scholarly journals Low assimilate partitioning to root biomass is associated with carbon losses at an intensively managed temperate grassland

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arne Poyda ◽  
Thorsten Reinsch ◽  
Inger J. Struck ◽  
R. Howard Skinner ◽  
Christof Kluß ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
High Productivity ◽  
Grass Root ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Intensively Managed ◽  
Carbon Losses ◽  
Grassland Site

Abstract Aims This study aimed to investigate how efficiently assimilated carbon (C) is incorporated in plant biomass at an intensively managed old permanent grassland, how C is partitioned between shoots and roots and what are the implications for C sequestration. Methods Using the eddy covariance technique, the atmosphere-biosphere exchange of CO2 was measured for two years at a sandy grassland site in northern Germany. In addition to aboveground net primary production (ANPP), belowground NPP (BNPP) was observed using the ingrowth core method. Results The grassland showed a high productivity in terms of biomass yield (14.8 Mg dry matter ha−1 yr−1) and net CO2 uptake (−2.82 Mg CO2-C ha−1 yr−1). Photosynthetically assimilated C was converted to biomass with a high carbon use efficiency (CUE) of 71% during the growing season. However, a comparably low fraction of 17% of NPP was allocated to roots (fBNPP). Consequently, the main fraction of NPP was removed during harvest, turning the site into a net source of 0.29 Mg C ha−1 yr−1. Conclusions Our study showed the flexibility of grass root growth patterns in response to alterations in resource availability. We conclude that highly fertilized grasslands can lose their ability for C sequestration due to low belowground C allocation.

scholarly journals High Productivity Makes Mangroves Potentially Important Players in the Tropical Silicon Cycle

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elani B. Elizondo ◽  
Joanna C. Carey ◽  
Alia N. Al-Haj ◽  
Ariel E. Lugo ◽  
Robinson W. Fulweiler
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marshes ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Avicennia Germinans ◽  
Terrestrial Plants ◽  
Mangrove Species ◽  
High Productivity ◽  
Nutrient Salt

Over the last two decades, recognition of the important role terrestrial plants play in regulating silicon (Si) cycling has emerged. Si improves plant fitness by protecting them from abiotic (e.g., desiccation) and biotic (e.g., fungal attack) stressors. Once incorporated into plant biomass this biogenic Si is more bio-available than the lithogenic material from which it was ultimately derived. Thus plants play a key function in regulating the amount and timing of Si availability in downstream ecosystems. Recent work has highlighted the importance of salt marshes in the temperate Si cycle. However, the role of their tropical counterparts, mangroves, has largely gone unexplored. Here we report foliar concentrations of plant Si (as %Si by dry weight) for four Caribbean mangrove species: Conocarpus erectus (buttonwood), Laguncularia racemosa (white mangrove), Avicennia germinans (black mangrove), and Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove). Overall, the median Si concentration was low (0.07%) and did not vary among plant part (e.g., foliage, twig, and propagule). There was also little variation in Si among species. Using literature values of aboveground net primary production, and the concentrations reported here, we estimate an aboveground mangrove Si uptake rate of 2–10 kg Si ha–1 year–1. These rates are on par with rates reported for temperate and boreal forests as well as low nutrient salt marshes, but lower than estimates for high nutrient salt marshes. Thus, despite the low Si concentrations observed in mangroves, their high productivity appears to make them a hot spot of Si cycling in tropical coastal systems.

Biochemical Composition and Phosphorus Use Efficiency in Some Mixtures

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (07) ◽  
pp. 4694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viliana Vasileva ◽  
Anna Ilieva
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Biochemical Composition ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Birdsfoot Trefoil ◽  
Phosphorus Use Efficiency ◽  
Forage Crops ◽  
Use Efficiency

In pot trial the biochemical composition and phosphorus use efficiency of birdsfoot trefoil, sainfoin and subterranean clover grown pure and in mixtures with perennial ryegrass in the next ratios were studied in the Institute of Forage Crops, Pleven, Bulgaria: birdsfoot trefoil + perennial ryegrass (50:50%); sainfoin + perennial ryegrass (50:50%); subterranean clover + perennial ryegrass (50:50%); birdsfoot trefoil + subterranean clover + perennial ryegrass (33:33:33%); sainfoin + subterranean clover + perennial ryegrass (33:33:33%). The highest crude protein content was found in the aboveground mass of birdsfoot trefoil (19.17%) and sainfoin (19.30%). The water soluble sugars contents in mixtures was found higher compared to the pure grown legumes. Birdsfoot trefoil showed the highest phosphorus use efficiency for plant biomass accumulation and nodules formation. In mixtures the phosphorus use efficiency was found be higher as compared to the same in pure grown legumes.

