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Guo Y, Jiao L, Wang J, Ma L, Lu Y, Zhang Y, Guo J, Yin Y. Analyses of high spatial resolution datasets identify genes associated with multi-layered secondary cell wall thickening in Pinus bungeana. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 133:953-968. [PMID: 38366549 PMCID: PMC11089263 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcae023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Secondary cell wall (SCW) thickening is a major cellular developmental stage determining wood structure and properties. Although the molecular regulation of cell wall deposition during tracheary element differentiation has been well established in primary growth systems, less is known about the gene regulatory processes involved in the multi-layered SCW thickening of mature trees. METHODS Using third-generation [long-read single-molecule real-time (SMRT)] and second-generation [short-read sequencing by synthesis (SBS)] sequencing methods, we established a Pinus bungeana transcriptome resource with comprehensive functional and structural annotation for the first time. Using these approaches, we generated high spatial resolution datasets for the vascular cambium, xylem expansion regions, early SCW thickening, late SCW thickening and mature xylem tissues of 71-year-old Pinus bungeana trees. KEY RESULTS A total of 79 390 non-redundant transcripts, 31 808 long non-coding RNAs and 5147 transcription factors were annotated and quantified in different xylem tissues at all growth and differentiation stages. Furthermore, using this high spatial resolution dataset, we established a comprehensive transcriptomic profile and found that members of the NAC, WRKY, SUS, CESA and LAC gene families are major players in early SCW formation in tracheids, whereas members of the MYB and LBD transcription factor families are highly expressed during late SCW thickening. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide new molecular insights into the regulation of multi-layered SCW thickening in conifers. The high spatial resolution datasets provided can serve as important gene resources for improving softwoods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Guo
- Wood Anatomy and Utilization Department, Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Wood Specimen Resource Center (WOODPEDIA) of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Lichao Jiao
- Wood Anatomy and Utilization Department, Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Wood Specimen Resource Center (WOODPEDIA) of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Wood Anatomy and Utilization Department, Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Wood Specimen Resource Center (WOODPEDIA) of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Lingyu Ma
- Wood Anatomy and Utilization Department, Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Wood Specimen Resource Center (WOODPEDIA) of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Yang Lu
- Wood Anatomy and Utilization Department, Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Wood Specimen Resource Center (WOODPEDIA) of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Yonggang Zhang
- Wood Anatomy and Utilization Department, Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Wood Specimen Resource Center (WOODPEDIA) of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Juan Guo
- Wood Anatomy and Utilization Department, Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Wood Specimen Resource Center (WOODPEDIA) of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Yafang Yin
- Wood Anatomy and Utilization Department, Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Wood Specimen Resource Center (WOODPEDIA) of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100091, China
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Vitali V, Schuler P, Holloway-Phillips M, D'Odorico P, Guidi C, Klesse S, Lehmann MM, Meusburger K, Schaub M, Zweifel R, Gessler A, Saurer M. Finding balance: Tree-ring isotopes differentiate between acclimation and stress-induced imbalance in a long-term irrigation experiment. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17237. [PMID: 38488024 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is a common European tree species, and understanding its acclimation to the rapidly changing climate through physiological, biochemical or structural adjustments is vital for predicting future growth. We investigated a long-term irrigation experiment at a naturally dry forest in Switzerland, comparing Scots pine trees that have been continuously irrigated for 17 years (irrigated) with those for which irrigation was interrupted after 10 years (stop) and non-irrigated trees (control), using tree growth, xylogenesis, wood anatomy, and carbon, oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope measurements in the water, sugars and cellulose of plant tissues. The dendrochronological analyses highlighted three distinct acclimation phases to the treatments: irrigated trees experienced (i) a significant growth increase in the first 4 years of treatment, (ii) high growth rates but with a declining trend in the following 8 years and finally (iii) a regression to pre-irrigation growth rates, suggesting the development of a new growth limitation (i.e. acclimation). The introduction of the stop treatment resulted in further growth reductions to below-control levels during the third phase. Irrigated trees showed longer growth periods and lower tree-ring δ13 C values, reflecting lower stomatal restrictions than control trees. Their strong tree-ring δ18 O and δ2 H (O-H) relationship reflected the hydrological signature similarly to the control. On the contrary, the stop trees had lower growth rates, conservative wood anatomical traits, and a weak O-H relationship, indicating a physiological imbalance. Tree vitality (identified by crown transparency) significantly modulated growth, wood anatomical traits and tree-ring δ13 C, with low-vitality trees of all treatments performing similarly regardless of water availability. We thus provide quantitative indicators for assessing physiological imbalance and tree acclimation after environmental stresses. We also show that tree vitality is crucial in shaping such responses. These findings are fundamental for the early assessment of ecosystem imbalances and decline under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Vitali
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Schuler
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | | | - Petra D'Odorico
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Guidi
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Klesse
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Marco M Lehmann
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Katrin Meusburger
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Marcus Schaub
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Roman Zweifel
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Arthur Gessler
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Saurer
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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Niccoli F, Kabala JP, Pacheco-Solana A, Battipaglia G. Impact of intra-annual wood density fluctuation on tree hydraulic function: insights from a continuous monitoring approach. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 44:tpad145. [PMID: 38070187 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpad145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Climate change significantly impacts global forests, leading to tree decline and dieback. To cope with climate change, trees develop several functional traits, such as intra-annual density fluctuations (IADFs) in tree rings. The formation of these traits facilitates trees to optimize resource allocation, allowing them to withstand periods of stress and eventually recover when the conditions become favourable again. This study focuses on a Pinus pinaster Aiton forest in a warm, drought-prone Mediterranean area, comparing two growing seasons with different weather patterns. The innovative continuous monitoring approach used in this study combines high-resolution monitoring of sap flow (SF), analysis of xylogenesis and quantitative wood anatomy. Our results revealed the high plasticity of P. pinaster in water use and wood formation, shedding light on the link between IADFs and tree conductance. Indeed, the capacity to form large cells in autumn (as IADFs) improves the total xylem hydraulic conductivity of this species. For the first time, a continuous SF measurement system captured the dynamics of bimodal SF during the 2022 growing season in conjunction with the bimodal growth pattern observed through xylogenesis monitoring. These results highlight the intricate interplay between environmental conditions, water use, wood formation and tree physiology, providing valuable insights into the acclimation mechanisms employed by P. pinaster to cope with weather fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Niccoli
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania 'L. Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi 43, Caserta 81100, Italy
| | - Jerzy Piotr Kabala
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania 'L. Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi 43, Caserta 81100, Italy
| | - Arturo Pacheco-Solana
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania 'L. Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi 43, Caserta 81100, Italy
- Tree-Ring Laboratory, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
| | - Giovanna Battipaglia
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania 'L. Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi 43, Caserta 81100, Italy
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Unterholzner L, Castagneri D, Cerrato R, Știrbu MI, Roibu CC, Carrer M. Climate response of a glacial relict conifer across its distribution range is invariant in space but not in time. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167512. [PMID: 37813259 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Climate change impacts on forest trees will be particularly severe for relict species endemic to the subalpine forest, such as Pinus cembra in the Alps and Carpathians. Most current knowledge about the response of this species to climate comes from tree-ring width analysis. However, this approach cannot perform in-depth and highly time-resolved analysis on the climate influence on specific growth processes and xylem functions. We analyzed xylem anatomical traits from six sites covering most of the longitudinal range of this species. Associations between climate and cell number, lumen area and cell wall thickness were computed for the 1920-2010 period using climate records aligned to degree-day temperature sum thresholds. The anatomical chronologies were clearly distinct between the Alps and Carpathians. However, climate responses were similar for all sites, suggesting common species-specific response mechanisms. Temperature showed a positive correlation with both cell number and cell wall thickness. Cell lumen size exhibited an early positive association, followed by strong negative association with temperature and a positive one with precipitation. This highlights that the cell enlargement process was negatively related to high temperature at high elevation, where meristematic processes are rather supposed to be constrained by low temperatures. Therefore, long-term climate warming can have negative consequences on the xylem potential to transport water at all investigated sites. Moreover, in the last 30 years, we observed a slight anticipation of some responses and a decrease in climate sensitivity of some xylem parameters. Our findings provide evidence of temporally unstable but spatially consistent climate response of Pinus cembra from the Alps to the Carpathians. The low diversity in xylem phenotypic responses to climate suggests that future warming could extensively and evenly affect the species throughout its entire distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucrezia Unterholzner
- Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (TESAF), University of Padova, via dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; Chair of Forest Growth and Woody Biomass Production, Technische Universität Dresden, Pienner Straße 8, 01737 Tharandt, Germany
| | - Daniele Castagneri
- Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (TESAF), University of Padova, via dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
| | - Riccardo Cerrato
- Department of Earth Sciences (DST), University of Pisa, via S. Maria 53, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Marian-Ionuț Știrbu
- Forest Biometrics Laboratory, Faculty of Forestry, "Ștefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, Universității street, no. 13, 720229 Suceava, Romania
| | - Cătălin-Constantin Roibu
- Forest Biometrics Laboratory, Faculty of Forestry, "Ștefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, Universității street, no. 13, 720229 Suceava, Romania
| | - Marco Carrer
- Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (TESAF), University of Padova, via dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
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Giberti GS, von Arx G, Giovannelli A, du Toit B, Unterholzner L, Bielak K, Carrer M, Uhl E, Bravo F, Tonon G, Wellstein C. The admixture of Quercus sp. in Pinus sylvestris stands influences wood anatomical trait responses to climatic variability and drought events. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1213814. [PMID: 38034580 PMCID: PMC10687546 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1213814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Forests are threatened by increasingly severe and more frequent drought events worldwide. Mono-specific forests, developed as a consequence of widespread management practices established early last century, seem particularly susceptible to global warming and drought compared with mixed-species forests. Although, in several contexts, mixed-species forests display higher species diversity, higher productivity, and higher resilience, previous studies highlighted contrasting findings, with not only many positive but also neutral or negative effects on tree performance that could be related to tree species diversity. Processes underlying this relationship need to be investigated. Wood anatomical traits are informative proxies of tree functioning, and they can potentially provide novel long-term insights in this regard. However, wood anatomical traits are critically understudied in such a context. Here, we assess the role of tree admixture on Pinus sylvestris L. xylem traits such as mean hydraulic diameter, cell wall thickness, and anatomical wood density, and we test the variability of these traits in response to climatic parameters such as temperature, precipitation, and drought event frequency and intensity. Methods Three monocultural plots of P. sylvestris and three mixed-stand plots of P. sylvestris and Quercus sp. were identified in Poland and Spain, representing Continental and Mediterranean climate types, respectively. In each plot, we analyzed xylem traits from three P. sylvestris trees, for a total of nine trees in monocultures and nine in mixed stands per study location. Results The results highlighted that anatomical wood density was one of the most sensitive traits to detect tree responses to climatic conditions and drought under different climate and forest types. Inter-specific facilitation mechanisms were detected in the admixture between P. sylvestris and Quercus sp., especially during the early growing season and during stressful events such as spring droughts, although they had negligible effects in the late growing season. Discussion Our findings suggest that the admixture between P. sylvestris and Quercus sp. increases the resilience of P. sylvestris to extreme droughts. In a global warming scenario, this admixture could represent a useful adaptive management option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Silvia Giberti
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bolzano - Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alessio Giovannelli
- Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri (IRET), Consiglio Nazionale Ricerche, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy
| | - Ben du Toit
- Department of Forest and Wood Science, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Lucrezia Unterholzner
- Department of Land Environment Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy
- Chair of Forest Growth and Woody Biomass Production, Technische Universität Dresden, Tharandt, Germany
| | - Kamil Bielak
- Department of Silviculture, Institute of Forest Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marco Carrer
- Department of Land Environment Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Enno Uhl
- School of Life Sciences, Chair for Forest Growth and Yield Science, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Freising, Germany
- Bavarian State Institute of Forestry (LWF), Freising, Germany
| | - Felipe Bravo
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Gestión Forestal Sostenible (iuFOR). Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenierías Agrarias de Palencia, Universidad de Valladolid, Palencia, Spain
| | - Giustino Tonon
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bolzano - Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Camilla Wellstein
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bolzano - Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
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6
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Björklund J, Seftigen K, Stoffel M, Fonti MV, Kottlow S, Frank DC, Esper J, Fonti P, Goosse H, Grudd H, Gunnarson BE, Nievergelt D, Pellizzari E, Carrer M, von Arx G. Fennoscandian tree-ring anatomy shows a warmer modern than medieval climate. Nature 2023; 620:97-103. [PMID: 37532816 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06176-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Earth system models and various climate proxy sources indicate global warming is unprecedented during at least the Common Era1. However, tree-ring proxies often estimate temperatures during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (950-1250 CE) that are similar to, or exceed, those recorded for the past century2,3, in contrast to simulation experiments at regional scales4. This not only calls into question the reliability of models and proxies but also contributes to uncertainty in future climate projections5. Here we show that the current climate of the Fennoscandian Peninsula is substantially warmer than that of the medieval period. This highlights the dominant role of anthropogenic forcing in climate warming even at the regional scale, thereby reconciling inconsistencies between reconstructions and model simulations. We used an annually resolved 1,170-year-long tree-ring record that relies exclusively on tracheid anatomical measurements from Pinus sylvestris trees, providing high-fidelity measurements of instrumental temperature variability during the warm season. We therefore call for the construction of more such millennia-long records to further improve our understanding and reduce uncertainties around historical and future climate change at inter-regional and eventually global scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesper Björklund
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Kristina Seftigen
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Regional Climate Group, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Markus Stoffel
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene (C-CIA), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Dendrolab.ch, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marina V Fonti
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sven Kottlow
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - David C Frank
- Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Jan Esper
- Department of Geography, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (CzechGlobe), Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Patrick Fonti
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hugues Goosse
- Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Håkan Grudd
- Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, Abisko Scientific Research Station, Abisko, Sweden
| | - Björn E Gunnarson
- Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniel Nievergelt
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Elena Pellizzari
- Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (TeSAF), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Marco Carrer
- Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (TeSAF), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Farooq TH, Yasmeen S, Shakoor A, Nawaz MF, Rashid MHU, Ahmad S, Rasheed M, Li H, Li Q. Xylem anatomical responses of Larix Gmelinii and Pinus Sylvestris influenced by the climate of Daxing'an mountains in Northeastern China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1095888. [PMID: 36794215 PMCID: PMC9923116 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1095888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Wood anatomy and plant hydraulics play a significant role in understanding species-specific responses and their ability to manage rapid environmental changes. This study used the dendro-anatomical approach to assess the anatomical characteristics and their relation to local climate variability in the boreal coniferous tree species Larix gmelinii (Dahurian larch) and Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica (Scots pine) at an altitude range of 660 m to 842 m. We measured the xylem anatomical traits (lumen area (LA), cell wall thickness (CWt), cell counts per ring (CN), ring width (RW), and cell sizes in rings) of both species at four different sites Mangui (MG), Wuerqihan (WEQH), Moredagha (MEDG) and Alihe (ALH) and investigated their relationship with temperature and precipitation of those sites along a latitude gradient. Results showed that all chronologies have strong summer temperature correlations. LA extremes were mostly associated with climatic variation than CWt and RWt. MEDG site species showed an inverse correlation in different growing seasons. The correlation coefficient with temperature indicated significant variations in the May-September months at MG, WEQH, and ALH sites. These results suggest that climatic seasonality changes in the selected sites positively affect hydraulic efficiency (increase in the diameter of the earlywood cells) and the width of the latewood produced in P. sylvestris. In contrast, L. gmelinii showed the opposite response to warm temperatures. It is concluded that xylem anatomical responses of L. gmelinii and P. sylvestris showed varied responses to different climatic factors at different sites. These differences between the two species responses to climate are due to the change of site condition on a large spatial and temporal scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taimoor Hassan Farooq
