep waterings will force roots to search for their own water, and make them more prepared for drought.

Recycled water can cause accumulation of salts, which can be toxic to roots. It can even pull water out of roots via osmosis.

Flooding vs drought - flooding = not enough air for roots. too much water means roots rot and cells ferment and tree dies - drought = not enough water for roots. not enough water means plant wilts and dies. also soils crack and soil life dies.

[the-warmest-hands]

notes 2

I am gonna do notes for Chapter 3 because I ... skipped it last time. (Chapter 2 was mostly fluff/review).

Soil Science

Soil and Trees

soils are made of inorganic materials such as rocks and sand/silt/clay and also organic matter. they also house microorganisms and other decomposers.

soils vary based on their both their geological makeup as well as what grows/lives in it (ie what adds/processes organic matter)

soils are typically composed of 45% inorganic materials, 50% pore space (can be filled with either air or water), and 5% organic material and organisms.

the soil profile

over time, soils form horizons or layers, due to materials moving through the ground, which together make up the soil profile.

soil profile is comprised of the O, A, E, B, C soil horizons. the O, A, E (and sometimes B) together make up the topsoil. The O layer has the most organic material. The O/A layer is where the majority of roots grow. The E has the least organic material. Sometimes there is no E layer. Next is the B layer, which has much less organic matter, and is the "zone of accumulation," where materials from the upper layers have leached. After B layer is the C layer, which is continually forming off the parent bedrock material.

the most important for plant growth obviously is the upper layers. organic material deposit is very important because it helps retain moisture in addition to creating hospitable environment for microbes. nutrient cycling is when plants drop leaves/plantparts and those are consumed by microorganisms, and then microorganisms die and the plant can access those nutrients again.

soil texture refers to the distribution of makeup of sand, silt, or clay. this determines the water-holding capacity as well as the pore size of the soil, which will affect plant-growing ability.

soil structure and pore space

soil structure is how well a soil can form aggregates. pore space refers to how much space is between these aggregates, or between soil particles. it is within these pores that water or air can be found within soil.

pores are classified either as macropores or micropores. macropores are larger and although can hold more water, can also release water through gravitational forces. micropores are smaller, and retain water through gravitational forces.

bulk density is the density of the soil when it is dried. clay is less dense than sand, for example, because it is much smaller. when it is dried it is like dust. actually i still don't understand how bulk density works

compaction is the reduction of pore space. wet soils have more ability to be compacted.

chemical properties

pH of soil affects ability of plants to take up nutrients.

pH is also related to movement/ability of water to dissolve minerals. high pH sometimes causes essential elements to be insoluble in water.

man i do not understand how pH works. i know it's the amount of hydrogen ions… hydronium ions. but why are some things insoluble in water if more hydronium ions are present… questions to ask melanie (or google)

cation exchange capacity: soil's ability to attract, retain, and exchange cations with roots.

ions can also accumulate to harmful levels. soils with excess ions are called saline soils. the recommended treatment is to leach them out of the root zone using low-salinity water.

sodic soils are when the cation sodium exist at high concentrations

biological properties

the soil food web is made up of all the organisms that live in the soil. the rhizosphere is the activity very close to the roots of the plants - the roots give off exudates when they grow, and the microorganisms eat those, and then other organisms eat the microorganisms, etc.

mycorrhizae are roots that mycorrhizal fungi infect and then live in symbiosis with the plant. the fungi feed on exudates and help the roots absorb more water/elements.

nutrient cycling

soil moisture and plant growth

field capacity is when water saturates the soil and then drains away from the macropores via gravity. the water that remains is called capillary water and is held in the micropores.

when there is water in the soil and yet the plant cannot access it, the water is referred to as "unavailable" and the plant will experience water stress. the point after which they cannot recover is called permanent wilting point.

soils with distinct layers do not drain well, because the water will remain at one level until it is completely saturated, before descending into the next level

urban soils

problems with urban soils include:

low in organic matter; topsoil may have been removed during construction

compaction possibly caused during construction or during everyday use

plants have no access to water due to obstruction by hardscapes or other built structures

not enough soil for roots

structural soils and soil cells: people trying to design growing media for urban setting such that the hardscapes are usable for vehicles or traffic, but soil still has room and pore space for air/water for roots.

amending soils with organic matter or using mulch can help soil structure and water holding capacity, as well as high pH

---

damn that took mad long ok next time i'll do chapters 4/5/6

[the-warmest-hands]

notes 1

I am slogging through this first chapter of ISA Study Guide because it is the textbook for class and also it is just basic info that I should already know. Also it's made doubly painful by the fact that I read this chapter last summer (or at least I moved my eyes across the words) and yet each fact is a new fact to me.

