Université de Fribourg

Formation and spread of callus tissue and tangential rows of resin ducts in Larix decidua and Picea abies following rockfall impacts

Schneuwly, Dominique M. ; Stoffel, Markus ; Bollschweiler, Michelle

In: Tree Physiology, 2009, vol. 29, no. 2, p. 281-289

After mechanical wounding, callus tissue and tangential rows of traumatic resin ducts (TRDs) are formed in many conifer species. This reaction can be used to date past events of geomorphic processes such as rockfall, debris flow and snow avalanches. However, only few points are known about the tangential spread or the timing of callus tissue and TRD formation after wounding. We analyzed 19 Larix...

Université de Fribourg

Dynamics in debris-flow activity on a forested cone — A case study using different dendroecological approaches

Bollschweiler, Michelle ; Stoffel, Markus ; Schneuwly, Dominique M.

In: Catena, 2008, vol. 72, no. 1, p. 67-78

Dendrogeomorphological analyses of trees affected by debris flows have regularly been used to date past events. However, this method has always been limited to forested cones where trees registered the impact of previous events. The minimum age dating of trees growing in the debris deposits can, in contrast, provide information on the latest possible moment of past activity. In this paper, we...

Université de Fribourg

Analyzing rockfall activity (1600–2002) in a protection forest—a case study using dendrogeomorphology

Stoffel, Markus ; Schneuwly, Dominique M. ; Bollschweiler, Michelle ; Lièvre, Igor ; Delaloye, Reynald ; Myint, Moe ; Monbaron, Michel

In: Geomorphology, 2005, vol. 68(3-4), p. 224

For the first time, dendrogeomorphology has been used to investigate spatial and temporal variations of rockfall activity in a protection forest. We report results of 564 cores from 135 severely injured Larix decidua Mill. trees on the west-facing Täschgufer slope, Swiss Alps. While trees sampled reached an age of 297 years on average, the oldest one attained breast height in AD 1318. For...