Tree age effect on fine-root and leaf morphology in a silver birch forest chronosequence

Global climate change scenarios predict increasing air temperature, enhanced precipitation and air humidity for Northern latitudes. We&#8239;investigated the effects of elevated air relative humidity (RH) and different inorganic nitrogen&#8239;sources&#8239;(NO3-, NH4+) on above- and belowground traits in different tree species, with particular emphasis on rhizodeposition rates. Silver birch, hybrid aspen and Scots pine saplings were grown in PERCIVAL growth chambers with stabile temperature, light intensity and two different air humidity conditions: moderate (mRH, 65% at day and 80% at night) and elevated (eRH, 80% at day and night). The collection of fine root exudates was conducted by a culture-based cuvette method and total organic carbon content was determined by Vario TOC analyser. Fine root respiration was measured with an infra-red gas analyser CIRAS 2.&#8239;&#160;We analysed species-specific biomass allocation, water and rhizodeposition fluxes, foliar and fine root traits in response to changing environmental conditions. The&#8239;eRH&#8239;significantly decreased the transpiration flux in all species. In birch the transpiration flux was also affected by the nitrogen source. The average carbon exudation rate for aspen, birch and pine varied from 2 to 3 &#8239;&#956;g&#8239;C g-1&#8239;day&#8239;-1. The exudation rates for deciduous tree species tended to increase at&#8239;eRH, while conversely decreased for coniferous trees (p=0.045), coinciding with the changes in biomass allocation.&#8239;C flux released by fine root respiration varied more than the fine root exudation, whereas the highest root respiration was found in silver birch and lowest in aspen. At eRH the above and belowground&#8239;biomass ratio in aspen increased, at the expense of decreased root biomass and root respiration.&#8239;&#160;Moreover,&#8239;eRH&#8239;significantly affected fine root morphology, whereas the response of specific root area was reverse for deciduous and coniferous tree species. However, fine roots with lower root tissue density had higher C exudation rate. Our findings underline the importance of considering species-specific differences by&#8239;elucidating tree&#8217;s&#8239;acclimation&#8239;to environmental factors and their&#8239;interactions.&#8239;&#8239;&#160;

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Fine root growth and mortality in different-aged ponderosa pine stands

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x08-029 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 38 (7) ◽

pp. 1797-1806 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Chris P. Andersen ◽

Donald L. Phillips ◽

Paul T. Rygiewicz ◽

Marjorie J. Storm

Keyword(s):

Root Growth ◽

Pinus Ponderosa ◽

Ponderosa Pine ◽

Standing Crop ◽

Fine Root ◽

Tree Age ◽

Root Production ◽

Age Classes ◽

Old Growth ◽

Pine Stands

Root minirhizotron tubes were installed at two sites around three different age classes of ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) to follow patterns of fine root (≤2 mm diameter) dynamics during a 4 year study. Both sites were old-growth forests until 1978, when one site was clear-cut and allowed to regenerate naturally. The other site had both intermediate-aged trees (50–60 years) and old-growth trees (>250 years old). Estimates of fine root standing crop were greatest around young trees and least around intermediate-aged trees. Root production was highly synchronized in all age classes, showing a single peak in late May – early June each year. Root production and mortality were proportional to standing root crop (biomass), suggesting that allocation to new root growth was proportional to root density regardless of tree age. The turnover index (mortality/maximum standing crop) varied from 0.62 to 0.89·year–1, indicating root life spans in excess of 1 year. It appears that young ponderosa pine stands have greater rates of fine root production than older stands but lose more fine roots each year through mortality. The results indicate that soil carbon may accumulate faster in younger than in older stands.