BUT NOW. I have quarantined myself at Xo's house and I must read this chapter and take notes on it and also finish my homework for class which I will undoubtedly be able to do once I finish reading this. I will not default to my high school ways of reading the book in search of the answers to the homework questions. I will actually read the book.

I will now make an outline of what I have learned so far, and then read, and then repeat. Earlier I was reading two pages and I fell asleep.

Chapter 1: Tree Biology - Tree anatomy

Cells and Tissues: - There's meristematic cells which is like these cells can become anything and then they differentiate and form different parts of the tree. Meristematic cells include the ones where it makes the tree taller (primary growth) and the ones where it expands the tree and makes it wider (secondary growth). Oh also there's two cambiums, the regular one and the cork cambium which makes bark.

Xylem and Phloem and all the other bits inbetween. - Xylem is made of dead cells and is inside the cambium. It consists of trachieds and vessels and parenchyma cells. Oh I forgot fibers. Also gymnosperms apparently don't have vessels? Why? Xylem conducts water and nutrients up and down the tree. The wood of a tree is xylem. Vessels in it can be ring-porous (bigger vessels earlier in season and smaller vessels later in season thus forming "rings") or diffuse-porous (occurring evenly throughout the wood). - Phloem is alive and on the outside of the cambium and when it dies it becomes part of the bark. It conducts carbohydrates up and down the tree. - Also important is ray cells which move things from inside to outside the diameter of tree.

Stems - They consist of nodes and internodes. Nodes are places where buds and leaves can emerge. Internodes are the space between the nodes. Buds can be latent/adventitious which means they emerge later. In one of the Ed Gilman videos he showed "bud trace" which was showing the latent bud at the surface of the bark at each year the tree was growing. Buds are terminal/apical if they are at the tip of the shoot, and lateral/axillary if they are along the shoot. If you mess with the apical one you can interrupt apical dominance, which means that the apical bud prioritizes the most growth.

Leaves - They do photosynthesis in order to make carbohydrates for themselves. They also do transpiration which cools down the plant and also pulls water up thru the xylem because it is evaporating off the leaf (that's what cools it). It is like drinking with a straw except you are the evaporation.

Roots - Their functions include anchoring the tree, storing the carbohydrates, absorbing stuff from the soil, and conducting materials around the tree. The main roots are big and near the surface of the soil. The lateral roots are close to the surface. The sinker roots are ones that go straight down off the lateral roots. The absorbing roots are very fine and they do the absorption work. They grow where moisture and oxygen are. They have root tips which have meristematic tissue which allows them to continue growing. Roots unlike branches do not have hierarchy or taper. They just grow based on where they can maximize absorption.

- Tree Physiology or: What do trees do all day?

Photosynthesis - Trees convert light, carbon dioxide, and water into carbohydrates (and oxygen). They then store these "photosynthates" for consumption later.

Respiration - Trees use the carbohydrates and release carbon dioxide and water for energy that they need in order to do their biological functions.

Transpiration - Trees transpire to keep moving water/nutrients through itself. This also helps keep the tree cool by evaporation of water through the leaves. This can be regulated by stomata on the leaves.

Absorption - Trees use water by moving it through itself. It can take in water through the roots, because of osmosis. The water potential in the roots is lower than in the soil, so the water will move from soil to roots. Sometimes the water potential in the roots is not lower than in the soil, such as when the soil has a lot of salinity. Then the water will move from the roots into the soil and the tree will suffer.

Translocation - Trees move the photosynthates that it made through the phloem. There are different areas in the tree that have a lot of photosynthate, and those that have little (use a lot of energy). The tree distributes the photosynthate accordingly. - In addition to using the phloem, trees can also move photosynthate via the ray cells.

