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Wang X, Schönbeck L, Gessler A, Yang Y, Rigling A, Yu D, He P, Li M. The effects of previous summer drought and fertilization on winter non-structural carbon reserves and spring leaf development of downy oak saplings. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1035191. [PMID: 36407605 PMCID: PMC9669721 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1035191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
It is still unknown whether the previous summer season drought and fertilization will affect the winter non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) reserves, spring leaf development, and mortality of trees in the next year. We, therefore, conducted an experiment with Quercus pubescens (downy oaks) saplings grown under four drought levels from field capacity (well-watered; ~25% volumetric water content) to wilting point (extreme drought; ~6%), in combination with two fertilizer treatments (0 vs. 50 kg/ha/year blended) for one growing season to answer this question. We measured the pre- and post-winter NSC, and calculated the over-winter NSC consumption in storage tissues (i.e. shoots and roots) following drought and fertilization treatment, and recorded the spring leaf phenology, leaf biomass, and mortality next year. The results showed that, irrespective of drought intensity, carbon reserves were abundant in storage tissues, especially in roots. Extreme drought did not significantly alter NSC levels in tissues, but delayed the spring leaf expansion and reduced the leaf biomass. Previous season fertilization promoted shoot NSC use in extreme drought-stressed saplings over winter (showing reduced carbon reserves in shoots after winter), but it also showed positive effects on survival next year. We conclude that: (1) drought-stressed downy oak saplings seem to be able to maintain sufficient mobile carbohydrates for survival, (2) fertilization can alleviate the negative effects of extreme drought on survival and recovery growth of tree saplings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Wang
- Jiyang College, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Garden Plants, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Hangzhou, China
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Leonie Schönbeck
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, United States
- Plant Ecology Research Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Arthur Gessler
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH Zürich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yue Yang
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Andreas Rigling
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH Zürich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dapao Yu
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Peng He
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Maihe Li
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China
- School of Life Science, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, China
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2
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Santos GM, Albuquerque RP, Barros CF, Ancapichún S, Oelkers R, Andreu-Hayles L, de Faria SM, De Pol-Holz R, das Neves Brandes AF. High-precision 14C measurements of parenchyma-rich Hymenolobium petraeum tree species confirm bomb-peak atmospheric levels and reveal local fossil-fuel CO 2 emissions in the Central Amazon. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 214:113994. [PMID: 35931185 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113994] [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: 04/24/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric radiocarbon (14C) recorded in tree rings has been widely used for atmospheric 14C calibration purposes and climate studies. But atmospheric 14C records have been limited along tropical latitudes. Here we report a sequence from 1938 to 2007 of precisely measured 14C dates in tree rings of the parenchyma-rich Hymenolobium petraeum tree species (Porto Trombetas, 1°S, 56°W) from the Central Brazilian Amazon. H. petraeum has discernible growth ring boundaries that allow dating techniques to be employed to produce calendrical dates. Bomb-peak tree-ring 14C reconstruction coincides with the broader changes associated with reported values of the Southern Hemisphere atmospheric 14C curve (SH zone 3; values within the ±2σ interval), suggesting that inter-hemispheric air-mass transport of excess-14C injected into the stratosphere during intensive atmospheric nuclear tests is relatively uniform across distinct longitudinal regions. From the early 1980s onwards, H. petraeum had lower 14C values than other pantropical 14C records. Through 14C-based estimation, we found a strong influence of fossil-fuel CO2 contributions from Porto Trombetas mining operations and shipping traffic on inland waterways. An increase of at least 6.3 ± 0.8 ppm of fossil-fuel CO2 has been detected by 14C. Our findings invite further 14C analyses using tree rings of tropical tree species as a potential tracer for a wide range of environmental sources of atmospheric 14C-variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guaciara M Santos
- Department of Earth System Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697-3100, USA.
| | - Rafael Perpétuo Albuquerque
- Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Escola Nacional de Botânica Tropical, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22460-030, Brazil
| | - Cláudia Franca Barros
- Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Escola Nacional de Botânica Tropical, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22460-030, Brazil
| | - Santiago Ancapichún
- Centro de Investigación GAIA Antártica (CIGA), Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile; Postgraduate School in Oceanography, Faculty of Natural and Oceanographic Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Rose Oelkers
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY, USA
| | - Laia Andreu-Hayles
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY, USA; CREAF, Barcelona, Spain; ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergio Miana de Faria
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Agrobiologia, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Seropédica, RJ, 23890-000, Brazil
| | - Ricardo De Pol-Holz
- Centro de Investigación GAIA Antártica (CIGA), Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - Arno Fritz das Neves Brandes
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, 24210-201, Brazil.
