Tree diversity affects chlorophyllafluorescence and other leaf traits of tree species in a boreal forest

Global climate models predict changes on the length of the dry season in the Amazon which may affect tree physiology. The aims of this work were to determine the effect of the rainfall regime and fraction of sky visible (FSV) at the forest understory on leaf traits and gas exchange of ten rainforest tree species in the Central Amazon, Brazil. We also examined the relationship between specific leaf area (SLA), leaf thickness (LT), and leaf nitrogen content on photosynthetic parameters. Data were collected in January (rainy season) and August (dry season) of 2008. A diurnal pattern was observed for light saturated photosynthesis (Amax) and stomatal conductance (g s), and irrespective of species, Amax was lower in the dry season. However, no effect of the rainfall regime was observed on g s nor on the photosynthetic capacity (Apot, measured at saturating [CO2]). Apot and leaf thickness increased with FSV, the converse was true for the FSV-SLA relationship. Also, a positive relationship was observed between Apot per unit leaf area and leaf nitrogen content, and between Apot per unit mass and SLA. Although the rainfall regime only slightly affects soil moisture, photosynthetic traits seem to be responsive to rainfall-related environmental factors, which eventually lead to an effect on Amax. Finally, we report that little variation in FSV seems to affect leaf physiology (Apot) and leaf anatomy (leaf thickness).

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Stem trait spectra underpin multiple functions of temperate gymnosperm and angiosperm tree species

10.21203/rs.3.rs-168427/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shanshan Yang ◽

Frank J. Sterck ◽

Ute Sass-Klaassen ◽

J. Hans C. Cornelissen ◽

Richard S.P. van Logtestijn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Leaf Traits ◽

Fast Growth ◽

Growth Strategy ◽

Trade Off ◽

Plant Strategy ◽

Leaf Habit ◽

Angiosperm Species ◽

Central Paradigm ◽

Diffuse Porous

Abstract A central paradigm in comparative ecology is that species sort out along a global economic strategy spectrum, ranging from slow to fast growth. Many studies evaluated plant strategy spectra for leaf traits, b u t few studies evaluated stem strategy spectra using a comprehensive set of anatomical, chemical and morphological traits, addressing key stem functions of different stem compartments (inner wood, outer wood and bark). This study evaluates how stem traits vary in the wood and bark of temperate tree species, and whether a slow-fast growth strategy spectrum exists and what traits make up this plant strategy spectrum. For 14 temperate gymnosperm and angiosperm species, 20 traits belonging to six key stem functions were measured for three stem compartments. Both across and within gymnosperms and angiosperms, a slow-fast stem strategy spectrum is found. Gymnosperms have slow traits and showed converging stem strategies because of their uniform tracheids. Angiosperms have fast traits and showed diverging stem strategies because of a wider array of tissues (vessels, parenchyma and fibers) and vessel size and arrangements (ring-porous versus diffuse porous). Gymnosperms showed a main trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and safety, and angiosperms showed a main trade-off between ‘slow’ diffuse porous species and ‘fast’ ring porous species. The slow traits of gymnosperms allow for a high hydraulic safety, an evergreen leaf habit and steady but slow growth makes them successful in unproductive habitats whereas the fast traits of angiosperms allow for high conductivity, a deciduous leaf habit and fast growth which makes them successful in productive habitats.

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Leaf trait variation and field spectroscopy of generalist tree species on contrasting soil types

10.5194/bg-2016-432 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Matheus Henrique Nunes ◽

Matthew P. Davey ◽

David Anthony Coomes

Keyword(s):