Growth - Growth is determined by both genetic potential and also environmental conditions, which may or may not allow the tree to use that genetic potential. - Other things that influence growth are plant hormones, which regulate the amount of growth of roots/shoots, and also the direction of growth (tropisms). - Genetics also determine if a tree's growth habit is excurrent (strong central leader) or decurrent (more rounded shape, not so much having a central leader).

Defend itself - CODIT: the 4 walls that a tree forms if a pathogen is encountered. - Wall 1: Xylem plugs up to prevent vertical spread - Wall 2: Cells along the growth rings fill with chemicals to prevent inward spread - Wall 3: Ray cells do something to resist spread around the trunk (form a pie wedge) - Wall 4: New growth happens which protects the cambium and future growth. - Even though Wall 4 is the best at preventing spread of decay, it can form structural weakness like cracks or "shakes" wtf is a shake.

- Tropical Trees and Palms

Tropical trees are very different from hardwood/coniferous (temperate region) trees. For one, they may not have annual growth rings because they may grow based on wet/dry seasons rather than year, or maybe they continuously grow. Secondly, they may not go into dormancy. Additionally, they have weird forms and plant parts.

Palms are also different from hardwood/coniferous trees because they are monocots. This means they do not have cambium in rings and they do not have secondary growth. Their vascular system is comprised of bundles, which they accumulate early in their growth. I did not know that palms generally increase in width before they increase in height. They also have one apical bud per stem, which is the growing point. This is usually hidden by their leaves. If this is severed, that stem of the palm will die. (I forgot that palms can have multiple stems.) The roots of palms are also different. Their roots originate from the base of the stem, known as "root initiation zone," and they are probably like grass roots in that they are all the same width and whatnot.

OK I FINISHED THE CHAPTER FINALLY Why is it so hard for me to read textbooks. Okay now I have to rewatch the lecture videos and take more notes on them.

Week 2 Lecture

Shoots: Node/Internode - On a shoot where the leaves have fallen off, how do you know if a section of it is node or an internode? What if it's a latent bud? How could you be sure??

Ok it basically just reviews what I typed in my outline above except less good and more haphazard due to audience questions lol. I may just read the book and zone out during the class. God how quickly I revert to my old ways.

[the-warmest-hands]

jbo

i was out sick last week which was awful

due to being sick all week

this week i am out sick because i got a positive covid test on sunday and i have been banned from work for 5 days. it is unclear if this was related to the previous sick. probably. anyway it's stupid

on the bright side, this week i have started watching junior bake off

which charmed me with its lovely contestants

and the low stakes panic

to the point where i have resumed baking!

yesterday i made jamaican beef patties for dinner. i haven't had one of these since grade school school lunch. i asked everyone i know who went to queens public schools and they all remembered these! heh hehehe

then today i decided to try the chouxnuts challenge

my ganache looks very messy. nate came over during lunch to eat these. as you can see, they are well-filled! with chantilly cream.

they were a touch overbaked because i was afraid to open the oven door to check on them. my oven has no window. and i could hear the water still steaming out so i thought they were not done.

anyway i personally hate the taste of choux pastry. but i like piping (though i am not very good at it) so i thought these would be fun to make. and they were!

ok later i will make popcorn chicken. that's not a bake, but i want to eat it and i haven't made it in ages so it should be fun.

edit: here it is

the sauce was a mint yogurt sauce which was absolutely delicious

[the-warmest-hands]

30 jul 2022

fog chaser

clouds over sun

holodiscus cuttings are still alive

i pressed a castilleja a while back and today i put it in the frame that has the coptis

jankiest herbarium

this year is half done. it has felt like ten years.

[the-warmest-hands]

December

Why do I even still have a tumblr, honestly.

I already have my notepad journal. Aight I'll be back when I feel like life necessitates it. Sorry future self. TTYL.

[the-warmest-hands]

november end

everything is moving so slowly

and time is moving normal speed

and i am stuck in a rut

[the-warmest-hands]

idk

i finally feel like all the adults who don't keep a journal

cuz i spend the majority of my day on shit i really dgaf about

and have no need to journal about it

sigh