Large variation in branch and branch-tip hydraulic functional traits in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) approaching lower treeline

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (8) ◽  
pp. 1461-1472
Author(s):  
Theresa K Condo ◽  
Keith Reinhardt
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Pseudotsuga Menziesii ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Elevation Gradients ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Hydraulic Vulnerability ◽  
Maximum Conductivity ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Water Limitations

Abstract Few studies have quantified intraspecific variation of hydraulic functional traits in conifers across elevation gradients that include range boundaries. In the Intermountain West, USA, the lower elevational limit of forests (lower treeline) is generally assumed to be caused by water limitations to growth and water relations, yet few studies directly show this. To test this assumption, we measured changes in a suite of traits that characterize drought tolerance such as drought-induced hydraulic vulnerability, hydraulic transport capacity and morphological traits in branch tips and branches of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Mirb.) Franco) along a 400-m elevation gradient in southeastern Idaho that included lower treeline. As elevation decreased, vulnerability to hydraulic dysfunction and maximum conductivity both decreased in branches; some hydraulic safety–efficiency trade-offs were evident. In branch tips, the water potential at the turgor loss point decreased, while maximum conductance increased with decreasing elevation, highlighting that branch-tip-level responses to less moisture availability accompanied by warmer temperatures might not be coordinated with branch responses. As the range boundary was approached, we did not observe non-linear changes in parameters among sites or increased variance within sites, which current ecological hypotheses on range limits suggest. Our results indicate that there is substantial plasticity in hydraulic functional traits in branch tips and branches of Douglas-fir, although the direction of the trends along the elevation gradient sometimes differed between organs. Such plasticity may mitigate the negative impacts of future drought on Douglas-fir productivity, slowing shifts in its range that are expected to occur with climate change.

scholarly journals Auswirkungen des Douglasienanbaus auf die Biodiversität: wichtige Forschungsfragen (Essay)

2017 ◽  
Vol 168 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rolf Holderegger ◽  
Kurt Bollmann ◽  
Peter Brang ◽  
Thomas Wohlgemuth
Keyword(s):  
Pseudotsuga Menziesii ◽  
Natural Regeneration ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Forest Biodiversity ◽  
Important Research ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Dispersal Distances

Effects of Douglas fir cultivation on biodiversity: important research questions (essay) Relevant scientific knowledge is still missing for a sound assessment of whether Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) can be silviculturally integrated in Switzerland without having negative effects on forest biodiversity. This includes the assessment of dispersal distances and the extent and locations of natural regeneration as well as the possible negative impacts on biodiversity of Douglas fir in different mixing ratios with other tree species. In this article, we show with what kinds of methods these research questions can be addressed.

scholarly journals Landscape-scale changes in forest structure and functional traits along an Andes-to-Amazon elevation gradient

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 15415-15454 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. P. Asner ◽  
C. Anderson ◽  
R. E. Martin ◽  
D. E. Knapp ◽  
R. Tupayachi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Forest Structure ◽  
Structural Information ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Imaging Spectroscopy ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Elevation Gradients ◽  
Peruvian Andes ◽  
Environmental Controls

Abstract. Elevation gradients provide opportunities to explore environmental controls on forest structure and functioning, but plot-based studies have proven highly variable due to limited geographic scope. We used airborne imaging spectroscopy and LiDAR (light detection and ranging) to quantify changes in three-dimensional forest structure and canopy functional traits in a series of 25 ha landscapes distributed along a 3300 m elevation gradient from lowland Amazonia to treeline in the Peruvian Andes. Canopy greenness, photosynthetic fractional cover and exposed non-photosynthetic vegetation varied as much across lowland forests (100–200 m) as they did from the lowlands to the Andean treeline (3400 m). Elevation was positively correlated with canopy gap density and understory vegetation cover, and negatively related to canopy height and vertical profile. Increases in gap density were tightly linked to increases in understory plant cover, and larger gaps (20–200 m2 produced 25–30 times the response in understory cover than did smaller gaps (< 5 m2. Scaling of gap size to gap frequency was, however, relatively constant along the elevation gradient, which when combined with other canopy structural information, indicates equilibrium turnover patterns from the lowlands to treeline. Our results provide a first landscape-scale quantification of forest structure and canopy functional traits with changing elevation, thereby improving our understanding of disturbance, demography and ecosystem processes in the Andes-to-Amazon corridor.