- Bangor College China, a Joint Unit of Bangor University and Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Sumaira Yasmeen
- Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Awais Shakoor
- Teagasc, Environment, Soils and Land Use Department, Johnstown Castle, Co, Wexford, Ireland
| | - Muhammad Farrakh Nawaz
- Department of Forestry and Range Management, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Sarir Ahmad
- Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- Department of Forestry, University of Agriculture, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan
| | - Majeeda Rasheed
- Department of Life Sciences, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan
| | - He Li
- College of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qian Li
- Bangor College China, a Joint Unit of Bangor University and Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China
- College of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Larysch E, Stangler DF, Puhlmann H, Rathgeber CBK, Seifert T, Kahle HP. The 2018 hot drought pushed conifer wood formation to the limit of its plasticity: Consequences for woody biomass production and tree ring structure. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2022; 24:1171-1185. [PMID: 35277910 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Hot droughts are expected to increase in Europe and disturb forest ecosystem functioning. Wood formation of trees has the potential to adapt to those events by compensatory mechanisms between the rates and durations of tracheid differentiation to form the typical pattern of vital wood anatomical structures. We monitored xylogenesis and measured wood anatomy of mature silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees along an elevational gradient in the Black Forest during the hot drought year of 2018. We assessed the kinetics of tracheid differentiation and the final tracheid dimensions and quantified the relationship between rates and durations of cell differentiation over the growing season. Cell differentiation kinetics were decoupled, and temperature and water availability signals were imprinted in the tree ring structure. The sudden decline in woody biomass production provided evidence for a disruption in carbon sequestration processes due to heat and drought stress. Growth processes of Scots pine (pioneer species) were mainly affected by the spring drought, whereas silver fir (climax species) growth processes were more disturbed by the summer drought. Our study provides novel insights on the plasticity of wood formation and carbon allocation in temperate conifer tree species in response to extreme climatic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Larysch
- Chair of Forest Growth and Dendroecology, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany
| | - D F Stangler
- Chair of Forest Growth and Dendroecology, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany
| | - H Puhlmann
- Department of Soil and Environment, Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - C B K Rathgeber
- INRAE, SILVA, Université de Lorraine, AgroParisTech, Nancy, France
- Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - T Seifert
- Chair of Forest Growth and Dendroecology, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Forest and Wood Science, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - H-P Kahle
- Chair of Forest Growth and Dendroecology, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany
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Intra-annual fluctuation in morphology and microfibril angle of tracheids revealed by novel microscopy-based imaging. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277616. [PMID: 36378676 PMCID: PMC9665381 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Woody cells, such as tracheids, fibers, vessels, rays etc., have unique structural characteristics such as nano-scale ultrastructure represented by multilayers, microfibril angle (MFA), micro-scale anatomical properties and spatial arrangement. Simultaneous evaluation of the above indices is very important for their adequate quantification and extracting the effects of external stimuli from them. However, it is difficult in general to achieve the above only by traditional methodologies. To overcome the above point, a new methodological framework combining polarization optical microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and image segmentation is proposed. The framework was tested to a model softwood species, Chamaecyparis obtusa for characterizing intra-annual transition of MFA and tracheid morphology in a radial file unit. According our result, this framework successfully traced the both characteristics tracheid by tracheid and revealed the high correlation (|r| > 0.5) between S2 microfibril angles and tracheidal morphology (lumen radial diameter, tangential wall thickness and cell wall occupancy). In addition, radial file based evaluation firstly revealed their complex transitional behavior in transition and latewood. The proposed framework has great potential as one of the unique tools to provide detailed insights into heterogeneity of intra and inter-cells in the wide field of view through the simultaneous evaluation of cells' ultrastructure and morphological properties.
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10
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Știrbu MI, Roibu CC, Carrer M, Mursa A, Unterholzner L, Prendin AL. Contrasting Climate Sensitivity of Pinus cembra Tree-Ring Traits in the Carpathians. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:855003. [PMID: 35755705 PMCID: PMC9228034 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.855003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
High-elevation ecosystems are one of the most sensitive to climate change. The analysis of growth and xylem structure of trees from marginal populations, especially the ones growing at the treeline, could provide early-warning signs to better understand species-specific responses to future climate conditions. In this study, we combined classical dendrochronology with wood density and anatomical measurements to investigate the climate sensitivity of Pinus cembra L., a typical European high-elevation tree species distributed in isolated patches in the Carpathians. Samples were collected from the Retezat Mountains, South-Western Romania. We analyzed ring width (TRW), maximum density (MXD), xylem anatomical traits [cell number per ring (CNo), cell density (CD), conduit area (CA), and cell wall thickness (CWT)] time series, split into ring sectors and assessed the relationships with monthly and daily climate records over the last century (1901-2015). The analysis showed a strong dependency of TRW on CNo and MXD on CWT. Summer temperature positively correlated with MXD and CWT [monthly correlation (r) were 0.65 and 0.48 respectively] from the early to late wood but not TRW (r = 0.22). CA positively correlated with water availability (r = 0.37) and negatively correlated with temperature (r = -0.39). This study improves our general understanding of the climate-growth relationships of a European high-elevation tree species and the results could be considered for forecasting population dynamics on projected changes in climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian-Ionuț Știrbu
- Forest Biometrics Laboratory, Faculty of Forestry, ‘Stefan cel Mare’ University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
| | - Cătălin-Constantin Roibu
- Forest Biometrics Laboratory, Faculty of Forestry, ‘Stefan cel Mare’ University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
| | - Marco Carrer
- Department of Land Environment Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Andrei Mursa
- Forest Biometrics Laboratory, Faculty of Forestry, ‘Stefan cel Mare’ University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
| | - Lucrezia Unterholzner
- Department of Land Environment Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Angela Luisa Prendin
- Department of Land Environment Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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11
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Anadon-Rosell A, Scharnweber T, von Arx G, Peters RL, Smiljanić M, Weddell S, Wilmking M. Growth and Wood Trait Relationships of Alnus glutinosa in Peatland Forest Stands With Contrasting Water Regimes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 12:788106. [PMID: 35095962 PMCID: PMC8790179 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.788106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Human-driven peatland drainage has occurred in Europe for centuries, causing habitat degradation and leading to the emission of greenhouse gases. As such, in the last decades, there has been an increase in policies aiming at restoring these habitats through rewetting. Alder (Alnus glutinosa L.) is a widespread species in temperate forest peatlands with a seemingly high waterlogging tolerance. Yet, little is known about its specific response in growth and wood traits relevant for tree functioning when dealing with changing water table levels. In this study, we investigated the effects of rewetting and extreme flooding on alder growth and wood traits in a peatland forest in northern Germany. We took increment cores from several trees at a drained and a rewetted stand and analyzed changes in ring width, wood density, and xylem anatomical traits related to the hydraulic functioning, growth, and mechanical support for the period 1994-2018. This period included both the rewetting action and an extreme flooding event. We additionally used climate-growth and climate-density correlations to identify the stand-specific responses to climatic conditions. Our results showed that alder growth declined after an extreme flooding in the rewetted stand, whereas the opposite occurred in the drained stand. These changes were accompanied by changes in wood traits related to growth (i.e., number of vessels), but not in wood density and hydraulic-related traits. We found poor climate-growth and climate-density correlations, indicating that water table fluctuations have a stronger effect than climate on alder growth. Our results show detrimental effects on the growth of sudden water table changes leading to permanent waterlogging, but little implications for its wood density and hydraulic architecture. Rewetting actions should thus account for the loss of carbon allocation into wood and ensure suitable conditions for alder growth in temperate peatland forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Anadon-Rosell
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- CREAF, Edifici C, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Tobias Scharnweber
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Richard L. Peters
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Forest Is Life, TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, Gembloux Agro Bio-Tech, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Marko Smiljanić
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Simon Weddell
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Martin Wilmking
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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12
