No preferential carbon-allocation to storage over growth in clipped birch and oak saplings

Abstract Herbivory is one of the most globally distributed disturbances affecting carbon (C)-cycling in trees, yet our understanding of how it alters tree C-allocation to different functions such as storage, growth or rhizodeposition is still limited. Prioritized C-allocation to storage replenishment vs growth could explain the fast recovery of C-storage pools frequently observed in growth-reduced defoliated trees. We performed continuous 13C-labeling coupled to clipping to quantify the effects of simulated browsing on the growth, leaf morphology and relative allocation of stored vs recently assimilated C to the growth (bulk biomass) and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) stores (soluble sugars and starch) of the different organs of two tree species: diffuse-porous (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) and ring-porous (Quercus petraea [Matt.] Liebl.). Carbon-transfers from plants to bulk and rhizosphere soil were also evaluated. Clipped birch and oak trees shifted their C-allocation patterns above-ground as a means to recover from defoliation. However, such increased allocation to current-year stems and leaves did not entail reductions in the allocation to the rhizosphere, which remained unchanged between clipped and control trees of both species. Betula pubescens and Q. petraea showed differences in their vulnerability and recovery strategies to clipping, the ring-porous species being less affected in terms of growth and architecture by clipping than the diffuse-porous. These contrasting patterns could be partly explained by differences in their C cycling after clipping. Defoliated oaks showed a faster recovery of their canopy biomass, which was supported by increased allocation of new C, but associated with large decreases in their fine root biomass. Following clipping, both species recovered NSC pools to a larger extent than growth, but the allocation of 13C-labeled photo-assimilates into storage compounds was not increased as compared with controls. Despite their different response to clipping, our results indicate no preventative allocation into storage occurred during the first year after clipping in either of the species.

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Long-term irrigation in a drought-prone pine forest leads to vertical redistribution of C stocks and accelerates C cycling in the soil

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-3380 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Claudia Guidi ◽

Ivano Brunner ◽

Josephine Imboden ◽

Konstantin Gavazov ◽

Marcus Schaub ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mineral Soil ◽

Fine Root Biomass ◽

Soil Organisms ◽

Soil C ◽

Water Limitation ◽

Organic Layers ◽

C Storage ◽

C Cycling ◽

Soil C Cycling

European forests are facing higher frequencies of extreme droughts, potentially impairing tree growth and ecosystem functioning. Drought limits the metabolic activity of plants and soil organisms, either directly or through reduced belowground carbon (C) allocation of recent assimilates, thus affecting C cycling in the plant-soil system. However, the net effect on belowground soil C storage is still unclear, as drought suppresses both C inputs from plants and outputs from soils. Moreover, understanding the underlying mechanisms is complicated due to long-term acclimation and adaptation of plant and soil organisms to water limitation.We investigated the impact of repeated summer droughts in a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forest on soil C storage and C cycling, taking advantage of a large-scale irrigation experiment &#160;running since 2003 in a dry inner-Alpine valley in Switzerland (Pfynwald, Valais), which removed the &#8220;natural&#8221; water limitation. We assessed the responses of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and C fluxes by measuring litter fall and decomposition, fine root biomass and production, soil CO2 effluxes, C-mineralization, and 13C-labelled glucose utilization by soil microorganisms.&#160;After 16 years of irrigation, the organic layers lost significant amounts of C (-1000 g m-2), despite a 50% increase in litter fall. This C loss was almost compensated by a C gain in the mineral soil (+870 g m-2) under irrigation. The decrease in C storage in the organic layers can be related to a three-fold increase in litter decomposition mainly through soil macrofauna as indicated by a litter-bag experiment. In parallel, the C gain in the mineral soil can be attributed mainly to increased incorporation of litter by soil fauna, together with greater C input from the rhizosphere (+70% fine root biomass for Scots pine in mineral soil). Furthermore, irrigation stimulated soil CO2 efflux as well as microbial C-mineralization of organic and mineral soil, indicating enhanced soil C cycling. Addition of 13C-enriched glucose to mineral soils revealed a stronger utilization of this easily available C substrate in the drought than in the irrigated soils, together with a negative priming of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition shortly after substrate addition. These results suggest that the altered quantity and quality of C inputs under irrigation has increased the availability of easily degradable C in soil.This study reveals that long-term summer irrigation in a drought-prone pine forest has strong impacts on multiple interlinked processes of the soil C cycle. The removal of water limitation strongly altered vertical soil C distribution,&#160;accelerated soil C cycling and altered the substrate use by soil organisms, but had only a small net effect on the whole-profile SOC stocks.

