Needle δ13C and mobile carbohydrates in Pinus koraiensis in relation to decreased temperature and increased moisture along an elevational gradient in NE China

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in SWC within 0-20 cm (upper layer) and 20-40 cm (lower layer) in a Pinus koraiensis-dominated broadleaved mixed forest gap in Xiao Xing’an Mountains of NE China was analyzed by using classical statistics and geographical statistics. The results indicated that the variation regularity in SWC within 0-20 cm was different from that within 20-40 cm during the growing season, the difference in SWC between the two layers reached significant level at P<0.01; the variability degree in SWC within every layer fell into medium variation. Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in SWC occurred with different degree during the study period. Autocorrelative spatial heterogeneity in SWC constituted the main part of total SWC heterogeneity. For SWC spatial distribution within different layer, the patches at medium and lower ranks dominated in forest gap, the patches at higher rank only distributed within 0-20 cm.

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Growth and Needle Properties of Young Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc. Trees across an Elevational Gradient

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10010054 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 54 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ying Fan ◽

W. Moser ◽

Yanxia Cheng

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Air Temperature ◽

Forest Type ◽

Elevational Gradient ◽

Annual Precipitation ◽

Pinus Koraiensis ◽

Forest Types ◽

Light Saturation ◽

Evergreen Forests ◽

P Content

A better understanding of the response of plant growth to elevational gradients may shed light on how plants respond to environmental variation and on the physiological mechanisms underlying these responses. This study analyzed whole plant growth and physiological and morphological properties of needles in young Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc. trees at thirteen points along an elevational gradient ranging from 750 to 1350 m above sea level (a.s.l.) at the end of a growing season on Changbai Mountain in northeastern China. Sampling and analyses indicated the following; (1) many needle properties of P. koraiensis varied with forest type along the elevational gradient though some needle properties (e.g., intrinsic water use efficiency, concentration of chlorophyll, and leaf mass per area) did not change with elevation and forest types; (2) growth was significantly influenced by both forest type and elevation and growth of saplings in P. koraiensis and mixed broadleaved forests was greater than that in evergreen forests and increased with elevation in both forest types; (3) in P. koraiensis and mixed broadleaved forests, there were significant correlations between growth properties and light saturation point, leaf water potential, mean within-crown humidity, annual precipitation, cumulative temperature (≥5 ∘ C), within-crown air temperature, and atmospheric pressure; while in evergreen forests, the leaf C, leaf P content, net rate of light saturation in photosynthesis, water content of soil, within-crown humidity, annual precipitation, cumulative temperature (≥5 ∘ C), within-crown air temperature, and total soil P content displayed a significant relationship with plant growth. These results may help illuminate how P. koraiensis responds to environmental variation and evaluate the adaptive potential of Pinus koraiensis to climate change. Data presented here could also contribute to the more accurate estimation of carbon stocks in this area and to refinement of a plant trait database.

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