Morphological Differences in Lignotubers of Eucalyptus intermedia R.T. Bak. And E. signata F. Muell. Associated With Different Stages of Podzol Development on Coastal Dunes, Cooloola, Queensland

1987 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 301 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Walker ◽  
CH Thompson ◽  
CJ Lacey
Keyword(s):  
Water Status ◽  
Salt Spray ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Coastal Dunes ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Nutrient Supply ◽  
Dune System ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Coastal Margin

The sandmass at Cooloola comprises a series of overlapping aeolian dune systems that extend in age from the present back more than 100 000 years. Podzols are the dominant soils, forming a sequence from rudimentary through to giant forms, according to age. The lignotuber morphology of Eucalyptus signata and E. intermedia was examined within each dune system across the chronosequence, at sites in which most factors affecting plant growth (available soil water status, drainage, light, temperature, fire regimes, exposure to wind and/or salt spray) other than a declining soil nutrient supply were similar. Three lignotuber morphologies were identified: (1) a single-stemmed (SS) form; (2) a multi-stemmed (MS) form with stems originating from a lignotuber only slightly larger than a main stem; and (3) a multi-stemmed plate-like form (MSP) with individual stems separated and growing from a plate-like lignotuber. Multi-stemmed forms of the two eucalypts occur along the coastal margin and on the most nutrient- poor dunes; at all other sites single-stemmed forms are dominant. The most nutrient-poor site had only MS and MSP forms, whilst in sheltered areas the coastal margin had SS individuals. We conclude that in the Cooloola sandmass the development of multi-stemmed forms in both E. signata and E. intermedia may be induced by a variety of factors, including very low nutrient status, but the multi-stemmed plate-like form of E. intermedia is most likely a response to an exceptionally low nutrient supply.

No evidence for interspecific interactions between plants in the first stage of succession on coastal dunes in subarctic Quebec, Canada

1997 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 902-915 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilles Houle
Keyword(s):  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Interspecific Interactions ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Salt Spray ◽  
Coastal Dunes ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Coastal Dune ◽  
Dune System ◽  
Abiotic Conditions ◽  
Herbaceous Perennials

Coastal dunes are very dynamic systems, particularly where the coast is rising as a result of isostatic rebound. In those environments, succession proceeds from plants highly tolerant to sand accumulation, salt spray, and low nutrient availability to less disturbance-tolerant and stress-tolerant, more nutrient-demanding, and supposedly more competitive species. In the subarctic, the regional climate exacerbates the stresses imposed by local abiotic conditions on the dunes. I hypothesized that facilitation would be particularly significant on the foredune of subarctic coastal dune systems because of intense stresses (local and regional) and frequent disturbance in the form of sand deposition. Belowground and aboveground plant biomass was sampled at three different periods during the 1990 growing season along transects perpendicular to the shoreline on a coastal dune system in subarctic Quebec (Canada). The three herbaceous perennials found on the foredune (Honckenya peploides, Elymus mollis, and Lathyrus japonicus) were segregated in time during the growing season and in space along the topographical gradient. The biomass of Honckenya, the first species encountered as one progresses from the upper part of the beach towards the foredune ridge, was not correlated to substrate physicochemistry. However, the biomass of Elymus and that of Lathyrus, the next two species to appear along the flank of the foredune, were related to pH, Mg, Na, and Cl (negatively), and to P and Ca (positively). These results suggest variable linkages between substrate physicochemistry and plant species along the foredune, possibly in relation to species-specific tolerance for abiotic conditions and requirements for substrate resources or to microscale influence of the plants themselves on substrate physicochemistry. Removal experiments carried out over 2 years revealed only one significant unidirectional interaction between these three species along the topographical gradient, and little plant control over abiotic variables (e.g., soil temperature, wind velocity, and photosynthetically active radiation). Early primary succession on subarctic coastal dunes (and elsewhere) appears to be under the control of strong limiting abiotic conditions. As plants slowly gain more control over the physical environment, interspecific interactions (positive and negative) may become more significant. Key words: Elymus mollis, facilitation, Honckenya peploides, inhibition, Lathyrus japonicus, removal experiment, succession, tolerance.

Site and Seasonal Effects on Susceptibility of Eucalyptus marginata to Phytophthora cinnamomi

1989 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 481 ◽  
Author(s):  
JT Tippett ◽  
JF Mcgrath ◽  
TC Hill
Keyword(s):  
Phytophthora Cinnamomi ◽  
Water Status ◽  
Fungal Growth ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Seasonal Effects ◽  
Soluble Carbohydrate ◽  
Eucalyptus Marginata ◽  
Relative Water ◽  
Stem Lesions

Susceptibility of Eucalyptus marginata stems and roots to invasion by Phytophthora cinnamomi was compared at four sites in the northern jarrah forest and reasons for differences in tree susceptibility were sought. The sites were located in both the low (750 mm year -I ) and high (1 100 mm year -1) rainfall zones and differed in understorey composition and soil nutrient status. Stems were inoculated at monthly intervals between October 1983 and April 1984. Measurement of stem lesions induced by inoculation showed that rate of fungal growth in trees at all sites generally increased during the October-December (1983) period. During February and March (1984) there was a large difference in the susceptibility of stems and roots in low-rainfall zone sites compared with those in high-rainfall zone sites. Roots inoculated during February at three of the four sites showed the same relative susceptibilities as stems inoculated one week later. Mean relative water contents (RWC) of the phloem (inner bark) were used to compare the water status of the saplings at the four sites and the observed inhibition of the fungus in the sapling stems and roots at the driest sites, coincided with the months when phloem RWC values were at their lowest. Phloem was also sampled from pole-sized trees at the four sites and seasonal changes in RWC values, soluble carbohydrate concentrations and phenols were monitored for 12 months. Soluble carbohydrate concentrations in the phloem of some of the saplings inoculated at each site were also determined. Concentrations of carbohydrates and phenols did change seasonally and differed between sites but no evidence was found to suggest that they had a direct effect on fungal growth.

Leaf demography and decline of Panicum racemosum populations in coastal foredunes of southern Brazil

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 1593-1599 ◽  
Author(s):  
César S. B. Costa ◽  
Ulrich Seeliger ◽  
César V. Cordazzo
Keyword(s):  
Population Biology ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Salt Spray ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Leaf Demography ◽  
Growth Vigour ◽  
Sand Movement ◽  
Mobile Dune ◽  
Sand Deposition

We studied the effect of nutrient status and sand movement on the population biology of Panicum racemosum Spreng. over a 5-year period (1982–1986) on mobile, semifixed and fixed coastal foredune habitats in southern Brazil. The soils were deficient in nitrate, phosphate, and potassium (<0.5, 0.2–1.2, and 3–5 mg/kg, respectively) in all habitats, and a gradient of decreasing availability existed from the mobile to the fixed dunes. Half-lives of leaves were shorter in the fixed dune as compared with the mobile dune. Similarly, half-lives of leaves were shorter in summer than in winter. Experiments using cuttings of P. racemosum tillers showed that as P. racemosum plants grew, so did the deposition of sand on mobile foredunes. The mechanical deposition of sand itself did not stimulate P. racemosum growth. The deposition of saline sand provided a substrate that supported vertical growth of P. racemosum rhizomes and tillers and was a source of adsorbed nutrients. Also, active sand deposition limited the invasion of frontal dunes by other species. Panicum racemosum populations changed from "invader" to "mature" to "regressive" age states over a 5-year period, apparently in response to the spatial patterns of sand deposition and salt spray input. Key words: Panicum, leaf demography, growth vigour, sand dunes, temporal changes.

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