Factors Influencing Birch Sap Production in Alaskan Birch (Betula neoalaskana Sarg.

Kimberley Anne C. Maher

UAF SNRAS

Everything you want to know

Korolyak, I.S. and R.I. Tomchuk. 1971. [Intensifyting sap extraction from birch trees]. Lesnoe Khozyaistvo. 5:34-36. Mednikov, F.A. 1977. [Conference on the tapping of broadleaved species and processing the sap.]. Lesnoi Zhurnal. 6:162-3.

Outline
Birch as a non-timber forest resource Sap use in Alaska and elsewhere Previous research - Factors influencing sap production - Consequences to the tree from tapping Research conducted in Alaska Future directions for research in Alaska

Betula neoalaskana Sargent

Formerly referred to as B. resinifera Regel A Beringian species most closely related to Asian species Diploid

Distribution of
B. neoalaskana B. papyrifera Marshall

Source: Flora of North America 1993+

Non-timber Forest Products

all forest products except timber Resins Oils Leaves Bark Plants other than trees Fungi Animals or animal products

Birch as a NTFP

Birch Sap

Harvested in spring Similar to maple sap Consumed as a tonic or processed into syrup

Birch sap harvest in Alaska

Main commercial use is to process into birch syrup 1992 Producers formed the Alaska Birch Syrupmakers Association (ABSA)

ABSA
Coopertition amongst member birch syrup producers Created a Best Practices guide for tapping and syrup production Information and sales booth at Palmer State Fair Would like to develop syrup grading standards

ABSA Best Practices for producing high quality birch syrup

Tree tapping Sap collection Sap storage Syrup production reverse osmosis Syrup production evaporator Syrup finishing

Growth of the Alaska Birch Syrup Industry

7 number of companies involved in syrup porduction 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001
ABFC 2005

year of syrup production

Alaska syrup production

Year Number of companies producing 6 4 Estimated gallons of syrup produced 1400 1500
ABFC 2005; Maher et al. 2005

2001 2005

Birch sap utilization elsewhere

Three birch syrup producers in Canada (2 in British Columbia; 1 in Yukon)

Birch sap harvested, sold, and drank as health tonic in many Northern countries

Birch sap tonic

Traditional medicine used in Northern countries
Japan Hyperte nsion Urinary proble ms Gout Decre ase d work capacity Gastritis Kidney problem Scurve y X X X Korea X X X X X China Finland X X X X X X X Russia

X X X X X X

X X X X

Adapted from Terazawa 1995

Terazawa 1995

Birch sap beverages

Birch sap with sugar contains 11.5 % sugar and 0.4 % citric acid
(Tomchuk et al. 1973)

Forest drink contains concentrated birch sap with cranberry juice (Telishevskyj 1970)

Harvesting birch sap increases the value of a stand

Tapping birch for 5-10 years before harvesting the trees can increase profit several times over the price of wood alone
(Tomchuk et al. 1973)

Profit from natural (fresh?) sap is 2 to 3 times that of the wood while the profit from preserved sap is 7 times that of the wood
(Telisevskij 1970)

Factors affecting sap yields

Sap yields were virtually independent of tree age but were directly proportional to tree diameter (Davidov 1979)

Average sap productivity of birch species in Russian Far East

200 average productivity (liters) 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 0 20 40 tree diameter (cm) 60 80 R2 = 0.9817 R 2 = 0.9708

B. platyphylla B. costata

Tagiltsev et al 2005

Factors affecting sap yields

Sap yields were virtually independent of tree age but were directly proportional to tree diameter (Davidov 1979) Air temperature and crown diameter were the most important factors affecting yield
(Fesyuk 1980)

Sap flow and temperatures

At the beginning of the sap season, sap flow increases with increasing air temperatures At the end of the sap season, sap flow decreases with increasing air temperatures Sap flow has a closer correlation to soil temperature (15 cm depth) and bole temperature (sapwood portion)
(Ryabchuk 1974)

Site conditions effects

Poorly drained bog sites produce more sap than dry sites or higher elevation sites Sap from drier sites have higher sugar concentrations
(Telisevskij 1970)