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Puchi PF, Camarero JJ, Battipaglia G, Carrer M. Retrospective analysis of wood anatomical traits and tree-ring isotopes suggests site-specific mechanisms triggering Araucaria araucana drought-induced dieback. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:6394-6408. [PMID: 34514686 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In 2010-2018, Northern Patagonia featured the longest severe drought of the last millennium. This extreme dry spell triggered widespread growth decline and forest dieback. Nonetheless, the roles played by the two major mechanisms driving dieback, hydraulic failure and carbon starvation, are still not clear and understudied in this seasonally dry region. Here, for the 1800-2017 period, we apply a retrospective analysis of radial growth, wood anatomical traits (lumen area, cell-wall thickness) and δ13 C and δ18 O stable isotopes to assess dieback causes of the iconic conifer Araucaria araucana. We selected three stands where declining (defoliated) and nondeclining (not defoliated) trees coexisted along a precipitation gradient from the warm-dry Coastal Range to the cool-wet Andes. At all sites declining trees showed lower radial growth and lower theoretical hydraulic conductivity, suggesting a long-lasting process of hydraulic deterioration in their water transport system compared to nondeclining, coexisting trees. Wood anatomical traits evidenced that this divergence between declining and nondeclining trees started at least seven decades before canopy dieback. In the drier stands, declining trees showed higher water-use efficiency (WUE) throughout the whole period, which we attributed to early stomatal closure, suggesting a greater carbon starvation risk consistent with thinner cell walls. In the wettest stand, we found the opposite pattern. Here, a reduction in WUE coupled with thicker cell walls suggested increased carbon assimilation rates and exposure to drought-induced hydraulic failure. The δ18 O values indicated different strategies of gas exchange between sites, which are likely a consequence of microsite conditions and water sources. Multiproxy, retrospective quantifications of xylem anatomical traits and tree-ring isotopes provide a robust tool to identify and forecast, which stands or trees will show dieback or, on the contrary, which will likely withstand and be more resilient to future hotter droughts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina F Puchi
- Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali (TESAF), Universitá degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, PD, Italy
| | | | - Giovanna Battipaglia
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania 'L. Vanvitelli', Caserta, Italy
| | - Marco Carrer
- Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali (TESAF), Universitá degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, PD, Italy
- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, ISAC-CNR, Bologna, Italy
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13
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Resente G, Gillert A, Trouillier M, Anadon-Rosell A, Peters RL, von Arx G, von Lukas U, Wilmking M. Mask, Train, Repeat! Artificial Intelligence for Quantitative Wood Anatomy. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:767400. [PMID: 34804101 PMCID: PMC8601631 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.767400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The recent developments in artificial intelligence have the potential to facilitate new research methods in ecology. Especially Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNNs) have been shown to outperform other approaches in automatic image analyses. Here we apply a DCNN to facilitate quantitative wood anatomical (QWA) analyses, where the main challenges reside in the detection of a high number of cells, in the intrinsic variability of wood anatomical features, and in the sample quality. To properly classify and interpret features within the images, DCNNs need to undergo a training stage. We performed the training with images from transversal wood anatomical sections, together with manually created optimal outputs of the target cell areas. The target species included an example for the most common wood anatomical structures: four conifer species; a diffuse-porous species, black alder (Alnus glutinosa L.); a diffuse to semi-diffuse-porous species, European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.); and a ring-porous species, sessile oak (Quercus petraea Liebl.). The DCNN was created in Python with Pytorch, and relies on a Mask-RCNN architecture. The developed algorithm detects and segments cells, and provides information on the measurement accuracy. To evaluate the performance of this tool we compared our Mask-RCNN outputs with U-Net, a model architecture employed in a similar study, and with ROXAS, a program based on traditional image analysis techniques. First, we evaluated how many target cells were correctly recognized. Next, we assessed the cell measurement accuracy by evaluating the number of pixels that were correctly assigned to each target cell. Overall, the "learning process" defining artificial intelligence plays a key role in overcoming the issues that are usually manually solved in QWA analyses. Mask-RCNN is the model that better detects which are the features characterizing a target cell when these issues occur. In general, U-Net did not attain the other algorithms' performance, while ROXAS performed best for conifers, and Mask-RCNN showed the highest accuracy in detecting target cells and segmenting lumen areas of angiosperms. Our research demonstrates that future software tools for QWA analyses would greatly benefit from using DCNNs, saving time during the analysis phase, and providing a flexible approach that allows model retraining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Resente
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Alexander Gillert
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Graphische Datenverarbeitung IGD, Rostock, Germany
| | - Mario Trouillier
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Alba Anadon-Rosell
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- CREAF, Campus de Bellaterra (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Richard L. Peters
- Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent, Belgium
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Uwe von Lukas
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Graphische Datenverarbeitung IGD, Rostock, Germany
- Institute for Visual and Analytic Computing, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Martin Wilmking
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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14
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Pampuch T, Anadon-Rosell A, Trouillier M, Lange J, Wilmking M. Direct and Indirect Effects of Environmental Limitations on White Spruce Xylem Anatomy at Treeline. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:748055. [PMID: 34759941 PMCID: PMC8573320 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.748055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Treeline ecosystems are of great scientific interest to study the effects of limiting environmental conditions on tree growth. However, tree growth is multidimensional, with complex interactions between height and radial growth. In this study, we aimed to disentangle effects of height and climate on xylem anatomy of white spruce [Picea glauca (Moench) Voss] at three treeline sites in Alaska; i.e., one warm and drought-limited, and two cold, temperature-limited. To analyze general growth differences between trees from different sites, we used data on annual ring width, diameter at breast height (DBH), and tree height. A representative subset of the samples was used to investigate xylem anatomical traits. We then used linear mixed-effects models to estimate the effects of height and climatic variables on our study traits. Our study showed that xylem anatomical traits in white spruce can be directly and indirectly controlled by environmental conditions: hydraulic-related traits seem to be mainly influenced by tree height, especially in the earlywood. Thus, they are indirectly driven by environmental conditions, through the environment's effects on tree height. Traits related to mechanical support show a direct response to environmental conditions, mainly temperature, especially in the latewood. These results highlight the importance of assessing tree growth in a multidimensional way by considering both direct and indirect effects of environmental forcing to better understand the complexity of tree growth responses to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Pampuch
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Alba Anadon-Rosell
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- CREAF – Centre for Research on Ecology and Forestry Applications, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mario Trouillier
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jelena Lange
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Martin Wilmking
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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15
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Babst F, Friend AD, Karamihalaki M, Wei J, von Arx G, Papale D, Peters RL. Modeling Ambitions Outpace Observations of Forest Carbon Allocation. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 26:210-219. [PMID: 33168468 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2020.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
There have been vociferous calls for 'tree-centered' vegetation models to refine predictions of forest carbon (C) cycling. Unfortunately, our global survey at flux-tower sites indicates insufficient empirical data support for this much-needed model development. We urge for a new generation of studies across large environmental gradients that strategically pair long-term ecosystem monitoring with manipulative experiments on mature trees. For this, we outline a versatile experimental framework to build cross-scale data archives of C uptake and allocation to structural, non-structural, and respiratory sinks. Community-wide efforts and discussions are needed to implement this framework, especially in hitherto underrepresented tropical forests. Global coordination and realistic priorities for data collection will thereby be key to achieve and maintain adequate empirical support for tree-centered vegetation modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flurin Babst
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512 Krakow, Poland; Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
| | - Andrew D Friend
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge CB2 3EN, UK
| | - Maria Karamihalaki
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512 Krakow, Poland; Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Jingshu Wei
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512 Krakow, Poland; Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Dario Papale
- DIBAF, University of Tuscia, Largo dell'Universita, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Richard L Peters
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; Laboratory of Plant Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium
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16
