Sample records for affecting tree growth

  1. Discerning environmental factors affecting current tree growth in Central Europe.

    PubMed

    Cienciala, Emil; Russ, Radek; Šantrůčková, Hana; Altman, Jan; Kopáček, Jiří; Hůnová, Iva; Štěpánek, Petr; Oulehle, Filip; Tumajer, Jan; Ståhl, Göran

    2016-12-15

    We examined the effect of individual environmental factors on the current spruce tree growth assessed from a repeated country-level statistical landscape (incl. forest) survey in the Czech Republic. An extensive set of variables related to tree size, competition, site characteristics including soil texture, chemistry, N deposition and climate was tested within a random-effect model to explain growth in the conditions of dominantly managed forest ecosystems. The current spruce basal area increment was assessed from two consecutive landscape surveys conducted in 2008/2009 and six years later in 2014/2015. Tree size, age and competition within forest stands were found to be the dominant explanatory variables, whereas the expression of site characteristics, environmental and climatic drives was weaker. The significant site variables affecting growth included soil C/N ratio and soil exchangeable acidity (pH KCl; positive response) reflecting soil chemistry, long-term N-deposition (averaged since 1975) in combination with soil texture (clay content) and Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), a drought index expressing moisture conditions. Sensitivity of growth to N-deposition was positive, although weak. SPI was positively related to and significant in explaining tree growth when expressed for the growth season. Except SPI, no significant relation of growth was determined to altitude-related variables (temperature, growth season length). We identified the current spruce growth optimum at elevations about 800ma.s.l. or higher in the conditions of the country. This suggests that at lower elevations, limitation by a more pronounced water deficit dominates, whereas direct temperature limitation may concern the less frequent higher elevations. The mixed linear model of spruce tree growth explained 55 and 65% of the variability with fixed and random effects included, respectively, and provided new insights on the current spruce tree growth and factors affecting it within the

  2. Cross-scale interactions affect tree growth and intrinsic water ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    1. We investigated the potential of cross-scale interactions to affect the outcome of density reduction in a large-scale silvicultural experiment. 2. We measured tree growth and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) based on stable carbon isotopes (13C) to investigate the impacts of thinning across a range of progressively finer spatial scales: site, stand, hillslope position, and neighborhood position. In particular, we focused on the influence of thinning beyond the boundaries of thinned stands to include impacts on downslope and neighboring stands across sites varying in soil moisture. 3. Trees at the wet site responded to thinning with increased growth when compared with trees at the dry site. Additionally, trees in thinned stands at the dry site responded with increased iWUE while trees in thinned stands at the wet site showed no difference in iWUE compared to unthinned stands. 4. We hypothesized that water is not the primary limiting factor for growth at our sites, but that thinning released other resources, such as growing space or nutrients to drive the growth response. At progressively finer spatial scales we found that the responses of trees was not driven by hillslope location (i.e., downslope of thinning) but to changes in local neighborhood tree density. 5. The results of this study demonstrated that water can be viewed as an “agent” that allows us to investigate cross-scale interactions as it links coarse to finer spatial scales and vice ver

  3. Remnant trees affect species composition but not structure of tropical second-growth forest.

    PubMed

    Sandor, Manette E; Chazdon, Robin L

    2014-01-01

    Remnant trees, spared from cutting when tropical forests are cleared for agriculture or grazing, act as nuclei of forest regeneration following field abandonment. Previous studies on remnant trees were primarily conducted in active pasture or old fields abandoned in the previous 2-3 years, and focused on structure and species richness of regenerating forest, but not species composition. Our study is among the first to investigate the effects of remnant trees on neighborhood forest structure, biodiversity, and species composition 20 years post-abandonment. We compared the woody vegetation around individual remnant trees to nearby plots without remnant trees in the same second-growth forests ("control plots"). Forest structure beneath remnant trees did not differ significantly from control plots. Species richness and species diversity were significantly higher around remnant trees. The species composition around remnant trees differed significantly from control plots and more closely resembled the species composition of nearby old-growth forest. The proportion of old-growth specialists and generalists around remnant trees was significantly greater than in control plots. Although previous studies show that remnant trees may initially accelerate secondary forest growth, we found no evidence that they locally affect stem density, basal area, and seedling density at later stages of regrowth. Remnant trees do, however, have a clear effect on the species diversity, composition, and ecological groups of the surrounding woody vegetation, even after 20 years of forest regeneration. To accelerate the return of diversity and old-growth forest species into regrowing forest on abandoned land, landowners should be encouraged to retain remnant trees in agricultural or pastoral fields.

  4. Canopy gaps affect long-term patterns of tree growth and mortality in mature and old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest

    Treesearch

    Andrew N. Gray; Thomas A. Spies; Robert J. Pabst

    2012-01-01

    Canopy gaps created by tree mortality can affect the speed and trajectory of vegetation growth. Species’ population dynamics, and spatial heterogeneity in mature forests. Most studies focus on plant development within gaps, yet gaps also affect the mortality and growth of surrounding trees, which influence shading and root encroachment into gaps and determine whether,...

  5. Remnant Trees Affect Species Composition but Not Structure of Tropical Second-Growth Forest

    PubMed Central

    Sandor, Manette E.; Chazdon, Robin L.

    2014-01-01

    Remnant trees, spared from cutting when tropical forests are cleared for agriculture or grazing, act as nuclei of forest regeneration following field abandonment. Previous studies on remnant trees were primarily conducted in active pasture or old fields abandoned in the previous 2–3 years, and focused on structure and species richness of regenerating forest, but not species composition. Our study is among the first to investigate the effects of remnant trees on neighborhood forest structure, biodiversity, and species composition 20 years post-abandonment. We compared the woody vegetation around individual remnant trees to nearby plots without remnant trees in the same second-growth forests (“control plots”). Forest structure beneath remnant trees did not differ significantly from control plots. Species richness and species diversity were significantly higher around remnant trees. The species composition around remnant trees differed significantly from control plots and more closely resembled the species composition of nearby old-growth forest. The proportion of old-growth specialists and generalists around remnant trees was significantly greater than in control plots. Although previous studies show that remnant trees may initially accelerate secondary forest growth, we found no evidence that they locally affect stem density, basal area, and seedling density at later stages of regrowth. Remnant trees do, however, have a clear effect on the species diversity, composition, and ecological groups of the surrounding woody vegetation, even after 20 years of forest regeneration. To accelerate the return of diversity and old-growth forest species into regrowing forest on abandoned land, landowners should be encouraged to retain remnant trees in agricultural or pastoral fields. PMID:24454700

  6. Breakage or uprooting: How tree death type affects hillslope processes in old-growth temperate forests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Šamonil, Pavel; Daněk, Pavel; Adam, Dušan; Phillips, Jonathan D.

    2017-12-01

    Tree breakage and uprooting are two possible scenarios of tree death that have differing effects on hillslope processes. In this study we aimed to (i) reveal the long-term structure of the biomechanical effects of trees (BETs) in relation to their radial growth and tree death types in four old-growth temperate forests in four different elevation settings with an altitudinal gradient of 152-1105 m a.s.l., (ii) quantify affected areas and soil volumes associated with the studied BETs in reserves, and (iii) derive a general model of the role of BETs in hillslope processes in central European temperate forests. We analyzed the individual dynamics of circa 55,000 trees in an area of 161 ha within four old-growth forests over 3-4 decades. Basal tree censuses established in all sites in the 1970s and repeated tree censuses in the 1990s and 2000s provided detailed information about the radial growth of each tree of DBH ≥ 10 cm as well as about types of tree death. We focused on the quantification of: (i) surviving still-living trees, (ii) new recruits, (iii) standing dead trees, (iv) uprooted trees, and (v) broken trees. Frequencies of phenomena were related to affected areas and volumes of soil using individual statistical models. The elevation contrasts were a significant factor in the structure of BETs. Differences between sites increased from frequencies of events through affected areas to volumes of soil associated with BETs. An average 2.7 m3 ha-1 year-1 was associated with all BETs of the living and dying trees in lowlands, while there was an average of 7.8 m3 ha-1 year-1 in the highest mountain site. Differences were caused mainly by the effects of dying trees. BETs associated with dead trees were 7-8 times larger in the mountains. Effects of dying trees and particularly treethrows represented about 70% of all BETs at both mountain sites, while it was 58% at the highland site and only 32% at the lowland site. Our results show a more significant role of BETs in

  7. Size Matters a Lot: Drought-Affected Italian Oaks Are Smaller and Show Lower Growth Prior to Tree Death

    PubMed Central

    Colangelo, Michele; Camarero, Jesús J.; Borghetti, Marco; Gazol, Antonio; Gentilesca, Tiziana; Ripullone, Francesco

    2017-01-01

    Hydraulic theory suggests that tall trees are at greater risk of drought-triggered death caused by hydraulic failure than small trees. In addition the drop in growth, observed in several tree species prior to death, is often interpreted as an early-warning signal of impending death. We test these hypotheses by comparing size, growth, and wood-anatomy patterns of living and now-dead trees in two Italian oak forests showing recent mortality episodes. The mortality probability of trees is modeled as a function of recent growth and tree size. Drift-diffusion-jump (DDJ) metrics are used to detect early-warning signals. We found that the tallest trees of the anisohydric Italian oak better survived drought contrary to what was predicted by the theory. Dead trees were characterized by a lower height and radial-growth trend than living trees in both study sites. The growth reduction of now-dead trees started about 10 years prior to their death and after two severe spring droughts during the early 2000s. This critical transition in growth was detected by DDJ metrics in the most affected site. Dead trees were also more sensitive to drought stress in this site indicating different susceptibility to water shortage between trees. Dead trees did not form earlywood vessels with smaller lumen diameter than surviving trees but tended to form wider latewood vessels with a higher percentage of vessel area. Since living and dead trees showed similar competition we did not expect that moderate thinning and a reduction in tree density would increase the short-term survival probability of trees. PMID:28270816

  8. Size Matters a Lot: Drought-Affected Italian Oaks Are Smaller and Show Lower Growth Prior to Tree Death.

    PubMed

    Colangelo, Michele; Camarero, Jesús J; Borghetti, Marco; Gazol, Antonio; Gentilesca, Tiziana; Ripullone, Francesco

    2017-01-01

    Hydraulic theory suggests that tall trees are at greater risk of drought-triggered death caused by hydraulic failure than small trees. In addition the drop in growth, observed in several tree species prior to death, is often interpreted as an early-warning signal of impending death. We test these hypotheses by comparing size, growth, and wood-anatomy patterns of living and now-dead trees in two Italian oak forests showing recent mortality episodes. The mortality probability of trees is modeled as a function of recent growth and tree size. Drift-diffusion-jump (DDJ) metrics are used to detect early-warning signals. We found that the tallest trees of the anisohydric Italian oak better survived drought contrary to what was predicted by the theory. Dead trees were characterized by a lower height and radial-growth trend than living trees in both study sites. The growth reduction of now-dead trees started about 10 years prior to their death and after two severe spring droughts during the early 2000s. This critical transition in growth was detected by DDJ metrics in the most affected site. Dead trees were also more sensitive to drought stress in this site indicating different susceptibility to water shortage between trees. Dead trees did not form earlywood vessels with smaller lumen diameter than surviving trees but tended to form wider latewood vessels with a higher percentage of vessel area. Since living and dead trees showed similar competition we did not expect that moderate thinning and a reduction in tree density would increase the short-term survival probability of trees.

  9. Extreme droughts affecting Mediterranean tree species' growth and water-use efficiency: the importance of timing.

    PubMed

    Forner, Alicia; Valladares, Fernando; Bonal, Damien; Granier, André; Grossiord, Charlotte; Aranda, Ismael

    2018-03-15

    It has been known for a long time that drought intensity is a critical variable in determining water stress of Mediterranean tree species. However, not as much attention has been paid to other drought characteristics, for example the timing of the dry periods. We investigated the impact of the timing and intensity of extreme droughts on growing season length, growth and water-use efficiency of three tree species, Pinus nigra ssp. Salzmannii J.F. Arnold, Quercus ilex ssp. ballota (Desf.) Samp. and Quercus faginea Lam. coexisting in a continental Mediterranean ecosystem. Over the study period (2009-13), intense droughts were observed at annual and seasonal scales, particularly during 2011 and 2012. In 2012, an atypically dry winter and spring was followed by an intense summer drought. Quercus faginea growth was affected more by drought timing than by drought intensity, probably because of its winter-deciduous leaf habit. Pinus nigra showed a lower decrease in secondary growth than observed in the two Quercus species in extremely dry years. Resilience to extreme droughts was different among species, with Q. faginea showing poorer recovery of growth after very dry years. The highest intra- and inter-annual plasticity in water-use efficiency was observed in P. nigra, which maintained a more water-saving strategy. Our results revealed that the timing of extreme drought events can affect tree function to a larger extent than drought intensity, especially in deciduous species. Legacy effects of drought over months and years significantly strengthened the impact of drought timing and intensity on tree function.

  10. Tree demography dominates long-term growth trends inferred from tree rings.

    PubMed

    Brienen, Roel J W; Gloor, Manuel; Ziv, Guy

    2017-02-01

    Understanding responses of forests to increasing CO 2 and temperature is an important challenge, but no easy task. Tree rings are increasingly used to study such responses. In a recent study, van der Sleen et al. (2014) Nature Geoscience, 8, 4 used tree rings from 12 tropical tree species and find that despite increases in intrinsic water use efficiency, no growth stimulation is observed. This challenges the idea that increasing CO 2 would stimulate growth. Unfortunately, tree ring analysis can be plagued by biases, resulting in spurious growth trends. While their study evaluated several biases, it does not account for all. In particular, one bias may have seriously affected their results. Several of the species have recruitment patterns, which are not uniform, but clustered around one specific year. This results in spurious negative growth trends if growth rates are calculated in fixed size classes, as 'fast-growing' trees reach the sampling diameter earlier compared to slow growers and thus fast growth rates tend to have earlier calendar dates. We assessed the effect of this 'nonuniform age bias' on observed growth trends and find that van der Sleen's conclusions of a lack of growth stimulation do not hold. Growth trends are - at least partially - driven by underlying recruitment or age distributions. Species with more clustered age distributions show more negative growth trends, and simulations to estimate the effect of species' age distributions show growth trends close to those observed. Re-evaluation of the growth data and correction for the bias result in significant positive growth trends of 1-2% per decade for the full period, and 3-7% since 1950. These observations, however, should be taken cautiously as multiple biases affect these trend estimates. In all, our results highlight that tree ring studies of long-term growth trends can be strongly influenced by biases if demographic processes are not carefully accounted for. © 2016 The Authors. Global

  11. Tree growth and competition in an old-growth Picea abies forest of boreal Sweden: influence of tree spatial patterning

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fraver, Shawn; D'Amato, Anthony W.; Bradford, John B.; Jonsson, Bengt Gunnar; Jönsson, Mari; Esseen, Per-Anders

    2013-01-01

    Question: What factors best characterize tree competitive environments in this structurally diverse old-growth forest, and do these factors vary spatially within and among stands? Location: Old-growth Picea abies forest of boreal Sweden. Methods: Using long-term, mapped permanent plot data augmented with dendrochronological analyses, we evaluated the effect of neighbourhood competition on focal tree growth by means of standard competition indices, each modified to include various metrics of trees size, neighbour mortality weighting (for neighbours that died during the inventory period), and within-neighbourhood tree clustering. Candidate models were evaluated using mixed-model linear regression analyses, with mean basal area increment as the response variable. We then analysed stand-level spatial patterns of competition indices and growth rates (via kriging) to determine if the relationship between these patterns could further elucidate factors influencing tree growth. Results: Inter-tree competition clearly affected growth rates, with crown volume being the size metric most strongly influencing the neighbourhood competitive environment. Including neighbour tree mortality weightings in models only slightly improved descriptions of competitive interactions. Although the within-neighbourhood clustering index did not improve model predictions, competition intensity was influenced by the underlying stand-level tree spatial arrangement: stand-level clustering locally intensified competition and reduced tree growth, whereas in the absence of such clustering, inter-tree competition played a lesser role in constraining tree growth. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that competition continues to influence forest processes and structures in an old-growth system that has not experienced major disturbances for at least two centuries. The finding that the underlying tree spatial pattern influenced the competitive environment suggests caution in interpreting traditional tree

  12. Does raking basal duff affect tree growth rates or mortality?

    Treesearch

    Erin Noonan-Wright; Sharon M. Hood; Danny R. Cluck

    2010-01-01

    Mortality and reduced growth rates due to raking accumulated basal duff were evaluated for old, large-diameter ponderosa and Jeffrey pine trees on the Lassen National Forest, California. No fire treatments were included to isolate the effect of raking from fire. Trees were monitored annually for 5 years after the raking treatment for mortality and then cored to measure...

  13. Tree survival and growth on fescue-covered spoil banks

    Treesearch

    William T. Plass

    1968-01-01

    In spoil-bank revegetation the emphasis today is on site protection. Quick cover crops overplanted to trees or shrubs are recommended on many sites. In this study we tried to determine how an established fescue cover affects tree survival and growth. We found the ground cover did not affect survival but did reduce the height growth of sycamore and sweetgum. It had...

  14. Soil disturbance-tree growth relations in central Idaho clearcuts

    Treesearch

    James L. Clayton; Gary Kellogg; Neal Forrester

    1987-01-01

    Two central Idaho clearcuts regenerated naturally to lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and one regenerated with planted ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) were evaluated to see if soil compaction and displacement affected growth as measured by tree height, diameter at breast height, and radial growth increment. Pole-sized trees ranging...

  15. Urban tree growth modeling

    Treesearch

    E. Gregory McPherson; Paula J. Peper

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes three long-term tree growth studies conducted to evaluate tree performance because repeated measurements of the same trees produce critical data for growth model calibration and validation. Several empirical and process-based approaches to modeling tree growth are reviewed. Modeling is more advanced in the fields of forestry and...

  16. Explaining biomass growth of tropical canopy trees: the importance of sapwood.

    PubMed

    van der Sande, Masha T; Zuidema, Pieter A; Sterck, Frank

    2015-04-01

    Tropical forests are important in worldwide carbon (C) storage and sequestration. C sequestration of these forests may especially be determined by the growth of canopy trees. However, the factors driving variation in growth among such large individuals remain largely unclear. We evaluate how crown traits [total leaf area, specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen (N) concentration] and stem traits [sapwood area (SA) and sapwood N concentration] measured for individual trees affect absolute biomass growth for 43 tropical canopy trees belonging to four species, in a moist forest in Bolivia. Biomass growth varied strongly among trees, between 17.3 and 367.3 kg year(-1), with an average of 105.4 kg year(-1). We found that variation in biomass growth was chiefly explained by a positive effect of SA, and not by tree size or other traits examined. SA itself was positively associated with sapwood growth, sapwood lifespan and basal area. We speculate that SA positively affects the growth of individual trees mainly by increasing water storage, thus securing water supply to the crown. These positive roles of sapwood on growth apparently offset the increased respiration costs incurred by more sapwood. This is one of the first individual-based studies to show that variation in sapwood traits-and not crown traits-explains variation in growth among tropical canopy trees. Accurate predictions of C dynamics in tropical forests require similar studies on biomass growth of individual trees as well as studies evaluating the dual effect of sapwood (water provision vs. respiratory costs) on tropical tree growth.

  17. Long tree-ring chronologies provide evidence of recent tree growth decrease in a Central African tropical forest.

    PubMed

    Battipaglia, Giovanna; Zalloni, Enrica; Castaldi, Simona; Marzaioli, Fabio; Cazzolla-Gatti, Roberto; Lasserre, Bruno; Tognetti, Roberto; Marchetti, Marco; Valentini, Riccardo

    2015-01-01

    It is still unclear whether the exponential rise of atmospheric CO2 concentration has produced a fertilization effect on tropical forests, thus incrementing their growth rate, in the last two centuries. As many factors affect tree growth patterns, short -term studies might be influenced by the confounding effect of several interacting environmental variables on plant growth. Long-term analyses of tree growth can elucidate long-term trends of plant growth response to dominant drivers. The study of annual rings, applied to long tree-ring chronologies in tropical forest trees enables such analysis. Long-term tree-ring chronologies of three widespread African species were measured in Central Africa to analyze the growth of trees over the last two centuries. Growth trends were correlated to changes in global atmospheric CO2 concentration and local variations in the main climatic drivers, temperature and rainfall. Our results provided no evidence for a fertilization effect of CO2 on tree growth. On the contrary, an overall growth decline was observed for all three species in the last century, which appears to be significantly correlated to the increase in local temperature. These findings provide additional support to the global observations of a slowing down of C sequestration in the trunks of forest trees in recent decades. Data indicate that the CO2 increase alone has not been sufficient to obtain a tree growth increase in tropical trees. The effect of other changing environmental factors, like temperature, may have overridden the fertilization effect of CO2.

  18. Long Tree-Ring Chronologies Provide Evidence of Recent Tree Growth Decrease in a Central African Tropical Forest

    PubMed Central

    Battipaglia, Giovanna; Zalloni, Enrica; Castaldi, Simona; Marzaioli, Fabio; Cazzolla- Gatti, Roberto; Lasserre, Bruno; Tognetti, Roberto; Marchetti, Marco; Valentini, Riccardo

    2015-01-01

    It is still unclear whether the exponential rise of atmospheric CO2 concentration has produced a fertilization effect on tropical forests, thus incrementing their growth rate, in the last two centuries. As many factors affect tree growth patterns, short -term studies might be influenced by the confounding effect of several interacting environmental variables on plant growth. Long-term analyses of tree growth can elucidate long-term trends of plant growth response to dominant drivers. The study of annual rings, applied to long tree-ring chronologies in tropical forest trees enables such analysis. Long-term tree-ring chronologies of three widespread African species were measured in Central Africa to analyze the growth of trees over the last two centuries. Growth trends were correlated to changes in global atmospheric CO2 concentration and local variations in the main climatic drivers, temperature and rainfall. Our results provided no evidence for a fertilization effect of CO2 on tree growth. On the contrary, an overall growth decline was observed for all three species in the last century, which appears to be significantly correlated to the increase in local temperature. These findings provide additional support to the global observations of a slowing down of C sequestration in the trunks of forest trees in recent decades. Data indicate that the CO2 increase alone has not been sufficient to obtain a tree growth increase in tropical trees. The effect of other changing environmental factors, like temperature, may have overridden the fertilization effect of CO2. PMID:25806946

  19. Competition alters tree growth responses to climate at individual and stand scales

    Treesearch

    Kevin R. Ford; Ian K. Breckheimer; Jerry F. Franklin; James A. Freund; Steve J. Kroiss; Andrew J. Larson; Elinore J. Theobald; Janneke HilleRisLambers

    2017-01-01

    Understanding how climate affects tree growth is essential for assessing climate change impacts on forests but can be confounded by effects of competition, which strongly influences tree responses to climate. We characterized the joint influences of tree size, competition, and climate on diameter growth using hierarchical Bayesian methods applied to permanent sample...

  20. Growth of a Pine Tree

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rollinson, Susan Wells

    2012-01-01

    The growth of a pine tree is examined by preparing "tree cookies" (cross-sectional disks) between whorls of branches. The use of Christmas trees allows the tree cookies to be obtained with inexpensive, commonly available tools. Students use the tree cookies to investigate the annual growth of the tree and how it corresponds to the number of whorls…

  1. Interspecific variation in growth responses to tree size, competition and climate of western Canadian boreal mixed forests.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Xinyu; Huang, Jian-Guo; Cheng, Jiong; Dawson, Andria; Stadt, Kenneth J; Comeau, Philip G; Chen, Han Y H

    2018-08-01

    Tree growth of boreal forest plays an important role on global carbon (C) cycle, while tree growth in the western Canadian boreal mixed forests has been predicted to be negatively affected by regional drought. Individual tree growth can be controlled by many factors, such as competition, climate, tree size and age. However, information about contributions of different factors to tree growth is still limited in this region. In order to address this uncertainty, tree rings of two dominant tree species, trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench.) Voss), were sampled from boreal mixed forest stands distributed across Alberta, Canada. Tree growth rates over different time intervals (10years interval, 1998-2007; 20years interval, 1988-2007; 30years interval, 1978-2007) were calculated to study the effects of different factors (tree size, competition, climate, and age) on tree growth. Results indicated that tree growth of two species were both primarily affected by competition or tree size, while climatic indices showed less effects on tree growth. Growth of trembling aspen was significantly affected by inter- and intraspecific competition, while growth of white spruce was primarily influenced by tree size, followed by competition. Positive relationship was found between growth of white spruce and competition index of coniferous group, suggesting an intraspecific mutualism mechanism within coniferous group. Our results further suggested that competition driven succession was the primary process of forest composition shift in the western Canadian boreal mixed forest. Although drought stress increased tree mortality, decline of stem density under climate change released competition stress of surviving trees, which in turn sustained growth of surviving trees. Therefore, climatic indices showed fewer effects on growth of dominant tree species compared to other factors in our study. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Growth trends in pruned red spruce trees

    Treesearch

    Barton M. Blum; Dale S. Solomon

    1980-01-01

    The diameter growth of red spruce with 1/6, 1/3, and 1/2 crown removed was compared with that of unpruned trees for 18 growing seasons. Although removal of 1/6 of the live crown did not adversely affect annual radial growth, compared with that of the controls, removal of 1/3 and 1/2 had a significant effect on the cumulative radial growth for 2 and 9 growing seasons,...

  3. Prolonged Soil Frost Affects Hydraulics and Phenology of Apple Trees

    PubMed Central

    Beikircher, Barbara; Mittmann, Claudia; Mayr, Stefan

    2016-01-01

    Restoration of an adequate water supply in spring is a prerequisite for survival of angiosperm trees in temperate regions. Trees must re-establish access to soil water and recover xylem functionality. We thus hypothesized that prolonged soil frost impairs recovery and affects hydraulics and phenology of Malus domestica var. ‘Golden Delicious.’ To test this hypothesis, over two consecutive winters the soil around some trees was insulated to prolong soil frosting, From mid-winter to early summer, the level of native embolism, the water and starch contents of wood, bark and buds were quantified at regular intervals and findings correlated with various phenological parameters, xylogenesis and fine root growth. The findings confirm that prolonged soil frost affects tree hydraulics and phenology but the severity of the effect depends on the climatic conditions. In both study years, percentage loss of hydraulic conductivity (PLC) decreased from about 70% at the end of winter to about 10% in May. Thereby, xylem refilling strongly coincided with a decrease of starch in wood and bark. Also treated trees were able to restore their hydraulic system by May but, in the warm spring of 2012, xylem refilling, the increases in water content and starch depolymerization were delayed. In contrast, in the cold spring of 2013 only small differences between control and treated trees were observed. Prolongation of soil frost also led to a delay in phenology, xylogenesis, and fine root growth. We conclude that reduced water uptake from frozen or cold soils impairs refilling and thus negatively impacts tree hydraulics and growth of apple trees in spring. Under unfavorable circumstances, this may cause severe winter damage or even dieback. PMID:27379146

  4. Prolonged Soil Frost Affects Hydraulics and Phenology of Apple Trees.

    PubMed

    Beikircher, Barbara; Mittmann, Claudia; Mayr, Stefan

    2016-01-01

    Restoration of an adequate water supply in spring is a prerequisite for survival of angiosperm trees in temperate regions. Trees must re-establish access to soil water and recover xylem functionality. We thus hypothesized that prolonged soil frost impairs recovery and affects hydraulics and phenology of Malus domestica var. 'Golden Delicious.' To test this hypothesis, over two consecutive winters the soil around some trees was insulated to prolong soil frosting, From mid-winter to early summer, the level of native embolism, the water and starch contents of wood, bark and buds were quantified at regular intervals and findings correlated with various phenological parameters, xylogenesis and fine root growth. The findings confirm that prolonged soil frost affects tree hydraulics and phenology but the severity of the effect depends on the climatic conditions. In both study years, percentage loss of hydraulic conductivity (PLC) decreased from about 70% at the end of winter to about 10% in May. Thereby, xylem refilling strongly coincided with a decrease of starch in wood and bark. Also treated trees were able to restore their hydraulic system by May but, in the warm spring of 2012, xylem refilling, the increases in water content and starch depolymerization were delayed. In contrast, in the cold spring of 2013 only small differences between control and treated trees were observed. Prolongation of soil frost also led to a delay in phenology, xylogenesis, and fine root growth. We conclude that reduced water uptake from frozen or cold soils impairs refilling and thus negatively impacts tree hydraulics and growth of apple trees in spring. Under unfavorable circumstances, this may cause severe winter damage or even dieback.

  5. The effect of size and competition on tree growth rate in old-growth coniferous forests

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Das, Adrian

    2012-01-01

    Tree growth and competition play central roles in forest dynamics. Yet models of competition often neglect important variation in species-specific responses. Furthermore, functions used to model changes in growth rate with size do not always allow for potential complexity. Using a large data set from old-growth forests in California, models were parameterized relating growth rate to tree size and competition for four common species. Several functions relating growth rate to size were tested. Competition models included parameters for tree size, competitor size, and competitor distance. Competitive strength was allowed to vary by species. The best ranked models (using Akaike’s information criterion) explained between 18% and 40% of the variance in growth rate, with each species showing a strong response to competition. Models indicated that relationships between competition and growth varied substantially among species. The results also suggested that the relationship between growth rate and tree size can be complex and that how we model it can affect not only our ability to detect that complexity but also whether we obtain misleading results. In this case, for three of four species, the best model captured an apparent and unexpected decline in potential growth rate for the smallest trees in the data set.

  6. Forest tree growth response to hydroclimate variability in the southern Appalachians

    Treesearch

    Katherine J. Elliott; Chelcy Ford Miniat; Neil Pederson; Stephanie H. Laseter

    2015-01-01

    Climate change will affect tree species growth and distribution; however, under the same climatic conditions species may differ in their response according to site conditions. We evaluated the climate-driven patterns of growth for six dominant deciduous tree species in the southern Appalachians. We categorized species into two functional groups based on their stomatal...

  7. Identifying ontogenetic, environmental and individual components of forest tree growth

    PubMed Central

    Chaubert-Pereira, Florence; Caraglio, Yves; Lavergne, Christian; Guédon, Yann

    2009-01-01

    Background and Aims This study aimed to identify and characterize the ontogenetic, environmental and individual components of forest tree growth. In the proposed approach, the tree growth data typically correspond to the retrospective measurement of annual shoot characteristics (e.g. length) along the trunk. Methods Dedicated statistical models (semi-Markov switching linear mixed models) were applied to data sets of Corsican pine and sessile oak. In the semi-Markov switching linear mixed models estimated from these data sets, the underlying semi-Markov chain represents both the succession of growth phases and their lengths, while the linear mixed models represent both the influence of climatic factors and the inter-individual heterogeneity within each growth phase. Key Results On the basis of these integrative statistical models, it is shown that growth phases are not only defined by average growth level but also by growth fluctuation amplitudes in response to climatic factors and inter-individual heterogeneity and that the individual tree status within the population may change between phases. Species plasticity affected the response to climatic factors while tree origin, sampling strategy and silvicultural interventions impacted inter-individual heterogeneity. Conclusions The transposition of the proposed integrative statistical modelling approach to cambial growth in relation to climatic factors and the study of the relationship between apical growth and cambial growth constitute the next steps in this research. PMID:19684021

  8. Carbon utilization by fruit limits shoot growth in alternate-bearing citrus trees.

    PubMed

    Martínez-Alcántara, Belén; Iglesias, Domingo J; Reig, Carmina; Mesejo, Carlos; Agustí, Manuel; Primo-Millo, Eduardo

    2015-03-15

    Fruit load in alternate-bearing citrus trees is reported to alter shoot number and growth during spring, summer, and autumn flushes, and the source-sink balance, which affects the storage and mobilization of reserve nutrients. The aim of this work was to assess the extent of shoot growth inhibition resulting from the presence of fruits in 'Moncada' mandarin trees loaded with fruit (ON) or with very light fruit load (OFF), and to identify the role of carbohydrates and nitrogenous compounds in the competition between fruits and shoots. Growth of reproductive and vegetative organs was measured on a monthly basis. (13)C- and (15)N-labeled compounds were supplied to trace the allocation of reserve nutrients and subsequent translocation from source to sink. At the end of the year, OFF trees produced more abundant flushes (2.4- and 4.9-fold higher in number and biomass, respectively) than ON trees. Fruits from ON trees accumulated higher C amounts at the expense of developing flushes, whereas OFF trees exhibited the opposite pattern. An inverse relationship was identified between the amount of C utilized by fruits and vegetative flush growth. (13)C-labeling revealed an important role for mature leaves of fruit-bearing branches in supporting shoot/fruit growth, and the elevated sink strength of growing fruits on shoots. N availability for vegetative shoots was not affected by the presence or absence of fruits, which accumulated important amounts of (15)N. In conclusion, our results show that shoot growth is resource-limited as a consequence of fruit development, and vegetative-growth inhibition is caused by photoassimilate limitation. The competence for N is not a decisive factor in limiting vegetative growth under the experimental conditions of this study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  9. Charcoal kiln relicts - a favorable site for tree growth?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buras, Allan; Hirsch, Florian; van der Maaten, Ernst; Takla, Melanie; Räbiger, Christin; Cruz Garcia, Roberto; Schneider, Anna; Raab, Alexandra; Raab, Thomas; Wilmking, Martin

    2015-04-01

    Soils with incompletely combusted organic material (aka 'black carbon') are considered fertile for plant growth. Considerable enrichment of soils with black carbon is known from Chernozems, from anthropogenic induced altering of soils like the 'Terra Preta' in South America (e.g. Glaser, 2001), and from charcoal kiln relicts. Recent studies have reported a high spatial frequency of charcoal kiln relicts in the Northeastern German lowlands (Raab et al., 2015), which today are often overgrown by forest plantations. In this context the question arises whether these sites are favorable for tree growth. Here we compare the performance of 22 Pinus sylvestris individuals - a commonly used tree species in forestry - growing on charcoal kiln relicts with 22 control trees. Growth performance (height growth and diameter growth) of the trees was determined using dendrochronological techniques, i.e. standard ring-width measurements were undertaken on each two cores per tree and tree height was measured in the field. Several other wood properties such as annual wood density, average resin content, as well as wood chemistry were analyzed. Our results indicate that trees growing on charcoal kiln relicts grow significantly less and have a significantly lower wood density in comparison with control trees. Specific chemical components such as Manganese as well as resin contents were significantly higher in kiln trees. These results highlight that tree growth on charcoal kiln relicts is actually hampered instead of enhanced. Possibly this is a combined effect of differing physical soil properties which alter soil water accessibility for plants and differing chemical soil properties which may negatively affect tree growth either if toxic limits are surpassed or if soil nutrient availability is decreased. Additional soil analyses with respect to soil texture and soil chemistry shall reveal further insight into this hypothesis. Given the frequent distribution of charcoal kiln relicts in

  10. Drought stress release increased growth rate but did not affect levels of storage carbohydrates in Scots pine trees

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schönbeck, Leonie; Gessler, Arthur; Rigling, Andreas; Schaub, Marcus; Li, Mai-He

    2017-04-01

    For trees, energy storage in the form of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) plays an important role for survival and growth, especially during stress events such as drought. It is hypothesized, that tree individuals that experience long-term drought stress use up larger amounts of NSCs than trees that do not experience drought. Consequently, such drought-induced depletion might lead to a decrease in tree vigor and carbon starvation, a mechanism that is subject of intensive debates in recent literature. Hence, if carbon starvation is occurring during drought, drought stress release should again increase NSC concentrations. A long-term (13 years) irrigation experiment is being conducted in the Pfyn forest, the largest Pinus sylvestris dominated forest in Switzerland, located in the dry inner-Alpine Swiss Rhone valley (average precipitation 600 mm/year, with frequent dry spells). Water addition ( 600 mm/year) is executed every year during the growing season between April and October. Tree height, stem diameter and crown transparency are being measured since 2003. In February, July and October 2015, roots, stem sapwood and needles were harvested from 30 irrigated and 30 control trees and 5 different crown transparency classes. Shoot length, needle morphology, soluble sugars, starch concentrations, needle δ13C and δ15N were measured. Shoot and stem growth were higher in irrigated trees than in control trees. Growth decreased with increasing crown transparency in both treatments. Only in July, needle starch levels were higher in irrigated trees than in control trees but there was no treatment effect for wood and root starch concentrations. Tissue starch and sugar levels were negatively correlated with crown transparency, particularly in the roots (p<0.001), independent of the treatment. Needle δ13C values were higher in the control trees than in the irrigated trees, where needle δ13C values were positively correlated with increasing transparency (p<0.01). Annual

  11. Climate Response of Tree Radial Growth at Different Timescales in the Qinling Mountains.

    PubMed

    Sun, Changfeng; Liu, Yu

    2016-01-01

    The analysis of the tree radial growth response to climate is crucial for dendroclimatological research. However, the response relationships between tree-ring indices and climatic factors at different timescales are not yet clear. In this study, the tree-ring width of Huashan pine (Pinus armandii) from Huashan in the Qinling Mountains, north-central China, was used to explore the response differences of tree growth to climatic factors at daily, pentad (5 days), dekad (10 days) and monthly timescales. Correlation function and linear regression analysis were applied in this paper. The tree-ring width showed a more sensitive response to daily and pentad climatic factors. With the timescale decreasing, the absolute value of the maximum correlation coefficient between the tree-ring data and precipitation increases as well as temperature (mean, minimum and maximum temperature). Compared to the other three timescales, pentad was more suitable for analysing the response of tree growth to climate. Relative to the monthly climate data, the association between the tree-ring data and the pentad climate data was more remarkable and accurate, and the reconstruction function based on the pentad climate was also more reliable and stable. We found that the major climatic factor limiting Huashan pine growth was the precipitation of pentads 20-35 (from April 6 to June 24) rather than the well-known April-June precipitation. The pentad was also proved to be a better timescale for analysing the climate and tree growth in the western and eastern Qinling Mountains. The formation of the earlywood density of Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) from Shimenshan in western Qinling was mainly affected by the maximum temperature of pentads 28-32 (from May 16 to June 9). The maximum temperature of pentads 28-33 (from May 16 to June 14) was the major factor affecting the ring width of Chinese pine from Shirenshan in eastern Qinling.

  12. Tree-growth analyses to estimate tree species' drought tolerance.

    PubMed

    Eilmann, Britta; Rigling, Andreas

    2012-02-01

    Climate change is challenging forestry management and practices. Among other things, tree species with the ability to cope with more extreme climate conditions have to be identified. However, while environmental factors may severely limit tree growth or even cause tree death, assessing a tree species' potential for surviving future aggravated environmental conditions is rather demanding. The aim of this study was to find a tree-ring-based method suitable for identifying very drought-tolerant species, particularly potential substitute species for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Valais. In this inner-Alpine valley, Scots pine used to be the dominating species for dry forests, but today it suffers from high drought-induced mortality. We investigate the growth response of two native tree species, Scots pine and European larch (Larix decidua Mill.), and two non-native species, black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirb. var. menziesii), to drought. This involved analysing how the radial increment of these species responded to increasing water shortage (abandonment of irrigation) and to increasingly frequent drought years. Black pine and Douglas fir are able to cope with drought better than Scots pine and larch, as they show relatively high radial growth even after irrigation has been stopped and a plastic growth response to drought years. European larch does not seem to be able to cope with these dry conditions as it lacks the ability to recover from drought years. The analysis of trees' short-term response to extreme climate events seems to be the most promising and suitable method for detecting how tolerant a tree species is towards drought. However, combining all the methods used in this study provides a complete picture of how water shortage could limit species.

  13. Liana infestation impacts tree growth in a lowland tropical moist forest

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van der Heijden, G. M. F.; Phillips, O. L.

    2009-03-01

    Stand-level estimates of the effect of lianas on tree growth in mature tropical forests are needed to evaluate the functional impact of lianas and their potential to affect the ability of tropical forests to sequester carbon, but these are currently lacking. Using data collected on tree growth rates, local growing conditions and liana competition in five permanent sampling plots in Amazonian Peru, we present the first such estimates of the effect of lianas on above-ground productivity of trees. By constructing a multi-level linear mixed effect model to predict individual tree diameter growth model using individual tree growth conditions, we were able to estimate stand-level above-ground biomass (AGB) increment in the absence of lianas. We show that lianas, mainly by competing above-ground with trees, reduce tree annual above-ground stand-level biomass by ~10%, equivalent to 0.51 Mg dry weight ha-1 yr-1 or 0.25 Mg C ha-1 yr-1. AGB increment of lianas themselves was estimated to be 0.15 Mg dry weight ha-1 yr-1 or 0.07 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, thus only compensating ~29% of the liana-induced reduction in stand-level AGB increment. Increasing liana pressure on tropical forests may therefore not only reduce their carbon storage capacity, by indirectly promoting tree species with low-density wood, but also their rate of carbon uptake, with potential consequences for the rate of increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

  14. Disentangling the Effects of Water Stress on Carbon Acquisition, Vegetative Growth, and Fruit Quality of Peach Trees by Means of the QualiTree Model.

    PubMed

    Rahmati, Mitra; Mirás-Avalos, José M; Valsesia, Pierre; Lescourret, Françoise; Génard, Michel; Davarynejad, Gholam H; Bannayan, Mohammad; Azizi, Majid; Vercambre, Gilles

    2018-01-01

    Climate change projections predict warmer and drier conditions. In general, moderate to severe water stress reduce plant vegetative growth and leaf photosynthesis. However, vegetative and reproductive growths show different sensitivities to water deficit. In fruit trees, water restrictions may have serious implications not only on tree growth and yield, but also on fruit quality, which might be improved. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to understand the complex interrelations among the physiological processes involved in within-tree carbon acquisition and allocation, water uptake and transpiration, organ growth, and fruit composition when affected by water stress. This can be studied using process-based models of plant functioning, which allow assessing the sensitivity of various physiological processes to water deficit and their relative impact on vegetative growth and fruit quality. In the current study, an existing fruit-tree model (QualiTree) was adapted for describing the water stress effects on peach ( Prunus persica L. Batsch) vegetative growth, fruit size and composition. First, an energy balance calculation at the fruit-bearing shoot level and a water transfer formalization within the plant were integrated into the model. Next, a reduction function of vegetative growth according to tree water status was added to QualiTree. Then, the model was parameterized and calibrated for a late-maturing peach cultivar ("Elberta") under semi-arid conditions, and for three different irrigation practices. Simulated vegetative and fruit growth variability over time was consistent with observed data. Sugar concentrations in fruit flesh were well simulated. Finally, QualiTree allowed for determining the relative importance of photosynthesis and vegetative growth reduction on carbon acquisition, plant growth and fruit quality under water constrains. According to simulations, water deficit impacted vegetative growth first through a direct effect on its sink strength

  15. Long-term monitoring of climatic and nutritional affects on tree growth in interior Alaska

    Treesearch

    J. Yarie; K. Van Cleve

    2010-01-01

    The comparative analysis of a large set of long-term fertilization and thinning studies in the major forest types of interior Alaska is summarized. Results indicate that nutrient limitations may only occur during the early spring growth period, after which moisture availability is the primary control of tree growth on warm sites. The temperature dynamics of both air...

  16. Tree growth and management in Ugandan agroforestry systems: effects of root pruning on tree growth and crop yield.

    PubMed

    Wajja-Musukwe, Tellie-Nelson; Wilson, Julia; Sprent, Janet I; Ong, Chin K; Deans, J Douglas; Okorio, John

    2008-02-01

    Tree root pruning is a potential tool for managing belowground competition when trees and crops are grown together in agroforestry systems. We investigated the effects of tree root pruning on shoot growth and root distribution of Alnus acuminata (H.B. & K.), Casuarina equisetifolia L., Grevillea robusta A. Cunn. ex R. Br., Maesopsis eminii Engl. and Markhamia lutea (Benth.) K. Schum. and on yield of adjacent crops in sub-humid Uganda. The trees were 3 years old at the commencement of the study, and most species were competing strongly with crops. Tree roots were pruned 41 months after planting by cutting and back-filling a trench to a depth of 0.3 m, at a distance of 0.3 m from the trees, on one side of the tree row. The trench was reopened and roots recut at 50 and 62 months after planting. We assessed the effects on tree growth and root distribution over a 3 year period, and crop yield after the third root pruning at 62 months. Overall, root pruning had only a slight effect on aboveground tree growth: height growth was unaffected and diameter growth was reduced by only 4%. A substantial amount of root regrowth was observed by 11 months after pruning. Tree species varied in the number and distribution of roots, and C. equisetifolia and M. lutea had considerably more roots per unit of trunk volume than the other species, especially in the surface soil layers. Casuarina equisetifolia and M. eminii were the tree species most competitive with crops and G. robusta and M. lutea the least competitive. Crop yield data provided strong evidence of the redistribution of root activity following root pruning, with competition increasing on the unpruned side of tree rows. Thus, one-sided root pruning will be useful in only a few circumstances.

  17. Climate, Tree Growth, Forest Drought Stress, and Tree Mortality in Forests of Western North America: Long-Term Patterns and Recent Trends

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Allen, C. D.; Williams, P.

    2012-12-01

    Ongoing climate changes are increasingly affecting the world's forests, particularly including high latitude and high elevation coniferous forests. Although forest growth has improved in some regions due to greater growing season length and warmth (perhaps along with increased atmospheric CO2 or N), large growth declines or increased mortality from droughts or hotter temperatures also are being observed. We present and interpret information on regional variation in climate-tree growth relationships and trends, and on patterns and trends of climate-related forest disturbances, from western North America. From 235 tree-ring chronologies in the Southwest US we show that tree-ring growth records from warmer southwestern sites are more sensitive to temperature than tree-ring growth records from cooler southwestern sites. Assessment of 59 tree-ring records from 11 species in the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest shows that trees growing in cool places respond positively to increased temperature and trees in warm places respond negatively, implying that trees historically not sensitive to temperature may become sensitive as mean temperatures warm. An analysis of 59 white spruce populations in Alaska supports the hypothesis that warming has caused tree growth to lose sensitivity to cold temperatures. Comparing ring widths to temperature during just the coldest 50% of years during the 20th century, tree growth was sensitive to cold temperatures, and this effect was strongest at the coldest sites; whereas during the warmest 50% of years, trees were not at all sensitive to cold temperatures, even at the cold sites. Drought and vapor pressure deficit are among the variables that emerge as being increasingly important to these Alaska boreal forests as mean temperatures rise. Most recently, from 346 tree-ring chronologies in the Southwest US we establish a tree-ring-based Forest Drought Stress Index (FDSI) for the three most widespread conifer species (Pinus edulis

  18. Temperature and tree growth [editorial

    Treesearch

    Michael G. Ryan

    2010-01-01

    Tree growth helps US forests take up 12% of the fossil fuels emitted in the USA (Woodbury et al. 2007), so predicting tree growth for future climates matters. Predicting future climates themselves is uncertain, but climate scientists probably have the most confidence in predictions for temperature. Temperatures are projected to rise by 0.2 °C in the next two decades,...

  19. Apple dwarfing rootstocks and interstocks affect the type of growth units produced during the annual growth cycle: precocious transition to flowering affects the composition and vigour of annual shoots.

    PubMed

    Seleznyova, Alla N; Tustin, D Stuart; Thorp, T Grant

    2008-04-01

    Precocious flowering in apple trees is often associated with a smaller tree size. The hypothesis was tested that floral evocation in axillary buds, induced by dwarfing rootstocks, reduces the vigour of annual shoots developing from these buds compared with shoots developing from vegetative buds. The experimental system provided a wide range of possible tree vigour using 'Royal Gala' scions and M.9 (dwarfing) and MM.106 (non-dwarfing) as rootstocks and interstocks. Second-year annual shoots were divided into growth units corresponding to periods (flushes) of growth namely, vegetative spur, extension growth unit, uninterrupted growth unit, floral growth unit (bourse) and extended bourse. The differences between the floral and vegetative shoots were quantified by the constituent growth units produced. The dwarfing influence was expressed, firstly, in reduced proportions of shoots that contained at least one extension growth unit and secondly, in reduced proportions of bicyclic shoots (containing two extension growth units) and shoots with an uninterrupted growth unit. In treatments where floral shoots were present, they were markedly less vigorous than vegetative shoots with respect to both measures. In treatments with M.9 rootstock, vegetative and floral shoots produced on average 0.52 and 0.17 extension growth units, compared with 0.77 extension growth units per shoot in the MM.106 rootstock treatment. Remarkably, the number of nodes per extension growth unit was not affected by the rootstock/interstock treatments. These results showed that rootstocks/interstocks affect the type of growth units produced during the annual growth cycle, reducing the number of extension growth units, thus affecting the composition and vigour of annual shoots. This effect is particularly amplified by the transition to flowering induced by dwarfing rootstocks. The division of annual shoot into growth units will also be useful for measuring and modelling effects of age on apple tree

  20. Diameter Growth of Loblolly Pine Trees as Affected by Soil-Moisture Availibility

    Treesearch

    John R. Bassett

    1964-01-01

    In a 30-year-old even-aged stand of loblolly pine on a site 90 loessial soil in southeast Arkansas during foul growing seasons, most trees on plots thinned to 125 square feet of basal area per acre increased in basal area continuously when, under the crown canopy, available water in the surface foot remained above 65 percent. Measurable diameter growth ceased when...

  1. Liana infestation impacts tree growth in a lowland tropical moist forest

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van der Heijden, G. M. F.; Phillips, O. L.

    2009-10-01

    Ecosystem-level estimates of the effect of lianas on tree growth in mature tropical forests are needed to evaluate the functional impact of lianas and their potential to affect the ability of tropical forests to sequester carbon, but these are currently lacking. Using data collected on tree growth rates, local growing conditions and liana competition in five permanent sampling plots in Amazonian Peru, we present the first ecosystem-level estimates of the effect of lianas on above-ground productivity of trees. By first constructing a multi-level linear mixed effect model to predict individual-tree diameter growth model using individual-tree growth conditions, we were able to then estimate stand-level above-ground biomass (AGB) increment in the absence of lianas. We show that lianas, mainly by competing above-ground with trees, reduce tree annual above-ground stand-level biomass increment by ~10%, equivalent to 0.51 Mg dry weight ha-1 yr-1 or 0.25 Mg C ha-1 yr-1. AGB increment of lianas themselves was estimated to be 0.15 Mg dry weight ha-1 yr-1 or 0.07 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, thus only compensating ~29% of the liana-induced reduction in ecosystem AGB increment. Increasing liana pressure on tropical forests will therefore not only tend to reduce their carbon storage capacity, by indirectly promoting tree species with low-density wood, but also their rate of carbon uptake, with potential consequences for the rate of increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

  2. Urban climate modifies tree growth in Berlin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dahlhausen, Jens; Rötzer, Thomas; Biber, Peter; Uhl, Enno; Pretzsch, Hans

    2017-12-01

    Climate, e.g., air temperature and precipitation, differs strongly between urban and peripheral areas, which causes diverse life conditions for trees. In order to compare tree growth, we sampled in total 252 small-leaved lime trees (Tilia cordata Mill) in the city of Berlin along a gradient from the city center to the surroundings. By means of increment cores, we are able to trace back their growth for the last 50 to 100 years. A general growth trend can be shown by comparing recent basal area growth with estimates from extrapolating a growth function that had been fitted with growth data from earlier years. Estimating a linear model, we show that air temperature and precipitation significantly influence tree growth within the last 20 years. Under consideration of housing density, the results reveal that higher air temperature and less precipitation led to higher growth rates in high-dense areas, but not in low-dense areas. In addition, our data reveal a significantly higher variance of the ring width index in areas with medium housing density compared to low housing density, but no temporal trend. Transferring the results to forest stands, climate change is expected to lead to higher tree growth rates.

  3. Urban climate modifies tree growth in Berlin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dahlhausen, Jens; Rötzer, Thomas; Biber, Peter; Uhl, Enno; Pretzsch, Hans

    2018-05-01

    Climate, e.g., air temperature and precipitation, differs strongly between urban and peripheral areas, which causes diverse life conditions for trees. In order to compare tree growth, we sampled in total 252 small-leaved lime trees ( Tilia cordata Mill) in the city of Berlin along a gradient from the city center to the surroundings. By means of increment cores, we are able to trace back their growth for the last 50 to 100 years. A general growth trend can be shown by comparing recent basal area growth with estimates from extrapolating a growth function that had been fitted with growth data from earlier years. Estimating a linear model, we show that air temperature and precipitation significantly influence tree growth within the last 20 years. Under consideration of housing density, the results reveal that higher air temperature and less precipitation led to higher growth rates in high-dense areas, but not in low-dense areas. In addition, our data reveal a significantly higher variance of the ring width index in areas with medium housing density compared to low housing density, but no temporal trend. Transferring the results to forest stands, climate change is expected to lead to higher tree growth rates.

  4. Urban climate modifies tree growth in Berlin.

    PubMed

    Dahlhausen, Jens; Rötzer, Thomas; Biber, Peter; Uhl, Enno; Pretzsch, Hans

    2018-05-01

    Climate, e.g., air temperature and precipitation, differs strongly between urban and peripheral areas, which causes diverse life conditions for trees. In order to compare tree growth, we sampled in total 252 small-leaved lime trees (Tilia cordata Mill) in the city of Berlin along a gradient from the city center to the surroundings. By means of increment cores, we are able to trace back their growth for the last 50 to 100 years. A general growth trend can be shown by comparing recent basal area growth with estimates from extrapolating a growth function that had been fitted with growth data from earlier years. Estimating a linear model, we show that air temperature and precipitation significantly influence tree growth within the last 20 years. Under consideration of housing density, the results reveal that higher air temperature and less precipitation led to higher growth rates in high-dense areas, but not in low-dense areas. In addition, our data reveal a significantly higher variance of the ring width index in areas with medium housing density compared to low housing density, but no temporal trend. Transferring the results to forest stands, climate change is expected to lead to higher tree growth rates.

  5. Cross-scale interactions affect tree growth and intrinsic water use efficiency and highlight the importance of spatial context in managing forests under global change

    EPA Science Inventory

    1. We investigated the potential of cross-scale interactions to affect the outcome of density reduction in a large-scale silvicultural experiment. 2. We measured tree growth and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) based on stable carbon isotopes (13C) to investigate the...

  6. Tree growth and climate in the Pacific Northwest, North America: a broad-scale analysis of changing growth environments

    Treesearch

    Whitney L. Albright; David L. Peterson

    2013-01-01

    Climate change in the 21st century will affect tree growth in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, although complex climate–growth relationships make it difficult to identify how radial growth will respond across different species distributions. We used a novel method to examine potential growth responses to climate change at a broad geographical scale with a...

  7. Competition alters tree growth responses to climate at individual and stand scales

    Treesearch

    Kevin Ford; Ian K. Breckheimer; Jerry F. Franklin; James A. Freund; Steve J. Kroiss; Andrew J. Larson; Elinore J. Theobald; Janneke. HilleRisLambers

    2015-01-01

    Understanding how climate affects tree growth is essential for assessing climate change impacts on forests, but is complicated by the effects of competition, which strongly influences growth and could alter how forests respond to climate change. We characterized the joint effects of climate and competition on diameter growth in the mountain forests of Mount Rainier...

  8. Detecting trends in tree growth: not so simple.

    PubMed

    Bowman, David M J S; Brienen, Roel J W; Gloor, Emanuel; Phillips, Oliver L; Prior, Lynda D

    2013-01-01

    Tree biomass influences biogeochemical cycles, climate, and biodiversity across local to global scales. Understanding the environmental control of tree biomass demands consideration of the drivers of individual tree growth over their lifespan. This can be achieved by studies of tree growth in permanent sample plots (prospective studies) and tree ring analyses (retrospective studies). However, identification of growth trends and attribution of their drivers demands statistical control of the axiomatic co-variation of tree size and age, and avoiding sampling biases at the stand, forest, and regional scales. Tracking and predicting the effects of environmental change on tree biomass requires well-designed studies that address the issues that we have reviewed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Rapid warming accelerates tree growth decline in semi-arid forests of Inner Asia.

    PubMed

    Liu, Hongyan; Park Williams, A; Allen, Craig D; Guo, Dali; Wu, Xiuchen; Anenkhonov, Oleg A; Liang, Eryuan; Sandanov, Denis V; Yin, Yi; Qi, Zhaohuan; Badmaeva, Natalya K

    2013-08-01

    Forests around the world are subject to risk of high rates of tree growth decline and increased tree mortality from combinations of climate warming and drought, notably in semi-arid settings. Here, we assess how climate warming has affected tree growth in one of the world's most extensive zones of semi-arid forests, in Inner Asia, a region where lack of data limits our understanding of how climate change may impact forests. We show that pervasive tree growth declines since 1994 in Inner Asia have been confined to semi-arid forests, where growing season water stress has been rising due to warming-induced increases in atmospheric moisture demand. A causal link between increasing drought and declining growth at semi-arid sites is corroborated by correlation analyses comparing annual climate data to records of tree-ring widths. These ring-width records tend to be substantially more sensitive to drought variability at semi-arid sites than at semi-humid sites. Fire occurrence and insect/pathogen attacks have increased in tandem with the most recent (2007-2009) documented episode of tree mortality. If warming in Inner Asia continues, further increases in forest stress and tree mortality could be expected, potentially driving the eventual regional loss of current semi-arid forests. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Tree growth response to ENSO in Durango, Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pompa-García, Marin; Miranda-Aragón, Liliana; Aguirre-Salado, Carlos Arturo

    2015-01-01

    The dynamics of forest ecosystems worldwide have been driven largely by climatic teleconnections. El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the strongest interannual variation of the Earth's climate, affecting the regional climatic regime. These teleconnections may impact plant phenology, growth rate, forest extent, and other gradual changes in forest ecosystems. The objective of this study was to investigate how Pinus cooperi populations face the influence of ENSO and regional microclimates in five ecozones in northwestern Mexico. Using standard dendrochronological techniques, tree-ring chronologies (TRI) were generated. TRI, ENSO, and climate relationships were correlated from 1950-2010. Additionally, multiple regressions were conducted in order to detect those ENSO months with direct relations in TRI ( p < 0.1). The five chronologies showed similar trends during the period they overlapped, indicating that the P. cooperi populations shared an interannual growth variation. In general, ENSO index showed correspondences with tree-ring growth in synchronous periods. We concluded that ENSO had connectivity with regional climate in northern Mexico and radial growth of P. cooperi populations has been driven largely by positive ENSO values (El Niño episodes).

  11. Tree growth response to ENSO in Durango, Mexico.

    PubMed

    Pompa-García, Marin; Miranda-Aragón, Liliana; Aguirre-Salado, Carlos Arturo

    2015-01-01

    The dynamics of forest ecosystems worldwide have been driven largely by climatic teleconnections. El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the strongest interannual variation of the Earth's climate, affecting the regional climatic regime. These teleconnections may impact plant phenology, growth rate, forest extent, and other gradual changes in forest ecosystems. The objective of this study was to investigate how Pinus cooperi populations face the influence of ENSO and regional microclimates in five ecozones in northwestern Mexico. Using standard dendrochronological techniques, tree-ring chronologies (TRI) were generated. TRI, ENSO, and climate relationships were correlated from 1950-2010. Additionally, multiple regressions were conducted in order to detect those ENSO months with direct relations in TRI (p < 0.1). The five chronologies showed similar trends during the period they overlapped, indicating that the P. cooperi populations shared an interannual growth variation. In general, ENSO index showed correspondences with tree-ring growth in synchronous periods. We concluded that ENSO had connectivity with regional climate in northern Mexico and radial growth of P. cooperi populations has been driven largely by positive ENSO values (El Niño episodes).

  12. Cross-scale interactions affect tree growth and intrinsic water use efficiency and highlight the importance of spatial context in managing forests under global change

    Treesearch

    Kenneth J. Ruzicka; Klaus J. Puettmann; J. Renée Brooks

    2017-01-01

    Summary1. We investigated the potential of cross-scale interactions to affect the outcome of density reduction in a large-scale silvicultural experiment to better understand options for managing forests under climate change. 2. We measured tree growth and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) based on stable carbon isotopes (δ...

  13. Tree leaf trade-offs are stronger for sub-canopy trees: leaf traits reveal little about growth rates in canopy trees.

    PubMed

    Wills, Jarrah; Herbohn, John; Hu, Jing; Sohel, Shawkat; Baynes, Jack; Firn, Jennifer

    2018-06-01

    Can morphological plant functional traits predict demographic rates (e.g., growth) within plant communities as diverse as tropical forests? This is one of the most important next-step questions in trait-based ecology and particularly for global reforestation efforts. Due to the diversity of tropical tree species and their longevity, it is difficult to predict their performance prior to reforestation efforts. In this study, we investigate if simple leaf traits are predictors of the more complex ecological process of plant growth in regenerating selectively logged natural forest within the Wet Tropics (WTs) bioregion of Australia. This study used a rich historical data set to quantify tree growth within plots located at Danbulla National Park and State Forest on the Atherton Tableland. Leaf traits were collected from trees that have exhibited fast or slow growth over the last ~50 yr of measurement. Leaf traits were found to be poor predictors of tree growth for trees that have entered the canopy; however, for sub-canopy trees, leaf traits had a stronger association with growth rates. Leaf phosphorus concentrations were the strongest predictor of Periodic Annual Increment (PAI) for trees growing within the sub-canopy, with trees with higher leaf phosphorus levels showing a higher PAI. Sub-canopy tree leaves also exhibited stronger trade-offs between leaf traits and adhere to theoretical predictions more so than for canopy trees. We suggest that, in order for leaf traits to be more applicable to reforestation, size dependence of traits and growth relationships need to be more carefully considered, particularly when reforestation practitioners assign mean trait values to tropical tree species from multiple canopy strata. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

  14. Analysis of growth trend changes for 51 temperate tree species using Korea national forest inventory data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, M.; Moon, M.; Park, J.; Cho, S.; Kim, H. S.

    2016-12-01

    Individual tree growth rates can be affected by various factors such as species, soil fertility, stand development stage, disturbance, and climate etc. To estimate the effect of changes in tree growth rate on the structure and functionality of forest ecosystem in the future, we analyzed the change of species-specific growth trends using the fifth Korea national forest inventory data, which was collected from 2006 to 2010. The ring samples of average tree were collected from nationwide inventory plots and the total number of individual tree ring series was 69,128 covering 185 tree species. Among those, fifty one species with more than 100 tree ring series were used for our analysis. For growth-trend analysis, standardized regional curves of individual species growth were generated from three forest zone in South Korea; subarctic, cool temperate, warm temperate forest zone. Then individual tree ring series was indexed by dividing the growth of the tree by expected growth from standardized regional curves. Then the ratio of all tree ring series were aligned by year and the Spearman's correlation coefficient of each species was calculated. The results show that most of species had increasing growth rates as forests developed after Korean war. For the last thirty years, 67.3% of species including Quercus spp. and Zelkova serrata had positive growth trends, on the other hand, 11.5% of species including Pinus spp. showed negative growth trends probably due to the changes in successional stages in Korean forests and climate change. These trends also vary with climate zone and species. For examples, Pinus densiflora, which showed negative growth trend overall, had steep negative growth trends in boreal and temperate zone, whereas it showed no specific trend in sub-tropical climate zone. Our trend analysis on 51 temperate tree species growth will be essential to predict the temperate forests species change for the this century.

  15. Understanding tree growth responses after partial cuttings: A new approach

    PubMed Central

    Rossi, Sergio; Lussier, Jean-Martin; Walsh, Denis; Morin, Hubert

    2017-01-01

    Forest ecosystem management heads towards the use of partial cuttings. However, the wide variation in growth response of residual trees remains unexplained, preventing a suitable prediction of forest productivity. The aim of the study was to assess individual growth and identify the driving factors involved in the responses of residual trees. Six study blocks in even-aged black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.] stands of the eastern Canadian boreal forest were submitted to experimental shelterwood and seed-tree treatments. Individual-tree models were applied to 1039 trees to analyze their patterns of radial growth during the 10 years after partial cutting by using the nonlinear Schnute function on tree-ring series. The trees exhibited different growth patterns. A sigmoid growth was detected in 32% of trees, mainly in control plots of older stands. Forty-seven percent of trees located in the interior of residual strips showed an S-shape, which was influenced by stand mortality, harvested intensity and dominant height. Individuals showing an exponential pattern produced the greatest radial growth after cutting and were edge trees of younger stands with higher dominant height. A steady growth decline was observed in 4% of trees, represented by the individuals suppressed and insensitive to the treatment. The analyses demonstrated that individual nonlinear models are able to assess the variability in growth within the stand and the factors involved in the occurrence of the different growth patterns, thus improving understanding of the tree responses to partial cutting. This new approach can sustain forest management strategies by defining the best conditions to optimize the growth yield of residual trees. PMID:28222200

  16. Understanding tree growth responses after partial cuttings: A new approach.

    PubMed

    Montoro Girona, Miguel; Rossi, Sergio; Lussier, Jean-Martin; Walsh, Denis; Morin, Hubert

    2017-01-01

    Forest ecosystem management heads towards the use of partial cuttings. However, the wide variation in growth response of residual trees remains unexplained, preventing a suitable prediction of forest productivity. The aim of the study was to assess individual growth and identify the driving factors involved in the responses of residual trees. Six study blocks in even-aged black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.] stands of the eastern Canadian boreal forest were submitted to experimental shelterwood and seed-tree treatments. Individual-tree models were applied to 1039 trees to analyze their patterns of radial growth during the 10 years after partial cutting by using the nonlinear Schnute function on tree-ring series. The trees exhibited different growth patterns. A sigmoid growth was detected in 32% of trees, mainly in control plots of older stands. Forty-seven percent of trees located in the interior of residual strips showed an S-shape, which was influenced by stand mortality, harvested intensity and dominant height. Individuals showing an exponential pattern produced the greatest radial growth after cutting and were edge trees of younger stands with higher dominant height. A steady growth decline was observed in 4% of trees, represented by the individuals suppressed and insensitive to the treatment. The analyses demonstrated that individual nonlinear models are able to assess the variability in growth within the stand and the factors involved in the occurrence of the different growth patterns, thus improving understanding of the tree responses to partial cutting. This new approach can sustain forest management strategies by defining the best conditions to optimize the growth yield of residual trees.

  17. Pan-Tropical Analysis of Climate Effects on Seasonal Tree Growth

    PubMed Central

    Wagner, Fabien; Rossi, Vivien; Aubry-Kientz, Mélaine; Bonal, Damien; Dalitz, Helmut; Gliniars, Robert; Stahl, Clément; Trabucco, Antonio; Hérault, Bruno

    2014-01-01

    Climate models predict a range of changes in tropical forest regions, including increased average temperatures, decreased total precipitation, reduced soil moisture and alterations in seasonal climate variations. These changes are directly related to the increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations, primarily CO2. Assessing seasonal forest growth responses to climate is of utmost importance because woody tissues, produced by photosynthesis from atmospheric CO2, water and light, constitute the main component of carbon sequestration in the forest ecosystem. In this paper, we combine intra-annual tree growth measurements from published tree growth data and the corresponding monthly climate data for 25 pan-tropical forest sites. This meta-analysis is designed to find the shared climate drivers of tree growth and their relative importance across pan-tropical forests in order to improve carbon uptake models in a global change context. Tree growth reveals significant intra-annual seasonality at seasonally dry sites or in wet tropical forests. Of the overall variation in tree growth, 28.7% was explained by the site effect, i.e. the tree growth average per site. The best predictive model included four climate variables: precipitation, solar radiation (estimated with extrasolar radiation reaching the atmosphere), temperature amplitude and relative soil water content. This model explained more than 50% of the tree growth variations across tropical forests. Precipitation and solar radiation are the main seasonal drivers of tree growth, causing 19.8% and 16.3% of the tree growth variations. Both have a significant positive association with tree growth. These findings suggest that forest productivity due to tropical tree growth will be reduced in the future if climate extremes, such as droughts, become more frequent. PMID:24670981

  18. Pan-tropical analysis of climate effects on seasonal tree growth.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Fabien; Rossi, Vivien; Aubry-Kientz, Mélaine; Bonal, Damien; Dalitz, Helmut; Gliniars, Robert; Stahl, Clément; Trabucco, Antonio; Hérault, Bruno

    2014-01-01

    Climate models predict a range of changes in tropical forest regions, including increased average temperatures, decreased total precipitation, reduced soil moisture and alterations in seasonal climate variations. These changes are directly related to the increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations, primarily CO2. Assessing seasonal forest growth responses to climate is of utmost importance because woody tissues, produced by photosynthesis from atmospheric CO2, water and light, constitute the main component of carbon sequestration in the forest ecosystem. In this paper, we combine intra-annual tree growth measurements from published tree growth data and the corresponding monthly climate data for 25 pan-tropical forest sites. This meta-analysis is designed to find the shared climate drivers of tree growth and their relative importance across pan-tropical forests in order to improve carbon uptake models in a global change context. Tree growth reveals significant intra-annual seasonality at seasonally dry sites or in wet tropical forests. Of the overall variation in tree growth, 28.7% was explained by the site effect, i.e. the tree growth average per site. The best predictive model included four climate variables: precipitation, solar radiation (estimated with extrasolar radiation reaching the atmosphere), temperature amplitude and relative soil water content. This model explained more than 50% of the tree growth variations across tropical forests. Precipitation and solar radiation are the main seasonal drivers of tree growth, causing 19.8% and 16.3% of the tree growth variations. Both have a significant positive association with tree growth. These findings suggest that forest productivity due to tropical tree growth will be reduced in the future if climate extremes, such as droughts, become more frequent.

  19. Tree growth and recruitment in a leveed floodplain forest in the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gee, Hugo K.W.; King, Sammy L.; Keim, Richard F.

    2014-01-01

    Flooding is a defining disturbance in floodplain forests affecting seed germination, seedling establishment, and tree growth. Globally, flood control, including artificial levees, dams, and channelization has altered flood regimes in floodplains. However, a paucity of data are available in regards to the long-term effects of levees on stand establishment and tree growth in floodplain forests. In this study, we used dendrochronological techniques to reconstruct tree recruitment and tree growth over a 90-year period at three stands within a ring levee in the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (MAV) and to evaluate whether recruitment patterns and tree growth changed following levee construction. We hypothesized that: (1) sugarberry is increasing in dominance and overcup oak (Quercus lyrata) is becoming less dominant since the levee, and that changes in hydrology are playing a greater role than canopy disturbance in these changes in species dominance; and (2) that overcup oak growth has declined following construction of the levee and cessation of overbank flooding whereas that of sugarberry has increased. Recruitment patterns shifted from flood-tolerant overcup oak to flood-intolerant sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) after levee construction. None of the 122 sugarberry trees cored in this study established prior to the levee, but it was the most common species established after the levee. The mechanisms behind the compositional change are unknown, however, the cosmopolitan distribution of overcup oak during the pre-levee period and sugarberry during the post-levee period, the lack of sugarberry establishment in the pre-levee period, and the confinement of overcup oak regeneration to the lowest areas in each stand after harvest in the post-levee period indicate that species-specific responses to flooding and light availability are forcing recruitment patterns. Overcup oak growth was also affected by levee construction, but in contrast to our hypothesis, growth actually

  20. Repeated measures from FIA data facilitates analysis across spatial scales of tree growth responses to nitrogen deposition from individual trees to whole ecoregions

    Treesearch

    Charles H. (Hobie) Perry; Kevin J. Horn; R. Quinn Thomas; Linda H. Pardo; Erica A.H. Smithwick; Doug Baldwin; Gregory B. Lawrence; Scott W. Bailey; Sabine Braun; Christopher M. Clark; Mark Fenn; Annika Nordin; Jennifer N. Phelan; Paul G. Schaberg; Sam St. Clair; Richard Warby; Shaun Watmough; Steven S. Perakis

    2015-01-01

    The abundance of temporally and spatially consistent Forest Inventory and Analysis data facilitates hierarchical/multilevel analysis to investigate factors affecting tree growth, scaling from plot-level to continental scales. Herein we use FIA tree and soil inventories in conjunction with various spatial climate and soils data to estimate species-specific responses of...

  1. Effects of different CO2 concentration on growth and photosynthetic of rain tree plants (Albizia saman jacq.Merr)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fathurrahman, F.; Nizam, M. S.; Wan Juliana, W. A.; Doni, Febri; NorLailatul, W. M.; Che Radziah, C. M. Z.

    2016-11-01

    A preliminary study was conducted to determine the effect of elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) in rain tree growth under controllable growth chamber. The tolerance towards CO2 absorption in the photosynthesis process for the growth of tree rain is still unknown. In this study, rain tree seedlings were incubated for three months in a growth chamber with three different CO2 concentration treatment: GC1 (300 ppm), GC2 (600 ppm) and GC3 (900 ppm) at similar condition of temperature (28°C), humidity (60%) and lighting (1200 lux). The results showed that increased CO2 significantly increase the growth rate and chlorophyll content in rain tree. The results of this study add to the further understanding of how the improvement of the growth and physiological characteristics of rain tree was affected by CO2 enrichment treatment. This research can for used for global warming mitigation in the future.

  2. Measurement of Tree Growth in Tropical Forests

    Treesearch

    C. B. Briscoe

    1961-01-01

    The title of my paper--Measurement of Tree Growth in Tropical Forests--is somwhat misleading. Because tree and forest growth determination are essentially the same anywhere, most of what I have to say is as applicable in British Columbia, Japan, or New Zealand as it is in Ecuador or the Philipines.