Effects of tapping on health of the tree

Tapped trees grow as well as trees that are not tapped (Lahteenkorva 2005) Tapping causes a slight reduction in the current diameter increment compared to untapped trees Exception-- on two plots the diameter increment of the tapped trees were greater than that of the controls (Osipenko and Ryabchuk 1973) Tapping for 3 years does not alter the sugar content of the sap (Ryabchuk 1977) Tapping for 3-7 years did not have a significant effect in the phenology of the tree (Ryabchuk 1979)

Ukrainian tree tapping guide

tree diameter (cm) 20-24 25-28 > 28 # of taps 1 2 3
(Telisevskij 1970)

Affects of multiple taps on sap sugar content

Sugar content tends to decrease with increasing tapping load (Ryabchuk 1977)

Effects of a tap hole on wood discoloration

Wood changes color in the zone above and below the tapping holes (Ryabchuk 1975) 1 meter of longitudinal discoloration (Dujesieken et al. 1989) Greatest color change is along the grain; much less in the radial direction, and minimal in the tangential direction holes (Ryabchuk 1975) Optical properties (wavelength, purity and brightness) of the discolored wood showed that the brightness of discolored wood was 15.1-20.2% lower than wood from untapped trees (Ryabchuk 1975) After the initial discoloration, the color characteristics of the wood did not change significantly (Ryabchuk 1975)

Harvesting sap from stumps

Trees felled with an angle of 160-165 degrees between the planes of the undercut and the main cut (Gavrilyuk et al. 1980; Osipenko and Ryabchuk 1975) Mean sugar content of stump sap and tree sap is almost identical (Ryabchuk 1977) Grooves can be cut on the stump surface to guide the sap flow (Gavrilyuk et al. 1980) Sap yield was greatest when the felling was done in mid March (Osipenko and Ryabchuk 1975)

Sap research in Alaska

Examined sap harvest at different locales Compared sap production temporally Identified characteristics that indicate productive stands to tap

Research design
Three transects Three sites per transect Ten trees per site (n=90) Two full seasons (02 & 03) One preliminary season (one transect 01)

Research design
Sites

Z W PC
Transects Transects

C V G

SC F MM

Position on slope Position on

Ballaine Ballaine

Ester Ester

Murphy Dome Murphy

slope
top top Zachel Zachel Calypso Calypso

Dome
Spinach Creek Spinach

Creek
mid mid Wood Wood Via Via Frenchman Frenchman

Bottom bottom

Pearl Creek Pearl Creek

Garner Garner

Moose Mountain Moose

Mountain

Results: Vegetation
Closed Paper Birch Forest (AK Vegetation
Classification, Viereck 1992)

Common species include white spruce, apsen, balsam poplar, lingonberry, Labrador tea, prickly rose, twin flower, willow, alder, and lichens

Daily maximum air temperatures for 01, 02, & 03

25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 degrees C 5.0 0.0

2001 2002 2003

-5.0 -10.0 -15.0 29-Mar

95-year mean daily maximum temperature

3-Apr 8-Apr 13-Apr 18-Apr 23-Apr 28-Apr 3-May date

April Precipitation
year 2001 2002 2003 95 yr average precip. (cm) 0.41 7.77 0.13 0.75 (s.d. 1.10)

Results: Sap harvest

Year Year Begin of Beginflow of harvest End of Endsap collection of sap harvest Number of days Number of days

2001
2001

April 19th
April 19th

May 8th
May 8th

19
19

2002
2002

April 30th
April 30th

May 17th
May 17th

18
18

2003

April 19th

May 5th

16

Sap harvest per site in 02 & 03

Z 2003 W 2003 PC 2003 90 80 70 60 L sap 50 40 30 20 10 0 14-Apr C 2003 V 2003 G 2003 SC 2003 F 2003 MM 2003 Z 2002 W 2002 PC 2002 C 2002 V 2002 19-Apr 24-Apr 29-Apr 4-May 9-May 14-May 19-May G 2002 SC 2002

2001 Daily maximum air temperatures & sap harvest

20.0 15.0 10.0 degrees C 5.0 30 0.0 20 -5.0 -10.0 -15.0 29-Mar 10 0 -10 28-May 70 60 50 40 L sap daily max temp Zachel Wood Pearl Creek