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Piper FI, Moreno‐Meynard P, Fajardo A. Non‐structural carbohydrates predict survival in saplings of temperate trees under carbon stress. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Frida I. Piper
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas (ICB), Universidad de Talca, Campus Lircay 3460000 Talca Chile
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Barrio Universitario S/N Concepción Chile
| | - Paulo Moreno‐Meynard
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Moraleda 16 Coyhaique Chile
| | - Alex Fajardo
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Barrio Universitario S/N Concepción Chile
- Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinaria (I3), Universidad de Talca Chile
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4
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Whole-Tree Response of Non-Structural Carbohydrates, Carbon and Nitrogen Concentrations in Two Temperate Tree Species to 10-Year Nitrogen Fertilization. FORESTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/f13020302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of long-term nitrogen fertilization on non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) and nitrogen (N) status and their interaction in mature trees at the whole-tree scale. Ten g N m−2 yr−1 of ammonium nitrate fertilizer were applied to 26-year-old Larix gmelinii Rupr. (larch) and Fraxinus mandschurica Rupr. (ash) trees in Northeastern China from 2002 to 2012. NSC, total carbon (C) and total N concentrations in different compartments were examined. For both species, concentrations of NSC and their components (soluble sugars and starch) tended to increase in aboveground organs but decrease in fine roots following N fertilization, with significant (p < 0.05) changes only observed in ash stems and larch roots. N fertilization increased N concentrations and decreased the C:N ratio in all organs, especially in foliage and roots, while the effects of fertilization on total C concentrations varied with tree species and organs. Concentrations of NSC (mainly reflected in soluble sugar) were generally negatively correlated with N concentration in fine roots but positively related to N concentration in aboveground woody organs in both control and fertilized treatments. However, fertilization strengthened this correlation in fine roots and weakened this relationship in aboveground organs. This study provides a decade-long insight into the effect of currently increasing N deposition on tree growth and function.
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Jupa R, Mészáros M, Hoch G, Plavcová L. Trunk radial growth, water and carbon relations of mature apple trees on two size-controlling rootstocks during severe summer drought. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 42:289-303. [PMID: 34409459 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpab111] [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: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The use of size-controlling rootstocks is central to modern high-density fruit production systems. While biological mechanisms responsible for vigor control are not fully understood, differences in water relations and carbohydrate storage ability have been suggested as two potential factors. To better understand the processes that control growth vigor, we analyzed the trunk radial variation at seasonal and diurnal timescales and measured the midday leaf water potential (ΨMD), leaf gas exchange and concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in apple trees of variety 'Jonagold' grafted on two rootstocks of contrasting growth vigor (dwarfing J-TE-G vs invigorating J-TE-H). The measurements were conducted during an exceptionally hot and dry summer. We found that smaller annual trunk radial increments in dwarfed trees were primarily due to an earlier cessation of trunk secondary growth. The interdiurnal trunk circumference changes (ΔC) were slightly lower in dwarfed trees, and these trees also had fewer days with positive ΔC values, particularly during the driest summer months. The trunks of dwarfed trees shrank gradually during the drought, showed less pronounced diurnal variation of trunk circumference and the maximum trunk daily shrinkage was only weakly responsive to the vapor pressure deficit. These results indicated that lower turgidity in the cambial region may have limited the trunk radial expansion in dwarfed trees during the hot and dry days. Dwarfed trees also maintained lower ΨMD and leaf gas exchange rates during the summer drought. These parameters decreased in parallel for both rootstock combinations, suggesting their similar drought sensitivity. Similar concentrations and seasonal dynamics of NSC in both rootstock combinations, together with their similar spring growth rates, suggest that NSC reserves were not directly limiting for growth. Our results support the prominent role of water relations in rootstock-induced size-controlling mechanisms and highlight the complexity of this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radek Jupa
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Rokitanského 62, Hradec Králové CZ-500 03, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Mészáros
- Department of Technology, Research and Breeding Institute of Pomology, Research and Breeding Institute of Pomology, Holovousy 129, Hořice CZ-508 01, Czech Republic
| | - Günter Hoch
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lenka Plavcová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Rokitanského 62, Hradec Králové CZ-500 03, Czech Republic
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6
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Kannenberg SA, Guo JS, Novick KA, Anderegg WRL, Feng X, Kennedy D, Konings AG, Martínez‐Vilalta J, Matheny AM. Opportunities, challenges and pitfalls in characterizing plant water‐use strategies. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessica S. Guo
- Department of Geology and Geophysics University of Utah Salt Lake City UT USA
- Arizona Experiment Station, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences University of Arizona Tucson AZ USA
| | - Kimberly A. Novick
- O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs Indiana University Bloomington IN USA
| | | | - Xue Feng
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo‐Engineering University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN USA
- Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN USA
| | | | | | - Jordi Martínez‐Vilalta