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Pampuch T, Anadon-Rosell A, Zacharias M, von Arx G, Wilmking M. Xylem Anatomical Variability in White Spruce at Treeline Is Largely Driven by Spatial Clustering. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:581378. [PMID: 33193527 PMCID: PMC7609655 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.581378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The ecological function of boreal forests is challenged by drastically changing climate conditions. Although an increasing number of studies are investigating how climate change is influencing growth and distribution of boreal tree species, there is a lack of studies examining the potential of these species to genetically adapt or phenotypically adjust. Here, we sampled clonally and non-clonally growing white spruce trees (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss) to investigate spatial and genetic effects on tree ring width and on six xylem anatomical traits representing growth, water transport, mechanical support, and wood density. We compared different methods for estimating broad sense heritability (H2) of each trait and we evaluated the effects of spatial grouping and genetic grouping on the xylem anatomical traits with linear models. We found that the three different methods used to estimate H2 were quite robust, showing overall consistent patterns, while our analyses were unsuccessful at fully separating genetic from spatial effects. By evaluating the effect size, we found a significant effect of genetic grouping in latewood density and earlywood hydraulic diameter. However, evaluating model performances showed that spatial grouping was a better predictor than genetic grouping for variance in earlywood density, earlywood hydraulic diameter and growth. For cell wall thickness neither spatial nor genetic grouping was significant. Our findings imply that (1) the variance in the investigated xylem anatomical traits and growth is mainly influenced by spatial clustering (most probably caused by microhabitat conditions), which (2) makes it rather difficult to estimate the heritability of these traits in naturally grown trees in situ. Yet, (3) latewood density and earlywood hydraulic diameter qualified for further analysis on the genetic background of xylem traits and (4) cell wall thickness seems a useful trait to investigate large-scale climatic effects, decoupled from microclimatic, edaphic and genetic influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Pampuch
- Landscape Ecology and Ecosystem Dynamics Working Group, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Alba Anadon-Rosell
- Landscape Ecology and Ecosystem Dynamics Working Group, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Melanie Zacharias
- General and Special Botany Working Group, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Martin Wilmking
- Landscape Ecology and Ecosystem Dynamics Working Group, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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17
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Piermattei A, von Arx G, Avanzi C, Fonti P, Gärtner H, Piotti A, Urbinati C, Vendramin GG, Büntgen U, Crivellaro A. Functional Relationships of Wood Anatomical Traits in Norway Spruce. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:683. [PMID: 32528514 PMCID: PMC7266088 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The quantitative assessment of wood anatomical traits offers important insights into those factors that shape tree growth. While it is known that conduit diameter, cell wall thickness, and wood density vary substantially between and within species, the interconnection between wood anatomical traits, tree-ring width, tree height and age, as well as environment effects on wood anatomy remain unclear. Here, we measure and derived 65 wood anatomical traits in cross-sections of the five outermost tree rings (2008-2012) of 30 Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.] trees growing along an altitudinal gradient (1,400-1,750 m a.s.l.) in the northern Apennines (Italy). We assess the relationship among each anatomical trait and between anatomical trait groups according to their function for (i) tree-ring growth, (ii) cell growth, (iii) hydraulic traits, and (iv) mechanical traits. The results show that tree height significantly affects wood hydraulic traits, as well as number and tangential diameter of tracheids, and ultimately the total ring width. Moreover, the amount of earlywood and latewood percentage influence wood hydraulic safety and efficiency, as well as mechanical traits. Mechanically relevant wood anatomical traits are mainly influenced by tree age, not necessarily correlated with tree height. An additional level of complexity is also indicated by some anatomical traits, such as latewood lumen diameter and the cell wall reinforcement index, showing large inter-annual variation as a proxy of phenotypic plasticity. This study unravels the complex interconnection of tree-ring tracheid structure and identifies anatomical traits showing a large inter-individual variation and a strong interannual coherency. Knowing and quantifying anatomical variation in cells of plant stem is crucial in ecological and biological studies for an appropriate interpretation of abiotic drivers of wood formation often related to tree height and/or tree age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alma Piermattei
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Camilla Avanzi
- Department of Chemistry, Life Science and Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, Italian National Research Council, Florence, Italy
| | - Patrick Fonti
- Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Holger Gärtner
- Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Piotti
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, Italian National Research Council, Florence, Italy
| | - Carlo Urbinati
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | | | - Ulf Büntgen
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czechia
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Alan Crivellaro
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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18
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Peters RL, von Arx G, Nievergelt D, Ibrom A, Stillhard J, Trotsiuk V, Mazurkiewicz A, Babst F. Axial changes in wood functional traits have limited net effects on stem biomass increment in European beech (Fagus sylvatica). TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 40:498-510. [PMID: 32031220 PMCID: PMC7182063 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaa002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
During the growing season, trees allocate photoassimilates to increase their aboveground woody biomass in the stem (ABIstem). This 'carbon allocation' to structural growth is a dynamic process influenced by internal and external (e.g., climatic) drivers. While radial variability in wood formation and its resulting structure have been intensively studied, their variability along tree stems and subsequent impacts on ABIstem remain poorly understood. We collected wood cores from mature trees within a fixed plot in a well-studied temperate Fagus sylvatica L. forest. For a subset of trees, we performed regular interval sampling along the stem to elucidate axial variability in ring width (RW) and wood density (ρ), and the resulting effects on tree- and plot-level ABIstem. Moreover, we measured wood anatomical traits to understand the anatomical basis of ρ and the coupling between changes in RW and ρ during drought. We found no significant axial variability in ρ because an increase in the vessel-to-fiber ratio with smaller RW compensated for vessel tapering towards the apex. By contrast, temporal variability in RW varied significantly along the stem axis, depending on the growing conditions. Drought caused a more severe growth decrease, and wetter summers caused a disproportionate growth increase at the stem base compared with the top. Discarding this axial variability resulted in a significant overestimation of tree-level ABIstem in wetter and cooler summers, but this bias was reduced to ~2% when scaling ABIstem to the plot level. These results suggest that F. sylvatica prioritizes structural carbon sinks close to the canopy when conditions are unfavorable. The different axial variability in RW and ρ thereby indicates some independence of the processes that drive volume growth and wood structure along the stem. This refines our knowledge of carbon allocation dynamics in temperate diffuse-porous species and contributes to reducing uncertainties in determining forest carbon fixation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L Peters
- Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Plant Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Nievergelt
- Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Ibrom
- Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Department of Environmental Engineering, Air, Land and Water Resources Section, Bygningstorvet 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jonas Stillhard
- Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Volodymyr Trotsiuk
- Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcka Cesta 1176, CZ-165 21 Praha 6-Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Aleksandra Mazurkiewicz
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kopernika 27, 31-501 Kraków, Poland
| | - Flurin Babst
- Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Department of Ecology, W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Lubicz 46, 31-512 Kraków, Poland
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19
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Puchi PF, Castagneri D, Rossi S, Carrer M. Wood anatomical traits in black spruce reveal latent water constraints on the boreal forest. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:1767-1777. [PMID: 31692158 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The effects of climate change on high-latitude forest ecosystems are complex, making forecasts of future scenarios uncertain. The predicted lengthening of the growing season under warming conditions is expected to increase tree growth rates. However, there is evidence of an increasing sensitivity of the boreal forest to drought stress. To assess the influence of temperature and precipitation on the growth of black spruce (Picea mariana), we investigated long-term series of wood anatomical traits on 20 trees from four sites along 600 km, the latitudinal range of the closed boreal forest in Quebec, Canada. We correlated the anatomical traits resolved at intraring level with daily temperature, vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and precipitation during the 1943-2010 period. Tree-ring width, number of cells per ring and cell wall thickness were positively affected by spring and summer daily mean and maximum temperature at the northern sites. These results agree with the well-known positive effect of high temperatures on tree ring formation at high latitudes. However, we captured, for the first time in this region, the latent impact of water availability on xylem traits. Indeed, in all the four sites, cell lumen area showed positive correlations with daily precipitation (mostly at low latitude), and/or negative correlations with daily mean and maximum temperature and VPD (mostly at high latitude). We inferred that drought, due to high temperatures, low precipitations, or both, negatively affects cell enlargement across the closed boreal forest, including the northernmost sites. The production of tracheids with narrower lumen, potentially more resistant to cavitation, could increase xylem hydraulic safety under a warmer and drier climate. However, this would result in lower xylem conductivity, with consequent long-term hydraulic deterioration, growth decline, and possibly lead to tree dieback, as observed in other forest ecosystems at lower latitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina F Puchi
- Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali (TESAF), Universitá degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Daniele Castagneri
- Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali (TESAF), Universitá degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
- Swiss Federal Research Institute (WSL), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sergio Rossi
- Département des Sciences Fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC, Canada
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Marco Carrer
- Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali (TESAF), Universitá degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
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20
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Lange J, Carrer M, Pisaric MFJ, Porter TJ, Seo JW, Trouillier M, Wilmking M. Moisture-driven shift in the climate sensitivity of white spruce xylem anatomical traits is coupled to large-scale oscillation patterns across northern treeline in northwest North America. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:1842-1856. [PMID: 31799729 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Tree growth at northern treelines is generally temperature-limited due to cold and short growing seasons. However, temperature-induced drought stress was repeatedly reported for certain regions of the boreal forest in northwestern North America, provoked by a significant increase in temperature and possibly reinforced by a regime shift of the pacific decadal oscillation (PDO). The aim of this study is to better understand physiological growth reactions of white spruce, a dominant species of the North American boreal forest, to PDO regime shifts using quantitative wood anatomy and traditional tree-ring width (TRW) analysis. We investigated white spruce growth at latitudinal treeline across a >1,000 km gradient in northwestern North America. Functionally important xylem anatomical traits (lumen area, cell-wall thickness, cell number) and TRW were correlated with the drought-sensitive standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index of the growing season. Correlations were computed separately for complete phases of the PDO in the 20th century, representing alternating warm/dry (1925-1946), cool/wet (1947-1976) and again warm/dry (1977-1998) climate regimes. Xylem anatomical traits revealed water-limiting conditions in both warm/dry PDO regimes, while no or spatially contrasting associations were found for the cool/wet regime, indicating a moisture-driven shift in growth-limiting factors between PDO periods. TRW reflected only the last shift of 1976/1977, suggesting different climate thresholds and a higher sensitivity to moisture availability of xylem anatomical traits compared to TRW. This high sensitivity of xylem anatomical traits permits to identify first signs of moisture-driven growth in treeline white spruce at an early stage, suggesting quantitative wood anatomy being a powerful tool to study climate change effects in the northwestern North American treeline ecotone. Projected temperature increase might challenge growth performance of white spruce as a key component of the North American boreal forest biome in the future, when drier conditions are likely to occur with higher frequency and intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Lange
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marco Carrer
- Department TESAF, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Michael F J Pisaric
- Department of Geography and Tourism Studies, Brock University, Saint Catharines, ON, Canada
| | - Trevor J Porter
- Department of Geography, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Jeong-Wook Seo
- Department of Wood & Paper Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Mario Trouillier
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Martin Wilmking
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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21
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Castagneri D, Prendin AL, Peters RL, Carrer M, von Arx G, Fonti P. Long-Term Impacts of Defoliator Outbreaks on Larch Xylem Structure and Tree-Ring Biomass. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:1078. [PMID: 32765561 PMCID: PMC7378862 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.01078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Defoliator insects are a major disturbance agent in many forests worldwide. During outbreaks, they can strongly reduce photosynthetic carbon uptake and impact tree growth. In the Alps, larch budmoth (Zeiraphera diniana) outbreaks affect European larch (Larix decidua) radial growth over several years. However, immediate and legacy effects on xylem formation, structure, and functionality are still largely unknown. In this study, we aimed at assessing the impact of budmoth defoliations on larch xylem anatomical features and tree-ring structure. Analyses were performed in the Lötschental (Swiss Alps) within (1,900 m a.s.l.) and above (2,200 m a.s.l.) the optimum elevational range of larch budmoth. We investigated variability of xylem anatomical traits along century-long tree-ring series of larch (host) and Norway spruce (non-host) trees. We identified eight outbreaks affecting larch xylem anatomy during the 20th century, particularly at 1,900 m a.s.l. Tracheid number always showed a higher percent reduction than properties of individual cells. Cell lumen size was slightly reduced in the first 2-3 years of outbreaks, especially in the early part of the ring. The more carbon-demanding cell wall was thinned along the entire ring, but more evidently in the last part. Theoretical tree-ring hydraulic conductivity was reduced for several years (up to 6), mostly due to cell number decrease. Reduced cell wall area and cell number resulted in a strong reduction of the tree-ring biomass, especially in the first year of outbreak. Our study shows that, under carbon source limitations caused by natural defoliation, cell division is more impacted than wall thickening and cell enlargement (the least affected process). Consequences on both xylem hydraulic properties and tree-ring biomass should be considered when assessing long-term defoliator effects on xylem functioning, forest dynamics, and terrestrial carbon cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Castagneri
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Daniele Castagneri,
| | | | - Richard L. Peters
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Plant Ecology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marco Carrer
- Department TeSAF, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Fonti
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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22
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Cuny HE, Fonti P, Rathgeber CBK, von Arx G, Peters RL, Frank DC. Couplings in cell differentiation kinetics mitigate air temperature influence on conifer wood anatomy. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2019; 42:1222-1232. [PMID: 30326549 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Conifer trees possess a typical anatomical tree-ring structure characterized by a transition from large and thin-walled earlywood tracheids to narrow and thick-walled latewood tracheids. However, little is known on how this characteristic structure is maintained across contrasting environmental conditions, due to its crucial role to ensure sap ascent and mechanical support. In this study, we monitored weekly wood cell formation for up to 7 years in two temperate conifer species (i.e., Picea abies (L.) Karst and Larix decidua Mill.) across an 8°C thermal gradient from 800 to 2,200 m a.s.l. in central Europe to investigate the impact of air temperature on rate and duration of wood cell formation. Results indicated that towards colder sites, forming tracheids compensate a decreased rate of differentiation (cell enlarging and wall thickening) by an extended duration, except for the last cells of the latewood in the wall-thickening phase. This compensation allows conifer trees to mitigate the influence of air temperature on the final tree-ring structure, with important implications for the functioning and resilience of the xylem to varying environmental conditions. The disappearing compensation in the thickening latewood cells might also explain the higher climatic sensitivity usually found in maximum latewood density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henri E Cuny
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- IGN, Direction Interrégionale Nord-Est, Champigneulles, France
| | - Patrick Fonti
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | | | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Richard L Peters
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Botanik, Basel University, Basel, Switzerland
| | - David C Frank
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
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23
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Carrer M, Unterholzner L, Castagneri D. Wood anatomical traits highlight complex temperature influence on Pinus cembra at high elevation in the Eastern Alps. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2018; 62:1745-1753. [PMID: 29961923 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-018-1577-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Climate sensitivity of populations at the margins of their distribution range is of key importance to understand species' responses to future warming conditions. Pinus cembra is of particular interest being a typical high-elevation taxon, spread with mostly scattered populations within its actual range, but still overlooked in traditional dendrochronological researches due to low tree-ring variability and climate sensitivity. With a different approach, we analyzed time series of xylem anatomical traits, split into intra-ring sectors, and used daily climate records over 89 years (1926-2014) aiming to improve the quality and time resolution of the climate/growth associations. From nine trees growing at their altitudinal limit and on 1.5 × 106 tracheids, we measured ring width (MRW), cell number per ring, lumen area (LA), and cell-wall thickness (CWT). We then computed correlations with monthly and fortnightly climate data. Late-spring and summer temperature emerged as the most important factors. LA and especially CWT showed a stronger temperature response than MRW, starting in mid-May and early June, respectively. CWT also evidenced the longest period of correlations with temperature and a significant difference between latewood radial and tangential walls. Analysis of xylem anatomical traits at intra-ring level and the use of daily temperature records proved to be useful for high resolution and detailed climate/growth association inferences in Pinus cembra.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Carrer
- Università degli Studi di Padova, Dip. TeSAF - Agripolis, I-35020, Legnaro, PD, Italy.