Soil Type ◽

Tree Species ◽

Leaf Traits ◽

Partial Least Square ◽

Soil Types ◽

Species Variation ◽

Trait Variation ◽

Field Spectroscopy ◽

Specific Variation ◽

Foliar Traits

Abstract. Understanding the causes of variation in plant functional traits is a central issue in ecology, particularly in the context of global change. Analyses of the drivers of traits variation based on thousands of tree species are starting to unravel patterns of variation at the global scale, but these studies tend to focus on interspecific variation, and the contribution of intraspecific changes remains less well understood. Hyperspectroscopy is a recently developed technology for estimating the traits of fresh leaves. Few studies have evaluated its potential for assessing inter- and intra-specific trait variability in community ecology. Working with 24 leaf traits for European tree species on contrasting soil types, found growing on deep alluvial soils and nearby shallow chalk soils, we ask: (i) What contribution do soil type and species identity make to trait variation? (ii) When traits are clustered into three functional groups (light capture and growth, leaf structure and defence, as well as rock-derived nutrients), are some groups more affected by soil than others? (iii) What traits can be estimated precisely using field spectroscopy? (iv) Can leaf spectra be used to detect inter-soil as well as inter-specific variation in traits? The contribution of species and soil-type effects to variation in traits were evaluated using statistical analyses. Foliar traits were predicted from spectral reflectance using partial least square regression, and so inter- and intra-specific variation. Most leaf traits varied greatly among species. The effects of soil type were generally weak by comparison. Macronutrient concentrations were greater on alluvial than chalk soils while micronutrient concentration showed the opposite trend. However, structural traits, as well as most pigments and phenolic concentrations varied little with soil type. Field spectroscopy provided accurate estimates of species-level trait values, but was less effective at detecting subtle variation of rock-derived nutrients between soil types. Field spectroscopy was a powerful technique for estimating cross-species variation in foliar traits and Si predictions using spectroscopy appear to be promising. However, it was unable to detect subtle within-species variation of traits associated with soil type.

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Impact of high daytime air humidity on nutrient uptake and night-time water flux in silver birch, a boreal forest tree species

Regional Environmental Change ◽

10.1007/s10113-016-1092-2 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 17 (7) ◽

pp. 2149-2157 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Priit Kupper ◽

Gristin Rohula ◽

Liina Inno ◽

Ivika Ostonen ◽

Arne Sellin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Boreal Forest ◽

Nutrient Uptake ◽

Tree Species ◽

Water Flux ◽

Forest Tree ◽

Silver Birch ◽

Air Humidity ◽

Night Time ◽

Forest Tree Species

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Disentangling tree species identity and richness effects on the herb layer: first results from a German tree diversity experiment

Journal of Vegetation Science ◽

10.1111/jvs.12281 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 742-755 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Evy Ampoorter ◽

Lander Baeten ◽

Margot Vanhellemont ◽

Helge Bruelheide ◽

Michael Scherer-Lorenzen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Tree Diversity ◽

Herb Layer ◽

Species Identity ◽

First Results

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OCCURRENCE OF CARABID BEETLES (COLEOPTERA: CARABIDAE) IN A BOREAL FOREST DAMAGED BY FIRE

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent114509-6 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 114 (6) ◽

pp. 509-514 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

R. J. Richardson ◽

N. J. Holliday

Keyword(s):

Boreal Forest ◽

Forest Fire ◽

Tree Species ◽

Indirect Effects ◽

Similar Pattern ◽

Habitat Change ◽

Carabid Beetles ◽

Pitfall Traps

AbstractFifteen months after an intense forest fire, the fauna of carabid beetles in burnt and unburnt sites was sampled using pitfall traps to detect the indirect effects of fire on carabids caused by habitat change. Traps were installed in burnt and unburnt sites in which the dominant tree species before the fire was either spruce or aspen. The most commonly caught species was Pterostichus pensylvanicus which was captured more frequently in unburnt sites, but was not affected by dominant tree species; a similar pattern of distribution of captures was found for Carabus taedatus. Harpalus laticeps was captured only in burnt sites. P. lucublandus and Dicaelus sculptilis upioides were most commonly caught in the unburnt aspen site, while Pterostichus adstrictus was most commonly caught in the burnt spruce site.

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