- CREAF, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès) Catalonia Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès) Catalonia Spain
| | - Ashley M. Matheny
- Department of Geological Sciences Jackson School of Geosciences University of Texas Austin TX USA
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7
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Ouyang SN, Gessler A, Saurer M, Hagedorn F, Gao DC, Wang XY, Schaub M, Li MH, Shen WJ, Schönbeck L. Root carbon and nutrient homeostasis determines downy oak sapling survival and recovery from drought. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 41:1400-1412. [PMID: 33595075 PMCID: PMC8436808 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpab019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The role of carbon (C) and nutrient uptake, allocation, storage and especially their interactions in survival and recovery of trees under increased frequencies and intensities of drought events is not well understood. A full factorial experiment with four soil water content regimes ranging from extreme drought to well-watered conditions and two fertilization levels was carried out. We aimed to investigate whether nutrient addition mitigates drought effects on downy oak (Quercus pubescens Willd.) and whether storage pools of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are modified to enhance survival after 2.5 years of drought and recovery after drought relief. Physiological traits, such as photosynthesis, predawn leaf water potential as well as tissue biomass together with pools and dynamics of NSC and nutrients at the whole-tree level were investigated. Our results showed that fertilization played a minor role in saplings' physiological processes to cope with drought and drought relief, but reduced sapling mortality during extreme drought. Irrespective of nutrient supply, Q. pubescens showed increased soluble sugar concentration in all tissues with increasing drought intensity, mostly because of starch degradation. After 28 days of drought relief, tissue sugar concentrations decreased, reaching comparable values to those of well-watered plants. Only during the recovery process from extreme drought, root NSC concentration strongly declined, leading to an almost complete NSC depletion after 28 days of rewetting, simultaneously with new leaves flushing. These findings suggest that extreme drought can lead to root C exhaustion. After drought relief, the repair and regrowth of organs can even exacerbate the root C depletion. We concluded that under future climate conditions with repeated drought events, the insufficient and lagged C replenishment in roots might eventually lead to C starvation and further mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Nan Ouyang
- South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences,723 XingKe Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510650, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zurcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland
| | - Arthur Gessler
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zurcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland
- Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, Ramistrasse 101, Zurich 8902, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Saurer
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zurcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland
| | - Frank Hagedorn
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zurcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland
| | - De-Cai Gao
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zurcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland
- School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renming Road, Nanguan District, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Wang
- Jiyang College, Zhejiang A&F University, 72 Puyang Road,Jiyang District, Zhuji 311800, China
| | - Marcus Schaub
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zurcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland
| | - Mai-He Li
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zurcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland
- School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renming Road, Nanguan District, Changchun 130024, China
| | | | - Leonie Schönbeck
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zurcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland
- Plant Ecology Research Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, EPFL, Route Cantonale, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
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8
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Fajardo A, Piper FI. How to cope with drought and not die trying: Drought acclimation across tree species with contrasting niche breadth. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alex Fajardo
- Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinario (I3)Universidad de Talca Talca Chile
| | - Frida I. Piper
- Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinario (I3)Universidad de Talca Talca Chile
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9
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Preisler Y, Tatarinov F, Grünzweig JM, Yakir D. Seeking the "point of no return" in the sequence of events leading to mortality of mature trees. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2021; 44:1315-1328. [PMID: 33175417 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Drought-related tree mortality is increasing globally, but the sequence of events leading to it remains poorly understood. To identify this sequence, we used a 2016 tree mortality event in a semi-arid pine forest where dendrometry and sap flow measurements were carried out in 31 trees, of which seven died. A comparative analysis revealed three stages leading to mortality. First, a decrease in tree diameter in all dying trees, but not in the surviving trees, 8 months "prior to the visual signs of mortality" (PVSM; e.g., near complete canopy browning). Second, a decay to near zero in the diurnal stem swelling/shrinkage dynamics, reflecting the loss of stem radial water flow in the dying trees, 6 months PVSM. Third, cessation of stem sap flow 3 months PVSM. Eventual mortality could therefore be detected long before visual signs were observed, and the three stages identified here demonstrated the differential effects of drought on stem growth, water storage capacity and soil water uptake. The results indicated that breakdown of stem radial water flow and phloem function is a critical element in defining the "point of no return" in the sequence of events leading to mortality of mature trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yakir Preisler