| | - Lucrezia Unterholzner
- Università degli Studi di Padova, Dip. TeSAF - Agripolis, I-35020, Legnaro, PD, Italy
| | - Daniele Castagneri
- Università degli Studi di Padova, Dip. TeSAF - Agripolis, I-35020, Legnaro, PD, Italy
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24
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Prendin AL, Mayr S, Beikircher B, von Arx G, Petit G. Xylem anatomical adjustments prioritize hydraulic efficiency over safety as Norway spruce trees grow taller. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 38:1088-1097. [PMID: 29920598 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpy065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
As a tree grows taller, the increase in gravitational pressure and path length resistance results in lower water potentials at a given flow rate and higher carbon construction costs to transport a given amount of water to the leaves. We investigated how hydraulic safety and efficiency are coordinated under the constraints of higher cavitation risks and higher carbon construction costs with increasing tree height. We combined measurements of xylem tracheid anatomical traits with the vulnerability to drought-induced embolism and hydraulic conductivity of the apical shoots of 2- to 37-m tall Picea abies trees growing at two sites in the Dolomites (Italian Eastern Alps). We found that the theoretical hydraulic conductivity of the apical shoots increased with tree height at both sites (P < 0.001) as a result of an increase in either total tracheid number or mean hydraulic diameter. The xylem water potential inducing 50% loss of apical conductance significantly increased from small (-4.45 ± 0.20 MPa) to tall trees (-3.65 ± 0.03 MPa) (P = 0.007). The more conductive xylem at the treetop of taller trees allows the full compensation for the height-related hydraulic constraints and minimizes the additional carbon costs of transporting water over a longer path length. The corresponding increase in vulnerability to cavitation shows that hydraulic efficiency is prioritized over safety during height growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Luisa Prendin
- Department TeSAF-Department of Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali, Università degli Studi di Padova, viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Stefan Mayr
- Institut für Botanik, Universität Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Barbara Beikircher
- Institut für Botanik, Universität Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Climatic Change and Climate Impacts, Institute for Environmental Sciences, 66 Boulevard Carl-Vogt, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Giai Petit
- Department TeSAF-Department of Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali, Università degli Studi di Padova, viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro (PD), Italy
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25
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Castagneri D, Battipaglia G, von Arx G, Pacheco A, Carrer M. Tree-ring anatomy and carbon isotope ratio show both direct and legacy effects of climate on bimodal xylem formation in Pinus pinea. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 38:1098-1109. [PMID: 29688500 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpy036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how climate affects xylem formation is critical for predicting the impact of future conditions on tree growth and functioning in the Mediterranean region, which is expected to face warmer and drier conditions. However, mechanisms of growth response to climate at different temporal scales are still largely unknown, being complicated by separation between spring and autumn xylogenesis (bimodal temporal pattern) in most species such as Mediterranean pines. We investigated wood anatomical characteristics and carbon stable isotope composition in Mediterranean Pinus pinea L. along tree-ring series at intra-ring resolution to assess xylem formation processes and responses to intra-annual climate variability. Xylem anatomy was strongly related to environmental conditions occurring a few months before and during the growing season, but was not affected by summer drought. In particular, the lumen diameter of the first earlywood tracheids was related to winter precipitation, whereas the size of tracheids produced later was influenced by mid-spring precipitation. Diameter of latewood tracheids was associated with precipitation in mid-autumn. In contrast, tree-ring carbon isotope composition was mostly related to climate of the previous seasons. Earlywood was likely formed using both recently and formerly assimilated carbon, while latewood relied mostly on carbon accumulated many months prior to its formation. Our integrated approach provided new evidence on the short-term and carry-over effects of climate on the bimodal temporal xylem formation in P. pinea. Investigations on different variables and time scales are necessary to disentangle the complex climate influence on tree growth processes under Mediterranean conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Castagneri
- University of Padua, Department TeSAF, viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Giovanna Battipaglia
- University of Campania 'L. Vanvitelli', Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, via Vivaldi 43, Caserta, Italy
- Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (PALECO EPHE), Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution-ISEM, University of Montpellier 2, Montpellier, France
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf (ZH), Switzerland
- Climatic Change and Climate Impacts, Institute for Environmental Sciences, 66 Blvd Carl Vogt, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Arturo Pacheco
- University of Padua, Department TeSAF, viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Marco Carrer
- University of Padua, Department TeSAF, viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro (PD), Italy
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26
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Petit G, von Arx G, Kiorapostolou N, Lechthaler S, Prendin AL, Anfodillo T, Caldeira MC, Cochard H, Copini P, Crivellaro A, Delzon S, Gebauer R, Gričar J, Grönholm L, Hölttä T, Jyske T, Lavrič M, Lintunen A, Lobo-do-Vale R, Peltoniemi M, Peters RL, Robert EMR, Roig Juan S, Senfeldr M, Steppe K, Urban J, Van Camp J, Sterck F. Tree differences in primary and secondary growth drive convergent scaling in leaf area to sapwood area across Europe. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 218:1383-1392. [PMID: 29655212 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Trees scale leaf (AL ) and xylem (AX ) areas to couple leaf transpiration and carbon gain with xylem water transport. Some species are known to acclimate in AL : AX balance in response to climate conditions, but whether trees of different species acclimate in AL : AX in similar ways over their entire (continental) distributions is unknown. We analyzed the species and climate effects on the scaling of AL vs AX in branches of conifers (Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies) and broadleaved (Betula pendula, Populus tremula) sampled across a continental wide transect in Europe. Along the branch axis, AL and AX change in equal proportion (isometric scaling: b ˜ 1) as for trees. Branches of similar length converged in the scaling of AL vs AX with an exponent of b = 0.58 across European climates irrespective of species. Branches of slow-growing trees from Northern and Southern regions preferentially allocated into new leaf rather than xylem area, with older xylem rings contributing to maintaining total xylem conductivity. In conclusion, trees in contrasting climates adjust their functional balance between water transport and leaf transpiration by maintaining biomass allocation to leaves, and adjusting their growth rate and xylem production to maintain xylem conductance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giai Petit
- Departamento TeSAF, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, 24 rue du Général-Dufour, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Natasa Kiorapostolou
- Departamento TeSAF, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, NL, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Silvia Lechthaler
- Departamento TeSAF, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Angela Luisa Prendin
- Departamento TeSAF, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Tommaso Anfodillo
- Departamento TeSAF, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Maria C Caldeira
- Forest Research Centre (CEF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Hervé Cochard
- Université Clermont-Auvergne, INRA, PIAF, Site de Crouël 5, chemin de Beaulieu, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Paul Copini
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, NL, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Wageningen Environmental Research (Alterra), Wageningen University & Research Wageningen, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, NL 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Alan Crivellaro
- Departamento TeSAF, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Sylvain Delzon
- INRA, University of Bordeaux, UMR BIOGECO, Avenue des Facultés, Talence, FR 33405, France