scholarly journals Landscape-scale changes in forest structure and functional traits along an Andes-to-Amazon elevation gradient

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 843-856 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. P. Asner ◽  
C. B. Anderson ◽  
R. E. Martin ◽  
D. E. Knapp ◽  
R. Tupayachi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Forest Structure ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Canopy Gap ◽  
Turnover Rates ◽  
Elevation Gradients ◽  
Peruvian Andes ◽  
Environmental Controls

Abstract. Elevation gradients provide opportunities to explore environmental controls on forest structure and functioning. We used airborne imaging spectroscopy and lidar (light detection and ranging) to quantify changes in three-dimensional forest structure and canopy functional traits in twenty 25 ha landscapes distributed along a 3300 m elevation gradient from lowland Amazonia to treeline in the Peruvian Andes. Elevation was positively correlated with lidar-estimated canopy gap density and understory vegetation cover, and negatively related to canopy height and the vertical partitioning of vegetation in canopies. Increases in canopy gap density were tightly linked to increases in understory plant cover, and larger gaps (20–200 m2) produced 25–30 times the response in understory cover than did smaller gaps (< 5 m2). Vegetation NDVI and photosynthetic fractional cover decreased, while exposed non-photosynthetic vegetation and bare soil increased, with elevation. Scaling of gap size to gap frequency (λ) was, however, nearly constant along the elevation gradient. When combined with other canopy structural and functional trait information, this suggests near-constant canopy turnover rates from the lowlands to treeline, which occurs independent of decreasing biomass or productivity with increasing elevation. Our results provide the first landscape-scale quantification of forest structure and canopy functional traits with changing elevation, thereby improving our understanding of disturbance, demography and ecosystem processes in the Andes-to-Amazon corridor.

scholarly journals Multi-Year NDVI Values as Indicator of the Relationship between Spatiotemporal Vegetation Dynamics and Environmental Factors in the Qaidam Basin, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1240
Author(s):  
Junpeng Lou ◽  
Guoyin Xu ◽  
Zhongjing Wang ◽  
Zhigang Yang ◽  
Sanchuan Ni
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Vegetation Dynamics ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Qaidam Basin ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Elevation Gradients ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Different Altitudes

The Qaidam Basin is a unique and complex ecosystem, wherein elevation gradients lead to high spatial heterogeneity in vegetation dynamics and responses to environmental factors. Based on the remote sensing data of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), we analyzed the spatiotemporal variations of vegetation dynamics and responses to precipitation, accumulative temperature (AT) and soil moisture (SM) in the Qaidam Basin from 2001 to 2016. Moreover, the contribution of those factors to vegetation dynamics at different altitudes was analyzed via an artificial neural network (ANN) model. The results indicated that the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values in the growing season showed an overall upward trend, with an increased rate of 0.001/year. The values of NDVI in low-altitude areas were higher than that in high-altitude areas, and the peak values of NDVI appeared along the elevation gradient at 4400–4600 m. Thanks to the use of ANN, we were able to detect the relative contribution of various environmental factors; the relative contribution rate of AT to the NDVI dynamic was the most significant (35.17%) in the low-elevation region (< 2900 m). In the mid-elevation area (2900–3900 m), precipitation contributed 44.76% of the NDVI dynamics. When the altitude was higher than 3900 m, the relative contribution rates of AT (39.50%) and SM (38.53%) had no significant difference but were significantly higher than that of precipitation (21.97%). The results highlight that the different environmental factors have various contributions to vegetation dynamics at different altitudes, which has important theoretical and practical significance for regulating ecological processes.

scholarly journals Pathogenicity and Virulence of Pythium Species Obtained from Forest Nursery Soils on Douglas-Fir Seedlings

Plant Disease ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 97 (6) ◽  
pp. 744-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerry E. Weiland ◽  
Bryan R. Beck ◽  
Anne Davis
Keyword(s):  
Pseudotsuga Menziesii ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
The United States ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Pythium Species ◽  
Forest Nursery ◽  
Damping Off ◽  
Greenhouse Study ◽  
Forest Nurseries