- Earth and Planetary Science Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Fedor Tatarinov
- Earth and Planetary Science Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - José M Grünzweig
- Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Dan Yakir
- Earth and Planetary Science Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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10
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Zhang P, McDowell NG, Zhou X, Wang W, Leff RT, Pivovaroff AL, Zhang H, Chow PS, Ward ND, Indivero J, Yabusaki SB, Waichler S, Bailey VL. Declining carbohydrate content of Sitka-spruce treesdying from seawater exposure. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 185:1682-1696. [PMID: 33893814 PMCID: PMC8133543 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Increasing sea levels associated with climate change threaten the survival of coastal forests, yet the mechanisms by which seawater exposure causes tree death remain poorly understood. Despite the potentially crucial role of nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) reserves in tree survival, their dynamics in the process of death under seawater exposure are unknown. Here we monitored progressive tree mortality and associated NSC storage in Sitka-spruce (Picea sitchensis) trees dying under ecosystem-scale increases in seawater exposure in western Washington, USA. All trees exposed to seawater, because of monthly tidal intrusion, experienced declining crown foliage during the sampling period, and individuals with a lower percentage of live foliated crown (PLFC) died faster. Tree PLFC was strongly correlated with subsurface salinity and needle ion contents. Total NSC concentrations in trees declined remarkably with crown decline, and reached extremely low levels at tree death (2.4% and 1.6% in leaves and branches, respectively, and 0.4% in stems and roots). Starch in all tissues was almost completely consumed, while sugars remained at a homeostatic level in foliage. The decreasing NSC with closer proximity to death and near zero starch at death are evidences that carbon starvation occurred during Sitka-spruce mortality during seawater exposure. Our results highlight the importance of carbon storage as an indicator of tree mortality risks under seawater exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Zhang
- Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting, Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
- Atmospheric Sciences & Global Change, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - Nate G McDowell
- Atmospheric Sciences & Global Change, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-4236, USA
| | - Xuhui Zhou
- Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting, Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
- Author for communication:
| | - Wenzhi Wang
- Atmospheric Sciences & Global Change, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - Riley T Leff
- Atmospheric Sciences & Global Change, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - Alexandria L Pivovaroff
- Atmospheric Sciences & Global Change, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - Hongxia Zhang
- Atmospheric Sciences & Global Change, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - Pak S Chow
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2R3
| | - Nicholas D Ward
- Marine Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Sequim, Washington 98382, USA
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Julia Indivero
- Marine Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Sequim, Washington 98382, USA
| | - Steven B Yabusaki
- Earth Systems Science, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - Scott Waichler
- Earth Systems Science, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
| | - Vanessa L Bailey
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
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11
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Hartmann H, Bahn M, Carbone M, Richardson AD. Plant carbon allocation in a changing world - challenges and progress: introduction to a Virtual Issue on carbon allocation: Introduction to a virtual issue on carbon allocation. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 227:981-988. [PMID: 32662104 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Hartmann
- Department of Biogeochemical Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knoll Str. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Bahn
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Mariah Carbone
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, 200 Beckwith Way, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Andrew D Richardson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, 200 Beckwith Way, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
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12
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Urrutia-Jalabert R, Lara A, Barichivich J, Vergara N, Rodriguez CG, Piper FI. Low Growth Sensitivity and Fast Replenishment of Non-structural Carbohydrates in a Long-Lived Endangered Conifer After Drought. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:905. [PMID: 32733500 PMCID: PMC7357304 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
There is an ongoing debate on whether a drought induced carbohydrate limitation (source limitation) or a direct effect of water shortage (sink limitation) limit growth under drought. In this study, we investigated the effects of the two driest summers recorded in southern Chile in the last seven decades, on the growth and non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) concentrations of the slow-growing conifer Fitzroya cupressoides. Specifically, we studied the seasonal variation of NSC in saplings and adults one and two years after the occurrence of a 2 year-summer drought at two sites of contrasting precipitation and productivity (mesic-productive vs. rainy-less productive). We also evaluated radial growth before, during and after the drought, and predicted that drought could have reduced growth. If drought caused C source limitation, we expected that NSCs will be lower during the first than the second year after drought. Conversely, similar NSC concentrations between years or higher NSC concentrations in the first year would be supportive of sink limitation. Also, due to the lower biomass of saplings compared with adults, we expected that