  3. Warm season tree growth and precipitation over Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Therrell, Matthew D.; Stahle, David W.; Cleaveland, Malcolm K.; Villanueva-Diaz, Jose

    2002-07-01

    We have developed a network of 18 new tree ring chronologies to examine the history of warm season tree growth over Mexico from 1780 to 1992. The chronologies include Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and Montezuma pine (Pinus montezumae Lamb.) latewood width, and Montezuma bald cypress (Taxodium mucronatum Ten.) total ring width. They are located in southwestern Texas, the Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental, and southern Mexico as far south as Oaxaca. Seven of these chronologies are among the first precipitation sensitive tree ring records from the American tropics. Principal component analysis of the chronologies indicates that the primary modes of tree growth variability are divided north and south by the Tropic of Cancer. The tree ring data in northern Mexico (PC1) are most sensitive to June-August rainfall, while the data from southern Mexico (PC2) are sensitive to rainfall in April-June. We find that the mode of tree growth variability over southern Mexico is significantly correlated with the onset of the North American Monsoon. Anomalies in monsoon onset, spring precipitation, and tree growth in southern Mexico all tend to be followed by precipitation anomalies of opposite sign later in the summer over most of central Mexico.

  4. Drought timing influences the legacy of tree growth recovery.

    PubMed

    Huang, Mengtian; Wang, Xuhui; Keenan, Trevor F; Piao, Shilong

    2018-05-04

    Whether and how the timing of extreme events affects the direction and magnitude of legacy effects on tree growth is poorly understood. In this study, we use a global database of Ring-Width Index (RWI) from 2,500 sites to examine the impact and legacy effects (the departure of observed RWI from expected RWI) of extreme drought events during 1948-2008, with a particular focus on the influence of drought timing. We assessed the recovery of stem radial growth in the years following severe drought events with separate groupings designed to characterize the timing of the drought. We found that legacies from extreme droughts during the dry season (DS droughts) lasted longer and had larger impacts in each of the 3 years post drought than those from extreme droughts during the wet season (WS droughts). At the global scale, the average integrated legacy from DS droughts (0.18) was about nine times that from WS droughts (0.02). Site-level comparisons also suggest stronger negative impacts or weaker positive impacts of DS droughts on tree growth than WS droughts. Our results, therefore, highlight that the timing of drought is a crucial factor determining drought impacts on tree recovery. Further increases in baseline aridity could therefore exacerbate the impact of punctuated droughts on terrestrial ecosystems. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Legacy effects of land-use modulate tree growth responses to climate extremes.

    PubMed

    Mausolf, Katharina; Härdtle, Werner; Jansen, Kirstin; Delory, Benjamin M; Hertel, Dietrich; Leuschner, Christoph; Temperton, Vicky M; von Oheimb, Goddert; Fichtner, Andreas

    2018-05-10

    Climate change can impact forest ecosystem processes via individual tree and community responses. While the importance of land-use legacies in modulating these processes have been increasingly recognised, evidence of former land-use mediated climate-growth relationships remain rare. We analysed how differences in former land-use (i.e. forest continuity) affect the growth response of European beech to climate extremes. Here, using dendrochronological and fine root data, we show that ancient forests (forests with a long forest continuity) and recent forests (forests afforested on former farmland) clearly differ with regard to climate-growth relationships. We found that sensitivity to climatic extremes was lower for trees growing in ancient forests, as reflected by significantly lower growth reductions during adverse climatic conditions. Fine root morphology also differed significantly between the former land-use types: on average, trees with high specific root length (SRL) and specific root area (SRA) and low root tissue density (RTD) were associated with recent forests, whereas the opposite traits were characteristic of ancient forests. Moreover, we found that trees of ancient forests hold a larger fine root system than trees of recent forests. Our results demonstrate that land-use legacy-mediated modifications in the size and morphology of the fine root system act as a mechanism in regulating drought resistance of beech, emphasising the need to consider the 'ecological memory' of forests when assessing or predicting the sensitivity of forest ecosystems to global environmental change.

  6. A synthesis of radial growth patterns preceding tree mortality

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cailleret, Maxime; Jansen, Steven; Robert, Elisabeth M.R.; Desoto, Lucia; Aakala, Tuomas; Antos, Joseph A.; Beikircher, Barbara; Bigler, Christof; Bugmann, Harald; Caccianiga, Marco; Cada, Vojtech; Camarero, Jesus J.; Cherubini, Paolo; Cochard, Herve; Coyea, Marie R.; Cufar, Katarina; Das, Adrian J.; Davi, Hendrik; Delzon, Sylvain; Dorman, Michael; Gea-Izquierdo, Guillermo; Gillner, Sten; Haavik, Laurel J.; Hartmann, Henrik; Heres, Ana-Maria; Hultine, Kevin R.; Janda, Pavel; Kane, Jeffrey M.; Kharuk, Vyacheslav I.; Kitzberger, Thomas; Klein, Tamir; Kramer, Koen; Lens, Frederic; Levanic, Tom; Calderon, Juan C. Linares; Lloret, Francisco; Lobo-Do-Vale, Raquel; Lombardi, Fabio; Lopez Rodriguez, Rosana; Makinen, Harri; Mayr, Stefan; Meszaros, IIona; Metsaranta, Juha M.; Minunno, Francesco; Oberhuber, Walter; Papadopoulos, Andreas; Peltoniemi, Mikko; Petritan, Any M.; Rohner, Brigitte; Sanguesa-Barreda, Gabriel; Sarris, Dimitrios; Smith, Jeremy M.; Stan, Amanda B.; Sterck, Frank; Stojanovic, Dejan B.; Suarez, Maria L.; Svoboda, Miroslav; Tognetti, Roberto; Torres-Ruiz, Jose M.; Trotsiuk, Volodymyr; Villalba, Ricardo; Vodde, Floor; Westwood, Alana R.; Wyckoff, Peter H.; Zafirov, Nikolay; Martinez-Vilalta, Jordi

    2017-01-01

    Tree mortality is a key factor influencing forest functions and dynamics, but our understanding of the mechanisms leading to mortality and the associated changes in tree growth rates are still limited. We compiled a new pan-continental tree-ring width database from sites where both dead and living trees were sampled (2970 dead and 4224 living trees from 190 sites, including 36 species), and compared early and recent growth rates between trees that died and those that survived a given mortality event. We observed a decrease in radial growth before death in ca. 84% of the mortality events. The extent and duration of these reductions were highly variable (1–100 years in 96% of events) due to the complex interactions among study species and the source(s) of mortality. Strong and long-lasting declines were found for gymnosperms, shade- and drought-tolerant species, and trees that died from competition. Angiosperms and trees that died due to biotic attacks (especially bark-beetles) typically showed relatively small and short-term growth reductions. Our analysis did not highlight any universal trade-off between early growth and tree longevity within a species, although this result may also reflect high variability in sampling design among sites. The intersite and interspecific variability in growth patterns before mortality provides valuable information on the nature of the mortality process, which is consistent with our understanding of the physiological mechanisms leading to mortality. Abrupt changes in growth immediately before death can be associated with generalized hydraulic failure and/or bark-beetle attack, while long-term decrease in growth may be associated with a gradual decline in hydraulic performance coupled with depletion in carbon reserves. Our results imply that growth-based mortality algorithms may be a powerful tool for predicting gymnosperm mortality induced by chronic stress, but not necessarily so for angiosperms and in case of intense drought or

  7. A synthesis of radial growth patterns preceding tree mortality.

    PubMed

    Cailleret, Maxime; Jansen, Steven; Robert, Elisabeth M R; Desoto, Lucía; Aakala, Tuomas; Antos, Joseph A; Beikircher, Barbara; Bigler, Christof; Bugmann, Harald; Caccianiga, Marco; Čada, Vojtěch; Camarero, Jesus J; Cherubini, Paolo; Cochard, Hervé; Coyea, Marie R; Čufar, Katarina; Das, Adrian J; Davi, Hendrik; Delzon, Sylvain; Dorman, Michael; Gea-Izquierdo, Guillermo; Gillner, Sten; Haavik, Laurel J; Hartmann, Henrik; Hereş, Ana-Maria; Hultine, Kevin R; Janda, Pavel; Kane, Jeffrey M; Kharuk, Vyacheslav I; Kitzberger, Thomas; Klein, Tamir; Kramer, Koen; Lens, Frederic; Levanic, Tom; Linares Calderon, Juan C; Lloret, Francisco; Lobo-Do-Vale, Raquel; Lombardi, Fabio; López Rodríguez, Rosana; Mäkinen, Harri; Mayr, Stefan; Mészáros, Ilona; Metsaranta, Juha M; Minunno, Francesco; Oberhuber, Walter; Papadopoulos, Andreas; Peltoniemi, Mikko; Petritan, Any M; Rohner, Brigitte; Sangüesa-Barreda, Gabriel; Sarris, Dimitrios; Smith, Jeremy M; Stan, Amanda B; Sterck, Frank; Stojanović, Dejan B; Suarez, Maria L; Svoboda, Miroslav; Tognetti, Roberto; Torres-Ruiz, José M; Trotsiuk, Volodymyr; Villalba, Ricardo; Vodde, Floor; Westwood, Alana R; Wyckoff, Peter H; Zafirov, Nikolay; Martínez-Vilalta, Jordi

    2017-04-01

    Tree mortality is a key factor influencing forest functions and dynamics, but our understanding of the mechanisms leading to mortality and the associated changes in tree growth rates are still limited. We compiled a new pan-continental tree-ring width database from sites where both dead and living trees were sampled (2970 dead and 4224 living trees from 190 sites, including 36 species), and compared early and recent growth rates between trees that died and those that survived a given mortality event. We observed a decrease in radial growth before death in ca. 84% of the mortality events. The extent and duration of these reductions were highly variable (1-100 years in 96% of events) due to the complex interactions among study species and the source(s) of mortality. Strong and long-lasting declines were found for gymnosperms, shade- and drought-tolerant species, and trees that died from competition. Angiosperms and trees that died due to biotic attacks (especially bark-beetles) typically showed relatively small and short-term growth reductions. Our analysis did not highlight any universal trade-off between early growth and tree longevity within a species, although this result may also reflect high variability in sampling design among sites. The intersite and interspecific variability in growth patterns before mortality provides valuable information on the nature of the mortality process, which is consistent with our understanding of the physiological mechanisms leading to mortality. Abrupt changes in growth immediately before death can be associated with generalized hydraulic failure and/or bark-beetle attack, while long-term decrease in growth may be associated with a gradual decline in hydraulic performance coupled with depletion in carbon reserves. Our results imply that growth-based mortality algorithms may be a powerful tool for predicting gymnosperm mortality induced by chronic stress, but not necessarily so for angiosperms and in case of intense drought or

  8. Climate change accelerates growth of urban trees in metropolises worldwide.

    PubMed

    Pretzsch, Hans; Biber, Peter; Uhl, Enno; Dahlhausen, Jens; Schütze, Gerhard; Perkins, Diana; Rötzer, Thomas; Caldentey, Juan; Koike, Takayoshi; Con, Tran van; Chavanne, Aurélia; Toit, Ben du; Foster, Keith; Lefer, Barry

    2017-11-13

    Despite the importance of urban trees, their growth reaction to climate change and to the urban heat island effect has not yet been investigated with an international scope. While we are well informed about forest growth under recent conditions, it is unclear if this knowledge can be simply transferred to urban environments. Based on tree ring analyses in ten metropolises worldwide, we show that, in general, urban trees have undergone accelerated growth since the 1960s. In addition, urban trees tend to grow more quickly than their counterparts in the rural surroundings. However, our analysis shows that climate change seems to enhance the growth of rural trees more than that of urban trees. The benefits of growing in an urban environment seem to outweigh known negative effects, however, accelerated growth may also mean more rapid ageing and shortened lifetime. Thus, city planners should adapt to the changed dynamics in order to secure the ecosystem services provided by urban trees.

  9. Photoperiodic growth control in perennial trees.

    PubMed

    Azeez, Abdul; Sane, Aniruddha P

    2015-01-01

    Plants have to cope with changing seasons and adverse environmental conditions. Being sessile, plants have developed elaborate mechanisms for their survival that allow them to sense and adapt to the environment and reproduce successfully. A major adaptive trait for the survival of trees of temperate and boreal forests is the induction of growth cessation in anticipation of winters. In the last few years enormous progress has been made to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying SDs induced growth cessation in model perennial tree hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × P. tremuloides). In this review we discuss the molecular mechanism underlying photoperiodic control of growth cessation and adaptive responses.

  10. Tree height growth indicating drought and nitrogen deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gulyás, Krisztina; Berki, Imre

    2016-04-01

    Several studies have been reported the increasing trends of forest growth in Europe in the last decades. Sites, where the water is not limiting factor, the increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and high nitrogen deposition influenced accelerated tree height growth. However few researches show that the drying climate conditions and water deficit cause slow/not definite trend of tree height growth in forests. The aim of our study presents the effects of drying climate and surplus nitrogen on height growth of sessile oak (Quercus petraea). Almost 50 sessile oak stands (with zonal site condition) have been measured along a humid-arid climatic transect in Hungary. Top heights of the trees are the best dendrometric parameter for indicating the changing site conditions. Observed top heights dates were compared with 50-years climate condition along the humid-arid climatic transect. Tree height growth in the dry and mesic section of climatic gradient slowed at the last 4 decades, because of the increasing frequency of dry periods. Accelerated height growth were measured in the mesic and humid section of transect, where the nitrogen deposition due to local air pollution were higher than the background deposition. These results draw attention to the importance of the drying climate and surplus nitrogen in the global changes. Keywords: climate change impacts, drought periods, surplus deposition, tree height growth Acknowledgements: Research is supported by the "Agroclimate.2" (VKSZ_12-1-2013-0034) EU-national joint funded research project.

  11. Increased spruce tree growth in Central Europe since 1960s.

    PubMed

    Cienciala, Emil; Altman, Jan; Doležal, Jiří; Kopáček, Jiří; Štěpánek, Petr; Ståhl, Göran; Tumajer, Jan

    2018-04-01

    Tree growth response to recent environmental changes is of key interest for forest ecology. This study addressed the following questions with respect to Norway spruce (Picea abies, L. Karst.) in Central Europe: Has tree growth accelerated during the last five decades? What are the main environmental drivers of the observed tree radial stem growth and how much variability can be explained by them? Using a nationwide dendrochronological sampling of Norway spruce in the Czech Republic (1246 trees, 266 plots), novel regional tree-ring width chronologies for 40(±10)- and 60(±10)-year old trees were assembled, averaged across three elevation zones (break points at 500 and 700m). Correspondingly averaged drivers, including temperature, precipitation, nitrogen (N) deposition and ambient CO 2 concentration, were used in a general linear model (GLM) to analyze the contribution of these in explaining tree ring width variability for the period from 1961 to 2013. Spruce tree radial stem growth responded strongly to the changing environment in Central Europe during the period, with a mean tree ring width increase of 24 and 32% for the 40- and 60-year old trees, respectively. The indicative General Linear Model analysis identified CO 2 , precipitation during the vegetation season, spring air temperature (March-May) and N-deposition as the significant covariates of growth, with the latter including interactions with elevation zones. The regression models explained 57% and 55% of the variability in the two tree ring width chronologies, respectively. Growth response to N-deposition showed the highest variability along the elevation gradient with growth stimulation/limitation at sites below/above 700m. A strong sensitivity of stem growth to CO 2 was also indicated, suggesting that the effect of rising ambient CO 2 concentration (direct or indirect by increased water use efficiency) should be considered in analyses of long-term growth together with climatic factors and N

  12. Powdery Mildew Decreases the Radial Growth of Oak Trees with Cumulative and Delayed Effects over Years

    PubMed Central

    Bert, Didier; Lasnier, Jean-Baptiste; Capdevielle, Xavier; Dugravot, Aline; Desprez-Loustau, Marie-Laure

    2016-01-01

    Quercus robur and Q. petraea are major European forest tree species. They have been affected by powdery mildew caused by Erysiphe alphitoides for more than a century. This fungus is a biotrophic foliar pathogen that diverts photosynthetate from the plant for its own nutrition. We used a dendrochronological approach to investigate the effects of different levels of infection severity on the radial growth of young oak trees. Oak infection was monitored at individual tree level, at two sites in southwestern France, over a five-year period (2001–2005). Mean infection severity was almost 75% (infected leaf area) at the end of the 2001 growing season, at both sites, but only about 40% in 2002, and 8%, 5% and 2% in 2003, 2004 and 2005, respectively. Infection levels varied considerably between trees and were positively related between 2001 and 2002. Increment cores were taken from each tree to assess annual ring widths and increases in basal area. Annual radial growth was standardised to take the effect of tree size into account. Annual standardised radial growth was significantly and negatively correlated with infection severity in the same year, for both 2001 and 2002, and at both sites. The decrease in growth reached 70–90% for highly infected trees. The earlywood width was poorly correlated with infection severity, but the proportion of latewood in tree rings was lower in highly infected trees (60%) than in less heavily infected trees (85%). Infection in 2001 and 2002 was found to have a cumulative effect on radial growth in these years, together with a delayed effect detectable in 2003. Thus, even non-lethal pathogens like powdery mildew can have a significant impact on tree functioning. This impact should be taken into account in growth and yield models, to improve predictions of forest net primary production. PMID:27177029

  13. [Difference in responses of major tree species growth to climate in the Miyaluo Mountains, western Sichuan, China].

    PubMed

    Guo, Ming-ming; Zhang, Yuan-dong; Wang, Xiao-chun; Liu, Shi-rong

    2015-08-01

    To explore the responses of different tree species growth to climate change in the semi-humid region of the eastern Tibetan Plateau, we investigated climate-growth relationships of Tsuga chinensis, Abies faxoniana, Picea purpurea at an altitude of 3000 m (low altitude) and A. faxoniana and Larix mastersiana at an altitude of 4000 m (high altitude) using tree ring-width chronologies (total of 182 cores) developed from Miyaluo, western Sichuan, China. Five residual chronologies were developed from the cross-dated ring width series using the program ARSTAN, and the relationships between monthly climate variables and tree-ring index were analyzed. Results showed that the chronologies of trees at low altitudes were negatively correlated with air temperature but positively with precipitation in April and May. This indicated that drought stress limited tree growth at low altitude, but different tree species showed significant variations. T. chinensis was most severely affected by drought stress, followed by A. faxoniana and P. purpurea. Trees at high altitude were mainly affected by growing season temperature. Tree-ring index of A. faxoniana was positively correlated with monthly minimum temperature in February and July of the current year and monthly maximum temperature in October of the previous year. Radial growth of L. mastersiana was positively correlated with monthly maximum temperature in May, and negatively with monthly mean temperature in February and monthly minimum temperature in March. In recent decadal years, the climate in northeast Tibetan Plateau had a warming and drying trend. If this trend continues, we could deduce that P. purpurea should grow faster than T. chinensis and A. faxoniana at low altitudes, while A. faxoniana would benefit more from global warming at high altitudes.

  14. The relationship between tree growth patterns and likelihood of mortality: A study of two tree species in the Sierra Nevada

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Das, A.J.; Battles, J.J.; Stephenson, N.L.; van Mantgem, P.J.

    2007-01-01

    We examined mortality of Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl. (white fir) and Pinus lambertiana Dougl. (sugar pine) by developing logistic models using three growth indices obtained from tree rings: average growth, growth trend, and count of abrupt growth declines. For P. lambertiana, models with average growth, growth trend, and count of abrupt declines improved overall prediction (78.6% dead trees correctly classified, 83.7% live trees correctly classified) compared with a model with average recent growth alone (69.6% dead trees correctly classified, 67.3% live trees correctly classified). For A. concolor, counts of abrupt declines and longer time intervals improved overall classification (trees with DBH ???20 cm: 78.9% dead trees correctly classified and 76.7% live trees correctly classified vs. 64.9% dead trees correctly classified and 77.9% live trees correctly classified; trees with DBH <20 cm: 71.6% dead trees correctly classified and 71.0% live trees correctly classified vs. 67.2% dead trees correctly classified and 66.7% live trees correctly classified). In general, count of abrupt declines improved live-tree classification. External validation of A. concolor models showed that they functioned well at stands not used in model development, and the development of size-specific models demonstrated important differences in mortality risk between understory and canopy trees. Population-level mortality-risk models were developed for A. concolor and generated realistic mortality rates at two sites. Our results support the contention that a more comprehensive use of the growth record yields a more robust assessment of mortality risk. ?? 2007 NRC.

  15. Grass competition suppresses savanna tree growth across multiple demographic stages.

    PubMed

    Riginos, Corinna

    2009-02-01

    Savanna ecosystems, defined by the codominance of trees and grasses, cover one-fifth of the world's land surface and are of great socioeconomic and biological importance. Yet, the fundamental question of how trees and grasses coexist to maintain the savanna state remains poorly understood. Many models have been put forward to explain tree-grass coexistence, but nearly all have assumed that grasses do not limit tree growth and demography beyond the sapling stage. This assumption, however, has rarely been tested. Here I show that grass can strongly suppress the growth of trees. I removed grass around trees of three size classes in an Acacia drepanolobium savanna in Laikipia, Kenya. For even the largest trees, grass removal led to a doubling in growth and a doubling in the probability of transitioning to the next size class over two years. These results suggest that grass competition in productive (nutrient-rich) savannas may limit tree growth as much as herbivory and fire (the main factors thought to determine tree demography within a rainfall region) and should be incorporated into savanna models if tree-grass coexistence and savanna dynamics are to be understood.

  16. Long-term monitoring of Sacramento Shade program trees: tree survival, growth and energy-saving performance

    Treesearch

    Yekang Ko; Jun-Hak Lee; E. Gregory McPherson; Lara A. Roman

    2015-01-01

    Long-term survival and growth of urban forests are critical to achieve the targeted benefits of urban tree planting programs, such as building energy savings from tree shade. However, little is known about how trees perform in the long-term, especially in residential areas. Given this gap in the literature, we monitored 22-years of post-planting survival, growth, and...

  17. Early Stages Of Biome Shift in Boreal Alaska: Climate Sensitivity of Tree Growth and Accelerated Tree Mortality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Juday, G. P.; Grant, T.; Alix, C. M.; Spencer, D. L.; Beck, P. S.

    2012-12-01

    rapidly in alder shrubs, so nearly all woody species face health challenges. Temperatures and precipitation on many Interior sites are now at or beyond tolerance limits for white spruce, aspen, and Alaska birch. Two episodes of acute drought injury were widespread in birch during the last decade. Deficits in climate predicted tree growth are synchronous with the major insect outbreaks as recorded in insect trapping records and aerial surveys of area affected. Over the past 25 years tree mortality of 50% or more occurred in nearly all long-term monitoring plots in mature stands on productive sites in the Interior, but to date trees have successfully regenerated on most disturbed sites. These environmental changes and tree responses, including opposite responses, are coherent, and consistent with early stages of a biome shift eliminating boreal forest on dry Interior sites, and emergence of a new climate optimum zone in western Alaska currently only sparsely populated with forest.

  18. Tree growth prediction using size and exposed crown area

    Treesearch

    Peter H. Wyckoff; James S. Clark

    2005-01-01

    We address the relationships between tree growth rate and growing environment for 21 co-occurring species. Tree growth rates are obtained from mapped plots at the Coweeta Long-Term Ecological Research site in the southern Appalachian Mountains. We employ high-resolution aerial photography to assess the light environment for trees growing in these plots, using exposed...

  19. Climate-tree growth models in relation to long-term growth trends of white oak in Pennsylvania

    Treesearch

    D. D. Davis; R. P. Long

    2003-01-01

    We examined long-term growth trends of white oak by comparing tree-ring chronologies developed from an old-growth stand, where the average tree age was 222 years, with a second-growth stand where average tree age was 78 years. Evaluation of basal area growth trends suggested that an anomalous decrease in basal area increment trend occurred in both stands during the...

  20. Individualistic and Time-Varying Tree-Ring Growth to Climate Sensitivity

    PubMed Central

    Carrer, Marco

    2011-01-01

    The development of dendrochronological time series in order to analyze climate-growth relationships usually involves first a rigorous selection of trees and then the computation of the mean tree-growth measurement series. This study suggests a change in the perspective, passing from an analysis of climate-growth relationships that typically focuses on the mean response of a species to investigating the whole range of individual responses among sample trees. Results highlight that this new approach, tested on a larch and stone pine tree-ring dataset, outperforms, in terms of information obtained, the classical one, with significant improvements regarding the strength, distribution and time-variability of the individual tree-ring growth response to climate. Moreover, a significant change over time of the tree sensitivity to climatic variability has been detected. Accordingly, the best-responder trees at any one time may not always have been the best-responders and may not continue to be so. With minor adjustments to current dendroecological protocol and adopting an individualistic approach, we can improve the quality and reliability of the ecological inferences derived from the climate-growth relationships. PMID:21829523

  1. Hardwood tree growth on amended mine soils in west virginia.

    PubMed

    Wilson-Kokes, Lindsay; Delong, Curtis; Thomas, Calene; Emerson, Paul; O'Dell, Keith; Skousen, Jeff

    2013-09-01

    Each year surface mining in Appalachia disrupts large areas of forested land. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act requires coal mine operators to establish a permanent vegetative cover after mining, and current practice emphasizes soil compaction and planting of competitive forage grasses to stabilize the site and control erosion. These practices hinder recolonization of native hardwood trees on these reclaimed sites. Recently reclamation scientists and regulators have encouraged re-establishment of hardwood forests on surface mined land through careful selection and placement of rooting media and proper selection and planting of herbaceous and tree species. To evaluate the effect of rooting media and soil amendments, a 2.8-ha experimental plot was established, with half of the plot being constructed of weathered brown sandstone and half constructed of unweathered gray sandstone. Bark mulch was applied to an area covering both sandstone types, and the ends of the plot were hydroseeded with a tree-compatible herbaceous seed mix, resulting in eight soil treatments. Twelve hardwood tree species were planted, and soil chemical properties and tree growth were measured annually from 2007 to 2012. After six growing seasons, average tree volume index was higher for trees grown on brown sandstone (5333 cm) compared with gray sandstone (3031 cm). Trees planted in mulch outperformed trees on nonmulched treatments (volume index of 6187 cm vs. 4194 cm). Hydroseeding with a tree-compatible mix produced greater ground cover (35 vs. 15%) and resulted in greater tree volume index than nonhydroseed areas (5809 vs. 3403 cm). Soil chemical properties were improved by mulch and improved tree growth, especially on gray sandstone. The average pH of brown sandstone was 5.0 to 5.4, and gray sandstone averaged pH 6.9 to 7.7. The mulch treatment on gray sandstone resulted in tree growth similar to brown sandstone alone and with mulch. After 6 yr, tree growth on brown sandstone was

  2. Effect of tree shelters on above-ground stem biomass leaf numbers and size, and height growth

    Treesearch

    Douglas O. Lantagne; Gregory Kowalewski

    1997-01-01

    Tree shelters have been tested and shown to be effective in several circumstances regarding hardwood regeneration, especially with northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.). A study was initiated to quantify how tree shelters affected quantity, size and biomass of leaves, the number of growth flushes, and the above ground stem biomass of planted northern...

  3. Complementarity effects on tree growth are contingent on tree size and climatic conditions across Europe

    PubMed Central

    Madrigal-González, Jaime; Ruiz-Benito, Paloma; Ratcliffe, Sophia; Calatayud, Joaquín; Kändler, Gerald; Lehtonen, Aleksi; Dahlgren, Jonas; Wirth, Christian; Zavala, Miguel A.

    2016-01-01

    Neglecting tree size and stand structure dynamics might bias the interpretation of the diversity-productivity relationship in forests. Here we show evidence that complementarity is contingent on tree size across large-scale climatic gradients in Europe. We compiled growth data of the 14 most dominant tree species in 32,628 permanent plots covering boreal, temperate and Mediterranean forest biomes. Niche complementarity is expected to result in significant growth increments of trees surrounded by a larger proportion of functionally dissimilar neighbours. Functional dissimilarity at the tree level was assessed using four functional types: i.e. broad-leaved deciduous, broad-leaved evergreen, needle-leaved deciduous and needle-leaved evergreen. Using Linear Mixed Models we show that, complementarity effects depend on tree size along an energy availability gradient across Europe. Specifically: (i) complementarity effects at low and intermediate positions of the gradient (coldest-temperate areas) were stronger for small than for large trees; (ii) in contrast, at the upper end of the gradient (warmer regions), complementarity is more widespread in larger than smaller trees, which in turn showed negative growth responses to increased functional dissimilarity. Our findings suggest that the outcome of species mixing on stand productivity might critically depend on individual size distribution structure along gradients of environmental variation. PMID:27571971

  4. Recruiting Conventional Tree Architecture Models into State-of-the-Art LiDAR Mapping for Investigating Tree Growth Habits in Structure.

    PubMed

    Lin, Yi; Jiang, Miao; Pellikka, Petri; Heiskanen, Janne

    2018-01-01

    Mensuration of tree growth habits is of considerable importance for understanding forest ecosystem processes and forest biophysical responses to climate changes. However, the complexity of tree crown morphology that is typically formed after many years of growth tends to render it a non-trivial task, even for the state-of-the-art 3D forest mapping technology-light detection and ranging (LiDAR). Fortunately, botanists have deduced the large structural diversity of tree forms into only a limited number of tree architecture models, which can present a-priori knowledge about tree structure, growth, and other attributes for different species. This study attempted to recruit Hallé architecture models (HAMs) into LiDAR mapping to investigate tree growth habits in structure. First, following the HAM-characterized tree structure organization rules, we run the kernel procedure of tree species classification based on the LiDAR-collected point clouds using a support vector machine classifier in the leave-one-out-for-cross-validation mode. Then, the HAM corresponding to each of the classified tree species was identified based on expert knowledge, assisted by the comparison of the LiDAR-derived feature parameters. Next, the tree growth habits in structure for each of the tree species were derived from the determined HAM. In the case of four tree species growing in the boreal environment, the tests indicated that the classification accuracy reached 85.0%, and their growth habits could be derived by qualitative and quantitative means. Overall, the strategy of recruiting conventional HAMs into LiDAR mapping for investigating tree growth habits in structure was validated, thereby paving a new way for efficiently reflecting tree growth habits and projecting forest structure dynamics.

  5. Age class, longevity and growth rate relationships: protracted growth increases in old trees in the eastern United States.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Sarah E; Abrams, Marc D

    2009-11-01

    This study uses data from the International Tree-Ring Data Bank website and tree cores collected in the field to explore growth rate (basal area increment, BAI) relationships across age classes (from young to old) for eight tree species in the eastern US. These species represent a variety of ecological traits and include those in the genera Populus, Quercus, Pinus, Tsuga and Nyssa. We found that most trees in all age classes and species exhibit an increasing BAI throughout their lives. This is particularly unusual for trees in the older age classes that we expected to have declining growth in the later years, as predicted by physiological growth models. There exists an inverse relationship between growth rate and increasing age class. The oldest trees within each species have consistently slow growth throughout their lives, implying an inverse relationship between growth rate and longevity. Younger trees (< 60 years of age) within each species are consistently growing faster than the older trees when they are of the same age resulting from a higher proportion of fast-growing trees in these young age classes. Slow, but increasing, BAI in the oldest trees in recent decades is a continuation of their growth pattern established in previous centuries. The fact that they have not shown a decreasing growth rate in their old age contradicts physiological growth models and may be related to the stimulatory effects of global change phenomenon (climate and land-use history).

  6. Recruiting Conventional Tree Architecture Models into State-of-the-Art LiDAR Mapping for Investigating Tree Growth Habits in Structure

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Yi; Jiang, Miao; Pellikka, Petri; Heiskanen, Janne

    2018-01-01

    Mensuration of tree growth habits is of considerable importance for understanding forest ecosystem processes and forest biophysical responses to climate changes. However, the complexity of tree crown morphology that is typically formed after many years of growth tends to render it a non-trivial task, even for the state-of-the-art 3D forest mapping technology—light detection and ranging (LiDAR). Fortunately, botanists have deduced the large structural diversity of tree forms into only a limited number of tree architecture models, which can present a-priori knowledge about tree structure, growth, and other attributes for different species. This study attempted to recruit Hallé architecture models (HAMs) into LiDAR mapping to investigate tree growth habits in structure. First, following the HAM-characterized tree structure organization rules, we run the kernel procedure of tree species classification based on the LiDAR-collected point clouds using a support vector machine classifier in the leave-one-out-for-cross-validation mode. Then, the HAM corresponding to each of the classified tree species was identified based on expert knowledge, assisted by the comparison of the LiDAR-derived feature parameters. Next, the tree growth habits in structure for each of the tree species were derived from the determined HAM. In the case of four tree species growing in the boreal environment, the tests indicated that the classification accuracy reached 85.0%, and their growth habits could be derived by qualitative and quantitative means. Overall, the strategy of recruiting conventional HAMs into LiDAR mapping for investigating tree growth habits in structure was validated, thereby paving a new way for efficiently reflecting tree growth habits and projecting forest structure dynamics. PMID:29515616

  7. Extreme mid-winter drought weakens tree hydraulic-carbohydrate systems and slows growth.

    PubMed

    Earles, J Mason; Stevens, Jens T; Sperling, Or; Orozco, Jessica; North, Malcolm P; Zwieniecki, Maciej A

    2018-07-01

    Rising temperatures and extended periods of drought compromise tree hydraulic and carbohydrate systems, threatening forest health globally. Despite winter's biological significance to many forests, the effects of warmer and dryer winters on tree hydraulic and carbohydrate status have largely been overlooked. Here we report a sharp and previously unknown decline in stem water content of three conifer species during California's anomalous 2015 mid-winter drought that was followed by dampened spring starch accumulation. Recent precipitation and seasonal vapor pressure deficit (VPD) anomaly, not absolute VPD, best predicted the hydraulic patterns observed. By linking relative water content and hydraulic conductivity (K h ), we estimated that stand-level K h declined by 52% during California's 2015 mid-winter drought, followed by a 50% reduction in spring starch accumulation. Further examination of tree increment records indicated a concurrent decline of growth with rising mid-winter, but not summer, VPD anomaly. Thus, our findings suggest a seasonality to tree hydraulic and carbohydrate declines, with consequences for annual growth rates, raising novel physiological and ecological questions about how rising winter temperatures will affect forest vitality as climate changes. © 2018 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2018 New Phytologist Trust.

  8. Raised Water Tables Affect Southern Hardwood Growth

    Treesearch

    W. M. Broadfoot

    1973-01-01

    In natural stands near Demopolis Lock and Dam Reservoir in Alabama, the average growth in tree radius increased about 50 percent in the 5 years after the water table was raised from an indefinite depth to within reach of the tree roots. In natural stands near the Jim Woodruff Reservoir in Florida, radial growth of trees also increased markedly after the water table was...

  9. A generalized system of models forecasting Central States tree growth.

    Treesearch

    Stephen R. Shifley

    1987-01-01

    Describes the development and testing of a system of individual tree-based growth projection models applicable to species in Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio. Annual tree basal area growth is estimated as a function of tree size, crown ratio, stand density, and site index. Models are compatible with the STEMS and TWIGS Projection System.

  10. Tree growth-climate relationships in a forest-plot network on Mediterranean mountains.

    PubMed

    Fyllas, Nikolaos M; Christopoulou, Anastasia; Galanidis, Alexandros; Michelaki, Chrysanthi Z; Dimitrakopoulos, Panayiotis G; Fulé, Peter Z; Arianoutsou, Margarita

    2017-11-15

    In this study we analysed a novel tree-growth dataset, inferred from annual ring-width measurements, of 7 forest tree species from 12 mountain regions in Greece, in order to identify tree growth - climate relationships. The tree species of interest were: Abies cephalonica, Abies borisii-regis, Picea abies, Pinus nigra, Pinus sylvestris, Fagus sylvatica and Quercus frainetto growing across a gradient of climate conditions with mean annual temperature ranging from 5.7 to 12.6°C and total annual precipitation from 500 to 950mm. In total, 344 tree cores (one per tree) were analysed across a network of 20 study sites. We found that water availability during the summer period (May-August) was a strong predictor of interannual variation in tree growth for all study species. Across species and sites, annual tree growth was positively related to summer season precipitation (P SP ). The responsiveness of annual growth to P SP was tightly related to species and site specific measurements of instantaneous photosynthetic water use efficiency (WUE), suggesting that the growth of species with efficient water use is more responsive to variations in precipitation during the dry months of the year. Our findings support the importance of water availability for the growth of mountainous Mediterranean tree species and highlight that future reductions in precipitation are likely to lead to reduced tree-growth under climate change conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Mistletoe effects on Scots pine decline following drought events: insights from within-tree spatial patterns, growth and carbohydrates.

    PubMed

    Sangüesa-Barreda, Gabriel; Linares, Juan Carlos; Camarero, J Julio

    2012-05-01

    Forest decline has been attributed to the interaction of several stressors including biotic factors such as mistletoes and climate-induced drought stress. However, few data exist on how mistletoes are spatially arranged within trees and how this spatial pattern is related to changes in radial growth, responses to drought stress and carbon use. We used dendrochronology to quantify how mistletoe (Viscum album L.) infestation and drought stress affected long-term growth patterns in Pinus sylvestris L. at different heights. Basal area increment (BAI) trends and comparisons between trees of three different infestation degrees (without mistletoe, ID1; moderately infested trees, ID2; and severely infested trees, ID3) were performed using linear mixed-effects models. To identify the main climatic drivers of tree growth tree-ring widths were converted into indexed chronologies and related to climate data using correlation functions. We performed spatial analyses of the 3D distribution of mistletoe individuals and their ages within the crowns of three severely infested pines to describe their patterns. Lastly, we quantified carbohydrate and nitrogen concentrations in needles and sapwood of branches from severely infested trees and from trees without mistletoe. Mistletoe individuals formed strongly clustered groups of similar age within tree crowns and their age increased towards the crown apex. Mistletoe infestation negatively impacted growth but this effect was stronger near the tree apex than in the rest of sampled heights, causing an average loss of 64% in BAI (loss of BAI was ∼51% at 1.3 m or near the tree base). We found that BAI of severely infested trees and moderately or non-infested trees diverged since 2001 and such divergence was magnified by drought. Infested trees had lower concentrations of soluble sugars in their needles than non-infested ones. We conclude that mistletoe infestation causes growth decline and increases the sensitivity of trees to drought

  12. Tree Height and DBH Growth Model Establishment of Main Tree Species in Wuling Mountain Small Watershed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Jia; Zhang, Min; Zhou, Xiaoling; Chen, Jianhua; Tian, Yuxin

    2018-01-01

    Taken 4 main tree species in the Wuling mountain small watershed as research objects, 57 typical sample plots were set up according to the stand type, site conditions and community structure. 311 goal diameter-class sample trees were selected according to diameter-class groups of different tree-height grades, and the optimal fitting models of tree height and DBH growth of main tree species were obtained by stem analysis using Richard, Logistic, Korf, Mitscherlich, Schumacher, Weibull theoretical growth equations, and the correlation coefficient of all optimal fitting models reached above 0.9. Through the evaluation and test, the optimal fitting models possessed rather good fitting precision and forecast dependability.

  13. Hydraulic limits on tree performance: transpiration, carbon gain and growth of trees

    Treesearch

    Melvin T. Tyree

    2003-01-01

    The state of knowledge concerning the influences of tree size, xylem dysfunction, growth conditions, and within-species and between species genetics is reviewed. It is concluded that high plant hydraulic conductance is necessary for high productivity in forest trees, and this being the case, the implications for commercial forestry require further study.

  14. Regional tree growth and inferred summer climate in the Winnipeg River basin, Canada, since AD 1783

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    St. George, Scott; Meko, David M.; Evans, Michael N.

    2008-09-01

    A network of 54 ring-width chronologies is used to estimate changes in summer climate within the Winnipeg River basin, Canada, since AD 1783. The basin drains parts of northwestern Ontario, northern Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and is a key area for hydroelectric power production. Most chronologies were developed from Pinus resinosa and P. strobus, with a limited number of Thuja occidentalis, Picea glauca and Pinus banksiana. The dominant pattern of regional tree growth can be recovered using only the nine longest chronologies, and is not affected by the method used to remove variability related to age or stand dynamics from individual trees. Tree growth is significantly, but weakly, correlated with both temperature (negatively) and precipitation (positively) during summer. Simulated ring-width chronologies produced by a process model of tree-ring growth exhibit similar relationships with summer climate. High and low growth across the region is associated with cool/wet and warm/dry summers, respectively; this relationship is supported by comparisons with archival records from early 19th century fur-trading posts. The tree-ring record indicates that summer droughts were more persistent in the 19th and late 18th century, but there is no evidence that drought was more extreme prior to the onset of direct monitoring.

  15. History of Tree Growth Declines Recorded in Old Trees at Two Sacred Sites in Northern China

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yan; Zhang, Qi-Bin

    2017-01-01

    Old forests are an important component in sacred sites, yet they are at risk of growth decline from ongoing global warming and increased human activities. Growth decline, characterized by chronic loss of tree vigor, is not a recent phenomenon. Knowledge of past occurrence of declines is useful for preparing conservation plans because it helps understand if present day forests are outside the natural range of variation in tree health. We report a dendroecological study of growth decline events in the past two centuries at two sacred sites, Hengshan and Wutaishan, in Shanxi province of northern China. Tree rings collected at both sites show distinct periods of declining growth evident as narrow rings. These occurred in the 1830s in both sites, in the 1920s in Wutaishan and in the 2000s in Hengshan. By comparing the pattern of grow declines at the two sites, we hypothesize that resistance of tree growth to external disturbances is forest size dependent, and increased human activity might be a factor additional to climatic droughts in causing the recent strong growth decline at Hengshan Park. Despite these past declines, the forests at both sites have high resilience to disturbances as evidenced by the ability of trees to recover their growth rates to levels comparable to the pre-decline period. Managers should consider reducing fragmentation and restoring natural habitat of old forests, especially in areas on dry sites. PMID:29163557

  16. History of Tree Growth Declines Recorded in Old Trees at Two Sacred Sites in Northern China.

    PubMed

    Li, Yan; Zhang, Qi-Bin

    2017-01-01

    Old forests are an important component in sacred sites, yet they are at risk of growth decline from ongoing global warming and increased human activities. Growth decline, characterized by chronic loss of tree vigor, is not a recent phenomenon. Knowledge of past occurrence of declines is useful for preparing conservation plans because it helps understand if present day forests are outside the natural range of variation in tree health. We report a dendroecological study of growth decline events in the past two centuries at two sacred sites, Hengshan and Wutaishan, in Shanxi province of northern China. Tree rings collected at both sites show distinct periods of declining growth evident as narrow rings. These occurred in the 1830s in both sites, in the 1920s in Wutaishan and in the 2000s in Hengshan. By comparing the pattern of grow declines at the two sites, we hypothesize that resistance of tree growth to external disturbances is forest size dependent, and increased human activity might be a factor additional to climatic droughts in causing the recent strong growth decline at Hengshan Park. Despite these past declines, the forests at both sites have high resilience to disturbances as evidenced by the ability of trees to recover their growth rates to levels comparable to the pre-decline period. Managers should consider reducing fragmentation and restoring natural habitat of old forests, especially in areas on dry sites.

  17. Elevated growth temperatures alter hydraulic characteristics in trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedlings: implications for tree drought tolerance

    Treesearch

    Danielle A. Way; Jean-Christophe Domec; Robert B. Jackson

    2013-01-01

    Although climate change will alter both soil water availability and evaporative demand, our understanding of how future climate conditions will alter tree hydraulic architecture is limited. Here, we demonstrate that growth at elevated temperatures (ambient +5 °C) affects hydraulic traits in seedlings of the deciduous boreal tree species Populus tremuloides, with the...

  18. Tree Diameter Growth in the Dry Limestone Hills

    Treesearch

    C. B. Briscoe

    1962-01-01

    The dry limestone hill region of southwestern Puerto Rico, because of heavy, shallow soils and scant rainfall is not farmed, and is recognized as an area best suited for the growth of trees. With a mean temperature near 80°F and with rainfall averaging no more than 30 inches anually and much less during dry years, the site is adverse even for tree growth. Studies on...

  19. Hydrometeorology organizes intra-annual patterns of tree growth across time, space and species in a montane watershed.

    PubMed

    Martin, Justin; Looker, Nathaniel; Hoylman, Zachary; Jencso, Kelsey; Hu, Jia

    2017-09-01

    Tree radial growth is often systematically limited by water availability, as is evident in tree ring records. However, the physiological nature of observed tree growth limitation is often uncertain outside of the laboratory. To further explore the physiology of water limitation, we observed intra-annual growth rates of four conifer species using point dendrometers and microcores, and coupled these data to observations of water potential, soil moisture, and vapor pressure deficit over 2 yr in the Northern Rocky Mountains, USA. The onset of growth limitation in four species was well explained by a critical balance between soil moisture supply and atmospheric demand representing relatively mesic conditions, despite the timing of this threshold response varying by up to 2 months across topographic and elevation gradients, growing locations, and study years. Our findings suggest that critical water deficits impeding tissue growth occurred at relatively high water potential values, often occurring when hydrometeorological conditions were relatively wet during the growing season (e.g. in early spring in some cases). This suggests that species-specific differences in water use strategies may not necessarily affect tree growth, and that tissue growth may be more directly linked to environmental moisture conditions than might otherwise be expected. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

  20. Size matters a lot: tree height and prior growth predict drought-induced tree death in Italian oak forests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ripullone, F.; Colangelo, M.; Camarero, J. J.; Gazol, A.; Borghetti, M.; Gentilesca, T.

    2016-12-01

    Climate warming is expected to amplify drought stress resulting in the occurrence of more widespread dieback episodes and increasing mortality rates. This has pushed the search of reliable and robust early-warning indicators of impending drought-triggered tree death. Recent studies highlight how level of defoliation or age of trees strictly coact with drought in leading to forest decline. In addition, tree size and the tree-to-tree competition for water could also contribute to tree death in drought-prone sites. In this regard, it has been predicted that tall trees with isohydric stomatal regulation are most likely to die due to drought stress. Here, we test this hypothesis by analyzing size, age, competition and growth data in a Mediterranean oak species characterized by anisohydric behaviour, showing recent drought-induced mortality in two Italian forest sites. At both study sites, tree height was associated to the probability of dying. However, this association was opposite to published predictions because living trees were taller than dead trees at both sites. Neither age nor competition intensity played significant roles as drivers of tree mortality. Regarding growth data, trends in basal area increment were significantly smaller in dead than in living trees. Differences were most marked at mid (15 years prior to death) than at short (10 years) or long-term (35 year) scales. This is probably not related to intrinsic growth features of the study species but it can be explained because the most severe drought since 1950 occurred in 2000 at the study area, i.e. 15 years prior to the increase of tree mortality and when growth of living and dead trees started diverging. Lastly, we discuss potential factors which may explain why smaller individuals of anisohydric tree species such as Mediterranean oaks are prone to drought-induced tree death.

  1. Clarifying the effects of dwarfing rootstock on vegetative and reproductive growth during tree development: a study on apple trees.

    PubMed

    Costes, E; García-Villanueva, E

    2007-08-01

    Despite the widespread use of dwarfing rootstocks in the fruit-tree industry, their impact on tree architectural development and possible role in the within-tree balance between growth and flowering are still poorly understood, in particular during the early years of growth. The present study addressed this question in apple trees, through a detailed analysis of shoot populations, i.e. both vegetative and flowering shoots, during tree development. Architectural databases were constructed for trees of two cultivars that were either own-rooted or grafted on dwarfing rootstock. Within-tree shoot demographics and annual shoot characteristics, i.e. their dimensions, number of laterals and flowering, were observed from the first to the fifth year of growth and compared among scion/root system combinations. Differences in axis demographics appeared among scion/root system combinations after the second year of growth. Differences were found (a) in the number of long axes and (b) the number of medium axes. Dwarfing rootstock reduced the total number of axes developed in a tree, and this reduction resulted from proportionally more medium axes and spurs than long axes. The life span of spurs was also shortened. These phenomena appeared after an increase in flowering that started in the second year of growth and involved both axillary and terminal positions. Flowering regularity was also increased in grafted trees. These results confirm that the number of long shoots and flowering potential depend on the cultivar. They indicate that tree architectural plasticity in response to its root system mainly derives from the number of medium shoots developed and follows priorities within the whole tree axis population. There was also evidence for dwarfing rootstock involvement in adjusting the flowering abundance and that differences in flowering occurrence take precedence over those regarding vegetative growth during tree development.

  2. iTREE: Long-term variability of tree growth in a changing environment - identifying physiological mechanisms using stable C and O isotopes in tree rings.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Siegwolf, R. T. W.; Buchmann, N.; Frank, D.; Joos, F.; Kahmen, A.; Treydte, K.; Leuenberger, M.; Saurer, M.

    2012-04-01

    Trees play are a critical role in the carbon cycle - their photosynthetic assimilation is one of the largest terrestrial carbon fluxes and their standing biomass represents the largest carbon pool of the terrestrial biosphere. Understanding how tree physiology and growth respond to long-term environmental change is pivotal to predict the magnitude and direction of the terrestrial carbon sink. iTREE is an interdisciplinary research framework to capitalize on synergies among leading dendroclimatologists, plant physiologists, isotope specialists, and global carbon cycle modelers with the objectives of reducing uncertainties related to tree/forest growth in the context of changing natural environments. Cross-cutting themes in our project are tree rings, stable isotopes, and mechanistic modelling. We will (i) establish a European network of tree-ring based isotope time-series to retrodict interannual to long-term tree physiological changes, (ii) conduct laboratory and field experiments to adapt a mechanistic isotope model to derive plant physiological variables from tree-ring isotopes, (iii) implement this model into a dynamic global vegetation model, and perform subsequent model-data validation exercises to refine model representation of plant physiological processes and (iv) attribute long-term variation in tree growth to plant physiological and environmental drivers, and identify how our refined knowledge revises predictions of the coupled carbon-cycle climate system. We will contribute to i) advanced quantifications of long-term variation in tree growth across Central Europe, ii) novel long-term information on key physiological processes that underlie variations in tree growth, and iii) improved carbon cycle models that can be employed to revise predictions of the coupled carbon-cycle climate system. Hence iTREE will significantly contribute towards a seamless understanding of the responses of terrestrial ecosystems to long-term environmental change, and ultimately

  3. Diameter growth of individual hardwood trees

    Treesearch

    G.R., Jr. Trimble; G.R. Trimble

    1969-01-01

    Between 1959 and 1967 a study of d.b.h. growth rates was made on individual hardwood trees near Parsons, W. Va. From this study, we obtained information that will help foresters to predict growth. We learned that the correlation of the more easily used crown classification with d.b.h. growth is as good as or better than the correlation of vigor classes with d.b.h....

  4. Host tree phenology affects vascular epiphytes at the physiological, demographic and community level

    PubMed Central

    Einzmann, Helena J. R.; Beyschlag, Joachim; Hofhansl, Florian; Wanek, Wolfgang; Zotz, Gerhard

    2015-01-01

    The processes that govern diverse tropical plant communities have rarely been studied in life forms other than trees. Structurally dependent vascular epiphytes, a major part of tropical biodiversity, grow in a three-dimensional matrix defined by their hosts, but trees differ in their architecture, bark structure/chemistry and leaf phenology. We hypothesized that the resulting seasonal differences in microclimatic conditions in evergreen vs. deciduous trees would affect epiphytes at different levels, from organ physiology to community structure. We studied the influence of tree leaf phenology on vascular epiphytes on the Island of Barro Colorado, Panama. Five tree species were selected, which were deciduous, semi-deciduous or evergreen. The crowns of drought-deciduous trees, characterized by sunnier and drier microclimates, hosted fewer individuals and less diverse epiphyte assemblages. Differences were also observed at a functional level, e.g. epiphyte assemblages in deciduous trees had larger proportions of Crassulacean acid metabolism species and individuals. At the population level a drier microclimate was associated with lower individual growth and survival in a xerophytic fern. Some species also showed, as expected, lower specific leaf area and higher δ13C values when growing in deciduous trees compared with evergreen trees. As hypothesized, host tree leaf phenology influences vascular epiphytes at different levels. Our results suggest a cascading effect of tree composition and associated differences in tree phenology on the diversity and functioning of epiphyte communities in tropical lowland forests. PMID:25392188

  5. Radial Growth and Physiological Response of Coniferous Trees to Arctic Amplification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tei, Shunsuke; Sugimoto, Atsuko; Liang, Maochang; Yonenobu, Hitoshi; Matsuura, Yojiro; Osawa, Akira; Sato, Hisashi; Fujinuma, Junichi; Maximov, Trofim

    2017-11-01

    We describe the physiological responses of boreal conifers to climate change for the past 112 years using ring-width and carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) chronologies at six forest sites in northern Eurasia and Canada. Responses differed among regions, depending on their climatic and/or geographic characteristics. Tree radial growth decreased over the past 52 years in central eastern Siberia with the higher rate of summer temperature increase than other regions, as indicated by the negative correlation between radial growth and summer temperature, but increased in northern Europe and Canada. Changes in tree-ring δ13C indicated that recent climatic conditions have induced stronger drought stress for trees from central eastern Siberia than for those from other regions. The observed tree growth trends were compared to those simulated using a dynamic global vegetation model. Although the modeled annual net primary production (NPP) for trees generally exhibited similar decadal variation to radial growth, simulations did not show a recent decrease in tree growth, even in central eastern Siberia. This was probably due to an overestimation of the sensitivity of modeled tree NPP to precipitation. Our results suggest that the tree NPP forecasted under the expected future increases in temperature and average precipitation might be overestimated, especially in severely dry regions such as central eastern Siberia.

  6. Plantation Spacing Affects Early Growth of Planted Virginia Pine

    Treesearch

    T.E. Russell

    1979-01-01

    Spacings ranging from 4 x 4 to 8 x 8 ft did not affect 15 year height growth of Virginia pines planted on a cutover Cumberland Plateau site. Wider spacings produced trees of larger diameters than did closer spacings; closer spacings had more basal area and volume. Although height to the base of the live crown increased as spacing narrowed, self-pruning was poor at all...

  7. The influence of recent climate change on tree height growth differs with species and spatial environment.

    PubMed

    Messaoud, Yassine; Chen, Han Y H

    2011-02-16

    Tree growth has been reported to increase in response to recent global climate change in controlled and semi-controlled experiments, but few studies have reported response of tree growth to increased temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration in natural environments. This study addresses how recent global climate change has affected height growth of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx) and black spruce (Picea mariana Mill B.S.) in their natural environments. We sampled 145 stands dominated by aspen and 82 dominated by spruce over the entire range of their distributions in British Columbia, Canada. These stands were established naturally after fire between the 19th and 20th centuries. Height growth was quantified as total heights of sampled dominant and co-dominant trees at breast-height age of 50 years. We assessed the relationships between 50-year height growth and environmental factors at both spatial and temporal scales. We also tested whether the tree growth associated with global climate change differed with spatial environment (latitude, longitude and elevation). As expected, height growth of both species was positively related to temperature variables at the regional scale and with soil moisture and nutrient availability at the local scale. While height growth of trembling aspen was not significantly related to any of the temporal variables we examined, that of black spruce increased significantly with stand establishment date, the anomaly of the average maximum summer temperature between May-August, and atmospheric CO₂ concentration, but not with the Palmer Drought Severity Index. Furthermore, the increase of spruce height growth associated with recent climate change was higher in the western than in eastern part of British Columbia. This study demonstrates that the response of height growth to recent climate change, i.e., increasing temperature and atmospheric CO₂ concentration, did not only differ with tree species, but

  8. Slow growth rates of Amazonian trees: Consequences for carbon cycling

    PubMed Central

    Vieira, Simone; Trumbore, Susan; Camargo, Plinio B.; Selhorst, Diogo; Chambers, Jeffrey Q.; Higuchi, Niro; Martinelli, Luiz Antonio

    2005-01-01

    Quantifying age structure and tree growth rate of Amazonian forests is essential for understanding their role in the carbon cycle. Here, we use radiocarbon dating and direct measurement of diameter increment to document unexpectedly slow growth rates for trees from three locations spanning the Brazilian Amazon basin. Central Amazon trees, averaging only ≈1mm/year diameter increment, grow half as fast as those from areas with more seasonal rainfall to the east and west. Slow growth rates mean that trees can attain great ages; across our sites we estimate 17-50% of trees with diameter >10 cm have ages exceeding 300 years. Whereas a few emergent trees that make up a large portion of the biomass grow faster, small trees that are more abundant grow slowly and attain ages of hundreds of years. The mean age of carbon in living trees (60-110 years) is within the range of or slightly longer than the mean residence time calculated from C inventory divided by annual C allocation to wood growth (40-100 years). Faster C turnover is observed in stands with overall higher rates of diameter increment and a larger fraction of the biomass in large, fast-growing trees. As a consequence, forests can recover biomass relatively quickly after disturbance, whereas recovering species composition may take many centuries. Carbon cycle models that apply a single turnover time for carbon in forest biomass do not account for variations in life strategy and therefore may overestimate the carbon sequestration potential of Amazon forests. PMID:16339903

  9. Nitrogen-fixing trees inhibit growth of regenerating Costa Rican rainforests.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Benton N; Chazdon, Robin L; Bachelot, Benedicte; Menge, Duncan N L

    2017-08-15

    More than half of the world's tropical forests are currently recovering from human land use, and this regenerating biomass now represents the largest carbon (C)-capturing potential on Earth. How quickly these forests regenerate is now a central concern for both conservation and global climate-modeling efforts. Symbiotic nitrogen-fixing trees are thought to provide much of the nitrogen (N) required to fuel tropical secondary regrowth and therefore to drive the rate of forest regeneration, yet we have a poor understanding of how these N fixers influence the trees around them. Do they promote forest growth, as expected if the new N they fix facilitates neighboring trees? Or do they suppress growth, as expected if competitive inhibition of their neighbors is strong? Using 17 consecutive years of data from tropical rainforest plots in Costa Rica that range from 10 y since abandonment to old-growth forest, we assessed how N fixers influenced the growth of forest stands and the demographic rates of neighboring trees. Surprisingly, we found no evidence that N fixers facilitate biomass regeneration in these forests. At the hectare scale, plots with more N-fixing trees grew slower. At the individual scale, N fixers inhibited their neighbors even more strongly than did nonfixing trees. These results provide strong evidence that N-fixing trees do not always serve the facilitative role to neighboring trees during tropical forest regeneration that is expected given their N inputs into these systems.

  10. Temperature and rainfall strongly drive temporal growth variation in Asian tropical forest trees.

    PubMed

    Vlam, Mart; Baker, Patrick J; Bunyavejchewin, Sarayudh; Zuidema, Pieter A

    2014-04-01

    Climate change effects on growth rates of tropical trees may lead to alterations in carbon cycling of carbon-rich tropical forests. However, climate sensitivity of broad-leaved lowland tropical trees is poorly understood. Dendrochronology (tree-ring analysis) provides a powerful tool to study the relationship between tropical tree growth and annual climate variability. We aimed to establish climate-growth relationships for five annual-ring forming tree species, using ring-width data from 459 canopy and understory trees from a seasonal tropical forest in western Thailand. Based on 183/459 trees, chronologies with total lengths between 29 and 62 years were produced for four out of five species. Bootstrapped correlation analysis revealed that climate-growth responses were similar among these four species. Growth was significantly negatively correlated with current-year maximum and minimum temperatures, and positively correlated with dry-season precipitation levels. Negative correlations between growth and temperature may be attributed to a positive relationship between temperature and autotrophic respiration rates. The positive relationship between growth and dry-season precipitation levels likely reflects the strong water demand during leaf flush. Mixed-effect models yielded results that were consistent across species: a negative effect of current wet-season maximum temperatures on growth, but also additive positive effects of, for example, prior dry-season maximum temperatures. Our analyses showed that annual growth variability in tropical trees is determined by a combination of both temperature and precipitation variability. With rising temperature, the predominantly negative relationship between temperature and growth may imply decreasing growth rates of tropical trees as a result of global warming.

  11. Thinning, tree-growth, and resistance to multi-year drought in a mixed-conifer forest of northern California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vernon, Michael J.; Sherriff, Rosemary L.; van Mantgem, Phillip; Kane, Jeffrey M.

    2018-01-01

    Drought is an important stressor in forest ecosystems that can influence tree vigor and survival. In the U.S., forest managers use two primary management techniques to promote resistance and resilience to drought: prescribed fire and mechanical thinning. Generally applied to reduce fuels and fire hazard, treatments may also reduce competition for resources that may improve tree-growth and reduce mortality during drought. A recent severe and prolonged drought in California provided a natural experiment to investigate tree-growth responses to fuel treatments and climatic stress. We assessed tree-growth from 299 ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) in treated and untreated stands during severe drought from 2012 to 2015 in the mixed-conifer forests of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area (WNRA) in northern California. The treatment implemented at WNRA removed 34% of live basal area through mechanical thinning with a subsequent pile burning of residual fuels. Tree-growth was positively associated with crown ratio and negatively associated with competition and a 1-year lag of climate water deficit, an index of drought. Douglas-fir generally had higher annual growth than ponderosa pine, although factors affecting growth were the same for both species. Drought resistance, expressed as the ratio between mean growth during drought and mean growth pre-drought, was higher in treated stands compared to untreated stands during both years of severe drought (2014 and 2015) for ponderosa pine but only one year (2014) for Douglas-fir. Thinning improved drought resistance, but tree size, competition and species influenced this response. On-going thinning treatments focused on fuels and fire hazard reduction are likely to be effective at promoting growth and greater drought resistance in dry mixed-conifer forests. Given the likelihood of future droughts, land managers may choose to implement similar treatments to reduce potential impacts.

  12. Residual densities affect growth of overstory trees and planted Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar: results from the first decade

    Treesearch

    Leslie Chandler Brodie; Dean S. DeBell

    2013-01-01

    In recent years, interest has increased in silvicultural systems and harvest cuts that retain partial overstories, but there are few data available on the growth of the understory trees in such stands. We studied the response of overstory trees and underplanted seedlings, Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), western hemlock (Tsuga...

  13. Factors affecting the concordance between orthologous gene trees and species tree in bacteria.

    PubMed

    Castillo-Ramírez, Santiago; González, Víctor

    2008-10-30

    As originally defined, orthologous genes implied a reflection of the history of the species. In recent years, many studies have examined the concordance between orthologous gene trees and species trees in bacteria. These studies have produced contradictory results that may have been influenced by orthologous gene misidentification and artefactual phylogenetic reconstructions. Here, using a method that allows the detection and exclusion of false positives during identification of orthologous genes, we address the question of whether putative orthologous genes within bacteria really reflect the history of the species. We identified a set of 370 orthologous genes from the bacterial order Rhizobiales. Although manifesting strong vertical signal, almost every orthologous gene had a distinct phylogeny, and the most common topology among the orthologous gene trees did not correspond with the best estimate of the species tree. However, each orthologous gene tree shared an average of 70% of its bipartitions with the best estimate of the species tree. Stochastic error related to gene size affected the concordance between the best estimated of the species tree and the orthologous gene trees, although this effect was weak and distributed unevenly among the functional categories. The nodes showing the greatest discordance were those defined by the shortest internal branches in the best estimated of the species tree. Moreover, a clear bias was evident with respect to the function of the orthologous genes, and the degree of divergence among the orthologous genes appeared to be related to their functional classification. Orthologous genes do not reflect the history of the species when taken as individual markers, but they do when taken as a whole. Stochastic error affected the concordance of orthologous genes with the species tree, albeit weakly. We conclude that two important biological causes of discordance among orthologous genes are incomplete lineage sorting and functional

  14. Insects affecting hardwood tree plantings

    Treesearch

    Bradley D. Barnd; Paula M. Pijut; Matthew D. Ginzel

    2008-01-01

    The Central Hardwood Region (CHR) is one of the largest forested areas in the country, covering more than 100 million acres, and is dominated by oakhickory and mixed hardwoods. Although large areas of forest have been cleared to make way for agriculture and urban growth, the number of trees in the CHR is increasing as farm and pasture lands are reverting back to forest...

  15. Modeling Tree Growth Taking into Account Carbon Source and Sink Limitations.

    PubMed

    Hayat, Amaury; Hacket-Pain, Andrew J; Pretzsch, Hans; Rademacher, Tim T; Friend, Andrew D

    2017-01-01

    Increasing CO 2 concentrations are strongly controlled by the behavior of established forests, which are believed to be a major current sink of atmospheric CO 2 . There are many models which predict forest responses to environmental changes but they are almost exclusively carbon source (i.e., photosynthesis) driven. Here we present a model for an individual tree that takes into account the intrinsic limits of meristems and cellular growth rates, as well as control mechanisms within the tree that influence its diameter and height growth over time. This new framework is built on process-based understanding combined with differential equations solved by numerical method. Our aim is to construct a model framework of tree growth for replacing current formulations in Dynamic Global Vegetation Models, and so address the issue of the terrestrial carbon sink. Our approach was successfully tested for stands of beech trees in two different sites representing part of a long-term forest yield experiment in Germany. This model provides new insights into tree growth and limits to tree height, and addresses limitations of previous models with respect to sink-limited growth.

  16. Responses of Tree Growths to Tree Size, Competition, and Topographic Conditions in Sierra Nevada Forests Using Bi-temporal Airborne LiDAR Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Q.; Su, Y.; Tao, S.; Guo, Q.

    2016-12-01

    Trees in the Sierra Nevada (SN) forests are experiencing rapid changes due to human disturbances and climatic changes. An improved monitoring of tree growth and understanding of how tree growth responses to different impact factors, such as tree competition, forest density, topographic and hydrologic conditions, are urgently needed in tree growth modeling. Traditional tree growth modeling mainly relied on field survey, which was highly time-consuming and labor-intensive. Airborne Light detection and ranging System (ALS) is increasingly used in forest survey, due to its high efficiency and accuracy in three-dimensional tree structure delineation and terrain characterization. This study successfully detected individual tree growth in height (ΔH), crown area (ΔA), and crown volume (ΔV) over a five-year period (2007-2012) using bi-temporal ALS data in two conifer forest areas in SN. We further analyzed their responses to original tree size, competition indices, forest structure indices, and topographic environmental parameters at individual tree and forest stand scales. Our results indicated ΔH was strongly sensitive to topographic wetness index; whereas ΔA and ΔV were highly responsive to forest density and original tree sizes. These ALS based findings in ΔH were consistent with field measurements. Our study demonstrated the promising potential of using bi-temporal ALS data in forest growth measurements and analysis. A more comprehensive study over a longer temporal period and a wider range of forest stands would give better insights into tree growth in the SN, and provide useful guides for forest growth monitoring, modeling, and management.

  17. Intra- and interspecific tree growth across a long altitudinal gradient in the Peruvian Andes.

    PubMed

    Rapp, Joshua M; Silman, Miles R; Clark, James S; Girardin, Cecile A J; Galiano, Darcy; Tito, Richard

    2012-09-01

    Tree growth response across environmental gradients is fundamental to understanding species distributional ecology and forest ecosystem ecology and to predict future ecosystem services. Cross-sectional patterns of ecosystem properties with respect to climatic gradients are often used to predict ecosystem responses to global change. Across sites in the tropics, primary productivity increases with temperature, suggesting that forest ecosystems will become more productive as temperature rises. However, this trend is confounded with a shift in species composition and so may not reflect the response of in situ forests to warming. In this study, we simultaneously studied tree diameter growth across the altitudinal ranges of species within a single genus across a geographically compact temperature gradient, to separate the direct effect of temperature on tree growth from that of species compositional turnover. Using a Bayesian state space modeling framework we combined data from repeated diameter censuses and dendrometer measurements from across a 1700-m altitudinal gradient collected over six years on over 2400 trees in Weinmannia, a dominant and widespread genus of cloud forest trees in the Andes. Within species, growth showed no consistent trend with altitude, but higher-elevation species had lower growth rates than lower-elevation species, suggesting that species turnover is largely responsible for the positive correlation between productivity and temperature in tropical forests. Our results may indicate a significant difference in how low- and high-latitude forests will respond to climate change, since temperate and boreal tree species are consistently observed to have a positive relationship between growth and temperature. If our results hold for other tropical species, a positive response in ecosystem productivity to increasing temperatures in the Andes will depend on the altitudinal migration of tree species. The rapid pace of climate change, and slow observed

  18. No evidence for consistent long-term growth stimulation of 13 tropical tree species: results from tree-ring analysis.

    PubMed

    Groenendijk, Peter; van der Sleen, Peter; Vlam, Mart; Bunyavejchewin, Sarayudh; Bongers, Frans; Zuidema, Pieter A

    2015-10-01

    The important role of tropical forests in the global carbon cycle makes it imperative to assess changes in their carbon dynamics for accurate projections of future climate-vegetation feedbacks. Forest monitoring studies conducted over the past decades have found evidence for both increasing and decreasing growth rates of tropical forest trees. The limited duration of these studies restrained analyses to decadal scales, and it is still unclear whether growth changes occurred over longer time scales, as would be expected if CO2 -fertilization stimulated tree growth. Furthermore, studies have so far dealt with changes in biomass gain at forest-stand level, but insights into species-specific growth changes - that ultimately determine community-level responses - are lacking. Here, we analyse species-specific growth changes on a centennial scale, using growth data from tree-ring analysis for 13 tree species (~1300 trees), from three sites distributed across the tropics. We used an established (regional curve standardization) and a new (size-class isolation) growth-trend detection method and explicitly assessed the influence of biases on the trend detection. In addition, we assessed whether aggregated trends were present within and across study sites. We found evidence for decreasing growth rates over time for 8-10 species, whereas increases were noted for two species and one showed no trend. Additionally, we found evidence for weak aggregated growth decreases at the site in Thailand and when analysing all sites simultaneously. The observed growth reductions suggest deteriorating growth conditions, perhaps due to warming. However, other causes cannot be excluded, such as recovery from large-scale disturbances or changing forest dynamics. Our findings contrast growth patterns that would be expected if elevated CO2 would stimulate tree growth. These results suggest that commonly assumed growth increases of tropical forests may not occur, which could lead to erroneous

  19. The effect of acid precipitation on tree growth in eastern North America

    Treesearch

    Charles V. Cogbill

    1976-01-01

    Detailed study of the history of forest tree growth by tree-ring analysis is used to assess the effect of acid precipitation. The pattern and historical trends of acid precipitation deposition are compared with growth trends from mature forest stands in New Hampshire and Tennessee. No clear indication of a regional, synchronized decrease in tree growth was found. The...

  20. Stochastic modelling of tree architecture and biomass allocation: application to teak (Tectona grandis L. f.), a tree species with polycyclic growth and leaf neoformation.

    PubMed

    Tondjo, Kodjo; Brancheriau, Loïc; Sabatier, Sylvie; Kokutse, Adzo Dzifa; Kokou, Kouami; Jaeger, Marc; de Reffye, Philippe; Fourcaud, Thierry

    2018-06-08

    For a given genotype, the observed variability of tree forms results from the stochasticity of meristem functioning and from changing and heterogeneous environmental factors affecting biomass formation and allocation. In response to climate change, trees adapt their architecture by adjusting growth processes such as pre- and neoformation, as well as polycyclic growth. This is the case for the teak tree. The aim of this work was to adapt the plant model, GreenLab, in order to take into consideration both these processes using existing data on this tree species. This work adopted GreenLab formalism based on source-sink relationships at organ level that drive biomass production and partitioning within the whole plant over time. The stochastic aspect of phytomer production can be modelled by a Bernoulli process. The teak model was designed, parameterized and analysed using the architectural data from 2- to 5-year-old teak trees in open field stands. Growth and development parameters were identified, fitting the observed compound organic series with the theoretical series, using generalized least squares methods. Phytomer distributions of growth units and branching pattern varied depending on their axis category, i.e. their physiological age. These emerging properties were in accordance with the observed growth patterns and biomass allocation dynamics during a growing season marked by a short dry season. Annual growth patterns observed on teak, including shoot pre- and neoformation and polycyclism, were reproduced by the new version of the GreenLab model. However, further updating is discussed in order to ensure better consideration of radial variation in basic specific gravity of wood. Such upgrading of the model will enable teak ideotypes to be defined for improving wood production in terms of both volume and quality.

  1. Relating tree growth to rainfall in Bolivian rain forests: a test for six species using tree ring analysis.

    PubMed

    Brienen, Roel J W; Zuidema, Pieter A

    2005-11-01

    Many tropical regions show one distinct dry season. Often, this seasonality induces cambial dormancy of trees, particularly if these belong to deciduous species. This will often lead to the formation of annual rings. The aim of this study was to determine whether tree species in the Bolivian Amazon region form annual rings and to study the influence of the total amount and seasonal distribution of rainfall on diameter growth. Ring widths were measured on stem discs of a total of 154 trees belonging to six rain forest species. By correlating ring width and monthly rainfall data we proved the annual character of the tree rings for four of our study species. For two other species the annual character was proved by counting rings on trees of known age and by radiocarbon dating. The results of the climate-growth analysis show a positive relationship between tree growth and rainfall in certain periods of the year, indicating that rainfall plays a major role in tree growth. Three species showed a strong relationship with rainfall at the beginning of the rainy season, while one species is most sensitive to the rainfall at the end of the previous growing season. These results clearly demonstrate that tree ring analysis can be successfully applied in the tropics and that it is a promising method for various research disciplines.