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Growth of Mountain Birch (Betula Pubescens Ehrh.) in Response to Changing Temperature

Forest Development in Cold Climates ◽

10.1007/978-1-4899-1600-6_5 ◽

1993 ◽

pp. 65-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Oddvar Skre

Keyword(s):

Betula Pubescens ◽

Mountain Birch ◽

Betula Pubescens Ehrh

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Taxonomy of infraspecific variation in Betula pubescens Ehrh., with particular reference to the Scottish Highlands

Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Section B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0269727000003857 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 85 (1-2) ◽

pp. 13-26 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. S. Gardiner

Keyword(s):

Multivariate Analysis ◽

High Frequency ◽

Betula Pubescens ◽

Infraspecific Variation ◽

Scottish Highlands ◽

Betula Pubescens Ehrh

SynopsisThe variability of the pubescent birch and the probable existence of hybrids between it and two other birches make it a difficult species to classify at an infraspecific level. To some extent, the variation is geographical and to cover its distribution, three subspecies are proposed by the authors of Flora Europaea, sspp. pubescens, carpatica and tortuosa. Two subspecies are recognized in Britain, namely ssp. pubescens and ssp. odorata, but some confusion has arisen through the undetermined relationships between sspp. odorata, carpatica and tortuosa. The rejection of ssp. odorata is proposed as its application, in this case, differs from that intended by J. M. Bechstein, the original authority. An examination of the literature indicates that ssp. tortuosa and ssp. carpatica are probably indistinguishable (a conclusion supported by multivariate analysis) and that the epithet tortuosa can be applied to both taxa. The pubescent birch in the Scottish Highlands may be referred to ssp. tortuosa and, in addition, the high frequency of small-leafed individuals in some populations in the northwest and at higher altitudes, justifies the further distinction of var. microphylla Hartman.

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Influence of Copper Oxide and Silver Nanoparticles on Microclonal Sprouts of Downy Birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.)

Nanotechnologies in Russia ◽

10.1134/s1995078020040035 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (7-8) ◽

pp. 476-482

Author(s):

P. M. Evlakov ◽

O. A. Fedorova ◽

T. A. Grodetskaya ◽

O. V. Zakharova ◽

A. A. Gusev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Silver Nanoparticles ◽

Copper Oxide ◽

Betula Pubescens ◽

Downy Birch ◽

Betula Pubescens Ehrh

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New cyclic diarylheptanoids from the false heartwood of Betula pubescens Ehrh

Natural Product Research ◽

10.1080/14786419.2021.2017930 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Anastasiia O. Ponkratova ◽

Dmitry N. Vedernikov ◽

Andrei K. Whaley ◽

Maria N. Kuncova ◽

Sergey N. Smirnov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Betula Pubescens ◽

Betula Pubescens Ehrh

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Altitudinal Zonation of Geometrid Larvae (Lep.) during a Mass Occurrence on Birch at Sogndal, Western Norway, I967

Insect Systematics & Evolution ◽

10.1163/187631272x00102 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 69-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Sigmund Hagvar

Keyword(s):

Maximum Density ◽

Betula Pubescens ◽

Birch Wood ◽

Altitudinal Zonation ◽

Western Norway ◽

Mass Occurrence ◽

Betula Pubescens Ehrh ◽

Different Altitudes ◽

Made In

AbstractLarvae of Geometridae (Lep.) attacked the birch wood (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) in the mountain slopes near Sogndal, Sogn, in I966 and I967. Collecting of larvae were made in I967 by sweep-netting on five stations at different altitudes up to timber line at 900 m a.s. The maximum density of Operophthera sp., at about 300 m a.s., was estimated to be about five times higher than the maximum density of Oporinia autumnata Bkh. just below the timber line. A horizontal, brownish belt, where the trees were heavily defoliated, extended from approximately 250 to 350 m a.s. The trees near the timber line were not so heavily defoliated. The least defoliated trees were found at about 650-700 m a.s., in the overlapping zone of the two geometrid species. Operophthera sp. was found at all altitudes, while O. autumnata occurred only in the upper half of the birch wood. Erannis aurantiaria Hb. and E. defoliaria Cl. also occurred at all altitudes. The former preferred the lower part of the birch wood, and was always present in densities lower than O. autumnata's highest density. Only a few larvae of E. defoliaria were found, without showing any altitudinal preference.

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Stump diameter and age affect coppicing of downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.)

European Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1007/s10342-019-01175-5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 138 (2) ◽

pp. 345-352 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jyrki Hytönen

Keyword(s):

Betula Pubescens ◽

Downy Birch ◽

Betula Pubescens Ehrh ◽

Stump Diameter

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Effects of Predicted Reduced Summer Rainfall on Growth and Development of Silver Birch (Betula Pendula Roth) and Downy Birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh)

Forestry: Journal of Institute of Forestry, Nepal ◽

10.3126/forestry.v15i0.24919 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. 28-44

Author(s):

Dhirendar Kumar Pradhan ◽

Christine Cahalan ◽

Sunita Ulak

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Betula Pendula ◽

Global Climate ◽

Summer Rainfall ◽

Betula Pubescens ◽

Silver Birch ◽

Betula Pendula Roth ◽

Downy Birch ◽

Betula Pubescens Ehrh

Climate is one of the major factors that govern the distribution of tree species. Climate change has already affected the growth, structure and distribution of trees and woodlands. Global climate change projections are wetter winters, drier summers and significance changes in temperature regimes in the next few decades. The main objective of this study was to experimentally demonstrate the effects of decline in summer rainfall, as predicted by UKCP09/IPCC, on height and diameter growth in two co-occurring silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) and downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh) and provide further understanding of the changes in growth and development in response to a decrease in water availability. One-year-old seedlings were grown in a temperature-controlled greenhouse for eight weeks in a split-plot experimental design. Their height and diameter were measured and analyzed. Result showed that plant height and diameter was significantly reduced with increased water stress. B. pendula showed higher physiological traits indicating that this species can perform better than B. pubescensin water-deficit conditions.

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