Influence of phosphorus on growth and biomass distribution of Alaskan taiga tree seedlings

1983 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1092-1098 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Stuart Chapin III ◽  
Peter R. Tryon ◽  
Keith Van Cleve

Seedlings of six Alaskan taiga tree species and one tall shrub were grown in sand at three phosphate levels. There was a positive correlation between the growth rate of a species at the high-phosphate level in sand culture and its productivity in the natural environment. Poplar (Populusbalsamifera L.), which had highest growth rate under high phosphate, was most sensitive to reduction in phosphate supply, followed by birch (Betulapapyrifera (Reg.) Fern, and Raup) and aspen (Populustremuloides Michx.), whereas growth of conifers (larch (Larixlaricina (Du Roi) K. Koch), white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss), and black spruce (P. mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.)) from late successional sites was slow and unaffected by phosphate supply. Similarly, when birch and white spruce seedlings were transplanted into natural forest stands, the maximum growth rate of birch was greater than that of white spruce, but birch growth was curtailed more by unfavorable conditions than was that of white spruce. We conclude that a slow growth rate reduces nutrient requirement and therefore minimizes nutrient stress on infertile sites, whereas a rapid growth enables nutrient-demanding species to dominate fertile sites.


1975 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. Healey

Available data on mortality, growth, reproduction, and stock size in exploited and unexploited populations of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) are reviewed with a view to understanding the dynamics of exploited populations and improving their management. Natural mortality ranged from about 0.20 to 0.80 in unexploited populations. In exploited populations total mortality was as high as 0.94. Unexploited populations showed a wide range of growth rates. Growth rate increased with increasing exploitation, and growth rate in all heavily exploited populations was similar to the most rapid growth rate shown by unexploited stocks. Heavily exploited whitefish matured at a younger age and possibly also at a smaller size than those which were unexploited. Limited data on stock size suggest that although total population size declines under heavy exploitation, the vulnerable population remains of similar size.It is concluded that whitefish respond to fluctuations in population size through compensatory changes in growth rate, the difference between growth rate in a population and maximum growth rate is a measure of its scope for compensating for increased mortality. Populations with slow growth rate and low mortality should, therefore, have the best fishery potential, while those with high growth rate and high mortality have a low fishery potential. Further, it is possible to judge the fishery potential of a population or its stage of exploitation from relatively simple measurements of mortality, growth, age structure, and maturity.



1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 1223-1227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merlise A. Clyde ◽  
Stephen J. Titus

Radial and longitudinal variation in stem diameter increment were examined in lodgepole pine (Pinuscontorta var. latifolia Engelm.), white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss), and black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) in Alberta using graphical techniques. Three-dimensional surfaces of diameter increment at various heights and ages differed among the three species and dominant, codominant, and intermediate crown classes within each species. Relative to the maximum growth rate, black spruce and white spruce maintain higher and more constant levels of diameter increment over time than lodgepole pine. Variation among species probably reflects differences in shade tolerance, while differences among crown classes within a species are probably related to shading and wind stress effects. There were more similarities among the diameter increment surfaces for the three crown classes in lodgepole pine than in the two spruces. The stem diameter increment surfaces help explain the development of differences in stem form among the three species.



1989 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 883 ◽  
Author(s):  
DO Huett ◽  
G Rose

The cabbage cv. Rampo was grown in sand culture with 5 nitrogen (N) levels, between 2 and 43 mmol/L, applied as nitrate each day in a complete nutrient solution. The youngest fully opened leaf (YFOL), which became the wrapper leaf at heading, the youngest fully expanded leaf (YFEL) and the oldest green leaf (OL) were harvested at a minimum of 2-week intervals over a 12-week growth period. Standard laboratory leaf total N and nitrate-N determinations and rapid petiole sap nitrate-N determinations were conducted on YFOL, YFEL and OL. Total N was also determined in bulked leaves. The relationship between growth rate relative to the maximum at each sampling time and leaf N concentration was used to derive diagnostic petiole sap nitrate-N, leaf nitrate-N and total N in YFOL, YFEL and OL and bulked leaf total N concentrations. Critical concentration corresponded to 90% maximum growth rate and adequate concentration corresponded to 9 1-1 00% maximum growth rate. Petiole sap nitrate-N concentration, which can be measured rapidly in the field, and leaf nitrate-N concentration were very responsive to N application where positive growth responses were recorded. Critical N concentrations are presented for all leaves at most sampling times throughout the growth period. Critical total N concentrations in YFOL, YFEL and bulked leaves were higher during the pre-heading growth stage (weeks 2-6) than the post-heading growth stage (weeks 8-12). Critical N concentrations were inconsistent over the growth period and it was not possible to present single values to represent the full growth period, with 2 exceptions. A critical petiole sap nitrate-N concentration for OL of 3.0 g/L can be recommended for the full growth period because it represents a percentage of maximum growth rate range of 88-95%. Similarly, for YFEL, a critical total N concentration of 4.10% pre-heading (range 4.10-4.38%) represents a percentage maximum growth rate range of 62-90% and a post-heading critical total N concentration of 3.10% (range 3.10-3.50%) represents a percentage maximum growth rate range of 76-90%. The concentrations of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and sulfur in YFOL, YFEL, OL and bulked leaf corresponding to N treatments producing maximum growth rates are also presented.