  2. Drivers of Tree Growth, Mortality and Harvest Preferences in Species-Rich Plantations for Smallholders and Communities in the Tropics

    PubMed Central

    Nguyen, Huong; Vanclay, Jerome; Herbohn, John; Firn, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    There is growing interest in multi-species tropical plantations but little information exists to guide their design and silviculture. The Rainforestation Farming system is the oldest tropical polyculture planting system in the Philippines and provides a unique opportunity to understand the underlying processes affecting tree performance within diverse plantings. Data collected from 85 plots distributed across the 18 mixed-species plantations in the Philippines was used to identify the factors influencing growth, probability of harvest, and death of trees in these complex plantings. The 18 sites (aged from 6 to 11 years at time of first measurement) were measured on three occasions over a 6-year period. We used data from the first period of data collection to develop models predicting harvesting probability and growth of trees in the second period. We found little evidence that tree species diversity had an effect on tree growth and tree loss at the community level, although a negative effect was found on tree growth of specific species such as Parashorea plicata and Swietenia macrophylla. While tree density of stands at age 10+ years (more than 1000 trees/ha with diameter > 5cm) did not have an impact on growth, growth rates were decreasing in stands with a high basal area. Tree size in the first period of measure was a good predictor for both tree growth and tree status in the next period, with larger trees tending to grow faster and having a greater chance of being harvested, and a lower possibility of mortality than smaller trees. Shade-intolerant trees were both more likely to be harvested, and had a higher probability of death, than shade-tolerant individuals. Native species and exotic species were equally likely to have been lost from the plots between measurement periods. However, shade-tolerant native trees were likely to grow faster than the others at age 10+ years. Our findings suggest that species traits (e.g. shade tolerance) could play an important

  3. Drivers of Tree Growth, Mortality and Harvest Preferences in Species-Rich Plantations for Smallholders and Communities in the Tropics.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, Huong; Vanclay, Jerome; Herbohn, John; Firn, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    There is growing interest in multi-species tropical plantations but little information exists to guide their design and silviculture. The Rainforestation Farming system is the oldest tropical polyculture planting system in the Philippines and provides a unique opportunity to understand the underlying processes affecting tree performance within diverse plantings. Data collected from 85 plots distributed across the 18 mixed-species plantations in the Philippines was used to identify the factors influencing growth, probability of harvest, and death of trees in these complex plantings. The 18 sites (aged from 6 to 11 years at time of first measurement) were measured on three occasions over a 6-year period. We used data from the first period of data collection to develop models predicting harvesting probability and growth of trees in the second period. We found little evidence that tree species diversity had an effect on tree growth and tree loss at the community level, although a negative effect was found on tree growth of specific species such as Parashorea plicata and Swietenia macrophylla. While tree density of stands at age 10+ years (more than 1000 trees/ha with diameter > 5cm) did not have an impact on growth, growth rates were decreasing in stands with a high basal area. Tree size in the first period of measure was a good predictor for both tree growth and tree status in the next period, with larger trees tending to grow faster and having a greater chance of being harvested, and a lower possibility of mortality than smaller trees. Shade-intolerant trees were both more likely to be harvested, and had a higher probability of death, than shade-tolerant individuals. Native species and exotic species were equally likely to have been lost from the plots between measurement periods. However, shade-tolerant native trees were likely to grow faster than the others at age 10+ years. Our findings suggest that species traits (e.g. shade tolerance) could play an important

  4. Tree damage resulting from thinning in young-growth Douglas-fir and western hemlock.

    Treesearch

    Norman P. Worthington

    1961-01-01

    Thinning trials on three cooperative experimental forests in western Washington have provided an excellent opportunity to evaluate tree damage resulting from typical thinning operations in young-growth timber. The type and degree of damage can, of course, be expected to strongly affect condition and vigor of the residual stand and ultimate success of a thinning regime...

  5. Bridging process-based and empirical approaches to modeling tree growth

    Treesearch

    Harry T. Valentine; Annikki Makela; Annikki Makela

    2005-01-01

    The gulf between process-based and empirical approaches to modeling tree growth may be bridged, in part, by the use of a common model. To this end, we have formulated a process-based model of tree growth that can be fitted and applied in an empirical mode. The growth model is grounded in pipe model theory and an optimal control model of crown development. Together, the...

  6. Newly planted street tree growth and mortality

    Treesearch

    David J. Nowak; Joe R. McBride; Russell A. Beatty

    1990-01-01

    Two-year growth and mortality rates were analyzed for 254 black locust, 199 southern magnolia and 27 London plane trees planted along a major boulevard extending from southern Berkeley through western inner-city Oakland, California. After the first two years, 34% of these newly planted trees were either dead or removed. The average annual mortality rate was 19% with no...

  7. Understanding tree growth in response to moisture variability: Linking 32 years of satellite based soil moisture observations with tree rings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Albrecht, Franziska; Dorigo, Wouter; Gruber, Alexander; Wagner, Wolfgang; Kainz, Wolfgang

    2014-05-01

    Climate change induced drought variability impacts global forest ecosystems and forest carbon cycle dynamics. Physiological drought stress might even become an issue in regions generally not considered water-limited. The water balance at the soil surface is essential for forest growth. Soil moisture is a key driver linking precipitation and tree development. Tree ring based analyses are a potential approach to study the driving role of hydrological parameters for tree growth. However, at present two major research gaps are apparent: i) soil moisture records are hardly considered and ii) only a few studies are linking tree ring chronologies and satellite observations. Here we used tree ring chronologies obtained from the International Tree ring Data Bank (ITRDB) and remotely sensed soil moisture observations (ECV_SM) to analyze the moisture-tree growth relationship. The ECV_SM dataset, which is being distributed through ESA's Climate Change Initiative for soil moisture covers the period 1979 to 2010 at a spatial resolution of 0.25°. First analyses were performed for Mongolia, a country characterized by a continental arid climate. We extracted 13 tree ring chronologies suitable for our analysis from the ITRDB. Using monthly satellite based soil moisture observations we confirmed previous studies on the seasonality of soil moisture in Mongolia. Further, we investigated the relationship between tree growth (as reflected by tree ring width index) and remotely sensed soil moisture records by applying correlation analysis. In terms of correlation coefficient a strong response of tree growth to soil moisture conditions of current April to August was observed, confirming a strong linkage between tree growth and soil water storage. The highest correlation was found for current April (R=0.44), indicating that sufficient water supply is vital for trees at the beginning of the growing season. To verify these results, we related the chronologies to reanalysis precipitation and

  8. Uranium mobility across annual growth rings in three deciduous tree species

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McHugh, Kelly C.; Widom, Elisabeth; Spitz, Henry B.

    Black walnut (Juglans nigra), slippery elm (Ulmus rubra), and white ash (Fraxinus americana) trees were evaluated as potential archives of past uranium (U) contamination. Like other metals, U mobility in annual growth rings of trees is potentially dependent on the tree species. Uranium concentrations and isotopic compositions (masses 234, 235, 236, and 238) were analyzed by thermal ionization mass spectrometry to test the efficacy of using tree rings to retroactively monitor U pollution from the FFMPC, a U purification facility operating from 1951 to 1989. This study found non-natural U (depleted U and detectable 236U) in growth rings of allmore » three tree species that pre-dated the start of operations at FFMPC and compositional trends that did not correspond with known contamination events. Therefore, the annual growth rings of these tree species cannot be used to reliably monitor the chronology of U contamination.« less

  9. Understanding the Scalability of Bayesian Network Inference Using Clique Tree Growth Curves

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mengshoel, Ole J.

    2010-01-01

    One of the main approaches to performing computation in Bayesian networks (BNs) is clique tree clustering and propagation. The clique tree approach consists of propagation in a clique tree compiled from a Bayesian network, and while it was introduced in the 1980s, there is still a lack of understanding of how clique tree computation time depends on variations in BN size and structure. In this article, we improve this understanding by developing an approach to characterizing clique tree growth as a function of parameters that can be computed in polynomial time from BNs, specifically: (i) the ratio of the number of a BN s non-root nodes to the number of root nodes, and (ii) the expected number of moral edges in their moral graphs. Analytically, we partition the set of cliques in a clique tree into different sets, and introduce a growth curve for the total size of each set. For the special case of bipartite BNs, there are two sets and two growth curves, a mixed clique growth curve and a root clique growth curve. In experiments, where random bipartite BNs generated using the BPART algorithm are studied, we systematically increase the out-degree of the root nodes in bipartite Bayesian networks, by increasing the number of leaf nodes. Surprisingly, root clique growth is well-approximated by Gompertz growth curves, an S-shaped family of curves that has previously been used to describe growth processes in biology, medicine, and neuroscience. We believe that this research improves the understanding of the scaling behavior of clique tree clustering for a certain class of Bayesian networks; presents an aid for trade-off studies of clique tree clustering using growth curves; and ultimately provides a foundation for benchmarking and developing improved BN inference and machine learning algorithms.

  10. Quantifying pruning impacts on olive tree architecture and annual canopy growth by using UAV-based 3D modelling.

    PubMed

    Jiménez-Brenes, F M; López-Granados, F; de Castro, A I; Torres-Sánchez, J; Serrano, N; Peña, J M

    2017-01-01

    Tree pruning is a costly practice with important implications for crop harvest and nutrition, pest and disease control, soil protection and irrigation strategies. Investigations on tree pruning usually involve tedious on-ground measurements of the primary tree crown dimensions, which also might generate inconsistent results due to the irregular geometry of the trees. As an alternative to intensive field-work, this study shows a innovative procedure based on combining unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology and advanced object-based image analysis (OBIA) methodology for multi-temporal three-dimensional (3D) monitoring of hundreds of olive trees that were pruned with three different strategies (traditional, adapted and mechanical pruning). The UAV images were collected before pruning, after pruning and a year after pruning, and the impacts of each pruning treatment on the projected canopy area, tree height and crown volume of every tree were quantified and analyzed over time. The full procedure described here automatically identified every olive tree on the orchard and computed their primary 3D dimensions on the three study dates with high accuracy in the most cases. Adapted pruning was generally the most aggressive treatment in terms of the area and volume (the trees decreased by 38.95 and 42.05% on average, respectively), followed by trees under traditional pruning (33.02 and 35.72% on average, respectively). Regarding the tree heights, mechanical pruning produced a greater decrease (12.15%), and these values were minimal for the other two treatments. The tree growth over one year was affected by the pruning severity and by the type of pruning treatment, i.e., the adapted-pruning trees experienced higher growth than the trees from the other two treatments when pruning intensity was low (<10%), similar to the traditionally pruned trees at moderate intensity (10-30%), and lower than the other trees when the pruning intensity was higher than 30% of the crown volume

  11. Disparate effects of global-change drivers on mountain conifer forests: warming-induced growth enhancement in young trees vs. CO2 fertilization in old trees from wet sites.

    PubMed

    Camarero, J Julio; Gazol, Antonio; Galván, Juan Diego; Sangüesa-Barreda, Gabriel; Gutiérrez, Emilia

    2015-02-01

    Theory predicts that the postindustrial rise in the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere (c(a)) should enhance tree growth either through a direct fertilization effect or indirectly by improving water use efficiency in dry areas. However, this hypothesis has received little support in cold-limited and subalpine forests where positive growth responses to either rising ca or warmer temperatures are still under debate. In this study, we address this issue by analyzing an extensive dendrochronological network of high-elevation Pinus uncinata forests in Spain (28 sites, 544 trees) encompassing the whole biogeographical extent of the species. We determine if the basal area increment (BAI) trends are linked to climate warming and increased c(a) by focusing on region- and age-dependent responses. The largest improvement in BAI over the past six centuries occurred during the last 150 years affecting young trees and being driven by recent warming. Indeed, most studied regions and age classes presented BAI patterns mainly controlled by temperature trends, while growing-season precipitation was only relevant in the driest sites. Growth enhancement was linked to rising ca in mature (151-300 year-old trees) and old-mature trees (301-450 year-old trees) from the wettest sites only. This finding implies that any potential fertilization effect of elevated c(a) on forest growth is contingent on tree features that vary with ontogeny and it depends on site conditions (for instance water availability). Furthermore, we found widespread growth decline in drought-prone sites probably indicating that the rise in ca did not compensate for the reduction in water availability. Thus, warming-triggered drought stress may become a more important direct driver of growth than rising ca in similar subalpine forests. We argue that broad approaches in biogeographical and temporal terms are required to adequately evaluate any effect of rising c(a) on forest growth. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. The impact of tree age on biomass growth and carbon accumulation capacity: A retrospective analysis using tree ring data of three tropical tree species grown in natural forests of Suriname.

    PubMed

    Köhl, Michael; Neupane, Prem R; Lotfiomran, Neda

    2017-01-01

    The world's forests play a pivotal role in the mitigation of global climate change. By photosynthesis they remove CO2 from the atmosphere and store carbon in their biomass. While old trees are generally acknowledged for a long carbon residence time, there is no consensus on their contribution to carbon accumulation due to a lack of long-term individual tree data. Tree ring analyses, which use anatomical differences in the annual formation of wood for dating growth zones, are a retrospective approach that provides growth patterns of individual trees over their entire lifetime. We developed time series of diameter growth and related annual carbon accumulation for 61 trees of the species Cedrela odorata L. (Meliacea), Hymenaea courbaril L. (Fabacea) and Goupia glabra Aubl. (Goupiacea). The trees grew in unmanaged tropical wet-forests of Suriname and reached ages from 84 to 255 years. Most of the trees show positive trends of diameter growth and carbon accumulation over time. For some trees we observed fluctuating growth-periods of lower growth alternate with periods of increased growth. In the last quarter of their lifetime trees accumulate on average between 39 percent (C. odorata) and 50 percent (G. glabra) of their final carbon stock. This suggests that old-growth trees in tropical forests do not only contribute to carbon stocks by long carbon resistance times, but maintain high rates of carbon accumulation at later stages of their life time.

  13. Post-1980 shifts in the sensitivity of boreal tree growth to North Atlantic Ocean dynamics and seasonal climate. Tree growth responses to North Atlantic Ocean dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ols, Clémentine; Trouet, Valerie; Girardin, Martin P.; Hofgaard, Annika; Bergeron, Yves; Drobyshev, Igor

    2018-06-01

    The mid-20th century changes in North Atlantic Ocean dynamics, e.g. slow-down of the Atlantic meridional overturning thermohaline circulation (AMOC), have been considered as early signs of tipping points in the Earth climate system. We hypothesized that these changes have significantly altered boreal forest growth dynamics in northeastern North America (NA) and northern Europe (NE), two areas geographically adjacent to the North Atlantic Ocean. To test our hypothesis, we investigated tree growth responses to seasonal large-scale oceanic and atmospheric indices (the AMOC, North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and Arctic Oscillation (AO)) and climate (temperature and precipitation) from 1950 onwards, both at the regional and local levels. We developed a network of 6876 black spruce (NA) and 14437 Norway spruce (NE) tree-ring width series, extracted from forest inventory databases. Analyses revealed post-1980 shifts from insignificant to significant tree growth responses to summer oceanic and atmospheric dynamics both in NA (negative responses to NAO and AO indices) and NE (positive response to NAO and AMOC indices). The strength and sign of these responses varied, however, through space with stronger responses in western and central boreal Quebec and in central and northern boreal Sweden, and across scales with stronger responses at the regional level than at the local level. Emerging post-1980 associations with North Atlantic Ocean dynamics synchronized with stronger tree growth responses to local seasonal climate, particularly to winter temperatures. Our results suggest that ongoing and future anomalies in oceanic and atmospheric dynamics may impact forest growth and carbon sequestration to a greater extent than previously thought. Cross-scale differences in responses to North Atlantic Ocean dynamics highlight complex interplays in the effects of local climate and ocean-atmosphere dynamics on tree growth processes and advocate for the use of different spatial scales in

  14. Evapotranspiration and favorable growing degree-days are key to tree height growth and ecosystem functioning: Meta-analyses of Pacific Northwest historical data.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yang; El-Kassaby, Yousry A

    2018-05-29

    While temperature and precipitation comprise important ecological filtering for native ranges of forest trees and are predisposing factors underlying forest ecosystem dynamics, the extent and severity of drought raises reasonable concerns for carbon storage and species diversity. Based on historical data from common garden experiments across the Pacific Northwest region, we developed non-linear niche models for height-growth trajectories of conifer trees at the sapling stage using annual or seasonal climatic variables. The correlations between virtual tree height for each locality and ecosystem functions were respectively assessed. Best-fitted models were composed of two distinct components: evapotranspiration and the degree-days disparity for temperature regimes between 5 °C and 18 °C (effective temperature sum and growth temperature, respectively). Tree height prediction for adaptive generalists (e.g., Pinus monticola, Thuja plicata) had smaller residuals than for specialists (e.g., Pinus contorta, Pseudotsuga menziesii), albeit a potential confounding factor - tree age. Discernably, there were linearly positive patterns between tree height growth and ecosystem functions (productivity, biomass and species diversity). Additionally, there was a minor effect of tree diversity on height growth in coniferous forests. This study uncovers the implication of key ecological filtering and increases our integrated understanding of how environmental cues affect tree stand growth, species dominance and ecosystem functions.

  15. Uranium mobility across annual growth rings in three deciduous tree species.

    PubMed

    McHugh, Kelly C; Widom, Elisabeth; Spitz, Henry B; Wiles, Gregory C; Glover, Sam E

    2018-02-01

    Black walnut (Juglans nigra), slippery elm (Ulmus rubra), and white ash (Fraxinus americana) trees were evaluated as potential archives of past uranium (U) contamination. Like other metals, U mobility in annual growth rings of trees is dependent on the tree species. Uranium concentrations and isotopic compositions (masses 234, 235, 236, and 238) were analyzed by thermal ionization mass spectrometry to test the efficacy of using tree rings to retroactively monitor U pollution from the FFMPC, a U purification facility operating from 1951 to 1989. This study found non-natural U (depleted U and detectable 236 U) in growth rings of all three tree species that pre-dated the start of operations at FFMPC and compositional trends that did not correspond with known contamination events. Therefore, the annual growth rings of these tree species cannot be used to reliably monitor the chronology of U contamination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX4 (WOX4)-like genes regulate cambial cell division activity and secondary growth in Populus trees.

    PubMed

    Kucukoglu, Melis; Nilsson, Jeanette; Zheng, Bo; Chaabouni, Salma; Nilsson, Ove

    2017-07-01

    Plant secondary growth derives from the meristematic activity of the vascular cambium. In Arabidopsis thaliana, cell divisions in the cambium are regulated by the transcription factor WOX4, a key target of the CLAVATA3 (CLV3)/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION (ESR)-RELATED 41 (CLE41) signaling pathway. However, function of the WOX4-like genes in plants that are dependent on a much more prolific secondary growth, such as trees, remains unclear. Here, we investigate the role of WOX4 and CLE41 homologs for stem secondary growth in Populus trees. In Populus, PttWOX4 genes are specifically expressed in the cambial region during vegetative growth, but not after growth cessation and during dormancy, possibly involving a regulation by auxin. In PttWOX4a/b RNAi trees, primary growth was not affected whereas the width of the vascular cambium was severely reduced and secondary growth was greatly diminished. Our data show that in Populus trees, PttWOX4 genes control cell division activity in the vascular cambium, and hence growth in stem girth. This activity involves the positive regulation of PttWOX4a/b through PttCLE41-related genes. Finally, expression profiling suggests that the CLE41 signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved program for the regulation of vascular cambium activity between angiosperm and gymnosperm tree species. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

  17. Effect of thinning on form of young-growth Douglas-fir trees.

    Treesearch

    Vern P. Yerkes

    1960-01-01

    With the advent of increased thinning activity in managed stands of young-growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), knowledge of growth and form development of released trees becomes necessary for calculations of total volume and growth. Any appreciable change in the rate of radial increment at various points along the stem of a released tree...

  18. Response of a boreal forest to canopy opening: assessing vertical and lateral tree growth with multi-temporal lidar data.

    PubMed

    Vepakomma, Udayalakshmi; St-Onge, Benoit; Kneeshaw, Daniel

    2011-01-01

    Fine-scale height-growth response of boreal trees to canopy openings is difficult to measure from the ground, and there are important limitations in using stereophotogrammetry in defining gaps and determining individual crowns and height. However, precise knowledge on height growth response to different openings is critical for refining partial harvesting techniques. In this study, we question whether conifers and hardwoods respond equally in terms of sapling growth or lateral growth to openings. We also ask to what distance gaps affect tree growth into the forest. We use multi-temporal lidar to characterize tree/sapling height and lateral growth responses over five years to canopy openings and high resolution images to identify conifers and hardwoods. Species-class-wise height-growth patterns of trees/saplings in various neighborhood contexts were determined across a 6-km matrix of Canadian boreal mixed deciduous coniferous forests. We then use statistical techniques to probe how these growth responses vary by spatial location with respect to the gap edge. Results confirm that both mechanisms of gap closure contribute to the closing of canopies at a rate of 1.2% per annum. Evidence also shows that both hardwood and conifer gap edge trees have a similar lateral growth (average of 22 cm/yr) and similar rates of height growth irrespective of their location and initial height. Height growth of all saplings, however, was strongly dependent on their position within the gap and the size of the gap. Results suggest that hardwood and softwood saplings in gaps have greatest growth rates at distances of 0.5-2 m and 1.5-4 m from the gap edge and in openings smaller than 800 m2 and 250 m2, respectively. Gap effects on the height growth of trees in the intact forest were evident up to 30 m and 20 m from gap edges for hardwood and softwood overstory trees, respectively. Our results thus suggest that foresters should consider silvicultural techniques that create many small

  19. Growth of trees on permafrost: habitat driven response to climate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bryukhanova, Marina; Fonti, Patrick; Kirdyanov, Alexander; Saurer, Matthias; Siegwolf, Rolf; Pochebit, Natalia; Sidorova, Olga; Prokushkin, Anatoly

    2013-04-01

    Global change is expected to alter boreal forest conditions with far reaching consequences for tree growth in these ecosystems. Within this study we aimed at determining which limiting factors control tree-growth on permafrost under different site conditions. A tree-ring multi-proxy characterisation of mature Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. from a continuous permafrost zone of Siberia (Russia, 64°18' N, 100°11' E) was used to identify the physiological principle of responses related to the plant-soil system. Tree-ring width (1975-2009), carbon and oxygen stable isotopes, and xylem structural characteristics (2000-2009) indicated that an increased depth of the soil active layer favors a better exploitation of the available resources. Our study used a mechanistic description of expected soil thermo-hydrological changes associated with a detailed comparison of tree growth responses, and supplied possible scenarios of northern larch stands development under projected climate change and permafrost degradation. By using a "space for time" approach along a 100 m long transect characterized by distinct permafrost regimes combined with measurements of physiological and structural tree responses, it become possible to propose a mechanism responsible for the differing climatic-growth responses. The results obtained indicate global warming to promote large increases in tree productivity of permafrost larch stands with a shift from a cold to a water limited environment. This work was supported by the SNSF (VG IZ76Z0_141967/1, SCOPES IZ73Z0_128035) and grant form the President of the Russian Federation for young scientists 5498.2012.4.

  20. Acorn Production and Tree Growth of Nuttall Oak in a Green-Tree Reservoir

    Treesearch

    John K. Francis

    1983-01-01

    Green-tree reservoirs, created by flooding live timber stands, provide resting places and food for wintering waterfowl. The effects of winter flooding in terms of acorn production and growth of Nuttall oaks were studied in a reservoir which had been flooded annually for 15 years and in a nearby unflooded site. The study, which lasted for 5 years, included four tree...

  1. Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition ameliorates the decline in tree growth caused by a drier climate.

    PubMed

    Ibáñez, Inés; Zak, Donald R; Burton, Andrew J; Pregitzer, Kurt S

    2018-02-01

    Most forest ecosystems are simultaneously affected by concurrent global change drivers. However, when assessing these effects, studies have mainly focused on the responses to single factors and have rarely evaluated the joined effects of the multiple aspects of environmental change. Here, we analyzed the combined effects of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition and climatic conditions on the radial growth of Acer saccharum, a dominant tree species in eastern North American forests. We capitalized on a long-term N deposition study, replicated along a latitudinal gradient, that has been taking place for more than 20 yr. We analyzed tree radial growth as a function of anthropogenic N deposition (ambient and experimental addition) and of summer temperature and soil water conditions. Our results reveal that experimental N deposition enhances radial growth of this species, an effect that was accentuated as temperature increased and soil water became more limiting. The spatial and temporal extent of our data also allowed us to assert that the positive effects of growing under the experimental N deposition are likely due to changes in the physiological performance of this species, and not due to the positive correlation between soil N and soil water holding capacity, as has been previously speculated in other studies. Our simulations of tree growth under forecasted climate scenarios specific for this region also revealed that although anthropogenic N deposition may enhance tree growth under a large array of environmental conditions, it will not mitigate the expected effects of growing under the considerably drier conditions characteristic of our most extreme climatic scenario. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

  2. Recent widespread tree growth decline despite increasing atmospheric CO2.

    PubMed

    Silva, Lucas C R; Anand, Madhur; Leithead, Mark D

    2010-07-21

    The synergetic effects of recent rising atmospheric CO(2) and temperature are expected to favor tree growth in boreal and temperate forests. However, recent dendrochronological studies have shown site-specific unprecedented growth enhancements or declines. The question of whether either of these trends is caused by changes in the atmosphere remains unanswered because dendrochronology alone has not been able to clarify the physiological basis of such trends. Here we combined standard dendrochronological methods with carbon isotopic analysis to investigate whether atmospheric changes enhanced water use efficiency (WUE) and growth of two deciduous and two coniferous tree species along a 9 degrees latitudinal gradient across temperate and boreal forests in Ontario, Canada. Our results show that although trees have had around 53% increases in WUE over the past century, growth decline (measured as a decrease in basal area increment--BAI) has been the prevalent response in recent decades irrespective of species identity and latitude. Since the 1950s, tree BAI was predominantly negatively correlated with warmer climates and/or positively correlated with precipitation, suggesting warming induced water stress. However, where growth declines were not explained by climate, WUE and BAI were linearly and positively correlated, showing that declines are not always attributable to warming induced stress and additional stressors may exist. Our results show an unexpected widespread tree growth decline in temperate and boreal forests due to warming induced stress but are also suggestive of additional stressors. Rising atmospheric CO2 levels during the past century resulted in consistent increases in water use efficiency, but this did not prevent growth decline. These findings challenge current predictions of increasing terrestrial carbon stocks under climate change scenarios.

  3. Tree Growth Response to Drought Along a Depth to Groundwater Gradient in Northern Wisconsin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ciruzzi, D. M.; Loheide, S. P., II

    2017-12-01

    Understanding complex spatial and temporal patterns of drought-induced forest stress requires knowledge of the physiological drivers and ecosystem attributes that lead to or inhibit tree mortality. Prevailing meteorological conditions leading to drought may have lesser effect on vegetation that has evolved to avoid drought by accessing deeper soil moisture reserves or shallow groundwater to meet evapotranspiration demand. This is especially true in arid and semi-arid regions, yet groundwater use by trees is rarely explored in temperate systems and the extent to which groundwater use reduces drought vulnerability in these climates and regions is unknown. We explored responses of radial growth in temperate tress to wet and dry years across a depth to groundwater gradient from 1 to 9 meters in sandy forests in northern Wisconsin. The spatial patterns of tree growth in this watershed show areas where tree growth is influenced by depth to groundwater. Preliminary results showed trees in areas of shallower groundwater with low variability in tree growth and indicated that tree growth remains consistent during both wet and dry years. Conversely, trees in areas of deeper groundwater showed higher variability in tree growth during wet and dry years. We hypothesize that even in this humid region, the sandy soils do not retain sufficient moisture leading to potentially frequent water stress in trees and reductions in productivity. However, where and when accessible, we suspect trees use shallow groundwater to sustain evapotranspiration and maintain consistent growth during dry periods.

  4. Understanding the Scalability of Bayesian Network Inference using Clique Tree Growth Curves

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mengshoel, Ole Jakob

    2009-01-01

    Bayesian networks (BNs) are used to represent and efficiently compute with multi-variate probability distributions in a wide range of disciplines. One of the main approaches to perform computation in BNs is clique tree clustering and propagation. In this approach, BN computation consists of propagation in a clique tree compiled from a Bayesian network. There is a lack of understanding of how clique tree computation time, and BN computation time in more general, depends on variations in BN size and structure. On the one hand, complexity results tell us that many interesting BN queries are NP-hard or worse to answer, and it is not hard to find application BNs where the clique tree approach in practice cannot be used. On the other hand, it is well-known that tree-structured BNs can be used to answer probabilistic queries in polynomial time. In this article, we develop an approach to characterizing clique tree growth as a function of parameters that can be computed in polynomial time from BNs, specifically: (i) the ratio of the number of a BN's non-root nodes to the number of root nodes, or (ii) the expected number of moral edges in their moral graphs. Our approach is based on combining analytical and experimental results. Analytically, we partition the set of cliques in a clique tree into different sets, and introduce a growth curve for each set. For the special case of bipartite BNs, we consequently have two growth curves, a mixed clique growth curve and a root clique growth curve. In experiments, we systematically increase the degree of the root nodes in bipartite Bayesian networks, and find that root clique growth is well-approximated by Gompertz growth curves. It is believed that this research improves the understanding of the scaling behavior of clique tree clustering, provides a foundation for benchmarking and developing improved BN inference and machine learning algorithms, and presents an aid for analytical trade-off studies of clique tree clustering using

  5. Competition and climate affects US hardwood-forest tree mortality

    Treesearch

    Daniel A. Yaussy; Louis R. Iverson; Stephen N. Matthews

    2013-01-01

    Individual-tree measurements have been collected periodically on sites established in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to investigate the effects of thinning on the growth and yield of valuable hardwood species. These plots were installed between 1959 and 1985. The long-term characteristics of this data set of 47,853 trees allowed us to investigate potential...

  6. The impact of tree age on biomass growth and carbon accumulation capacity: A retrospective analysis using tree ring data of three tropical tree species grown in natural forests of Suriname

    PubMed Central

    Neupane, Prem R.

    2017-01-01

    The world’s forests play a pivotal role in the mitigation of global climate change. By photosynthesis they remove CO2 from the atmosphere and store carbon in their biomass. While old trees are generally acknowledged for a long carbon residence time, there is no consensus on their contribution to carbon accumulation due to a lack of long-term individual tree data. Tree ring analyses, which use anatomical differences in the annual formation of wood for dating growth zones, are a retrospective approach that provides growth patterns of individual trees over their entire lifetime. We developed time series of diameter growth and related annual carbon accumulation for 61 trees of the species Cedrela odorata L. (Meliacea), Hymenaea courbaril L. (Fabacea) and Goupia glabra Aubl. (Goupiacea). The trees grew in unmanaged tropical wet-forests of Suriname and reached ages from 84 to 255 years. Most of the trees show positive trends of diameter growth and carbon accumulation over time. For some trees we observed fluctuating growth—periods of lower growth alternate with periods of increased growth. In the last quarter of their lifetime trees accumulate on average between 39 percent (C. odorata) and 50 percent (G. glabra) of their final carbon stock. This suggests that old-growth trees in tropical forests do not only contribute to carbon stocks by long carbon resistance times, but maintain high rates of carbon accumulation at later stages of their life time. PMID:28813429

  7. Spatial aspects of tree mortality strongly differ between young and old-growth forests.

    PubMed

    Larson, Andrew J; Lutz, James A; Donato, Daniel C; Freund, James A; Swanson, Mark E; HilleRisLambers, Janneke; Sprugel, Douglas G; Franklin, Jerry F

    2015-11-01

    Rates and spatial patterns of tree mortality are predicted to change during forest structural development. In young forests, mortality should be primarily density dependent due to competition for light, leading to an increasingly spatially uniform pattern of surviving trees. In contrast, mortality in old-growth forests should be primarily caused by contagious and spatially autocorrelated agents (e.g., insects, wind), causing spatial aggregation of surviving trees to increase through time. We tested these predictions by contrasting a three-decade record of tree mortality from replicated mapped permanent plots located in young (< 60-year-old) and old-growth (> 300-year-old) Abies amabilis forests. Trees in young forests died at a rate of 4.42% per year, whereas trees in old-growth forests died at 0.60% per year. Tree mortality in young forests was significantly aggregated, strongly density dependent, and caused live tree patterns to become more uniform through time. Mortality in old-growth forests was spatially aggregated, but was density independent and did not change the spatial pattern of surviving trees. These results extend current theory by demonstrating that density-dependent competitive mortality leading to increasingly uniform tree spacing in young forests ultimately transitions late in succession to a more diverse tree mortality regime that maintains spatial heterogeneity through time.

  8. Disentangling the relative role of climate change on tree growth in an extreme Mediterranean environment.

    PubMed

    Madrigal-González, Jaime; Andivia, Enrique; Zavala, Miguel A; Stoffel, Markus; Calatayud, Joaquín; Sánchez-Salguero, Raúl; Ballesteros-Cánovas, Juan

    2018-06-14

    Climate change can impair ecosystem functions and services in extensive dry forests worldwide. However, attribution of climate change impacts on tree growth and forest productivity is challenging due to multiple inter-annual patterns of climatic variability associated with atmospheric and oceanic circulations. Moreover, growth responses to rising atmospheric CO 2 , namely carbon fertilization, as well as size ontogenetic changes can obscure the climate change signature as well. Here we apply Structural Equation Models (SEM) to investigate the relative role of climate change on tree growth in an extreme Mediterranean environment (i.e., extreme in terms of the combination of sandy-unconsolidated soils and climatic aridity). Specifically, we analyzed potential direct and indirect pathways by which different sources of climatic variability (i.e. warming and precipitation trends, the North Atlantic Oscillation, [NAO]; the Mediterranean Oscillation, [MOI]; the Atlantic Mediterranean Oscillation, [AMO]) affect aridity through their control on local climate (in terms of mean annual temperature and total annual precipitation), and subsequently tree productivity, in terms of basal area increments (BAI). Our results support the predominant role of Diameter at Breast Height (DHB) as the main growth driver. In terms of climate, NAO and AMO are the most important drivers of tree growth through their control of aridity (via effects of precipitation and temperature, respectively). Furthermore and contrary to current expectations, our findings also support a net positive role of climate warming on growth over the last 50 years and suggest that impacts of climate warming should be evaluated considering multi-annual and multi-decadal periods of local climate defined by atmospheric and oceanic circulation in the North Atlantic. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Influence of competition and age on tree growth in structurally complex old-growth forests in northern Minnesota, USA

    Treesearch

    Tuomas Aakala; Shawn Fraver; Anthony W. D' Amato; Brian J. Palik

    2013-01-01

    Factors influencing tree growth in structurally complex forests remain poorly understood. Here we assessed the influence of competition on Pinus resinosa (n = 224) and Pinus strobus (n = 90) growth in four old-growth stands in Minnesota, using mixed effects models. A subset of trees, with...

  10. Using specific volume increment (SVI) for quantifying growth responses in trees - theoretical and practical considerations

    Treesearch

    Eddie Bevilacqua

    2002-01-01

    Comparative analysis of growth responses among trees following natural or anthropogenic disturbances is often confounded when comparing trees of different size because of the high correlation between growth and initial tree size: large trees tend to have higher absolute grow rates. Relative growth rate (RGR) may not be the most suitable size-dependent measure of growth...

  11. An individual-tree basal area growth model for loblolly pine stands

    Treesearch

    Paul A. Murphy; Michael G. Shelton

    1996-01-01

    Tree basal area growth has been modeled as a combination of a potential growth function and a modifier function, in which the potential function is fitted separately from open-grown tree data or a subset of the data and the modifier function includes stand and site variables. We propose a modification of this by simultaneously fitting both a growth component and a...

  12. Modeling individual tree growth by fusing diameter tape and increment core data

    Treesearch

    Erin M. Schliep; Tracy Qi Dong; Alan E. Gelfand; Fan. Li

    2014-01-01

    Tree growth estimation is a challenging task as difficulties associated with data collection and inference often result in inaccurate estimates. Two main methods for tree growth estimation are diameter tape measurements and increment cores. The former involves repeatedly measuring tree diameters with a cloth or metal tape whose scale has been adjusted to give diameter...

  13. Growth responses of trees and understory plants to nitrogen fertilization in a subtropical forest in China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tian, Di; Li, Peng; Fang, Wenjing; Xu, Jun; Luo, Yongkai; Yan, Zhengbing; Zhu, Biao; Wang, Jingjing; Xu, Xiaoniu; Fang, Jingyun

    2017-07-01

    Reactive nitrogen (N) increase in the biosphere has been a noteworthy aspect of global change, producing considerable ecological effects on the functioning and dynamics of the terrestrial ecosystems. A number of observational studies have explored responses of plants to experimentally simulated N enrichment in boreal and temperate forests. Here we investigate how the dominant trees and different understory plants respond to experimental N enrichment in a subtropical forest in China. We conducted a 3.4-year N fertilization experiment in an old-aged subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in eastern China with three treatment levels applied to nine 20 m × 20 m plots and replicated in three blocks. We divided the plants into trees, saplings, shrubs (including tree seedlings), and ground-cover plants (ferns) according to the growth forms, and then measured the absolute and relative basal area increments of trees and saplings and the aboveground biomass of understory shrubs and ferns. We further grouped individuals of the dominant tree species, Castanopsis eyrei, into three size classes to investigate their respective growth responses to the N fertilization. Our results showed that the plot-averaged absolute and relative growth rates of basal area and aboveground biomass of trees were not affected by N fertilization. Across the individuals of C. eyrei, the small trees with a DBH (diameter at breast height) of 5-10 cm declined by 66.4 and 59.5 %, respectively, in N50 (50 kg N ha-1 yr-1) and N100 fertilized plots (100 kg N ha-1 yr-1), while the growth of median and large trees with a DBH of > 10 cm did not significantly change with the N fertilization. The growth rate of small trees, saplings, and the aboveground biomass of understory shrubs and ground-cover ferns decreased significantly in the N-fertilized plots. Our findings suggested that N might not be a limiting nutrient in this mature subtropical forest, and that the limitation of other nutrients in the forest

  14. Disturbance legacies and climate jointly drive tree growth and mortality in an intensively studied boreal forest

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bond-Lamberty, Benjamin; Rocha, Adrian; Calvin, Katherine V.

    2014-01-01

    How will regional growth and mortality change with even relatively small climate shifts, even independent of catastrophic disturbances? This question is particularly acute for the North American boreal forest, which is carbon-dense and subject The goals of this study were to combine dendrochronological sampling, inventory records, and machine-learning algorithms to understand how tree growth and death have changed at one highly studied site (Northern Old Black Spruce, NOBS) in the central Canadian boreal forest. Over the 1999-2012 inventory period, mean DBH increased even as stand density and basal area declined significantly from 41.3 to 37.5 m2 ha-1. Tree mortality averagedmore » 1.4±0.6% yr-1, with most mortality occurring in medium-sized trees. A combined tree ring chronology constructed from 2001, 2004, and 2012 sampling showed several periods of extreme growth depression, with increased mortality lagging depressed growth by ~5 years. Minimum and maximum air temperatures exerted a negative influence on tree growth, while precipitation and climate moisture index had a positive effect; both current- and previous-year data exerted significant effects. Models based on these variables explained 23-44% of the ring-width variability. There have been at least one, and probably two, significant recruitment episodes since stand initiation, and we infer that past climate extremes led to significant NOBS mortality still visible in the current forest structure. These results imply that a combination of successional and demographic processes, along with mortality driven by abiotic factors, continue to affect the stand, with significant implications for our understanding of previous work at NOBS and the sustainable management of regional forests.« less

  15. Recent Widespread Tree Growth Decline Despite Increasing Atmospheric CO2

    PubMed Central

    Silva, Lucas C. R.; Anand, Madhur; Leithead, Mark D.

    2010-01-01

    Background The synergetic effects of recent rising atmospheric CO2 and temperature are expected to favor tree growth in boreal and temperate forests. However, recent dendrochronological studies have shown site-specific unprecedented growth enhancements or declines. The question of whether either of these trends is caused by changes in the atmosphere remains unanswered because dendrochronology alone has not been able to clarify the physiological basis of such trends. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we combined standard dendrochronological methods with carbon isotopic analysis to investigate whether atmospheric changes enhanced water use efficiency (WUE) and growth of two deciduous and two coniferous tree species along a 9° latitudinal gradient across temperate and boreal forests in Ontario, Canada. Our results show that although trees have had around 53% increases in WUE over the past century, growth decline (measured as a decrease in basal area increment – BAI) has been the prevalent response in recent decades irrespective of species identity and latitude. Since the 1950s, tree BAI was predominantly negatively correlated with warmer climates and/or positively correlated with precipitation, suggesting warming induced water stress. However, where growth declines were not explained by climate, WUE and BAI were linearly and positively correlated, showing that declines are not always attributable to warming induced stress and additional stressors may exist. Conclusions Our results show an unexpected widespread tree growth decline in temperate and boreal forests due to warming induced stress but are also suggestive of additional stressors. Rising atmospheric CO2 levels during the past century resulted in consistent increases in water use efficiency, but this did not prevent growth decline. These findings challenge current predictions of increasing terrestrial carbon stocks under climate change scenarios. PMID:20657763

  16. Growth response of black walnut to interplanted trees

    Treesearch

    Richard C. Schlesinger; Robert D. Williams

    1984-01-01

    Analyses of black walnut tree diameters 13 years after planting showed that interplanting autumn-olive, black locust, and European alder increased walnut tree growtb, but only at certain locations. Interplanting autumn-olive resulted in increases of 56 to 351% at four of five locations and all species resulted in doubled walnut growth on an upland site. The interaction...

  17. Linking Tree Growth Response to Measured Microclimate - A Field Based Approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martin, J. T.; Hoylman, Z. H.; Looker, N. T.; Jencso, K. G.; Hu, J.

    2015-12-01

    The general relationship between climate and tree growth is a well established and important tenet shaping both paleo and future perspectives of forest ecosystem growth dynamics. Across much of the American west, water limits growth via physiological mechanisms that tie regional and local climatic conditions to forest productivity in a relatively predictable way, and these growth responses are clearly evident in tree ring records. However, within the annual cycle of a forest landscape, water availability varies across both time and space, and interacts with other potentially growth limiting factors such as temperature, light, and nutrients. In addition, tree growth responses may lag climate drivers and may vary in terms of where in a tree carbon is allocated. As such, determining when and where water actually limits forest growth in real time can be a significant challenge. Despite these challenges, we present data suggestive of real-time growth limitation driven by soil moisture supply and atmospheric water demand reflected in high frequency field measurements of stem radii and cell structure across ecological gradients. The experiment was conducted at the Lubrecht Experimental Forest in western Montana where, over two years, we observed intra-annual growth rates of four dominant conifer species: Douglas fir, Ponderosa Pine, Engelmann Spruce and Western Larch using point dendrometers and microcores. In all four species studied, compensatory use of stored water (inferred from stem water deficit) appears to exhibit a threshold relationship with a critical balance point between water supply and demand. The occurrence of this point in time coincided with a decrease in stem growth rates, and the while the timing varied up to one month across topographic and elevational gradients, the onset date of growth limitation was a reliable predictor of overall annual growth. Our findings support previous model-based observations of nonlinearity in the relationship between

  18. Non-linear growth in tree ferns, Dicksonia antarctica and Cyathea australis

    PubMed Central

    Blair, David P.; Blanchard, Wade; Banks, Sam C.; Lindenmayer, David B.

    2017-01-01

    Tree ferns are an important structural component of forests in many countries. However, because their regeneration is often unrelated to major disturbances, their age is often difficult to determine. In addition, rates of growth may not be uniform, which further complicates attempts to determine their age. In this study, we measured 5 years of growth of Cyathea australis and Dicksonia antarctica after a large wildfire in 2009 in south-eastern Australia. We found growth rates of these two species were unaffected by aspect and elevation but slope had a minor effect with D. antarctica growing 0.3mm faster for each additional degree of slope. Geographic location influenced growth in both species by up to 12 – 14mm/yr. The most consistent factor influencing growth rate, however, was initial height at the time of the 2009 fire; a finding consistent in both species and all geographic locations. For both tree fern species, individuals that were taller at the commencement of the study had greater overall growth for the duration of the study. This effect did not decrease even among the tallest tree ferns in our study (up to 6 metres tall). Overall, Cyathea australis averaged 73 (± 22)mm/year of growth (± 1SD), with the rate increasing 5mm/yr per metre of additional height. Dicksonia antarctica averaged 33 (± 13)mm/year, increasing by 6mm/yr/m. Growth rates dependent on initial height were unexpected and we discuss possible reasons for this finding. Variable growth rates also suggest that common age estimation methods of dividing height by average growth rate are likely to underestimate the age of short tree ferns, while overestimating the age of tall tree ferns, particularly if they have been subject to a fire. PMID:28493884

  19. Non-linear growth in tree ferns, Dicksonia antarctica and Cyathea australis.

    PubMed

    Blair, David P; Blanchard, Wade; Banks, Sam C; Lindenmayer, David B

    2017-01-01

    Tree ferns are an important structural component of forests in many countries. However, because their regeneration is often unrelated to major disturbances, their age is often difficult to determine. In addition, rates of growth may not be uniform, which further complicates attempts to determine their age. In this study, we measured 5 years of growth of Cyathea australis and Dicksonia antarctica after a large wildfire in 2009 in south-eastern Australia. We found growth rates of these two species were unaffected by aspect and elevation but slope had a minor effect with D. antarctica growing 0.3mm faster for each additional degree of slope. Geographic location influenced growth in both species by up to 12 - 14mm/yr. The most consistent factor influencing growth rate, however, was initial height at the time of the 2009 fire; a finding consistent in both species and all geographic locations. For both tree fern species, individuals that were taller at the commencement of the study had greater overall growth for the duration of the study. This effect did not decrease even among the tallest tree ferns in our study (up to 6 metres tall). Overall, Cyathea australis averaged 73 (± 22)mm/year of growth (± 1SD), with the rate increasing 5mm/yr per metre of additional height. Dicksonia antarctica averaged 33 (± 13)mm/year, increasing by 6mm/yr/m. Growth rates dependent on initial height were unexpected and we discuss possible reasons for this finding. Variable growth rates also suggest that common age estimation methods of dividing height by average growth rate are likely to underestimate the age of short tree ferns, while overestimating the age of tall tree ferns, particularly if they have been subject to a fire.

  20. Predicting tree biomass growth in the temperate-boreal ecotone: is tree size, age, competition or climate response most important?

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Foster, Jane R.; Finley, Andrew O.; D'Amato, Anthony W.; Bradford, John B.; Banerjee, Sudipto

    2016-01-01

    As global temperatures rise, variation in annual climate is also changing, with unknown consequences for forest biomes. Growing forests have the ability to capture atmospheric CO2and thereby slow rising CO2 concentrations. Forests’ ongoing ability to sequester C depends on how tree communities respond to changes in climate variation. Much of what we know about tree and forest response to climate variation comes from tree-ring records. Yet typical tree-ring datasets and models do not capture the diversity of climate responses that exist within and among trees and species. We address this issue using a model that estimates individual tree response to climate variables while accounting for variation in individuals’ size, age, competitive status, and spatially structured latent covariates. Our model allows for inference about variance within and among species. We quantify how variables influence aboveground biomass growth of individual trees from a representative sample of 15 northern or southern tree species growing in a transition zone between boreal and temperate biomes. Individual trees varied in their growth response to fluctuating mean annual temperature and summer moisture stress. The variation among individuals within a species was wider than mean differences among species. The effects of mean temperature and summer moisture stress interacted, such that warm years produced positive responses to summer moisture availability and cool years produced negative responses. As climate models project significant increases in annual temperatures, growth of species likeAcer saccharum, Quercus rubra, and Picea glauca will vary more in response to summer moisture stress than in the past. The magnitude of biomass growth variation in response to annual climate was 92–95% smaller than responses to tree size and age. This means that measuring or predicting the physical structure of current and future forests could tell us more about future C dynamics than growth

  1. Predicting tree biomass growth in the temperate-boreal ecotone: Is tree size, age, competition, or climate response most important?

    PubMed

    Foster, Jane R; Finley, Andrew O; D'Amato, Anthony W; Bradford, John B; Banerjee, Sudipto

    2016-06-01

    As global temperatures rise, variation in annual climate is also changing, with unknown consequences for forest biomes. Growing forests have the ability to capture atmospheric CO2 and thereby slow rising CO2 concentrations. Forests' ongoing ability to sequester C depends on how tree communities respond to changes in climate variation. Much of what we know about tree and forest response to climate variation comes from tree-ring records. Yet typical tree-ring datasets and models do not capture the diversity of climate responses that exist within and among trees and species. We address this issue using a model that estimates individual tree response to climate variables while accounting for variation in individuals' size, age, competitive status, and spatially structured latent covariates. Our model allows for inference about variance within and among species. We quantify how variables influence aboveground biomass growth of individual trees from a representative sample of 15 northern or southern tree species growing in a transition zone between boreal and temperate biomes. Individual trees varied in their growth response to fluctuating mean annual temperature and summer moisture stress. The variation among individuals within a species was wider than mean differences among species. The effects of mean temperature and summer moisture stress interacted, such that warm years produced positive responses to summer moisture availability and cool years produced negative responses. As climate models project significant increases in annual temperatures, growth of species like Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra, and Picea glauca will vary more in response to summer moisture stress than in the past. The magnitude of biomass growth variation in response to annual climate was 92-95% smaller than responses to tree size and age. This means that measuring or predicting the physical structure of current and future forests could tell us more about future C dynamics than growth responses

  2. Seedling growth strategies in Bauhinia species: comparing lianas and trees.

    PubMed

    Cai, Zhi-Quan; Poorter, Lourens; Cao, Kun-Fang; Bongers, Frans

    2007-10-01

    Lianas are expected to differ from trees in their growth strategies. As a result these two groups of woody species will have different spatial distributions: lianas are more common in high light environments. This study determines the differences in growth patterns, biomass allocation and leaf traits in five closely related liana and tree species of the genus Bauhinia. Seedlings of two light-demanding lianas (Bauhinia tenuiflora and B. claviflora), one shade-tolerant liana (B. aurea), and two light-demanding trees (B. purpurea and B. monandra) were grown in a shadehouse at 25% of full sunlight. A range of physiological, morphological and biomass parameters at the leaf and whole plant level were compared among these five species. The two light-demanding liana species had higher relative growth rate (RGR), allocated more biomass to leaf production [higher leaf mass fraction (LMF) and higher leaf area ratio (LAR)] and stem mass fraction (SMF), and less biomass to the roots [root mass fraction (RMF)] than the two tree species. The shade-tolerant liana had the lowest RGR of all five species, and had a higher RMF, lower SMF and similar LMF than the two light-demanding liana species. The two light-demanding lianas had lower photosynthetic rates per unit area (A(area)) and similar photosynthetic rates per unit mass (A(mass)) than the trees. Across species, RGR was positively related to SLA, but not to LAR and A(area). It is concluded that the faster growth of light-demanding lianas compared with light-demanding trees is based on morphological parameters (SLA, LMF and LAR), and cannot be attributed to higher photosynthetic rates at the leaf level. The shade-tolerant liana exhibited a slow-growth strategy, compared with the light-demanding species.

  3. Seedling Growth Strategies in Bauhinia Species: Comparing Lianas and Trees

    PubMed Central

    Cai, Zhi-Quan; Poorter, Lourens; Cao, Kun-Fang; Bongers, Frans

    2007-01-01

    Background and Aims Lianas are expected to differ from trees in their growth strategies. As a result these two groups of woody species will have different spatial distributions: lianas are more common in high light environments. This study determines the differences in growth patterns, biomass allocation and leaf traits in five closely related liana and tree species of the genus Bauhinia. Methods Seedlings of two light-demanding lianas (Bauhinia tenuiflora and B. claviflora), one shade-tolerant liana (B. aurea), and two light-demanding trees (B. purpurea and B. monandra) were grown in a shadehouse at 25 % of full sunlight. A range of physiological, morphological and biomass parameters at the leaf and whole plant level were compared among these five species. Key Results The two light-demanding liana species had higher relative growth rate (RGR), allocated more biomass to leaf production [higher leaf mass fraction (LMF) and higher leaf area ratio (LAR)] and stem mass fraction (SMF), and less biomass to the roots [root mass fraction (RMF)] than the two tree species. The shade-tolerant liana had the lowest RGR of all five species, and had a higher RMF, lower SMF and similar LMF than the two light-demanding liana species. The two light-demanding lianas had lower photosynthetic rates per unit area (Aarea) and similar photosynthetic rates per unit mass (Amass) than the trees. Across species, RGR was positively related to SLA, but not to LAR and Aarea. Conclusions It is concluded that the faster growth of light-demanding lianas compared with light-demanding trees is based on morphological parameters (SLA, LMF and LAR), and cannot be attributed to higher photosynthetic rates at the leaf level. The shade-tolerant liana exhibited a slow-growth strategy, compared with the light-demanding species. PMID:17720978

  4. Modeling effects of overstory density and competing vegetation on tree height growth

    Treesearch

    Christian Salas; Albert R. Stage; Andrew P. Robinson

    2007-01-01

    We developed and evaluated an individual-tree height growth model for Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco] in the Inland Northwest United States. The model predicts growth for all tree sizes continuously, rather than requiring a transition between independent models for juvenile and mature growth phases. The model predicts the effects...

  5. Growth and reproduction respond differently to climate in three Neotropical tree species.

    PubMed

    Alfaro-Sánchez, Raquel; Muller-Landau, Helene C; Wright, S Joseph; Camarero, J Julio

    2017-06-01

    The response of tropical forests to anthropogenic climate change is critically important to future global carbon budgets, yet remains highly uncertain. Here, we investigate how precipitation, temperature, solar radiation and dry- and wet-season lengths are related to annual tree growth, flower production, and fruit production in three moist tropical forest tree species using long-term datasets from tree rings and litter traps in central Panama. We also evaluated how growth, flower, and fruit production were interrelated. We found that growth was positively correlated with wet-season precipitation in all three species: Jacaranda copaia (r = 0.63), Tetragastris panamensis (r = 0.39) and Trichilia tuberculata (r = 0.39). Flowering and fruiting in Jacaranda were negatively related to current-year dry-season rainfall and positively related to prior-year dry-season rainfall. Flowering in Tetragastris was negatively related to current-year annual mean temperature while Trichilia showed no significant relationships of reproduction with climate. Growth was significantly related to reproduction only in Tetragastris, where it was positively related to previous year fruiting. Our results suggest that tree growth in moist tropical forest tree species is generally reduced by drought events such as those associated with strong El Niño events. In contrast, interannual variation in reproduction is not generally associated with growth and has distinct and species-specific climate responses, with positive effects of El Niño events in some species. Understanding these contrasting climate effects on tree growth and reproduction is critical to predicting changes in tropical forest dynamics and species composition under climate change.

  6. Abundance and Size Distribution of Cavity Trees in Second-Growth and Old-Growth Central Hardwood Forests

    Treesearch

    Zhaofei Fan; Stephen R. Shifley; Martin A. Spetich; Frank R. Thompson III; David R. Larsen

    2005-01-01

    In central hardwood forests, mean cavity-tree abundance increases with increasing standsize class (seedling/sapling, pole, sawtimber, old-growth). However, within a size class, the number of cavity trees is highly variable among 0.1-ha inventory plots. Plots in young stands are most likely to have no cavity trees, but some plots may have more than 50 cavity trees/ha....

  7. Abundance and size distribution of cavity trees in second-growth and old-growth central hardwood forests

    Treesearch

    Zhaofei Fan; Stephen R. Shifley; Martin A. Spetich; Frank R. Thompson; David R. Larsen

    2005-01-01

    In central hardwood forests, mean cavity-tree abundance increases with increasing standsize class (seedling/sapling, pole, sawtimber, old-growth). However, within a size class, the number of cavity trees is highly variable among 0.1-ha inventory plots. Plots in young stands are most likely to have no cavity trees, but some plots may have more than 50 cavity trees/ha....

  8. Impact of solar activity on growth of pine trees (Pinus cembra: 1610 - 1970; Pinus pinaster: 1910 -1989)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Surový, P.; Dorotovič, I.; Karlovský, V.; Rodrigues, J. C.; Rybanský, M.; Fleischer, P.

    2010-12-01

    In this work we have focused on the analysis of the data on the annual growth of cembra pine (Pinus cembra) grown in the Kôprová dolina Valley in the High Tatra Mountains. The database covers the period of 1406 - 1970, however, the sunspot data (minima and maxima) at the NGDC web site are only available since 1610. Moreover, reliable sunspot data are only available since 1749. The results of this analysis agree with the observation made in our previous work, i.e. there is a negative impact of high SA on the pine tree growth. However, it should be noted that statistical significance of the results is low. We also applied wavelet analysis to the data on the tree growth evolution, with the results indicating growth variations' period of about 20 years (duration of approximately two solar cycles or one magnetic cycle, respectively). A negative impact of the SA was also observed in growth of a 90 year-old maritime pine tree (Pinus pinaster) grown in northern Portugal. The width of the annual rings was smaller in the years of maximum SA; furthermore, it was found that it is the latewood growth that it is affected while the earlywood growth is not, and consequently the latewood additions also show a significative negative correlation with SA.

  9. Potassium nutrition and water availability affect phloem transport of photosynthetic carbon in eucalypt trees

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Epron, Daniel; Cabral, Osvaldo; Laclau, Jean-Paul; Dannoura, Masako; Packer, Ana Paula; Plain, Caroline; Battie-Laclau, Patricia; Moreira, Marcelo; Trivelin, Paulo; Bouillet, Jean-Pierre; Gérant, Dominique; Nouvellon, Yann

    2015-04-01

    Potassium fertilisation strongly affects growth and carbon partitioning of eucalypt on tropical soil that are strongly weathered. In addition, potassium fertilization could be of great interest in mitigating the adverse consequences of drought in planted forests, as foliar K concentrations influence osmotic adjustment, stomatal regulation and phloem loading. Phloem is the main pathway for transferring photosynthate from source leaves to sink organs, thus controlling growth partitioning among the different tree compartments. But little is known about the effect of potassium nutrition on phloem transport of photosynthetic carbon and on the interaction between K nutrition and water availability. In situ 13C pulse labelling was conducted on tropical eucalypt trees (Eucalyptus grandis L.) grown in a trial plantation with plots in which 37% of throughfall were excluded (about 500 mm/yr) using home-made transparent gutters (-W) or not (+W) and plots that received 0.45 mol K m-2 applied as KCl three months after planting (+K) or not (-K). Three trees were labelled in each of the four treatments (+K+W, +K-W, -K+W and -K-W). Trees were labelled for one hour by injecting pure 13CO2 in a 27 m3 whole crown chamber. We estimated the velocity of carbon transfer in the trunk by comparing time lags between the uptake of 13CO2 and its recovery in trunk CO2 efflux recorded by off axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy (Los Gatos Research) in two chambers per tree, one just under the crown and one at the base of the trunk. We analyzed the dynamics of the label recovered in the foliage and in the phloem sap by analysing carbon isotope composition of bulk leaf organic matter and phloem extracts using an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. The velocity of carbon transfer in the trunk and the initial rate 13C disappearance from the foliage were much higher in +K trees than in -K trees with no significant effect of rainfall. The volumetric flow of phloem, roughly estimated by multiplying

  10. The contribution of competition to tree mortality in old-growth coniferous forests

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Das, A.; Battles, J.; Stephenson, N.L.; van Mantgem, P.J.

    2011-01-01

    Competition is a well-documented contributor to tree mortality in temperate forests, with numerous studies documenting a relationship between tree death and the competitive environment. Models frequently rely on competition as the only non-random mechanism affecting tree mortality. However, for mature forests, competition may cease to be the primary driver of mortality.We use a large, long-term dataset to study the importance of competition in determining tree mortality in old-growth forests on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada of California, U.S.A. We make use of the comparative spatial configuration of dead and live trees, changes in tree spatial pattern through time, and field assessments of contributors to an individual tree's death to quantify competitive effects.Competition was apparently a significant contributor to tree mortality in these forests. Trees that died tended to be in more competitive environments than trees that survived, and suppression frequently appeared as a factor contributing to mortality. On the other hand, based on spatial pattern analyses, only three of 14 plots demonstrated compelling evidence that competition was dominating mortality. Most of the rest of the plots fell within the expectation for random mortality, and three fit neither the random nor the competition model. These results suggest that while competition is often playing a significant role in tree mortality processes in these forests it only infrequently governs those processes. In addition, the field assessments indicated a substantial presence of biotic mortality agents in trees that died.While competition is almost certainly important, demographics in these forests cannot accurately be characterized without a better grasp of other mortality processes. In particular, we likely need a better understanding of biotic agents and their interactions with one another and with competition. ?? 2011.

  11. A Hierarchical Analysis of Tree Growth and Environmental Drivers Across Eastern US Temperate Forests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mantooth, J.; Dietze, M.

    2014-12-01

    Improving predictions of how forests in the eastern United States will respond to future global change requires a better understanding of the drivers of variability in tree growth rates. Current inventory data lack the temporal resolution to characterize interannual variability, while existing growth records lack the extent required to assess spatial scales of variability. Therefore, we established a network of forest inventory plots across ten sites across the eastern US, and measured growth in adult trees using increment cores. Sites were chosen to maximize climate space explored, while within sites, plots were spread across primary environmental gradients to explore landscape-level variability in growth. Using the annual growth record available from tree cores, we explored the responses of trees to multiple environmental covariates over multiple spatial and temporal scales. We hypothesized that within and across sites growth rates vary among species, and that intraspecific growth rates increase with temperature along a species' range. We also hypothesized that trees show synchrony in growth responses to landscape-scale climatic changes. Initial analyses of growth increments indicate that across sites, trees with intermediate shade tolerance, e.g. Red Oak (Quercus rubra), tend to have the highest growth rates. At the site level, there is evidence for synchrony in response to large-scale climatic events (e.g. prolonged drought and above average temperatures). However, growth responses to climate at the landscape scale have yet to be detected. Our current analysis utilizes hierarchical Bayesian state-space modeling to focus on growth responses of adult trees to environmental covariates at multiple spatial and temporal scales. This predictive model of tree growth currently incorporates observed effects at the individual, plot, site, and landscape scale. Current analysis using this model shows a potential slowing of growth in the past decade for two sites in the

  12. Improving estimates of tree mortality probability using potential growth rate

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Das, Adrian J.; Stephenson, Nathan L.

    2015-01-01

    Tree growth rate is frequently used to estimate mortality probability. Yet, growth metrics can vary in form, and the justification for using one over another is rarely clear. We tested whether a growth index (GI) that scales the realized diameter growth rate against the potential diameter growth rate (PDGR) would give better estimates of mortality probability than other measures. We also tested whether PDGR, being a function of tree size, might better correlate with the baseline mortality probability than direct measurements of size such as diameter or basal area. Using a long-term dataset from the Sierra Nevada, California, U.S.A., as well as existing species-specific estimates of PDGR, we developed growth–mortality models for four common species. For three of the four species, models that included GI, PDGR, or a combination of GI and PDGR were substantially better than models without them. For the fourth species, the models including GI and PDGR performed roughly as well as a model that included only the diameter growth rate. Our results suggest that using PDGR can improve our ability to estimate tree survival probability. However, in the absence of PDGR estimates, the diameter growth rate was the best empirical predictor of mortality, in contrast to assumptions often made in the literature.

  13. A computerized tree growth projection system for forest resource evaluation in the lake states

    Treesearch

    Allen L. Lundgren; Burton L. Essex

    1978-01-01

    A computerized tree growth projection system has been developed for the Lake States Region as part of a larger Forest Resources Evaluation Program (FREP). Incorporating data from more than 1500 permanent growth plots throughout the Lake States, this system projects tree growth, mortality, regeneration, and removals in stands with any mixture of tree species and sizes,...

  14. Patterns of Woody Growth for Brazilian Savanna (Cerrado) Trees in the Cuiaba Basin and Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zappia, A. J.; Vourlitis, G. L.; Pinto-Jr, O. B.

    2015-12-01

    The Brazilian savanna, locally known as cerrado, is a major ecosystem that covers a vast majority of central Brazil. Little is known about how woody growth within the cerrado is affected by soil properties such as texture and/or nutrient availability. Thus, in this study we assessed the relationship between woody growth and soil properties in the Cuiaba Basin and Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil. We sampled 4-5 vegetation stands in each site that varied in hydrology, soil type, and vegetation composition and structure, and measured diameter at breast height, wood density, and soil nutrient concentration and physical properties every 5-10 m along a 100 m long transect. We hypothesized that as tree diameter at breast height increases, annual tree growth rate will decrease and that woody carbon (C) storage will increase as a function of soil nutrient availability. Our preliminary data support our hypotheses. Tree growth rates declined with tree size in both the Cuiaba Basin and the Pantanal. Rates of woody C storage, both on a per tree basis (kgC tree-1 year-1) and on a per unit ground area basis (kgC m-2 year-1) were significantly positively correlated with soil extractable phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), and clay content, while only woody C storage on a per tree basis was positively correlated with potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and cation exchange capacity (CEC). These data suggest that rates of woody C storage in cerrado are nutrient limited, while correspondence between C storage and soil physical properties could indicate both nutrient and water limitations to C storage.

  15. Recognizing Non-Stationary Climate Response in Tree Growth for Southern Coastal Alaska, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wiles, G. C.; Jarvis, S. K.; D'Arrigo, R.; Vargo, L. J.; Appleton, S. N.

    2012-12-01

    Stationarity in growth response of trees to climate over time is assumed in dendroclimatic studies. Recent studies of Alaskan yellow-cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis (D. Don) Spach) have identified warming-induced early loss of insulating snowpack and frost damage as a mechanism that can lead to decline in tree growth, which for this species is documented over the last century. A similar stress may be put on temperature-sensitive mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana (Bong.) Carrière) trees at low elevations, which in some cases show a decline in tree growth with warming temperatures. One of the challenges of using tree-ring based SAT, SST, PDO and PNA-related reconstructions for southern coastal Alaska has been understanding the response of tree-ring chronologies to the warming temperatures over the past 50 years. Comparisons of tree growth with long meteorological records from Sitka Alaska that extend back to 1830 suggest many mountain hemlock sites at low elevations are showing decreasing ring-widths, at mid elevations most sites show a steady increasing growth tracking warming, and at treeline a release is documented. The recognition of this recent divergence or decoupling of tree-ring and temperature trends allows for divergence-free temperature reconstructions using trees from moderate elevations. These reconstructions now provide a better perspective for comparing recent warming to Medieval warming and a better understanding of forest dynamics as biomes shift in response to the transition from the Little Ice Age to contemporary warming. Reconstructed temperatures are consistent with well-established, entirely independent tree-ring dated ice advances of land-terminating glaciers along the Gulf of Alaska providing an additional check for stationarity in the reconstructed interval.

  16. Drought stress, growth and nonstructural carbohydrate dynamics of pine trees in a semi-arid forest.

    PubMed

    Klein, Tamir; Hoch, Günter; Yakir, Dan; Körner, Christian

    2014-09-01

    In trees exposed to prolonged drought, both carbon uptake (C source) and growth (C sink) typically decrease. This correlation raises two important questions: (i) to what degree is tree growth limited by C availability; and (ii) is growth limited by concurrent C storage (e.g., as nonstructural carbohydrates, NSC)? To test the relationships between drought, growth and C reserves, we monitored the changes in NSC levels and constructed stem growth chronologies of mature Pinus halepensis Miller trees of three drought stress levels growing in Yatir forest, Israel, at the dry distribution limit of forests. Moderately stressed and stressed trees showed 34 and 14% of the stem growth, 71 and 31% of the sap flux density, and 79 and 66% of the final needle length of healthy trees in 2012. In spite of these large reductions in growth and sap flow, both starch and soluble sugar concentrations in the branches of these trees were similar in all trees throughout the dry season (2-4% dry mass). At the same time, the root starch concentrations of moderately stressed and stressed trees were 47 and 58% of those of healthy trees, but never <2% dry mass. Our results show that all the studied trees maintain a fairly good coordination between C supply and demand, and even during prolonged drought there is more than one way for a tree to maintain a positive C balance. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Root-zone temperatures affect phenology of bud break, flower cluster development, shoot extension growth and gas exchange of 'Braeburn' (Malus domestica) apple trees.

    PubMed

    Greer, Dennis H; Wünsche, Jens N; Norling, Cara L; Wiggins, Harry N

    2006-01-01

    We investigated the effects of root-zone temperature on bud break, flowering, shoot growth and gas exchange of potted mature apple (Malus domestica (Borkh.)) trees with undisturbed roots. Soil respiration was also determined. Potted 'Braeburn' apple trees on M.9 rootstock were grown for 70 days in a constant day/night temperature regime (25/18 degrees C) and one of three constant root-zone temperatures (7, 15 and 25 degrees C). Both the proportion and timing of bud break were significantly enhanced as root-zone temperature increased. Rate of floral cluster opening was also markedly increased with increasing root-zone temperature. Shoot length increased but shoot girth growth declined as root-zone temperatures increased. Soil respiration and leaf photosynthesis generally increased as root-zone temperatures increased. Results indicate that apple trees growing in regions where root zone temperatures are < or = 15 degrees C have delayed bud break and up to 20% fewer clusters than apple trees exposed to root zone temperatures of > or = 15 degrees C. The effect of root-zone temperature on shoot performance may be mediated through the mobilization of root reserves, although the role of phytohormones cannot be discounted. Variation in leaf photosynthesis across the temperature treatments was inadequately explained by stomatal conductance. Given that root growth increases with increasing temperature, changes in sink activity induced by the root-zone temperature treatments provide a possible explanation for the non-stomatal effect on photosynthesis. Irrespective of underlying mechanisms, root-zone temperatures influence bud break and flowering in apple trees.

  18. Tree-ring growth of Scots pine, Common beech and Pedunculate oak under future climate in northeastern Germany

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jurasinski, Gerald; Scharnweber, Tobias; Schröder, Christian; Lennartz, Bernd; Bauwe, Andreas

    2017-04-01

    Tree growth depends, among other factors, largely on the prevailing climatic conditions. Therefore, tree growth patterns are to be expected under climate change. Here, we analyze the tree-ring growth response of three major European tree species to projected future climate across a climatic (mostly precipitation) gradient in northeastern Germany. We used monthly data for temperature, precipitation, and the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) over multiple time scales (1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months) to construct models of tree-ring growth for Scots pine (Pinus syl- vestris L.) at three pure stands, and for Common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) at three mature mixed stands. The regression models were derived using a two-step approach based on partial least squares regression (PLSR) to extract potentially well explaining variables followed by ordinary least squares regression (OLSR) to consolidate the models to the least number of variables while retaining high explanatory power. The stability of the models was tested with a comprehensive calibration-verification scheme. All models were successfully verified with R2s ranging from 0.21 for the western pine stand to 0.62 for the beech stand in the east. For growth prediction, climate data forecasted until 2100 by the regional climate model WETTREG2010 based on the A1B Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission scenario was used. For beech and oak, growth rates will likely decrease until the end of the 21st century. For pine, modeled growth trends vary and range from a slight growth increase to a weak decrease in growth rates depending on the position along the climatic gradient. The climatic gradient across the study area will possibly affect the future growth of oak with larger growth reductions towards the drier east. For beech, site-specific adaptations seem to override the influence of the climatic gradient. We conclude that in Northeastern

  19. [Effects of crop tree release on stand growth and stand structure of Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation].

    PubMed

    Wu, Jian-qiang; Wang, Yi-xiang; Yang, Yi; Zhu, Ting-ting; Zhu, Xu-dan

    2015-02-01

    Crop trees were selected in a 26-year-old even-aged Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation in Lin' an, and compared in plots that were released and unreleased to examine growth and structure responses for 3 years after thinning. Crop tree release significantly increased the mean increments of diameter and volume of individual tree by 1.30 and 1.25 times relative to trees in control stands, respectively. The increments of diameter and volume of crop trees were significantly higher than those of general trees in thinning plots, crop trees and general trees in control plots, which suggested that the responses from different tree types to crop tree release treatment were different. Crop tree release increased the average distances of crop trees to the nearest neighboring trees, reducing competition among crop trees by about 68.2%. 3-year stand volume increment for thinning stands had no significant difference with that of control stands although the number of trees was only 81.5% of the control. Crop trees in thinned plots with diameters over than 14 cm reached 18.0% over 3 years, compared with 12.0% for trees without thinning, suggesting that crop tree release benefited the larger individual trees. The pattern of tree locations in thinning plots tended to be random, complying with the rule that tree distribution pattern changes with growth. Crop tree release in C. lanceolata plantation not only promoted the stand growth, but also optimized the stand structure, benefiting crop trees sustained rapid growth and larger diameter trees production.

  20. Crown dynamics and wood production of Douglas-fir trees in an old-growth forest

    Treesearch

    H. Roaki Ishii; Stephen C. Sillett; Allyson L. Carroll

    2017-01-01

    Large trees are the most prominent structural features of old-growth forests, which are considered to be globally important carbon sinks. Because of their large size, estimates of biomass and growth of large trees are often based on ground-level measurements (e.g., diameter at breast height, DBH) and little is known about growth dynamics within the crown. As trees...

  1. Effects of acidity on tree pollen germination and tube growth

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jacobson, J.S.; Van Rye, D.M.; Lassoie, J.P.