saplings should experience stronger seasonal NSC remobilization than adults. We confirmed this last expectation. Moreover, we found no significant growth reduction during drought in the rainy site and a slightly significant growth reduction at the mesic site for both saplings and adults. Across organs and in both sites and age classes, NSC, starch, and sugar concentrations were generally higher in the first than in the second year following drought, while NSC seasonal remobilization was generally lower. Higher NSC concentrations along with lower seasonal NSC remobilization during the first post-drought year are supportive of sink limitation. However, as these results were found at both sites while growth decreased slightly and just at the mesic site, limited growth only is unlikely to have caused NSC accumulation. Rather, these results suggest that the post-drought dynamics of carbohydrate storage are partly decoupled from the growth dynamics, and that the rebuild of C reserves after drought may be a priority in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Urrutia-Jalabert
- Instituto Forestal INFOR, Valdivia, Chile
- Laboratorio de Dendrocronología y Cambio Global, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales, Instituto de Conservación, Biodiversidad y Territorio, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Centro de Ciencia del Clima y la Resiliencia, CR2, Santiago, Chile
| | - Antonio Lara
- Laboratorio de Dendrocronología y Cambio Global, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales, Instituto de Conservación, Biodiversidad y Territorio, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Centro de Ciencia del Clima y la Resiliencia, CR2, Santiago, Chile
- Fundación Centro de los Bosques Nativos FORECOS, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Jonathan Barichivich
- Laboratorio de Dendrocronología y Cambio Global, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales, Instituto de Conservación, Biodiversidad y Territorio, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL, CRNS/CEA/UVSQ, Paris, France
| | - Nicolás Vergara
- Centro de Ciencia del Clima y la Resiliencia, CR2, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carmen Gloria Rodriguez
- Laboratorio de Dendrocronología y Cambio Global, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales, Instituto de Conservación, Biodiversidad y Territorio, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Frida I. Piper
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia, Coyhaique, Chile
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Kannenberg SA, Phillips RP. Non-structural carbohydrate pools not linked to hydraulic strategies or carbon supply in tree saplings during severe drought and subsequent recovery. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 40:259-271. [PMID: 31860721 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpz132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) pools fluctuate based on the interplay between photosynthesis, demand from various carbon (C) sinks and tree hydraulic status. Thus, it has been hypothesized that tree species with isohydric stomatal control (i.e., trees that close stomata rapidly in response to drought) rely heavily on NSC pools to sustain metabolism, which can lead to negative physiological consequences such as C depletion. Here, we seek to use a species' degree of isohydry or anisohydry as a conceptual framework for understanding the interrelations between photosynthetic C supply, hydraulic damage and fluctuations in NSC pools. We conducted a 6-week experimental drought, followed by a 6-week recovery period, in a greenhouse on seven tree species that span the spectrum from isohydric to anisohydric. Throughout the experiment, we measured photosynthesis, hydraulic damage and NSC pools. Non-structural carbohydrate pools were remarkably stable across species and tissues-even highly isohydric species that drastically reduced C assimilation were able to maintain stored C. Despite these static NSC pools, we still inferred an important role for stored C during drought, as most species converted starches into sugars during water stress (and back again post-drought). Finally, we did not observe any linkages between C supply, hydraulic damage and NSC pools, indicating that NSC was maintained independent of variation in photosynthesis and hydraulic function. Our results advance the idea that C depletion is a rare phenomenon due to either active maintenance of NSC pools or sink limitation, and thus question the hypothesis that reductions in C assimilation necessarily lead to C depletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven A Kannenberg
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 East 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Richard P Phillips
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 East 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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Blake-Mahmud J, Struwe L. Death, sex, and sugars: variations in nonstructural carbohydrate concentrations in a sexually plastic tree. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2020; 107:375-382. [PMID: 32080831 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Environmental sex determination (ESD) is a rare sex determination system in which individuals may switch sex expression throughout their lifetimes in response to environmental factors. In sexually stable species, individuals usually bear more female flowers if the plants are larger, have greater access to limiting resources, or are in better condition. Research regarding sexually plastic species with ESD and how resources correlate with sex expression is limited. Furthermore, most research investigates resources at the population level, failing to account for resources available to individuals for growth, maintenance, or reproduction. METHODS Acer pensylvanicum is a species that is known to switch sex. Using twig samples collected during 2014-2016 in December and May, we analyzed resource status in the form of stored nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) and compared this with expressed sex. RESULTS We found that females had higher sugar concentrations than males. Furthermore, males changing expression to female had higher sugar concentrations during the prior winter than did males remaining male. We found that size was not a key predictor: neither male nor female-flowering individuals increased NSC concentrations with size. Dying female trees had high concentrations of NSCs throughout the dying process and only manifested reduced NSCs once dead. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study showing significant correlations between NSCs and sex expression in a plant species with ESD. These findings support the hypothesis that sex switching could be a consequence of increased resource availability and that the high female mortality of A. pensylvanicum populations is likely not a direct result of carbon starvation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Blake-Mahmud