| | - Roman Gebauer
- Dept. of Forest, Botany, Dendrology and Geobiocenology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, 61300, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jožica Gričar
- Slovenian Forestry Institute, Vecna pot 2, SI - 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Leila Grönholm
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 7, FI 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Teemu Hölttä
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 7, FI 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuula Jyske
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Latokartanonkaari 9, FI-00790, Vantaa, Finland
| | - Martina Lavrič
- Slovenian Forestry Institute, Vecna pot 2, SI - 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Anna Lintunen
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 7, FI 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Raquel Lobo-do-Vale
- Forest Research Centre (CEF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mikko Peltoniemi
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Latokartanonkaari 9, FI-00790, Vantaa, Finland
| | - Richard L Peters
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | | | - Sílvia Roig Juan
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Latokartanonkaari 9, FI-00790, Vantaa, Finland
| | - Martin Senfeldr
- Dept. of Forest, Botany, Dendrology and Geobiocenology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, 61300, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kathy Steppe
- Laboratory of Plant Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Josef Urban
- Dept. of Forest, Botany, Dendrology and Geobiocenology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, 61300, Brno, Czech Republic
- Siberian Federal University, Svobodnyy Ave 79, 660041, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Janne Van Camp
- Laboratory of Plant Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Frank Sterck
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, NL, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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27
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Björklund J, Seftigen K, Schweingruber F, Fonti P, von Arx G, Bryukhanova MV, Cuny HE, Carrer M, Castagneri D, Frank DC. Cell size and wall dimensions drive distinct variability of earlywood and latewood density in Northern Hemisphere conifers. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 216:728-740. [PMID: 28636081 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Interannual variability of wood density - an important plant functional trait and environmental proxy - in conifers is poorly understood. We therefore explored the anatomical basis of density. We hypothesized that earlywood density is determined by tracheid size and latewood density by wall dimensions, reflecting their different functional tasks. To determine general patterns of variability, density parameters from 27 species and 349 sites across the Northern Hemisphere were correlated to tree-ring width parameters and local climate. We performed the same analyses with density and width derived from anatomical data comprising two species and eight sites. The contributions of tracheid size and wall dimensions to density were disentangled with sensitivity analyses. Notably, correlations between density and width shifted from negative to positive moving from earlywood to latewood. Temperature responses of density varied intraseasonally in strength and sign. The sensitivity analyses revealed tracheid size as the main determinant of earlywood density, while wall dimensions become more influential for latewood density. Our novel approach of integrating detailed anatomical data with large-scale tree-ring data allowed us to contribute to an improved understanding of interannual variations of conifer growth and to illustrate how conifers balance investments in the competing xylem functions of hydraulics and mechanical support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesper Björklund
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Kristina Seftigen
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
- Gothenburg University Laboratory for Dendrochronology, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 5a, Göteborg, 40530, Sweden
- Université catholique de Louvain, Earth and Life Institute, Georges Lemaître Centre for Earth and Climate Research, Place Louis Pasteur, Louvain-la-Neuve, B-1348, Belgium
| | - Fritz Schweingruber
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Fonti
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
- Climatic Change and Climate Impacts, Institute for Environmental Sciences, 66 Blvd Carl Vogt, Geneva, CH-1205, Switzerland
| | - Marina V Bryukhanova
- V.N. Sukachev Institute of Forest SB RAS, Akademgorodok 50, bld.28, Krasnoyarsk, 660036, Russia
- Siberian Federal University, Svobodny pr. 79, Krasnoyarsk, 660041, Russia
| | - Henri E Cuny
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Marco Carrer
- Dept. TeSAF, University of Padova, Via dell'Università 16, Legnaro (PD), I-35020, Italy
| | - Daniele Castagneri
- Dept. TeSAF, University of Padova, Via dell'Università 16, Legnaro (PD), I-35020, Italy
| | - David C Frank
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, 1215 E Lowell St, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
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28
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Prendin AL, Petit G, Fonti P, Rixen C, Dawes MA, Arx G. Axial xylem architecture of
Larix decidua
exposed to CO
2
enrichment and soil warming at the tree line. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Luisa Prendin
- Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro‐ForestaliUniversità degli Studi di Padova Legnaro PD Italy
| | - Giai Petit
- Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro‐ForestaliUniversità degli Studi di Padova Legnaro PD Italy
| | - Patrick Fonti
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL Birmensdorf Switzerland
| | - Christian Rixen
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF Davos Switzerland
| | - Melissa Autumn Dawes
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL Birmensdorf Switzerland
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF Davos Switzerland
| | - Georg Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL Birmensdorf Switzerland
- Climatic Change and Climate ImpactsInstitute for Environmental Sciences Geneva Switzerland
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29
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Carrer M, Castagneri D, Prendin AL, Petit G, von Arx G. Retrospective Analysis of Wood Anatomical Traits Reveals a Recent Extension in Tree Cambial Activity in Two High-Elevation Conifers. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:737. [PMID: 28533792 PMCID: PMC5420594 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The study of xylogenesis or wood formation is a powerful, yet labor intensive monitoring approach to investigate intra-annual tree growth responses to environmental factors. However, it seldom covers more than a few growing seasons, so is in contrast to the much longer lifespan of woody plants and the time scale of many environmental processes. Here we applied a novel retrospective approach to test the long-term (1926-2012) consistency in the timing of onset and ending of cambial activity, and in the maximum cambial cell division rate in two conifer species, European larch and Norway spruce at high-elevation in the Alps. We correlated daily temperature with time series of cell number and lumen area partitioned into intra-annual sectors. For both species, we found a good correspondence (1-10 days offset) between the periods when anatomical traits had significant correlations with temperature in recent decades (1969-2012) and available xylogenesis data (1996-2005), previously collected at the same site. Yet, results for the 1926-1968 period indicate a later onset and earlier ending of the cambial activity by 6-30 days. Conversely, the peak in the correlation between annual cell number and temperature, which should correspond to the peak in secondary growth rate, was quite stable over time, with just a minor advance of 4-5 days in the recent decades. Our analyses on time series of wood anatomical traits proved useful to infer on past long-term changes in xylogenetic phases. Combined with intensive continuous monitoring, our approach will improve the understanding of tree responses to climate variability in both the short- and long-term context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Carrer
- Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali, Universitá degli Studi di PadovaLegnaro, Italy
| | - Daniele Castagneri
- Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali, Universitá degli Studi di PadovaLegnaro, Italy
| | - Angela L. Prendin
- Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali, Universitá degli Studi di PadovaLegnaro, Italy
| | - Giai Petit
- Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali, Universitá degli Studi di PadovaLegnaro, Italy
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSLBirmensdorf, Switzerland
- Climatic Change and Climate Impacts, Institute for Environmental SciencesGeneva, Switzerland
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