To drain or not to drain

[Shadowscape]

I have a relative that harvests trees from the ocean floor off Vancouver Island that have been down there for a long, long time. Some of the most sought-after lumber comes out of those trees.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Under water - does the water block the sun's UV damage?

That may have an effect, never heard it being discussed though.

Decay microrganisms are aerobic, they need oxygen. Underwater=no O2

 

[Matias]

So, if this water filled pocket is only full of water a few times a year, after heavy rains, and generally dries out, either partially or completely dependending on season, then wouldn't that promote lots of decay microorganisms to flourish?

 

[Shadowscape]

If it drains fairly quickly, you already have some serious rot going on. Water doesn't pass through healthy wood fibers very well. It might evaporate, but it shouldn't drain in a healthy tree.
But that didn't answer your question.
Dead wood will absorb water better than live wood. Live wood already has a saturation point going on and will not take on anymore. The microorganisms are not in the water in the wood fibers of a live tree. They move in with the moisture entering the dead fibers.
That probably still does not answer your question well enough.
If you have dead wood inside the pocket, the water is probably going to soak into that and promote more rot, but there is already rot going on if there is dead wood in there. If the tree is in trouble the water will probably make it worse. If it is a healthy tree, it shouldn't hurt it.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

wouldn't that promote lots of decay

That's kind of the worst scenario but typical.

This is a realm of our work where Touch Trees comes into play. Years of cutting down trees or observing replaces book learning.

From observation, tree structure is the point of most failures. Water filled pockets are rarely fail points from what I've seen.

 

[Bart_]

I think UV damage is kind of "mechanical" breaking down and greying of the wood fiber, with no biological interaction except wasps who love the fuzzy fibers to build nests. Think driftwood surface.

Marlin Perkins close up saying: "turbidity", due to algae silt etc. I always got a kick out of that guy as an impressionable young kid.

I sometimes CSI branch failures by looking for greyed wood.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

CSI=Cut Scene Investigation

 

[Bart_]

Nostalgia:

By the way, turbidity is the crud blocking light transmission in water re underwater camera work

This isn't the whole episode but it gives you the idea

whole episode but video shrunk

 

[ghostice]

That may have an effect, never heard it being discussed though.

Decay microrganisms are aerobic, they need oxygen. Underwater=no O2

I wonder if there would be a "treatment" for the water in a tree cavity that could help prevent fungal decay. I picture maybe some tablets or something that you could throw in there that would turn the water anaerobic? Slow release. Research or business opportunity?
Up in the cold white north here I do wonder about freeze cracking in the cavity if it isn't drained before winter. And especially in the land of Chinooks, in winter the freeze thaw cycles do a number even on concrete that's in good shape. E.g. clay flower pots have a hard time if you leave wet soil in them over our winters here.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I've wondered about ice damage too.

But I've never seen any. Either from urban trees or when I've seen trees in the wild.

Slow release briquettes are used for mosquito control.