    Several studies have indicated that pollen germination and tube growth are adversely affected by air pollutants. Pollutants may inhibit the function of pollen by reducing the number of pollen grains which germinate, by reducing the maximum length to which the pollen tubes grow, or by interfering with the formation of the generative cell. The paper reports on studies that are attempting to determine the effects acid rain may have on these crucial stages in the life histories of northeastern tree species. The first stage of this work assessed the effects of acidity in the growth medium on in vitro pollenmore » germination for four deciduous forest species common to central New York State, Betula lutea (yellow birch), B. lenta (black birch), Acer saccharum (sugar maple), and Cornus florida (flowering dogwood). Measurements were taken at the end of the growth period to determine the percentage of grains which had germinated, and to estimate the average tube length. To determine the effects of pollen on the growth medium, the pH of the germination drop was measured at the end of the growth period.« less

  2. Correlation analysis of tree growth, climate, and acid deposition in the Lake States.

    Treesearch

    Margaret R. Holdaway

    1990-01-01

    Describes research designed to detect subtle regional tree growth trends related to sulfate (SO4) deposition in the Lake States. Correlation methods were used to analyze climatic and SO4 deposition. Effects of SO4 deposition are greater on climatically stressed trees, especially pine species on dry sites, than on unstressed trees. Jack pine growth shows the...

  3. Effects of season, rainfall, and hydrogeomorphic setting on mangrove tree growth in Micronesia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Krauss, K.W.; Keeland, B.D.; Allen, J.A.; Ewel, K.C.; Johnson, Daniel J.

    2007-01-01

    Seasonal patterns of tree growth are often related to rainfall, temperature, and relative moisture regimes. We asked whether diameter growth of mangrove trees in Micronesia, where seasonal changes are minimal, is continuous throughout a year or conforms to an annual cycle. We installed dendrometer bands on Sonneratia alba and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza trees growing naturally within mangrove swamps on the islands of Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Pohnpei, FSM, and Butaritari, Republic of Kiribati, in the eastern Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. Trees were remeasured monthly or quarterly for as long as 6 yr. Annual mean individual tree basal area increments ranged from 7.0 to 79.6 cm2/yr for all S. alba trees and from 4.8 to 27.4 cm2/yr for all B. gymnorrhiza trees from Micronesian high islands. Diameter increment for S. alba on Butaritari Atoll was lower at 7.8 cm 2/yr for the one year measured. Growth rates differed significantly by hydrogeomorphic zone. Riverine and interior zones maintained up to seven times the annual diameter growth rate of fringe forests, though not on Pohnpei, where basal area increments for both S. alba and B. gymnorrhiza were approximately 1.5 times greater in the fringe zone than in the interior zone. Time-series modeling indicated that there were no consistent and statistically significant annual diameter growth patterns. Although rainfall has some seasonality in some years on Kosrae and Pohnpei and overall growth of mangroves was sometimes related positively to quarterly rainfall depths, seasonal diameter growth patterns were not distinctive. A reduced chance of moisture-related stress in high-rainfall, wetland environments may serve to buffer growth of Micronesian mangroves from climatic extremes. ?? 2007 The Author(s) Journal compilation ?? 2007 by The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation.

  4. Uav-Based Automatic Tree Growth Measurement for Biomass Estimation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karpina, M.; Jarząbek-Rychard, M.; Tymków, P.; Borkowski, A.

    2016-06-01

    Manual in-situ measurements of geometric tree parameters for the biomass volume estimation are time-consuming and economically non-effective. Photogrammetric techniques can be deployed in order to automate the measurement procedure. The purpose of the presented work is an automatic tree growth estimation based on Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) imagery. The experiment was conducted in an agriculture test field with scots pine canopies. The data was collected using a Leica Aibotix X6V2 platform equipped with a Nikon D800 camera. Reference geometric parameters of selected sample plants were measured manually each week. In situ measurements were correlated with the UAV data acquisition. The correlation aimed at the investigation of optimal conditions for a flight and parameter settings for image acquisition. The collected images are processed in a state of the art tool resulting in a generation of dense 3D point clouds. The algorithm is developed in order to estimate geometric tree parameters from 3D points. Stem positions and tree tops are identified automatically in a cross section, followed by the calculation of tree heights. The automatically derived height values are compared to the reference measurements performed manually. The comparison allows for the evaluation of automatic growth estimation process. The accuracy achieved using UAV photogrammetry for tree heights estimation is about 5cm.

  5. Growth and carbon balance are differently regulated by tree and shoot fruiting contexts: an integrative study on apple genotypes with contrasted bearing patterns.

    PubMed

    Pallas, Benoît; Bluy, Sylvie; Ngao, Jérôme; Martinez, Sébastien; Clément-Vidal, Anne; Kelner, Jean-Jacques; Costes, Evelyne

    2018-01-09

    In plants, carbon source-sink relationships are assumed to affect their reproductive effort. In fruit trees, carbon source-sink relationships are likely to be involved in their fruiting behavior. In apple, a large variability in fruiting behaviors exists, from regular to biennial, which has been related to the within-tree synchronization vs desynchronization of floral induction in buds. In this study, we analyzed if carbon assimilation, availability and fluxes as well as shoot growth differ in apple genotypes with contrasted behaviors. Another aim was to determine the scale of plant organization at which growth and carbon balance are regulated. The study was carried out on 16 genotypes belonging to three classes: (i) biennial, (ii) regular with a high production of floral buds every year and (iii) regular, displaying desynchronized bud fates in each year. Three shoot categories, vegetative and reproductive shoots with or without fruits, were included. This study shows that shoot growth and carbon balance are differentially regulated by tree and shoot fruiting contexts. Shoot growth was determined by the shoot fruiting context, or by the type of shoot itself, since vegetative shoots were always longer than reproductive shoots whatever the tree crop load. Leaf photosynthesis depended on the tree crop load only, irrespective of the shoot category or the genotypic class. Starch content was also strongly affected by the tree crop load with some adjustments of the carbon balance among shoots since starch content was lower, at least at some dates, in shoots with fruits compared with the shoots without fruits within the same trees. Finally, the genotypic differences in terms of shoot carbon balance partly matched with genotypic bearing patterns. Nevertheless, carbon content in buds and the role of gibberellins produced by seeds as well as the distances at which they could affect floral induction should be further analyzed. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford

  6. Crown development in a pioneer tree, Rhus trichocarpa, in relation to the structure and growth of individual branches.

    PubMed

    Osada, Noriyuki

    2006-01-01

    Based on an allometric reconstruction, the structure and biomass-allocation patterns of branches and current-year shoots were investigated in branches of various heights in the pioneer tree Rhus trichocarpa, to evaluate how crown development is achieved and limited in association with height. Path analysis was conducted to explore the effects of light availability, basal height and size of individual branches on branch structure and growth. Branch angle was affected by basal height, whereas branch mass was influenced primarily by light availability. This result suggests that branch structure is strongly constrained by basal height, and that trees mediate such constraints under different light environments. Previous-year leaf area and light availability showed positive effects on current-year stem mass. In contrast, branch basal height and mass negatively affected current-year stem mass. Moreover, the length of stems of a given diameter decreased with increasing branch height. Therefore the cost of biomass investment for a unit growth in length is greater for branches of larger size and at upper positions. Vertical growth rate in length decreased with increasing height. Height-dependent changes in stem allometry and angle influenced the reduction in vertical growth rate to a similar degree.

  7. Sampling the quality of hardwood trees

    Treesearch

    Adrian M. Gilbert

    1959-01-01

    Anyone acquainted with the conversion of hardwood trees into wood products knows that timber has a wide range in quality. Some trees will yield better products than others. So, in addition to rate of growth and size, tree values are affected by the quality of products yielded.

  8. Growth and mortality of bigtooth aspen trees stressed by defoliation

    Treesearch

    Donald D. Davis; Timothy M. Frontz

    2003-01-01

    A survey conducted by the authors in 1993 in six stands within an area of declining aspen revealed that aspen mortality ranged from 25 to 67 percent per stand. Tree-ring analyses revealed that trees dead at time of sampling in 1993 had been growing slower in four of the six stands during the previous decade than were the surviving trees. However growth declines had...

  9. Chapter 20: geographic variability in growth of forest trees

    Treesearch

    Robert Z. Callaham

    1962-01-01

    Tree growth, like all plant characters, is a product of the interaction of genes and environment; however, the genes, environment, and interaction are not the same for every individual of a species. Genes exert master control over the plant's growth mechanisms. They control mechanisms for responding to environment and for utilizing environment in growth. Usually...

  10. Impacts of drought on tree mortality and growth in a mixed hardwood forest

    Treesearch

    Katherine J. Elliott; Wayne T. Swank

    1994-01-01

    The tree and shrub species on a 16-ha watershed in the Coweeta Basin were sampled in 1984 and again in 1991 to determine the effects of drought on tree species composition and basal area growth. Mortality and radial growth were determined for tree species within three community types that represent a moisture gradient from moist to dry: covhardwoods > mixed-oak...

  11. Growth following pruning of young loblolly pine trees: some early results

    Treesearch

    Ralph L. Amateis; Harold E. Burkhart

    2006-01-01

    In the spring of 2000, a designed experiment was established to study the effects of pruning on juvenile loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) tree growth and the subsequent formation of mature wood. Trees were planted at a 3 m x 3 m square spacing in plots of 6 rows with 6 trees per row, with the inner 16 trees constituting the measurement plot. Among the...

  12. Acid rain, air pollution, and tree growth in southeastern New York

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Puckett, L.J.

    1982-01-01

    Whether dendroecological analyses could be used to detect changes in the relationship of tree growth to climate that might have resulted from chronic exposure to components of the acid rain-air pollution complex was determined. Tree-ring indices of white pine (Pinus strobus L.), eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Cart.), pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.), and chestnut oak (Quercus prinus L.) were regressed against orthogonally transformed values of temperature and precipitation in order to derive a response-function relationship. Results of the regression analyses for three time periods, 1901–1920, 1926–1945, and 1954–1973 suggest that the relationship of tree growth to climate has been altered. Statistical tests of the temperature and precipitation data suggest that this change was nonclimatic. Temporally, the shift in growth response appears to correspond with the suspected increase in acid rain and air pollution in the Shawangunk Mountain area of southeastern New York in the early 1950's. This change could be the result of physiological stress induced by components of the acid rain-air pollution complex, causing climatic conditions to be more limiting to tree growth.

  13. Diameter Growth, Survival, and Volume Estimates for Missouri Trees

    Treesearch

    Stephen R. Shifley; W. Brad Smith

    1982-01-01

    Measurements of more than 20,000 Missouri trees were summarized by species and diameter class into tables of mean annual diameter growth, annual probability of survival, net cubic foot volume, and net board foot volume. In the absence of better forecasting techniques, this information can be utilized to project short-term changes for Missouri trees, inventory plots,...

  14. Drought stress, growth, and nonstructural carbohydrate dynamics of pine trees in a semi-arid forest

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klein, Tamir; Yakir, Dan; Hoch, Günter

    2014-05-01

    • In trees under prolonged drought, both carbon uptake (C source) and growth (C sink) typically decrease. This correlation raises two important questions: (1) to what degree is tree growth limited by C availability; and (2) Is growth limited by concurrent C storage (e.g. as nonstructural carbohydrates, NSC). • To test the relationships between drought, growth, and C reserves, we monitored the changes in NSC levels and constructed stem growth chronologies of Pinus halepensis trees of three drought stress levels growing in Yatir forest, Israel, at the dry limit of forest existence. • Moderately stressed and stressed trees showed 37% and 21% of the stem growth of healthy trees in 2012; 71% and 31% of the sap flux density; and 79% and 66% of the final needle length. In spite of these large reductions, both starch and soluble sugars concentrations in branches of these trees were similar in all trees throughout the dry season (2-4% dry mass). At the same time the root starch concentrations of moderately stressed and stressed trees were 47% and 58% of that of healthy trees, but never below 2% d.m. • Our results suggest that the drought-induced growth reduction is associated with a general C shortage, rather than competition with concurrent C storage. The relatively small effect of drought stress level on NSC dynamics, the maintenance of a 2% d.m. starch, and the continued sap flow indicate that a whole-tree C starvation is not likely to occur in these trees growing at the edge of the desert. Special request: If the abstract is not accepted for presentation in this session, please consider for presentation in session BG2.11 Plant traits and biogeochemical cycles. Thank you.

  15. Monitoring small pioneer trees in the forest-tundra ecotone: using multi-temporal airborne laser scanning data to model height growth.

    PubMed

    Hauglin, Marius; Bollandsås, Ole Martin; Gobakken, Terje; Næsset, Erik

    2017-12-08

    Monitoring of forest resources through national forest inventory programmes is carried out in many countries. The expected climate changes will affect trees and forests and might cause an expansion of trees into presently treeless areas, such as above the current alpine tree line. It is therefore a need to develop methods that enable the inclusion of also these areas into monitoring programmes. Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is an established tool in operational forest inventories, and could be a viable option for monitoring tasks. In the present study, we used multi-temporal ALS data with point density of 8-15 points per m 2 , together with field measurements from single trees in the forest-tundra ecotone along a 1500-km-long transect in Norway. The material comprised 262 small trees with an average height of 1.78 m. The field-measured height growth was derived from height measurements at two points in time. The elapsed time between the two measurements was 4 years. Regression models were then used to model the relationship between ALS-derived variables and tree heights as well as the height growth. Strong relationships between ALS-derived variables and tree heights were found, with R 2 values of 0.93 and 0.97 for the two points in time. The relationship between the ALS data and the field-derived height growth was weaker, with R 2 values of 0.36-0.42. A cross-validation gave corresponding results, with root mean square errors of 19 and 11% for the ALS height models and 60% for the model relating ALS data to single-tree height growth.

  16. Tree growth and vegetation activity at the ecosystem-scale in the eastern Mediterranean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coulthard, Bethany L.; Touchan, Ramzi; Anchukaitis, Kevin J.; Meko, David M.; Sivrikaya, Fatih

    2017-08-01

    Linking annual tree growth with remotely-sensed terrestrial vegetation indices provides a basis for using tree rings as proxies for ecosystem primary productivity over large spatial and long temporal scales. In contrast with most previous tree ring/remote sensing studies that have focused on temperature-limited boreal and taiga environments, here we compare the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) with a network of Pinus brutia tree ring width chronologies collected along ecological gradients in semiarid Cyprus, where both radial tree growth and broader vegetation activity are controlled by drought. We find that the interaction between precipitation, elevation, and land-cover type generate a relationship between radial tree growth and NDVI. While tree ring chronologies at higher-elevation forested sites do not exhibit climate-driven linkages with NDVI, chronologies at lower-elevation dry sites are strongly correlated with NDVI during the winter precipitation season. At lower-elevation sites, land cover is dominated by grasslands and shrublands and tree ring widths operate as a proxy for ecosystem-scale vegetation activity. Tree rings can therefore be used to reconstruct productivity in water-limited grasslands and shrublands, where future drought stress is expected to alter the global carbon cycle, biodiversity, and ecosystem functioning in the 21st century.

  17. Predicting past and future diameter growth for trees in the northeastern United States

    Treesearch

    James A. Westfall

    2006-01-01

    Tree diameter growth models are widely used in forestry applications, often to predict tree size at a future point in time. Also, there are instances where projections of past diameters are needed. A relative diameter growth model was developed to allow prediction of both future and past growth rates. Coefficients were estimated for 15 species groups that cover most...

  18. Age-related changes in tree growth and physiology

    Treesearch

    Andrew Groover

    2017-01-01

    Trees pass through specific developmental phases as they age, including juvenile to adult, and vegetative to reproductive phases. The timing of these transitions is regulated genetically but is also highly influenced by the environment. Tree species have evolved different strategies and life histories that affect how they age – for example some pioneer species are fast...

  19. Stature of sub-arctic birch in relation to growth rate, lifespan and tree form.

    PubMed

    Jónsson, Thorbergur Hjalti

    2004-11-01

    Sub-arctic mountain birch Betula pubescens var. pumila communities in the North Atlantic region are of variable stature, ranging from prostrate scrubs to forests with trees up to 12 m high. Four hypotheses were tested, relating growth and population characteristics of sub-arctic birch woodland and scrub to tree stature; i.e. the variable stature of birch woods is due to differences in (1) the mean growth rate; (2) the age-related patterns of growth rate; (3) the life expectancy of stems; or (4) the tree form. A stratified random sample of 300 birch trees was drawn from the total population of indigenous birch woodlands and scrub in Iceland, yielding 286 valid sample genets. The population was divided into three sub-populations with dominant trees 0-2, 2-4 and 4-12 m tall, referred to as birch scrub, birch scrub-woodland and birch forest, respectively. Trees in the scrub population were of more contorted growth form than birch in the scrub-woodland and forest populations. Mean growth rates, mean age and median life expectancies increased significantly with sub-population of greater tree stature. At the population level, annual increment and longevity of birch stems was apparently interrelated as the stems in vigorously growing birch sub-populations had a longer life expectancy than those of slower growth. However, no difference was observed between sub-populations in age-related patterns of extension growth rate. The results were consistent with hypotheses (1), (3) and (4), but hypothesis (2) was rejected. Hence, mountain birch of more vigorous growth attains a greater stature than birch of lesser increment due to faster extension growth rate and a longer lifespan. In addition, the more contorted stem form of scrub populations contributes to their low stature.

  20. Stature of Sub-arctic Birch in Relation to Growth Rate, Lifespan and Tree Form

    PubMed Central

    JÓNSSON, THORBERGUR HJALTI

    2004-01-01

    • Background and Aims Sub-arctic mountain birch Betula pubescens var. pumila communities in the North Atlantic region are of variable stature, ranging from prostrate scrubs to forests with trees up to 12 m high. Four hypotheses were tested, relating growth and population characteristics of sub-arctic birch woodland and scrub to tree stature; i.e. the variable stature of birch woods is due to differences in (1) the mean growth rate; (2) the age-related patterns of growth rate; (3) the life expectancy of stems; or (4) the tree form. • Methods A stratified random sample of 300 birch trees was drawn from the total population of indigenous birch woodlands and scrub in Iceland, yielding 286 valid sample genets. The population was divided into three sub-populations with dominant trees 0–2, 2–4 and 4–12 m tall, referred to as birch scrub, birch scrub-woodland and birch forest, respectively. • Key Results Trees in the scrub population were of more contorted growth form than birch in the scrub-woodland and forest populations. Mean growth rates, mean age and median life expectancies increased significantly with sub-population of greater tree stature. At the population level, annual increment and longevity of birch stems was apparently interrelated as the stems in vigorously growing birch sub-populations had a longer life expectancy than those of slower growth. However, no difference was observed between sub-populations in age-related patterns of extension growth rate. • Conclusions The results were consistent with hypotheses (1), (3) and (4), but hypothesis (2) was rejected. Hence, mountain birch of more vigorous growth attains a greater stature than birch of lesser increment due to faster extension growth rate and a longer lifespan. In addition, the more contorted stem form of scrub populations contributes to their low stature. PMID:15374837

  1. An evaluation of the STEMS tree growth projection system.

    Treesearch

    Margaret R. Holdaway; Gary J. Brand

    1983-01-01

    STEMS (Stand and Tree Evaluation and Modeling System) is a tree growth projection system. This paper (1) compares the performance of the current version of STEMS developed for the Lake States with that of the original model and (2) reports the results of an analysis of the current model over a wide range of conditions and identifies its main strengths and weaknesses...

  2. Radiocarbon Dating of an Olive Tree Cross-Section: New Insights on Growth Patterns and Implications for Age Estimation of Olive Trees.

    PubMed

    Ehrlich, Yael; Regev, Lior; Kerem, Zohar; Boaretto, Elisabetta

    2017-01-01

    The age of living massive olive trees is often assumed to be between hundreds and even thousands of years. These estimations are usually based on the girth of the trunk and an extrapolation based on a theoretical annual growth rate. It is difficult to objectively verify these claims, as a monumental tree may not be cut down for analysis of its cross-section. In addition, the inner and oldest part of the trunk in olive trees usually rots, precluding the possibility of carting out radiocarbon analysis of material from the first years of life of the tree. In this work we present a cross-section of an olive tree, previously estimated to be hundreds of years old, which was cut down post-mortem in 2013. The cross-section was radiocarbon dated at numerous points following the natural growth pattern, which was made possible to observe by viewing the entire cross-section. Annual growth rate values were calculated and compared between different radii. The cross-section also revealed a nearly independent segment of growth, which would clearly offset any estimations based solely on girth calculations. Multiple piths were identified, indicating the beginning of branching within the trunk. Different radii were found to have comparable growth rates, resulting in similar estimates dating the piths to the 19th century. The estimated age of the piths represent a terminus ante quem for the age of the tree, as these are piths of separate branches. However, the tree is likely not many years older than the dated piths, and certainly not centuries older. The oldest radiocarbon-datable material in this cross-section was less than 200 years old, which is in agreement with most other radiocarbon dates of internal wood from living olive trees, rarely older than 300 years.

  3. Reconstruction of late Holocene climate based on tree growth and mechanistic hierarchical models

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Tipton, John; Hooten, Mevin B.; Pederson, Neil; Tingley, Martin; Bishop, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    Reconstruction of pre-instrumental, late Holocene climate is important for understanding how climate has changed in the past and how climate might change in the future. Statistical prediction of paleoclimate from tree ring widths is challenging because tree ring widths are a one-dimensional summary of annual growth that represents a multi-dimensional set of climatic and biotic influences. We develop a Bayesian hierarchical framework using a nonlinear, biologically motivated tree ring growth model to jointly reconstruct temperature and precipitation in the Hudson Valley, New York. Using a common growth function to describe the response of a tree to climate, we allow for species-specific parameterizations of the growth response. To enable predictive backcasts, we model the climate variables with a vector autoregressive process on an annual timescale coupled with a multivariate conditional autoregressive process that accounts for temporal correlation and cross-correlation between temperature and precipitation on a monthly scale. Our multi-scale temporal model allows for flexibility in the climate response through time at different temporal scales and predicts reasonable climate scenarios given tree ring width data.

  4. Climate dependency of tree growth suppressed by acid deposition effects on soils in Northwest Russia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lawrence, G.B.; Lapenis, A.G.; Berggren, D.; Aparin, B.F.; Smith, K.T.; Shortle, W.C.; Bailey, S.W.; Varlyguin, D.L.; Babikov, B.

    2005-01-01

    Increased tree growth in temperate and boreal forests has been proposed as a direct consequence of a warming climate. Acid deposition effects on nutrient availability may influence the climate dependency of tree growth, however. This study presents an analysis of archived soil samples that has enabled changes in soil chemistry to be tracked with patterns of tree growth through the 20th century. Soil samples collected in 1926, 1964, and 2001, near St. Petersburg, Russia, showed that acid deposition was likely to have decreased root-available concentrations of Ca (an essential element) and increased root-available concentrations of Al (an inhibitor of Ca uptake). These soil changes coincided with decreased diameter growth and a suppression of climate-tree growth relationships in Norway spruce. Expected increases in tree growth from climate warming may be limited by decreased soil fertility in regions of northern and eastern Europe, and eastern North America, where Ca availability has been reduced by acidic deposition. ?? 2005 American Chemical Society.

  5. Climate dependency of tree growth suppressed by acid deposition effects on soils in northwest Russia.

    PubMed

    Lawrence, Gregory B; Lapenis, Andrei G; Berggren, Dan; Aparin, Boris F; Smith, Kevin T; Shortle, Walter C; Bailey, Scott W; Varlyguin, Dmitry L; Babikov, Boris

    2005-04-01

    Increased tree growth in temperate and boreal forests has been proposed as a direct consequence of a warming climate. Acid deposition effects on nutrient availability may influence the climate dependency of tree growth, however. This study presents an analysis of archived soil samples that has enabled changes in soil chemistry to be tracked with patterns of tree growth through the 20th century. Soil samples collected in 1926, 1964, and 2001, near St. Petersburg, Russia, showed that acid deposition was likely to have decreased root-available concentrations of Ca (an essential element) and increased root-available concentrations of Al (an inhibitor of Ca uptake). These soil changes coincided with decreased diameter growth and a suppression of climate-tree growth relationships in Norway spruce. Expected increases in tree growth from climate warming may be limited by decreased soil fertility in regions of northern and eastern Europe, and eastern North America, where Ca availability has been reduced by acidic deposition.

  6. Modeling non-linear growth responses to temperature and hydrology in wetland trees

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keim, R.; Allen, S. T.

    2016-12-01

    Growth responses of wetland trees to flooding and climate variations are difficult to model because they depend on multiple, apparently interacting factors, but are a critical link in hydrological control of wetland carbon budgets. To more generally understand tree growth to hydrological forcing, we modeled non-linear responses of tree ring growth to flooding and climate at sub-annual time steps, using Vaganov-Shashkin response functions. We calibrated the model to six baldcypress tree-ring chronologies from two hydrologically distinct sites in southern Louisiana, and tested several hypotheses of plasticity in wetlands tree responses to interacting environmental variables. The model outperformed traditional multiple linear regression. More importantly, optimized response parameters were generally similar among sites with varying hydrological conditions, suggesting generality to the functions. Model forms that included interacting responses to multiple forcing factors were more effective than were single response functions, indicating the principle of a single limiting factor is not correct in wetlands and both climatic and hydrological variables must be considered in predicting responses to hydrological or climate change.

  7. Predominant role of water in regulating the tree-growth response to diurnal asymmetric warmin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Z.; Xia, J.; Cui, E.

    2017-12-01

    Growth of the Northern Hemisphere trees is affected by diurnal asymmetric warming, which is generally considered to touch off carbon assimilation and increment of carbon storage. Asymmetric effects of diurnal warming on vegetation greenness were validated in previous researches, however, the effect of diurnal warming on wood tissue which stores most carbon of a whole plant is still unknown. Here, we combined ring-width index (RWI), remote sensing-based normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and climate datasets to detect the effects of daytime and night-time warming on vegetation growth, respectively. Our results indicate that daytime warming enhances NDVI but has neutral effect on tree woody growth over the Northern Hemisphere. Response of wood growth to daytime warming is linearly regulated by soil water availability. The underlying mechanism of different response of canopy and wood growth to daytime warming may attribute to the biomass change, that is, allocation to foliage tissues increased at the expense of wood tissue under warming and water-limited conditions. Night-time warming show neutral effects on NDVI and RWI over the Northern Hemisphere, and the neutral Tmin-NDVI correlations result from the non-linear mediation of soil water availability. Our results highlight the current greening trend under daytime warming does not mean higher carbon sink capacity, the warming-drying climate may impair the large carbon sink of global forests.

  8. Variation of maximum tree height and annual shoot growth of Smith fir at various elevations in the Sygera Mountains, southeastern Tibetan Plateau.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yafeng; Čufar, Katarina; Eckstein, Dieter; Liang, Eryuan

    2012-01-01

    Little is known about tree height and height growth (as annual shoot elongation of the apical part of vertical stems) of coniferous trees growing at various altitudes on the Tibetan Plateau, which provides a high-elevation natural platform for assessing tree growth performance in relation to future climate change. We here investigated the variation of maximum tree height and annual height increment of Smith fir (Abies georgei var. smithii) in seven forest plots (30 m×40 m) along two altitudinal transects between 3,800 m and 4,200/4,390 m above sea level (a.s.l.) in the Sygera Mountains, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Four plots were located on north-facing slopes and three plots on southeast-facing slopes. At each site, annual shoot growth was obtained by measuring the distance between successive terminal bud scars along the main stem of 25 trees that were between 2 and 4 m high. Maximum/mean tree height and mean annual height increment of Smith fir decreased with increasing altitude up to the tree line, indicative of a stress gradient (the dominant temperature gradient) along the altitudinal transect. Above-average mean minimum summer (particularly July) temperatures affected height increment positively, whereas precipitation had no significant effect on shoot growth. The time series of annual height increments of Smith fir can be used for the reconstruction of past climate on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. In addition, it can be expected that the rising summer temperatures observed in the recent past and anticipated for the future will enhance Smith fir's growth throughout its altitudinal distribution range.

  9. Explaining the dependence of climatic response of tree radial growth on permafrost

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bryukhanova, Marina; Benkova, Anna; von Arx, Georg; Fonti, Patrick; Simanko, Valentina; Kirdyanov, Alexander; Shashkin, Alexander

    2015-04-01

    In northern regions of Siberia it is infrequent to have long-term observations of the variability of soil features, phenological data, duration of the growing season, which can be used to infer the influence of the environment on tree growth and productivity. The best way to understand tree-growth and tree responses to environmental changes is to make use of mechanistic models, allowing to combine already available experiment/field data with other parameters based on biological principles of tree growth. The goal of our study is to estimate which tree species (deciduous, conifer deciduous or conifer evergreen) is more plastic under possible climate changes in permafrost zone. The studied object is located in the northern part of central Siberia, Russia (64°N, 100°E). The study plot was selected within a post-fire succession and representatives for 100 years old even aged mixed forest of Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. and Betula pubescens Ehrh. with few exemplars of Spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.). To understand physiological response of larch, birch and spruce trees to climatic changes the ecological-physiological process-based model of tree photosynthesis (Benkova and Shashkin 2003) was applied. Multiparametric tree-ring chronologies were analyzed and correlated with climatic parameters over the last 77 years. This work is supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (Grant from the President of RF for Young Scientists MK-1589.2014.4).

  10. Growth of 11 introduced tree species on selected forest sites in Hawaii

    Treesearch

    Michael G Buck; Roger H. Imoto

    1982-01-01

    Growth and volume data for trees on 25 plots reprsenting 11 introduced species in Hawaii were recorded during a 21-year period. Tree were measured at about 5-year intervals to determine overall growth and stand development. The sites selected were considered better-than-average in terms of elevation, amount of precipitation, and soil quality. Except for redwood, stands...

  11. How trees allocate carbon for optimal growth: insight from a game-theoretic model.

    PubMed

    Fu, Liyong; Sun, Lidan; Han, Hao; Jiang, Libo; Zhu, Sheng; Ye, Meixia; Tang, Shouzheng; Huang, Minren; Wu, Rongling

    2017-02-01

    How trees allocate photosynthetic products to primary height growth and secondary radial growth reflects their capacity to best use environmental resources. Despite substantial efforts to explore tree height-diameter relationship empirically and through theoretical modeling, our understanding of the biological mechanisms that govern this phenomenon is still limited. By thinking of stem woody biomass production as an ecological system of apical and lateral growth components, we implement game theory to model and discern how these two components cooperate symbiotically with each other or compete for resources to determine the size of a tree stem. This resulting allometry game theory is further embedded within a genetic mapping and association paradigm, allowing the genetic loci mediating the carbon allocation of stemwood growth to be characterized and mapped throughout the genome. Allometry game theory was validated by analyzing a mapping data of stem height and diameter growth over perennial seasons in a poplar tree. Several key quantitative trait loci were found to interpret the process and pattern of stemwood growth through regulating the ecological interactions of stem apical and lateral growth. The application of allometry game theory enables the prediction of the situations in which the cooperation, competition or altruism is an optimal decision of a tree to fully use the environmental resources it owns. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  12. How climatic conditions, site, and soil characteristics affect tree growth and critical loads of nitrogen for northeastern tree species

    Treesearch

    Molly J. Robin-Abbott; Linda H. Pardo

    2017-01-01

    Forest health is affected by multiple factors, including topography, climate, and soil characteristics, as well as pests, pathogens, competitive interactions, and anthropogenic deposition. Species within a stand may respond differently to site factors depending on their physiological requirements for growth, survival, and regeneration. We determined optimal ranges of...

  13. Assessing the Dynamic Effects of Climate on Individual Tree Growth Across Time and Space

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Itter, M.; Finley, A. O.; D'Amato, A. W.; Foster, J. R.; Bradford, J. B.

    2015-12-01

    The relationship between climate variability and an ecosystem process, such as forest growth, is frequently not fixed over time, but changes due to complex interactions between unobserved ecological factors and the process of interest. Climate data and forecasts are frequently spatially and temporally misaligned with ecological observations making inference regarding the effects of climate on ecosystem processes particularly challenging. Here we develop a Bayesian dynamic hierarchical model for annual tree growth increment that allows the effects of climate to evolve over time, applies climate data at a spatial-temporal scale consistent with observations, and controls for individual-level variability commonly encountered in ecological datasets. The model is applied to individual tree data from northern Minnesota using a modified Thornthwaite-type water balance model to transform PRISM temperature and precipitation estimates to physiologically relevant values of actual and potential evapotranspiration (AET, PET), and climatic water deficit. Model results indicate that mean tree growth is most sensitive to AET during the growing season and PET and minimum temperature in the spring prior to growth. The effects of these variables on tree growth, however, are not stationary with significant effects observed in only a subset of years during the 111-year study period. Importantly, significant effects of climate do not result from anomalous climate observations, but follow from large growth deviations unexplained by tree age and size, and time since forest disturbance. Results differ markedly from alternative models that assume the effects of climate are stationary over time or apply climate estimates at the individual scale. Forecasts of future tree growth as a function of climate follow directly from the dynamic hierarchical model allowing for assessment of forest change. Current work is focused on extending the model framework to include regional climate and ecosystem

  14. Climate-diameter growth relationships of black spruce and jack pine trees in boreal Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    Subedi, Nirmal; Sharma, Mahadev

    2013-02-01

    To predict the long-term effects of climate change - global warming and changes in precipitation - on the diameter (radial) growth of jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) trees in boreal Ontario, we modified an existing diameter growth model to include climate variables. Diameter chronologies of 927 jack pine and 1173 black spruce trees, growing in the area from 47°N to 50°N and 80°W to 92°W, were used to develop diameter growth models in a nonlinear mixed-effects approach. Our results showed that the variables long-term average of mean growing season temperature, precipitation during wettest quarter, and total precipitation during growing season were significant (alpha = 0.05) in explaining variation in diameter growth of the sample trees. Model results indicated that higher temperatures during the growing season would increase the diameter growth of jack pine trees, but decrease that of black spruce trees. More precipitation during the wettest quarter would favor the diameter growth of both species. On the other hand, a wetter growing season, which may decrease radiation inputs, increase nutrient leaching, and reduce the decomposition rate, would reduce the diameter growth of both species. Moreover, our results indicated that future (2041-2070) diameter growth rate may differ from current (1971-2000) growth rates for both species, with conditions being more favorable for jack pine than black spruce trees. Expected future changes in the growth rate of boreal trees need to be considered in forest management decisions. We recommend that knowledge of climate-growth relationships, as represented by models, be combined with learning from adaptive management to reduce the risks and uncertainties associated with forest management decisions. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  15. Plant defense, herbivory, and the growth of Cordia alliodora trees and their symbiotic Azteca ant colonies.

    PubMed

    Pringle, Elizabeth G; Dirzo, Rodolfo; Gordon, Deborah M

    2012-11-01

    The effects of herbivory on plant fitness are integrated over a plant's lifetime, mediated by ontogenetic changes in plant defense, tolerance, and herbivore pressure. In symbiotic ant-plant mutualisms, plants provide nesting space and food for ants, and ants defend plants against herbivores. The benefit to the plant of sustaining the growth of symbiotic ant colonies depends on whether defense by the growing ant colony outpaces the plant's growth in defendable area and associated herbivore pressure. These relationships were investigated in the symbiotic mutualism between Cordia alliodora trees and Azteca pittieri ants in a Mexican tropical dry forest. As ant colonies grew, worker production remained constant relative to ant-colony size. As trees grew, leaf production increased relative to tree size. Moreover, larger trees hosted lower densities of ants, suggesting that ant-colony growth did not keep pace with tree growth. On leaves with ants experimentally excluded, herbivory per unit leaf area increased exponentially with tree size, indicating that larger trees experienced higher herbivore pressure per leaf area than smaller trees. Even with ant defense, herbivory increased with tree size. Therefore, although larger trees had larger ant colonies, ant density was lower in larger trees, and the ant colonies did not provide sufficient defense to compensate for the higher herbivore pressure in larger trees. These results suggest that in this system the tree can decrease herbivory by promoting ant-colony growth, i.e., sustaining space and food investment in ants, as long as the tree continues to grow.

  16. Stimulating seedling growth in early stages of secondary forest succession: a modeling approach to guide tree liberation

    PubMed Central

    van Kuijk, Marijke; Anten, Niels P. R.; Oomen, Roelof J.; Schieving, Feike

    2014-01-01

    Excessive growth of non-woody plants and shrubs on degraded lands can strongly hamper tree growth and thus secondary forest succession. A common method to accelerate succession, called liberation, involves opening up the vegetation canopy around young target trees. This can increase growth of target trees by reducing competition for light with neighboring plants. However, liberation has not always had the desired effect, likely due to differences in light requirement between tree species. Here we present a 3D-model, which calculates photosynthetic rate of individual trees in a vegetation stand. It enables us to examine how stature, crown structure, and physiological traits of target trees and characteristics of the surrounding vegetation together determine effects of light on tree growth. The model was applied to a liberation experiment conducted with three pioneer species in a young secondary forest in Vietnam. Species responded differently to the treatment depending on their height, crown structure and their shade-tolerance level. Model simulations revealed practical thresholds over which the tree growth response is heavily influenced by the height and density of surrounding vegetation and gap radius. There were strong correlations between calculated photosynthetic rates and observed growth: the model was well able to predict growth of trees in young forests and the effects of liberation there upon. Thus, our model serves as a useful tool to analyze light competition between young trees and surrounding vegetation and may help assess the potential effect of tree liberation. PMID:25101100

  17. Individual tree-diameter growth model for the Northeastern United States

    Treesearch

    Richard M. Teck; Donald E. Hilt

    1991-01-01

    Describes a distance-independent individual-tree diameter growth model for the Northeastern United States. Diameter growth is predicted in two steps using a two parameter, sigmoidal growth function modified by a one parameter exponential decay function with species-specific coefficients. Coefficients are presented for 28 species groups. The model accounts for...

  18. Individual-tree diameter growth model for managed, even-aged, upland oak stands

    Treesearch

    Donald E. Hilt

    1983-01-01

    A distance-independent, individual-tree diameter growth model was developed for managed, even-aged, upland oak stands. The 5-year basal-area growth of individual trees is first modeled as a function of dbh squared for given stands. Parameters from these models are then modeled as a function of mean stand diameter, percent stocking of the stand, and site index. A...

  19. A nonparametric analysis of plot basal area growth using tree based models

    Treesearch

    G. L. Gadbury; H. K. lyer; H. T. Schreuder; C. Y. Ueng

    1997-01-01

    Tree based statistical models can be used to investigate data structure and predict future observations. We used nonparametric and nonlinear models to reexamine the data sets on tree growth used by Bechtold et al. (1991) and Ruark et al. (1991). The growth data were collected by Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) teams from 1962 to 1972 (4th cycle) and 1972 to 1982 (...

  20. Limited Growth Recovery after Drought-Induced Forest Dieback in Very Defoliated Trees of Two Pine Species

    PubMed Central

    Guada, Guillermo; Camarero, J. Julio; Sánchez-Salguero, Raúl; Cerrillo, Rafael M. Navarro

    2016-01-01

    Mediterranean pine forests display high resilience after extreme climatic events such as severe droughts. However, recent dry spells causing growth decline and triggering forest dieback challenge the capacity of some forests to recover following major disturbances. To describe how resilient the responses of forests to drought can be, we quantified growth dynamics in plantations of two pine species (Scots pine, black pine) located in south-eastern Spain and showing drought-triggered dieback. Radial growth was characterized at inter- (tree-ring width) and intra-annual (xylogenesis) scales in three defoliation levels. It was assumed that the higher defoliation the more negative the impact of drought on tree growth. Tree-ring width chronologies were built and xylogenesis was characterized 3 years after the last severe drought occurred. Annual growth data and the number of tracheids produced in different stages of xylem formation were related to climate data at several time scales. Drought negatively impacted growth of the most defoliated trees in both pine species. In Scots pine, xylem formation started earlier in the non-defoliated than in the most defoliated trees. Defoliated trees presented the shortest duration of the radial-enlargement phase in both species. On average the most defoliated trees formed 60% of the number of mature tracheids formed by the non-defoliated trees in both species. Since radial enlargement is the xylogenesis phase most tightly related to final growth, this explains why the most defoliated trees grew the least due to their altered xylogenesis phases. Our findings indicate a very limited resilience capacity of drought-defoliated Scots and black pines. Moreover, droughts produce legacy effects on xylogenesis of highly defoliated trees which could not recover previous growth rates and are thus more prone to die. PMID:27066053

  1. Vernal freeze damage and genetic variation alter tree growth, chemistry, and insect interactions.

    PubMed

    Rubert-Nason, Kennedy F; Couture, John J; Gryzmala, Elizabeth A; Townsend, Philip A; Lindroth, Richard L

    2017-11-01

    Anticipated consequences of climate change in temperate regions include early spring warmup punctuated by intermittent hard freezes. Warm weather accelerates leaf flush in perennial woody species, potentially exposing vulnerable young tissues to damaging frosts. We employed a 2 × 6 randomized factorial design to examine how the interplay of vernal (springtime) freeze damage and genetic variation in a hardwood species (Populus tremuloides) influences tree growth, phytochemistry, and interactions with an insect herbivore (Chaitophorus stevensis). Acute effects of freezing included defoliation and mortality. Surviving trees exhibited reduced growth and altered biomass distribution. Reflushed leaves on these trees had lower mass per area, lower lignin concentrations, and higher nitrogen concentrations, altered chemical defence profiles, and supported faster aphid population growth. Many effects varied among plant genotypes and were related with herbivore performance. This study suggests that a single damaging vernal freeze event can alter tree-insect interactions through effects on plant growth and chemistry. Differential responses of various genotypes to freeze damage suggest that more frequent vernal freeze events could also influence natural selection, favouring trees with greater freeze hardiness, and more resistance or tolerance to herbivores following damage. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Soil-Site Factors Affecting Southern Upland Oak Managment and Growth

    Treesearch

    John K. Francis

    1980-01-01

    Soil supplies trees with physical support, moisture, oxygen, and nutrients. Amount of moisture most limits tree growth; and soil and topographic factors such as texture and aspect, which influence available soil moisture. are most useful in predicting growth. Equations that include soil and topographic variables can be used to predict site index. Foresters can also...

  3. Diameter growth performance of tree functional groups in Puerto Rican secondary tropical forests.

    Treesearch

    Patricia Adame; Maria Uriarte; Thomas Brandeis

    2014-01-01

    Aim of study: Understanding the factors that control tree growth in successional stands is particularly important for quantifying the carbon sequestration potential and timber yield of secondary tropical forests. Understanding the factors that control tree growth in successional stands is particularly important for quantifying the carbon sequestration potential and...

  4. Simulated Tree Growth across the Northern Hemisphere and the Seasonality of Climate Signals Encoded within Tree-ring Widths

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, X.; St George, S.

    2013-12-01

    Both dendrochronological theory and regional and global networks of tree-ring width measurements indicate that trees can respond to climate variations quite differently from one location to another. To explain these geographical differences at hemispheric scale, we used a process-based model of tree-ring formation (the Vaganov-Shashkin model) to simulate tree growth at over 6000 locations across the Northern Hemisphere. We compared the seasonality and strength of climate signals in the simulated tree-ring records against parallel analysis conducted on a hemispheric network of real tree-ring observations, tested the ability of the model to reproduce behaviors that emerge from large networks of tree-ring widths and used the model outputs to explain why the network exhibits these behaviors. The simulated tree-ring records are consistent with observations with respect to the seasonality and relative strength of the encoded climate signals, and time-related changes in these climate signals can be predicted using the modeled relative growth rate due to temperature or soil moisture. The positive imprint of winter (DJF) precipitation is strongest in simulations from the American Southwest and northern Mexico as well as selected locations in the Mediterranean and central Asia. Summer (JJA) precipitation has higher positive correlations with simulations in the mid-latitudes, but some high-latitude coastal sites exhibit a negative association. The influence of summer temperature is mainly positive at high-latitude or high-altitude sites and negative in the mid-latitudes. The absolute magnitude of climate correlations are generally higher in simulations than in observations, but the pattern and geographical differences remain the same, demonstrating that the model has skill in reproducing tree-ring growth response to climate variability in the Northern Hemisphere. Because the model uses only temperature, precipitation and latitude as input and is not adjusted for species or

  5. Differential growth responses to water balance of coexisting deciduous tree species are linked to wood density in a Bolivian tropical dry forest.

    PubMed

    Mendivelso, Hooz A; Camarero, J Julio; Royo Obregón, Oriol; Gutiérrez, Emilia; Toledo, Marisol

    2013-01-01

    A seasonal period of water deficit characterizes tropical dry forests (TDFs). There, sympatric tree species exhibit a diversity of growth rates, functional traits, and responses to drought, suggesting that each species may possess different strategies to grow under different conditions of water availability. The evaluation of the long-term growth responses to changes in the soil water balance should provide an understanding of how and when coexisting tree species respond to water deficit in TDFs. Furthermore, such differential growth responses may be linked to functional traits related to water storage and conductance. We used dendrochronology and climate data to retrospectively assess how the radial growth of seven coexisting deciduous tree species responded to the seasonal soil water balance in a Bolivian TDF. Linear mixed-effects models were used to quantify the relationships between basal area increment and seasonal water balance. We related these relationships with wood density and sapwood production to assess if they affect the growth responses to climate. The growth of all species responded positively to water balance during the wet season, but such responses differed among species as a function of their wood density. For instance, species with a strong growth response to water availability averaged a low wood density which may facilitate the storage of water in the stem. By contrast, species with very dense wood were those whose growth was less sensitive to water availability. Coexisting tree species thus show differential growth responses to changes in soil water balance during the wet season. Our findings also provide a link between wood density, a trait related to the ability of trees to store water in the stem, and wood formation in response to water availability.

  6. Tree growth rates in an Amazonian evergreen forest: seasonal patterns and correlations with leaf phenology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, J.; Silva Campos, K.; Prohaska, N.; Ferreira, M. L.; Nelson, B. W.; Saleska, S. R.; da Silva, R.

    2014-12-01

    Metabolism and phenology of tropical forests significantly influence global dynamics of climate, carbon and water. However, there is still lack of mechanistic understanding of the controls on tropical forest metabolism, particularly at individual tree level. In this study, we are interested in investigating (1) what is the seasonal pattern of woody growth for tropical trees and (2) what is the mechanistic controls onwoody growth at individual level?To explore the above questions,we use two data sources from an evergreen tropical forest KM67 site (near Santarem, Brazil). They are: (1) image time series from a tower mounted RGB imaging system, with images recordedin10 minutes interval since October 2013.Images near local noon homogeneous diffuse lighting were selectedfor leaf phenologymonitoring; (2) ground based bi-weekly biometry survey (via dendrometry band technique) for 25 trees from random sampling since September 2013. 12 among 25 trees are within the tower mounted camera image view. Our preliminary resultsdemonstrate that 20 trees among 25 trees surveyed significantly increase woody growth (or "green up") in dry season. Our results also find thatamong those 20 trees, 12 trees reaches the maximum woody increment rate in late dry season with a mean DBH (Diameter at Breast Height) around 30 cm,while 8 trees reaching the maximum in the middle of wet season, with a mean DBH around 90 cm. This study,though limited in the sample size, mightprovide another line of evidence that Amazon rainforests "green up" in dry season. As for mechanistic controls on tropical tree woody control, we hypothesize both climate and leaf phenology control individual woody growth. We would like to link both camera based leaf phenology and climate data in the next to explorethe reason as to the pattern found in this study that bigger trees might have different seasonal growth pattern as smaller trees.

  7. Simulation of carbon allocation and organ growth variability in apple tree by connecting architectural and source–sink models

    PubMed Central

    Pallas, Benoît; Da Silva, David; Valsesia, Pierre; Yang, Weiwei; Guillaume, Olivier; Lauri, Pierre-Eric; Vercambre, Gilles; Génard, Michel; Costes, Evelyne

    2016-01-01

    Background and aims Plant growth depends on carbon availability and allocation among organs. QualiTree has been designed to simulate carbon allocation and partitioning in the peach tree (Prunus persica), whereas MappleT is dedicated to the simulation of apple tree (Malus × domestica) architecture. The objective of this study was to couple both models and adapt QualiTree to apple trees to simulate organ growth traits and their within-tree variability. Methods MappleT was used to generate architectures corresponding to the ‘Fuji’ cultivar, accounting for the variability within and among individuals. These architectures were input into QualiTree to simulate shoot and fruit growth during a growth cycle. We modified QualiTree to account for the observed shoot polymorphism in apple trees, i.e. different classes (long, medium and short) that were characterized by different growth function parameters. Model outputs were compared with observed 3D tree geometries, considering shoot and final fruit size and growth dynamics. Key Results The modelling approach connecting MappleT and QualiTree was appropriate to the simulation of growth and architectural characteristics at the tree scale (plant leaf area, shoot number and types, fruit weight at harvest). At the shoot scale, mean fruit weight and its variability within trees was accurately simulated, whereas the model tended to overestimate individual shoot leaf area and underestimate its variability for each shoot type. Varying the parameter related to the intensity of carbon exchange between shoots revealed that behaviour intermediate between shoot autonomy and a common assimilate pool was required to properly simulate within-tree fruit growth variability. Moreover, the model correctly dealt with the crop load effect on organ growth. Conclusions This study provides understanding of the integration of shoot ontogenetic properties, carbon supply and transport between entities for simulating organ growth in trees. Further

  8. Photosynthesis, photoprotection, and growth of shade-tolerant tropical tree seedlings under full sunlight.

    PubMed

    Krause, G Heinrich; Winter, Klaus; Matsubara, Shizue; Krause, Barbara; Jahns, Peter; Virgo, Aurelio; Aranda, Jorge; García, Milton

    2012-09-01

    High solar radiation in the tropics is known to cause transient reduction in photosystem II (PSII) efficiency and CO(2) assimilation in sun-exposed leaves, but little is known how these responses affect the actual growth performance of tropical plants. The present study addresses this question. Seedlings of five woody neotropical forest species were cultivated under full sunlight and shaded conditions. In full sunlight, strong photoinhibition of PSII at midday was documented for the late-successional tree species Ormosia macrocalyx and Tetragastris panamensis and the understory/forest gap species, Piper reticulatum. In leaves of O. macrocalyx, PSII inhibition was accompanied by substantial midday depression of net CO(2) assimilation. Leaves of all species had increased pools of violaxanthin-cycle pigments. Other features of photoacclimation, such as increased Chl a/b ratio and contents of lutein, β-carotene and tocopherol varied. High light caused strong increase of tocopherol in leaves of T. panamensis and another late-successional species, Virola surinamensis. O. macrocalyx had low contents of tocopherol and UV-absorbing substances. Under full sunlight, biomass accumulation was not reduced in seedlings of T. panamensis, P. reticulatum, and V. surinamensis, but O. macrocalyx exhibited substantial growth inhibition. In the highly shade-tolerant understory species Psychotria marginata, full sunlight caused strongly reduced growth of most individuals. However, some plants showed relatively high growth rates under full sun approaching those of seedlings at 40 % ambient irradiance. It is concluded that shade-tolerant tropical tree seedlings can achieve efficient photoacclimation and high growth rates in full sunlight.

  9. Reduced aboveground tree growth associated with higher arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity in tropical forest restoration.

    PubMed

    Holste, Ellen K; Holl, Karen D; Zahawi, Rakan A; Kobe, Richard K

    2016-10-01

    Establishing diverse mycorrhizal fungal communities is considered important for forest recovery, yet mycorrhizae may have complex effects on tree growth depending on the composition of fungal species present. In an effort to understand the role of mycorrhizal fungi community in forest restoration in southern Costa Rica, we sampled the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) community across eight sites that were planted with the same species ( Inga edulis, Erythrina poeppigiana, Terminalia amazonia, and Vochysia guatemalensis ) but varied twofold to fourfold in overall tree growth rates. The AMF community was measured in multiple ways: as percent colonization of host tree roots, by DNA isolation of the fungal species associated with the roots, and through spore density, volume, and identity in both the wet and dry seasons. Consistent with prior tropical restoration research, the majority of fungal species belonged to the genus Glomus and genus Acaulospora , accounting for more than half of the species and relative abundance found on trees roots and over 95% of spore density across all sites. Greater AMF diversity correlated with lower soil organic matter, carbon, and nitrogen concentrations and longer durations of prior pasture use across sites. Contrary to previous literature findings, AMF species diversity and spore densities were inversely related to tree growth, which may have arisen from trees facultatively increasing their associations with AMF in lower soil fertility sites. Changes to AMF community composition also may have led to variation in disturbance susceptibility, host tree nutrient acquisition, and tree growth. These results highlight the potential importance of fungal-tree-soil interactions in forest recovery and suggest that fungal community dynamics could have important implications for tree growth in disturbed soils.

  10. The molecular basis for tree growth habit in Prunus persica (peach)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The large size and spreading growth habit of trees requires excessive labor, land space, and pesticides. Genetically improving tree shapes so they can be planted at higher density and/or more readily adapted to mechanization would increase productivity and be more environmentally friendly. Current...

  11. Contrasting drivers and trends of coniferous and deciduous tree growth in interior Alaska.

    PubMed

    Cahoon, Sean M P; Sullivan, Patrick F; Brownlee, Annalis H; Pattison, Robert R; Andersen, Hans-Erik; Legner, Kate; Hollingsworth, Teresa N

    2018-03-22

    The boreal biome represents approximately one third of the world's forested area and plays an important role in global biogeochemical and energy cycles. Numerous studies in boreal Alaska have concluded that growth of black and white spruce is declining as a result of temperature-induced drought stress. The combined evidence of declining spruce growth and changes in the fire regime that favor establishment of deciduous tree species has led some investigators to suggest the region may be transitioning from dominance by spruce to dominance by deciduous forests and/or grasslands. Although spruce growth trends have been extensively investigated, few studies have evaluated long-term radial growth trends of the dominant deciduous species (Alaska paper birch and trembling aspen) and their sensitivity to moisture availability. We used a large and spatially extensive sample of tree cores from interior Alaska to compare long-term growth trends among contrasting tree species (white and black spruce vs. birch and aspen). All species showed a growth peak in the mid-1940s, although growth following the peak varied strongly across species. Following an initial decline from the peak, growth of white spruce showed little evidence of a trend, while black spruce and birch growth showed slight growth declines from ~1970 to present. Aspen growth was much more variable than the other species and showed a steep decline from ~1970 to present. Growth of birch, black and white spruce was sensitive to moisture availability throughout most of the tree-ring chronologies, as evidenced by negative correlations with air temperature and positive correlations with precipitation. However, a positive correlation between previous July precipitation and aspen growth disappeared in recent decades, corresponding with a rise in the population of the aspen leaf miner (Phyllocnistis populiella), an herbivorous moth, which may have driven growth to a level not seen since the early 20th century. Our results

  12. Detecting long-term growth trends using tree rings: a critical evaluation of methods.

    PubMed

    Peters, Richard L; Groenendijk, Peter; Vlam, Mart; Zuidema, Pieter A

    2015-05-01

    Tree-ring analysis is often used to assess long-term trends in tree growth. A variety of growth-trend detection methods (GDMs) exist to disentangle age/size trends in growth from long-term growth changes. However, these detrending methods strongly differ in approach, with possible implications for their output. Here, we critically evaluate the consistency, sensitivity, reliability and accuracy of four most widely used GDMs: conservative detrending (CD) applies mathematical functions to correct for decreasing ring widths with age; basal area correction (BAC) transforms diameter into basal area growth; regional curve standardization (RCS) detrends individual tree-ring series using average age/size trends; and size class isolation (SCI) calculates growth trends within separate size classes. First, we evaluated whether these GDMs produce consistent results applied to an empirical tree-ring data set of Melia azedarach, a tropical tree species from Thailand. Three GDMs yielded similar results - a growth decline over time - but the widely used CD method did not detect any change. Second, we assessed the sensitivity (probability of correct growth-trend detection), reliability (100% minus probability of detecting false trends) and accuracy (whether the strength of imposed trends is correctly detected) of these GDMs, by applying them to simulated growth trajectories with different imposed trends: no trend, strong trends (-6% and +6% change per decade) and weak trends (-2%, +2%). All methods except CD, showed high sensitivity, reliability and accuracy to detect strong imposed trends. However, these were considerably lower in the weak or no-trend scenarios. BAC showed good sensitivity and accuracy, but low reliability, indicating uncertainty of trend detection using this method. Our study reveals that the choice of GDM influences results of growth-trend studies. We recommend applying multiple methods when analysing trends and encourage performing sensitivity and reliability

  13. Influence of repeated prescribed fire on tree growth and mortality in Pinus resinosa forests, northern Minnesota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bottero, Alessandra; D'Amato, Anthony W.; Palik, Brian J.; Kern, Christel C.; Bradford, John B.; Scherer, Sawyer S.

    2017-01-01

    Prescribed fire is widely used for ecological restoration and fuel reduction in fire-dependent ecosystems, most of which are also prone to drought. Despite the importance of drought in fire-adapted forests, little is known about cumulative effects of repeated prescribed burning on tree growth and related response to drought. Using dendrochronological data in red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.)-dominated forests in northern Minnesota, USA, we examined growth responses before and after understory prescribed fires between 1960 and 1970, to assess whether repeated burning influences growth responses of overstory trees and vulnerability of overstory tree growth to drought. We found no difference in tree-level growth vulnerability to drought, expressed as growth resistance, resilience, and recovery, between areas receiving prescribed fire treatments and untreated forests. Annual mortality rates during the period of active burning were also low (less than 2%) in all treatments. These findings indicate that prescribed fire can be effectively integrated into management plans and climate change adaptation strategies for red pine forest ecosystems without significant short- or long-term negative consequences for growth or mortality rates of overstory trees.

  14. The limited contribution of large trees to annual biomass production in an old-growth tropical forest.

    PubMed

    Ligot, Gauthier; Gourlet-Fleury, Sylvie; Ouédraogo, Dakis-Yaoba; Morin, Xavier; Bauwens, Sébastien; Baya, Fidele; Brostaux, Yves; Doucet, Jean-Louis; Fayolle, Adeline

    2018-04-16

    Although the importance of large trees regarding biodiversity and carbon stock in old-growth forests is undeniable, their annual contribution to biomass production and carbon uptake remains poorly studied at the stand level. To clarify the role of large trees in biomass production, we used data of tree growth, mortality, and recruitment monitored during 20 yr in 10 4-ha plots in a species-rich tropical forest (Central African Republic). Using a random block design, three different silvicultural treatments, control, logged, and logged + thinned, were applied in the 10 plots. Annual biomass gains and losses were analyzed in relation to the relative biomass abundance of large trees and by tree size classes using a spatial bootstrap procedure. Although large trees had high individual growth rates and constituted a substantial amount of biomass, stand-level biomass production decreased with the abundance of large trees in all treatments and plots. The contribution of large trees to annual stand-level biomass production appeared limited in comparison to that of small trees. This pattern did not only originate from differences in abundance of small vs. large trees or differences in initial biomass stocks among tree size classes, but also from a reduced relative growth rate of large trees and a relatively constant mortality rate among tree size classes. In a context in which large trees are increasingly gaining attention as being a valuable and a key structural characteristic of natural forests, the present study brought key insights to better gauge the relatively limited role of large trees in annual stand-level biomass production. In terms of carbon uptake, these results suggest, as already demonstrated, a low net carbon uptake of old-growth forests in comparison to that of logged forests. Tropical forests that reach a successional stage with relatively high density of large trees progressively cease to be carbon sinks as large trees contribute sparsely or even

  15. Restoration of eroded soil in the Sonoran Desert with native leguminous trees using plant growth-promoting microorganisms and limited amounts of compost and water.

    PubMed

    Bashan, Yoav; Salazar, Bernardo G; Moreno, Manuel; Lopez, Blanca R; Linderman, Robert G

    2012-07-15

    Restoration of highly eroded desert land was attempted in the southern Sonoran Desert that had lost its natural capacity for self-revegetation. In six field experiments, the fields were planted with three native leguminous trees: mesquite amargo Prosopis articulata, and yellow and blue palo verde Parkinsonia microphylla and Parkinsonia florida. Restoration included inoculation with two of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB; Azospirillum brasilense and Bacillus pumilus), native arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and small quantities of compost. Irrigation was applied, when necessary, to reach a rainy year (300 mm) of the area. The plots were maintained for 61 months. Survival of the trees was marginally affected by all supplements after 30 months, in the range of 60-90%. This variation depended on the plant species, where all young trees were established after 3 months. Plant density was a crucial variable and, in general, low plant density enhanced survival. High planting density was detrimental. Survival significantly declined in trees 61 months after planting. No general response of the trees to plant growth-promoting microorganisms and compost was found. Mesquite amargo and yellow palo verde responded well (height, number of branches, and diameter of the main stem) to inoculation with PGPB, AM fungi, and compost supplementation after three months of application. Fewer positive effects were recorded after 30 months. Blue palo verde did not respond to most treatments and had the lowest survival. Specific plant growth parameters were affected to varying degrees to inoculations or amendments, primarily depending on the tree species. Some combinations of tree/inoculant/amendment resulted in small negative effects or no response when measured after extended periods of time. Using native leguminous trees, this study demonstrated that restoration of severely eroded desert lands was possible. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Independent effects and interactions of stand diameter, tree diameter, crown class, and age on tree growth in mixed-species, even-aged hardwood stands

    Treesearch

    D.A. Marquis

    1991-01-01

    Many studies have shown that initial tree diameter is closely correlated with subsequent tree growth. But initial tree diameter is actually a confounded variable, incorporating both competitive position (crown class) and age.

  17. Australian toon planted in Hawaii: tree quality, growth, and stocking

    Treesearch

    Herbert L. Wick; Robert E. Nelson; Libert K. Landgraf

    1971-01-01

    Tree quality and rates of growth and survival were higher in 5- to 8-year-old Australian toon (Toona australis) plantations on sites with deep soils, good drainage, and as or broken pahoehoe rock than in plantations on sites with poor drainage or unbroken pahoehoe rock. Stocking averaged 236 trees per acre. Spacing in initial plants should be about 6...

  18. Interspecific variation in growth responses to climate and competition of five eastern tree species.

    PubMed

    Rollinson, Christine R; Kaye, Margot W; Canham, Charles D

    2016-04-01

    Climate and competition are often presented from two opposing views of the dominant driver of individual tree growth and species distribution in temperate forests, such as those in the eastern United States. Previous studies have provided abundant evidence indicating that both factors influence tree growth, and we argue that these effects are not independent of one another and rather that interactions between climate, competition, and size best describe tree growth. To illustrate this point, we describe the growth responses of five common eastern tree species to interacting effects of temperature, precipitation, competition, and individual size using maximum likelihood estimation. Models that explicitly include interactions among these four factors explained over half of the variance in annual growth for four out of five species using annual climate. Expanding temperature and precipitation analyses to include seasonal interactions resulted in slightly improved models with a mean R2 of 0.61 (SD 0.10). Growth responses to individual factors as well their interactions varied greatly among species. For example, growth sensitivity to temperature for Quercus rubra increased with maximum annual precipitation, but other species showed no change in sensitivity or slightly reduced annual growth. Our results also indicate that three-way interactions among individual stem size, competition, and temperature may determine which of the five co-occurring species in our study could have the highest growth rate in a given year. Continued consideration and quantification of interactions among climate, competition, and individual-based characteristics are likely to increase understanding of key biological processes such as tree growth. Greater parameterization of interactions between traditionally segregated factors such as climate and competition may also help build a framework to reconcile drivers of individual-based processes such as growth with larger-scale patterns of species

  19. Differential Growth Responses to Water Balance of Coexisting Deciduous Tree Species Are Linked to Wood Density in a Bolivian Tropical Dry Forest

    PubMed Central

    Mendivelso, Hooz A.; Camarero, J. Julio; Royo Obregón, Oriol; Gutiérrez, Emilia; Toledo, Marisol

    2013-01-01

    A seasonal period of water deficit characterizes tropical dry forests (TDFs). There, sympatric tree species exhibit a diversity of growth rates, functional traits, and responses to drought, suggesting that each species may possess different strategies to grow under different conditions of water availability. The evaluation of the long-term growth responses to changes in the soil water balance should provide an understanding of how and when coexisting tree species respond to water deficit in TDFs. Furthermore, such differential growth responses may be linked to functional traits related to water storage and conductance. We used dendrochronology and climate data to retrospectively assess how the radial growth of seven coexisting deciduous tree species responded to the seasonal soil water balance in a Bolivian TDF. Linear mixed-effects models were used to quantify the relationships between basal area increment and seasonal water balance. We related these relationships with wood density and sapwood production to assess if they affect the growth responses to climate. The growth of all species responded positively to water balance during the wet season, but such responses differed among species as a function of their wood density. For instance, species with a strong growth response to water availability averaged a low wood density which may facilitate the storage of water in the stem. By contrast, species with very dense wood were those whose growth was less sensitive to water availability. Coexisting tree species thus show differential growth responses to changes in soil water balance during the wet season. Our findings also provide a link between wood density, a trait related to the ability of trees to store water in the stem, and wood formation in response to water availability. PMID:24116001

  20. The balance of planting and mortality in a street tree population

    Treesearch

    Lara A. Roman; John J. Battles; Joe R. McBride

    2013-01-01

    Street trees have aesthetic, environmental, human health, and economic benefits in urban ecosystems. Street tree populations are constructed by cycles of planting, growth, death, removal and replacement. The goals of this study were to understand how tree mortality and planting rates affect net population growth, evaluate the shape of the mortality curve, and assess...

  1. Insects Extend the Consequences of a Warm, Dry Summer for Tree Growth in the Subsequent Summer near the Arctic Treeline in Alaska

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sullivan, P.; Sveinbjornsson, B.

    2008-12-01

    Treeline positions have important implications for surface energy budgets and carbon cycling in high latitude environments. Warming temperatures during the 20th century have been associated with both positive and negative growth trends in treeline white spruce. It has been suggested that negative growth trends may reflect the increasing importance of drought stress as a constraint on tree growth, although direct observations of water stress near the treeline are lacking. We set out to develop a more mechanistic understanding of environmental controls on gas exchange physiology and growth of white spruce near the Arctic treeline in Alaska. Our three-year study was carried out on a riverside terrace along the Agashashok River in Noatak National Preserve. The terrace is capped with a layer of sand/silt that grades from 10 cm depth at the upstream end to 45 cm depth at the downstream end. White spruce of similar size occur along the gradient at similar density, providing an opportunity to examine the role of parent material depth as a control on tree physiology and growth. Air temperatures during the 2006 growing season were near normal, there was no evidence of water stress and white spruce branch extension growth was near the long-term average. The 2007 growing season was exceptionally warm and dry. Stomatal closure was observed during mid-July throughout most of the diurnal cycle in trees growing on less than 30 cm of parent material. The warm, dry conditions and water-stress in the trees may have precipitated a major insect outbreak, which affected nearly all mature trees in the landscape. Branch extension growth in 2007 was reduced to 70 percent of that observed during the 2005 and 2006 growing seasons. Air temperatures during the 2008 growing season returned to near normal. There was no evidence of water stress, but the insect outbreak persisted and branch extension growth did not recover, remaining similar to that observed in 2007. Results of our study highlight

  2. Relationships of tree height and diameter at breast height revisited: analyses of stem growth using 20-year data of an even-aged Chamaecyparis obtusa stand

    PubMed Central

    Sumida, Akihiro; Miyaura, Tomiyasu; Torii, Hitoshi

    2013-01-01

    Stem diameter at breast height (DBH) and tree height (H) are commonly used measures of tree growth. We examined patterns of height growth and diameter growth along a stem using a 20-year record of an even-aged hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl.) stand. In the region of the stem below the crown (except for the butt swell), diameter growth rates (ΔD) at different heights tended to increase slightly from breast height upwards. This increasing trend was pronounced in suppressed trees, but not as much as the variation in ΔD among individual trees. Hence, ΔD below the crown can be regarded as generally being represented by the DBH growth rate (ΔDBH) of a tree. Accordingly, the growth rate of the stem cross-sectional area increased along the stem upwards in suppressed trees, but decreased in dominant trees. The stem diameter just below the crown base (DCB), the square of which is an index of the amount of leaves on a tree, was an important factor affecting ΔDBH. DCB also had a strong positive relationship with crown length. Hence, long-term changes in the DCB of a tree were associated with long-term changes in crown length, determined by the balance between the height growth rate (ΔH) and the rising rate of the crown base (ΔHCB). Within the crown, ΔD's were generally greater than the rates below the crown. Even dying trees (ΔD ≈ 0 below the crown) maintained ΔD > 0 within the crown and ΔH > 0 until about 5 years before death. This growth within the crown may be related to the need to produce new leaves to compensate for leaves lost owing to the longevity of the lower crown. These results explain the different time trajectories in DBH–H relationships among individual trees, and also the long-term changes in the DBH–H relationships. The view that a rise in the crown base is strongly related to leaf turnover helps to interpret DBH–H relationships. PMID:23303367

  3. Counting Tree Growth Rings Moderately Difficult to Distinguish

    Treesearch

    C. B. Briscoe; M. Chudnoff

    1964-01-01

    There is an extensive literature dealing with techniques and gadgets to facilitate counting tree growth rings. A relatively simple method is described below, satisfactory for species too difficult to count in the field, but not sufficiently difficult to require the preparation of microscope slides nor staining techniques.

  4. Revealing critical mechanisms of BR-mediated apple nursery tree growth using iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Liwei; Ma, Juanjuan; Zhang, Lizhi; Gao, Cai; Zhang, Dong; Zhao, Caiping; Han, Mingyu

    2018-02-20

    Brassinosteroid is identified as an important hormone. However, information about brassinosteroid has not been fully elucidated, and few studies concerned its role in apple. The aim of this work was to study the role of brassinosteroid for apple tree growth. In our study, the effect of brassinosteroid on apple nursery tree was analyzed. The biomass, cell size and xylem content of apple nursery tree were obviously evaluated by brassinosteroid treatment; mineral elements contents, photosynthesis indexes, carbohydrate level and hormone contents were significantly high in brassinosteroid treated trees. To explore the molecular mechanisms of these phenotypic differences, iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics were used to identify the expression profiles of proteins in apple nursery tree shoot tips in response to brassinosteroid at a key period (14days after brassinosteroid treatment). A total of 175 differentially expressed proteins were identified. They were mainly involved in chlorophyII biosynthesis, photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, glycolysis, citric acid cycle, respiratory action, hormone signal, cell growth and ligin metabolism. The findings in this study indicate that brassinosteroid mediating apple nursery tree growth may be mainly through energy metabolism. Important biological processes identified here can be useful theoretical basis and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of brassinosteroid. Brassinosteroid is very important for plant growth and development. However, the molecular mechanism of brassinosteroid mediating growth process is not perfectly clear in plant, especially in apple nursery tree. We used a combination of physiological and bioinformatics analysis to investigate the effects of brassinosteroid on apple nursery tree growth and development. The data reported here demonstrated that brassinosteroid regulates apple nursery tree growth mainly through energy metabolism. Therefore it can provide a theoretical basis from energy

  5. Influence of weather and climate variables on the basal area growth of individual shortleaf pine trees

    Treesearch

    Pradip Saud; Thomas B. Lynch; Duncan S. Wilson; John Stewart; James M. Guldin; Bob Heinemann; Randy Holeman; Dennis Wilson; Keith Anderson

    2015-01-01

    An individual-tree basal area growth model previously developed for even-aged naturally occurring shortleaf pine trees (Pinus echinata Mill.) in western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma did not include weather variables. Individual-tree growth and yield modeling of shortleaf pine has been carried out using the remeasurements of over 200 plots...

  6. Photoperiod- and temperature-mediated control of growth cessation and dormancy in trees: a molecular perspective.

    PubMed

    Maurya, Jay P; Bhalerao, Rishikesh P

    2017-09-01

    How plants adapt their developmental patterns to regular seasonal changes is an important question in biology. The annual growth cycle in perennial long-lived trees is yet another example of how plants can adapt to seasonal changes. The two main signals that plants rely on to respond to seasonal changes are photoperiod and temperature, and these signals have critical roles in the temporal regulation of the annual growth cycle of trees. This review presents the latest findings to provide insight into the molecular mechanisms that underlie how photoperiodic and temperature signals regulate seasonal growth in trees. The results point to a high level of conservation in the signalling pathways that mediate photoperiodic control of seasonal growth in trees and flowering in annual plants such as arabidopsis. Furthermore, the data indicate that symplastic communication may mediate certain aspects of seasonal growth. Although considerable insight into the control of phenology in model plants such as poplar and spruce has been obtained, the future challenge is extending these studies to other, non-model trees. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  7. Field evidences for the positive effects of aerosols on tree growth

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Xin; Wu, Jin; Chen, Min

    Theoretical and eddy-covariance studies demonstrate that aerosol-loading stimulates canopy photosynthesis, but field evidence for the aerosol effect on tree growth is limited. For this study, we measured in-situ daily stem growth rates of aspen trees under a wide range of aerosol-loading in China. The results showed that daily stem growth rates were positively correlated with aerosol-loading, even at exceptionally high aerosol levels. Using structural equation modelling analysis, we showed that variations in stem growth rates can be largely attributed to two environmental variables co-varying with aerosol loading: diffuse fraction of radiation and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Furthermore, we found thatmore » these two factors influence stem growth by influencing photosynthesis from different parts of canopy. By using field observations and a mechanistic photosynthesis model, we demonstrate that photosynthetic rates of both sun and shade leaves increased under high aerosol-loading conditions but for different reasons. For sun leaves, the photosynthetic increase was primarily attributed to the concurrent lower VPD; for shade leaves, the positive aerosol effect was tightly connected with increased diffuse light. Overall, our study provides the first field-evidence of increased tree growth under high aerosol loading. We highlight the importance of understanding biophysical mechanisms of aerosol-meteorology interactions, and incorporating the different pathways of aerosol effects into earth system models to improve the prediction of large-scale aerosol impacts, and the associated vegetation-mediated climate feedbacks.« less

  8. Field evidences for the positive effects of aerosols on tree growth

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Xin; Wu, Jin; Chen, Min; ...