8-Apr

18-Apr

28-Apr date

8-May

18-May

Results: Mean sap harvest per tree by site in 2002 & 2003
80.0 70.0 60.0 50.0 L sap 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0 Z W PC C V G site SC F MM all 02 sap 03 sap

Z W PC

C V G

SC F MM

Results: Average sugar concentration by site in 02 & 03

1.4 1.2 1 degrees BRIX 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0

2002 2003

PC

SC

MM

Z W PC

C V G

SC F MM

Daily Maximum air temperatures for 76 & 77

30.0 25.0 20.0

1976
degrees C 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 -5.0 -10.0 29-Mar 8-Apr 18-Apr 28-Apr date 8-May 18-May 28-May

1977

95-year mean daily temperature

Distribution of total sap harvest per tree in 2002 & 2003

40 35 30 per cent of trees 25 20 15 10 5 0 0-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 90-99 2002 2003

Sap production per tree (L)

2002 Mean liters of sap harvested per tree from each site
Sites Position on Position slope on slope top Ballaine Ballaine 23.7 (Z) 23.7 (Z) s.d 9.6 s.d 9.6 32.3 (W) 32.3 (W) s.d. 11.7 s.d. 11.7 46.9 (PC) 46.9 (PC) s.d. 16.2 s.d. 16.2 Transects Transects Ester Ester 30.7 (C) 30.7 (C) s.d. 11.9 s.d. 11.9 30.0 (V) 30.0 (V) s.d. 14.1 s.d. 14.1 42.3 (G) 42.3 (G) s.d. 20.9 s.d. 20.9 Murphy Murphy Dome Dome 39.3 (SC) 39.3 (SC) s.d. 13.2 s.d. 13.2 31.0 (F) 31.0 (F) s.d. 13.2 s.d. 13.2 31.3 (MM) 31.3 (MM) s.d. 13.3 s.d. 13.3

top
mid

mid
bottom

bottom

ANOVA results: 2002

No significant between transects (F= 0.07) Significance between location on the slope (F= 5.00) Significant difference considering transect and position on the slope (F= 3.33) Bottom significantly different than mid (p= 0.02) and top sites (p= 0.03) Mid and top sites not significantly different (p= 1.00)

2003 Mean liters of sap harvested per tree from each site
Sites Position on Position onslope slope top Ballaine 11.4 (Z) 11.4 (Z) s.d. 6.5 s.d. 6.5 10.3 (W) 10.3 (W) s.d. 8.8 s.d. 8.8 51.6 (PC) 51.6 (PC) s.d. 22.6 s.d. 22.6 Transects Transects Ester 30.1 (C) 30.1 (C) s.d. 22.3 s.d. 22.3 21.1 (V) 21.1 (V) s.d. 13.1 s.d. 13.1 35.1 (G) 35.1 (G) s.d. 27.7 s.d. 27.7 Murphy Dome 23.6 (SC) 23.6 (SC) s.d. 10.9 s.d. 10.9 8.4 (F) 8.4 (F) s.d. 6.0 s.d. 6.0 8.1 (MM) 8.1 (MM) s.d. 6.9 s.d. 6.9

top
mid

mid
bottom

bottom

ANOVA results: 2003

Data violates assumption of normal distribution

Vegetation
Z W PC C V G SC F MM

Tree species PICGLA POPTRE POPBAL BETNEO Shrub species VACVIT LEDGRO ROSACI LINBOR SAL spp ALN CRI Forb species PYROLA SP. VIBEDU EPIANG

Cover 1a 5 Cover

Cover 1a 1a 1a 5 Cover

Cover 1a

Cover 1a p 5 Cover + 1b r

Cover

Cover 1b

Cover 1a

Cover 1a 1a 5 Cover p p 4 1a

Cover 2a 1a 5 Cover

5 Cover

5 Cover r 1b r 1a

5 Cover

5 Cover

2a + + 1a Cover + 3 p

4 + 1a

3 2a 1a Cover + 1b

2a + 2b

1b + 1a 1a Cover r 1a 1a

2a 1a +

Cover
2b

Cover 2a 2b

Cover 3 2b

Cover 1a 1a

Cover r 2b 1a

Cover r 2a +

Vegetation
MM F W Z SC V G C PC

Tree species PICGLA POPTRE POPBAL BETNEO Shrub species VACVIT LEDGRO ROSACI LINBOR SAL spp ALN CRI Forb species PYROLA SP. VIBEDU EPIANG