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Multivariate Analysis of the Brinell Hardness of Silver Birch (Betula pendula Roth.) Wood in Poland

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12101308 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 1308

Author(s):

Hubert Lachowicz ◽

Rafał Wojtan ◽

Antons Seleznovs ◽

Jānis Lāceklis-Bertmanis ◽

Aivars Kaķītis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multivariate Analysis ◽

Betula Pendula ◽

Transverse Section ◽

Brinell Hardness ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Silver Birch ◽

Tree Age ◽

Birch Wood ◽

The Mean ◽

Forest District

An analysis was undertaken of the Brinell hardness of silver birch wood and its dependence on stand location, tree age, tree thickness and forest habitat type, and the interactions between these factors. Wood was obtained from 12 forest districts throughout Poland, from trees aged approximately 30, 50, and 70 years. A total of 51 study plots was established, from which 306 trees were taken. Hardness was measured on three surfaces (transverse, radial, and tangential sections) for 4777 samples, giving a total of 14,331 measurements. It was shown that the hardness of silver birch wood in Poland is significantly influenced by location, tree age, tree thickness, and habitat type, and by interactions between those factors. Habitat type was not shown to affect radial hardness, except in the case of Giżycko forest district. For the whole of the analysed material, the mean hardness on a transverse section was calculated as 66.26 MPa, corresponding to a very hard wood on Mörath’s scale, whereas the values for the longitudinal sections (radial 44.06 MPa, tangential 44.02 MPa) correspond to a soft wood.

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The effect of tree age, daily sap volume and date of sap collection on the content of minerals and heavy metals in silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) tree sap

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0244435 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. e0244435

Author(s):

Paweł Staniszewski ◽

Maciej Bilek ◽

Wojciech Szwerc ◽

Robert Tomusiak ◽

Paweł Osiak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Betula Pendula ◽

Manganese Content ◽

Silver Birch ◽

Raw Material ◽

Tree Age ◽

Forest Environment ◽

Health Safety ◽

Nutritional Benefits ◽

Lead Nickel

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the age of trees, daily sap volume as well as the term of tapping birch sap collected in the forest environment on the content of selected minerals (zinc, copper and manganese) and heavy metals (lead, nickel, chromium and cadmium). The study was performed on material taken from two stands (aged 34 and 84 years) in a moist broadleaved forest habitat with a dominant share of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth). The research results confirmed the presence of both nutritional essential minerals and hazardous heavy metals in the birch sap. At the same time, the content of minerals and heavy metals was found to be very variable and the differences between their concentrations, recorded on the same day of collecting in several trees of the same age group, can be even several dozen times higher. Depending on the examined elements, the factors influencing their content vary. The age of the trees determines only the manganese content; daily sap volume significantly affects the content of manganese and copper, and date of collection differentiates the content of zinc, lead, nickel and cadmium. The results may be interesting in the context of developing procedures for collecting birch sap for the purpose of obtaining raw material with beneficial nutritional values and a high level of health safety. For this reason, our recommendation for guaranteeing the health safety and high nutritional value of birch sap is to combine batches of raw material taken from as many trees as possible, and at the same time to publicize the fact that collecting birch sap from just one single tree may result in a raw material that is both dangerous and has no nutritional benefits.

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Variability in the basic density of silver birch wood in Poland

Silva Fennica ◽

10.14214/sf.9968 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 53 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hubert Lachowicz ◽

Anna Bieniasz ◽

Rafał Wojtan

Keyword(s):

Betula Pendula ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Geographical Location ◽

Basic Density ◽

Silver Birch ◽

Tree Age ◽

Birch Wood ◽

Forest Habitat ◽

Mean Values ◽

Forest District

This work presents the findings of a study concerning variability in the basic density of silver birch ( Roth) wood, depending on the geographical location of tree stands, the age and thickness of the trees, the forest habitat type, and interactions between some of these factors. The study was carried out on wood from trees aged approximately 30, 50 and 70 years in 12 forest districts located throughout Poland. In total 4777 wood samples, taken from 306 trees from 51 test plots, were measured. The location, the age of the trees, the thickness of the trees and the forest habitat type, as well as interactions between these factors, proved to have a significant influence on the basic density of silver birch wood. The highest mean values of the basic density of the birch wood were found in SokoÅÃ³w forest district on the FBF habitat type (549 kg m) and in GiÅ¼ycko forest district on the FMBF habitat type (548 kg m). For the entire set of examined material, the average values of the basic density of wood increase with tree age. For the examined material originating in FBF and FMBF habitats the average values of basic density showed no significant differences; however, in the cases of the forest districts of GiÅ¼ycko, Åobez and Rudziniec, significant differences in the analysed property were observed.Betula pendulaâ3â3