- Princeton Writing Program, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Lena Struwe
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
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Vitali V, Ramirez JA, Perrette G, Delagrange S, Paquette A, Messier C. Complex Above- and Below-Ground Growth Responses of Two Urban Tree Species Following Root, Stem, and Foliage Damage-An Experimental Approach. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1100. [PMID: 31620144 PMCID: PMC6759508 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Urban trees are subjected to numerous biotic and mechanical damages, which can affect their growth rates and health. However, for most species, a systematic analysis of tree above- and below-ground growth reactions to a variety of damages is still lacking. Under a fully factorial experimental setup, using two common urban trees (Celtis occidentalis, Fraxinus pennsylvanica), we tested the effects of various degrees of frequently occurring damage as defoliation, root reduction, and stem injuries for a total of 18 treatments. We hypothesized that (i) an increasing amount of damage would proportionally negatively affect both root and stem growth; (ii) there would be a lag or lasting effect on growth; and (iii) both species would react similarly to the treatments. Contrary to our expectation, increasing levels of single or combined damage did not have an incremental effect on either stem or root growth. Although Celtis was significantly less vigorous than Fraxinus, it did not react strongly to damage treatments compared to the control. Interestingly, Celtis that experienced stem damage alone or in combination with other damages showed higher growth rates than the control. For Celtis, root injury was the treatment having the most impact, decreasing both root and stem growth consistently throughout the 5 years following treatments, whereas defoliation decreased growth only in the first 2 years. All damage treatments negatively affected stem and root growth of Fraxinus trees. Stem growth was affected the most by defoliation in the first year following the treatment, while root injury became the driving factor in subsequent years. For both species, stem injury showed the least influence on growth rates. The control and low-level damage treatments often affected growth rates in a similar way, suggesting that low-intensity stress triggers compensatory reactions stimulating photosynthetic rates and nutrient utilization. The slower-growing tree species, Celtis, showed a less negative reaction to all damage treatments compared to Fraxinus. This study illustrates that various types of above- and below-ground injuries do not have a simple additive effect on tree growth and that trees are capable of compensating for the loss of foliage, roots, or phloem to meet their metabolic demand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Vitali
- Faculté des sciences, Département des sciences biologiques, Centre d’Étude de la Forêt (CEF), Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Jorge A. Ramirez
- Faculté des sciences, Département des sciences biologiques, Centre d’Étude de la Forêt (CEF), Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad del Cauca, Popayán, Colombia
| | - Guillaume Perrette
- Faculté des sciences, Département des sciences biologiques, Centre d’Étude de la Forêt (CEF), Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Sylvain Delagrange
- Institut des Sciences de la Foret Tempérée, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Ripon, Canada
| | - Alain Paquette
- Faculté des sciences, Département des sciences biologiques, Centre d’Étude de la Forêt (CEF), Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Christian Messier
- Faculté des sciences, Département des sciences biologiques, Centre d’Étude de la Forêt (CEF), Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Institut des Sciences de la Foret Tempérée, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Ripon, Canada
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16
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Churakova Sidorova OV, Lehmann MM, Siegwolf RTW, Saurer M, Fonti MV, Schmid L, Timofeeva G, Rinne-Garmston KT, Bigler C. Compound-specific carbon isotope patterns in needles of conifer tree species from the Swiss National Park under recent climate change. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2019; 139:264-272. [PMID: 30925436 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2019.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 02/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Elevated CO2 along with rising temperature and water deficits can lead to changes in tree physiology and leaf biochemistry. These changes can increase heat- and drought-induced tree mortality. We aim to reveal the impacts of climatic drivers on individual compounds at the leaf level among European larch (Larix decidua) and mountain pine (Pinus mugo) trees, which are widely distributed at high elevations. We investigated seasonal carbon isotope composition (δ13C) and concentration patterns of carbohydrates and organic acids in needles of these two different species from a case study in the Swiss National Park (SNP). We found that average and minimum air temperatures were the main climatic drivers of seasonal variation of δ13C in sucrose and glucose as well as in concentrations of carbohydrates and citric acid/citrate in needles of both tree species. The impact of seasonal climatic drivers on larch and mountain pine trees at the needle level is in line with our earlier study in this region for long-term changes at the tree-ring level. We conclude that the species-specific changes in δ13C and concentrations of carbohydrates and organic acids are sensitive indicators of changes in the metabolic pathways occurring as a result of climatic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga V Churakova Sidorova
- Forest Ecology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland; Siberian Federal University, Institute of Ecology and Geography, Laboratory of Ecosystems Biogeochemistry, 660041 Krasnoyarsk, Svobodniy pr 82/6, bld. 25, Russian Federation.