Cover 2a 1a 5 Cover

Cover 1a 1a 5 Cover p p 4 1a

Cover 1a 1a 1a 5 Cover

Cover 1a 5 Cover

Cover 1a

Cover

Cover 1b

Cover 1a p 5 Cover + 1b r

Cover 1a

5 Cover

5 Cover r 1b r 1a

5 Cover

5 Cover

2a 1a +

4 + 1a

2a + + 1a Cover + 3 p

1b + 1a 1a Cover r 1a 1a

2a + 2b

3 2a 1a

Cover r 2a +

Cover r 2b 1a

Cover
2b

Cover 3 2b

Cover 1a 1a

Cover 2a 2b

Cover + 1b

Low Performing stands Sites Criteria

Moose Mtn, Frenchman, Wood, Zachel

Consistent Performing stands

Via, Garner, Calypso, Pearl Creek

<115 L sap per site in 03; statistically significant less sap harvested in '03 compared with 02 Populus tremuloides Michx.(Trembling Aspen) Populus balsamifera L. (Balsam Poplar) Pyrola ssp. (Wintergreen) Gallium boreale L. (Northern Bedstraw) Actaea rubra (Ait.) Willd. (Baneberry) Linnaea borealis L. (Twin Flower) Rosa acicularis Lindl. (Prickly Rose)

>200 L sap per site in 03; not statistically significant less sap harvested in '03 compared with 02 None

Species present only in this group

Species present in high abundance in this group Species common to both groups

Salix ssp. (Willow species) Epilobium angustifolium L. (Common Fireweed) Cornus canadensis L. (Dwarf Dogwood)

Picea glauca (Moench) Voss (White Spruce) Equisetum pratense L. (Meadow Horsetail) Hedysarum alpinum L. (Northern Hedysarum) Mertensia paniculata (Ait.) G. Don (Tall Bluebells) Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) Beauv. (Reed Grass) Mosses and Lichens

Ordinal ranking of tree sap production

Examining for intrinsic factors affecting sap production Trees assigned into percentile groups for each year: Top 20%, Top 50%, Bottom 20%, and Bottom 50%

Comparison of sap production rank orders between 02 & 03

2002 Ranking

2002 Ranking

# of trees that stayed in the same category

# of trees that stayed in the same category in 2003

10/18

# of trees that ranked in Top 20% in 2003

# of trees that ranked in Top 20% in 2003

10/18

# of trees that ranked in Top 50% in 2003

# of trees that ranked in Top 50% in 2003

14/18

Top 20%

Top 20%
Top 50% 33/45

10/18
14/45

10/18
33/45

14/18

Top 50%
Bottom 20% 8/18

33/45
0/18

14/45
1/18

33/45

Bottom 20%
Bottom 50% 33/45

8/18
4/45

0/18
12/45

1/18

Bottom 50%

33/45

4/45

12/45

Regression of sap production by tree diameter

60

L sap

2002
R2 = 0.288 slope = 1.79 p = 0.13

50 40 30 20 10 0 14 16 18 20 22 24

DBH cm

60 50

L sap

2003
R2 = .516 slope = 4.61 p = 0.028

40 30 20 10 0 14 16 18 20 22 24

DBH cm

Ordinal ranking of tree diameter and sap production

Examining relationship between tree diameter and sap production Trees assigned into percentile groups by dbh and by sap production for each year: Top 20%, Top 50%, Bottom 20%, and Bottom 50%

Comparison of tree diameter rank order and sap production

Sap Sap Dbh Ranking Sap # of trees Sap 2002 that # of trees that # of trees that Production in Production Production ranking stayed the ranked Production ranked in Top in Top Top samein 20% category 20% at in Bottom 20%50% in 2003 Top Bottom 20% 20% 2003 2002 & 2003 least one year in 2002 & 2003 at least one year