    2018-06-01

    Theoretical and eddy-covariance studies demonstrate that aerosol-loading stimulates canopy photosynthesis, but field evidence for the aerosol effect on tree growth is limited. For this study, we measured in-situ daily stem growth rates of aspen trees under a wide range of aerosol-loading in China. The results showed that daily stem growth rates were positively correlated with aerosol-loading, even at exceptionally high aerosol levels. Using structural equation modelling analysis, we showed that variations in stem growth rates can be largely attributed to two environmental variables co-varying with aerosol loading: diffuse fraction of radiation and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Furthermore, we found thatmore » these two factors influence stem growth by influencing photosynthesis from different parts of canopy. By using field observations and a mechanistic photosynthesis model, we demonstrate that photosynthetic rates of both sun and shade leaves increased under high aerosol-loading conditions but for different reasons. For sun leaves, the photosynthetic increase was primarily attributed to the concurrent lower VPD; for shade leaves, the positive aerosol effect was tightly connected with increased diffuse light. Overall, our study provides the first field-evidence of increased tree growth under high aerosol loading. We highlight the importance of understanding biophysical mechanisms of aerosol-meteorology interactions, and incorporating the different pathways of aerosol effects into earth system models to improve the prediction of large-scale aerosol impacts, and the associated vegetation-mediated climate feedbacks.« less

  9. Forest Management Intensity Affects Aquatic Communities in Artificial Tree Holes.

    PubMed

    Petermann, Jana S; Rohland, Anja; Sichardt, Nora; Lade, Peggy; Guidetti, Brenda; Weisser, Wolfgang W; Gossner, Martin M

    2016-01-01

    Forest management could potentially affect organisms in all forest habitats. However, aquatic communities in water-filled tree-holes may be especially sensitive because of small population sizes, the risk of drought and potential dispersal limitation. We set up artificial tree holes in forest stands subject to different management intensities in two regions in Germany and assessed the influence of local environmental properties (tree-hole opening type, tree diameter, water volume and water temperature) as well as regional drivers (forest management intensity, tree-hole density) on tree-hole insect communities (not considering other organisms such as nematodes or rotifers), detritus content, oxygen and nutrient concentrations. In addition, we compared data from artificial tree holes with data from natural tree holes in the same area to evaluate the methodological approach of using tree-hole analogues. We found that forest management had strong effects on communities in artificial tree holes in both regions and across the season. Abundance and species richness declined, community composition shifted and detritus content declined with increasing forest management intensity. Environmental variables, such as tree-hole density and tree diameter partly explained these changes. However, dispersal limitation, indicated by effects of tree-hole density, generally showed rather weak impacts on communities. Artificial tree holes had higher water temperatures (on average 2°C higher) and oxygen concentrations (on average 25% higher) than natural tree holes. The abundance of organisms was higher but species richness was lower in artificial tree holes. Community composition differed between artificial and natural tree holes. Negative management effects were detectable in both tree-hole systems, despite their abiotic and biotic differences. Our results indicate that forest management has substantial and pervasive effects on tree-hole communities and may alter their structure and

  10. Forest Management Intensity Affects Aquatic Communities in Artificial Tree Holes

    PubMed Central

    Petermann, Jana S.; Rohland, Anja; Sichardt, Nora; Lade, Peggy; Guidetti, Brenda; Weisser, Wolfgang W.; Gossner, Martin M.

    2016-01-01

    Forest management could potentially affect organisms in all forest habitats. However, aquatic communities in water-filled tree-holes may be especially sensitive because of small population sizes, the risk of drought and potential dispersal limitation. We set up artificial tree holes in forest stands subject to different management intensities in two regions in Germany and assessed the influence of local environmental properties (tree-hole opening type, tree diameter, water volume and water temperature) as well as regional drivers (forest management intensity, tree-hole density) on tree-hole insect communities (not considering other organisms such as nematodes or rotifers), detritus content, oxygen and nutrient concentrations. In addition, we compared data from artificial tree holes with data from natural tree holes in the same area to evaluate the methodological approach of using tree-hole analogues. We found that forest management had strong effects on communities in artificial tree holes in both regions and across the season. Abundance and species richness declined, community composition shifted and detritus content declined with increasing forest management intensity. Environmental variables, such as tree-hole density and tree diameter partly explained these changes. However, dispersal limitation, indicated by effects of tree-hole density, generally showed rather weak impacts on communities. Artificial tree holes had higher water temperatures (on average 2°C higher) and oxygen concentrations (on average 25% higher) than natural tree holes. The abundance of organisms was higher but species richness was lower in artificial tree holes. Community composition differed between artificial and natural tree holes. Negative management effects were detectable in both tree-hole systems, despite their abiotic and biotic differences. Our results indicate that forest management has substantial and pervasive effects on tree-hole communities and may alter their structure and

  11. Tree water status and growth of saplings and mature Norway spruce (Picea abies) at a dry distribution limit

    PubMed Central

    Oberhuber, Walter; Hammerle, Albin; Kofler, Werner

    2015-01-01

    We evaluated the size effect on stem water status and growth in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) occurring at the edge of its natural range in a dry inner Alpine environment (750 m asl, Tyrol, Austria). Intra-annual dynamics of stem water deficit (ΔW), maximum daily shrinkage (MDS), and radial growth (RG) were compared among saplings (stem diameter/height: 2.2 cm/93 cm; n = 7) and mature adult trees (25 cm/12.7 m; n = 6) during 2014. ΔW, MDS, and RG were extracted from stem diameter variations, which were continuously recorded by automatic dendrometers and the influence of environmental drivers was evaluated by applying moving correlation analysis (MCA). Additionally, we used Morlet wavelet analysis to assess the differences in cyclic radial stem variations between saplings and mature trees. Results indicate that saplings and mature trees were experiencing water limitation throughout the growing season. However, saplings exhibited a more strained stem water status and higher sensitivity to environmental conditions than mature trees. Hence, the significantly lower radial increments in saplings (0.16 ± 0.03 mm) compared to mature trees (0.54 ± 0.14 mm) is related to more constrained water status in the former, affecting the rate and duration of RG. The wavelet analysis consistently revealed more distinct diurnal stem variations in saplings compared to mature trees. Intra-annual RG was most closely related to climate variables that influence transpiration, i.e., vapor pressure deficit, relative air humidity, and air temperature. MCA, however, showed pronounced instability of climate–growth relationships, which masked missing temporal or significant correlations when the entire study period (April–October) was considered. We conclude that an increase in evaporative demand will impair regeneration and long-term stability of drought-prone inner Alpine Norway spruce forests. PMID:26442019

  12. Functional traits determine tree growth and ecosystem productivity of a tropical montane forest: Insights from a long-term nutrient manipulation experiment.

    PubMed

    Báez, Selene; Homeier, Jürgen

    2018-01-01

    Trait-response effects are critical to forecast community structure and biomass production in highly diverse tropical forests. Ecological theory and few observation studies indicate that trees with acquisitive functional traits would respond more strongly to higher resource availability than those with conservative traits. We assessed how long-term tree growth in experimental nutrient addition plots (N, P, and N + P) varied as a function of morphological traits, tree size, and species identity. We also evaluated how trait-based responses affected stand scale biomass production considering the community structure. We found that tree growth depended on interactions between functional traits and the type or combination of nutrients added. Common species with acquisitive functional traits responded more strongly to nutrient addition, mainly to N + P. Phosphorous enhanced the growth rates of species with acquisitive and conservative traits, had mostly positive effects on common species and neutral or negative effects in rare species. Moreover, trees receiving N + P grew faster irrespective of their initial size relative to trees in control or to trees in other treatment plots. Finally, species responses were highly idiosyncratic suggesting that community processes including competition and niche dimensionality may be altered under increased resource availability. We found no statistically significant effects of nutrient additions on aboveground biomass productivity because acquisitive species had a limited potential to increase their biomass, possibly due to their generally lower wood density. In contrast, P addition increased the growth rates of species characterized by more conservative resource strategies (with higher wood density) that were poorly represented in the plant community. We provide the first long-term experimental evidence that trait-based responses, community structure, and community processes modulate the effects of increased nutrient

  13. Difference in tree growth responses to climate at the upper treeline: Qilian Juniper in the Anyemaqen Mountains.

    PubMed

    Peng, Jianfeng; Gou, Xiaohua; Chen, Fahu; Li, Jinbao; Liu, Puxing; Zhang, Yong; Fang, Keyan

    2008-08-01

    Three ring-width chronologies were developed from Qilian Juniper (Sabina przewalskii Kom.) at the upper treeline along a west-east gradient in the Anyemaqen Mountains. Most chronological statistics, except for mean sensitivity (MS), decreased from west to east. The first principal component (PC1) loadings indicated that stands in a similar climate condition were most important to the variability of radial growth. PC2 loadings decreased from west to east, suggesting the difference of tree-growth between eastern and western Anyemaqen Mountains. Correlations between standard chronologies and climatic factors revealed different climatic influences on radial growth along a west-east gradient in the study area. Temperature of warm season (July-August) was important to the radial growth at the upper treeline in the whole study area. Precipitation of current May was an important limiting factor of tree growth only in the western (drier) upper treeline, whereas precipitation of current September limited tree growth in the eastern (wetter) upper treeline. Response function analysis results showed that there were regional differences between tree growth and climatic factors in various sampling sites of the whole study area. Temperature and precipitation were the important factors influencing tree growth in western (drier) upper treeline. However, tree growth was greatly limited by temperature at the upper treeline in the middle area, and was more limited by precipitation than temperature in the eastern (wetter) upper treeline.

  14. Did the late spring frost in 2007 and 2011 affect tree-ring width and earlywood vessel size in Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) in northern Poland?

    PubMed

    Puchałka, Radosław; Koprowski, Marcin; Przybylak, Julia; Przybylak, Rajmund; Dąbrowski, Henryk P

    2016-08-01

    Trees are sensitive to extreme weather and environmental conditions. This sensitivity is visible in tree-ring widths and cell structure. In our study, we hypothesized that the sudden frost noted at the beginning of May in both 2007 and 2011 affected cambial activity and, consequently, the number and size of vessels in the tree rings. It was decided to test this hypothesis after damage to leaves was observed. The applied response function model did not show any significant relationships between spring temperature and growth. However, this method uses average values for long periods and sometimes misses the short-term effects. This is why we decided to study each ring separately, comparing them with rings unaffected by the late frost. Our study showed that the short-term effect of sudden frost in late spring did not affect tree rings and selected cell parameters. The most likely reasons for this are (i) cambial activity producing the earlywood vessels before the occurrence of the observed leaf damage, (ii) the forest micro-climate protecting the trees from the harsh frost and (iii) the temperature decline being too short-lived an event to affect the oaks. On the other hand, the visible damage may be occasional and not affect cambium activity and tree vitality at all. We conclude that oak is well-adapted to this phenomenon.

  15. OAKSIM: An individual-tree growth and yield simulator for managed, even-aged, upland oak stands

    Treesearch

    Donald E. Hilt; Donald E. Hilt

    1985-01-01

    OAKSIM is an individual-tree growth and yield simulator for managed, even-aged, upland oak stands. Growth and yield projections for various thinning alternatives can be made with OAKSIM for a period of up to 50 years. Simulator components include an individual-tree diameter growth model, a mortality model, height prediction equations, bark ratio equations, a taper-...

  16. Examining the influences of tree-to-tree competition and climate on size-growth relationships in hydric, multi-aged Fraxinus nigra stands

    Treesearch

    Christopher E. Looney; Anthony W. D' Amato; Shawn Fraver; Brian J. Palik; Michael R. Reinikainen

    2016-01-01

    Most research on tree-tree competition and size-growth relationship (SGR – a stand-level metric that infers the relative efficiency with which different sized trees utilize available resources) has focused on upland systems. It is unclear if inferences from these studies extend to wetland forests. Moreover, no study to date has thoroughly investigated the relationship...

  17. Differences in xylogenesis between dominant and suppressed trees.

    PubMed

    Liu, Shushan; Li, Xiaoxia; Rossi, Sergio; Wang, Lily; Li, Wei; Liang, Eryuan; Leavitt, Steven W

    2018-05-01

    Most dendroecological studies focus on dominant trees, but little is known about the growing season of trees belonging to different size classes and their sensitivity to biotic factors. The objective of this study was to compare the dynamics of xylem formation between dominant and suppressed trees of Abies fabri of similar age growing in the Gongga Mountains, southeastern Tibetan Plateau, and to identify the association between xylem growth and climate. The timing and duration of xylogenesis in histological sections were investigated weekly during the 2013-2015 growing seasons. Our investigation found that timing and duration of xylogenesis varied with canopy position and its associated tree size. Xylogenesis started 6-14 days earlier, and ended 5-11 days later in dominant trees than in suppressed trees, resulting in a significantly longer growing season. Dominant trees also exhibited higher temperature sensitivity of tracheid production rate than suppressed trees. The observed differences in xylogenesis among trees suggested that competition affects tree growth by reducing the growing period in suppressed trees. Representative climate-growth relationships should involve trees of all size classes when evaluating the effects of the environment on forest dynamics. © 2018 Botanical Society of America.

  18. Tree growth acceleration and expansion of alpine forests: The synergistic effect of atmospheric and edaphic change.

    PubMed

    Silva, Lucas C R; Sun, Geng; Zhu-Barker, Xia; Liang, Qianlong; Wu, Ning; Horwath, William R

    2016-08-01

    Many forest ecosystems have experienced recent declines in productivity; however, in some alpine regions, tree growth and forest expansion are increasing at marked rates. Dendrochronological analyses at the upper limit of alpine forests in the Tibetan Plateau show a steady increase in tree growth since the early 1900s, which intensified during the 1930s and 1960s, and have reached unprecedented levels since 1760. This recent growth acceleration was observed in small/young and large/old trees and coincided with the establishment of trees outside the forest range, reflecting a connection between the physiological performance of dominant species and shifts in forest distribution. Measurements of stable isotopes (carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen) in tree rings indicate that tree growth has been stimulated by the synergistic effect of rising atmospheric CO2 and a warming-induced increase in water and nutrient availability from thawing permafrost. These findings illustrate the importance of considering soil-plant-atmosphere interactions to understand current and anticipate future changes in productivity and distribution of forest ecosystems.

  19. Tree growth acceleration and expansion of alpine forests: The synergistic effect of atmospheric and edaphic change

    PubMed Central

    Silva, Lucas C. R.; Sun, Geng; Zhu-Barker, Xia; Liang, Qianlong; Wu, Ning; Horwath, William R.

    2016-01-01

    Many forest ecosystems have experienced recent declines in productivity; however, in some alpine regions, tree growth and forest expansion are increasing at marked rates. Dendrochronological analyses at the upper limit of alpine forests in the Tibetan Plateau show a steady increase in tree growth since the early 1900s, which intensified during the 1930s and 1960s, and have reached unprecedented levels since 1760. This recent growth acceleration was observed in small/young and large/old trees and coincided with the establishment of trees outside the forest range, reflecting a connection between the physiological performance of dominant species and shifts in forest distribution. Measurements of stable isotopes (carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen) in tree rings indicate that tree growth has been stimulated by the synergistic effect of rising atmospheric CO2 and a warming-induced increase in water and nutrient availability from thawing permafrost. These findings illustrate the importance of considering soil-plant-atmosphere interactions to understand current and anticipate future changes in productivity and distribution of forest ecosystems. PMID:27652334

  20. Evidence that higher CO2 increases tree growth sensitivity to ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Aim: To test the growth-sensitivity to temperature under different ambient CO2 concentrations, we determined paleo tree growth rates as they relate to variation in temperature during the last deglacial period, and compare these to modern tree growth rates as they relate to spatial variation in temperature across the modern species distributional range. During the deglacial period, [CO2] averaged about 230 ppm, whereas modern [CO2] averaged about 330 ppm.Location: Paleo oaks were sampled from Northern Missouri, USA. The paleo temperature reconstruction was from a lake in Northern Illinois, USA. Data used to quantify the growth-sensitivity to temperature for modern oaks were collected across the Great Plains, Midwest and Upper Great Lakes regions.Methods: Growth data were from 53 paleo bur oak log cross-sections collected in Missouri that were preserved in river and stream sediments. These oaks were radiocarbon-dated to between 10.5 and 13.3 cal kyr BP, which spans rapid warming during the last deglaciation. Growth data from modern bur oaks were obtained from increment core collections paired with USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis data. Paleotemperatures were obtained from a high-resolution pollen-based reconstruction and modern temperatures were obtained from gridded meteorological data. Results: Growth-sensitivity to temperature (i.e. the slope of growth rate versus temperature) was significantly greater for modern oaks growing at an average [CO2

  1. Variable gene dispersal conditions and spatial deforestation patterns can interact to affect tropical tree conservation outcomes.

    PubMed

    Kashimshetty, Yamini; Pelikan, Stephan; Rogstad, Steven H

    2015-01-01

    Tropical lowland rain forest (TLRF) biodiversity is under threat from anthropogenic factors including deforestation which creates forest fragments of different sizes that can further undergo various internal patterns of logging. Such interventions can modify previous equilibrium abundance and spatial distribution patterns of offspring recruitment and/or pollen dispersal. Little is known about how these aspects of deforestation and fragmentation might synergistically affect TLRF tree recovery demographics and population genetics in newly formed forest fragments. To investigate these TLRF anthropogenic disturbance processes we used the computer program NEWGARDEN (NG), which models spatially-explicit, individual-based plant populations, to simulate 10% deforestation in six different spatial logging patterns for the plant functional type of a long-lived TLRF canopy tree species. Further, each logging pattern was analyzed under nine varying patterns of offspring versus pollen dispersal distances that could have arisen post-fragmentation. Results indicated that gene dispersal condition (especially via offspring) had a greater effect on population growth and genetic diversity retention (explaining 98.5% and 88.8% of the variance respectively) than spatial logging pattern (0.2% and 4.7% respectively), with 'Near' distance dispersal maximizing population growth and genetic diversity relative to distant dispersal. Within logged regions of the fragment, deforestation patterns closer to fragment borders more often exhibited lower population recovery rates and founding genetic diversity retention relative to more centrally located logging. These results suggest newly isolated fragments have populations that are more sensitive to the way in which their offspring and pollen dispersers are affected than the spatial pattern in which subsequent logging occurs, and that large variation in the recovery rates of different TLRF tree species attributable to altered gene dispersal

  2. Response of Tree Rings Growth to Various Climatological Indices in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shamir, E.; Kaliff, R.; Graham, R.; Lepley, K. S.; Meko, D. M.; Touchan, R.

    2017-12-01

    Tree rings properties have been used to reconstruct historic regional climatological proxies. In this study, we examine whether tree rings can inform us on the basin scale spatial variability of the snow pack and soil moisture. Cores from seven sites and nine tree species of conifers were sampled in a vertical transect along the American River watershed at the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The tree cores were then cross-dated and chronologies of total ring width, early wood width, late wood width and late wood density measured by blue intensity methodology were developed. For each sampling site, a high-resolution land surface model was implemented to simulate 6-hour climatological time series of snow and soil moisture that are congruent in time and space for 1912- 2016. These time series were then used to derive independent indices that represent key climatological features that were thought to impact the tree growth. These indices include for example the duration of the dormancy season (winter), the duration of the growth season (spring), the duration of the dry season (summer) and the available seasonal soil moisture at the root zone. A comprehensive analysis of these indices with respect to the tree chronologies revealed that although different sites responded differently to these indices, all the sites were relatively insensitive to the winter temperature. Initial results suggest that warming condition and early spring onset as during the recent (2012-2015) drought increase growth in the high elevation that had a short winter with ample moisture while suppressing growth in lower elevation that experiences long dry summers. It is also interesting to note that the growth at the high elevation sites was found to be associated with the available moisture from the previous year, while in lower elevations growth responded to moisture conditions of the current year.

  3. Basal area growth for 15 tropical tree species in Puerto Rico

    Treesearch

    Bernard R. Parresol

    1995-01-01

    The tabonuco forests of Puerto Rico support a diverse population of tree species valued for timber, fuel, food, wildlife food and cover, and erosion control among other uses. Tree basal area growth data spanning 39 years are available on 15 species from eight permanent plots in the Luquillo Experimental Forest. The complexity of the rain forest challenges current...

  4. Estimating parameters for tree basal area growth with a system of equations and seemingly unrelated regressions

    Treesearch

    Charles E. Rose; Thomas B. Lynch

    2001-01-01

    A method was developed for estimating parameters in an individual tree basal area growth model using a system of equations based on dbh rank classes. The estimation method developed is a compromise between an individual tree and a stand level basal area growth model that accounts for the correlation between trees within a plot by using seemingly unrelated regression (...

  5. Big trees, old trees, and growth factor tables

    Treesearch

    Kevin T. Smith

    2018-01-01

    The potential for a tree to reach a great size and to live a long life frequently captures the public's imagination. Sometimes the desire to know the age of an impressively large tree is simple curiosity. For others, the date-of-tree establishment can make a big diff erence for management, particularly for trees at historic sites or those mentioned in property...

  6. Individual tree differences confound effects of growth regulators in rooting sugar maple softwood cuttings

    Treesearch

    John R. Donnelly

    1971-01-01

    Softwood stem cuttings from three mature sugar maple trees were treated with several types and concentrations of growth regulators. Lack of statistical significance was due to extreme variability in tree response: low levels of auxin stimulated rooting in two study trees, while auxins inhibited rooting in the other tree. It is postulated that variations in rooting...

  7. Looking for age-related growth decline in natural forests: unexpected biomass patterns from tree rings and simulated mortality

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Foster, Jane R.; D'Amato, Anthony W.; Bradford, John B.

    2014-01-01

    Forest biomass growth is almost universally assumed to peak early in stand development, near canopy closure, after which it will plateau or decline. The chronosequence and plot remeasurement approaches used to establish the decline pattern suffer from limitations and coarse temporal detail. We combined annual tree ring measurements and mortality models to address two questions: first, how do assumptions about tree growth and mortality influence reconstructions of biomass growth? Second, under what circumstances does biomass production follow the model that peaks early, then declines? We integrated three stochastic mortality models with a census tree-ring data set from eight temperate forest types to reconstruct stand-level biomass increments (in Minnesota, USA). We compared growth patterns among mortality models, forest types and stands. Timing of peak biomass growth varied significantly among mortality models, peaking 20–30 years earlier when mortality was random with respect to tree growth and size, than when mortality favored slow-growing individuals. Random or u-shaped mortality (highest in small or large trees) produced peak growth 25–30 % higher than the surviving tree sample alone. Growth trends for even-aged, monospecific Pinus banksiana or Acer saccharum forests were similar to the early peak and decline expectation. However, we observed continually increasing biomass growth in older, low-productivity forests of Quercus rubra, Fraxinus nigra, and Thuja occidentalis. Tree-ring reconstructions estimated annual changes in live biomass growth and identified more diverse development patterns than previous methods. These detailed, long-term patterns of biomass development are crucial for detecting recent growth responses to global change and modeling future forest dynamics.

  8. The influence of volcanic eruptions on growth of central European lowland trees in NE-Germany during the last Millennium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pieper, Hagen; Heinrich, Ingo; Heußner, Karl-Uwe; Helle, Gerd

    2013-04-01

    Large and mainly tropical volcanic eruptions can have significant effects on the Earth's climate system, likely resulting in decreased summer and increased winter temperature means, as well as enhanced fractions of diffuse light lasting for one to several years after the eruptive outbreak. It has been argued that due to scattering by volcanic sulfur aerosol the more diffuse light fraction can be particularly beneficial for tree growth and more generally for ecosystems biomass productivity. However, other observations suggest decreasing tree-ring width because of the cooler conditions following large eruptions, with overall stronger fingerprints expected towards higher altitudes and higher latitudes where tree growth is mainly temperature-limited. Since tree growth in lowland temperate climate zones is dominated by various climate quantities rather than temperature alone. Thus it has been hypothesized that tree growth within the temperate zones of the mid-latitudes may not suffer from lower temperatures per se, but rather profits from increased rates of diffuse light, in tandem with reduced evapotranspiration and subsequently enhanced soil moisture availability. Most studies so far have concentrated on the impact of volcanic eruptions on trees growing outside the temperate climate zones. This study aims at trees in temperate zones where tree growth is less temperature limited. Therefore, a comprehensive database with 1128 samples of millennium-long tree-ring chronologies of Quercus robur L. and Pinus sylvestris L. based on heterogenous archaeological material originating from three different lowland sites (Greifswald, Eberswalde and Saxony) in eastern Germany was used to test whether tree growth suffered or profited from the globally changed conditions after large volcanic eruptions. The growth relationships were tested against 49 individual large volcanic eruptions from the last Millennium. High-resolution ice core records of sulfate measurements calibrated against

  9. Dendrometer bands made easy: using modified cable ties to measure incremental growth of trees

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Anemaet, Evelyn R.; Middleton, Beth A.

    2013-01-01

    Dendrometer bands are a useful way to make sequential repeated measurements of tree growth, but traditional dendrometer bands can be expensive, time consuming, and difficult to construct in the field. An alternative to the traditional method of band construction is to adapt commercially available materials. This paper describes how to construct and install dendrometer bands using smooth-edged, stainless steel, cable tie banding and attachable rollerball heads. As a performance comparison, both traditional and cable tie dendrometer bands were installed on baldcypress trees at the National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette, Louisiana, by both an experienced and a novice worker. Band installation times were recorded, and growth of the trees as estimated by the two band types was measured after approximately one year, demonstrating equivalence of the two methods. This efficient approach to dendrometer band construction can help advance the knowledge of long-term tree growth in ecological studies.

  10. [Factors influencing tree radial growth of three common species in broad-leaved Korean pine mixed forests in Changbai Mountains, China].

    PubMed

    Cai, Li Rong; Kuang, Xu; Fang, Shuai; Yuan, Zuo Qiang; Lin, Fei; Ye, Ji; Hao, Zhan Qing; Wang, Xu Gao

    2017-05-18

    To understand the factors influencing tree radial growth, we analyzed the seasonal dynamics of tree growth of 3 common species (Pinus koraiensis, Tilia amurensis, Quercus mongolica), compared interspecific growth rates and explored the effects of size, neighborhood competition, soil and topography based on five years dendrometer bands monitoring data of the 3 common species in a broad-leaved Korean pine (P. koraiensis) mixed forest plot in Changbai Mountain, Northeast China. The results showed that the growth dynamics of 3 species were consistent. Trees began to grow in late May, thrived in July, grew at declining rates from late August and stopped growing in late October. Annual relative growth rates were significantly different among the species. Q. mongolica tended to grow faster than the other two species, and the differences of growth rates among the 3 species were especially large for small and medium trees. Tree growth rates of P. koraiensis and Q. mongolica were strongly decreased by neighborhood competition, while tree growth rate of T. amurensis was significantly related to tree size, soil and topography.

  11. Impact of pruning intensity on growth of young loblolly pine trees: some early results

    Treesearch

    Ralph L. Amateis; Harold E. Burkhart

    2010-01-01

    In the spring of 2000, a designed experiment was established to study the effects of pruning intensity on the growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees. Trees were planted at a 1.83 by 1.83 m square spacing in plots of eight rows with eight trees per row; the inner 36 trees constituted the measurement plot. Four blocks containing five treatment...

  12. Diameter growth of subtropical trees in Puerto Rico

    Treesearch

    Thomas J. Brandeis

    2009-01-01

    Puerto Rico’s forests consist of young, secondary stands still recovering from a long history of island-wide deforestation that largely abated in the mid-20th century. Limited knowledge about growth rates of subtropical tree species in these forests makes it difficult to accurately predict forest yield, biomass accumulation, and carbon...

  13. Seedling growth responses to phosphorus reflect adult distribution patterns of tropical trees.

    PubMed

    Zalamea, Paul-Camilo; Turner, Benjamin L; Winter, Klaus; Jones, F Andrew; Sarmiento, Carolina; Dalling, James W

    2016-10-01

    Soils influence tropical forest composition at regional scales. In Panama, data on tree communities and underlying soils indicate that species frequently show distributional associations to soil phosphorus. To understand how these associations arise, we combined a pot experiment to measure seedling responses of 15 pioneer species to phosphorus addition with an analysis of the phylogenetic structure of phosphorus associations of the entire tree community. Growth responses of pioneers to phosphorus addition revealed a clear tradeoff: species from high-phosphorus sites grew fastest in the phosphorus-addition treatment, while species from low-phosphorus sites grew fastest in the low-phosphorus treatment. Traits associated with growth performance remain unclear: biomass allocation, phosphatase activity and phosphorus-use efficiency did not correlate with phosphorus associations; however, phosphatase activity was most strongly down-regulated in response to phosphorus addition in species from high-phosphorus sites. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that pioneers occur more frequently in clades where phosphorus associations are overdispersed as compared with the overall tree community, suggesting that selection on phosphorus acquisition and use may be strongest for pioneer species with high phosphorus demand. Our results show that phosphorus-dependent growth rates provide an additional explanation for the regional distribution of tree species in Panama, and possibly elsewhere. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

  14. Minesoil grading and ripping affect black walnut growth and survival

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Josiah, S.J.

    In 1980 and 1981, the Botany Department of Southern Illinois University and Sahara Coal Company, Inc. of Harrisburg, Illinois established a series of experimental tree plantings, including black walnut, on a variety of minesoils to explore the effects of different intensities of grading on tree growth. Subsequent walnut stem and root growth were examined during 1985 on five different mine sites: unmined former agricultural land, graded minespoil, replaced (with pan scrapers) topsoil over graded spoil, ripped-graded spoil, and ungraded spoil. Soil bulk density, resistance to penetration, and spoil/soil fertility levels were also measured. The most vigorous trees were found onmore » sites having the lowest soil bulk density and soil strength and lacking horizontal barriers to root growth - the ungraded and ripped sites. Topsoiled sites had the poorest growth and survival, and the greatest stem dieback of any site measured, probably attributable to the confinement of root growth to the upper 15 cm of friable soil above the severely compacted zone. The overall results indicate that most of the minesoil construction techniques examined in this study, which are representative of techniques commonly used in the midwestern US, cause severe minesoil compaction and do not create the proper soil conditions necessary for the survival and vigorous growth of black walnut. Ripping compacted spoil in this and other studies proved to be very effective in alleviating the negative impacts of minesoil compaction. When planning surface mine reclamation activities, ripping should be considered as a possible ameliorative technique when compaction of mined lands is unavoidable and trees are the desired vegetative cover. 4 figures.« less

  15. How does warming affect carbon allocation, respiration and residence time in trees? An isotope tracer approach in a eucalypt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pendall, E.; Drake, J. E.; Furze, M.; Barton, C. V.; Carillo, Y.; Richter, A.; Tjoelker, M. G.

    2017-12-01

    Climate warming has the potential to alter the balance between photosynthetic carbon assimilation and respiratory losses in forest trees, leading to uncertainty in predicting their future physiological functioning. In a previous experiment, warming decreased canopy CO2 assimilation (A) rates of Eucalyptus tereticornis trees, but respiration (R) rates were usually not significantly affected, due to physiological acclimation to temperature. This led to a slight increase in (R/A) and thus decrease in plant carbon use efficiency with climate warming. In contrast to carbon fluxes, the effect of warming on carbon allocation and residence time in trees has received less attention. We conducted a study to test the hypothesis that warming would decrease the allocation of C belowground owing to reduced cost of nutrient uptake. E. parramattensis trees were grown in the field in unique whole-tree chambers operated at ambient and ambient +3 °C temperature treatments (n=3 per treatment). We applied a 13CO2 pulse and followed the label in CO2 respired from leaves, roots, canopy and soil, in plant sugars, and in rhizosphere microbes over a 3-week period in conjunction with measurements of tree growth. The 9-m tall, 57 m3 whole-tree chambers were monitored for CO2 concentrations in independent canopy and below ground (root and soil) compartments; periodic monitoring of δ13C values in air in the compartments allowed us to quantify the amount of 13CO2 assimilated and respired by each tree. Warmed trees grew faster and assimilated more of the label than control trees, but the 13C allocation to canopy, root and soil respiration was not altered. However, warming appeared to reduce the residence time of carbon respired from leaves, and especially from roots and soil, indicating that autotrophic respiration has the potential to feedback to climate change. This experiment provides insights into how warming may affect the fate of assimilated carbon from the leaf to the ecosystem scale.

  16. Effects of Invasive Winter Moth Defoliation on Tree Radial Growth in Eastern Massachusetts, USA

    PubMed Central

    Simmons, Michael J.; Lee, Thomas D.; Ducey, Mark J.; Elkinton, Joseph S.; Boettner, George H.; Dodds, Kevin J.

    2014-01-01

    Winter moth, Operophtera brumata L. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), has been defoliating hardwood trees in eastern Massachusetts since the 1990s. Native to Europe, winter moth has also been detected in Rhode Island, Connecticut, eastern Long Island (NY), New Hampshire, and Maine. Individual tree impacts of winter moth defoliation in New England are currently unknown. Using dendroecological techniques, this study related annual radial growth of individual host (Quercus spp. and Acer spp.) trees to detailed defoliation estimates. Winter moth defoliation was associated with up to a 47% reduction in annual radial growth of Quercus trees. Latewood production of Quercus was reduced by up to 67% in the same year as defoliation, while earlywood production was reduced by up to 24% in the year following defoliation. Winter moth defoliation was not a strong predictor of radial growth in Acer species. This study is the first to document impacts of novel invasions of winter moth into New England. PMID:26462685

  17. Thematic and spatial resolutions affect model-based predictions of tree species distribution.

    PubMed

    Liang, Yu; He, Hong S; Fraser, Jacob S; Wu, ZhiWei

    2013-01-01

    Subjective decisions of thematic and spatial resolutions in characterizing environmental heterogeneity may affect the characterizations of spatial pattern and the simulation of occurrence and rate of ecological processes, and in turn, model-based tree species distribution. Thus, this study quantified the importance of thematic and spatial resolutions, and their interaction in predictions of tree species distribution (quantified by species abundance). We investigated how model-predicted species abundances changed and whether tree species with different ecological traits (e.g., seed dispersal distance, competitive capacity) had different responses to varying thematic and spatial resolutions. We used the LANDIS forest landscape model to predict tree species distribution at the landscape scale and designed a series of scenarios with different thematic (different numbers of land types) and spatial resolutions combinations, and then statistically examined the differences of species abundance among these scenarios. Results showed that both thematic and spatial resolutions affected model-based predictions of species distribution, but thematic resolution had a greater effect. Species ecological traits affected the predictions. For species with moderate dispersal distance and relatively abundant seed sources, predicted abundance increased as thematic resolution increased. However, for species with long seeding distance or high shade tolerance, thematic resolution had an inverse effect on predicted abundance. When seed sources and dispersal distance were not limiting, the predicted species abundance increased with spatial resolution and vice versa. Results from this study may provide insights into the choice of thematic and spatial resolutions for model-based predictions of tree species distribution.

  18. Diameter growth of subtropical trees in Puerto Rico

    Treesearch

    Thomas J. Brandeis

    2009-01-01

    Puerto Rico’s forests consist of young, secondary stands still recovering from a long history of island-wide deforestation that largely abated in the mid-20th century. Limited knowledge about growth rates of subtropical tree species in these forests makes it difficult to accurately predict forest yield, biomass accumulation, and carbon sequestration. This study...

  19. Individual tree basal-area growth parameter estimates for four models

    Treesearch

    J.J. Colbert; Michael Schuckers; Desta Fekedulegn; James Rentch; Mairtin MacSiurtain; Kurt Gottschalk

    2004-01-01

    Four sigmoid growth models are fit to basal-area data derived from increment cores and disks taken at breast height from oak trees. Models are rated on their ability to fit growth data from five datasets that are obtained from 10 locations along a longitudinal gradient across the states of Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio in the USA. We examine and...

  20. Nitrogen deposition outweighs climatic variability in driving annual growth rate of canopy beech trees: Evidence from long-term growth reconstruction across a geographic gradient.

    PubMed

    Gentilesca, Tiziana; Rita, Angelo; Brunetti, Michele; Giammarchi, Francesco; Leonardi, Stefano; Magnani, Federico; van Noije, Twan; Tonon, Giustino; Borghetti, Marco

    2018-07-01

    In this study, we investigated the role of climatic variability and atmospheric nitrogen deposition in driving long-term tree growth in canopy beech trees along a geographic gradient in the montane belt of the Italian peninsula, from the Alps to the southern Apennines. We sampled dominant trees at different developmental stages (from young to mature tree cohorts, with tree ages spanning from 35 to 160 years) and used stem analysis to infer historic reconstruction of tree volume and dominant height. Annual growth volume (G V ) and height (G H ) variability were related to annual variability in model simulated atmospheric nitrogen deposition and site-specific climatic variables, (i.e. mean annual temperature, total annual precipitation, mean growing period temperature, total growing period precipitation, and standard precipitation evapotranspiration index) and atmospheric CO 2 concentration, including tree cambial age among growth predictors. Generalized additive models (GAM), linear mixed-effects models (LMM), and Bayesian regression models (BRM) were independently employed to assess explanatory variables. The main results from our study were as follows: (i) tree age was the main explanatory variable for long-term growth variability; (ii) GAM, LMM, and BRM results consistently indicated climatic variables and CO 2 effects on G V and G H were weak, therefore evidence of recent climatic variability influence on beech annual growth rates was limited in the montane belt of the Italian peninsula; (iii) instead, significant positive nitrogen deposition (N dep ) effects were repeatedly observed in G V and G H ; the positive effects of N dep on canopy height growth rates, which tended to level off at N dep values greater than approximately 1.0 g m -2  y -1 , were interpreted as positive impacts on forest stand above-ground net productivity at the selected study sites. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Phylogenetically diverse AM fungi from Ecuador strongly improve seedling growth of native potential crop trees.

    PubMed

    Schüßler, Arthur; Krüger, Claudia; Urgiles, Narcisa

    2016-04-01

    In many deforested regions of the tropics, afforestation with native tree species could valorize a growing reservoir of degraded, previously overused and abandoned land. The inoculation of tropical tree seedlings with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi) can improve tree growth and viability, but efficiency may depend on plant and AM fungal genotype. To study such effects, seven phylogenetically diverse AM fungi, native to Ecuador, from seven genera and a non-native AM fungus (Rhizophagus irregularis DAOM197198) were used to inoculate the tropical potential crop tree (PCT) species Handroanthus chrysanthus (synonym Tabebuia chrysantha), Cedrela montana, and Heliocarpus americanus. Twenty-four plant-fungus combinations were studied in five different fertilization and AMF inoculation treatments. Numerous plant growth parameters and mycorrhizal root colonization were assessed. The inoculation with any of the tested AM fungi improved seedling growth significantly and in most cases reduced plant mortality. Plants produced up to threefold higher biomass, when compared to the standard nursery practice. AM fungal inoculation alone or in combination with low fertilization both outperformed full fertilization in terms of plant growth promotion. Interestingly, root colonization levels for individual fungi strongly depended on the host tree species, but surprisingly the colonization strength did not correlate with plant growth promotion. The combination of AM fungal inoculation with a low dosage of slow release fertilizer improved PCT seedling performance strongest, but also AM fungal treatments without any fertilization were highly efficient. The AM fungi tested are promising candidates to improve management practices in tropical tree seedling production.

  2. Tree growth visualization

    Treesearch

    L. Linsen; B.J. Karis; E.G. McPherson; B. Hamann

    2005-01-01

    In computer graphics, models describing the fractal branching structure of trees typically exploit the modularity of tree structures. The models are based on local production rules, which are applied iteratively and simultaneously to create a complex branching system. The objective is to generate three-dimensional scenes of often many realistic- looking and non-...

  3. Growth

    Treesearch

    John R. Jones; George A. Schier

    1985-01-01

    This chapter considers aspen growth as a process, and discusses some characteristics of the growth and development of trees and stands. For the most part, factors affecting growth are discussed elsewhere, particularly in the GENETICS AND VARIATION chapter and in chapters in PART 11. ECOLOGY. Aspen growth as it relates to wood production is examined in the WOOD RESOURCE...

  4. Development of a shortleaf pine individual-tree growth equation using non-linear mixed modeling techniques

    Treesearch

    Chakra B. Budhathoki; Thomas B. Lynch; James M. Guldin

    2010-01-01

    Nonlinear mixed-modeling methods were used to estimate parameters in an individual-tree basal area growth model for shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.). Shortleaf pine individual-tree growth data were available from over 200 permanently established 0.2-acre fixed-radius plots located in naturally-occurring even-aged shortleaf pine forests on the...

  5. Vulnerability of white spruce tree growth in interior Alaska in response to climate variability: Dendrochronological, demographic, and experimental perspectives

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McGuire, A. David; Ruess, Roger W.; Lloyd, A.; Yarie, J.; Clein, Joy S.; Juday, G.P.

    2010-01-01

    This paper integrates dendrochronological, demographic, and experimental perspectives to improve understanding of the response of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) tree growth to climatic variability in interior Alaska. The dendrochronological analyses indicate that climate warming has led to widespread declines in white spruce growth throughout interior Alaska that have become more prevalent during the 20th century. Similarly, demographic studies show that white spruce tree growth is substantially limited by soil moisture availability in both mid- and late-successional stands. Interannual variability in tree growth among stands within a landscape exhibits greater synchrony than does growth of trees that occupy different landscapes, which agrees with dendrochronological findings that the responses depend on landscape position and prevailing climate. In contrast, the results from 18 years of a summer moisture limitation experiment showed that growth in midsuccessional upland stands was unaffected by moisture limitation and that moisture limitation decreased white spruce growth in floodplain stands where it was expected that growth would be less vulnerable because of tree access to river water. Taken together, the evidence from the different perspectives analyzed in this study clearly indicates that white spruce tree growth in interior Alaska is vulnerable to the effects of warming on plant water balance.

  6. Tropical dendrochemistry: A novel approach to estimate age and growth from ringless trees

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Poussart, P. M.; Myneni, S. C. B.; Lanzirotti, A.

    2006-09-01

    Although tropical forests play an active role in the global carbon cycle and climate, their growth history remains poorly characterized compared to other ecosystems on the planet. Trees are prime candidates for the extraction of paleoclimate archives as they can be probed sub-annually, are widely distributed and can live for over 1400 years [Chambers et al., 1998]. However, dendrochronological techniques have found limited applications in the tropics because trees often lack visible growth rings (Whitmore, 1990). Alternative methods exist (dendrometry (DaSilva et al., 2002), radio- and stable isotopes (Evans and Schrag, 2004; Poussart et al., 2004; Poussart and Schrag, 2005), but the derived records are either of short-duration, lack seasonal resolution or are prohibitively labor intensive to produce. Here, we show the first X-ray microprobe synchrotron record of calcium (Ca) from a ringless Miliusa velutina tree from Thailand and use it to estimate the tree's age and growth history. The Ca age model agrees within <=2 years of bomb-radiocarbon age estimates and confirms that the cycles are seasonal. The amplitude of the Ca annual cycle is correlated significantly with growth and annual Ca maxima correlate with the amount of dry season rainfall. Synchrotron measurements are fast and producing sufficient numbers of replicated multi-century tropical dendrochemical climate records now seems analytically feasible.

  7. Aboveground Tree Growth Varies with Belowground Carbon Allocation in a Tropical Rainforest Environment

    PubMed Central

    Raich, James W.; Clark, Deborah A.; Schwendenmann, Luitgard; Wood, Tana E.

    2014-01-01

    Young secondary forests and plantations in the moist tropics often have rapid rates of biomass accumulation and thus sequester large amounts of carbon. Here, we compare results from mature forest and nearby 15–20 year old tree plantations in lowland Costa Rica to evaluate differences in allocation of carbon to aboveground production and root systems. We found that the tree plantations, which had fully developed, closed canopies, allocated more carbon belowground - to their root systems - than did mature forest. This increase in belowground carbon allocation correlated significantly with aboveground tree growth but not with canopy production (i.e., leaf fall or fine litter production). In contrast, there were no correlations between canopy production and either tree growth or belowground carbon allocation. Enhanced allocation of carbon to root systems can enhance plant nutrient uptake, providing nutrients beyond those required for the production of short-lived tissues such as leaves and fine roots, and thus enabling biomass accumulation. Our analyses support this deduction at our site, showing that enhanced allocation of carbon to root systems can be an important mechanism promoting biomass accumulation during forest growth in the moist tropics. Identifying factors that control when, where and for how long this occurs would help us to improve models of forest growth and nutrient cycling, and to ascertain the role that young forests play in mitigating increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. PMID:24945351

  8. Climate Controls on Tree Growth Across Species and Sites in Northeastern Arizona

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schwan, M. R.; Guiterman, C. H.; Anchukaitis, K. J.

    2016-12-01

    Understanding how forests will respond to ongoing climate change is important for conservation and resource management. Conifer forests in the US Southwest are predicted to be particularly at risk from increased drought and higher temperatures projected to occur in the region. Tree-ring studies shed light on how trees respond to climate, but there remains considerable uncertainty as to which climate factors are most important, and which species are most at risk. Confounding climate and environmental factors, biological differences among species, and biogeography often complicate cross-species analysis. Here we present a multi-species, multivariate analysis of tree growth response to climate variability. We analyze data from three coexisting conifer tree species at two sites near Canyon de Chelly, Arizona. We use a high-resolution PRISM gridded climate dataset to determine the growth responses across species and sites to temperature and precipitation. We identify both common and differential responses in our data and use these to infer possible risks these forest communities may face under a changing climate.

  9. Mass movements and tree rings: A guide to dendrogeomorphic field sampling and dating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stoffel, Markus; Butler, David R.; Corona, Christophe

    2013-10-01

    Trees affected by mass movements record the evidence of geomorphic disturbance in the growth-ring series, and thereby provide a precise geochronological tool for the reconstruction of past activity of mass movement. The identification of past activity of processes was typically based on the presence of growth anomalies in affected trees and focused on the presence of scars, tilted or buried trunks, as well as on apex decapitation. For the analyses and interpretation of disturbances in tree-ring records, in contrast, clear guidelines have not been established, with largely differing or no thresholds used to distinguish signal from noise. At the same time, processes with a large spatial footprint (e.g., snow avalanches, landslides, or floods) will likely leave growth anomalies in a large number of trees, whereas a falling rock would only cause scars in one or a few trees along its trajectory.

  10. Disturbance legacies and climate jointly drive tree growth and mortality in an intensively studied boreal forest.

    PubMed

    Bond-Lamberty, Ben; Rocha, Adrian V; Calvin, Katherine; Holmes, Bruce; Wang, Chuankuan; Goulden, Michael L

    2014-01-01

    Most North American forests are at some stage of post-disturbance regrowth, subject to a changing climate, and exhibit growth and mortality patterns that may not be closely coupled to annual environmental conditions. Distinguishing the possibly interacting effects of these processes is necessary to put short-term studies in a longer term context, and particularly important for the carbon-dense, fire-prone boreal forest. The goals of this study were to combine dendrochronological sampling, inventory records, and machine-learning algorithms to understand how tree growth and death have changed at one highly studied site (Northern Old Black Spruce, NOBS) in the central Canadian boreal forest. Over the 1999-2012 inventory period, mean tree diameter increased even as stand density and basal area declined significantly. Tree mortality averaged 1.4 ± 0.6% yr-(1), with most mortality occurring in medium-sized trees; new recruitment was minimal. There have been at least two, and probably three, significant influxes of new trees since stand initiation, but none in recent decades. A combined tree ring chronology constructed from sampling in 2001, 2004, and 2012 showed several periods of extreme growth depression, with increased mortality lagging depressed growth by ~5 years. Higher minimum and maximum air temperatures exerted a negative influence on tree growth, while precipitation and climate moisture index had a positive effect; both current- and previous-year data exerted significant effects. Models based on these variables explained 23-44% of the ring-width variability. We suggest that past climate extremes led to significant mortality still visible in the current forest structure, with decadal dynamics superimposed on slower patterns of fire and succession. These results have significant implications for our understanding of previous work at NOBS, the carbon sequestration capability of old-growth stands in a disturbance-prone landscape, and the sustainable management of

  11. Thematic and Spatial Resolutions Affect Model-Based Predictions of Tree Species Distribution

    PubMed Central

    Liang, Yu; He, Hong S.; Fraser, Jacob S.; Wu, ZhiWei

    2013-01-01

    Subjective decisions of thematic and spatial resolutions in characterizing environmental heterogeneity may affect the characterizations of spatial pattern and the simulation of occurrence and rate of ecological processes, and in turn, model-based tree species distribution. Thus, this study quantified the importance of thematic and spatial resolutions, and their interaction in predictions of tree species distribution (quantified by species abundance). We investigated how model-predicted species abundances changed and whether tree species with different ecological traits (e.g., seed dispersal distance, competitive capacity) had different responses to varying thematic and spatial resolutions. We used the LANDIS forest landscape model to predict tree species distribution at the landscape scale and designed a series of scenarios with different thematic (different numbers of land types) and spatial resolutions combinations, and then statistically examined the differences of species abundance among these scenarios. Results showed that both thematic and spatial resolutions affected model-based predictions of species distribution, but thematic resolution had a greater effect. Species ecological traits affected the predictions. For species with moderate dispersal distance and relatively abundant seed sources, predicted abundance increased as thematic resolution increased. However, for species with long seeding distance or high shade tolerance, thematic resolution had an inverse effect on predicted abundance. When seed sources and dispersal distance were not limiting, the predicted species abundance increased with spatial resolution and vice versa. Results from this study may provide insights into the choice of thematic and spatial resolutions for model-based predictions of tree species distribution. PMID:23861828

  12. Trade-Offs between Growth Rate, Tree Size and Lifespan of Mountain Pine (Pinus montana) in the Swiss National Park

    PubMed Central

    Bigler, Christof

    2016-01-01

    A within-species trade-off between growth rates and lifespan has been observed across different taxa of trees, however, there is some uncertainty whether this trade-off also applies to shade-intolerant tree species. The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between radial growth, tree size and lifespan of shade-intolerant mountain pines. For 200 dead standing mountain pines (Pinus montana) located along gradients of aspect, slope steepness and elevation in the Swiss National Park, radial annual growth rates and lifespan were reconstructed. While early growth (i.e. mean tree-ring width over the first 50 years) correlated positively with diameter at the time of tree death, a negative correlation resulted with lifespan, i.e. rapidly growing mountain pines face a trade-off between reaching a large diameter at the cost of early tree death. Slowly growing mountain pines may reach a large diameter and a long lifespan, but risk to die young at a small size. Early growth was not correlated with temperature or precipitation over the growing period. Variability in lifespan was further contingent on aspect, slope steepness and elevation. The shade-intolerant mountain pines follow diverging growth trajectories that are imposed by extrinsic environmental influences. The resulting trade-offs between growth rate, tree size and lifespan advance our understanding of tree population dynamics, which may ultimately improve projections of forest dynamics under changing environmental conditions. PMID:26930294

  13. Basal area growth for 15 tropical trees species in Puerto Rico. Forest

    Treesearch

    B. R. Parresol

    1995-01-01

    The tabonuco forest of Puerto Rico support a diverse population of tree species valued for timber, fuel, food, wildlife food and cover, and erosion control among other use. tree basal area growth data spanning 39 years are avaible on 15 species from eigth permanent plots in Luquillo Experimental Forest. The complexity of the rain forest challeges current forest...

  14. Patterns of tree growth in relation to environmental variability in the tropical dry deciduous forest at Mudumalai, southern India.

    PubMed

    Nath, Cheryl D; Dattaraja, H S; Suresh, H S; Joshi, N V; Sukumar, R

    2006-12-01

    Tree diameter growth is sensitive to environmental fluctuations and tropical dry forests experience high seasonal and inter-annual environmental variation. Tree growth rates in a large permanent plot at Mudumalai, southern India, were examined for the influences of rainfall and three intrinsic factors (size, species and growth form) during three 4-year intervals over the period 1988-2000. Most trees had lowest growth during the second interval when rainfall was lowest, and skewness and kurtosis of growth distributions were reduced during this interval. Tree diameter generally explained less than 10% of growth variation and had less influence on growth than species identity or time interval. Intraspecific variation was high, yet species identity accounted for up to 16% of growth variation in the community. There were no consistent differences between canopy and understory tree growth rates; however, a few subgroups of species may potentially represent canopy and understory growth guilds. Environmentally-induced temporal variations in growth generally did not reduce the odds of subsequent survival. Growth rates appear to be strongly influenced by species identity and environmental variability in the Mudumalai dry forest. Understanding and predicting vegetation dynamics in the dry tropics thus also requires information on temporal variability in local climate.

  15. Downstream impacts of a Central Amazonian hydroelectric dam on tree growth and mortality in floodplain forests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Resende, A. F. D.; Silva, T. S. F.; Silva, J. D. S.; Piedade, M. T. F.; Streher, A. S.; Ferreira-Ferreira, J.; Schongart, J.

    2017-12-01

    The flood pulse of large Amazonian Rivers is characterized by predictable high- and low-water periods during the annual cycle, and is the main driving force in the floodplains regulating decomposition, nutrient cycles, productivity, life cycles and growth rhythms of floodplains' biota. Over at least 20 millions of years, tree species in these ecosystems developed complex adaptative mechanisms to tolerate flooding, such as the tree species Macrolobium acaciifolium (Fabaceae) and Eschweilera tenuifolia (Lecythidaceae) occupying the lower topographic positions in the floodplain forests along the oligothrophic black-water rivers. Tree growth occurs mainly during terrestrial phase, while during the aquatic phase the anoxic conditions result into a cambial dormancy and formation of annual tree rings. The hydroelectric dam Balbina which was installed in the Uatumã River (central Amazonia) during the 1980s altered significantly the flood pulse regime resulting into higher minimum and lower maximum annual water levels. The suppression of the terrestrial phase caused large-scale mortality of flood-adapted trees growing on the lower topographic positions, as evidenced by radiocarbon dating and cross-dating techniques (dendrochronology). In this study we estimated the extension of dead forests using high resolution ALOS/PALSAR radar images, for their detection along a fluvial distance of more than 280 km downstream of the power plant. Further we analyzed tree growth of 60 living individuals of E. tenuifolia by tree-ring analyses comparing the post- and pre-dam periods. We evaluated the impacts of the altered hydrological regime on tree growth considering ontogenetic effects and the fluvial distance of the trees to the dam. Since the Balbina power plant started operating the associated igapó forests lost about 11% of its cover. We found a significant reduction of tree growth of E. tenuifolia during the post-dam period as a consequence of the increasing aquatic phase duration

  16. ABOVE- AND BELOWGROUND CONTROLS ON FOREST TREE GROWTH, MORTALITY AND SPATIAL PATTERN

    EPA Science Inventory

    We investigated the relative importance of above- and belowground competition in controlling growth, mortality and spatial patterns of trees in a nitrogen-limited, old-growth forest in western Oregon. To assess the effects of competition for light, we applied a spatially-explici...

  17. Watershed Watch Undergraduate Research Projects: Monitoring Environmental Impacts on Tree Growth - Urban Development and Hurricanes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rock, B. N.; Hale, S.

    2009-12-01

    Watershed Watch (NSF 0525433) is designed to engage early undergraduate students from two-year and four-year colleges in student-driven full inquiry-based instruction in the biogeosciences. Program goals for Watershed Watch are to test if inquiry-rich student-driven projects sufficiently engage undeclared students (or noncommittal STEM majors) to declare a STEM major (or remain with their STEM major). The program is a partnership between two four-year campuses - the University of New Hampshire (UNH), and Elizabeth City State University (ECSU, in North Carolina); and two two-year campuses - Great Bay Community College (GBCC, in New Hampshire) and the College of the Albemarle (COA, in North Carolina). Two Watershed Watch students from the 2009 Summer Research Institute (SRI), held on the ECSU campus, August 3-14, 2009 investigated the use of wood cores collected from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). One student team studied the possible impacts of urban development on tree growth, focusing on the use of dendrochronology to assess the effect of environmental factors on the trees. Tree cores and foliar samples were collected at the ECSU Outdoor Classroom and compared with the same species from the Great Dismal Swamp (GDS) in Virginia. The main targets of this experiment were one aquatic tree, the bald cypress, and a land based tree, the loblolly pine. This allowed us to compare an urbanized area (ECSU) with a more natural setting (GDS) to evaluate factors impacting tree growth. This experiment suggests that there may be potentially harmful impacts of an urban environment with the data that at ECSU. The growth rings of the ECSU campus tree cores are noticeably narrow, especially in the loblolly pine from the ECSU outdoor classroom, and multiple fluctuations in more recent tree rings of the bald cypress in the ECSU campus. Growth ring compression, beginning approximately in 1956 in 100-year old loblolly pines, corresponds in timing with

  18. The AFIS tree growth model for updating annual forest inventories in Minnesota

    Treesearch

    Margaret R. Holdaway

    2000-01-01

    As the Forest Service moves towards annual inventories, states may use model predictions of growth to update unmeasured plots. A tree growth model (AFIS) based on the scaled Weibull function and using the average-adjusted model form is presented. Annual diameter growth for four species was modeled using undisturbed plots from Minnesota's Aspen-Birch and Northern...

  19. Fertilization increases diameter growth of birch-beech-maple trees in New Hampshire

    Treesearch

    L. O. Safford

    1973-01-01

    In a 60-year-old northern hardwood stand treated with lime plus NPK fertilizer, the following increases in average basal area growth rate over untreated trees were observed: sugar maple 128 percent, paper birch 69 percent, yellow birch 51 percent, and beech 20 percent. Magnitude of response was inversely related to relative growth rate of the species. Growth rate...

  20. Evidence that higher [CO2] increases tree growth sensitivity to temperature: a comparison of modern and paleo oaks

    EPA Science Inventory

    Aim: To test the growth-sensitivity to temperature under different ambient CO2 concentrations, we determined paleo tree growth rates as they relate to variation in temperature during the last deglacial period, and compare these to modern tree growth rates as they relate to spatia...

  1. Dendrometer bands made easy: Using modified cable ties to measure incremental growth of trees1

    PubMed Central

    Anemaet, Evelyn R.; Middleton, Beth A.

    2013-01-01

    • Premise of the study: Dendrometer bands are a useful way to make sequential repeated measurements of tree growth, but traditional dendrometer bands can be expensive, time consuming, and difficult to construct in the field. An alternative to the traditional method of band construction is to adapt commercially available materials. This paper describes how to construct and install dendrometer bands using smooth-edged, stainless steel, cable tie banding and attachable rollerball heads. • Methods and Results: As a performance comparison, both traditional and cable tie dendrometer bands were installed on baldcypress trees at the National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette, Louisiana, by both an experienced and a novice worker. Band installation times were recorded, and growth of the trees as estimated by the two band types was measured after approximately one year, demonstrating equivalence of the two methods. • Conclusions: This efficient approach to dendrometer band construction can help advance the knowledge of long-term tree growth in ecological studies. PMID:25202589

  2. Plant growth regulatory effect and insecticidal activity of the extracts of the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima L.)

    PubMed Central

    Tsao, Rong; Romanchuk, Frieda E; Peterson, Chris J; Coats, Joel R

    2002-01-01

    Background There is an urgent need to explore and utilize naturally occurring products for combating harmful agricultural and public health pests. Secondary metabolites in the leaves of the Tree of Heaven, Ailanthus altissima L. have been reported to be herbicidal and insecticidal. The mode of action, however, of the active compounds in A. altissima are not understood. In this paper, we report the chemical characteristics of the herbicidal and insecticidal components in this tree, and will discuss the effect of light on the bioactivity of the active components. Results Extracts from the fresh leaves of A. altissima showed a strong plant germination/growth inhibitory effect in laboratory bioassays against alfalfa (Medicago sativa). The effect was dose-dependent. The growth inhibitory components were in the methylene chloride soluble fraction of the extract. The effect was greater in the light than in the dark. Other fractions had plant growth enhancing effect at lower concentrations. The extract was slightly insecticidal against yellow fever mosquito larvae (Aedes aegypti). Conclusions The extract or its semi-purified fractions of A. altissima were strong plant growth inhibitors, therefore good candidates as potential environmentally safe and effective agricultural pest management agents. The finding that light affects the activity will be useful in the application of such natural products. PMID:11860616

  3. Variable Gene Dispersal Conditions and Spatial Deforestation Patterns Can Interact to Affect Tropical Tree Conservation Outcomes

    PubMed Central

    Kashimshetty, Yamini; Pelikan, Stephan; Rogstad, Steven H.

    2015-01-01

    Tropical lowland rain forest (TLRF) biodiversity is under threat from anthropogenic factors including deforestation which creates forest fragments of different sizes that can further undergo various internal patterns of logging. Such interventions can modify previous equilibrium abundance and spatial distribution patterns of offspring recruitment and/or pollen dispersal. Little is known about how these aspects of deforestation and fragmentation might synergistically affect TLRF tree recovery demographics and population genetics in newly formed forest fragments. To investigate these TLRF anthropogenic disturbance processes we used the computer program NEWGARDEN (NG), which models spatially-explicit, individual-based plant populations, to simulate 10% deforestation in six different spatial logging patterns for the plant functional type of a long-lived TLRF canopy tree species. Further, each logging pattern was analyzed under nine varying patterns of offspring versus pollen dispersal distances that could have arisen post-fragmentation. Results indicated that gene dispersal condition (especially via offspring) had a greater effect on population growth and genetic diversity retention (explaining 98.5% and 88.8% of the variance respectively) than spatial logging pattern (0.2% and 4.7% respectively), with ‘Near’ distance dispersal maximizing population growth and genetic diversity relative to distant dispersal. Within logged regions of the fragment, deforestation patterns closer to fragment borders more often exhibited lower population recovery rates and founding genetic diversity retention relative to more centrally located logging. These results suggest newly isolated fragments have populations that are more sensitive to the way in which their offspring and pollen dispersers are affected than the spatial pattern in which subsequent logging occurs, and that large variation in the recovery rates of different TLRF tree species attributable to altered gene dispersal

  4. Impact of Site Disturbances from Harvesting and Logging on Soil Physical Properties and Pinus kesiya Tree Growth.

    PubMed

    Missanjo, Edward; Kamanga-Thole, Gift

    2014-01-01

    A study was conducted to determine the impacts of soil disturbance and compaction on soil physical properties and tree growth and the effectiveness of tillage in maintaining or enhancing site productivity for intensively managed Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon sites in Dedza, Malawi. The results indicate that about fifty-two percent of the area of compacted plots was affected by the vehicular traffic. Seventy percent of the trees were planted on microsites with some degree of soil disturbance. Soil bulk density at 0-20 cm depth increased from 0.45 to 0.66 Mg m(-3) in the most compacted portions of traffic lanes. Soil strength in traffic lanes increased at all 60 cm depth but never exceeded 1200 kPa. Volumetric soil water content in compacted traffic lanes was greater than that in noncompacted soil. Total soil porosity decreased 13.8% to 16.1% with compaction, while available water holding capacity increased. The study revealed no detrimental effects on tree height and diameter from soil disturbance or compaction throughout the three growing season. At the ages of two and three, a tree volume index was actually greater for trees planted on traffic lanes than those on nondisturbed soil.

  5. Impact of Site Disturbances from Harvesting and Logging on Soil Physical Properties and Pinus kesiya Tree Growth

    PubMed Central

    Missanjo, Edward

    2014-01-01

    A study was conducted to determine the impacts of soil disturbance and compaction on soil physical properties and tree growth and the effectiveness of tillage in maintaining or enhancing site productivity for intensively managed Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon sites in Dedza, Malawi. The results indicate that about fifty-two percent of the area of compacted plots was affected by the vehicular traffic. Seventy percent of the trees were planted on microsites with some degree of soil disturbance. Soil bulk density at 0–20 cm depth increased from 0.45 to 0.66 Mg m−3 in the most compacted portions of traffic lanes. Soil strength in traffic lanes increased at all 60 cm depth but never exceeded 1200 kPa. Volumetric soil water content in compacted traffic lanes was greater than that in noncompacted soil. Total soil porosity decreased 13.8% to 16.1% with compaction, while available water holding capacity increased. The study revealed no detrimental effects on tree height and diameter from soil disturbance or compaction throughout the three growing season. At the ages of two and three, a tree volume index was actually greater for trees planted on traffic lanes than those on nondisturbed soil. PMID:27355043

  6. Response of branch growth and mortality to silvicultural treatments in coastal Douglas-fir plantations: implications for predicting tree growth.

    Treesearch

    A.R. Weiskittel; D. Maguire; R.A. Monserud

    2007-01-01

    Static models of individual tree crown attributes such as height to crown base and maximum branch diameter profile have been developed for several commercially important species. Dynamic models of individual branch growth and mortality have received less attention, but have generally been developed retrospectively by dissecting felled trees; however, this approach is...

  7. Estimating root collar diameter growth for multi-stem western woodland tree species on remeasured forest inventory and analysis plots

    Treesearch

    Michael T. Thompson; Maggie. Toone

    2012-01-01

    Tree diameter growth models are widely used in many forestry applications, often to predict tree size at a future point in time. Also, there are instances where projections of past diameters are needed. An individual tree model has been developed to estimate diameter growth of multi-stem woodland tree species where the diameter is measured at root collar. The model was...

  8. Bole girdling affects metabolic properties and root, trunk and branch hydraulics of young ponderosa pine trees.

    PubMed

    Domec, Jean-Christophe; Pruyn, Michele L

    2008-10-01

    Effects of trunk girdling on seasonal patterns of xylem water status, water transport and woody tissue metabolic properties were investigated in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. Laws.) trees. At the onset of summer, there was a sharp decrease in stomatal conductance (g(s)) in girdled trees followed by a full recovery after the first major rainfall in September. Eliminating the root as a carbohydrate sink by girdling induced a rapid reversible reduction in g(s). Respiratory potential (a laboratory measure of tissue-level respiration) increased above the girdle (branches and upper trunk) and decreased below the girdle (lower trunk and roots) relative to control trees during the growing season, but the effect was reversed after the first major rainfall. The increase in branch respiratory potential induced by girdling suggests that the decrease in g(s) was caused by the accumulation of carbohydrates above the girdle, which is consistent with an observed increase in leaf mass per area in the girdled trees. Trunk girdling did not affect native xylem embolism or xylem conductivity. Both treated and control trunks experienced loss of xylem conductivity ranging from 10% in spring to 30% in summer. Girdling reduced xylem growth and sapwood to leaf area ratio, which in turn reduced branch leaf specific conductivity (LSC). The girdling-induced reductions in g(s) and transpiration were associated with a decrease in leaf hydraulic conductance. Two years after girdling, when root-to-shoot phloem continuity had been restored, girdled trees had a reduced density of new wood, which increased xylem conductivity and whole-tree LSC, but also vulnerability to embolism.

  9. Green revolution trees: semidwarfism transgenes modify gibberellins, promote root growth, enhance morphological diversity, and reduce competitiveness in hybrid poplar.

    PubMed

    Elias, Ani A; Busov, Victor B; Kosola, Kevin R; Ma, Cathleen; Etherington, Elizabeth; Shevchenko, Olga; Gandhi, Harish; Pearce, David W; Rood, Stewart B; Strauss, Steven H

    2012-10-01

    Semidwarfism has been used extensively in row crops and horticulture to promote yield, reduce lodging, and improve harvest index, and it might have similar benefits for trees for short-rotation forestry or energy plantations, reclamation, phytoremediation, or other applications. We studied the effects of the dominant semidwarfism transgenes GA Insensitive (GAI) and Repressor of GAI-Like, which affect gibberellin (GA) action, and the GA catabolic gene, GA 2-oxidase, in nursery beds and in 2-year-old high-density stands of hybrid poplar (Populus tremula × Populus alba). Twenty-nine traits were analyzed, including measures of growth, morphology, and physiology. Endogenous GA levels were modified in most transgenic events; GA(20) and GA(8), in particular, had strong inverse associations with tree height. Nearly all measured traits varied significantly among genotypes, and several traits interacted with planting density, including aboveground biomass, root-shoot ratio, root fraction, branch angle, and crown depth. Semidwarfism promoted biomass allocation to roots over shoots and substantially increased rooting efficiency with most genes tested. The increased root proportion and increased leaf chlorophyll levels were associated with changes in leaf carbon isotope discrimination, indicating altered water use efficiency. Semidwarf trees had dramatically reduced growth when in direct competition with wild-type trees, supporting the hypothesis that semidwarfism genes could be effective tools to mitigate the spread of exotic, hybrid, and transgenic plants in wild and feral populations.

  10. Extreme defoliation reduces tree growth but not C and N storage in a winter-deciduous species

    PubMed Central

    Piper, Frida I.; Gundale, Michael J.; Fajardo, Alex

    2015-01-01

    Background and Aims There is a growing concern about how forests will respond to increased herbivory associated with climate change. Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) limitation are hypothesized to cause decreasing growth after defoliation, and eventually mortality. This study examines the effects of a natural and massive defoliation by an insect on mature trees’ C and N storage, which have rarely been studied together, particularly in winter-deciduous species. Methods Survival, growth rate, carbon [C, as non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentration] and nitrogen (N) storage, defences (tannins and total polyphenols), and re-foliation traits were examined in naturally defoliated and non-defoliated adult trees of the winter-deciduous temperate species Nothofagus pumilio 1 and 2 years after a massive and complete defoliation caused by the caterpillar of Ormiscodes amphimone (Saturniidae) during summer 2009 in Patagonia. Key Results Defoliated trees did not die but grew significantly less than non-defoliated trees for at least 2 years after defoliation. One year after defoliation, defoliated trees had similar NSC and N concentrations in woody tissues, higher polyphenol concentrations and lower re-foliation than non-defoliated trees. In the second year, however, NSC concentrations in branches were significantly higher in defoliated trees while differences in polyphenols and re-foliation disappeared and decreased, respectively. Conclusions The significant reduction in growth following defoliation was not caused by insufficient C or N availability, as frequently assumed; instead, it was probably due to growth limitations due to factors other than C or N, or to preventative C allocation to storage. This study shows an integrative approach to evaluating plant growth limitations in response to disturbance, by examining major resources other than C (e.g. N), and other C sinks besides storage and growth (e.g. defences and re-foliation). PMID:25851136

  11. Effect of logging wounds on diameter growth of sawlog-size Appalachian hardwood crop trees

    Treesearch

    Neil I. Lamson; H. Clay Smith; H. Clay Smith

    1988-01-01

    In previously thinned, even-aged Appalachian hardwood stands, 5-year diameter growth of 102 wounded and 102 unwounded codominant crop trees were compared. A wounded crop tre was defined as one with at least one exposed sapwood logging wound at least 100 inch2 in size. An unwounded crop tree of the same species and size was selected near each of the 102 wounded trees....

  12. Effects of Natural and Experimental Drought on Growth and Water Use Efficiency in Amazon trees

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vadeboncoeur, M. A.; Brum, M., Jr.; Oliveira, R. S.; Moutinho, V. H. P.; Flores, C. F.; Llerena, C. A.; Palace, M. W.; Asbjornsen, H.

    2016-12-01

    Severe regional droughts in the Amazon basin, mostly associated with El Nino events, have attracted considerable attention over the past decade, especially with regard to their effects on tree mortality, vulnerability to fire, and changes in the terrestrial budgets of carbon, water, and energy. Understanding the complex responses of forest ecosystems to such droughts is key to predicting how these globally critical forest ecosystems will respond to a changing climate with higher temperatures and greater precipitation variability. Though tree rings are not formed by all tropical tree species, they offer a unique retrospective approach for investigating patterns of climatic responses in both carbon cycling (primary production inferred from diameter growth) and water cycling (water use efficiency calculated from stable C isotope ratios). We sampled increment cores from 40 tree species at the Tapajos National Forest in Brazil, as well as the Cocha Cashu Biological Station in Peru, for an isotopic dendrochronological investigation into the effects of past droughts on the growth and water-use efficiency of canopy and mid-story tree species. We found that many but not all trees responded to drought years with periods of reduced growth lasting 2-3 years. Forthcoming data on carbon isotope ratios will allow us to compare the sensitivity of species and sites in terms of water use under drought conditions.

  13. Influence of heavy metal leaf contaminants on the in vitro growth of urban-tree phylloplane-fungi

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Smith, W.H.

    1977-01-01

    The surfaces of urban woody vegetation are contaminated with varying amounts of numerous metallic compounds, including Cd, Cu, Mn, Al, Cr, Ni, Fe, Pb, Na, and Zn. To examine the possibility that these metals may affect phylloplane fungi, the above cations were tested in vitro for their ability to influence the growth of numerous saprophytic and parasitic fungi isolated from the leaves of London plane trees. Considerable variation in growth inhibition by the metals was observed. Generally Aureobasidium pullulans, Epicoccum sp., and Phialophora verrucosa were relatively tolerant; Gnomonia platani, Cladsporium sp., and Pleurophomella sp. were intermediate; and Pestalotiopsis and Chaetomiummore » sp. were relatively sensitive to the incorporation of certain metals into solid and liquid media. If similar growth inhibitions occur in nature, competitive abilities or population structures of plant surface microbes may be altered by surface metal contamination. Metals causing the greatest and broadest spectrum growth suppression included Ni, Zn, Pb, Al, Fe, and Mn. 25 references, 4 figures.« less

  14. Complementary models of tree species-soil relationships in old-growth temperate forests

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cross, Alison; Perakis, Steven S.