| | - Marco M Lehmann
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Rolf T W Siegwolf
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen - PSI, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Saurer
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen - PSI, Switzerland
| | - Marina V Fonti
- Siberian Federal University, Institute of Ecology and Geography, Laboratory of Ecosystems Biogeochemistry, 660041 Krasnoyarsk, Svobodniy pr 82/6, bld. 25, Russian Federation
| | - Lola Schmid
- Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen - PSI, Switzerland
| | - Galina Timofeeva
- Forest Ecology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland; Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen - PSI, Switzerland
| | - Katja T Rinne-Garmston
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Latokartanonkaari 9, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Christof Bigler
- Forest Ecology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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Rao S, Wu Y, Wang R. Bicarbonate stimulates non-structural carbohydrate pools of Camptotheca acuminata. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2019; 165:780-789. [PMID: 29900556 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.12785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The role of root-derived dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) has been emphasized lately, as it can provide an alternative source of carbon for photosynthesis. The fate of newly fixed DIC and its effect on non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) pools has not been thoroughly elucidated to date. To this end, we used 13 C (NaHCO3 ) as a substrate tracer to investigate the incorporation of newly fixed bicarbonate into the plant organs and NSC compounds of Camptotheca acuminata seedlings for 24 and 72 h. NSC levels across the organs were all markedly increased within 24 h of labeling treatment and afterward only decreased in stems at 72 h. The variation range of NSC concentrations in roots was considerably smaller than in the stem and leaves. As time passed, the δ13 C in NSC compounds was significantly affected by 13 C labeling and was more positive in the roots than in the stem and leaves. Starch was more 13 C-enriched than was soluble carbohydrate, and the δ13 C of root starch was as high as -4.70‰. Bicarbonate incorporation into newly formed NSC compounds contributed up to 0.24% of the root starch within 72 h. These data provided strong evidence that bicarbonate not only acted as a C source that contributed slightly to the NSC pools but also stimulated the increase in NSC pools. The present study expands our understanding of the rapid change of NSC pools across the organs in response to bicarbonate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Rao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanyou Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering Institute, Guiyang University, Guiyang 550005, China
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Weber R, Gessler A, Hoch G. High carbon storage in carbon-limited trees. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 222:171-182. [PMID: 30451299 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The concentrations of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) in plant tissues are commonly used as an indicator of total plant carbon (C) supply; but some evidence suggests the possibility for high NSC concentrations during periods of C limitation. Despite this uncertainty, NSC dynamics have not been investigated experimentally under long-term C limitation. We exposed saplings of 10 temperate tree species differing in shade tolerance to 6% of ambient sunlight for 3 yr to induce C limitation, and also defoliated one species, Carpinus betulus, in the third season. Growth and NSC concentrations were monitored to determine C allocation. Shade strongly reduced growth, but after an initial two-fold decrease, NSC concentrations of shaded saplings recovered to the level of unshaded saplings by the third season. NSC concentrations were generally more depleted under shade after leaf flush, and following herbivore attacks. Only under shade did artificial defoliation lead to mortality and depleted NSC concentrations in surviving individuals. We conclude that, irrespective of shade tolerance, C storage is maintained under prolonged shading, and thus high NSC concentrations can occur during C limitation. Yet, our results also suggest that decreased NSC concentrations are indicative of C limitation, and that additional leaf loss can lead to lethal C shortage in deep shade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Weber
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Arthur Gessler
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Günter Hoch
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
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19
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Furze ME, Huggett BA, Aubrecht DM, Stolz CD, Carbone MS, Richardson AD. Whole-tree nonstructural carbohydrate storage and seasonal dynamics in five temperate species. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 221:1466-1477. [PMID: 30368825 PMCID: PMC6587558 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/25/2018] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Despite the importance of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) for growth and survival in woody plants, we know little about whole-tree NSC storage. The conventional theory suggests that NSC reserves will increase over the growing season and decrease over the dormant season. Here, we compare storage in five temperate tree species to determine the size and seasonal fluctuation of whole-tree total NSC pools as well as the contribution of individual organs. NSC concentrations in the branches, stemwood, and roots of 24 trees were measured across 12 months. We then scaled up concentrations to the whole-tree and ecosystem levels using allometric equations and forest stand inventory data. While whole-tree total NSC pools followed the conventional theory, sugar pools peaked in the dormant season and starch pools in the growing season. Seasonal depletion of total NSCs was minimal at the whole-tree level, but substantial at the organ level, particularly in branches. Surprisingly, roots were not the major storage organ as branches stored comparable amounts of starch throughout the year, and root reserves were not used to support springtime growth. Scaling up NSC concentrations to the ecosystem level, we find that commonly used, process-based ecosystem and land surface models all overpredict NSC storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan E. Furze