Top 20% Top 20% Top 50% Top 50% Bottom Bottom 20% 20% Bottom 50% 50%

10/18

10/18

14/18

6/18 33/45 7/45 8/18 1/18 33/45 2/45

12/18 14/45 19/45 0/18 2/18 4/45 8/45

0/18 33/45 1/45 1/18 5/18 12/45 7/45

0/18

10/45

10/18

18/45

Conclusions from field experiments

Trees produced more sap in wet, cool spring of 02 than dry, warm spring of 03 In general, large diameter trees produce more sap than small diameter tree. This finding is especially true in the dry, warm spring Sap production differed in some transects by position on hillside, although other factors can strongly affect amount of sap produced

Recommendations to sap harvesters

Choose stands with willow, firewood, and dwarf dogwood (especially in dry, warm springs) Since sap carbohydrate content is fairly consistent between trees and years, choose trees based on the amount of sap produced Choose trees with large diameters or that have produced well in previous years

Future directions for research in Alaska

Does tapping increase the incidence of pathogens; if so, how can this be minimized What is the best way to utilize the sap resource syrup products, sap beverages How can management improve sap yields and/or sugar content What does the industry need in order to thrive

Alaska Boreal Forest Council. 2005. Review of the 2001 Birch Sap Harvest in Alaska. 4 p. Davidov, G.M. 1979. [Calculating the yield of birch sap by the mensurational characteristics of the stands.]. Lesnoi Zhurnal. 1 :116-7. Dujesieken, D., S. Ebenritter, and W. Liese. 1989. [Wound reactions in wood tissue in birch, beech, and Tilia cordata.]. Holzals Roh- und Werkstoff. 47:495-500. Fesyuk, A.V.and V.V. Grimashevich. 1980. [Effects of different factors on the sap yield of Betula pendula.]. Lesovodstvo, Lesnye Kul'tury i Pochvovedenie. 9:89-94. Flora of North America. 1993+. Editorial Committee, editors. Flora of North America North of Mexico. 7+ vols. New York and Oxford. Available: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=103887 Gavrilyuk, V.M., Yu.O Osipenko, and V.P. Ryabchuk. 1980. [Harvesting sap from stumps.]. Lesnoe Khozyaistvo. 5:62-64. Lahteenkorva, J. 2005. Practical experience of birch sap collection, producing and marketing in Finland. In: Tree Sap III Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Sap Utilization (ISSU). Bifuka, Hokkaido, Japan, April 15-17 p.7-9. Osipenko, Yu.F. and V.P. Ryabchuk. 1973. [Effects of tapping [for sap] on the diameter increment of Betula verrucosa.]. Lesnoe Khozyaistvo. 9:27-9. Osipenko, Yu.F. and V.P. Ryabchuk. 1975. [Obtaining Birch sap from stumps.]. Lesnoe Khozyaistvo. 4:14-5 . Ryabchuk, V.P. 1974. [Sap exudation of Birch and temperature conditions]. Lesnoe Khyzyaistvo. 5:25-7. Ryabchuk, V.P. 1975. [Effects of tapping Birch on the colour of the wood.]. Lesnoi Zhurnal. 4:146-8. Ryabchuk, V.P. 1977. [The sap of Betula pendula.]. Lesnoe Khozyaistvo. 4:80-2. Ryabchuk, V.P. 1979. [Effects of tapping on the phenological condition of broadleaved species.]. Lesnoi Zhurnal. 1:15-7. Tagiltsev, Y.G., V.A. Tsupko, V.I. Tolstyh, A.G. Izmodenov, E.V. Lysun, R.D. Kolesnikova, and V.S. Ostronkov. 2005. Sap of Far Eastern birch species. In: Tree Sap III Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Sap Utilization (ISSU). Bifuka, Hokkaido, Japan, April 15-17 p.37-42. Telisevskij, D. 1970. [Collection and use of Birch sap.]. Lesn. Hoz. 80-2. Terazawa, M. 1995. Shirakamba Birch, Splendid Forest Biomass--Potential of Living Tree Tissues. In: Tree Sap Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Sap Utilization (ISSU), Bifuka, Hokkaido, Japan, April 10-12. p. 7-12 . Tomchuk, R.I. I.S. Korolyak, N.F. Fedchuk, and Ya.G. Kiba. 1973. [Use of Birch sap in the food industry.]. Lesnoe Khozyaistvo. 5:16-18. Viereck L.A. 1992. The Alaska Vegetation Classification. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report. PNW-

References