    2011-01-01

    Ecosystem level studies identify plant soil feed backs as important controls on soil nutrient availability,particularly for nitrogen and phosphorus. Although site and species specific studies of tree species soil relationships are relatively common,comparatively fewer studies consider multiple coexisting speciesin old-growth forests across a range of sites that vary underlying soil fertility. We characterized patterns in forest floor and mineral soil nutrients associated with four common tree species across eight undisturbed old-growth forests in Oregon, USA, and used two complementary conceptual models to assess tree species soil relationships. Plant soil feedbacks that could reinforce sitelevel differences in nutrient availability were assessed using the context dependent relationships model, where by relative species based differences in each soil nutrient divergedorconvergedas nutrient status changed across sites. Tree species soil relationships that did not reflect strong feedbacks were evaluated using a site independent relationships model, where by forest floor and surface mineral soil nutrient tools differed consistently by tree species across sites,without variation in deeper mineral soils. We found that theorganically cycled elements carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus exhibited context-dependent differences among species in both forest floor and mineral soil, and most of ten followed adivergence model,where by species differences were greatest at high-nutrient sites. These patterns are consistent with the oryemphasizing biotic control of these elements through plant soil feedback mechanisms. Site independent species differences were strongest for pool so if the weather able cations calcium, magnesium, potassium,as well as phosphorus, in mineral soils. Site independent species differences in forest floor nutrients we reattributable too nespecies that displayed significant greater forest floor mass accumulation. Our finding confirmed that site-independent and

  15. Sensitivity of tree ring growth to local and large-scale climate variability in a region of Southeastern Brazil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Venegas-González, Alejandro; Chagas, Matheus Peres; Anholetto Júnior, Claudio Roberto; Alvares, Clayton Alcarde; Roig, Fidel Alejandro; Tomazello Filho, Mario

    2016-01-01

    We explored the relationship between tree growth in two tropical species and local and large-scale climate variability in Southeastern Brazil. Tree ring width chronologies of Tectona grandis (teak) and Pinus caribaea (Caribbean pine) trees were compared with local (Water Requirement Satisfaction Index—WRSI, Standardized Precipitation Index—SPI, and Palmer Drought Severity Index—PDSI) and large-scale climate indices that analyze the equatorial pacific sea surface temperature (Trans-Niño Index-TNI and Niño-3.4-N3.4) and atmospheric circulation variations in the Southern Hemisphere (Antarctic Oscillation-AAO). Teak trees showed positive correlation with three indices in the current summer and fall. A significant correlation between WRSI index and Caribbean pine was observed in the dry season preceding tree ring formation. The influence of large-scale climate patterns was observed only for TNI and AAO, where there was a radial growth reduction in months preceding the growing season with positive values of the TNI in teak trees and radial growth increase (decrease) during December (March) to February (May) of the previous (current) growing season with positive phase of the AAO in teak (Caribbean pine) trees. The development of a new dendroclimatological study in Southeastern Brazil sheds light to local and large-scale climate influence on tree growth in recent decades, contributing in future climate change studies.

  16. Foliar nitrogen metabolism of adult Douglas-fir trees is affected by soil water availability and varies little among provenances.

    PubMed

    Du, Baoguo; Kreuzwieser, Jürgen; Dannenmann, Michael; Junker, Laura Verena; Kleiber, Anita; Hess, Moritz; Jansen, Kirstin; Eiblmeier, Monika; Gessler, Arthur; Kohnle, Ulrich; Ensminger, Ingo; Rennenberg, Heinz; Wildhagen, Henning

    2018-01-01

    The coniferous forest tree Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is native to the pacific North America, and is increasingly planted in temperate regions worldwide. Nitrogen (N) metabolism is of great importance for growth, resistance and resilience of trees. In the present study, foliar N metabolism of adult trees of three coastal and one interior provenance of Douglas-fir grown at two common gardens in southwestern Germany (Wiesloch, W; Schluchsee, S) were characterized in two subsequent years. Both the native North American habitats of the seed sources and the common garden sites in Germany differ in climate conditions. Total and mineral soil N as well as soil water content were higher in S compared to W. We hypothesized that i) provenances differ constitutively in N pool sizes and composition, ii) N pools are affected by environmental conditions, and iii) that effects of environmental factors on N pools differ among interior and coastal provenances. Soil water content strongly affected the concentrations of total N, soluble protein, total amino acids (TAA), arginine and glutamate. Foliar concentrations of total N, soluble protein, structural N and TAA of trees grown at W were much higher than in trees at S. Provenance effects were small but significant for total N and soluble protein content (interior provenance showed lowest concentrations), as well as arginine, asparagine and glutamate. Our data suggest that needle N status of adult Douglas-fir is independent from soil N availability and that low soil water availability induces a re-allocation of N from structural N to metabolic N pools. Small provenance effects on N pools suggest that local adaptation of Douglas-fir is not dominated by N conditions at the native habitats.

  17. Evidence that higher [CO2] increases tree growth sensitivity to temperature: a comparison of modern and paleo oaks

    Treesearch

    Steven L. Voelker; Michael C. Stambaugh; J. Renée Brooks; Frederick C. Meinzer; Barbara Lachenbruch; Richard P. Guyette

    2017-01-01

    To test tree growth-sensitivity to temperature under different ambient CO2 concentrations, we determined stem radial growth rates as they relate to variation in temperature during the last deglacial period, and compare these to modern tree growth rates as they relate to spatial variation in temperature across the modern species distributional...

  18. Evidence of soil nutrient availability as the proximate constraint on growth of treeline trees in northwest Alaska.

    PubMed

    Sullivan, Patrick F; Ellison, Sarah B Z; McNown, Robert W; Brownlee, Annalis H; Sveinbjörnsson, Bjartmar

    2015-03-01

    The position of the Arctic treeline, which is a key regulator of surface energy exchange and carbon cycling, is widely thought to be controlled by temperature. Here, we present evidence that soil nutrient availability, rather than temperature, may be the proximate control on growth of treeline trees at our study site in northwest Alaska. We examined constraints on growth and allocation of white spruce in three contrasting habitats. The habitats had similar aboveground climates, but soil temperature declined from the riverside terrace to the forest to the treeline. We identified six lines of evidence that conflict with the hypothesis of direct temperature control and/or point to the importance of soil nutrient availability. First, the magnitude of aboveground growth declined from the terrace to the forest to the treeline, along gradients of diminishing soil nitrogen (N) availability and needle N concentration. Second, peak rates of branch extension, main stem radial and fine-root growth were generally not coincident with seasonal air and soil temperature maxima. At the treeline, in particular, rates of aboveground and fine-root growth declined well before air and soil temperatures reached their seasonal peaks. Third, in contrast with the hypothesis of temperature-limited growth, growing season average net photosynthesis was positively related to the sum of normalized branch extension, main stem radial and fine-root growth across trees and sites. Fourth, needle nonstructural carbohydrate concentration was significantly higher on the terrace, where growth was greatest. Fifth, annual branch extension growth was positively related to snow depth, consistent with the hypothesis that deeper snow promotes microbial activity and greater soil nutrient availability. Finally, the tree ring record revealed a large growth increase during late 20th-century climate warming on the terrace, where soil N availability is relatively high. Meanwhile, trees in the forest and at the

  19. Comparative study on growth performance of two shade trees in tea agroforestry system.

    PubMed

    Kalita, Rinku Moni; Das, Ashesh Kumar; Nath, Arun Jyoti

    2014-07-01

    An attempt was made to study the stem growth of two native dominant shade tree species in terms of annual girth increment in three dominant girth size categories for two years in tea agroforestry system of Barak Valley, Assam. Fifty two sampling plots of 0.1 ha size were established and all trees exceeding 10 cm girth over bark at breast height (1.37 m) were uniquely identified, tagged, and annually measured for girth increment, using metal tape during December 2010-12. Albizia lebbeck and A. odoratissima were dominant shade tree species registering 82% of appearance of the individuals studied. The girth class was categorized into six different categories where 30-50 cm, 50-70 cm and 70-90 cm were dominating girth classes and selected for increment study. Mean annual girth increment ranged from 1.41 cm in Albizia odoratissima (50-70 cm girth class) to 2.97 cm in Albizia lebbeck (70-90 cm girth class) for the first year and 1.70 cm in Albizia odoratissima (50-70 cm girth class) to 3.09 cm in Albizia lebbeck (70-90 cm girth class) for the second year. Albizia lebbeck exhibited better growth in all prominent girth classes as compared to Albizia odoratissima during the observation period. The two shade tree species showed similar trend of growth in both the years of observation and significant difference in girth increment.

  20. Assessing age- and silt index-independent diameter growth models of individual-tree Southern Appalachian hardwoods

    Treesearch

    Henry W. Mcnab; Thomas F. Lloyd

    1999-01-01

    Models of forest vegetation dynamics based on characteristics of individual trees are more suitable to predicting growth of multiple species and age classes than those based on stands. The objective of this study was to assess age- and site index-independent relationships between periodic diameter increment and tree and site effects for 11 major hardwood tree species....

  1. Growth of white pine and red spruce trees after pruning

    Treesearch

    Grant Davis

    1958-01-01

    Are pines the only coniferous trees suitable for pruning in the Northeast, or is it feasible to prune red spruce as well? Although red spruce is an important lumber species in the spruce-fir region, it is seldom pruned because of its relatively slow rate of growth.

  2. Variability in urban soils influences the health and growth of native tree seedlings

    Treesearch

    Clara C. Pregitzer; Nancy F. Sonti; Richard A. Hallett

    2016-01-01

    Reforesting degraded urban landscapes is important due to the many benefits urban forests provide. Urban soils are highly variable, yet little is known about how this variability in urban soils influences tree seedling performance and survival. We conducted a greenhouse study to assess health, growth, and survival of four native tree species growing in native glacial...

  3. Modeling the effect of competition on tree diameter growth as applied in STEMS.

    Treesearch

    Margaret R. Holdaway

    1984-01-01

    The modifier function used in STEMS (Stand and Tree Evaluation and Modeling System) mathematically represents the effect that the surrounding forest community has on the growth of an individual tree. This paper 1) develops the most recent modifier function, 2) discusses its form, 3) reports the results of the analysis with biological considerations and 4) evaluates the...

  4. [Tree-ring growth responses of Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica) to climate change in southern northeast: a case study in Qianshan Mountains].

    PubMed

    Teng, Li; Xing-Yuan, He; Zhen-Ju, Chen

    2014-07-01

    Mongolian oak is one of the most important broad-leaved tree species in forests, Northeast China. Based on the methodology of dendrochronology, the variations of tree ring radial growth of Mongolian oak in Qianshan Mountains, south of Northeast China, were analyzed. Combined with the temperature and precipitation data from meteorological stations since 1951, the relationships between standardized tree ring width chronology and main climatic factors were analyzed. In this region, the precipitation between April and July of the current year had an significant relationship with the tree ring width of Mongolian oak, and was the main factor limiting the radial growth. The extreme maximum temperature of May was also a key factor influencing the tree ring width, which had a significant on the tree ring width of Mongolian oak. The precipitation in April had a significant and stable relationship with the growth of Mongolian oak since the 1950s. The 'divergence problem' was found in the study area, which the sensitivity of tree growth to summer temperature reduced since the 1980s. The tree growth response to temperature showed a seasonal change from summer to spring.

  5. Seasonal dynamics of radial growth and stem water deficit in co-occurring saplings and mature conifers under drought: Canopy density affects water stress experienced by saplings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oberhuber, Walter

    2017-04-01

    Size-mediated climate sensitivity of trees will affect forest structure, composition and productivity under a warmer and drier climate. Therefore, the influence of tree size (saplings vs. mature trees) and site conditions on radial stem growth and stem water deficit of Picea abies (dry-mesic site; canopy cover [CC]: 70 %) and Pinus sylvestris (xeric site; CC: 30 %) were evaluated in a drought-prone inner Alpine environment (c. 750 m a.s.l.). Stem radius variations (SRVs) of saplings (mean stem diameter [SDM]: 2.3 cm) and co-occurring mature trees (SDM: 24 cm) were continuously recorded by dendrometers during two years (n = 6 - 8 individuals per species and size class). Growth-detrended SRVs (SSRV), which represent reversible shrinkage and swelling of tissues outside the cambium and contribute most to stem water storage capacity, were calculated by removing the Gompertz-modeled daily growth from SRVs. Dendrometer records revealed that irrespective of tree size, radial growth in Pinus sylvestris occurred in April-May, whereas the main growing period of Picea abies was April-June and May-June in saplings and mature trees, respectively. Growth-detrended SRVs were approximately twice as large in Pinus sylvestris compared to Picea abies indicating more intense exploitation of stem water reserves at the xeric site. Linear relationships between SSRVs of mature trees vs. saplings and climate-SSRV relationships revealed greater use of stem water reserves by mature Picea abies compared to saplings. This suggests that the strikingly depressed radial growth of Picea abies saplings was primarily caused by reduced carbon availability beneath the dense canopy. In contrast, a tree size effect on the seasonal dynamics of radial growth, stem water deficit and climate-SSRV relationships was mostly lacking in Pinus sylvestris, indicating comparable water status in mature trees and saplings under an open canopy. Results of this study provide evidence that development of a buffered

  6. Biological, social, and urban design factors affecting young street tree mortality in New York City

    Treesearch

    Jacqueline W.T. Lu; Erika S. Svendsen; Lindsay K. Campbell; Jennifer Greenfeld; Jessie Braden; Kristen King; Nancy Falxa-Raymond

    2010-01-01

    In dense metropolitan areas, there are many factors including traffic congestion, building development and social organizations that may impact the health of street trees. The focus of this study is to better understand how social, biological and urban design factors affect the mortality rates of newly planted street trees. Prior analyses of street trees planted by the...

  7. Predicting Tree Mortality From Diameter Growth: A Comparison of Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Approaches

    Treesearch

    Peter H. Wychoff; James S. Clark

    2000-01-01

    Ecologists and foresters have long noted a link between tree growth rate and mortality, and recent work suggests that i&erspecific differences in low growth tolerauce is a key force shaping forest structure. Little information is available, however, on the growth-mortality relationship for most species. We present three methods for estimating growth-mortality...

  8. Variations in the Relationship Between Precipitation and Tree Growth in the North-Central Rocky Mountains Identified Using a Tree-Ring Network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wise, E.

    2007-12-01

    Much of the western United States is in the midst of a multi-year drought that has placed a renewed sense of urgency on water availability issues. The characterization of variability over relevant space and time scales has emerged as one of the top needs concerning the hydrological cycle, but understanding hydroclimatic variability at decadal and longer time scales has been limited by instrumental data that are both spatially and temporally inadequate. The reconstruction of moisture variables from tree-rings has been recognized as an important source of information on long-term water supply variability. Moisture variables of interest may include annual precipitation, snowpack, summer precipitation, and streamflow. Trees in closely co-located sites can vary widely in the signal they reflect, particularly in a region with the complex topography and hydroclimatic variability that is seen in the north-central Rocky Mountains. In this study, climatic and geospatial information was combined with tree-ring chronologies in order to better-understand factors determining variations in the response of tree growth to a particular precipitation signal. Resulting spatial variability in moisture seasonality and growth response provide insight into the region's moisture patterns and better characterization of the region's hydroclimatic variability.

  9. Plasticity in Vegetative Growth over Contrasted Growing Sites of an F1 Olive Tree Progeny during Its Juvenile Phase.

    PubMed

    Ben Sadok, Inès; Martinez, Sebastien; Moutier, Nathalie; Garcia, Gilbert; Leon, Lorenzo; Belaj, Angelina; De La Rosa, Raúl; Khadari, Bouchaib; Costes, Evelyne

    2015-01-01

    Climatic changes impact fruit tree growth and severely limit their production. Investigating the tree ability to cope with environmental variations is thus necessary to adapt breeding and management strategies in order to ensure sustainable production. In this study, we assessed the genetic parameters and genotype by environment interaction (GxE) during the early tree growth. One hundred and twenty olive seedlings derived from the cross 'Olivière' x 'Arbequina' were examined across two sites with contrasted environments, accounting for ontogenetic trends over three years. Models including the year of growth, branching order, environment, genotype effects, and their interactions were built with variance function and covariance structure of residuals when necessary. After selection of a model, broad sense heritabilities were estimated. Despite strong environmental effect on most traits, no GxE was found. Moreover, the internal structure of traits co-variation was similar in both sites. Ontogenetic growth variation, related to (i) the overall tree form and (ii) the growth and branching habit at growth unit scale, was not altered by the environment. Finally, a moderate to strong genetic control was identified for traits at the whole tree scale and at internode scale. Among all studied traits, the maximal internode length exhibited the highest heritability (H2 = 0.74). Considering the determinant role of this trait in tree architecture and its stability across environments, this study consolidates its relevance for breeding.

  10. A New Method to Compare Statistical Tree Growth Curves: The PL-GMANOVA Model and Its Application with Dendrochronological Data

    PubMed Central

    Ricker, Martin; Peña Ramírez, Víctor M.; von Rosen, Dietrich

    2014-01-01

    Growth curves are monotonically increasing functions that measure repeatedly the same subjects over time. The classical growth curve model in the statistical literature is the Generalized Multivariate Analysis of Variance (GMANOVA) model. In order to model the tree trunk radius (r) over time (t) of trees on different sites, GMANOVA is combined here with the adapted PL regression model Q = A·T+E, where for and for , A =  initial relative growth to be estimated, , and E is an error term for each tree and time point. Furthermore, Ei[–b·r]  = , , with TPR being the turning point radius in a sigmoid curve, and at is an estimated calibrating time-radius point. Advantages of the approach are that growth rates can be compared among growth curves with different turning point radiuses and different starting points, hidden outliers are easily detectable, the method is statistically robust, and heteroscedasticity of the residuals among time points is allowed. The model was implemented with dendrochronological data of 235 Pinus montezumae trees on ten Mexican volcano sites to calculate comparison intervals for the estimated initial relative growth . One site (at the Popocatépetl volcano) stood out, with being 3.9 times the value of the site with the slowest-growing trees. Calculating variance components for the initial relative growth, 34% of the growth variation was found among sites, 31% among trees, and 35% over time. Without the Popocatépetl site, the numbers changed to 7%, 42%, and 51%. Further explanation of differences in growth would need to focus on factors that vary within sites and over time. PMID:25402427

  11. Drought-associated tree mortality: Global patterns and insights from tree-ring studies in the southwestern U.S.A

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Macalady, Alison Kelly

    changes correctly classified the status of ˜70% of trees. Climate responses and competitive interactions partly explained growth differences between dying and surviving trees, with muted response to wet/cool conditions and enhanced sensitivity to competition from congeners linked to growth patterns associated with death. Discrimination and validation of models of mortality risk varied widely across sites and drought events, indicating shifting growth-mortality relationships and differences in mortality processes across space and time (Appendix B). Pre-formed defense anatomy is strongly associated with pinon survivorship over a range of sites and stand conditions. Models of mortality risk that account for both growth and resin duct attributes had ≈10 19 more support than models that contained only growth. The greatest improvement in classification was among trees from the 2000s drought, suggesting an enhanced role for tree defense allocation and/or bark beetle activity during recent warm versus historic cool drought. Accounting for defense characteristics and growth-defense allocation is likely to be important for improving representation of drought-associated mortality (Appendix C). Pinon resin duct chronologies contain climate responses that are coherent and distinct from those of radial growth. Growth responds positively and strongly to previous fall and current winter precipitation, and negatively to late spring and early summer temperature. A relatively equal positive resin duct response to winter precipitation and positive response to mid-to-late summer drought suggests that changes in climate will affect tree defense anatomy in complex ways, with the outcome determined by seasonal changes in precipitation and temperature (Appendix D).

  12. Foliar nitrogen content and tree growth after prescribed fire in ponderosa pine.

    Treesearch

    J.D. Landsberg; P.H. Cochran; M.M. Finck; R.E. Martin

    1984-01-01

    This initial study of prescribed burning in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Doug. ex Laws.) stands in central Oregon showed that all periodic annual growth increments were reduced for trees alive four growing seasons later. Height growth was reduced 8 percent in areas burned by fires with moderate fuel consumption and 18 percent in areas with high...

  13. Differences in proleptic and epicormic shoot structures in relation to water deficit and growth rate in almond trees (Prunus dulcis)

    PubMed Central

    Negrón, Claudia; Contador, Loreto; Lampinen, Bruce D.; Metcalf, Samuel G.; Guédon, Yann; Costes, Evelyne; DeJong, Theodore M.

    2014-01-01

    Background and Aims Shoot characteristics differ depending on the meristem tissue that they originate from and environmental conditions during their development. This study focused on the effects of plant water status on axillary meristem fate and flowering patterns along proleptic and epicormic shoots, as well as on shoot growth rates on ‘Nonpareil’ almond trees (Prunus dulcis). The aims were (1) to characterize the structural differences between proleptic and epicormic shoots, (2) to determine whether water deficits modify shoot structures differently depending on shoot type, and (3) to determine whether shoot structures are related to shoot growth rates. Methods A hidden semi-Markov model of the axillary meristem fate and number of flower buds per node was built for two shoot types growing on trees exposed to three plant water status treatments. The models segmented observed shoots into successive homogeneous zones, which were compared between treatments. Shoot growth rates were calculated from shoot extension measurements made during the growing season. Key Results Proleptic shoots had seven successive homogeneous zones while epicormic shoots had five zones. Shoot structures were associated with changes in growth rate over the season. Water deficit (1) affected the occurrence and lengths of the first zones of proleptic shoots, but only the occurrence of the third zone was reduced in epicormic shoots; (2) had a minor effect on zone flowering patterns and did not modify shoot or zone composition of axillary meristem fates; and (3) reduced growth rates, although patterns over the season were similar among treatments. Conclusions Two meristem types, with different latency durations, produced shoots with different growth rates and distinct structures. Differences between shoot type structure responses to water deficit appeared to reflect their ontogenetic characteristics and/or resource availability for their development. Tree water deficit appeared to stimulate

  14. Differences in proleptic and epicormic shoot structures in relation to water deficit and growth rate in almond trees (Prunus dulcis).

    PubMed

    Negrón, Claudia; Contador, Loreto; Lampinen, Bruce D; Metcalf, Samuel G; Guédon, Yann; Costes, Evelyne; DeJong, Theodore M

    2014-02-01

    Shoot characteristics differ depending on the meristem tissue that they originate from and environmental conditions during their development. This study focused on the effects of plant water status on axillary meristem fate and flowering patterns along proleptic and epicormic shoots, as well as on shoot growth rates on 'Nonpareil' almond trees (Prunus dulcis). The aims were (1) to characterize the structural differences between proleptic and epicormic shoots, (2) to determine whether water deficits modify shoot structures differently depending on shoot type, and (3) to determine whether shoot structures are related to shoot growth rates. A hidden semi-Markov model of the axillary meristem fate and number of flower buds per node was built for two shoot types growing on trees exposed to three plant water status treatments. The models segmented observed shoots into successive homogeneous zones, which were compared between treatments. Shoot growth rates were calculated from shoot extension measurements made during the growing season. Proleptic shoots had seven successive homogeneous zones while epicormic shoots had five zones. Shoot structures were associated with changes in growth rate over the season. Water deficit (1) affected the occurrence and lengths of the first zones of proleptic shoots, but only the occurrence of the third zone was reduced in epicormic shoots; (2) had a minor effect on zone flowering patterns and did not modify shoot or zone composition of axillary meristem fates; and (3) reduced growth rates, although patterns over the season were similar among treatments. Two meristem types, with different latency durations, produced shoots with different growth rates and distinct structures. Differences between shoot type structure responses to water deficit appeared to reflect their ontogenetic characteristics and/or resource availability for their development. Tree water deficit appeared to stimulate a more rapid progression through ontogenetic states.

  15. Assessment of urban tree growth from structure, nutrients and composition data derived from airborne lidar and imaging spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gu, H.; Townsend, P. A.; Singh, A.

    2014-12-01

    Urban forests provide important ecosystem services related to climate, nutrients, runoff and aesthetics. Assessment of variations in urban forest growth is critical to urban management and planning, as well as to identify responses to climate and other environmental changes. We estimated annual relative basal area increment by tree rings from 37 plots in Madison, Wisconsin and neighboring municipalities. We related relative basal area growth to variables of vegetation traits derived from remote sensing, including structure (aboveground biomass, diameter, height, basal area, crown width and crown length) from discrete-return airborne lidar, and biochemical variables (foliar nitrogen, carbon, lignin, cellulose, fiber and LMA), spectral indices (NDVI, NDWI, PRI, NDII etc.) and species composition from AVIRIS hyperspectral imagery. Variations in tree growth was mainly correlated with tree species composition (R2 = 0.29, RMSE = 0.004) with coniferous stands having a faster growth rate than broadleaf plots. Inclusion of stand basal area improved model prediction from R2 = 0.29 to 0.35, with RMSE = 0.003. Then, we assessed the growth by functional type, we found that foliar lignin concentration and the proportion of live coniferous trees explained 57% variance in the growth of conifer stands. In contrast, broadleaf forest growth was more strongly correlated with species composition and foliar carbon (R2 = 0.59, RMSE = 0.003). Finally, we compared the relative basal area growth by species. In our study area, red pine and white pine exhibited higher growth rates than other species, while white oak plots grew slowest. There is a significant negative relationship between tree height and the relative growth in red pine stands (r = -0.95), as well as a strong negative relationship between crown width and the relative growth in white pine stands (r = -0.87). Growth declines as trees grow taller and wider may partly be the result of reduced photosynthesis and water availability

  16. Shade periodicity affects growth of container grown dogwoods

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Container-grown dogwoods rank third in the US in nursery sales of ornamental trees. However, Dogwoods are a challenging crop to produce in container culture, especially when bare root liners are used as the initial transplant into containers due unacceptable levels of mortality and poor growth. This...

  17. Can rising CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere mitigate the impact of drought years on tree growth?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Achim, Alexis; Plumpton, Heather; Auty, David; Ogee, Jerome; MacCarthy, Heather; Bert, Didier; Domec, Jean-Christophe; Oren, Ram; Wingate, Lisa

    2015-04-01

    Atmospheric CO2 concentrations and nitrogen deposition rates have increased substantially over the last century and are expected to continue unabated. As a result, terrestrial ecosystems will experience warmer temperatures and some may even experience droughts of a more intense and frequent nature that could lead to widespread forest mortality. Thus there is mounting pressure to understand and predict how forest growth will be affected by such environmental interactions in the future. In this study we used annual tree growth data from the Duke Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experiment to determine the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration (+200 ppm) and Nitrogen fertilisation (11.2 g of N m-2 yr-1) on the stem biomass increments of mature loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees from 1996 to 2010. A non-linear mixed-effects model was developed to provide estimates of annual ring specific gravity in all trees using cambial age and annual ring width as explanatory variables. Elevated CO2 did not have a significant effect on annual ring specific gravity, but N fertilisation caused a slight decrease of approximately 2% compared to the non-fertilised in both the ambient and CO2-elevated plots. When basal area increments were multiplied by wood specific gravity predictions to provide estimates of stem biomass, there was a 40% increase in the CO2-elevated plots compared to those in ambient conditions. This difference remained relatively stable until the application of the fertilisation treatment, which caused a further increase in biomass increments that peaked after three years. Unexpectedly the magnitude of this second response was similar in the CO2-elevated and ambient plots (about 25% in each after 3 years), suggesting that there was no interaction between the concentration of CO2 and the availability of soil N on biomass increments. Importantly, during drier years when annual precipitation was less than 1000 mm we observed a significant decrease in annual

  18. Foliar nitrogen metabolism of adult Douglas-fir trees is affected by soil water availability and varies little among provenances

    PubMed Central

    Du, Baoguo; Kreuzwieser, Jürgen; Dannenmann, Michael; Junker, Laura Verena; Kleiber, Anita; Hess, Moritz; Jansen, Kirstin; Eiblmeier, Monika; Gessler, Arthur; Kohnle, Ulrich; Ensminger, Ingo; Rennenberg, Heinz

    2018-01-01

    The coniferous forest tree Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is native to the pacific North America, and is increasingly planted in temperate regions worldwide. Nitrogen (N) metabolism is of great importance for growth, resistance and resilience of trees. In the present study, foliar N metabolism of adult trees of three coastal and one interior provenance of Douglas-fir grown at two common gardens in southwestern Germany (Wiesloch, W; Schluchsee, S) were characterized in two subsequent years. Both the native North American habitats of the seed sources and the common garden sites in Germany differ in climate conditions. Total and mineral soil N as well as soil water content were higher in S compared to W. We hypothesized that i) provenances differ constitutively in N pool sizes and composition, ii) N pools are affected by environmental conditions, and iii) that effects of environmental factors on N pools differ among interior and coastal provenances. Soil water content strongly affected the concentrations of total N, soluble protein, total amino acids (TAA), arginine and glutamate. Foliar concentrations of total N, soluble protein, structural N and TAA of trees grown at W were much higher than in trees at S. Provenance effects were small but significant for total N and soluble protein content (interior provenance showed lowest concentrations), as well as arginine, asparagine and glutamate. Our data suggest that needle N status of adult Douglas-fir is independent from soil N availability and that low soil water availability induces a re-allocation of N from structural N to metabolic N pools. Small provenance effects on N pools suggest that local adaptation of Douglas-fir is not dominated by N conditions at the native habitats. PMID:29566035

  19. The competitive status of trees determines their responsiveness to increasing atmospheric humidity - a climate trend predicted for northern latitudes.

    PubMed

    Tullus, Arvo; Kupper, Priit; Kaasik, Ants; Tullus, Hardi; Lõhmus, Krista; Sõber, Anu; Sellin, Arne

    2017-05-01

    The interactive effects of climate variables and tree-tree competition are still insufficiently understood drivers of forest response to global climate change. Precipitation and air humidity are predicted to rise concurrently at high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. We investigated whether the growth response of deciduous trees to elevated air humidity varies with their competitive status. The study was conducted in seed-originated silver birch and monoclonal hybrid aspen stands grown at the free air humidity manipulation (FAHM) experimental site in Estonia, in which manipulated stands (n = 3 for both species) are exposed to artificially elevated relative air humidity (6-7% over the ambient level). The study period included three growing seasons during which the stands had reached the competitive stage (trees were 7 years old in the final year). A significant 'treatment×competitive status' interactive effect on growth was detected in all years in birch (P < 0.01) and in one year in aspen stands (P = 0.015). Competitively advantaged trees were always more strongly affected by elevated humidity. Initially the growth of advantaged and neutral trees of both species remained significantly suppressed in humidified stands. In the following years, dominance and elevated humidity had a synergistic positive effect on the growth of birches. Aspens with different competitive status recovered more uniformly, attaining similar relative growth rates in manipulated and control stands, but preserved a significantly lower total growth yield due to severe initial growth stress. Disadvantaged trees of both species were never significantly affected by elevated humidity. Our results suggest that air humidity affects trees indirectly depending on their social status. Therefore, the response of northern temperate and boreal forests to a more humid climate in future will likely be modified by competitive relationships among trees, which may potentially affect species

  20. Long-term effects of drought on tree-ring growth and carbon isotope variability in Scots pine in a dry environment.

    PubMed

    Timofeeva, Galina; Treydte, Kerstin; Bugmann, Harald; Rigling, Andreas; Schaub, Marcus; Siegwolf, Rolf; Saurer, Matthias

    2017-08-01

    Drought frequency is increasing in many parts of the world and may enhance tree decline and mortality. The underlying physiological mechanisms are poorly understood, however, particularly regarding chronic effects of long-term drought and the response to increasing temperature and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). We combined analyses of radial growth and stable carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) in tree rings in a mature Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forest over the 20th century to elucidate causes of tree mortality in one of the driest parts of the European Alps (Pfynwald, Switzerland). We further compared trees that have recently died with living trees in a 10-year irrigation experiment, where annual precipitation was doubled. We found a sustained growth increase and immediate depletion of δ13C values for irrigated trees, indicating higher stomatal conductance and thus indeed demonstrating that water is a key limiting factor for growth. Growth of the now-dead trees started declining in the mid-1980s, when both mean temperature and VPD increased strongly. But growth of these trees was reduced to some extent already several decades earlier, while intrinsic water-use efficiency derived from δ13C values was higher. This indicates a more conservative water-use strategy compared with surviving trees, possibly at the cost of low carbon uptake and long-term reduction of the needle mass. We observed reduced climatic sensitivity of raw tree-ring δ13C for the now-dead in contrast to surviving trees, indicating impaired stomatal regulation, although this difference between the tree groups was smaller after detrending the data. Higher autocorrelation and a lower inter-annual δ13C variability of the now-dead trees further indicates a strong dependence on (low) carbon reserves. We conclude that the recent increase in atmospheric moisture demand in combination with insufficient soil water supply was the main trigger for mortality of those trees that were weakened by long

  1. Seedling survival and growth of three forest tree species: The role of spatial heterogeneity

    Treesearch

    Brian Beckage; James S. Clark

    2003-01-01

    Spatial heterogeneity in microenvironments may provide unique regeneration niches for trees and may promote forest diversity. We examined how heterogeneity in understory cover, mineral nutrients, and moisture and their interactions with canopy gaps contribute to the coexistence of three common, co-occuring tree species. We measured survival and height growth of 1080...

  2. The influence of prefire tree growth and crown condition on postfire mortality of sugar pine following prescribed fire in Sequoia National Park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nesmith, Jonathan C. B.; Das, Adrian J.; O'Hara, Kevin L.; van Mantgem, Phillip J.

    2015-01-01

    Tree mortality is a vital component of forest management in the context of prescribed fires; however, few studies have examined the effect of prefire tree health on postfire mortality. This is especially relevant for sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana Douglas), a species experiencing population declines due to a suite of anthropogenic factors. Using data from an old-growth mixed-conifer forest in Sequoia National Park, we evaluated the effects of fire, tree size, prefire radial growth, and crown condition on postfire mortality. Models based only on tree size and measures of fire damage were compared with models that included tree size, fire damage, and prefire tree health (e.g., measures of prefire tree radial growth or crown condition). Immediately following the fire, the inclusion of different metrics of prefire tree health produced variable improvements over the models that included only tree size and measures of fire damage, as models that included measures of crown condition performed better than fire-only models, but models that included measures of prefire radial growth did not perform better. However, 5 years following the fire, sugar pine mortality was best predicted by models that included measures of both fire damage and prefire tree health, specifically, diameter at breast height (DBH, 1.37 m), crown scorch, 30-year mean growth, and the number of sharp declines in growth over a 30-year period. This suggests that factors that influence prefire tree health (e.g., drought, competition, pathogens, etc.) may partially determine postfire mortality, especially when accounting for delayed mortality following fire.

  3. Tree shelters fail to enhance height growth of northern red oak in the upper peninsula of Michigan

    Treesearch

    Douglas O. Lantagne; Raymond Miller

    1997-01-01

    Tree shelters have been shown to be a questionable establishment practice in shelterwood stands. Experiences with low seedling survival and growth may be due to an apparent deficiency of light. In other situations, tree shelters have generally been found to be beneficial in enhancing survival and growth of hardwood plantings. This poster will describe the poor survival...

  4. Tropical rain forest tree growth and atmospheric carbon dynamics linked to interannual temperature variation during 1984–2000

    PubMed Central

    Clark, D. A.; Piper, S. C.; Keeling, C. D.; Clark, D. B.

    2003-01-01

    During 1984–2000, canopy tree growth in old-growth tropical rain forest at La Selva, Costa Rica, varied >2-fold among years. The trees' annual diameter increments in this 16-yr period were negatively correlated with annual means of daily minimum temperatures. The tree growth variations also negatively covaried with the net carbon exchange of the terrestrial tropics as a whole, as inferred from nearly pole-to-pole measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) interpreted by an inverse tracer–transport model. Strong reductions in tree growth and large inferred tropical releases of CO2 to the atmosphere occurred during the record-hot 1997–1998 El Niño. These and other recent findings are consistent with decreased net primary production in tropical forests in the warmer years of the last two decades. As has been projected by recent process model studies, such a sensitivity of tropical forest productivity to on-going climate change would accelerate the rate of atmospheric CO2 accumulation. PMID:12719545

  5. Plasticity in Vegetative Growth over Contrasted Growing Sites of an F1 Olive Tree Progeny during Its Juvenile Phase

    PubMed Central

    Ben Sadok, Inès; Martinez, Sebastien; Moutier, Nathalie; Garcia, Gilbert; Leon, Lorenzo; Belaj, Angelina; De La Rosa, Raúl; Khadari, Bouchaib; Costes, Evelyne

    2015-01-01

    Climatic changes impact fruit tree growth and severely limit their production. Investigating the tree ability to cope with environmental variations is thus necessary to adapt breeding and management strategies in order to ensure sustainable production. In this study, we assessed the genetic parameters and genotype by environment interaction (GxE) during the early tree growth. One hundred and twenty olive seedlings derived from the cross ‘Olivière’ x ‘Arbequina’ were examined across two sites with contrasted environments, accounting for ontogenetic trends over three years. Models including the year of growth, branching order, environment, genotype effects, and their interactions were built with variance function and covariance structure of residuals when necessary. After selection of a model, broad sense heritabilities were estimated. Despite strong environmental effect on most traits, no GxE was found. Moreover, the internal structure of traits co-variation was similar in both sites. Ontogenetic growth variation, related to (i) the overall tree form and (ii) the growth and branching habit at growth unit scale, was not altered by the environment. Finally, a moderate to strong genetic control was identified for traits at the whole tree scale and at internode scale. Among all studied traits, the maximal internode length exhibited the highest heritability (H2 = 0.74). Considering the determinant role of this trait in tree architecture and its stability across environments, this study consolidates its relevance for breeding. PMID:26062090

  6. A new method to compare statistical tree growth curves: the PL-GMANOVA model and its application with dendrochronological data.

    PubMed

    Ricker, Martin; Peña Ramírez, Víctor M; von Rosen, Dietrich

    2014-01-01

    Growth curves are monotonically increasing functions that measure repeatedly the same subjects over time. The classical growth curve model in the statistical literature is the Generalized Multivariate Analysis of Variance (GMANOVA) model. In order to model the tree trunk radius (r) over time (t) of trees on different sites, GMANOVA is combined here with the adapted PL regression model Q = A · T+E, where for b ≠ 0 : Q = Ei[-b · r]-Ei[-b · r1] and for b = 0 : Q  = Ln[r/r1], A =  initial relative growth to be estimated, T = t-t1, and E is an error term for each tree and time point. Furthermore, Ei[-b · r]  = ∫(Exp[-b · r]/r)dr, b = -1/TPR, with TPR being the turning point radius in a sigmoid curve, and r1 at t1 is an estimated calibrating time-radius point. Advantages of the approach are that growth rates can be compared among growth curves with different turning point radiuses and different starting points, hidden outliers are easily detectable, the method is statistically robust, and heteroscedasticity of the residuals among time points is allowed. The model was implemented with dendrochronological data of 235 Pinus montezumae trees on ten Mexican volcano sites to calculate comparison intervals for the estimated initial relative growth A. One site (at the Popocatépetl volcano) stood out, with A being 3.9 times the value of the site with the slowest-growing trees. Calculating variance components for the initial relative growth, 34% of the growth variation was found among sites, 31% among trees, and 35% over time. Without the Popocatépetl site, the numbers changed to 7%, 42%, and 51%. Further explanation of differences in growth would need to focus on factors that vary within sites and over time.

  7. Variability in solar radiation and temperature explains observed patterns and trends in tree growth rates across four tropical forests.

    PubMed

    Dong, Shirley Xiaobi; Davies, Stuart J; Ashton, Peter S; Bunyavejchewin, Sarayudh; Supardi, M N Nur; Kassim, Abd Rahman; Tan, Sylvester; Moorcroft, Paul R

    2012-10-07

    The response of tropical forests to global climate variability and change remains poorly understood. Results from long-term studies of permanent forest plots have reported different, and in some cases opposing trends in tropical forest dynamics. In this study, we examined changes in tree growth rates at four long-term permanent tropical forest research plots in relation to variation in solar radiation, temperature and precipitation. Temporal variation in the stand-level growth rates measured at five-year intervals was found to be positively correlated with variation in incoming solar radiation and negatively related to temporal variation in night-time temperatures. Taken alone, neither solar radiation variability nor the effects of night-time temperatures can account for the observed temporal variation in tree growth rates across sites, but when considered together, these two climate variables account for most of the observed temporal variability in tree growth rates. Further analysis indicates that the stand-level response is primarily driven by the responses of smaller-sized trees (less than 20 cm in diameter). The combined temperature and radiation responses identified in this study provide a potential explanation for the conflicting patterns in tree growth rates found in previous studies.

  8. Young Children Learn to Restructure Personal Ideas about Growth in Trees.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sunal, Dennis W.; Sunal, Cynthia S.

    1991-01-01

    Three activities in which students identify and demonstrate similarities and differences in plants and in plant growth are presented. The activities include background information, objectives for the tree ring activities, a list of needed materials, procedures, evaluation procedures, and a glossary. (KR)

  9. Tree species composition affects the abundance of rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.) in urban forests in Finland.

    PubMed

    Hamberg, Leena; Lehvävirta, Susanna; Kotze, D Johan; Heikkinen, Juha

    2015-03-15

    Recent studies have shown a considerable increase in the abundance of rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) saplings in urban forests in Finland, yet the reasons for this increase are not well understood. Here we investigated whether canopy cover or tree species composition, i.e., the basal areas of different tree species in Norway spruce dominated urban forests, affects the abundances of rowan seedlings, saplings and trees. Altogether 24 urban forest patches were investigated. We sampled the number of rowan and other saplings, and calculated the basal areas of trees. We showed that rowan abundance was affected by tree species composition. The basal area of rowan trees (≥ 5 cm in diameter at breast height, dbh) decreased with increasing basal area of Norway spruce, while the cover of rowan seedlings increased with an increase in Norway spruce basal area. However, a decrease in the abundance of birch (Betula pendula) and an increase in the broad-leaved tree group (Acer platanoides, Alnus glutinosa, Alnus incana, Amelanchier spicata, Prunus padus, Quercus robur, Rhamnus frangula and Salix caprea) coincided with a decreasing number of rowans. Furthermore, rowan saplings were scarce in the vicinity of mature rowan trees. Although it seems that tree species composition has an effect on rowan, the relationship between rowan saplings and mature trees is complex, and therefore we conclude that regulating tree species composition is not an easy way to keep rowan thickets under control in urban forests in Finland. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Factors Affecting the Productivity of Logging Crews Using Chain Saws and Wheeled Skidders in Tree-Length Aspen

    Treesearch

    Dennis P. Bradley; Frank E. Biltonen

    1973-01-01

    Describes the productivity of selected aspen pulpwood loggers in northern Minnesota. The most important factors affecting productivity were the ratio of harvested trees per acre to total trees per acre, harvested volume per acre, and the spacing of nonharvested trees

  11. Spatially nonrandom tree mortality and ingrowth maintain equilibrium pattern in an old-growth Pseudotsuga-Tsuga forest.

    PubMed

    Lutz, James A; Larson, Andrew J; Furniss, Tucker J; Donato, Daniel C; Freund, James A; Swanson, Mark E; Bible, Kenneth J; Chen, Jiquan; Franklin, Jerry F

    2014-08-01

    Mortality processes in old-growth forests are generally assumed to be driven by gap-scale disturbance, with only a limited role ascribed to density-dependent mortality, but these assumptions are rarely tested with data sets incorporating repeated measurements. Using a 12-ha spatially explicit plot censused 13 years apart in an approximately 500-year-old Pseudotsuga-Tsuga forest, we demonstrate significant density-dependent mortality and spatially aggregated tree recruitment. However, the combined effect of these strongly nonrandom demographic processes was to maintain tree patterns in a state of dynamic equilibrium. Density-dependent mortality was most pronounced for the dominant late-successional species, Tsuga heterophylla. The long-lived, early-seral Pseudotsuga menziesii experienced an annual stem mortality rate of 0.84% and no new recruitment. Late-seral species Tsuga and Abies amabilis had nearly balanced demographic rates of ingrowth and mortality. The 2.34% mortality rate for Taxus brevifolia was higher than expected, notably less than ingrowth, and strongly affected by proximity to Tsuga. Large-diameter Tsuga structured both the regenerating conspecific and heterospecific cohorts with recruitment of Tsuga and Abies unlikely in neighborhoods crowded with large-diameter competitors (P < 0.001). Density-dependent competitive interactions strongly shape forest communities even five centuries after stand initiation, underscoring the dynamic nature of even equilibrial old-growth forests.

  12. The Needs of Trees

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boyd, Amy E.; Cooper, Jim

    2004-01-01

    Tree rings can be used not only to look at plant growth, but also to make connections between plant growth and resource availability. In this lesson, students in 2nd-4th grades use role-play to become familiar with basic requirements of trees and how availability of those resources is related to tree ring sizes and tree growth. These concepts can…

  13. Adjustments of individual-tree survival and diameter-growth equations to match whole-stand attributes

    Treesearch

    Quang V. Cao

    2010-01-01

    Individual-tree models are flexible and can perform well in predicting tree survival and diameter growth for a certain growing period. However, the resulting stand-level outputs often suffer from accumulation of errors and subsequently cannot compete with predictions from whole-stand models, especially when the projection period lengthens. Evaluated in this study were...

  14. Species-specific effects of a 1994 ice storm on radial tree growth in Delaware

    Treesearch

    Matthew Smolnik; Amy Hessl; J. J. Colbert

    2006-01-01

    Ice storms are recurrent disturbances that alter forest succession and forest structure throughout North America. However, long-term effects of ice storms on tree growth are largely unknown. Following a 1994 ice storm in Delaware, the Delaware Forest Service established seventy-five study plots to sample four species of trees (southern red oak [Quercus falcate...

  15. Post-fire tree stress and growth following smoldering duff fires

    Treesearch

    Morgan Varner; Francis E. Putz; Robert J. Mitchell; J. Kevin Hiers; Joseph J. O’Brien; Doria R. Gordon

    2009-01-01

    Understanding the proximate causes of post-fire conifer mortality due to smoldering duff fires is essential to the restoration and management of coniferous forests throughout North America. To better understand duff fire-caused mortality, we investigated tree stress and radial growth following experimental fires in a long-unburned forest on deep sands in northern...

  16. Growth and mortality of thinned knobcone x Monterey pine saplings affected by engraver beetles and a hard freeze

    Treesearch

    William W. Oliver

    1979-01-01

    Mortality and diameter growth loss were severe on study plots in a thinned plantation of 9-year-old trees. California five-spined engravers killed 15 percent of the trees and a hard freeze killed 20 percent of the survivors. Mortality was higher and subsequent diameter growth was lower in trees with most of their needles freeze-killed than in trees less severely...

  17. Tree-ring δ13C and δ18O, leaf δ13C and wood and leaf N status demonstrate tree growth strategies and predict susceptibility to disturbance

    PubMed Central

    Billings, S.A.; Boone, A.S.; Stephen, F.M.

    2016-01-01

    Understanding how tree growth strategies may influence tree susceptibility to disturbance is an important goal, especially given projected increases in diverse ecological disturbances this century. We use growth responses of tree rings to climate, relationships between tree-ring stable isotopic signatures of carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O), wood nitrogen concentration [N], and contemporary leaf [N] and δ13C values to assess potential historic drivers of tree photosynthesis in dying and apparently healthy co-occurring northern red oak (Quercus rubra L. (Fagaceae)) during a region-wide oak decline event in Arkansas, USA. Bole growth of both healthy and dying trees responded negatively to drought severity (Palmer Drought Severity Index) and temperature; healthy trees exhibited a positive, but small, response to growing season precipitation. Contrary to expectations, tree-ring δ13C did not increase with drought severity. A significantly positive relationship between tree-ring δ13C and δ18O was evident in dying trees (P < 0.05) but not in healthy trees. Healthy trees’ wood exhibited lower [N] than that of dying trees throughout most of their lives (P < 0.05), and we observed a significant, positive relationship (P < 0.05) in healthy trees between contemporary leaf δ13C and leaf N (by mass), but not in dying trees. Our work provides evidence that for plants in which strong relationships between δ13C and δ18O are not evident, δ13C may be governed by plant N status. The data further imply that historic photosynthesis in healthy trees was linked to N status and, perhaps, C sink strength to a greater extent than in dying trees, in which tree-ring stable isotopes suggest that historic photosynthesis was governed primarily by stomatal regulation. This, in turn, suggests that assessing the relative dominance of photosynthetic capacity vs stomatal regulation as drivers of trees’ C accrual may be a feasible means of predicting tree responses to some

  18. Defoliation negatively affects plant growth and the ectomycorrhizal community of Pinus pinaster in Spain.

    PubMed

    Pestaña, Montserrat; Santolamazza-Carbone, Serena

    2011-03-01

    In this work, by artificially reproducing severe (75%) and moderate (25%) defoliation on maritime pines Pinus pinaster in NW Spain, we investigated, under natural conditions, the consequences of foliage loss on reproduction, abundance, diversity and richness of the fungal symbionts growing belowground and aboveground. The effect of defoliation on tree growth was also assessed. Mature needles were clipped during April 2007 and 2008. Root samples were collected in June-July 2007 and 2008. Collection of sporocarps was performed weekly from April 2007 to April 2009. Taxonomic identity of ectomycorrhizal fungi was assessed by using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, subsequent direct sequencing and BLAST search. Ectomycorrhizal colonization was significantly reduced (from 54 to 42%) in 2008 by 75% defoliation, accompanied with a decline in species richness and diversity. On the other hand, sporocarp abundance, richness and diversity were not affected by foliage loss. Some ECM fungal symbionts, which are assumed to have a higher carbon cost according to the morphotypes structure, were reduced due to severe (75%) defoliation. Furthermore, 75% foliage loss consistently depressed tree growth, which in turn affected the ectomycorrhizal growth pattern. Defoliation impact on ECM symbionts largely depends on the percentage of foliage removal and on the number of defoliation bouts. Severe defoliation (75%) in the short term (2 years) changed the composition of the ECM community likely because root biomass would be adjusted to lower levels in parallel with the depletion of the aboveground plant biomass, which probably promoted the competition among mycorrhizal types for host resources. The persistence of fungal biomass in mycorrhizal roots would be crucial for nutrient up-take and recovery from defoliation stress of the host plants.

  19. [Effects of waterlogging on the growth and energy-metabolic enzyme activities of different tree species].

    PubMed

    Wang, Gui-Bin; Cao, Fu-Liang; Zhang, Xiao-Yan; Zhang, Wang-Xiang

    2010-03-01

    Aimed to understand the waterlogging tolerance and adaptation mechanisms of different tree species, a simulated field experiment was conducted to study the growth and energy-metabolic enzyme activities of one-year-old seedlings of Taxodium distichum, Carya illinoensis, and Sapium sebiferum. Three treatments were installed, i. e., CK, waterlogging, and flooding, with the treatment duration being 60 days. Under waterlogging and flooding, the relative growth of test tree species was in the order of T. distichum > C. illinoensis > S. sebiferum, indicating that T. distichum had the strongest tolerance against waterlogging and flooding, while S. sebiferum had the weakest one. Also under waterlogging and flooding, the root/crown ratio of the three tree species increased significantly, suggesting that more photosynthates were allocated in roots, and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activities of the tree species also had a significant increase. Among the test tree species, T. distichum had the lowest increment of LDH and ADH activities under waterlogging and flooding, but the increment could maintain at a higher level in the treatment duration, while for C. illinoensis and S. sebiferum, the increment was larger during the initial and medium period, but declined rapidly during the later period of treatment. The malate dehydrogenase (MDH), phosphohexose (HPI), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) -6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) activities of the tree species under waterlogging and flooding had a significant decrease, and the decrement was the largest for T. distichum, being 35.6% for MDH, 21.0% for HPI, and 22.7% for G6PDH - 6PGDH under flooding. It was suggested that under waterlogging and flooding, the tree species with strong waterlogging tolerance had a higher ability to maintain energy-metabolic balance, and thus, its growth could be maintained at a certain level.

  20. Diameter growth of trees in an uneven-aged oak forest in the Missouri Ozarks

    Treesearch

    Edward F. Loewenstein; Paul S. Johnson; Harold E. Garrett

    1997-01-01

    We tested the efficacy of even-aged stand tables for predicting diameter growth of trees in uneven-aged oak stands. The study was based on the age- and diameter-structure of the Pioneer Forest, a 156,000-acre, privately owned oak forest in the Ozark Highlands of Missouri. The forest has been managed by single-tree selection since 1954.

  1. Effect of abscission zone formation on orange (Citrus sinensis) fruit/juice quality for trees affected by Huanglongbing (HLB)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Orange trees affected by huanglongbing (HLB) exhibit excessive fruit drop, and fruit loosely attached to the tree may have inferior flavor. Fruit were collected from healthy and HLB-infected (Candidatus liberibacter asiaticus) ‘Hamlin’ and ‘Valencia’ trees. Prior to harvest, the trees were shaken, f...

  2. Models of knot and stem development in black spruce trees indicate a shift in allocation priority to branches when growth is limited

    PubMed Central

    Duchateau, Emmanuel; Auty, David; Mothe, Frédéric; Longuetaud, Fleur; Ung, Chhun Huor

    2015-01-01

    The branch autonomy principle, which states that the growth of individual branches can be predicted from their morphology and position in the forest canopy irrespective of the characteristics of the tree, has been used to simplify models of branch growth in trees. However, observed changes in allocation priority within trees towards branches growing in light-favoured conditions, referred to as ‘Milton’s Law of resource availability and allocation,’ have raised questions about the applicability of the branch autonomy principle. We present models linking knot ontogeny to the secondary growth of the main stem in black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.), which were used to assess the patterns of assimilate allocation over time, both within and between trees. Data describing the annual radial growth of 445 stem rings and the three-dimensional shape of 5,377 knots were extracted from optical scans and X-ray computed tomography images taken along the stems of 10 trees. Total knot to stem area increment ratios (KSR) were calculated for each year of growth, and statistical models were developed to describe the annual development of knot diameter and curvature as a function of stem radial increment, total tree height, stem diameter, and the position of knots along an annual growth unit. KSR varied as a function of tree age and of the height to diameter ratio of the stem, a variable indicative of the competitive status of the tree. Simulations of the development of an individual knot showed that an increase in the stem radial growth rate was associated with an increase in the initial growth of the knot, but also with a shorter lifespan. Our results provide support for ‘Milton’s Law,’ since they indicate that allocation priority is given to locations where the potential return is the highest. The developed models provided realistic simulations of knot morphology within trees, which could be integrated into a functional-structural model of tree growth and above

  3. Models of knot and stem development in black spruce trees indicate a shift in allocation priority to branches when growth is limited.

    PubMed

    Duchateau, Emmanuel; Auty, David; Mothe, Frédéric; Longuetaud, Fleur; Ung, Chhun Huor; Achim, Alexis

    2015-01-01

    The branch autonomy principle, which states that the growth of individual branches can be predicted from their morphology and position in the forest canopy irrespective of the characteristics of the tree, has been used to simplify models of branch growth in trees. However, observed changes in allocation priority within trees towards branches growing in light-favoured conditions, referred to as 'Milton's Law of resource availability and allocation,' have raised questions about the applicability of the branch autonomy principle. We present models linking knot ontogeny to the secondary growth of the main stem in black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.), which were used to assess the patterns of assimilate allocation over time, both within and between trees. Data describing the annual radial growth of 445 stem rings and the three-dimensional shape of 5,377 knots were extracted from optical scans and X-ray computed tomography images taken along the stems of 10 trees. Total knot to stem area increment ratios (KSR) were calculated for each year of growth, and statistical models were developed to describe the annual development of knot diameter and curvature as a function of stem radial increment, total tree height, stem diameter, and the position of knots along an annual growth unit. KSR varied as a function of tree age and of the height to diameter ratio of the stem, a variable indicative of the competitive status of the tree. Simulations of the development of an individual knot showed that an increase in the stem radial growth rate was associated with an increase in the initial growth of the knot, but also with a shorter lifespan. Our results provide support for 'Milton's Law,' since they indicate that allocation priority is given to locations where the potential return is the highest. The developed models provided realistic simulations of knot morphology within trees, which could be integrated into a functional-structural model of tree growth and above

  4. Analysis of the 'A72' peach tree growth habit and its inheritance in progeny obtained from crosses of 'A72' with columnar peach trees

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Since the first report of the 'A72' semi-dwarf peach tree (Nn) by Monet and Salesses (1975), little information has become available on this genotype. We evaluated the growth habit and verified the inheritance of 'A72' in a population of 220 progeny derived from self-pollination. Detailed tree and ...

  5. Evaluation of Relationships between Growth Rate, Tree Size, Lignocellulose Composition, and Enzymatic Saccharification in Interspecific Corymbia Hybrids and Parental Taxa.

    PubMed

    Healey, Adam L; Lee, David J; Lupoi, Jason S; Papa, Gabriella; Guenther, Joel M; Corno, Luca; Adani, Fabrizio; Singh, Seema; Simmons, Blake A; Henry, Robert J

    2016-01-01

    In order for a lignocellulosic bioenergy feedstock to be considered sustainable, it must possess a high rate of growth to supply biomass for conversion. Despite the desirability of a fast growth rate for industrial application, it is unclear what effect growth rate has on biomass composition or saccharification. We characterized Klason lignin, glucan, and xylan content with response to growth in Corymbia interspecific F1 hybrid families (HF) and parental species Corymbia torelliana and C. citriodora subspecies variegata and measured the effects on enzymatic hydrolysis from hydrothermally pretreated biomass. Analysis of biomass composition within Corymbia populations found similar amounts of Klason lignin content (19.7-21.3%) among parental and hybrid populations, whereas glucan content was clearly distinguished within C. citriodora subspecies variegata (52%) and HF148 (60%) as compared to other populations (28-38%). Multiple linear regression indicates that biomass composition is significantly impacted by tree size measured at the same age, with Klason lignin content increasing with diameter breast height (DBH) (+0.12% per cm DBH increase), and glucan and xylan typically decreasing per DBH cm increase (-0.7 and -0.3%, respectively). Polysaccharide content within C. citriodora subspecies variegata and HF-148 were not significantly affected by tree size. High-throughput enzymatic saccharification of hydrothermally pretreated biomass found significant differences among Corymbia populations for total glucose production from biomass, with parental Corymbia torelliana and hybrids HF-148 and HF-51 generating the highest amounts of glucose (~180 mg/g biomass, respectively), with HF-51 undergoing the most efficient glucan-to-glucose conversion (74%). Based on growth rate, biomass composition, and further optimization of enzymatic saccharification yield, high production Corymbia hybrid trees are potentially suitable for fast-rotation bioenergy or biomaterial production.

  6. Evaluation of Relationships between Growth Rate, Tree Size, Lignocellulose Composition, and Enzymatic Saccharification in Interspecific Corymbia Hybrids and Parental Taxa

    PubMed Central

    Healey, Adam L.; Lee, David J.; Lupoi, Jason S.; Papa, Gabriella; Guenther, Joel M.; Corno, Luca; Adani, Fabrizio; Singh, Seema; Simmons, Blake A.; Henry, Robert J.

    2016-01-01

    In order for a lignocellulosic bioenergy feedstock to be considered sustainable, it must possess a high rate of growth to supply biomass for conversion. Despite the desirability of a fast growth rate for industrial application, it is unclear what effect growth rate has on biomass composition or saccharification. We characterized Klason lignin, glucan, and xylan content with response to growth in Corymbia interspecific F1 hybrid families (HF) and parental species Corymbia torelliana and C. citriodora subspecies variegata and measured the effects on enzymatic hydrolysis from hydrothermally pretreated biomass. Analysis of biomass composition within Corymbia populations found similar amounts of Klason lignin content (19.7–21.3%) among parental and hybrid populations, whereas glucan content was clearly distinguished within C. citriodora subspecies variegata (52%) and HF148 (60%) as compared to other populations (28–38%). Multiple linear regression indicates that biomass composition is significantly impacted by tree size measured at the same age, with Klason lignin content increasing with diameter breast height (DBH) (+0.12% per cm DBH increase), and glucan and xylan typically decreasing per DBH cm increase (-0.7 and -0.3%, respectively). Polysaccharide content within C. citriodora subspecies variegata and HF-148 were not significantly affected by tree size. High-throughput enzymatic saccharification of hydrothermally pretreated biomass found significant differences among Corymbia populations for total glucose production from biomass, with parental Corymbia torelliana and hybrids HF-148 and HF-51 generating the highest amounts of glucose (~180 mg/g biomass, respectively), with HF-51 undergoing the most efficient glucan-to-glucose conversion (74%). Based on growth rate, biomass composition, and further optimization of enzymatic saccharification yield, high production Corymbia hybrid trees are potentially suitable for fast-rotation bioenergy or biomaterial production

  7. Evaluation of Relationships between Growth Rate, Tree Size, Lignocellulose Composition, and Enzymatic Saccharification in Interspecific Corymbia Hybrids and Parental Taxa

    DOE PAGES

    Healey, Adam L.; Lee, David J.; Lupoi, Jason S.; ...

    2016-11-18

    In order for a lignocellulosic bioenergy feedstock to be considered sustainable,it must possess a high rate of growth to supply biomass for conversion. Despite the desirability of a fast growth rate for industrial application,it is unclear what effect growth rate has on biomass composition or saccharification. We characterized Klason lignin,glucan,and xylan content with response to growth in Corymbia interspecific F1 hybrid families (HF) and parental species Corymbia torelliana and C. citriodora subspecies variegata and measured the effects on enzymatic hydrolysis from hydrothermally pretreated biomass. Analysis of biomass composition within Corymbia populations found similar amounts of Klason lignin content (19.7–21.3%) amongmore » parental and hybrid populations,whereas glucan content was clearly distinguished within C. citriodora subspecies variegata (52%) and HF148 (60%) as compared to other populations (28–38%). Multiple linear regression indicates that biomass composition is significantly impacted by tree size measured at the same age,with Klason lignin content increasing with diameter breast height (DBH) (+0.12% per cm DBH increase),and glucan and xylan typically decreasing per DBH cm increase (-0.7 and -0.3%,respectively). Polysaccharide content within C. citriodora subspecies variegata and HF-148 were not significantly affected by tree size. High-throughput enzymatic saccharification of hydrothermally pretreated biomass found significant differences among Corymbia populations for total glucose production from biomass,with parental Corymbia torelliana and hybrids HF-148 and HF-51 generating the highest amounts of glucose (~180 mg/g biomass,respectively),with HF-51 undergoing the most efficient glucan-to-glucose conversion (74%). Based on growth rate,biomass composition,and further optimization of enzymatic saccharification yield,high production Corymbia hybrid trees are potentially suitable for fast-rotation bioenergy or biomaterial production.« less

  8. Evaluation of Relationships between Growth Rate, Tree Size, Lignocellulose Composition, and Enzymatic Saccharification in Interspecific Corymbia Hybrids and Parental Taxa

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Healey, Adam L.; Lee, David J.; Lupoi, Jason S.

    In order for a lignocellulosic bioenergy feedstock to be considered sustainable,it must possess a high rate of growth to supply biomass for conversion. Despite the desirability of a fast growth rate for industrial application,it is unclear what effect growth rate has on biomass composition or saccharification. We characterized Klason lignin,glucan,and xylan content with response to growth in Corymbia interspecific F1 hybrid families (HF) and parental species Corymbia torelliana and C. citriodora subspecies variegata and measured the effects on enzymatic hydrolysis from hydrothermally pretreated biomass. Analysis of biomass composition within Corymbia populations found similar amounts of Klason lignin content (19.7–21.3%) amongmore » parental and hybrid populations,whereas glucan content was clearly distinguished within C. citriodora subspecies variegata (52%) and HF148 (60%) as compared to other populations (28–38%). Multiple linear regression indicates that biomass composition is significantly impacted by tree size measured at the same age,with Klason lignin content increasing with diameter breast height (DBH) (+0.12% per cm DBH increase),and glucan and xylan typically decreasing per DBH cm increase (-0.7 and -0.3%,respectively). Polysaccharide content within C. citriodora subspecies variegata and HF-148 were not significantly affected by tree size. High-throughput enzymatic saccharification of hydrothermally pretreated biomass found significant differences among Corymbia populations for total glucose production from biomass,with parental Corymbia torelliana and hybrids HF-148 and HF-51 generating the highest amounts of glucose (~180 mg/g biomass,respectively),with HF-51 undergoing the most efficient glucan-to-glucose conversion (74%). Based on growth rate,biomass composition,and further optimization of enzymatic saccharification yield,high production Corymbia hybrid trees are potentially suitable for fast-rotation bioenergy or biomaterial production.« less

  9. Thermal tolerance, net CO2 exchange and growth of a tropical tree species, Ficus insipida, cultivated at elevated daytime and nighttime temperatures.

    PubMed

    Krause, G Heinrich; Cheesman, Alexander W; Winter, Klaus; Krause, Barbara; Virgo, Aurelio

    2013-06-15

    Global warming and associated increases in the frequency and amplitude of extreme weather events, such as heat waves, may adversely affect tropical rainforest plants via significantly increased tissue temperatures. In this study, the response to two temperature regimes was assessed in seedlings of the neotropical pioneer tree species, Ficus insipida. Plants were cultivated in growth chambers at strongly elevated daytime temperature (39°C), combined with either close to natural (22°C) or elevated (32°C) nighttime temperatures. Under both growth regimes, the critical temperature for irreversible leaf damage, determined by changes in chlorophyll a fluorescence, was approximately 51°C. This is comparable to values found in F. insipida growing under natural ambient conditions and indicates a limited potential for heat tolerance acclimation of this tropical forest tree species. Yet, under high nighttime temperature, growth was strongly enhanced, accompanied by increased rates of net photosynthetic CO2 uptake and diminished temperature dependence of leaf-level dark respiration, consistent with thermal acclimation of these key physiological parameters. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  10. Recent unprecedented tree-ring growth in bristlecone pine at the highest elevations and possible causes

    PubMed Central

    Salzer, Matthew W.; Hughes, Malcolm K.; Bunn, Andrew G.; Kipfmueller, Kurt F.

    2009-01-01

    Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) at 3 sites in western North America near the upper elevation limit of tree growth showed ring growth in the second half of the 20th century that was greater than during any other 50-year period in the last 3,700 years. The accelerated growth is suggestive of an environmental change unprecedented in millennia. The high growth is not overestimated because of standardization techniques, and it is unlikely that it is a result of a change in tree growth form or that it is predominantly caused by CO2 fertilization. The growth surge has occurred only in a limited elevational band within ≈150 m of upper treeline, regardless of treeline elevation. Both an independent proxy record of temperature and high-elevation meteorological temperature data are positively and significantly correlated with upper-treeline ring width both before and during the high-growth interval. Increasing temperature at high elevations is likely a prominent factor in the modern unprecedented level of growth for Pinus longaeva at these sites. PMID:19918054

  11. A Three-Step Approach To Model Tree Mortality in the State of Georgia

    Treesearch

    Qingmin Meng; Chris J. Cieszewski; Roger C. Lowe; Michal Zasada

    2005-01-01

    Tree mortality is one of the most complex phenomena of forest growth and yield. Many types of factors affect tree mortality, which is considered difficult to predict. This study presents a new systematic approach to simulate tree mortality based on the integration of statistical models and geographical information systems. This method begins with variable preselection...

  12. [Effects of different patterns surface mulching on soil properties and fruit trees growth and yield in an apple orchard].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yi; Xie, Yong-Sheng; Hao, Ming-De; She, Xiao-Yan

    2010-02-01

    Taking a nine-year-old Fuji apple orchard in Loess Plateau as test object, this paper studied the effects of different patterns surface mulching (clean tillage, grass cover, plastic film mulch, straw mulch, and gravel mulch) on the soil properties and fruit trees growth and yield in this orchard. Grass cover induced the lowest differentiation of soil moisture profile, while gravel mulch induced the highest one. In treatment gravel mulch, the soil moisture content in apple trees root zone was the highest, which meant that there was more water available to apple trees. Surface mulching had significant effects on soil temperature, and generally resulted in a decrease in the maximum soil temperature. The exception was treatment plastic film mulch, in which, the soil temperature in summer exceeded the maximum allowable temperature for continuous root growth and physiological function. With the exception of treatment plastic film mulch, surface mulching increased the soil CO2 flux, which was the highest in treatment grass cover. Surface mulching also affected the proportion of various branch types and fruit yield. The proportion of medium-sized branches and fruit yield were the highest in treatment gravel mulch, while the fruit yield was the lowest in treatment grass cover. Factor analysis indicated that among the test surface mulching patterns, gravel mulch was most suitable for the apple orchards in gully region of Loess Plateau.

  13. The timing of bud burst and its effect on tree growth.

    PubMed

    Rötzer, T; Grote, R; Pretzsch, H

    2004-02-01

    A phenology model for estimating the timings of bud burst--one of the most influential phenological phases for the simulation of tree growth--is presented in this study. The model calculates the timings of the leafing of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and oak (Quercus robur L.) and the May shoot of Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) on the basis of the daily maximum temperature. The data for parameterisation and validation of the model have been taken from 40 climate and 120 phenological stations in southern Germany with time series for temperature and bud burst of up to 30 years. The validation of the phenology module by means of an independent data set showed correlation coefficients for comparisons between observed and simulated values of 54% (beech), 55% (oak), 59% (spruce) and 56% (pine) with mean absolute errors varying from 4.4 days (spruce) to 5.0 days (pine). These results correspond well with the results of other--often more complex--phenology models. After the phenology module had been implemented in the tree-growth model BALANCE, the growth of a mixed forest stand with the former static and the new dynamic timings for the bud burst was simulated. The results of the two simulation runs showed that phenology has to be taken into account when simulating forest growth, particularly in mixed stands.

  14. Crop-tree release increases growth of 12-year-old yellow-poplar and black cherry

    Treesearch

    Neil I. Lamson; H. Clay Smith; H. Clay Smith

    1989-01-01

    Precommercial thinning was done in a 12-year-old Appalachian hardwood sapling stand in West Virginia. Two crop-tree release techniques were used--crown touching and crown touching plus 5 feet. Results indicated that both treatments significantly increased 5-year d.b.h. growth for released yellow-poplar and black cherry crop trees. Although there was a major increase in...

  15. Rate of tree carbon accumulation increases continuously with tree size.

    PubMed

    Stephenson, N L; Das, A J; Condit, R; Russo, S E; Baker, P J; Beckman, N G; Coomes, D A; Lines, E R; Morris, W K; Rüger, N; Alvarez, E; Blundo, C; Bunyavejchewin, S; Chuyong, G; Davies, S J; Duque, A; Ewango, C N; Flores, O; Franklin, J F; Grau, H R; Hao, Z; Harmon, M E; Hubbell, S P; Kenfack, D; Lin, Y; Makana, J-R; Malizia, A; Malizia, L R; Pabst, R J; Pongpattananurak, N; Su, S-H; Sun, I-F; Tan, S; Thomas, D; van Mantgem, P J; Wang, X; Wiser, S K; Zavala, M A

    2014-03-06

    Forests are major components of the global carbon cycle, providing substantial feedback to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Our ability to understand and predict changes in the forest carbon cycle--particularly net primary productivity and carbon storage--increasingly relies on models that represent biological processes across several scales of biological organization, from tree leaves to forest stands. Yet, despite advances in our understanding of productivity at the scales of leaves and stands, no consensus exists about the nature of productivity at the scale of the individual tree, in part because we lack a broad empirical assessment of whether rates of absolute tree mass growth (and thus carbon accumulation) decrease, remain constant, or increase as trees increase in size and age. Here we present a global analysis of 403 tropical and temperate tree species, showing that for most species mass growth rate increases continuously with tree size. Thus, large, old trees do not act simply as senescent carbon reservoirs but actively fix large amounts of carbon compared to smaller trees; at the extreme, a single big tree can add the same amount of carbon to the forest within a year as is contained in an entire mid-sized tree. The apparent paradoxes of individual tree growth increasing with tree size despite declining leaf-level and stand-level productivity can be explained, respectively, by increases in a tree's total leaf area that outpace declines in productivity per unit of leaf area and, among other factors, age-related reductions in population density. Our results resolve conflicting assumptions about the nature of tree growth, inform efforts to undertand and model forest carbon dynamics, and have additional implications for theories of resource allocation and plant senescence.

  16. Climate Control on Tree Growth at the Upper and Lower Treelines: A Case Study in the Qilian Mountains, Tibetan Plateau

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Bao; He, Minhui; Melvin, Thomas M.; Zhao, Yan; Briffa, Keith R.

    2013-01-01

    It is generally hypothesized that tree growth at the upper treeline is normally controlled by temperature while that at the lower treeline is precipitation limited. However, uniform patterns of inter-annual ring-width variations along altitudinal gradients are also observed in some situations. How changing elevation influences tree growth in the cold and arid Qilian Mountains, on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, is of considerable interest because of the sensitivity of the region’s local climate to different atmospheric circulation patterns. Here, a network of four Qilian juniper (Sabina przewalskii Kom.) ring-width chronologies was developed from trees distributed on a typical mountain slope at elevations ranging from 3000 to 3520 m above sea level (a.s.l.). The statistical characteristics of the four tree-ring chronologies show no significant correlation with increasing elevation. All the sampled tree growth was controlled by a common climatic signal (local precipitation) across the investigated altitudinal gradient (520 m). During the common reliable period, covering the past 450 years, the four chronologies have exhibited coherent growth patterns in both the high- and low-frequency domains. These results contradict the notion of contrasting climate growth controls at higher and lower elevations, and specifically the assumption that inter-annual tree-growth variability is controlled by temperature at the upper treeline. It should be stressed that these results relate to the relatively arid conditions at the sampling sites in the Qilian Mountains. PMID:23874871

  17. The symbiotic relationship between dominant canopy trees and soil microbes affects the nitrogen source utilization of co-existing understory trees

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iwaoka, C.; Hyodo, F.; Taniguchi, T.; Shi, W.; Du, S.; Yamanaka, N.; Tateno, R.