1993 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 332-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Blasco ◽  
E. Gómez

Two synthetic lines of rabbits were used in the experiment. Line V, selected on litter size, and line R, selected on growth rate. Ninety-six animals were randomly collected from 48 litters, taking a male and a female each time. Richards and Gompertz growth curves were fitted. Sexual dimorphism appeared in the line V but not in the R. Values for b and k were similar in all curves. Maximum growth rate took place in weeks 7 to 8. A break due to weaning could be observed in weeks 4 to 5. Although there is a remarkable similarity of the values of all the parameters using data from the first 20 weeks only, the higher standard errors on adult weight would make 30 weeks the preferable time to take data for live-weight growth curves.



1978 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Monteith

SUMMARYFigures for maximum crop growth rates, reviewed by Gifford (1974), suggest that the productivity of C3 and C4 species is almost indistinguishable. However, close inspection of these figures at source and correspondence with several authors revealed a number of errors. When all unreliable figures were discarded, the maximum growth rate for C3 stands fell in the range 34–39 g m−2 d−1 compared with 50–54 g m−2 d−1 for C4 stands. Maximum growth rates averaged over the whole growing season showed a similar difference: 13 g m−2 d−1 for C3 and 22 g m−2 d−1 for C4. These figures correspond to photosynthetic efficiencies of approximately 1·4 and 2·0%.



1992 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 167-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Siegrist ◽  
M. Tschui

The wastewater of the municipal treatment plants Zürich-Werdhölzli (350000 population equivalents), Zürich-Glatt (110000), and Wattwil (20000) have been characterized with regard to the activated sludge model Nr.1 of the IAWPRC task group. Zürich-Glatt and Wattwil are partly nitrifying treatment plants and Zürich-Werdhölzli is fully nitrifying. The mixing characteristics of the aeration tanks at Werdhölzli and Glatt were determined with sodium bromide as a tracer. The experimental data were used to calibrate hydrolysis, heterotrophic growth and nitrification. Problems arising by calibrating hydrolysis of the paniculate material and by measuring oxygen consumption of heterotrophic and nitrifying microorganisms are discussed. For hydrolysis the experimental data indicate first-order kinetics. For nitrification a maximum growth rate of 0.40±0.07 d−1, corresponding to an observed growth rate of 0.26±0.04 d−1 was calculated at 10°C. The half velocity constant found for 12 and 20°C was 2 mg NH4-N/l. The calibrated model was verified with experimental dam of me Zürich-Werdhölzli treatment plant during ammonia shock load.



1987 ◽  
Vol 44 (11) ◽  
pp. 1995-2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen H. Bowen

It is widely believed that fishes require more dietary protein than other vertebrates. Many aspects of fish physiology, nutrition, and trophic ecology have been interpreted within the context of this high protein requirement. Here, fishes are compared with terrestrial homeotherms in terms of (1) protein requirement for maintenance, (2) relative protein concentration in the diet required for maximum growth rate, (3) protein intake rate required for maximum growth rate, (4) efficiency of protein retention in growth, and (5) weight of growth achieved per weight of protein ingested. The two animal groups compared differ only in relative protein concentration in the diet required for maximum growth rate. This difference is explained in terms of homeotherms' greater requirement for energy and does not reflect absolute differences in protein requirement. The remaining measures of protein requirement suggest that fishes and terrestrial homeotherms are remarkably similar in their use of protein as a nutritional resource. Reinterpretation of the role of protein in fish physiology, nutrition, and trophic ecology is perhaps in order.



2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 554-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle F. Edwards ◽  
Mridul K. Thomas ◽  
Christopher A. Klausmeier ◽  
Elena Litchman


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