scholarly journals A STELLA-Based Model to Simultaneously Predict Hydrological Processes, N Uptake and Biomass Production in a Eucalyptus Plantation

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 515
Author(s):  
Ying Ouyang ◽  
Gary Feng ◽  
Heidi Renninger ◽  
Theodor D. Leininger ◽  
Prem Parajuli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Biomass Production ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Hydrological Processes ◽  
Modeling Tools ◽  
Eucalyptus Plantation ◽  
Simulation Scenario ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
N Use

Eucalyptus is one of the fastest growing hardwoods for bioenergy production. Currently, few modeling tools exist to simultaneously estimate soil hydrological processes, nitrogen (N) uptake, and biomass production in a eucalyptus plantation. In this study, a STELLA (Structural Thinking and Experiential Learning Laboratory with Animation)-based model was developed to meet this need. After the model calibration and validation, a simulation scenario was developed to assess eucalyptus (E. grandis × urophylla) annual net primary production (ANPP), woody biomass production (WBP), water use efficiency (WUE), and N use efficiency (NUE) for a simulation period of 20 years. Simulation results showed that a typical annual variation pattern was predicted for water use, N uptake, and ANPP, increasing from spring to fall and decreasing from fall to the following winter. Overall, the average NUE during the growth stage was 700 kg/kg. To produce 1000 kg eucalyptus biomass, it required 114.84 m3 of water and 0.92 kg of N. This study suggests that the STELLA-based model is a useful tool to estimate ANPP, WBP, WUE, and NUE in a eucalyptus plantation.

The effect of population structure on growth patterns in the woody goldenrod Solidago pauciflosculosa

1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (7) ◽  
pp. 1955-1958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marvin P. Pritts ◽  
James F. Hancock
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Seedling Establishment ◽  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Dispersion Pattern ◽  
Allocation Patterns ◽  
Total Plant Biomass ◽  
Total Plant ◽  
Two Populations

The population structure and growth patterns of two populations of Solidago pauciflosculosa, a woody goldenrod, were investigated. Populations consisted of even-aged contagious patches of individuals, a dispersion pattern likely caused by the periodic appearance of microsites suitable for seedling establishment. The density of individuals within the even-aged clumps varied considerably and was correlated with total plant biomass and reproductive output. Density was not correlated with either reproductive or nonreproductive allocation patterns.

scholarly journals Continuous Lighting and High Daily Light Integral Enhance Yield and Quality of Mass-Produced Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.) in Plant Factories

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1203
Author(s):  
Wenshuo Xu ◽  
Na Lu ◽  
Masao Kikuchi ◽  
Michiko Takagaki
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Mass Production ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Leaf Production ◽  
High Productivity ◽  
Artificial Lighting ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Tropaeolum Majus

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.), as a medicinal plant, has a high phenolic content in its leaves and flowers. It is often used in salads as a dietary vegetable. Attracting strong demand, it could be a good candidate crop for a plant factory with artificial lighting (PFAL) that can achieve the mass production of high-quality crops with high productivity by regulating environmental conditions such as light. In this study, two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of continuous lighting (CL) and different daily light integrals (DLIs) under CL on the growth, secondary metabolites, and light use efficiency (LUE) of nasturtium, all of which are essential in the successful cultivation in PFALs. In Experiment 1, two lighting models, the same DLI of 17.3 mol m-2 d-1 but different light periods (24 and 16 h) with different light intensities (200 and 300 µmol m−2 s−1, respectively), were applied to nasturtium. The results showed that leaf production, secondary metabolites, and LUE were higher under the 24-h CL treatment than under the 16-h non-CL treatment. In Experiment 2, three DLI levels (17.3, 25.9, and 34.6 mol m-2 d-1) under the CL condition were applied. The results showed that the growth parameters were positively correlated with the DLI levels under CL. The lowest DLI had the highest LUE. We conclude that the mass production of nasturtium under CL in PFALs is feasible, and the yield increases as DLI increases from 17.3 to 34.6 mol m-2 d-1 under CL without causing physiological stress on plants.

scholarly journals Cultivar-Dependent Responses in Plant Growth, Leaf Physiology, Phosphorus Use Efficiency, and Tuber Quality of Potatoes Under Limited Phosphorus Availability Conditions

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leangsrun Chea ◽  
Ana Meijide ◽  
Catharina Meinen ◽  
Elke Pawelzik ◽  
Marcel Naumann
Keyword(s):  
Tuber Yield ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
P Uptake ◽  
Tuber Quality ◽  
P Availability ◽  
Plant Tolerance ◽  
P Deficiency ◽  
Leaf Physiology ◽  
Use Efficiency