    2017-12-01

    The symbiotic relationship between dominant canopy trees and soil microbes such as mycorrhiza or nitrogen (N) fixer are important determinants of soil N dynamics of a forest. However, it is not known how and to what extent the symbiotic relationship of dominant canopy trees with soil microbes affect the N source of co-existing trees in forest. We measured the δ15N of surface soils (0-10 cm), leaves, and roots of the dominant canopy trees and common understory trees in an arbuscular mycorrhizal N-fixing black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) plantation and an ectomycorrhizal oak (Quercus liaotungensis) natural forest in a China dryland. We also analyzed the soil dissolved N content in soil extracts and absorbed by ion exchange resin, and soil ammonia-oxidizer abundance using real-time PCR. The δ15N of soil and leaves were higher in the black locust forest than in the oak forest, although the δ15N of fine roots was similar in the two forests, in co-existing understory trees as well as dominant canopy trees. Accordingly, the δ15N of leaves was similar to or higher than that of fine roots in the black locust forest, whereas it was consistently lower than that of fine roots in the oak forest. In the black locust forest, the soil dissolved organic N and ammonium N contents were less abundant but the nitrate N contents in soils and absorbed by the ion exchange resin and ammonia-oxidizer abundance were greater, due to N fixation or less uptake of organic N from arbuscular mycorrhiza. In contrast, the soil dissolved organic N and ammonium N contents were more abundant in the oak forest, whereas the N content featured very low nitrate, due to ectomycorrhizal ability to access organic N. These results suggest that the main N source is nitrate N in the black locust forest, but dissolved organic N or ammonium N in the oak forest. N fixation or high N loss due to high N availability would cause high δ15N in soil and leaves in black locust forest. On the other hand, low soil N

  18. Crop tree release increases growth of red oak sawtimber in southern New England: 12-year results

    Treesearch

    Jeffrey S. Ward

    2008-01-01

    In winter 1995, five crop tree thinning plots were established in central Connecticut. Stands were mature red oak sawtimber (74-94 years old) with no history of prior management. Crop trees were upper canopy red oaks (northern red, black, and scarlet) with a potential grade 1 or 2 butt log. Growth of crop trees was monitored for the next 12 years. Diameter, cubic-foot...

  19. Stand density, tree social status and water stress influence allocation in height and diameter growth of Quercus petraea (Liebl.).

    PubMed

    Trouvé, Raphaël; Bontemps, Jean-Daniel; Seynave, Ingrid; Collet, Catherine; Lebourgeois, François

    2015-10-01

    Even-aged forest stands are competitive communities where competition for light gives advantages to tall individuals, thereby inducing a race for height. These same individuals must however balance this competitive advantage with height-related mechanical and hydraulic risks. These phenomena may induce variations in height-diameter growth relationships, with primary dependences on stand density and tree social status as proxies for competition pressure and access to light, and on availability of local environmental resources, including water. We aimed to investigate the effects of stand density, tree social status and water stress on the individual height-circumference growth allocation (Δh-Δc), in even-aged stands of Quercus petraea Liebl. (sessile oak). Within-stand Δc was used as surrogate for tree social status. We used an original long-term experimental plot network, set up in the species production area in France, and designed to explore stand dynamics on a maximum density gradient. Growth allocation was modelled statistically by relating the shape of the Δh-Δc relationship to stand density, stand age and water deficit. The shape of the Δh-Δc relationship shifted from linear with a moderate slope in open-grown stands to concave saturating with an initial steep slope in closed stands. Maximum height growth was found to follow a typical mono-modal response to stand age. In open-grown stands, increasing summer soil water deficit was found to decrease height growth relative to radial growth, suggesting hydraulic constraints on height growth. A similar pattern was found in closed stands, the magnitude of the effect however lowering from suppressed to dominant trees. We highlight the high phenotypic plasticity of growth in sessile oak trees that further adapt their allocation scheme to their environment. Stand density and tree social status were major drivers of growth allocation variations, while water stress had a detrimental effect on height in the

  20. Tree species and functional traits but not species richness affect interrill erosion processes in young subtropical forests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seitz, S.; Goebes, P.; Song, Z.; Bruelheide, H.; Härdtle, W.; Kühn, P.; Li, Y.; Scholten, T.

    2016-01-01

    Soil erosion is seriously threatening ecosystem functioning in many parts of the world. In this context, it is assumed that tree species richness and functional diversity of tree communities can play a critical role in improving ecosystem services such as erosion control. An experiment with 170 micro-scale run-off plots was conducted to investigate the influence of tree species and tree species richness as well as functional traits on interrill erosion in a young forest ecosystem. An interrill erosion rate of 47.5 Mg ha-1 a-1 was calculated. This study provided evidence that different tree species affect interrill erosion differently, while tree species richness did not affect interrill erosion in young forest stands. Thus, different tree morphologies have to be considered, when assessing soil erosion under forest. High crown cover and leaf area index reduced interrill erosion in initial forest ecosystems, whereas rising tree height increased it. Even if a leaf litter cover was not present, the remaining soil surface cover by stones and biological soil crusts was the most important driver for soil erosion control. Furthermore, soil organic matter had a decreasing influence on interrill erosion. Long-term monitoring of soil erosion under closing tree canopies is necessary, and a wide range of functional tree traits should be considered in future research.

  1. LiDAR-based TWI and terrain attributes in improving parametric predictor for tree growth in southeast Finland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohamedou, Cheikh; Tokola, Timo; Eerikäinen, Kalle

    2017-10-01

    The effect of soil moisture content on vegetation and therefore on growth is well known. Information about the growth of forest stands is key in forest planning and management, and is the concern of various stakeholders. One way to assess moisture content and its impacts on forest growth is to apply the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) and the derived terrain attributes from the Digital Terrain Model (DTM). The TWI is an important terrain attribute, used in various ecological studies. In the current study, a total of 9987 tally trees within 197 sample plots in southeastern Finland and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) -based TWI were selected to examine: 1) the effect of cell resolutions and focal statistics of neighborhood cells of DTM, on tree diameter increment, and 2) possibilities to improve the prediction accuracy of an existing single-tree growth model using the terrain attributes and TWI with the combined effects of three characteristics (i.e., cell resolutions, neighborhood cells and terrain attributes). The results suggest that the TWI with terrain attributes improved the growth estimation significantly, and within different site types the Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE) were lowered substantially. The best results were obtained for birch trees. The higher resolution of the DTM and the lower focal neighborhood cells were found to be the best alternative in computing the TWI.

  2. Cambial Growth Season of Brevi-Deciduous Brachystegia spiciformis Trees from South Central Africa Restricted to Less than Four Months

    PubMed Central

    Trouet, Valérie; Mukelabai, Mukufute; Verheyden, Anouk; Beeckman, Hans

    2012-01-01

    We investigate cambial growth periodicity in Brachystegia spiciformis, a dominant tree species in the seasonally dry miombo woodland of southern Africa. To better understand how the brevi-deciduous (experiencing a short, drought-induced leaf fall period) leaf phenology of this species can be linked to a distinct period of cambial activity, we applied a bi-weekly pinning to six trees in western Zambia over the course of one year. Our results show that the onset and end of cambial growth was synchronous between trees, but was not concurrent with the onset and end of the rainy season. The relatively short (three to four months maximum) cambial growth season corresponded to the core of the rainy season, when 75% of the annual precipitation fell, and to the period when the trees were at full photosynthetic capacity. Tree-ring studies of this species have found a significant relationship between annual tree growth and precipitation, but we did not observe such a correlation at intra-annual resolution in this study. Furthermore, a substantial rainfall event occurring after the end of the cambial growth season did not induce xylem initiation or false ring formation. Low sample replication should be taken into account when interpreting the results of this study, but our findings can be used to refine the carbon allocation component of process-based terrestrial ecosystem models and can thus contribute to a more detailed estimation of the role of the miombo woodland in the terrestrial carbon cycle. Furthermore, we provide a physiological foundation for the use of Brachystegia spiciformis tree-ring records in paleoclimate research. PMID:23071794

  3. Survival and growth of thirteen tree species in coastal Oregon.

    Treesearch

    James T. Krygier

    1958-01-01

    Extraordinary growth of introduced tree species—such as Monterey and other pines in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, and Sitka spruce, Douglas-fir, and grand fir in Great Britain—has lent impetus to tests of exotic species. Planting of most exotics in the United States has generally met with poor success. Yet there is always speculation that...

  4. An Individual-Tree Growth and Yield Prediction System for Even-Aged Natural Shortleaf Pine Forests

    Treesearch

    Thomas B. Lynch; Kenneth L. Hitch; Michael M. Huebschmann; Paul A. Murphy

    1999-01-01

    The development of a system of equations that model the growth and development of even-aged natural shortleaf (Pinus echinata Mill.) pine forests is described. The growth prediction system is a distance-independent individual-tree simulator containing equations that predict basal-area growth, survival, total and merchantable heights, and total and...

  5. Diel growth dynamics in tree stems: linking anatomy and ecophysiology.

    PubMed

    Steppe, Kathy; Sterck, Frank; Deslauriers, Annie

    2015-06-01

    Impacts of climate on stem growth in trees are studied in anatomical, ecophysiological, and ecological disciplines, but an integrative framework to assess those impacts remains lacking. In this opinion article, we argue that three research efforts are required to provide that integration. First, we need to identify the missing links in diel patterns in stem diameter and stem growth and relate those patterns to the underlying mechanisms that control water and carbon balance. Second, we should focus on the understudied mechanisms responsible for seasonal impacts on such diel patterns. Third, information on stem anatomy and ecophysiology should be integrated in the same experiments and mechanistic plant growth models to capture both diel and seasonal scales. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Foliar injury, tree growth and mortality, and lichen studies in Mammoth Cave National Park. Final report, 1985-1986

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McCune, B.; Cloonan, C.L.; Armentano, T.V.

    1987-03-01

    Foliar condition, tree growth, tree mortality, and lichen communities were studied in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, to document the present forest condition and to provide a basis for detecting future changes. Foliar injury by ozone was common on many plant species in 1985. Species showing the most injury were white ash, green ash, redbud, sycamore, tulip poplar, milkweed, and wild grape. Injury apparently depended on canopy position and vigor. Tree growth was equivocally related to visible symptoms in 1986, probably because of the low ozone levels in that year. Tree mortality rates from 1966-1985 in two natural stands weremore » somewhat lower than mortality rates known for other midwestern woods.« less

  7. Rate of tree carbon accumulation increases continuously with tree size

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stephenson, N.L.; Das, A.J.; Condit, R.; Russo, S.E.; Baker, P.J.; Beckman, N.G.; Coomes, D.A.; Lines, E.R.; Morris, W.K.; Rüger, N.; Álvarez, E.; Blundo, C.; Bunyavejchewin, S.; Chuyong, G.; Davies, S.J.; Duque, Á.; Ewango, C.N.; Flores, O.; Franklin, J.F.; Grau, H.R.; Hao, Z.; Harmon, M.E.; Hubbell, S.P.; Kenfack, D.; Lin, Y.; Makana, J.-R.; Malizia, A.; Malizia, L.R.; Pabst, R.J.; Pongpattananurak, N.; Su, S.-H.; Sun, I-F.; Tan, S.; Thomas, D.; van Mantgem, P.J.; Wang, X.; Wiser, S.K.; Zavala, M.A.

    2014-01-01

    Forests are major components of the global carbon cycle, providing substantial feedback to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Our ability to understand and predict changes in the forest carbon cycle—particularly net primary productivity and carbon storage - increasingly relies on models that represent biological processes across several scales of biological organization, from tree leaves to forest stands. Yet, despite advances in our understanding of productivity at the scales of leaves and stands, no consensus exists about the nature of productivity at the scale of the individual tree, in part because we lack a broad empirical assessment of whether rates of absolute tree mass growth (and thus carbon accumulation) decrease, remain constant, or increase as trees increase in size and age. Here we present a global analysis of 403 tropical and temperate tree species, showing that for most species mass growth rate increases continuously with tree size. Thus, large, old trees do not act simply as senescent carbon reservoirs but actively fix large amounts of carbon compared to smaller trees; at the extreme, a single big tree can add the same amount of carbon to the forest within a year as is contained in an entire mid-sized tree. The apparent paradoxes of individual tree growth increasing with tree size despite declining leaf-level and stand-level productivity can be explained, respectively, by increases in a tree’s total leaf area that outpace declines in productivity per unit of leaf area and, among other factors, age-related reductions in population density. Our results resolve conflicting assumptions about the nature of tree growth, inform efforts to understand and model forest carbon dynamics, and have additional implications for theories of resource allocation and plant senescence.

  8. Effects of local biotic neighbors and habitat heterogeneity on tree and shrub seedling survival in an old-growth temperate forest.

    PubMed

    Bai, Xuejiao; Queenborough, Simon A; Wang, Xugao; Zhang, Jian; Li, Buhang; Yuan, Zuoqiang; Xing, Dingliang; Lin, Fei; Ye, Ji; Hao, Zhanqing

    2012-11-01

    Seedling dynamics play a crucial role in determining species distributions and coexistence. Exploring causes of variation in seedling dynamics can therefore provide key insights into the factors affecting these phenomena. We examined the relative importance of biotic neighborhood processes and habitat heterogeneity using survival data for 5,827 seedlings in 39 tree and shrub species over 2 years from an old-growth temperate forest in northeastern China. We found significant negative density-dependence effects on survival of tree seedlings, and limited effects of habitat heterogeneity (edaphic and topographic variables) on survival of shrub seedlings. The importance of negative density dependence on young tree seedling survival was replaced by habitat in tree seedlings ≥ 4 years old. As expected, negative density dependence was more apparent in gravity-dispersed species compared to wind-dispersed and animal-dispersed species. Moreover, we found that a community compensatory trend existed for trees. Therefore, although negative density dependence was not as pervasive as in other forest communities, it is an important mechanism for the maintenance of community diversity in this temperate forest. We conclude that both negative density dependence and habitat heterogeneity drive seedling survival, but their relative importance varies with seedling age classes and species traits.

  9. Different radial growth responses of co-occurring coniferous forest trees in the Alps to drought

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oberhuber, Walter; Mennel, Julia

    2010-05-01

    Species-specific drought resistance will effect the development of forest ecosystems under a warmer and drier climate by changing species composition and inducing shifts in forest distribution. Therefore, we applied dendroclimatological techniques to determine drought sensitivity of three native coniferous tree species (Norway spruce, Picea abies; European larch, Larix decidua; Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris), which differ in phenological and successional traits and grow intermixed at dry-mesic sites within an inner-Alpine dry valley (750 m a.s.l., Tyrol, Austria). Ring-width chronologies (resolution 1 µm) of each species were developed by extracting two core samples from ≥ 80 mature trees (mean tree age 135 yr). To identify the climatic factors most closely associated with variations in radial tree growth, we calculated response and correlation functions for the common interval from 1911-2007 using yearly tree-ring indices and monthly and seasonal climate variables (precipitation, air temperature) and evaluated growth response to extreme hot and/or dry conditions during the growing season. Additionally, the impact of climate warming on long-term variability of climate-growth relationships was analysed by means of moving response functions. Major finding of our study were: (i) current April through June precipitation was the environmental factor most strongly associated with growth of all three species (r = 0.484, 0.458, and 0.546 for Pinus sylvestris, Larix decidua and Picea abies, respectively; all P < 0.001), whereby Picea abies showed higher correlation coefficients with precipitation from May through June (r = 0.585, P < 0.001). (ii) Annual increment of Picea abies was most strongly limited by May through June temperature (r = -0.500, P < 0.001). (iii) Continuously increasing moving response function coefficients of monthly precipitation variables since the mid-20th century revealed increasing drought sensitivity of all species. During recent decades a

  10. Comparison of Growth Efficiency of Mature Longleaf and Slash Pine Trees

    Treesearch

    Steven B. Jack; Mary Carol P. Sheffield; Daniel J. McConville

    2002-01-01

    Variation in aboveground biomass partitioning (between the stem, branches, and foliage) of mature trees is a key determinant of growth potential. Investment of photosynthate in crown components generally results in greater overall biomass production of longer duration. The increased production of crown components may be an investment in longterm aboveground production...

  11. Optimal Diameter Growth Equations for Major Tree Species of the Midsouth

    Treesearch

    Don C. Bragg

    2003-01-01

    Optimal diameter growth equations for 60 major tree species were fit using the potential relative increment (PRI) methodology. Almost 175,000 individuals from the Midsouth (Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas) were selected from the USDA Forest Service's Eastwide Forest Inventory Database (EFIDB). These records were then reduced to the individuals...

  12. Anatomical, chemical, and ecological factors affecting tree species choice in dendrochemistry studies

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cutter, B.E.; Guyette, R.P.

    1993-07-01

    Recently, element concentrations in tree rings have been used to monitor metal contamination, fertilization, and the effects of acid precipitation on soils. This has stimulated interest in which tree species may be suitable for use in studies of long-term trends in environmental chemistry. Potential radial translocation of elements across living boundaries can be a confounding factor in assessing environmental change. The selection of species which minimizes radial translocation of elements can be critical to the success of dendrochemical research. Criteria for selection of species with characteristics favorable for dendrochemical analysis are categorized into (1) habitat-based factors, (2) xylem-based factors, andmore » (3) element-based factors. A wide geographic range and ecological amplitude provide an advantage in calibration and better controls on the effects of soil chemistry. The most important xylem-based criteria are heartwood moisture content, permeability, and the nature of the sapwood-heartwood transition. The element of interest is important in determining suitable tree species because all elements are not equally mobile or detectable in the xylem. Ideally, the tree species selected for dendrochemical study will be long-lived, grow on a wide range of sites over a large geographic distribution, have a distinct heartwood with a low number of rings in the sapwood, a low heartwood moisture content, and have low radial permeability. Recommended temperate zone North American species include white oak (Quercus alba L.), post oak (Q. stellate Wangenh.), eastern redcedar (funiperus virginiana L.), old-growth Douglas-fir [Pseudoaugu menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] and big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.). In addition, species such as bristlecone pine (Pinus aristata Engelm. syn. longaeva), old-growth redwood [Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl.], and giant sequoia [S. gigantea (Lindl.) Deene] may be suitable for local purposes. 118 refs., 2 tabs.« less

  13. An Individual-Tree Growth and Yield Prediction System for Uneven-Aged Shortleaf Pine Stands

    Treesearch

    Michael M. Huebschmann; Lawrence R. Gering; Thomas B. Lynch; Onesphore Bitoki; Paul A. Murphy

    2000-01-01

    A system of equations modeling the growth and development of uneven-aged shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) stands is described. The prediction system consists of two main components: (1) a distance-independent, individual-tree simulator containing equations that forecast ingrowth, basal-area growth, probability of survival, total and...

  14. Assessment of ecosystem services provided by urban trees: public lands within the Urban Growth Boundary of Corvallis, OR

    EPA Science Inventory

    Public lands within the Urban Growth Boundary of Corvallis, Oregon contain a diverse population of about 440,000 trees that include over 300 varieties and have an estimated tree cover of 31%. While often unrecognized, urban trees provide a variety of “ecosystem services” or dire...

  15. A modified tree classification for use in growth studies and timber marking in Black Hills ponderosa pine

    Treesearch

    E. M. Hornibrook

    1939-01-01

    A satisfactory silvicultural management of ponderosa pine stands requires a judicious selection of trees to be left in the reserve stand. The timber marker must know what type of tree has the greatest growth potentialities and what type of tree will respond but slightly upon being released. The silvicultural problem in marking therefore is one of recognizing the...

  16. Tree species and size structure of old-growth Douglas-fir forests in central western Oregon, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Poage, Nathan; Tappeiner, J. C.

    2005-01-01

    We characterized the structure of 91 old-growth forests dominated by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), using inventory data from recent (1985a??1991) old-growth timber sales in western Oregon. The data were complete counts (i.e., censuses) of all live trees >20 cm diameter at breast height (dbh, measured at 1.4 m above the ground) over a mean area of 17.1 ha at each site. Across all sites, Douglas-fir accounted for 79% of the total basal area (m2/ha) of all species. The average density of trees >100 cm dbh was 19 trees/ha and 90% of these trees were Douglas-fir. Species other than Douglas-fir constituted only about 20% of the total basal area at each old-growth site, on average, but largely accounted for the structural variation between sites. We used multivariate techniques such as cluster analysis, indicator species analysis, and ordination with non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) to identify and characterize six structural groups in terms of basal area in different speciesa??diameter classes. Almost 97% of the structural information was captured by the first (r2 = 0.841) and second (r2 = 0.128) NMS ordination axis. Geographic information systems (GIS) analysis and NMS indicated that the structural differences among groups of sites were associated with moisture, temperature, and elevation gradients within the study area. This type of analysis can be used to help define differences among old-growth forests and to set local structural goals for growing forests with old-growth characteristics.

  17. Endogenous rhythmic growth in oak trees is regulated by internal clocks rather than resource availability

    PubMed Central

    Herrmann, S.; Recht, S.; Boenn, M.; Feldhahn, L.; Angay, O.; Fleischmann, F.; Tarkka, M T.; Grams, T.E.E.; Buscot, F.

    2015-01-01

    Common oak trees display endogenous rhythmic growth with alternating shoot and root flushes. To explore the mechanisms involved, microcuttings of the Quercus robur L. clone DF159 were used for 13C/15N labelling in combination with RNA sequencing (RNASeq) transcript profiling of shoots and roots. The effect of plant internal resource availability on the rhythmic growth of the cuttings was tested through inoculation with the ectomycorrhizal fungus Piloderma croceum. Shoot and root flushes were related to parallel shifts in above- and below-ground C and, to a lesser extent, N allocation. Increased plant internal resource availability by P. croceum inoculation with enhanced plant growth affected neither the rhythmic growth nor the associated resource allocation patterns. Two shifts in transcript abundance were identified during root and shoot growth cessation, and most concerned genes were down-regulated. Inoculation with P. croceum suppressed these transcript shifts in roots, but not in shoots. To identify core processes governing the rhythmic growth, functions [Gene Ontology (GO) terms] of the genes differentially expressed during the growth cessation in both leaves and roots of non-inoculated plants and leaves of P. croceum-inoculated plants were examined. Besides genes related to resource acquisition and cell development, which might reflect rather than trigger rhythmic growth, genes involved in signalling and/or regulated by the circadian clock were identified. The results indicate that rhythmic growth involves dramatic oscillations in plant metabolism and gene regulation between below- and above-ground parts. Ectomycorrhizal symbiosis may play a previously unsuspected role in smoothing these oscillations without modifying the rhythmic growth pattern. PMID:26320242

  18. Cellular modelling of secondary radial growth in conifer trees: application to Pinus radiata (D. Don).

    PubMed

    Forest, Loïc; Demongeot, Jacques; Demongeota, Jacques

    2006-05-01

    The radial growth of conifer trees proceeds from the dynamics of a merismatic tissue called vascular cambium or cambium. Cambium is a thin layer of active proliferating cells. The purpose of this paper was to model the main characteristics of cambial activity and its consecutive radial growth. Cell growth is under the control of the auxin hormone indole-3-acetic. The model is composed of a discrete part, which accounts for cellular proliferation, and a continuous part involving the transport of auxin. Cambium is modeled in a two-dimensional cross-section by a cellular automaton that describes the set of all its constitutive cells. Proliferation is defined as growth and division of cambial cells under neighbouring constraints, which can eliminate some cells from the cambium. The cell-growth rate is determined from auxin concentration, calculated with the continuous model. We studied the integration of each elementary cambial cell activity into the global coherent movement of macroscopic morphogenesis. Cases of normal and abnormal growth of Pinus radiata (D. Don) are modelled. Abnormal growth includes deformed trees where gravity influences auxin transport, producing heterogeneous radial growth. Cross-sectional microscopic views are also provided to validate the model's hypothesis and results.

  19. Among-tree variability and feedback effects result in different growth responses to climate change at the upper treeline in the Swiss Alps.

    PubMed

    Jochner, Matthias; Bugmann, Harald; Nötzli, Magdalena; Bigler, Christof

    2017-10-01

    Upper treeline ecotones are important life form boundaries and particularly sensitive to a warming climate. Changes in growth conditions at these ecotones have wide-ranging implications for the provision of ecosystem services in densely populated mountain regions like the European Alps. We quantify climate effects on short- and long-term tree growth responses, focusing on among-tree variability and potential feedback effects. Although among-tree variability is thought to be substantial, it has not been considered systematically yet in studies on growth-climate relationships. We compiled tree-ring data including almost 600 trees of major treeline species ( Larix decidua , Picea abies , Pinus cembra , and Pinus mugo ) from three climate regions of the Swiss Alps. We further acquired tree size distribution data using unmanned aerial vehicles. To account for among-tree variability, we employed information-theoretic model selections based on linear mixed-effects models (LMMs) with flexible choice of monthly temperature effects on growth. We isolated long-term trends in ring-width indices (RWI) in interaction with elevation. The LMMs revealed substantial amounts of previously unquantified among-tree variability, indicating different strategies of single trees regarding when and to what extent to invest assimilates into growth. Furthermore, the LMMs indicated strongly positive temperature effects on growth during short summer periods across all species, and significant contributions of fall ( L. decidua ) and current year's spring ( L. decidua , P. abies ). In the longer term, all species showed consistently positive RWI trends at highest elevations, but different patterns with decreasing elevation. L. decidua exhibited even negative RWI trends compared to the highest treeline sites, whereas P. abies , P. cembra , and P. mugo showed steeper or flatter trends with decreasing elevation. This does not only reflect effects of ameliorated climate conditions on tree

  20. Key algorithms used in GR02: A computer simulation model for predicting tree and stand growth

    Treesearch

    Garrett A. Hughes; Paul E. Sendak; Paul E. Sendak

    1985-01-01

    GR02 is an individual tree, distance-independent simulation model for predicting tree and stand growth over time. It performs five major functions during each run: (1) updates diameter at breast height, (2) updates total height, (3) estimates mortality, (4) determines regeneration, and (5) updates crown class.

  1. Ozone affects leaf physiology and causes injury to foliage of native tree species from the tropical Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil.

    PubMed

    Moura, Bárbara Baêsso; Alves, Edenise Segala; Marabesi, Mauro Alexandre; de Souza, Silvia Ribeiro; Schaub, Marcus; Vollenweider, Pierre

    2018-01-01

    In southern Brazil, the recent increase in tropospheric ozone (O 3 ) concentrations poses an additional threat to the biodiverse but endangered and fragmented remnants of the Atlantic Forest. Given the mostly unknown sensitivity of tropical species to oxidative stress, the principal objective of this study was to determine whether the current O 3 levels in the Metropolitan Region of Campinas (MRC), downwind of São Paulo, affect the native vegetation of forest remnants. Foliar responses to O 3 of three tree species typical of the MRC forests were investigated using indoor chamber exposure experiments under controlled conditions and a field survey. Exposure to 70ppb O 3 reduced assimilation and leaf conductance but increased respiration in Astronium graveolens while gas exchange in Croton floribundus was little affected. Both A. graveolens and Piptadenia gonoacantha developed characteristic O 3 -induced injury in the foliage, similar to visible symptoms observed in >30% of trees assessed in the MRC, while C. floribundus remained asymptomatic. The underlying structural symptoms in both O 3 -exposed and field samples were indicative of oxidative burst, hypersensitive responses, accelerated cell senescence and, primarily in field samples, interaction with photo-oxidative stress. The markers of O 3 stress were thus mostly similar to those observed in other regions of the world. Further research is needed, to estimate the proportion of sensitive forest species, the O 3 impact on tree growth and stand stability and to detect O 3 hot spots where woody species in the Atlantic Forest are mostly affected. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Influence of Bravo fungicide applications on wood density and moisture content of Swiss needle cast affected Douglas-fir trees.

    Treesearch

    G.R. Johnson; Barbara L. Gartner; Doug Maguire; Alan Kanaskie

    2003-01-01

    Wood density, moisture content, tracheld width and cell wall size were examined in trees from plots that were sprayed for 5 years with chlorothalonil (Bravo ®) fungicide to reduce the impact of Swiss needle-cast (SNC) and from trees in adjacent unsprayed plots. The unsprayed (more heavily diseased) trees had significantly narrower sapwood, narrower growth tings, lower...

  3. Patterns of diametric growth in stem-analyzed laurel trees (Cordia alliodora) in a Panamanian forest

    Treesearch

    Bernard R Parresol; Margaret S. Devall

    2013-01-01

    Based on cross-dated increment cores, yearly diameters of trees were reconstructed for 21 laurels (Cordia alliodora) growing in a natural secondary forest on Gigante Peninsula, Panama. From this sample of dominant-codominant trees, ages were 14–35 years with an average of 25 years. Growth typically slowed at 7 years old, indicating effects of...

  4. Climate, intrinsic water-use efficiency and tree growth over the past 150 years in humid subtropical China

    PubMed Central

    Li, Dawen; Fang, Keyan; Li, Yingjun; Chen, Deliang; Liu, Xiaohong; Dong, Zhipeng; Zhou, Feifei; Guo, Guoyang; Shi, Feng; Xu, Chenxi; Li, Yanping

    2017-01-01

    Influence of long-term changes in climate and CO2 concentration on intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), defined as the ratio between net photosynthesis (A) and leaf conductance (g), and tree growth remain not fully revealed in humid subtropical China, which is distinct from other arid subtropical areas with dense coverage of broadleaf forests. This study presented the first tree-ring stable carbon isotope (δ13C) and iWUE series of Pinus massoniana from 1865 to 2013 in Fujian province, humid subtropical China, and the first tree-ring width standard chronology during the period of 1836–2013 for the Niumulin Nature Reserve (NML). Tree-ring width growth was limited by precipitation in July-August (r = 0.40, p < 0.01). The tree-ring carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C) was mainly controlled by the sunshine hours (r = -0.66, p < 0.001) and relative humidity (r = 0.58, p < 0.001) in September-October, a season with rapid latewood formation in this area. The iWUE increased by 42.6% and the atmospheric CO2 concentration (ca) explained 92.6% of the iWUE variance over the last 150 years. The steady increase in iWUE suggests an active response with a proportional increase in intercellular CO2 concentration (ci) in response to increase in ca. The contribution of iWUE to tree growth in the study region is not conspicuous, which points to influences of other factors such as climate. PMID:28182751

  5. Seasonal carbon storage and growth in Mediterranean tree seedlings under different water conditions.

    PubMed

    Sanz-Pérez, Virginia; Castro-Díez, Pilar; Joffre, Richard

    2009-09-01

    In all Mediterranean-type ecosystems, evergreen and deciduous trees differing in wood anatomy, growth pattern and leaf habit coexist, suggesting distinct adaptative responses to environmental constraints. This study examined the effects of summer water stress on carbon (C) storage and growth in seedlings of three coexisting Mediterranean trees that differed in phenology and wood anatomy characteristics: Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp., Quercus faginea Lam. and Pinus halepensis L. Seedlings were subjected to two levels of watering during two consecutive summers and achieved a minimum of -0.5 and -2.5 MPa of predawn water potential in the control and water stress treatment, respectively. Both Quercus species concentrated their growth in the early growing season, demanding higher C in early spring but replenishing C-stores in autumn. These species allocated more biomass to roots, having larger belowground starch and lipid reserves. Quercus species differed in seasonal storage dynamics from P. halepensis. This species allocated most of its C to aboveground growth, which occurred gradually during the growing season, leading to fewer C-reserves. Soluble sugar and starch concentrations sharply declined in August in P. halepensis, probably because reserves support respiration demands as this species closed stomata earlier under water stress. Drought reduced growth of the three species, mainly in Q. faginea and P. halepensis, but not C-reserves, suggesting that growth under water stress conditions is not limited by C-availability.

  6. Liana competition with tropical trees varies seasonally but not with tree species identity.

    PubMed

    Leonor, Alvarez-Cansino; Schnitzer, Stefan A; Reid, Joseph P; Powers, Jennifer S

    2015-01-01

    Lianas in tropical forests compete intensely with trees for above- and belowground resources and limit tree growth and regeneration. Liana competition with adult canopy trees may be particularly strong, and, if lianas compete more intensely with some tree species than others, they may influence tree species composition. We performed the first systematic, large-scale liana removal experiment to assess the competitive effects of lianas on multiple tropical tree species by measuring sap velocity and growth in a lowland tropical forest in Panama. Tree sap velocity increased 60% soon after liana removal compared to control trees, and tree diameter growth increased 25% after one year. Although tree species varied in their response to lianas, this variation was not significant, suggesting that lianas competed similarly with all tree species examined. The effect of lianas on tree sap velocity was particularly strong during the dry season, when soil moisture was low, suggesting that lianas compete intensely with trees for water. Under the predicted global change scenario of increased temperature and drought intensity, competition from lianas may become more prevalent in seasonal tropical forests, which, according to our data, should have a negative effect on most tropical tree species.

  7. Assessing forest vulnerability to climate warming using a process-based model of tree growth: bad prospects for rear-edges.

    PubMed

    Sánchez-Salguero, Raúl; Camarero, Jesus Julio; Gutiérrez, Emilia; González Rouco, Fidel; Gazol, Antonio; Sangüesa-Barreda, Gabriel; Andreu-Hayles, Laia; Linares, Juan Carlos; Seftigen, Kristina

    2017-07-01

    Growth models can be used to assess forest vulnerability to climate warming. If global warming amplifies water deficit in drought-prone areas, tree populations located at the driest and southernmost distribution limits (rear-edges) should be particularly threatened. Here, we address these statements by analyzing and projecting growth responses to climate of three major tree species (silver fir, Abies alba; Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris; and mountain pine, Pinus uncinata) in mountainous areas of NE Spain. This region is subjected to Mediterranean continental conditions, it encompasses wide climatic, topographic and environmental gradients, and, more importantly, it includes rear-edges of the continuous distributions of these tree species. We used tree-ring width data from a network of 110 forests in combination with the process-based Vaganov-Shashkin-Lite growth model and climate-growth analyses to forecast changes in tree growth during the 21st century. Climatic projections were based on four ensembles CO 2 emission scenarios. Warm and dry conditions during the growing season constrain silver fir and Scots pine growth, particularly at the species rear-edge. By contrast, growth of high-elevation mountain pine forests is enhanced by climate warming. The emission scenario (RCP 8.5) corresponding to the most pronounced warming (+1.4 to 4.8 °C) forecasted mean growth reductions of -10.7% and -16.4% in silver fir and Scots pine, respectively, after 2050. This indicates that rising temperatures could amplify drought stress and thus constrain the growth of silver fir and Scots pine rear-edge populations growing at xeric sites. Contrastingly, mountain pine growth is expected to increase by +12.5% due to a longer and warmer growing season. The projections of growth reduction in silver fir and Scots pine portend dieback and a contraction of their species distribution areas through potential local extinctions of the most vulnerable driest rear-edge stands. Our modeling

  8. Stand basal-area and tree-diameter growth in red spruce-fir forests in Maine, 1960-80

    Treesearch

    S.J. Zarnoch; D.A. Gansner; D.S. Powell; T.A. Birch; T.A. Birch

    1990-01-01

    Stand basal-area change and individual surviving red spruce d.b.h. growth from 1960 to 1980 were analyzed for red spruce-fir stands in Maine. Regression modeling was used to relate these measures of growth to stand and tree conditions and to compare growth throughout the period. Results indicate a decline in growth.

  9. Intensity of precommercial crop-tree release increases diameter and crown growth in upland hardwoods

    Treesearch

    Jeffrey S. Ward

    1995-01-01

    In 1988 seven study areas were established in Connecticut to examine the effects of precommercial crop tree release on bole and crown growth. Each study area has 27 8x8 m plots centered on a northern red oak, black oak, or scarlet oak identified as a potential crop-tree (PCT). The 27 plots at each study area were divided into 3 treatments: no cutting, removal of all...

  10. Planting and care of fine hardwood seedlings: diseases in hardwood tree plantings

    Treesearch

    Paula M. Pijut

    2006-01-01

    Hardwood trees planted for timber production, wildlife habitat, riparian buffers, native woodland restoration, windbreaks, watershed protection, erosion control, and conservation are susceptible to damage or even death by various native and exotic fungal or bacterial diseases. Establishment, growth, and the quality of the trees produced can be affected by these disease...

  11. Whole-tree distribution and temporal variation of non-structural carbohydrates in broadleaf evergreen trees.

    PubMed

    Smith, Merryn G; Miller, Rebecca E; Arndt, Stefan K; Kasel, Sabine; Bennett, Lauren T

    2018-04-01

    Non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) form a fundamental yet poorly quantified carbon pool in trees. Studies of NSC seasonality in forest trees have seldom measured whole-tree NSC stocks and allocation among organs, and are not representative of all tree functional types. Non-structural carbohydrate research has primarily focussed on broadleaf deciduous and coniferous evergreen trees with distinct growing seasons, while broadleaf evergreen trees remain under-studied despite their different growth phenology. We measured whole-tree NSC allocation and temporal variation in Eucalyptus obliqua L'Hér., a broadleaf evergreen tree species typically occurring in mixed-age temperate forests, which has year-round growth and the capacity to resprout after fire. Our overarching objective was to improve the empirical basis for understanding the functional importance of NSC allocation and stock changes at the tree- and organ-level in this tree functional type. Starch was the principal storage carbohydrate and was primarily stored in the stem and roots of young (14-year-old) trees rather than the lignotuber, which did not appear to be a specialized starch storage organ. Whole-tree NSC stocks were depleted during spring and summer due to significant decreases in starch mass in the roots and stem, seemingly to support root and crown growth but potentially exacerbated by water stress in summer. Seasonality of stem NSCs differed between young and mature trees, and was not synchronized with stem basal area increments in mature trees. Our results suggest that the relative magnitude of seasonal NSC stock changes could vary with tree growth stage, and that the main drivers of NSC fluctuations in broadleaf evergreen trees in temperate biomes could be periodic disturbances such as summer drought and fire, rather than growth phenology. These results have implications for understanding post-fire tree recovery via resprouting, and for incorporating NSC pools into carbon models of mixed

  12. Sensitivity of ring growth and carbon allocation to climatic variation vary within ponderosa pine trees.

    PubMed

    Kerhoulas, Lucy P; Kane, Jeffrey M

    2012-01-01

    Most dendrochronological studies focus on cores sampled from standard positions (main stem, breast height), yet vertical gradients in hydraulic constraints and priorities for carbon allocation may contribute to different growth sensitivities with position. Using cores taken from five positions (coarse roots, breast height, base of live crown, mid-crown branch and treetop), we investigated how radial growth sensitivity to climate over the period of 1895-2008 varies by position within 36 large ponderosa pines (Pinus ponderosa Dougl.) in northern Arizona. The climate parameters investigated were Palmer Drought Severity Index, water year and monsoon precipitation, maximum annual temperature, minimum annual temperature and average annual temperature. For each study tree, we generated Pearson correlation coefficients between ring width indices from each position and six climate parameters. We also investigated whether the number of missing rings differed among positions and bole heights. We found that tree density did not significantly influence climatic sensitivity to any of the climate parameters investigated at any of the sample positions. Results from three types of analyses suggest that climatic sensitivity of tree growth varied with position height: (i) correlations of radial growth and climate variables consistently increased with height; (ii) model strength based on Akaike's information criterion increased with height, where treetop growth consistently had the highest sensitivity and coarse roots the lowest sensitivity to each climatic parameter; and (iii) the correlation between bole ring width indices decreased with distance between positions. We speculate that increased sensitivity to climate at higher positions is related to hydraulic limitation because higher positions experience greater xylem tensions due to gravitational effects that render these positions more sensitive to climatic stresses. The low sensitivity of root growth to all climatic variables

  13. Variations in leaf growth parameters within the tree structure of adult Coffea arabica in relation to seasonal growth, water availability and air carbon dioxide concentration.

    PubMed

    Rakocevic, Miroslava; Matsunaga, Fabio Takeshi

    2018-04-05

    Dynamics in branch and leaf growth parameters, such as the phyllochron, duration of leaf expansion, leaf life span and bud mortality, determine tree architecture and canopy foliage distribution. We aimed to estimate leaf growth parameters in adult Arabica coffee plants based on leaf supporter axis order and position along the vertical profile, considering their modifications related to seasonal growth, air [CO2] and water availability. Growth and mortality of leaves and terminal buds of adult Arabica coffee trees were followed in two independent field experiments in two sub-tropical climate regions of Brazil, Londrina-PR (Cfa) and Jaguariúna-SP (Cwa). In the Cwa climate, coffee trees were grown under a FACE (free air CO2 enrichment) facility, where half of those had been irrigated. Plants were observed at a 15-30 d frequency for 1 year. Leaf growth parameters were estimated on five axes orders and expressed as functions of accumulated thermal time (°Cd per leaf). The phyllochron and duration of leaf expansion increased with axis order, from the seond to the fourth. The phyllochron and life span during the reduced vegetative seasonal growth were greater than during active growth. It took more thermal time for leaves from the first- to fourth-order axes to expand their blades under irrigation compared with rainfed conditions. The compensation effects of high [CO2] for low water availability were observed on leaf retention on the second and third axes orders, and duration of leaf expansion on the first- and fourth-order axes. The second-degree polynomials modelled leaf growth parameter distribution in the vertical tree profile, and linear regressions modelled the proportion of terminal bud mortality. Leaf growth parameters in coffee plants were determined by axis order. The duration of leaf expansion contributed to phyllochron determination. Leaf growth parameters varied according the position of the axis supporter along the vertical profile, suggesting an effect of

  14. Radial growth rate increases in naturally occurring ponderosa pine trees: a late-20th century CO2 fertilization effect?

    PubMed

    Soulé, Peter T; Knapp, Paul A

    2006-01-01

    The primary objective of this study was to determine if gradually increasing levels of atmospheric CO2, as opposed to 'step' increases commonly employed in controlled studies, have a positive impact on radial growth rates of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) in natural environments, and to determine the spatial extent and variability of this growth enhancement. We developed a series of tree-ring chronologies from minimally disturbed sites across a spectrum of environmental conditions. A series of difference of means tests were used to compare radial growth post-1950, when the impacts of rising atmospheric CO2 are best expressed, with that pre-1950. Spearman's correlation was used to relate site stress to growth-rate changes. Significant increases in radial growth rates occurred post-1950, especially during drought years, with the greatest increases generally found at the most water-limited sites. Site harshness is positively related to enhanced radial growth rates. Atmospheric CO2 fertilization is probably operative, having a positive effect on radial growth rates of ponderosa pine through increasing water-use efficiency. A CO2-driven growth enhancement may affect ponderosa pine growing under both natural and controlled conditions.

  15. [Understory effects on overstory trees: A review.

    PubMed

    Du, Zhong; Cai, Xiao Hu; Bao, Wei Kai; Chen, Huai; Pan, Hong Li

    2016-03-01

    Plant-plant interactions play a key role in regulating the composition and structure of communities and ecosystems. Studies of plant-plant interactions in forest ecosystems have traditionally concentrated on either tree-tree interactions or overstory species' impacts on understory plants. The possible effects of understory species on overstory trees have received less attention. We summarized the effects of understory species on soil physiological properties, soil fauna activities, leaf litter decomposition, and ecophysiology and growth of the overstory species. Then the effects of distur-bance on understory-overstory interactions were discussed. Finally, an ecophysiology-based concept model of understory effects on overstory trees was proposed. Understory removal experiments showed that the study area, overstory species age, soil fertility and understory species could significantly affect the understory-overstory interactions.

  16. Precipitation variability inferred from the annual growth and isotopic composition of tropical trees

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ballantyne, A. P.; Baker, P. A.; Chambers, J. Q.; Villalba, R.

    2005-12-01

    Here we demonstrate that annual growth and isotopic ratios in tropical trees are responsive to seasonal and annual precipitation variability. We identify several regions of tropical South America characterized by significant relationships between oxygen isotopic ratios (δ 18O) in precipitation and precipitation amount (r = -0.82). Many of these regions are also sensitive to inter-annual variability in the South American Monsoon modulated by the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The effectiveness of δ 18O and annual growth of tropical trees as a precipitation proxy is validated by high-resolution sampling of a Tachigali vermelho tree growing near Manaus, Brazil (3.1° S, 60.0° S). Growth in Tachigali spp. was highly correlated with both precipitation and cellulose δ 18O (r = 0.60) and precipitation amount was significantly correlated with δ 18O at a lag of approximately one month (r = 0.56). We also report a multi-proxy record spanning 180 years from Cedrela odorata growing in the Peruvian Amazon near Puerto Maldonado (12.6° S, 69.2° W) revealing a significant relationship between cellulose and monsoon precipitation over the region (r = -0.33). A 150-year record obtained from Polylepis tarapacana growing at Volcan Granada in Northern Argentina (22.0° S, 66.0° W) is also reported with a significant relationship between local monsoon precipitation and a regionally derived ring width index (r = 0.38). Although no significant relationship was revealed between cellulose δ 18O and precipitation in this taxa at this location, separate radii within the same tree revealed a significantly coherent δ 18O signal (r = 0.38). We compared our proxy chronologies with monsoon precipitation reanalysis data for tropical South America, which revealed key features of the South American Monsoon and their sensitivity to ENSO variability.

  17. Potential relative increment (PRI): a new method to empirically derive optimal tree diameter growth

    Treesearch

    Don C Bragg

    2001-01-01

    Potential relative increment (PRI) is a new method to derive optimal diameter growth equations using inventory information from a large public database. Optimal growth equations for 24 species were developed using plot and tree records from several states (Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) of the North Central US. Most species were represented by thousands of...

  18. The Effect of Nitrogen Form on pH and Petunia Growth in a WholeTree Substrate

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The objective of our research was to investigate the effect of nitrogen form and proportion on peat-lite (PL) and WholeTree (WT) substrate pH and petunia growth. Chipped whole pine trees (consisting of needles, limbs, bark, wood and cones) were obtained from a commercial fuel wood chipping operation...

  19. Tree growth inference and prediction from diameter censuses and ring widths

    Treesearch

    James S. Clark; Michael Wolosin; Michael Dietze; Ines Ibanez; Shannon LaDeau; Miranda Welsh; Brian Kloeppel

    2007-01-01

    Knowledge of tree growth is needed to understand population dynamics (Condit et al. 1993, Fastie 1995, Frelich and Reich 1995, Clark and Clark 1999, Wyckoff and Clark 2002, 2005, Webster and Lorimer 2005), species interactions (Swetnam and Lynch 1993), carbon sequestration (DeLucia et al. 1999, Casperson et al. 2000), forest response to climate change (Cook 1987,...

  20. Contrasting trait syndromes in angiosperms and conifers are associated with different responses of tree growth to temperature on a large scale.

    PubMed

    Carnicer, Jofre; Barbeta, Adrià; Sperlich, Dominik; Coll, Marta; Peñuelas, Josep

    2013-01-01

    Recent large-scale studies of tree growth in the Iberian Peninsula reported contrasting positive and negative effects of temperature in Mediterranean angiosperms and conifers. Here we review the different hypotheses that may explain these trends and propose that the observed contrasting responses of tree growth to temperature in this region could be associated with a continuum of trait differences between angiosperms and conifers. Angiosperm and conifer trees differ in the effects of phenology in their productivity, in their growth allometry, and in their sensitivity to competition. Moreover, angiosperms and conifers significantly differ in hydraulic safety margins, sensitivity of stomatal conductance to vapor-pressure deficit (VPD), xylem recovery capacity or the rate of carbon transfer. These differences could be explained by key features of the xylem such as non-structural carbohydrate content (NSC), wood parenchymal fraction or wood capacitance. We suggest that the reviewed trait differences define two contrasting ecophysiological strategies that may determine qualitatively different growth responses to increased temperature and drought. Improved reciprocal common garden experiments along altitudinal or latitudinal gradients would be key to quantify the relative importance of the different hypotheses reviewed. Finally, we show that warming impacts in this area occur in an ecological context characterized by the advance of forest succession and increased dominance of angiosperm trees over extensive areas. In this context, we examined the empirical relationships between the responses of tree growth to temperature and hydraulic safety margins in angiosperm and coniferous trees. Our findings suggest a future scenario in Mediterranean forests characterized by contrasting demographic responses in conifer and angiosperm trees to both temperature and forest succession, with increased dominance of angiosperm trees, and particularly negative impacts in pines.

  1. Contrasting trait syndromes in angiosperms and conifers are associated with different responses of tree growth to temperature on a large scale

    PubMed Central

    Carnicer, Jofre; Barbeta, Adrià; Sperlich, Dominik; Coll, Marta; Peñuelas, Josep

    2013-01-01

    Recent large-scale studies of tree growth in the Iberian Peninsula reported contrasting positive and negative effects of temperature in Mediterranean angiosperms and conifers. Here we review the different hypotheses that may explain these trends and propose that the observed contrasting responses of tree growth to temperature in this region could be associated with a continuum of trait differences between angiosperms and conifers. Angiosperm and conifer trees differ in the effects of phenology in their productivity, in their growth allometry, and in their sensitivity to competition. Moreover, angiosperms and conifers significantly differ in hydraulic safety margins, sensitivity of stomatal conductance to vapor-pressure deficit (VPD), xylem recovery capacity or the rate of carbon transfer. These differences could be explained by key features of the xylem such as non-structural carbohydrate content (NSC), wood parenchymal fraction or wood capacitance. We suggest that the reviewed trait differences define two contrasting ecophysiological strategies that may determine qualitatively different growth responses to increased temperature and drought. Improved reciprocal common garden experiments along altitudinal or latitudinal gradients would be key to quantify the relative importance of the different hypotheses reviewed. Finally, we show that warming impacts in this area occur in an ecological context characterized by the advance of forest succession and increased dominance of angiosperm trees over extensive areas. In this context, we examined the empirical relationships between the responses of tree growth to temperature and hydraulic safety margins in angiosperm and coniferous trees. Our findings suggest a future scenario in Mediterranean forests characterized by contrasting demographic responses in conifer and angiosperm trees to both temperature and forest succession, with increased dominance of angiosperm trees, and particularly negative impacts in pines. PMID

  2. Tree species, tree genotypes and tree genotypic diversity levels affect microbe-mediated soil ecosystem functions in a subtropical forest.

    PubMed

    Purahong, Witoon; Durka, Walter; Fischer, Markus; Dommert, Sven; Schöps, Ricardo; Buscot, François; Wubet, Tesfaye

    2016-11-18

    Tree species identity and tree genotypes contribute to the shaping of soil microbial communities. However, knowledge about how these two factors influence soil ecosystem functions is still lacking. Furthermore, in forest ecosystems tree genotypes co-occur and interact with each other, thus the effects of tree genotypic diversity on soil ecosystem functions merit attention. Here we investigated the effects of tree species, tree genotypes and genotypic diversity levels, alongside soil physicochemical properties, on the overall and specific soil enzyme activity patterns. Our results indicate that tree species identity, tree genotypes and genotypic diversity level have significant influences on overall and specific soil enzyme activity patterns. These three factors influence soil enzyme patterns partly through effects on soil physicochemical properties and substrate quality. Variance partitioning showed that tree species identity, genotypic diversity level, pH and water content all together explained ~30% variations in the overall patterns of soil enzymes. However, we also found that the responses of soil ecosystem functions to tree genotypes and genotypic diversity are complex, being dependent on tree species identity and controlled by multiple factors. Our study highlights the important of inter- and intra-specific variations in tree species in shaping soil ecosystem functions in a subtropical forest.

  3. Tree species, tree genotypes and tree genotypic diversity levels affect microbe-mediated soil ecosystem functions in a subtropical forest

    PubMed Central

    Purahong, Witoon; Durka, Walter; Fischer, Markus; Dommert, Sven; Schöps, Ricardo; Buscot, François; Wubet, Tesfaye

    2016-01-01

    Tree species identity and tree genotypes contribute to the shaping of soil microbial communities. However, knowledge about how these two factors influence soil ecosystem functions is still lacking. Furthermore, in forest ecosystems tree genotypes co-occur and interact with each other, thus the effects of tree genotypic diversity on soil ecosystem functions merit attention. Here we investigated the effects of tree species, tree genotypes and genotypic diversity levels, alongside soil physicochemical properties, on the overall and specific soil enzyme activity patterns. Our results indicate that tree species identity, tree genotypes and genotypic diversity level have significant influences on overall and specific soil enzyme activity patterns. These three factors influence soil enzyme patterns partly through effects on soil physicochemical properties and substrate quality. Variance partitioning showed that tree species identity, genotypic diversity level, pH and water content all together explained ~30% variations in the overall patterns of soil enzymes. However, we also found that the responses of soil ecosystem functions to tree genotypes and genotypic diversity are complex, being dependent on tree species identity and controlled by multiple factors. Our study highlights the important of inter- and intra-specific variations in tree species in shaping soil ecosystem functions in a subtropical forest. PMID:27857198

  4. Tree species diversity affects decomposition through modified micro-environmental conditions across European forests.

    PubMed

    Joly, François-Xavier; Milcu, Alexandru; Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael; Jean, Loreline-Katia; Bussotti, Filippo; Dawud, Seid Muhie; Müller, Sandra; Pollastrini, Martina; Raulund-Rasmussen, Karsten; Vesterdal, Lars; Hättenschwiler, Stephan

    2017-05-01

    Different tree species influence litter decomposition directly through species-specific litter traits, and indirectly through distinct modifications of the local decomposition environment. Whether these indirect effects on decomposition are influenced by tree species diversity is presently not clear. We addressed this question by studying the decomposition of two common substrates, cellulose paper and wood sticks, in a total of 209 forest stands of varying tree species diversity across six major forest types at the scale of Europe. Tree species richness showed a weak but positive correlation with the decomposition of cellulose but not with that of wood. Surprisingly, macroclimate had only a minor effect on cellulose decomposition and no effect on wood decomposition despite the wide range in climatic conditions among sites from Mediterranean to boreal forests. Instead, forest canopy density and stand-specific litter traits affected the decomposition of both substrates, with a particularly clear negative effect of the proportion of evergreen tree litter. Our study suggests that species richness and composition of tree canopies modify decomposition indirectly through changes in microenvironmental conditions. These canopy-induced differences in the local decomposition environment control decomposition to a greater extent than continental-scale differences in macroclimatic conditions. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

  5. Conspecific Plant-Soil Feedbacks of Temperate Tree Species in the Southern Appalachians, USA

    PubMed Central

    Reinhart, Kurt O.; Johnson, Daniel; Clay, Keith

    2012-01-01

    Many tree species have seedling recruitment patterns suggesting that they are affected by non-competitive distance-dependent sources of mortality. We conducted an experiment, with landscape-level replication, to identify cases of negative distance-dependent effects and whether variation in these effects corresponded with tree recruitment patterns in the southern Appalachian Mountains region. Specifically, soil was collected from 14 sites and used as inocula in a 62 day growth chamber experiment determining whether tree seedling growth was less when interacting with soil from conspecific (like) than heterospecific (other) tree species. Tests were performed on six tree species. Three of the tree species had been previously described as having greater recruitment around conspecifics (i.e. facilitator species group) compared to the other half (i.e. inhibitor species group). We were then able to determine whether variation in negative distance-dependent effects corresponded with recruitment patterns in the field. Across the six species, none were negatively affected by soil inocula from conspecific relative to heterospecific sources. Most species (four of six) were unaffected by soil source. Two species (Prunus serotina and Tsuga canadensis) had enhanced growth in pots inoculated with soil from conspecific trees vs. heterospecifics. Species varied in their susceptibility to soil pathogens, but trends across all species revealed that species classified as inhibitors were not more negatively affected by conspecific than heterospecific soil inocula or more susceptible to pathogenic effects than facilitators. Although plant-soil biota interactions may be important for individual species and sites, it may be difficult to scale these interactions over space or levels of ecological organization. Generalizing the importance of plant-soil feedbacks or other factors across regional scales may be especially problematic for hyperdiverse temperate forests where interactions may be

  6. Conspecific plant-soil feedbacks of temperate tree species in the southern Appalachians, USA.

    PubMed

    Reinhart, Kurt O; Johnson, Daniel; Clay, Keith

    2012-01-01

    Many tree species have seedling recruitment patterns suggesting that they are affected by non-competitive distance-dependent sources of mortality. We conducted an experiment, with landscape-level replication, to identify cases of negative distance-dependent effects and whether variation in these effects corresponded with tree recruitment patterns in the southern Appalachian Mountains region. Specifically, soil was collected from 14 sites and used as inocula in a 62 day growth chamber experiment determining whether tree seedling growth was less when interacting with soil from conspecific (like) than heterospecific (other) tree species. Tests were performed on six tree species. Three of the tree species had been previously described as having greater recruitment around conspecifics (i.e. facilitator species group) compared to the other half (i.e. inhibitor species group). We were then able to determine whether variation in negative distance-dependent effects corresponded with recruitment patterns in the field. Across the six species, none were negatively affected by soil inocula from conspecific relative to heterospecific sources. Most species (four of six) were unaffected by soil source. Two species (Prunus serotina and Tsuga canadensis) had enhanced growth in pots inoculated with soil from conspecific trees vs. heterospecifics. Species varied in their susceptibility to soil pathogens, but trends across all species revealed that species classified as inhibitors were not more negatively affected by conspecific than heterospecific soil inocula or more susceptible to pathogenic effects than facilitators. Although plant-soil biota interactions may be important for individual species and sites, it may be difficult to scale these interactions over space or levels of ecological organization. Generalizing the importance of plant-soil feedbacks or other factors across regional scales may be especially problematic for hyperdiverse temperate forests where interactions may be

  7. Endogenous rhythmic growth in oak trees is regulated by internal clocks rather than resource availability.

    PubMed

    Herrmann, S; Recht, S; Boenn, M; Feldhahn, L; Angay, O; Fleischmann, F; Tarkka, M T; Grams, T E E; Buscot, F

    2015-12-01

    Common oak trees display endogenous rhythmic growth with alternating shoot and root flushes. To explore the mechanisms involved, microcuttings of the Quercus robur L. clone DF159 were used for (13)C/(15)N labelling in combination with RNA sequencing (RNASeq) transcript profiling of shoots and roots. The effect of plant internal resource availability on the rhythmic growth of the cuttings was tested through inoculation with the ectomycorrhizal fungus Piloderma croceum. Shoot and root flushes were related to parallel shifts in above- and below-ground C and, to a lesser extent, N allocation. Increased plant internal resource availability by P. croceum inoculation with enhanced plant growth affected neither the rhythmic growth nor the associated resource allocation patterns. Two shifts in transcript abundance were identified during root and shoot growth cessation, and most concerned genes were down-regulated. Inoculation with P. croceum suppressed these transcript shifts in roots, but not in shoots. To identify core processes governing the rhythmic growth, functions [Gene Ontology (GO) terms] of the genes differentially expressed during the growth cessation in both leaves and roots of non-inoculated plants and leaves of P. croceum-inoculated plants were examined. Besides genes related to resource acquisition and cell development, which might reflect rather than trigger rhythmic growth, genes involved in signalling and/or regulated by the circadian clock were identified. The results indicate that rhythmic growth involves dramatic oscillations in plant metabolism and gene regulation between below- and above-ground parts. Ectomycorrhizal symbiosis may play a previously unsuspected role in smoothing these oscillations without modifying the rhythmic growth pattern. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

  8. How should leaf area, sapwood area and stomatal conductance vary with tree height to maximize growth?

    PubMed

    Buckley, Thomas N; Roberts, David W

    2006-02-01

    Conventional wisdom holds that the ratio of leaf area to sapwood area (L/S) should decline during height (H) growth to maintain hydraulic homeostasis and prevent stomatal conductance (g(s)) from declining. We contend that L/S should increase with H based on a numerical simulation, a mathematical analysis and a conceptual argument: (1) numerical simulation--a tree growth model, DESPOT (Deducing Emergent Structure and Physiology Of Trees), in which carbon (C) allocation is regulated to maximize C gain, predicts L/S should increase during most of H growth; (2) mathematical analysis--the formal criterion for optimal C allocation, applied to a simplified analytical model of whole tree carbon-water balance, predicts L/S should increase with H if leaf-level gas exchange parameters including g(s) are conserved; and (3) conceptual argument--photosynthesis is limited by several substitutable resources (chiefly nitrogen (N), water and light) and H growth increases the C cost of water transport but not necessarily of N and light capture, so if the goal is to maximize C gain or growth, allocation should shift in favor of increasing photosynthetic capacity and irradiance, rather than sustaining g(s). Although many data are consistent with the prediction that L/S should decline with H, many others are not, and we discuss possible reasons for these discrepancies.

  9. Spatial Characteristics of Tree Diameter Distributions in a Temperate Old-Growth Forest

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Xiuhai; von Gadow, Klaus

    2013-01-01

    This contribution identifies spatial characteristics of tree diameter in a temperate forest in north-eastern China, based on a fully censused observational study area covering 500×600 m. Mark correlation analysis with three null hypothesis models was used to determine departure from expectations at different neighborhood distances. Tree positions are clumped at all investigated scales in all 37 studied species, while the diameters of most species are spatially negatively correlated, especially at short distances. Interestingly, all three cases showing short-distance attraction of dbh marks are associated with light-demanding shrub species. The short-distance attraction of dbh marks indicates spatially aggregated cohorts of stems of similar size. The percentage of species showing significant dbh suppression peaked at a 4 m distance under the heterogeneous Poisson model. At scales exceeding the peak distance, the percentage of species showing significant dbh suppression decreases sharply with increasing distances. The evidence from this large observational study shows that some of the variation of the spatial characteristics of tree diameters is related variations of topography and soil chemistry. However, an obvious interpretation of this result is still lacking. Thus, removing competitors surrounding the target trees is an effective way to avoid neighboring competition effects reducing the growth of valuable target trees in forest management practice. PMID:23527066

  10. Spatial characteristics of tree diameter distributions in a temperate old-growth forest.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Chunyu; Wei, Yanbo; Zhao, Xiuhai; von Gadow, Klaus

    2013-01-01

    This contribution identifies spatial characteristics of tree diameter in a temperate forest in north-eastern China, based on a fully censused observational study area covering 500×600 m. Mark correlation analysis with three null hypothesis models was used to determine departure from expectations at different neighborhood distances. Tree positions are clumped at all investigated scales in all 37 studied species, while the diameters of most species are spatially negatively correlated, especially at short distances. Interestingly, all three cases showing short-distance attraction of dbh marks are associated with light-demanding shrub species. The short-distance attraction of dbh marks indicates spatially aggregated cohorts of stems of similar size. The percentage of species showing significant dbh suppression peaked at a 4 m distance under the heterogeneous Poisson model. At scales exceeding the peak distance, the percentage of species showing significant dbh suppression decreases sharply with increasing distances. The evidence from this large observational study shows that some of the variation of the spatial characteristics of tree diameters is related variations of topography and soil chemistry. However, an obvious interpretation of this result is still lacking. Thus, removing competitors surrounding the target trees is an effective way to avoid neighboring competition effects reducing the growth of valuable target trees in forest management practice.

  11. Linking climate and environmental factors to the recent and surprising growth increase of red spruce trees across the northeastern US

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kosiba, A. M.; Schaberg, P. G.; Rayback, S. A.; Hawley, G. J.

    2016-12-01

    Recent investigations have uncovered an unanticipated trend: red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) trees in the northeastern US are undergoing a marked surge in growth. This discovery stands in contrast to the declines in growth and vigor for red spruce that were documented in the second half of the 20th century and quantitatively attributed to acid deposition-induced calcium depletion. Further, predictions of potential habitat due to climate change depict red spruce habitat constricting from low elevations and latitudes. Considering these conflicting findings, we asked: what factors are most likely stimulating growth increases for red spruce trees? Here we use a uniquely large and both spatially- and temporally-explicit tree ring dataset to assess changes in red spruce growth over time. We compare patterns in growth to local weather data, atmospheric deposition rates, and other environmental and forest-stand metrics, including nutrient soil status and buffering capacity. These results allow us to model areas in the region where we predict similar growth increases for red spruce trees. Through this study, we suggest that this temperate conifer may be uniquely posed to benefit from a lengthened functional growing season, increased annual temperatures, particularly in winter, and decreased atmospheric pollution levels that proved problematic in the past.

  12. Response of tree growth and species coexistence to density and species evenness in a young forest plantation with two competing species.

    PubMed

    Collet, Catherine; Ningre, François; Barbeito, Ignacio; Arnaud, Anthony; Piboule, Alexandre

    2014-03-01

    There is considerable evidence for the presence of positive species diversity-productivity relationships in plant populations, but the population parameters determining the type and strength of the relationship are poorly defined. Relationships between species evenness and tree survival or species coexistence are not well established. The objective of this study was to quantify the joint effects of density and species evenness on tree productivity and species coexistence. A 12-year-old experimental tree plantation mixing two species according to a double gradient of density and species proportion was used. A neighbourhood approach was employed and descriptors of local competition were used to model individual tree growth. Fagus sylvatica and Acer pseudoplatanus were used as model species, as they can be considered as ecologically equivalent in their young stages. Density and tree size were primary factors determining individual growth and stand productivity. Species identity had a significant, but less pronounced, role. Stand productivity was highest when species evenness was close to 1 and slightly lower in uneven mixtures. The reduction in stand productivity when species evenness decreased was of similar magnitude irrespective of which species became dominant, indicating symmetric effects for the two species. When examining individual tree growth in response to species proportion for each species separately, it was observed for both species that individual trees exhibited greater growth in uneven mixtures in which the other species was more frequent. The results suggest that mixtures of these two functionally similar species have the highest production at maximum evenness, indicating a complementary effect between them. The presence of a mixture combines both stabilizing mechanisms (individuals from both species show higher growth when surrounded by individuals from the other species) and equalizing mechanisms (the two species have very similar growth curves

  13. Diameter-growth model across shortleaf pine range using regression tree analysis

    Treesearch

    Daniel Yaussy; Louis Iverson; Anantha Prasad

    1999-01-01

    Diameter growth of a tree in most gap-phase models is limited by light, nutrients, moisture, and temperature. Growing-season temperature is represented by growing degree days (gdd), which is the sum of the average daily temperatures above a baseline temperature. Gap-phase models determine the north-south range of a species by the gdd limits at the north and south...

  14. The impact of annual and seasonal rainfall patterns on growth and phenology of emergent tree species in Southeastern Amazonia, Brazil

    Treesearch

    James Grogan; Mark Schulze

    2012-01-01

    Understanding tree growth in response to rainfall distribution is critical to predicting forest and species population responses to climate change. We investigated inter-annual and seasonal variation in stem diameter by three emergent tree species in a seasonally dry tropical forest in southeast Pará, Brazil. Annual diameter growth rates by Swietenia macrophylla...

  15. Detailed soil mapping and relationships between soil characteristics and tree growth in an alluvial plain (Lombardy, Italy)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferré, Chiara; Comolli, Roberto

    2015-04-01

    The study area is located in an abandoned meander of the Oglio river (southern Lombardy, Italy), with young soils of alluvial origin (Calcaric Fluvisols). During 2002, in an area covering 20 hectares, a tree plant for wood production was realized (oak, hornbeam, ash, alder, and walnut; poplar only in the first part of the growth cycle). Objective of the study was to verify the existence of correlations between tree growth and soil characteristics. In 2004, the soil was sampled at 126 points, according to a regular grid, taking the surface soil horizon (Ap). The collected soil samples were analyzed in laboratory, measuring pH in H2O and KCl, texture, total carbonates, soil organic C (SOC), available P (Olsen), and exchangeable K. The pH in H2O varies between 7.7 and 8.1; the pH in KCl varies between 7.2 and 7.7; the more frequent particle-size classes are loam and sandy loam; SOC varies between 0.4 and 1.1%; total carbonates from 23 to 45%; exchangeable K between 0.01 and 0.25 cmol(+) kg-1; available P between 1.2 and 16.8 mg kg-1. At a distance of 12 years, in 2014, diameters at breast height of all the trees (2513 in total) were measured and their height was estimated on the basis of empirical equations obtained for each species, in order to calculate the tree volume. Spatial variability of soil properties was evaluated and mapped using multivariate geostatistical techniques. The analyses revealed the presence of different scales of spatial variation: micro-scale, short range scale (about 80 m for texture) and long range scale (about 220 m for texture). The spatial pattern of most soil properties (mainly texture and total carbonates) was probably associated with fluvial depositional processes. To evaluate soil-plant relationships, soil characteristics were collocated into the plant data set by estimating specific soil properties at each individual tree location. Soil spatial variability was reflected by the differences in plant growth. Statistical analysis of the

  16. Warming-Induced Decline of Picea crassifolia Growth in the Qilian Mountains in Recent Decades.

    PubMed

    Yu, Li; Huang, Lei; Shao, Xuemei; Xiao, Fengjing; Wilmking, Martin; Zhang, Yongxiang

    2015-01-01

    Warming-induced drought has widely affected forest dynamics in most places of the northern hemisphere. In this study, we assessed how climate warming has affected Picea crassifolia (Qinghai spruce) forests using tree growth-climate relationships and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) along the Qilian Mountains, northeastern Tibet Plateau (the main range of Picea crassifolia). Based on the analysis on trees radial growth data from the upper tree line and the regional NDVI data, we identified a pervasive growth decline in recent decades, most likely caused by warming-induced droughts. The drought stress on Picea crassifolia radial growth were expanding from northeast to southwest and the favorable moisture conditions for tree growth were retreating along the identical direction in the study area over the last half century. Compared to the historical drought stress on tree radial growth in the 1920s, recent warming-induced droughts display a longer-lasting stress with a broader spatial distribution on regional forest growth. If the recent warming continues without the effective moisture increasing, then a notable challenge is developed for Picea crassifolia in the Qilian Mountains. Elaborate forest management is necessary to counteract the future risk of climate change effects in this region.

  17. Mobile carbohydrates in Himalayan treeline trees I. Evidence for carbon gain limitation but not for growth limitation.

    PubMed

    Li, Mai-He; Xiao, Wen-Fa; Wang, San-Gen; Cheng, Gen-Wei; Cherubini, Paolo; Cai, Xaio-Hu; Liu, Xing-Liang; Wang, Xiao-Dan; Zhu, Wan-Ze

    2008-08-01

    To test whether the altitudinal distribution of trees is determined by a carbon shortage or an insufficient sugar fraction (sugar:starch ratio) in treeline trees, we studied the status of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) and their components (total soluble sugars and starch) in Abies fabri (Mast.) Craib and Picea balfouriana var. hirtella Rehd. et Wils. trees along three elevational gradients, ranging from lower elevations to the alpine treeline, on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. For comparison, we investigated a low-altitude species (Tsuga yunnanensis (Franch.) Pritz.) which served as a warm-climate reference because it is distributed in closed montane forests below 3100 m a.s.l. in the study area. The carbon status of T. yunnanensis responded to altitude differently from that of the treeline species. At the species level, total NSC was not consistently more abundant in treeline trees than in trees of the same species growing at lower elevations. Thus there was no consistent evidence for carbon limitation of growth in treeline trees. For the three treeline species studied (P. balfouriana and A. fabri in the Kang-Ding Valley and A. fabri in the Mo-Xi Valley), winter NSC concentrations in treeline trees were significantly lower than in lower-elevation trees of the same species, suggesting that, in winter, carbon is limited in treeline trees. However, in no case was there total overwinter depletion of NSC or its components in treeline trees. Treeline and low-altitude species had similar sugar:starch ratios of about three at their upper-elevational limits in April. We conclude that survival and growth of trees at the elevational or latitudinal climate limit depend not only on NSC concentration in perennial tissues, but also on the maintenance of an overwintering sugar:starch ratio greater than three.

  18. Facilitative-Competitive Interactions in an Old-Growth Forest: The Importance of Large-Diameter Trees as Benefactors and Stimulators for Forest Community Assembly

    PubMed Central

    Fichtner, Andreas; Forrester, David I.; Härdtle, Werner; Sturm, Knut; von Oheimb, Goddert

    2015-01-01

    The role of competition in tree communities is increasingly well understood, while little is known about the patterns and mechanisms of the interplay between above- and belowground competition in tree communities. This knowledge, however, is crucial for a better understanding of community dynamics and developing adaptive near-natural management strategies. We assessed neighbourhood interactions in an unmanaged old-growth European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest by quantifying variation in the intensity of above- (shading) and belowground competition (crowding) among dominant and co-dominant canopy beech trees during tree maturation. Shading had on average a much larger impact on radial growth than crowding and the sensitivity to changes in competitive conditions was lowest for crowding effects. We found that each mode of competition reduced the effect of the other. Increasing crowding reduced the negative effect of shading, and at high levels of shading, crowding actually had a facilitative effect and increased growth. Our study demonstrates that complementarity in above- and belowground processes enable F. sylvatica to alter resource acquisition strategies, thus optimising tree radial growth. As a result, competition seemed to become less important in stands with a high growing stock and tree communities with a long continuity of anthropogenic undisturbed population dynamics. We suggest that growth rates do not exclusively depend on the density of potential competitors at the intraspecific level, but on the conspecific aggregation of large-diameter trees and their functional role for regulating biotic filtering processes. This finding highlights the potential importance of the rarely examined relationship between the spatial aggregation pattern of large-diameter trees and the outcome of neighbourhood interactions, which may be central to community dynamics and the related forest ecosystem services. PMID:25803035

  19. Facilitative-competitive interactions in an old-growth forest: the importance of large-diameter trees as benefactors and stimulators for forest community assembly.