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STUDY OF MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES AND FLUCTUATION ABILITY OF THE LEAF APPARATUS OF THE SILVER BIRCH

Prirodoobustrojstvo ◽

10.26897/1997-6011-2021-4-116-122 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 116-122

Author(s):

S. A. КАBANOVA ◽

Keyword(s):

Negative Impact ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Ecological Monitoring ◽

High Elevation ◽

Asymmetry Index ◽

Morphological Features ◽

Silver Birch ◽

Birch Forest ◽

Observation Methods ◽

Green Zone

As a result of the increasing anthropogenic and technogenic impact on forest ecosystems, ecological monitoring over the changing indicators of growth and condition of trees has acquired a particular importance. Along with many traditional observation methods based on the analysis of water, soil and air samples, methods of bioindication of the assimilation apparatus have recently been used, which show the level of changes in the morphological characteristics of trees depending on the external negative impact of the environment. The purpose of the research is to determine the state of silver birch forest cultures in the green zone of a city of Nur-Sultan using bioindication methods. The object of research was the assimilation apparatus of 12-year-old silver birch forest cultures which at the age of 7 were transplanted from the strips to the spaces between strips. The morphological features and fl uctuating asymmetry of the leaves were studied. The crops of silver birch were classified as weakened plantations with a coefficient of relative viability of 54.2-73.0%. In 2019, the average level of deviation from the norm corresponded to the crops transplanted at a low elevation and non-transplanted at a high elevation, a slight deviation from the norm was observed in trees transplanted at a higher elevation. In 2020, condition of silver birch plantings decreased to the 4th point of the asymmetry index. The deterioration of the condition of trees is associated with an increasing anthropogenic load on plantations and environmental pollution. Since the pressure of these negative factors on the environment will not decrease, but will only exponentially rise, it is proposed to start taking measures to increase the sustainability of plantings (thinning, use of fertilizers, and addition of growth stimulants, etc.).

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Below-Ground Interspecific Competition of Apple (Malus pumila M.)–Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) Intercropping Systems Based on Niche Overlap on the Loess Plateau of China

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10093022 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 3022 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yubo Sun ◽

Huaxing Bi ◽

Huasen Xu ◽

Hangqi Duan ◽

Ruidong Peng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Interspecific Competition ◽

Apple Tree ◽

Fine Root ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Tree Age ◽

Malus Pumila ◽

Apple Trees ◽

Glycine Max L ◽

Below Ground ◽

Soybean Plants

To provide a scientific basis and technical support for agroforestry management practices, such as interrow configuration and soil water and fertilizer management, a stratified excavation method was performed both to explore the fine-root spatial distribution and niche differentiation and to quantify the below-ground interspecific competition status of 3-, 5-, and 7-year-old apple (Malus pumila M.)–soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) intercropping systems and monocropping systems. The fine roots of older trees occupied a larger soil space and had both a greater fine-root biomass density (FRMD) and a greater ability to reduce the FRMD of soybean, but this ability decreased with the distance from the apple tree row. Similarly, the FRMD of apple trees was also adversely affected by soybean plants, but this effect gradually increased with a decrease in tree age or with the distance from the tree row. Compared with that of the 3- and 5-year-old monocropped apple trees, the FRMD of the 3- and 5-year-old intercropped apple trees increased in the 40–100 cm and 60–100 cm soil layers, respectively. However, compared with that of the 7-year-old apple and soybean monocropping systems, the FRMD of the 7-year-old intercropped apple trees and soybean plants decreased in each soil layer. Compared with that of the corresponding monocropped systems, the fine-root vertical barycenter (FRVB) of the intercropped apple trees displaced deeper soil and that of the intercropped soybean plants displaced shallower soil. Furthermore, the FRVB of both intercropped apple trees and intercropped soybean plants displaced shallower soil with increasing tree age. Intense below-ground interspecific competition in the 3-, 5-, and 7-year-old apple–soybean intercropping systems occurred in the 0–40 cm soil layer at distances of 0.5–0.9, 0.5–1.3, and 0.5–1.7 m from the apple tree row, respectively.

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