Pythium species are common soilborne oomycetes that occur in forest nursery soils throughout the United States. Numerous species have been described from nursery soils. However, with the exception of P. aphanidermatum, P. irregulare, P. sylvaticum, and P. ultimum, little is known about the potential for other Pythium species found in nursery soils to cause damping-off of tree seedlings. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the pathogenicity and virulence of 44 Pythium isolates representing 16 species that were originally recovered from soil at three forest nurseries in Washington and Oregon. Seeds of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) were planted into soil infested with each of the isolates. Seedling survival, the number of surviving seedlings with necrotic root lesions, and taproot length were evaluated 4 weeks later. Responses of Douglas-fir to inoculation varied significantly depending on Pythium species and isolate. Eight species (P. dissotocum, P. irregulare, P. aff. macrosporum, P. mamillatum, P. aff. oopapillum, P. rostratifingens, P. sylvaticum, and P. ultimum var. ultimum) significantly reduced the number of surviving seedlings compared to the noninoculated treatment. However, all Pythium species caused a greater percentage of seedlings to develop root lesions (total mean 40%) than was observed from noninoculated seedlings (17%). Taproot length varied little among Pythium treatments and was not a useful character for evaluating pathogenicity. Results confirm the ability of P. irregulare, P. mamillatum, and P. ultimum var. ultimum to cause damping-off of Douglas-fir seedlings, and are indicative that other species such as P. dissotocum, P. aff. macrosporum, P. aff. oopapillum, P. rostratifingens, and P. sylvaticum may also be responsible for seedling loss.

Cylindrocarpon and Fusarium root colonization of Douglas-fir seedlings from British Columbia reforestation sites

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (8) ◽  
pp. 1198-1206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paige E Axelrood ◽  
William K Chapman ◽  
Keith A Seifert ◽  
David B Trotter ◽  
Gwen Shrimpton
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Pseudotsuga Menziesii ◽  
Root Colonization ◽  
Linear Trend ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Root Infection ◽  
Significant Linear Trend ◽  
Conifer Seedlings ◽  
Cylindrocarpon Destructans

Poor performance of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) plantations established in 1987 has occurred in southwestern British Columbia. Affected sites were planted with 1-year-old container stock that exhibited some root dieback in the nursery. A study was initiated in 1991 to assess Cylindrocarpon and Fusarium root infection in planted and naturally regenerating (natural) Douglas-fir seedlings from seven affected plantations. Percentages of seedlings harboring Cylindrocarpon spp.and percent root colonization were significantly greater for planted seedlings compared with natural seedlings. A significant linear trend in Cylindrocarpon root colonization was observed for planted seedlings with colonization levels being highest for roots closest to the remnants of the root plug and decreasing at distances greater than 10cm from that region. This trend in Cylindrocarpon colonization was not observed for natural seedlings. Cylindrocarpon destructans (Zins.) Scholten var. destructans and C.cylindroides Wollenw. var. cylindroides were the only species isolated from planted and natural conifer seedlings. For most sites, percentage of seedlings harboring Fusarium spp.and percent Fusarium root colonization were less than for Cylindrocarpon. Recovery of Fusarium spp.from seedlings and root colonization levels were not significantly different for planted and natural seedlings from all sites.

Contarinia pseudotsugae. [Distribution map].

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
North America ◽  
Geographical Distribution ◽  
Pseudotsuga Menziesii ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Distribution Map ◽  
New Distribution ◽  
Distribution In Europe

Abstract A new distribution map is provided for Contarinia pseudotsugae Condrashoff (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Hosts: Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Information is given on the geographical distribution in Europe (Belgium, France, Germany and Netherlands) and North America (Canada, British Columbia, USA, California, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington).

Phytophthora pseudotsugae. [Distribution map].

1988 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Geographical Distribution ◽  
Pseudotsuga Menziesii ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Distribution Map ◽  
New Distribution

Abstract A new distribution map is provided for Phytophthora pseudotsugae Hamm & Hansen. Host: douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Information is given on the geographical distribution in NORTH AMERICA, USA, OR, WA.

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