The limited availability of phosphorus (P) in soils causes a major constraint in the productivity of potatoes, which requires increased knowledge of plant adaptation responses in this condition. In this study, six potato cultivars, namely, Agria, Lady Claire, Milva, Lilly, Sieglinde, and Verdi, were assessed for their responses on plant growth, leaf physiology, P use efficiency (PUE), and tuber quality with three P levels (Plow, Pmed, and Phigh). The results reveal a significant variation in the cultivars in response to different P availabilities. P-efficient cultivars, Agria, Milva, and Lilly, possessed substantial plant biomass, tuber yield, and high P uptake efficiency (PUpE) under low P supply conditions. The P-inefficient cultivars, Lady Claire, Sieglinde, and Verdi, could not produce tubers under P deprivation conditions, as well as the ability to efficiently uptake P under low-level conditions, but they were efficient in P uptake under high soil P conditions. Improved PUpE is important for plant tolerance with limited P availability, which results in the efficient use of the applied P. At the leaf level, increased accumulations of nitrate, sulfate, sucrose, and proline are necessary for a plant to acclimate to P deficiency-induced stress and to mobilize leaf inorganic phosphate to increase internal PUE and photosynthesis. The reduction in plant biomass and tuber yield under P-deficient conditions could be caused by reduced CO2 assimilation. Furthermore, P deficiency significantly reduced tuber yield, dry matter, and starch concentration in Agria, Milva, and Lilly. However, contents of tuber protein, sugars, and minerals, as well as antioxidant capacity, were enhanced under these conditions in these cultivars. These results highlight the important traits contributing to potato plant tolerance under P-deficient conditions and indicate an opportunity to improve the P efficiency and tuber quality of potatoes under deficient conditions using more efficient cultivars. Future research to evaluate molecular mechanisms related to P and sucrose translocation, and minimize tuber yield reduction under limited P availability conditions is necessary.

scholarly journals Could increased boreal forest ecosystem productivity offset carbon losses from increased disturbances?

2007 ◽  
Vol 363 (1501) ◽  
pp. 2259-2268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Werner A Kurz ◽  
Graham Stinson ◽  
Greg Rampley
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
Climatic Changes ◽  
Forest Sector ◽  
Carbon Budget Model ◽  
C Stocks ◽  
Carbon Losses ◽  
Forest C ◽  
Landscape Level

To understand how boreal forest carbon (C) dynamics might respond to anticipated climatic changes, we must consider two important processes. First, projected climatic changes are expected to increase the frequency of fire and other natural disturbances that would change the forest age-class structure and reduce forest C stocks at the landscape level. Second, global change may result in increased net primary production (NPP). Could higher NPP offset anticipated C losses resulting from increased disturbances? We used the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector to simulate rate changes in disturbance, growth and decomposition on a hypothetical boreal forest landscape and to explore the impacts of these changes on landscape-level forest C budgets. We found that significant increases in net ecosystem production (NEP) would be required to balance C losses from increased natural disturbance rates. Moreover, increases in NEP would have to be sustained over several decades and be widespread across the landscape. Increased NEP can only be realized when NPP is enhanced relative to heterotrophic respiration. This study indicates that boreal forest C stocks may decline as a result of climate change because it would be difficult for enhanced growth to offset C losses resulting from anticipated increases in disturbances.

An analysis of primary production in the Daly River, a relatively unimpacted tropical river in northern Australia

2005 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 303 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. T. Webster ◽  
N. Rea ◽  
A. V. Padovan ◽  
P. Dostine ◽  
S. A. Townsend ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Production ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Tight Coupling ◽  
Tropical River ◽  
Rate Of Photosynthesis ◽  
Curve Method ◽  
Tropical Australia

In this paper, the dynamics of primary production in the Daly River in tropical Australia are investigated. We used the diurnal-curve method for both oxygen and pH to calculate photosynthesis and respiration rates as indicators of whole-river productivity. The Daly River has maximum discharges during the summer, monsoonal season. Flow during the dry season is maintained by groundwater discharge via springs. The study investigated how primary production and respiration evolve during the period of low flow in the river (April–November). The relationship between primary production and the availability of light and nutrients enabled the role of these factors to be assessed in a clear, oligotrophic tropical river. The measured rate of photosynthesis was broadly consistent with the estimated mass of chlorophyll associated with the main primary producers in the river (phytoplankton, epibenthic algae, macroalgae, macrophytes). A significant result of the analysis is that during the time that plant biomass re-established after recession of the flows, net primary production proved to be ~4% of the rate of photosynthesis. This result and the observed low-nutrient concentrations in the river suggest a tight coupling between photosynthetic fixation of carbon and the microbial degradation of photosynthetic products comprising plant material and exudates.

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