    PubMed

    Fichtner, Andreas; Forrester, David I; Härdtle, Werner; Sturm, Knut; von Oheimb, Goddert

    2015-01-01

    The role of competition in tree communities is increasingly well understood, while little is known about the patterns and mechanisms of the interplay between above- and belowground competition in tree communities. This knowledge, however, is crucial for a better understanding of community dynamics and developing adaptive near-natural management strategies. We assessed neighbourhood interactions in an unmanaged old-growth European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest by quantifying variation in the intensity of above- (shading) and belowground competition (crowding) among dominant and co-dominant canopy beech trees during tree maturation. Shading had on average a much larger impact on radial growth than crowding and the sensitivity to changes in competitive conditions was lowest for crowding effects. We found that each mode of competition reduced the effect of the other. Increasing crowding reduced the negative effect of shading, and at high levels of shading, crowding actually had a facilitative effect and increased growth. Our study demonstrates that complementarity in above- and belowground processes enable F. sylvatica to alter resource acquisition strategies, thus optimising tree radial growth. As a result, competition seemed to become less important in stands with a high growing stock and tree communities with a long continuity of anthropogenic undisturbed population dynamics. We suggest that growth rates do not exclusively depend on the density of potential competitors at the intraspecific level, but on the conspecific aggregation of large-diameter trees and their functional role for regulating biotic filtering processes. This finding highlights the potential importance of the rarely examined relationship between the spatial aggregation pattern of large-diameter trees and the outcome of neighbourhood interactions, which may be central to community dynamics and the related forest ecosystem services.

  20. Peatland pines as a proxy for water table fluctuations: disentangling tree growth, hydrology and possible human influence.

    PubMed

    Smiljanić, Marko; Seo, Jeong-Wook; Läänelaid, Alar; van der Maaten-Theunissen, Marieke; Stajić, Branko; Wilmking, Martin

    2014-12-01

    Dendrochronological investigations of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing on Männikjärve peatland in central Estonia showed that annual tree growth of peatland pines can be used as a proxy for past variations of water table levels. Reconstruction of past water table levels can help us to better understand the dynamics of various ecological processes in peatlands, e.g. the formation of vegetation patterns or carbon and nitrogen cycling. Männikjärve bog has one of the longest water table records in the boreal zone, continuously monitored since 1956. Common uncertainties encountered while working with peatland trees (e.g. narrow, missing and wedging rings) were in our case exacerbated with difficulties related to the instability of the relationship between tree growth and peatland environment. We hypothesized that the instable relationship was mainly due to a significant change of the limiting factor, i.e. the rise of the water table level due to human activity. To test our hypothesis we had to use several novel methods of tree-ring chronology analysis as well as to test explicitly whether undetected missing rings biased our results. Since the hypothesis that the instable relationship between tree growth and environment was caused by a change in limiting factor could not be rejected, we proceeded to find possible significant changes of past water table levels using structural analysis of the tree-ring chronologies. Our main conclusions were that peatland pines can be proxies to water table levels and that there were several shifting periods of high and low water table levels in the past 200 years. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Green Revolution Trees: Semidwarfism Transgenes Modify Gibberellins, Promote Root Growth, Enhance Morphological Diversity, and Reduce Competitiveness in Hybrid Poplar1[C][W][OA

    PubMed Central

    Elias, Ani A.; Busov, Victor B.; Kosola, Kevin R.; Ma, Cathleen; Etherington, Elizabeth; Shevchenko, Olga; Gandhi, Harish; Pearce, David W.; Rood, Stewart B.; Strauss, Steven H.

    2012-01-01

    Semidwarfism has been used extensively in row crops and horticulture to promote yield, reduce lodging, and improve harvest index, and it might have similar benefits for trees for short-rotation forestry or energy plantations, reclamation, phytoremediation, or other applications. We studied the effects of the dominant semidwarfism transgenes GA Insensitive (GAI) and Repressor of GAI-Like, which affect gibberellin (GA) action, and the GA catabolic gene, GA 2-oxidase, in nursery beds and in 2-year-old high-density stands of hybrid poplar (Populus tremula × Populus alba). Twenty-nine traits were analyzed, including measures of growth, morphology, and physiology. Endogenous GA levels were modified in most transgenic events; GA20 and GA8, in particular, had strong inverse associations with tree height. Nearly all measured traits varied significantly among genotypes, and several traits interacted with planting density, including aboveground biomass, root-shoot ratio, root fraction, branch angle, and crown depth. Semidwarfism promoted biomass allocation to roots over shoots and substantially increased rooting efficiency with most genes tested. The increased root proportion and increased leaf chlorophyll levels were associated with changes in leaf carbon isotope discrimination, indicating altered water use efficiency. Semidwarf trees had dramatically reduced growth when in direct competition with wild-type trees, supporting the hypothesis that semidwarfism genes could be effective tools to mitigate the spread of exotic, hybrid, and transgenic plants in wild and feral populations. PMID:22904164

  2. Explaining growth of individual trees: Light interception and efficiency of light use by Eucalyptus at four sites in Brazil

    Treesearch

    Dan Binkley; Jose Luiz Stape; William L. Bauerle; Michael G. Ryan

    2010-01-01

    The growth of wood in trees and forests depends on the acquisition of resources (light, water, and nutrients), the efficiency of using resources for photosynthesis, and subsequent partitioning to woody tissues. Patterns of efficiency over time for individual trees, or between trees at one time, result from changes in rates photosynthesis and shifts in...

  3. Conifers in cold environments synchronize maximum growth rate of tree-ring formation with day length.

    PubMed

    Rossi, Sergio; Deslauriers, Annie; Anfodillo, Tommaso; Morin, Hubert; Saracino, Antonio; Motta, Renzo; Borghetti, Marco

    2006-01-01

    Intra-annual radial growth rates and durations in trees are reported to differ greatly in relation to species, site and environmental conditions. However, very similar dynamics of cambial activity and wood formation are observed in temperate and boreal zones. Here, we compared weekly xylem cell production and variation in stem circumference in the main northern hemisphere conifer species (genera Picea, Pinus, Abies and Larix) from 1996 to 2003. Dynamics of radial growth were modeled with a Gompertz function, defining the upper asymptote (A), x-axis placement (beta) and rate of change (kappa). A strong linear relationship was found between the constants beta and kappa for both types of analysis. The slope of the linear regression, which corresponds to the time at which maximum growth rate occurred, appeared to converge towards the summer solstice. The maximum growth rate occurred around the time of maximum day length, and not during the warmest period of the year as previously suggested. The achievements of photoperiod could act as a growth constraint or a limit after which the rate of tree-ring formation tends to decrease, thus allowing plants to safely complete secondary cell wall lignification before winter.

  4. Long-term habitat selection and chronic root herbivory: explaining the relationship between periodical cicada density and tree growth.

    PubMed

    Yang, Louie H; Karban, Richard

    2009-01-01

    Periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.) are insect herbivores that feed on host tree roots, but their distribution among hosts is determined largely by the oviposition of female cicadas in the previous generation. A pattern of decreasing tree growth rates with increasing cicada densities is predicted when considering the costs of chronic root herbivory, but the opposite pattern is expected when considering adaptive habitat selection. Here, we report observations indicating that the relationship between periodical cicada densities and host tree growth rates is hump shaped. We suggest that both herbivory and habitat selection are likely to be key processes explaining this pattern, resulting in regions of positive and negative correlation. These results suggest that the effects of cicada herbivory are most apparent at relatively high cicada densities, while habitat selection tends to distribute cicada herbivory on host trees that are able to compensate for cicada root herbivory up to threshold cicada densities.

  5. Urban tree database and allometric equations

    Treesearch

    E. Gregory McPherson; Natalie S. van Doorn; Paula J.  Peper

    2016-01-01

    Information on urban tree growth underpins models used to calculate the effects of trees on the environment and human well-being. Maximum tree size and other growth data are used by urban forest managers, landscape architects, and planners to select trees most suitable to the amount of growing space, thereby reducing costly future conflicts between trees and...

  6. High-latitude tree growth and satellite vegetation indices: Correlations and trends in Russia and Canada (1982-2008)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berner, Logan T.; Beck, Pieter S. A.; Bunn, Andrew G.; Lloyd, Andrea H.; Goetz, Scott J.

    2011-03-01

    Vegetation in northern high latitudes affects regional and global climate through energy partitioning and carbon storage. Spaceborne observations of vegetation, largely based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), suggest decreased productivity during recent decades in many regions of the Eurasian and North American boreal forests. To improve interpretation of NDVI trends over forest regions, we examined the relationship between NDVI from the advanced very high resolution radiometers and tree ring width measurements, a proxy of tree productivity. We collected tree core samples from spruce, pine, and larch at 22 sites in northeast Russia and northwest Canada. Annual growth rings were measured and used to generate site-level ring width index (RWI) chronologies. Correlation analysis was used to assess the association between RWI and summer NDVI from 1982 to 2008, while linear regression was used to examine trends in both measurements. The correlation between NDVI and RWI was highly variable across sites, though consistently positive (r = 0.43, SD = 0.19, n = 27). We observed significant temporal autocorrelation in both NDVI and RWI measurements at sites with evergreen conifers (spruce and pine), though weak autocorrelation at sites with deciduous conifers (larch). No sites exhibited a positive trend in both NDVI and RWI, although five sites showed negative trends in both measurements. While there are technological and physiological limitations to this approach, these findings demonstrate a positive association between NDVI and tree ring measurements, as well as the importance of considering lagged effects when modeling vegetation productivity using satellite data.

  7. Modeling individual tree survial

    Treesearch

    Quang V. Cao

    2016-01-01

    Information provided by growth and yield models is the basis for forest managers to make decisions on how to manage their forests. Among different types of growth models, whole-stand models offer predictions at stand level, whereas individual-tree models give detailed information at tree level. The well-known logistic regression is commonly used to predict tree...

  8. Shoot growth orientation in trees is influenced by gravitropic control via a signaling pathway that includes TAC1 and LAZY1

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Understanding the molecular basis behind tree architecture could have significant impacts in tree crop agriculture and forestry. The ability to manipulate tree branch growth and patterning could lead to significant productivity improvements through reduced pesticide use, reduced labor for harvestin...

  9. Loss of a highly conserved sterile alpha motif domain gene (WEEP) results in pendulous branch growth in peach trees.

    PubMed

    Hollender, Courtney A; Pascal, Thierry; Tabb, Amy; Hadiarto, Toto; Srinivasan, Chinnathambi; Wang, Wanpeng; Liu, Zhongchi; Scorza, Ralph; Dardick, Chris

    2018-05-15

    Plant shoots typically grow upward in opposition to the pull of gravity. However, exceptions exist throughout the plant kingdom. Most conspicuous are trees with weeping or pendulous branches. While such trees have long been cultivated and appreciated for their ornamental value, the molecular basis behind the weeping habit is not known. Here, we characterized a weeping tree phenotype in Prunus persica (peach) and identified the underlying genetic mutation using a genomic sequencing approach. Weeping peach tree shoots exhibited a downward elliptical growth pattern and did not exhibit an upward bending in response to 90° reorientation. The causative allele was found to be an uncharacterized gene, Ppa013325 , having a 1.8-Kb deletion spanning the 5' end. This gene, dubbed WEEP , was predominantly expressed in phloem tissues and encodes a highly conserved 129-amino acid protein containing a sterile alpha motif (SAM) domain. Silencing WEEP in the related tree species Prunus domestica (plum) resulted in more outward, downward, and wandering shoot orientations compared to standard trees, supporting a role for WEEP in directing lateral shoot growth in trees. This previously unknown regulator of branch orientation, which may also be a regulator of gravity perception or response, provides insights into our understanding of how tree branches grow in opposition to gravity and could serve as a critical target for manipulating tree architecture for improved tree shape in agricultural and horticulture applications. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

  10. Grow--a computer subroutine that projects the growth of trees in the Lake States' forests.

    Treesearch

    Gary J. Brand

    1981-01-01

    A computer subroutine, Grow, has been written in 1977 Standard FORTRAN to implement a distance-independent, individual tree growth model for Lake States' forests. Grow is a small and easy-to-use version of the growth model. All the user has to do is write a calling program to read initial conditions, call Grow, and summarize the results.

  11. Growth and elemental content of two tree species growing on abandoned coal fly ash basins. [Liquidambar styraciflua L. ; Platanus occidentalis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Carlson, C.L.; Adriano, D.C.

    Differences in aboveground tissue concentrations of trace elements were assessed for sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) and sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis L.) growing on two abandoned coal fly ash basins and a control soil. The wet basin (pH = 5.58) had originally received precipitator ash in an ash-water slurry, while the dry basin (pH = 8.26) had received both precipitator and bottom ash in dry form. In general, trees from the wet basin exhibited elevated trace element concentrations in comparison to the controls, while the dry basin trees exhibited reduced concentrations. On eof the most striking differenced in elemental concentrations among themore » ash basin and control trees was observed for Mn, with the control trees exhibiting concentrations orders of magnitude greater than the ash basin trees. Differences in foliar trace element concentrations among the sites can generally be explained by differences in substrate trace element concentrations and/or substrate pH. While trees from the wet ash basin generally had the highest trace element concentrations, these trees also attained the greatest height and diameter growth, suggesting that the elevated trace element concentrations in the wet basin substrate are not limiting the establishment of these two species. The greater height and diameter growth of the wet basin trees is presumably a result of the greater water-holding capacity of the substrate on this site. Differences in growth and tissue concentrations between sweetgum and sycamore highlight the importance of using more than one species when assessing metal toxicity or deficiency on a given substrate.« less

  12. Impact of Ozone on the Growth and Yield of Trees: A Review

    Treesearch

    John M. Pye

    1988-01-01

    Data from 25 experiments on seedlings of 43 tree species and hybrids show that ozone (O3) can reduce growth and photosynthesis at concentrations common in many areas of the USA. Seedlings have been primarily employed for such studies for logislic reasons, and will likely provide the greatest breadth of information for some time to come. However,...

  13. Diameter growth, survival, and volume estimates for trees in Indiana and Illinois.

    Treesearch

    W. Brad Smith; Stephen R. Shifley

    1984-01-01

    Measurements of more that 15,000 Indiana and Illinois trees were summarized by species and diameter class into tables of mean annual diameter growth, annual probability of survival, net cubic foot volume, and net board foot volume. In the absence of better forecasting techniques, this information can be utilized to project short-term changes for Indiana and Illinois...

  14. Modeling transcriptional networks regulating secondary growth and wood formation in forest trees

    Treesearch

    Lijun Liu; Vladimir Filkov; Andrew Groover

    2013-01-01

    The complex interactions among the genes that underlie a biological process can be modeled and presented as a transcriptional network, in which genes (nodes) and their interactions (edges) are shown in a graphical form similar to a wiring diagram. A large number of genes have been identified that are expressed during the radial woody growth of tree stems (secondary...

  15. Mistletoe-induced growth reductions at the forest stand scale.

    PubMed

    Kollas, Chris; Gutsch, Martin; Hommel, Robert; Lasch-Born, Petra; Suckow, Felicitas

    2018-05-01

    The hemiparasite European mistletoe (Viscum album L.) adversely affects growth and reproduction of the host Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and in consequence may lead to tree death. Here, we aimed to estimate mistletoe-induced losses in timber yield applying the process-based forest growth model 4C. The parasite was implemented into the eco-physiological forest growth model 4C using (literature-derived) established impacts of the parasite on the tree's water and carbon cycle. The amended model was validated simulating a sample forest stand in the Berlin area (Germany) comprising trees with and without mistletoe infection. At the same forest stand, tree core measurements were taken to evaluate simulated and observed growth. A subsample of trees were harvested to quantify biomass compartments of the tree canopy and to derive a growth function of the mistletoe population. The process-based simulations of the forest stand revealed 27% reduction in basal area increment (BAI) during the last 9 years of heavy infection, which was confirmed by the measurements (29% mean growth reduction). The long-term simulations of the forest stand before and during the parasite infection showed that the amended forest growth model 4C depicts well the BAI growth pattern during >100 years and also quantifies well the mistletoe-induced growth reductions in Scots pine stands.

  16. Water availability drives gas exchange and growth of trees in northeastern US, not elevated CO2 and reduced acid deposition.

    PubMed

    Levesque, Mathieu; Andreu-Hayles, Laia; Pederson, Neil

    2017-04-10

    Dynamic global vegetation models (DGVM) exhibit high uncertainty about how climate change, elevated atmospheric CO 2 (atm. CO 2 ) concentration, and atmospheric pollutants will impact carbon sequestration in forested ecosystems. Although the individual roles of these environmental factors on tree growth are understood, analyses examining their simultaneous effects are lacking. We used tree-ring isotopic data and structural equation modeling to examine the concurrent and interacting effects of water availability, atm. CO 2 concentration, and SO 4 and nitrogen deposition on two broadleaf tree species in a temperate mesic forest in the northeastern US. Water availability was the strongest driver of gas exchange and tree growth. Wetter conditions since the 1980s have enhanced stomatal conductance, photosynthetic assimilation rates and, to a lesser extent, tree radial growth. Increased water availability seemingly overrides responses to reduced acid deposition, CO 2 fertilization, and nitrogen deposition. Our results indicate that water availability as a driver of ecosystem productivity in mesic temperate forests is not adequately represented in DGVMs, while CO 2 fertilization is likely overrepresented. This study emphasizes the importance to simultaneously consider interacting climatic and biogeochemical drivers when assessing forest responses to global environmental changes.

  17. Response of tree growth and species coexistence to density and species evenness in a young forest plantation with two competing species

    PubMed Central

    Collet, Catherine; Ningre, François; Barbeito, Ignacio; Arnaud, Anthony; Piboule, Alexandre

    2014-01-01

    Background and Aims There is considerable evidence for the presence of positive species diversity–productivity relationships in plant populations, but the population parameters determining the type and strength of the relationship are poorly defined. Relationships between species evenness and tree survival or species coexistence are not well established. The objective of this study was to quantify the joint effects of density and species evenness on tree productivity and species coexistence. Methods A 12-year-old experimental tree plantation mixing two species according to a double gradient of density and species proportion was used. A neighbourhood approach was employed and descriptors of local competition were used to model individual tree growth. Fagus sylvatica and Acer pseudoplatanus were used as model species, as they can be considered as ecologically equivalent in their young stages. Key Results Density and tree size were primary factors determining individual growth and stand productivity. Species identity had a significant, but less pronounced, role. Stand productivity was highest when species evenness was close to 1 and slightly lower in uneven mixtures. The reduction in stand productivity when species evenness decreased was of similar magnitude irrespective of which species became dominant, indicating symmetric effects for the two species. When examining individual tree growth in response to species proportion for each species separately, it was observed for both species that individual trees exhibited greater growth in uneven mixtures in which the other species was more frequent. Conclusions The results suggest that mixtures of these two functionally similar species have the highest production at maximum evenness, indicating a complementary effect between them. The presence of a mixture combines both stabilizing mechanisms (individuals from both species show higher growth when surrounded by individuals from the other species) and equalizing mechanisms

  18. Effect of initial soil properties on six-year growth of 15 tree species in tropical restoration plantings.

    PubMed

    Martínez-Garza, Cristina; Campo, Julio; Ricker, Martin; Tobón, Wolke

    2016-12-01

    In restoration plantings in degraded pastures, initial soil nutrient status may lead to differential growth of tropical tree species with diverse life history attributes and capacity for N 2 fixation. In 2006, we planted 1,440 seedlings of 15 native tree species in 16 fenced plots (30 × 30 m) in a 60-year-old pasture in Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico, in two planting combinations. In the first year, we evaluated bulk density, pH, the concentration of organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), ammonia (NO3-), nitrate (NH4+), and total phosphorus (P) in the upper soil profile (0-20 cm in depth) of all plots. The first two axes of two principal component analyses explained more than 60% of the variation in soil variables: The axes were related to increasing bulk density, NO3-, NH4+, total N concentration, and pH. Average relative growth rates in diameter at the stem base of the juvenile trees after 6 years were higher for pioneer (45.7%) and N 2 -fixing species (47.6%) than for nonpioneer (34.7%) and nonfixing species (36.2%). Most N 2 -fixing species and those with the slowest growth rates did not respond to soil attributes. Tree species benefited from higher pH levels and existing litter biomass. The pioneers Ficus yoponensis , Cecropia obtusifolia , and Heliocarpus appendiculatus , and the N 2 -fixing nonpioneers Cojoba arborea , Inga sinacae , and Platymiscium dimorphandrum were promising for forest restoration on our site, given their high growth rates.

  19. Forest trees filter chronic wind-signals to acclimate to high winds.

    PubMed

    Bonnesoeur, Vivien; Constant, Thiéry; Moulia, Bruno; Fournier, Meriem

    2016-05-01

    Controlled experiments have shown that trees acclimate thigmomorphogenetically to wind-loads by sensing their deformation (strain). However, the strain regime in nature is exposed to a full spectrum of winds. We hypothesized that trees avoid overreacting by responding only to winds which bring information on local climate and/or wind exposure. Additionally, competition for light dependent on tree social status also likely affects thigmomorphogenesis. We monitored and manipulated quantitatively the strain regimes of 15 pairs of beech (Fagus sylvatica) trees of contrasting social status in an acclimated stand, and quantified the effects of these regimes on the radial growth over a vegetative season. Trees exposed to artificial bending, the intensity of which corresponds to the strongest wind-induced strains, enhanced their secondary growth by at least 80%. Surprisingly, this reaction was even greater - relatively - for suppressed trees than for dominant ones. Acclimated trees did not sense the different types of wind events in the same way. Daily wind speed peaks due to thermal winds were filtered out. Thigmomorphogenesis was therefore driven by intense storms. Thigmomorphogenesis is also likely to be involved in determining social status. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

  20. Tree mortality in response to typhoon-induced floods and mudslides is determined by tree species, size, and position in a riparian Formosan gum forest in subtropical Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    Tzeng, Hsy-Yu; Wang, Wei; Tseng, Yen-Hsueh; Chiu, Ching-An; Kuo, Chu-Chia

    2018-01-01

    Global warming-induced extreme climatic changes have increased the frequency of severe typhoons bringing heavy rains; this has considerably affected the stability of the forest ecosystems. Since the Taiwan 921 earthquake occurred in 21 September 1999, the mountain geology of the Island of Taiwan has become unstable and typhoon-induced floods and mudslides have changed the topography and geomorphology of the area; this has further affected the stability and functions of the riparian ecosystem. In this study, the vegetation of the unique Aowanda Formosan gum forest in Central Taiwan was monitored for 3 years after the occurrence of floods and mudslides during 2009–2011. Tree growth and survival, effects of floods and mudslides, and factors influencing tree survival were investigated. We hypothesized that (1) the effects of floods on the survival are significantly different for each tree species; (2) tree diameter at breast height (DBH) affects tree survival–i.e., the larger the DBH, the higher the survival rate; and (3) the relative position of trees affects tree survival after disturbances by floods and mudslides–the farther trees are from the river, the higher is their survival rate. Our results showed that after floods and mudslides, the lifespans of the major tree species varied significantly. Liquidambar formosana displayed the highest flood tolerance, and the trunks of Lagerstoemia subcostata began rooting after disturbances. Multiple regression analysis indicated that factors such as species, DBH, distance from sampled tree to the above boundary of sample plot (far from the riverbank), and distance from the upstream of the river affected the lifespans of trees; the three factors affected each tree species to different degrees. Furthermore, we showed that insect infestation had a critical role in determining tree survival rate. Our 3-year monitoring investigation revealed that severe typhoon-induced floods and mudslides disturbed the riparian vegetation

  1. Tree mortality in response to typhoon-induced floods and mudslides is determined by tree species, size, and position in a riparian Formosan gum forest in subtropical Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Tzeng, Hsy-Yu; Wang, Wei; Tseng, Yen-Hsueh; Chiu, Ching-An; Kuo, Chu-Chia; Tsai, Shang-Te

    2018-01-01

    Global warming-induced extreme climatic changes have increased the frequency of severe typhoons bringing heavy rains; this has considerably affected the stability of the forest ecosystems. Since the Taiwan 921 earthquake occurred in 21 September 1999, the mountain geology of the Island of Taiwan has become unstable and typhoon-induced floods and mudslides have changed the topography and geomorphology of the area; this has further affected the stability and functions of the riparian ecosystem. In this study, the vegetation of the unique Aowanda Formosan gum forest in Central Taiwan was monitored for 3 years after the occurrence of floods and mudslides during 2009-2011. Tree growth and survival, effects of floods and mudslides, and factors influencing tree survival were investigated. We hypothesized that (1) the effects of floods on the survival are significantly different for each tree species; (2) tree diameter at breast height (DBH) affects tree survival-i.e., the larger the DBH, the higher the survival rate; and (3) the relative position of trees affects tree survival after disturbances by floods and mudslides-the farther trees are from the river, the higher is their survival rate. Our results showed that after floods and mudslides, the lifespans of the major tree species varied significantly. Liquidambar formosana displayed the highest flood tolerance, and the trunks of Lagerstoemia subcostata began rooting after disturbances. Multiple regression analysis indicated that factors such as species, DBH, distance from sampled tree to the above boundary of sample plot (far from the riverbank), and distance from the upstream of the river affected the lifespans of trees; the three factors affected each tree species to different degrees. Furthermore, we showed that insect infestation had a critical role in determining tree survival rate. Our 3-year monitoring investigation revealed that severe typhoon-induced floods and mudslides disturbed the riparian vegetation in the

  2. Relationships between stem CO2 efflux, substrate supply, and growth in young loblolly pine trees

    Treesearch

    Chris A. Maier; Kurt H. Johnsen; Barton D. Clinton; Kim H. Ludovici

    2009-01-01

    We examined the relationships between stem CO2 efflux (Es), diametergrowth, and nonstructural carbohydrate concentration in loblolly pine trees. Carbohydratesupply was altered via stem girdling during rapid stem growth in the

  3. Growth and carbon isotopes of Mediterranean trees reveal contrasting responses to increased carbon dioxide and drought.

    PubMed

    Granda, Elena; Rossatto, Davi Rodrigo; Camarero, J Julio; Voltas, Jordi; Valladares, Fernando

    2014-01-01

    Forest dynamics will depend upon the physiological performance of individual tree species under more stressful conditions caused by climate change. In order to compare the idiosyncratic responses of Mediterranean tree species (Quercus faginea, Pinus nigra, Juniperus thurifera) coexisting in forests of central Spain, we evaluated the temporal changes in secondary growth (basal area increment; BAI) and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) during the last four decades, determined how coexisting species are responding to increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations (C(a)) and drought stress, and assessed the relationship among iWUE and growth during climatically contrasting years. All species increased their iWUE (ca. +15 to +21%) between the 1970s and the 2000s. This increase was positively related to C(a) for J. thurifera and to higher C(a) and drought for Q. faginea and P. nigra. During climatically favourable years the study species either increased or maintained their growth at rising iWUE, suggesting a higher CO2 uptake. However, during unfavourable climatic years Q. faginea and especially P. nigra showed sharp declines in growth at enhanced iWUE, likely caused by a reduced stomatal conductance to save water under stressful dry conditions. In contrast, J. thurifera showed enhanced growth also during unfavourable years at increased iWUE, denoting a beneficial effect of C(a) even under climatically harsh conditions. Our results reveal significant inter-specific differences in growth driven by alternative physiological responses to increasing drought stress. Thus, forest composition in the Mediterranean region might be altered due to contrasting capacities of coexisting tree species to withstand increasingly stressful conditions.

  4. The small RNA profile in latex from Hevea brasiliensis trees is affected by tapping panel dryness.

    PubMed

    Gébelin, Virginie; Leclercq, Julie; Kuswanhadi; Argout, Xavier; Chaidamsari, Tetty; Hu, Songnian; Tang, Chaorong; Sarah, Gautier; Yang, Meng; Montoro, Pascal

    2013-10-01

    Natural rubber is harvested by tapping Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A. Juss.) Müll. Arg. Harvesting stress can lead to tapping panel dryness (TPD). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are induced by abiotic stress and regulate gene expression by targeting the cleavage or translational inhibition of target messenger RNAs. This study set out to sequence miRNAs expressed in latex cells and to identify TPD-related putative targets. Deep sequencing of small RNAs was carried out on latex from trees affected by TPD using Solexa technology. The most abundant small RNA class size was 21 nucleotides for TPD trees compared with 24 nucleotides in healthy trees. By combining the LeARN pipeline, data from the Plant MicroRNA database and Hevea EST sequences, we identified 19 additional conserved and four putative species-specific miRNA families not found in previous studies on rubber. The relative transcript abundance of the Hbpre-MIR159b gene increased with TPD. This study revealed a small RNA-specific signature of TPD-affected trees. Both RNA degradation and a shift in miRNA biogenesis are suggested to explain the general decline in small RNAs and, particularly, in miRNAs.

  5. Radial and stand-level thinning treatments: 15-year growth response of legacy ponderosa and Jeffrey pine trees

    Treesearch

    Sharon M. Hood; Daniel R. Cluck; Bobette E. Jones; Sean Pinnell

    2017-01-01

    Restoration efforts to improve vigor of large, old trees and decrease risk to high-intensity wildland fire and drought-mediated insect mortality often include reductions in stand density. We examined 15-year growth response of old ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) trees in northeastern California, U.S.A. to two levels of thinning...

  6. Partial shading of lateral branches affects growth, and foliage nitrogen- and water-use efficiencies in the conifer Cunninghamia lanceolata growing in a warm monsoon climate.

    PubMed

    Dong, Tingfa; Li, Junyu; Zhang, Yuanbin; Korpelainen, Helena; Niinemets, Ülo; Li, Chunyang

    2015-06-01

    The degree to which branches are autonomous in their acclimation responses to alteration in light environment is still poorly understood. We investigated the effects of shading of the sapling crown of Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook on the whole-tree and mid-crown branch growth and current-year foliage structure and physiology. Four treatments providing 0, 50, 75 and 90% shading compared with full daylight (denoted as Treatment(0), Treatment(50%), Treatment(75%) and Treatment(90%), and Shaded(0), Shaded(50%), Shaded(75%) and Shaded(90%) for the shaded branches and Sunlit(0), Sunlit(50%), Sunlit(75%) and Sunlit(90%) for the opposite sunlit branches under natural light conditions, respectively), were applied over two consecutive growing seasons. Shading treatments decreased the growth of basal stem diameter, leaf dry mass per unit leaf area, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, the ratio of water-soluble to structural leaf nitrogen content, photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency and instantaneous and long-term (estimated from carbon isotope composition) water-use efficiency in shaded branches. Differences between shaded and sunlit branches increased with increasing severity and duration of shading. A non-autonomous, partly compensatory behavior of non-shaded branches was observed for most traits, thus reflecting the dependence between the traits of sunlit branches and the severity of shading of the opposite crown half. The results collectively indicated that tree growth and branch and leaf acclimation responses of C. lanceolata are not only affected by the local light environment, but also by relative within-crown light conditions. We argue that such a non-autonomous branch response to changes in light conditions can improve whole-tree resource optimization. These results contribute to better understanding of tree growth and utilization of water and nitrogen under heterogeneous light conditions within tree canopies. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford

  7. Distribution of cavity trees in midwesternold-growth and second-growth forests

    Treesearch

    Zhaofei Fan; Stephen R. Shifley; Martin A. Spetich; Frank R., III Thompson; David R. Larsen

    2003-01-01

    We used classification and regression tree analysis to determine the primary variables associated with the occurrence of cavity trees and the hierarchical structure among those variables. We applied that information to develop logistic models predicting cavity tree probability as a function of diameter, species group, and decay class. Inventories of cavity abundance in...

  8. Tree species and soil nutrient profiles in old-growth forests of the Oregon Coast Range

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cross, Alison; Perakis, Steven S.

    2011-01-01

    Old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest provide a unique opportunity to examine tree species – soil relationships in ecosystems that have developed without significant human disturbance. We characterized foliage, forest floor, and mineral soil nutrients associated with four canopy tree species (Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don), and bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum Pursh)) in eight old-growth forests of the Oregon Coast Range. The greatest forest floor accumulations of C, N, P, Ca, Mg, and K occurred under Douglas-fir, primarily due to greater forest floor mass. In mineral soil, western hemlock exhibited significantly lower Ca concentration and sum of cations (Ca + Mg + K) than bigleaf maple, with intermediate values for Douglas-fir and western redcedar. Bigleaf maple explained most species-based differences in foliar nutrients, displaying high concentrations of N, P, Ca, Mg, and K. Foliar P and N:P variations largely reflected soil P variation across sites. The four tree species that we examined exhibited a number of individualistic effects on soil nutrient levels that contribute to biogeochemical heterogeneity in these ecosystems. Where fire suppression and long-term succession favor dominance by highly shade-tolerant western hemlock, our results suggest a potential for declines in both soil Ca availability and soil biogeochemical heterogeneity in old-growth forests.

  9. How does variation in rainfall affect simulated tropical tree mortality, functional diversity and coexistence?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Powell, T.; Kueppers, L. M.; Koven, C.; Johnson, D. J.; Faybishenko, B.; McDowell, N. G.; Chambers, J. Q.

    2016-12-01

    Land surface models that include demographic and plant hydrodynamic processes are promising tools for characterizing how different drought scenarios may affect carbon cycling of tropical forests. The Ecosystem Demography (ED2) model, now formulated with such features, was used to evaluate how different drought scenarios affect mortality patterns, functional diversity and coexistence of four plant functional types (PFTs) of tropical trees at Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama. The four PFTs simulated were early- versus late-successional groups subdivided into drought-tolerant versus -intolerant groups. The hydrodynamic formulation enables the four PFTs to compete mechanistically along two largely orthogonal resource gradients of water and light. The model simulations produced considerable differences in the aboveground biomass response to contrasting drying scenarios that included longer dry seasons, El Nino related droughts, and drier dry seasons. The emergent mortality dynamics reflect the physiological trade-off between water-use and carbon fixation formulated by the hydrodynamic regulation over stomatal conductance. During dry periods, the model predicts increased mortality rates of pioneer trees compared to generalists and drought-intolerant trees compared to -tolerant trees. The model also predicts that surviving cohorts in the smallest size classes of drought-intolerant trees are occasionally primed for release from competition following acute droughts. Observations at BCI showed increased mortality rates for large trees (i.e. >30 cm dbh) during the 1982 El Nino drought, but not subsequent El Nino related droughts. The causes of the elevated mortality rates are explored with the model. Coexistence of four plant functional types in the model is highly sensitive to the parameterization of stem hydraulic conductivity; but, surprisingly not very sensitive to shifts in rainfall patterns. These results demonstrate (a) that plant hydrodynamics are critical for

  10. Stand conditions and tree characteristics affect quality of longleaf pine for red-cockaded woodpecker cavity trees

    Treesearch

    W.G. Ross; D.L. Kulhavy; R.N. Conner

    1997-01-01

    We measured resin flow of longleaf (Pinus palustris Mill.) pines in red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis Vieillot) clusters in the Angelina National Forest in Texas, and the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida. Sample trees were categorized as active cavity trees, inactive cavity trees and control trees. Sample trees were further...

  11. Attaining the canopy in dry and moist tropical forests: strong differences in tree growth trajectories reflect variation in growing conditions.

    PubMed

    Brienen, Roel J W; Zuidema, Pieter A; Martínez-Ramos, Miguel

    2010-06-01

    Availability of light and water differs between tropical moist and dry forests, with typically higher understorey light levels and lower water availability in the latter. Therefore, growth trajectories of juvenile trees--those that have not attained the canopy--are likely governed by temporal fluctuations in light availability in moist forests (suppressions and releases), and by spatial heterogeneity in water availability in dry forests. In this study, we compared juvenile growth trajectories of Cedrela odorata in a dry (Mexico) and a moist forest (Bolivia) using tree rings. We tested the following specific hypotheses: (1) moist forest juveniles show more and longer suppressions, and more and stronger releases; (2) moist forest juveniles exhibit wider variation in canopy accession pattern, i.e. the typical growth trajectory to the canopy; (3) growth variation among dry forest juveniles persists over longer time due to spatial heterogeneity in water availability. As expected, the proportion of suppressed juveniles was higher in moist than in dry forest (72 vs. 17%). Moist forest suppressions also lasted longer (9 vs. 5 years). The proportion of juveniles that experienced releases in moist forest (76%) was higher than in dry forest (41%), and releases in moist forests were much stronger. Trees in the moist forest also had a wider variation in canopy accession patterns compared to the dry forest. Our results also showed that growth variation among juvenile trees persisted over substantially longer periods of time in dry forest (>64 years) compared to moist forest (12 years), most probably because of larger persistent spatial variation in water availability. Our results suggest that periodic increases in light availability are more important for attaining the canopy in moist forests, and that spatial heterogeneity in water availability governs long-term tree growth in dry forests.

  12. Drought-induced legacy effects in wood growth across the Eastern and Midwestern U.S. are mediated by site climate, tree age, and drought sensitivity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kannenberg, S.; Maxwell, J. T.; Pederson, N.; D'Orangeville, L.; Phillips, R.

    2017-12-01

    While it is widely known that drought reduces carbon (C) uptake in temperate forests, tree growth can also remain stagnant post-drought despite favorable climatic conditions. While such "legacy effects" are well established, the degree to which these effects depend on species identity or variability in site conditions is poorly quantified. We sought to uncover how site, species, climate, and tree age interact to affect the presence and magnitude of legacy effects in temperate trees following drought. To do this, we assembled dendrochronological records of 18 common species across 94 sites in Eastern and Midwestern U.S. forests and quantified drought-induced changes in wood growth in the year of the drought (hereafter "drought sensitivity") and the years after the drought (i.e., legacy effects). We predicted that species particularly prone to hydraulic damage (e.g., oaks) would have the least drought sensitivity yet experience larger legacy effects, and that this effect would be exacerbated at arid sites. Across all species and sites, wood growth was reduced by 14% in the year of the drought and by 7% post-drought. Surprisingly, legacy effects were smaller for oak species and larger across species known to be more drought sensitive (e.g. tulip poplar, maple, birch). As a result, we observed a positive relationship between a species' drought sensitivity and that species' legacy effect. These legacy effects were similar in size across a range of drought severities. Surprisingly, legacy effects were smaller in more arid sites - contrary to previous investigations in dryland ecosystems - perhaps indicating the role of adaptation in mediating a tree's recovery from drought. In addition, many species actually decreased the size of their legacy effects as they aged, despite no change in drought responses. Our results run contrary to our predictions, as species with the greatest drought sensitivity had the least ability to recover, and that younger mesic forests- not arid

  13. Influence of Tree-Scale Environmental Variability on Tree-Ring Reconstructions of Temperature at Sonora Pass, CA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, L.; Stine, A.

    2016-12-01

    Tree-ring width from treeline environments tend to covary with local interannual temperature variabilities. However, other environmental factors such as moisture and light availability may further modulate tree growth in cold climates. We investigate the influence of various environmental factors on a tree-ring record from a research plot near Sonora Pass, CA (38.32N, 119.64W; elev. 3130 m). This treeline ecotone is dominated by whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) growing as individuals and as stands, and at the transition between tree form and krummholtz. We surveyed all trees in the 160m x 90m site, mapping and coring all trees with a diameter at breast height greater than 10 cm. We use survey data to test for an influence of inter-tree competition on growth. We also test for modulation of growth by variation in distance from surface water, aspect and slope, and soil types. Initial result shows a relationship between tree ring width and local May-July temperature (R = 0.33, p < 0.01), suggesting summer temperature as a large-scale control on growth. Incorporating the tree-level metadata, we test for the effect of spatial variability on mean growth rate and on reconstructed temperatures. Trees that have larger or closer neighboring trees experience greater competition, and we hypothesize that competition will be inversely related to average growth rate. Further, we test the sensitivity of ring-width interannual variability to other non-temperature environmental drivers such as moisture availability, light competition, and spatial relations in the microenvironment. We hypothesize that trees that have ready access to light and water will likely produce ring records more closely correlated with the temperature record, and thus will produce a temperature reconstruction with a higher signal-to-noise ratio; whereas trees that experience more microenvironment limitations or competition will produce ring records resembling temperature and additional environmental factors or

  14. Winter drought impairs xylem phenology, anatomy and growth in Mediterranean Scots pine forests.

    PubMed

    Camarero, J J; Guada, G; Sánchez-Salguero, R; Cervantes, E

    2016-12-01

    Continental Mediterranean forests face drought but also cold spells and both climate extremes can impair the resilience capacity of these forests. Climate warming could amplify the negative effects of cold spells by inducing premature dehardening. Here we capitalize on a winter drought-induced dieback triggered by a cold spell which occurred in December 2001 affecting Scots pine forests in eastern Spain. We assessed post-dieback recovery by quantifying and comparing radial growth and xylem anatomy of non-declining (ND, crown cover >50%) and declining (D, crown cover ≤50%) trees in two sites (VP, Villarroya de los Pinares; TO, Torrijas). We also characterized xylogenesis in both sites and aboveground productivity in site VP. Dieback caused legacy effects since needle loss, a 60% reduction in litter fall and radial-growth decline characterized D-trees 3 years after dieback symptoms started appearing in spring 2002. D-trees formed collapsed tracheids in the 2002-ring, particularly in the most affected VP site where xylogenesis differences between ND and D trees were most noticeable. The lower growth rates of D-trees were caused by a shorter duration of their major xylogenesis phases. In site VP the radial-enlargement and wall-thickening of tracheids were significantly reduced in D-trees as compared to ND-trees because these xylogenesis phases tended to start earlier and end later in ND-trees. Gompertz models fitted to tracheid production predicted that maximum growth rates occurred 11-12 days earlier in ND than in D-trees. The formation of radially-enlarging tracheids was enhanced by longer days in both study sites and also by wetter conditions in the driest TO site, but xylogenesis sensitivity to climate was reduced in D-trees. Winter-drought dieback impairs xylem anatomy and phenology, aboveground productivity, xylogenesis and growth in Mediterranean Scots pine populations. Affected stands show a costly post-dieback recovery challenging their resilience ability

  15. Dwarf mistletoe affects whole-tree water relations of Douglas fir and western larch primarily through changes in leaf to sapwood ratios.

    PubMed

    Sala, Anna; Carey, Eileen V; Callaway, Ragan M

    2001-01-01

    Dwarf mistletoes induce abnormal growth patterns and extreme changes in the biomass allocation of their hosts as well as directly parasitizing them for resources. Because biomass allocation can affect the resource use and efficiency of conifers, we studied the influences of dwarf mistletoe infection on above-ground biomass allocation of Douglas fir and western larch, and the consequences of such changes on whole-tree water use and water relations. Sap flow, tree water potentials, leaf:sapwood area ratios (A L :A S ), leaf carbon isotope ratios, and nitrogen content were measured on Douglas fir and western larch trees with various degrees of mistletoe infection during the summer of 1996 in western Montana. Heavy dwarf mistletoe infection on Douglas fir and western larch was related to significant increases in A L :A S . Correspondingly, water transport dynamics were altered in infected trees, but responses were different for the two species. Higher A L :A S ratios in heavily infected Douglas firs were offset by increases in sapwood area-based sap flux densities (Q SW ) such that leaf area-based sap flux densities (Q L ) and predawn leaf water potentials at the end of the summer did not change significantly with mistletoe infection. Small (but statistically insignificant) decreases of Q L for heavily infected Douglas firs were enough to offset increases in leaf area such that whole-tree water use was similar for uninfected and heavily infected trees. Increased A L :A S ratios of heavily infected western larch were not offset by increases of Q SW . Consequently, Q L was reduced, which corresponded with significant decreases of water potential at the end of the summer. Furthermore, mistletoe-infection-related changes in A L :A S as a function of tree size resulted in greater whole-tree water use for large infected larches than for large uninfected trees. Such changes may result in further depletion of limited soil water resources in mature infected stands late in the

  16. Why do trees die? Characterizing the drivers of background tree mortality

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Das, Adrian J.; Stephenson, Nathan L.; Davis, Kristin P.

    2016-01-01

    The drivers of background tree mortality rates—the typical low rates of tree mortality found in forests in the absence of acute stresses like drought—are central to our understanding of forest dynamics, the effects of ongoing environmental changes on forests, and the causes and consequences of geographical gradients in the nature and strength of biotic interactions. To shed light on factors contributing to background tree mortality, we analyzed detailed pathological data from 200,668 tree-years of observation and 3,729 individual tree deaths, recorded over a 13-yr period in a network of old-growth forest plots in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range. We found that: (1) Biotic mortality factors (mostly insects and pathogens) dominated (58%), particularly in larger trees (86%). Bark beetles were the most prevalent (40%), even though there were no outbreaks during the study period; in contrast, the contribution of defoliators was negligible. (2) Relative occurrences of broad classes of mortality factors (biotic, 58%; suppression, 51%; and mechanical, 25%) are similar among tree taxa, but may vary with tree size and growth rate. (3) We found little evidence of distinct groups of mortality factors that predictably occur together on trees. Our results have at least three sets of implications. First, rather than being driven by abiotic factors such as lightning or windstorms, the “ambient” or “random” background mortality that many forest models presume to be independent of tree growth rate is instead dominated by biotic agents of tree mortality, with potentially critical implications for forecasting future mortality. Mechanistic models of background mortality, even for healthy, rapidly growing trees, must therefore include the insects and pathogens that kill trees. Second, the biotic agents of tree mortality, instead of occurring in a few predictable combinations, may generally act opportunistically and with a relatively large degree of independence from

  17. Evaluating Tree Protection Devices: Effects on Growth and Survival–First-Year Results

    Treesearch

    L. R. Costello; R. H. Schmidt; Gregory A. Giusti

    1991-01-01

    The protection of seedlings from animal browsing is critical for the survival and growth of many tree species. This is particularly true in wildland areas and arid areas (McAuliffe, 1986), and oftentimes in urban areas. A variety of techniques and devices have been used to protect seedlings, from using straw stubble to milk cartons to plastic or metal screens. Recently...

  18. Genome Survey and Characterization of Endophytic Bacteria Exhibiting a Beneficial Effect on Growth and Development of Poplar Trees ▿ †

    PubMed Central

    Taghavi, Safiyh; Garafola, Craig; Monchy, Sébastien; Newman, Lee; Hoffman, Adam; Weyens, Nele; Barac, Tanja; Vangronsveld, Jaco; van der Lelie, Daniel

    2009-01-01

    The association of endophytic bacteria with their plant hosts has a beneficial effect for many different plant species. Our goal is to identify endophytic bacteria that improve the biomass production and the carbon sequestration potential of poplar trees (Populus spp.) when grown in marginal soil and to gain an insight in the mechanisms underlying plant growth promotion. Members of the Gammaproteobacteria dominated a collection of 78 bacterial endophytes isolated from poplar and willow trees. As representatives for the dominant genera of endophytic gammaproteobacteria, we selected Enterobacter sp. strain 638, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia R551-3, Pseudomonas putida W619, and Serratia proteamaculans 568 for genome sequencing and analysis of their plant growth-promoting effects, including root development. Derivatives of these endophytes, labeled with gfp, were also used to study the colonization of their poplar hosts. In greenhouse studies, poplar cuttings (Populus deltoides × Populus nigra DN-34) inoculated with Enterobacter sp. strain 638 repeatedly showed the highest increase in biomass production compared to cuttings of noninoculated control plants. Sequence data combined with the analysis of their metabolic properties resulted in the identification of many putative mechanisms, including carbon source utilization, that help these endophytes to thrive within a plant environment and to potentially affect the growth and development of their plant hosts. Understanding the interactions between endophytic bacteria and their host plants should ultimately result in the design of strategies for improved poplar biomass production on marginal soils as a feedstock for biofuels. PMID:19060168

  19. Leveraging the Novel Climates of Arboreta to Understand Tree Responses to Climate Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ettinger, A.; Wolkovich, E. M.; Joly, S.

    2016-12-01

    Rising global temperatures are expected to cause large-scale changes to forests, including altered mortality and recruitment rates, and dramatic changes in species composition, but exactly how tree growth will be affected by climate change is uncertain. Studies to date suggest that temperate and boreal tree responses to warming range from growing faster, slower, or at unchanged rates. Here we present an approach and preliminary findings that will improve predictions of tree responses to climate change by studying how tree traits, including phenology (e.g. the timing of leaf-out), wood density, leaf mass area, and height, relate to climate sensitivity (i.e. growth responses to annual changes in climate, Figure 1). We demonstrate how arboreta can be used to understand tree responses to climate change using 500 individuals across 65 tree species growing at the Arnold Arboretum, Boston, Massachusetts. Arboretum provide a unique opportunities for understanding temperate tree responses to climate change: they provide large collections of woody species growing together that enable traits to be studied across diverse species in a phylogenetic context. Furthermore, many species in arboreta are nonnative and have been exposed to "novel" climates that may resemble future conditions in their native distributions. We use a phylogenetic approach to understand how annual growth and climate sensitivity relate to focal traits, and asses what these findings may tell us about tree responses to climate change.

  20. Size-dependence of tree growth response to drought for Norway spruce and European beech individuals in monospecific and mixed-species stands.

    PubMed

    Ding, H; Pretzsch, H; Schütze, G; Rötzer, T

    2017-09-01

    Climate anomalies have resulted in changing forest productivity, increasing tree mortality in Central and Southern Europe. This has resulted in more severe and frequent ecological disturbances to forest stands. This study analysed the size-dependence of growth response to drought years based on 384 tree individuals of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] and European beech [Fagus sylvatica ([L.)] in Bavaria, Germany. Samples were collected in both monospecific and mixed-species stands. To quantify the growth response to drought stress, indices for basal area increment, resistance, recovery and resilience were calculated from tree ring measurements of increment cores. Linear mixed models were developed to estimate the influence of drought periods. The results show that ageing-related growth decline is significant in drought years. Drought resilience and resistance decrease significantly with growth size among Norway spruce individuals. Evidence is also provided for robustness in the resilience capacity of European beech during drought stress. Spruce benefits from species mixing with deciduous beech, with over-yielding spruce in pure stands. The importance of the influence of size-dependence within tree growth studies during disturbances is highlighted and should be considered in future studies of disturbances, including drought. © 2017 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  1. How to make a tree ring: Coupling stem water flow and cambial activity in mature Alpine conifers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peters, Richard L.; Frank, David C.; Treydte, Kerstin; Steppe, Kathy; Kahmen, Ansgar; Fonti, Patrick

    2017-04-01

    Inter-annual tree-ring measurements are used to understand tree-growth responses to climatic variability and reconstruct past climate conditions. In parallel, mechanistic models use experimentally defined plant-atmosphere interactions to explain past growth responses and predict future environmental impact on forest productivity. Yet, substantial inconsistencies within mechanistic model ensembles and mismatches with empirical data indicate that significant progress is still needed to understand the processes occurring at an intra-annual resolution that drive annual growth. However, challenges arise due to i) few datasets describing climatic responses of high-resolution physiological processes over longer time-scales, ii) uncertainties on the main mechanistic process limiting radial stem growth and iii) complex interactions between multiple environmental factors which obscure detection of the main stem growth driver, generating a gap between our understanding of intra- and inter-annual growth mechanisms. We attempt to bridge the gap between inter-annual tree-ring width and sub-daily radial stem-growth and provide a mechanistic perspective on how environmental conditions affect physiological processes that shape tree rings in conifers. We combine sub-hourly sap flow and point dendrometer measurements performed on mature Alpine conifers (Larix decidua) into an individual-based mechanistic tree-growth model to simulate sub-hourly cambial activity. The monitored trees are located along a high elevational transect in the Swiss Alps (Lötschental) to analyse the effect of increasing temperature. The model quantifies internal tree hydraulic pathways that regulate the turgidity within the cambial zone and induce cell enlargement for radial growth. The simulations are validated against intra-annual growth patterns derived from xylogenesis data and anatomical analyses. Our efforts advance the process-based understanding of how climate shapes the annual tree-ring structures

  2. Monitoring individual tree-based change with airborne lidar.

    PubMed

    Duncanson, Laura; Dubayah, Ralph

    2018-05-01

    Understanding the carbon flux of forests is critical for constraining the global carbon cycle and managing forests to mitigate climate change. Monitoring forest growth and mortality rates is critical to this effort, but has been limited in the past, with estimates relying primarily on field surveys. Advances in remote sensing enable the potential to monitor tree growth and mortality across landscapes. This work presents an approach to measure tree growth and loss using multidate lidar campaigns in a high-biomass forest in California, USA. Individual tree crowns were delineated in 2008 and again in 2013 using a 3D crown segmentation algorithm, with derived heights and crown radii extracted and used to estimate individual tree aboveground biomass. Tree growth, loss, and aboveground biomass were analyzed with respect to tree height and crown radius. Both tree growth and loss rates decrease with increasing tree height, following the expectation that trees slow in growth rate as they age. Additionally, our aboveground biomass analysis suggests that, while the system is a net source of aboveground carbon, these carbon dynamics are governed by size class with the largest sources coming from the loss of a relatively small number of large individuals. This study demonstrates that monitoring individual tree-based growth and loss can be conducted with multidate airborne lidar, but these methods remain relatively immature. Disparities between lidar acquisitions were particularly difficult to overcome and decreased the sample of trees analyzed for growth rate in this study to 21% of the full number of delineated crowns. However, this study illuminates the potential of airborne remote sensing for ecologically meaningful forest monitoring at an individual tree level. As methods continue to improve, airborne multidate lidar will enable a richer understanding of the drivers of tree growth, loss, and aboveground carbon flux.

  3. Climate impact on the tree growth, vigor and productivity in Siberia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kharuk, V.; Im, S.; Petrov, I.; Dvinskaya, M.

    2017-12-01

    Changing climate has an impact on the Siberian taiga forests. We analyzed GPP and NPP trends, growth index, and stands mortality within the Central Siberia (48°- 75°N/80°-115°E). Considered forests included larch-dominant (Larix sibirica, L. dahurica) and "dark needle conifer" (DNC: Abies sibirica, Pinus sibirica, Picea obovata) stands. GPP and NPP trends calculated based on the Terra/MODIS products. Growth index calculations based on dendrochronology data. Water stress analysis based on the gravimetric and microwave satellite data and MERRA-2 database. Analyzed variables included precipitation, air temperature, VPD, drought index SPEI, and root zone wetness. We found positive GPP trends within majority (>90%) of larch-dominant and DNC ranges, whereas NPP trends are positive on the <40% territory. Negative NPP trends correlated with growth index within key-sites. Siberian pine and fir growth index increase since late 1970th, turning to depression since late 1980th. Within permafrost zone larch growth correlated with sum of positive (t>+10C°) temperatures and vegetation period length. During recent years larch experience water stress in the beginning of vegetation period. Tree decline and mortality observed within DNC stands, and that phenomenon regularly coincided with zones of negative NPP trends. Mortality correlated with VPD, SPEI, and root zone moisture content. Bark beetles (including aggressive species Polygraphus proximus, similar to Dendroctonus ponderosae in American forests) attacked water-stressed trees. Geographically, mortality began on the margins of the DNC range (e.g., within the forest-steppe ecotone) and on terrain features with maximal water stress risk (narrow-shaped hilltops, convex steep south facing slopes, shallow well-drained soils). Currently, Siberian pine and fir decline observed within southern range of these species. In addition, air temperature and aridity increase promotes Siberian silkmoth (Dendrolimus sibiricus) outbreak that

  4. Mercury and growth of tree swallows at Acadia National Park, and at Orono, Maine, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Longcore, Jerry R.; Dineli, Reza; Haines, Terry A.

    2007-01-01

    In 1997 and 1998 we weighed nestling tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and measured selected body components at two colonies: Acadia National Park on Mt. Desert Island, and at Orono, ME. We used differences in mean growth variables among individual nestlings to evaluate differences between colonies, years, and amount of total mercury (THg) in carcasses and methyl mercury (MeHg) in feathers. We marked nestlings on the day hatched and measured body components every day in 1997 and every other day in 1998 until nestlings fledged. We calculated linear growth rates and asymptotic means as appropriate. In 1998, linear growth rate of weight was higher at Acadia than at Orono, but not different in 1997. We detected no mean differences in asymptotic mean weight of nestlings between colonies or years. In 1997, mean linear growth rates of the wing (chord), tail, tarsus, and mandible were higher at Acadia than at Orono. The amount of MeHg in feathers was associated with a lower linear growth rate of weight during early age (2?10 days), but asymptotic mean weight during days 11?16 was not different. No effect on linear growth of tail feathers or wing was associated with the amount of MeHg in feathers or THg in carcasses. Fledgling tree swallows that survive to migrate, however, will leave Maine with substantial concentrations of Hg in their tissues.

  5. An empirical method that separates irreversible stem radial growth from bark water content changes in trees: theory and case studies

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mencuccini, Maurizio; Salmon, Yann; Mitchell, Patrick

    Substantial uncertainty surrounds our knowledge of tree stem growth, with some of the most basic questions, such as when stem radial growth occurs through the daily cycle, still unanswered. Here, we employed high-resolution point dendrometers, sap flow sensors, and developed theory and statistical approaches, to devise a novel method separating irreversible radial growth from elastic tension-driven and elastic osmotically driven changes in bark water content. We tested this method using data from five case study species. Experimental manipulations, namely a field irrigation experiment on Scots pine and a stem girdling experiment on red forest gum trees, were used to validatemore » the theory. Time courses of stem radial growth following irrigation and stem girdling were consistent with a-priori predictions. Patterns of stem radial growth varied across case studies, with growth occurring during the day and/or night, consistent with the available literature. Importantly, our approach provides a valuable alternative to existing methods, as it can be approximated by a simple empirical interpolation routine that derives irreversible radial growth using standard regression techniques. In conclusion, our novel method provides an improved understanding of the relative source–sink carbon dynamics of tree stems at a sub-daily time scale.« less

  6. An empirical method that separates irreversible stem radial growth from bark water content changes in trees: theory and case studies.

    PubMed

    Mencuccini, Maurizio; Salmon, Yann; Mitchell, Patrick; Hölttä, Teemu; Choat, Brendan; Meir, Patrick; O'Grady, Anthony; Tissue, David; Zweifel, Roman; Sevanto, Sanna; Pfautsch, Sebastian

    2017-02-01

    Substantial uncertainty surrounds our knowledge of tree stem growth, with some of the most basic questions, such as when stem radial growth occurs through the daily cycle, still unanswered. We employed high-resolution point dendrometers, sap flow sensors, and developed theory and statistical approaches, to devise a novel method separating irreversible radial growth from elastic tension-driven and elastic osmotically driven changes in bark water content. We tested this method using data from five case study species. Experimental manipulations, namely a field irrigation experiment on Scots pine and a stem girdling experiment on red forest gum trees, were used to validate the theory. Time courses of stem radial growth following irrigation and stem girdling were consistent with a-priori predictions. Patterns of stem radial growth varied across case studies, with growth occurring during the day and/or night, consistent with the available literature. Importantly, our approach provides a valuable alternative to existing methods, as it can be approximated by a simple empirical interpolation routine that derives irreversible radial growth using standard regression techniques. Our novel method provides an improved understanding of the relative source-sink carbon dynamics of tree stems at a sub-daily time scale. © 2016 The Authors Plant, Cell & Environment Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. An empirical method that separates irreversible stem radial growth from bark water content changes in trees: theory and case studies

    DOE PAGES

    Mencuccini, Maurizio; Salmon, Yann; Mitchell, Patrick; ...

    2017-11-12

    Substantial uncertainty surrounds our knowledge of tree stem growth, with some of the most basic questions, such as when stem radial growth occurs through the daily cycle, still unanswered. Here, we employed high-resolution point dendrometers, sap flow sensors, and developed theory and statistical approaches, to devise a novel method separating irreversible radial growth from elastic tension-driven and elastic osmotically driven changes in bark water content. We tested this method using data from five case study species. Experimental manipulations, namely a field irrigation experiment on Scots pine and a stem girdling experiment on red forest gum trees, were used to validatemore » the theory. Time courses of stem radial growth following irrigation and stem girdling were consistent with a-priori predictions. Patterns of stem radial growth varied across case studies, with growth occurring during the day and/or night, consistent with the available literature. Importantly, our approach provides a valuable alternative to existing methods, as it can be approximated by a simple empirical interpolation routine that derives irreversible radial growth using standard regression techniques. In conclusion, our novel method provides an improved understanding of the relative source–sink carbon dynamics of tree stems at a sub-daily time scale.« less

  8. A holistic approach to determine tree structural complexity based on laser scanning data and fractal analysis.

    PubMed

    Seidel, Dominik

    2018-01-01

    The three-dimensional forest structure affects many ecosystem functions and services provided by forests. As forests are made of trees it seems reasonable to approach their structure by investigating individual tree structure. Based on three-dimensional point clouds from laser scanning, a newly developed holistic approach is presented that enables to calculate the box dimension as a measure of structural complexity of individual trees using fractal analysis. It was found that the box dimension of trees was significantly different among the tested species, among trees belonging to the same species but exposed to different growing conditions (at gap vs. forest interior) or to different kinds of competition (intraspecific vs. interspecific). Furthermore, it was shown that the box dimension is positively related to the trees' growth rate. The box dimension was identified as an easy to calculate measure that integrates the effect of several external drivers of tree structure, such as competition strength and type, while simultaneously providing information on structure-related properties, like tree growth.

  9. Growth of a pole-size ponderosa on cutover land in relation to selection of trees for pruning.

    Treesearch

    Lloyd G. Gillmore; Forrest W. Jones

    1954-01-01

    The expected growth of pole-size ponderosa pine on cutover land should be considered in selecting those trees which will grow fast enough in the future to warrant investment in pruning. This consideration is especially important because most pruning work is done within 2 or 3 years after cutting and before the release effect of cutting is evident on reserved trees....

  10. Effects of calcium on seed germination, seedling growth and photosynthesis of six forest tree species under simulated acid rain.

    PubMed

    Liu, Ting-Wu; Wu, Fei-Hua; Wang, Wen-Hua; Chen, Juan; Li, Zhen-Ji; Dong, Xue-Jun; Patton, Janet; Pei, Zhen-Ming; Zheng, Hai-Lei

    2011-04-01

    We selected six tree species, Pinus massoniana Lamb., Cryptomeria fortunei Hooibr. ex Otto et Dietr., Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook., Liquidambar formosana Hance, Pinus armandii Franch. and Castanopsis chinensis Hance, which are widely distributed as dominant species in the forest of southern China where acid deposition is becoming more and more serious in recent years. We investigated the effects and potential interactions between simulated acid rain (SiAR) and three calcium (Ca) levels on seed germination, radicle length, seedling growth, chlorophyll content, photosynthesis and Ca content in leaves of these six species. We found that the six species showed different responses to SiAR and different Ca levels. Pinus armandii and C. chinensis were very tolerant to SiAR, whereas the others were more sensitive. The results of significant SiAR × Ca interactions on different physiological parameters of the six species demonstrate that additional Ca had a dramatic rescue effect on the seed germination and seedling growth for the sensitive species under SiAR. Altogether, we conclude that the negative effects of SiAR on seed germination, seedling growth and photosynthesis of the four sensitive species could be ameliorated by Ca addition. In contrast, the physiological processes of the two tolerant species were much less affected by both SiAR and Ca treatments. This conclusion implies that the degree of forest decline caused by long-term acid deposition may be attributed not only to the sensitivity of tree species to acid deposition, but also to the Ca level in the soil.

  11. Capturing spiral radial growth of conifers using the superellipse to model tree-ring geometric shape

    PubMed Central

    Shi, Pei-Jian; Huang, Jian-Guo; Hui, Cang; Grissino-Mayer, Henri D.; Tardif, Jacques C.; Zhai, Li-Hong; Wang, Fu-Sheng; Li, Bai-Lian

    2015-01-01

    Tree-rings are often assumed to approximate a circular shape when estimating forest productivity and carbon dynamics. However, tree rings are rarely, if ever, circular, thereby possibly resulting in under- or over-estimation in forest productivity and carbon sequestration. Given the crucial role played by tree ring data in assessing forest productivity and carbon storage within a context of global change, it is particularly important that mathematical models adequately render cross-sectional area increment derived from tree rings. We modeled the geometric shape of tree rings using the superellipse equation and checked its validation based on the theoretical simulation and six actual cross sections collected from three conifers. We found that the superellipse better describes the geometric shape of tree rings than the circle commonly used. We showed that a spiral growth trend exists on the radial section over time, which might be closely related to spiral grain along the longitudinal axis. The superellipse generally had higher accuracy than the circle in predicting the basal area increment, resulting in an improved estimate for the basal area. The superellipse may allow better assessing forest productivity and carbon storage in terrestrial forest ecosystems. PMID:26528316

  12. Capturing spiral radial growth of conifers using the superellipse to model tree-ring geometric shape.

    PubMed

    Shi, Pei-Jian; Huang, Jian-Guo; Hui, Cang; Grissino-Mayer, Henri D; Tardif, Jacques C; Zhai, Li-Hong; Wang, Fu-Sheng; Li, Bai-Lian

    2015-01-01

    Tree-rings are often assumed to approximate a circular shape when estimating forest productivity and carbon dynamics. However, tree rings are rarely, if ever, circular, thereby possibly resulting in under- or over-estimation in forest productivity and carbon sequestration. Given the crucial role played by tree ring data in assessing forest productivity and carbon storage within a context of global change, it is particularly important that mathematical models adequately render cross-sectional area increment derived from tree rings. We modeled the geometric shape of tree rings using the superellipse equation and checked its validation based on the theoretical simulation and six actual cross sections collected from three conifers. We found that the superellipse better describes the geometric shape of tree rings than the circle commonly used. We showed that a spiral growth trend exists on the radial section over time, which might be closely related to spiral grain along the longitudinal axis. The superellipse generally had higher accuracy than the circle in predicting the basal area increment, resulting in an improved estimate for the basal area. The superellipse may allow better assessing forest productivity and carbon storage in terrestrial forest ecosystems.

  13. Associations of calcium and aluminum with the growth and health of sugar maple trees in Vermont

    Treesearch

    Paul G. Schaberg; James W. Tilley; Gary J. Hawley; Donald H. DeHayes; Scott W. Bailey

    2006-01-01

    We compared tree growth and crown condition with soil and foliar elemental composition in 14 sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) stands in VT, USA, to evaluate if deficiencies or imbalances in cation nutrition were associated with growth and health reductions in native stands. The Till Source Model (TSM) was used to select study sites potentially...

  14. Climate Controls on Tree Growth in the Western Mediterranean

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Touchan, Ramzi; Anchukaitis, Kevin J.; Meko, David M.; Kerchouche, Dalila; Slimani, Said; Ilmen, Rachid; Hasnaoui, Fouad; Guibal, Frederic; Canarerim Hesys Hykui; Sanchez-Salguero, Raul; hide

    2017-01-01

    The first large-scale network of tree-ring chronologies from the western Mediterranean (WM; 32 deg N-43 deg N, 10 deg W-17 deg E) is described and analyzed to identify the seasonal climatic signal in indices of annual ring width. Correlation and rotated empirical orthogonal function analyses are applied to 85 tree-ring series and corresponding gridded climate data to assess the climate signal embedded in the network. Chronologies range in length from 80 to 1129 years. Monthly correlations and partial correlations show overall positive associations for Pinus halepensis (PIHA) and Cedrus atlantica (CDAT) with winter (December-February) and spring (March-May) precipitation across this network. In both seasons, the precipitation correlation with PIHA is stronger, while CDAT chronologies tend to be longer. A combination of positive correlations between growth and winter-summer precipitation and negative partial correlations with growing season temperatures suggests that chronologies in at least part of the network reflect soil moisture and the integrated effects of precipitation and evapotranspiration signal. The range of climate response observed across this network reflects a combination of both species and geographic influences. Western Moroccan chronologies have the strongest association with the North Atlantic Oscillation.

  15. Seasonal carbohydrate dynamics and growth in Douglas-fir trees experiencing chronic, fungal-mediated reduction in functional leaf area.

    PubMed

    Saffell, Brandy J; Meinzer, Frederick C; Woodruff, David R; Shaw, David C; Voelker, Steven L; Lachenbruch, Barbara; Falk, Kristen

    2014-03-01

    Stored non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) could play an important role in tree survival in the face of a changing climate and associated stress-related mortality. We explored the effects of the stomata-blocking and defoliating fungal disease called Swiss needle cast on Douglas-fir carbohydrate reserves and growth to evaluate the extent to which NSCs can be mobilized under natural conditions of low water stress and restricted carbon supply in relation to potential demands for growth. We analyzed the concentrations of starch, sucrose, glucose and fructose in foliage, twig wood and trunk sapwood of 15 co-occurring Douglas-fir trees expressing a gradient of Swiss needle cast symptom severity quantified as previous-year functional foliage mass. Growth (mean basal area increment, BAI) decreased by ∼80% and trunk NSC concentration decreased by 60% with decreasing functional foliage mass. The ratio of relative changes in NSC concentration and BAI, an index of the relative priority of storage versus growth, more than doubled with increasing disease severity. In contrast, twig and foliage NSC concentrations remained nearly constant with decreasing functional foliage mass. These results suggest that under disease-induced reductions in carbon supply, Douglas-fir trees retain NSCs (either actively or due to sequestration) at the expense of trunk radial growth. The crown retains the highest concentrations of NSC, presumably to maintain foliage growth and shoot extension in the spring, partially compensating for rapid foliage loss in the summer and fall.

  16. The effects of tree shelters on seedling survival and growth of two bottomland hardwood species: third-year results

    Treesearch

    H. Christoph Stuhlinger; Jeffery A. Earl; Rebecca A. Montgomery

    2010-01-01

    Tree shelters can aid hardwood seedling establishment by increasing early survival and growth. Tree shelters are translucent plastic tubes that act as mini-greenhouses by maintaining higher humidity environments around the seedlings (Minter and others 1992). Shelters can also protect seedlings from herbivory (Schweitzer and others 1999). Lower cost shelters may provide...

  17. Growth responses of mature loblolly pine to dead wood.manipulations.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ulyshen, Michael D.; Horn, Scott; Hanula, James L.

    Large-scale manipulations of dead wood in mature Pinus taeda L. stands in the southeastern United States included a major one-time input of logs (fivefold increase in log volume) created by felling trees onsite, annual removals of all dead wood above >10 cm in diameter and >60 cm in length, and a reference in which no manipulations took place. We returned over a decade later to determine how these treatments affected tree growth using increment cores. There were no significant differences in tree density, basal area or tree diameters among treatments at the time of sampling. Although tree growth was consistentlymore » higher in the log-input plots and lower in the removal plots, this was true even during the 5 year period before the experiment began. When growth data from this initial period were included in the model as a covariate, no differences in post-treatment tree growth were detected. It is possible that treatment effects will become apparent after more time has passed, however.« less

  18. Black walnut tree growth in a mixed species, upland hardwood stand in southern Indiana

    Treesearch

    R.K. Myers; B.C. Fischer

    1991-01-01

    A study was initiated in 1971 on Purdue University woodlands in southern Indiana to monitor the growth of black walnut rages and survival in the absence of management, as well as establishing stand ante tree development data baselines prior to initiation of management activities.

  19. Do remnant old-growth trees accelerate rates of succession in mature Douglas-fir forests?

    Treesearch

    William S. Keeton; Jerry F. Franklin

    2005-01-01

    Biological legacies left by natural disturbances provide ecological functions throughout forest stand development, but their influences on processes of ecological succession are not completely understood. We investigated the successional role of one type of biological legacy: remnant old-growth trees persisting in mature Pseudotsuga menziesii (...

  20. Instrumenting the Conifers: A Look at Daily Tree Growth and Locally Observed Environmental Conditions Across Four Mountain Sites in the Central Great Basin, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Strachan, S.; Biondi, F.; Johnson, B. G.

    2012-12-01

    Tree growth is often used as a proxy for past environmental conditions or as an indicator of developing trends. Reconstructions of drought, precipitation, temperature, and other phenomena derived from tree-growth indices abound in scientific literature aimed at informing policy makers. Observations of tree recruitment or death in treeline populations are frequently tied to climatic fluctuation in cause-effect hypotheses. Very often these hypotheses are based on statistical relationships between annual-to-seasonal tree growth measurements and some environmental parameter measured or modeled off-site. Observation of daily tree growth in conjunction with in-situ environmental measurements at similar timescales takes us one step closer to quantifying the uncertainty in reconstruction or predictive studies. In four separate sites in two different mountain ranges in the central Great Basin, co-located observations of conifer growth activity and local atmospheric and soils conditions have been initiated. Species include Pinus longaeva (Great Basin bristlecone pine), Pinus flexilis (limber pine), Picea engelmannii (Engelmann spruce), Pinus monophylla (singleleaf pinyon pine), Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine), Abies concolor (white fir), and Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir). Measurements of sub-hourly tree radial length change and sap flow activity are compared with a suite of in-situ observations including air temperature, precipitation, photosynthetically-active radiation (PAR), relative humidity, soil temperature, and soil moisture/water content. Subalpine study site located at 3360 m elevation in the Snake Range, Nevada