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary BiologyHarvard University26 Oxford StCambridgeMA02138USA
| | | | - Donald M. Aubrecht
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary BiologyHarvard University26 Oxford StCambridgeMA02138USA
| | - Claire D. Stolz
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary BiologyHarvard University26 Oxford StCambridgeMA02138USA
| | - Mariah S. Carbone
- Center for Ecosystem Science and SocietyNorthern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffAZ86011USA
- Department of Biological SciencesNorthern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffAZ86011USA
| | - Andrew D. Richardson
- Center for Ecosystem Science and SocietyNorthern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffAZ86011USA
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber SystemsNorthern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffAZ86011USA
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20
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Shi H, Zhou Q, Liu X, Xie F, Li T, Zhang Q, Dang H. Variations in carbon source-sink relationships in subalpine fir across elevational gradients. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2019; 21:64-70. [PMID: 30218502 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Cold-adapted trees display acclimation in both carbon source and carbon sink capacity to low-temperature stress at their upper elevational range limits. Hence a balanced carbon source-sink capacity might be required for their persistence and survival at the elevational tree limits. The present study examined the spatial dynamics of carbon source-sink relationship in subalpine fir (Abies fargesii) trees along elevational gradients in the northern slope of the temperate region and in the southern slope of the subtropics in terms of climate in the Qinling Mountain range, north-central China. The results showed that non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations in both the source and sink tissues increased with the increase in elevation. The ratio of carbon source-sink displayed a consistent decreasing trend with the increase in elevation and during growing season, showing that it was lowest at a ratio of 2.93 in the northern slope and at a ratio of 2.61 in the southern slope at the upper distribution elevations in the late growing season. Such variations of carbon source-sink ratio might be attributable to the balance between carbon source and sink activities, which changed seasonally across the elevational distribution range. We concluded that a ratio of carbon source-sink of at least 2.6 might be essential for subalpine fir trees to persist at their upper range limits. Therefore, a sufficient source-sink ratio and a balanced source-sink relationship might be required for subalpine fir trees to survive and develop at their upper elevational distribution limits.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Shi
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Q Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - X Liu
- Administration of Foping National Nature Reserve, Foping, China
| | - F Xie
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Tibet University, Lhasa, China
| | - T Li
- Administration of Foping National Nature Reserve, Foping, China
| | - Q Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - H Dang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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Piper FI, Hoch G, Fajardo A. Revisiting the relative growth rate hypothesis for gymnosperm and angiosperm species co-occurrence. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2019; 106:101-112. [PMID: 30644532 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY It is unclear to what extent the co-occurrence of angiosperm and gymnosperm species in some marginal ecosystems is explained by reduced growth in angiosperms due to carbon (C) limitation and by high stress tolerance in gymnosperms associated with lack of vessels and resource conservation. METHODS We examined growth patterns and traits associated with C balance in four evergreen angiosperm species (including one vesselless species, Drimys winteri) and three gymnosperm tree species of a cold-temperate rainforest in southern Chile. We measured the mean basal area increment for the first 50 (BAI50 ) and the last 10 years (BAI10 ), wood density, leaf lifespan, and nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations in different organs. KEY RESULTS BAI50 was 6-fold higher in angiosperms than in gymnosperms and ca. 4-fold higher in Drimys than in the fastest-growing gymnosperm. BAI10 and aboveground NSC concentrations were significantly higher and leaf lifespan lower in angiosperms than in gymnosperms; these differences, however, were largely driven by the slow growth and low NSC concentrations of the Cupressaceae species (Pilgerodendron uviferum), while the two Podocarpaceae had BAI10 and NSC concentrations similar to angiosperms. In angiosperms, NSC and starch concentrations were generally higher in species with lower BAI10 , indicating no severe C limitation. CONCLUSIONS The co-occurrence of angiosperms and gymnosperms in cold-temperate rainforests of southern Chile is not explained by growth disadvantages and C limitation in angiosperms. Long leaf longevity, but not lack of vessels, appeared to favor resource conservation and C balance in some gymnosperms (Podocarpaceae).
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Affiliation(s)
- Frida I Piper
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Moraleda 16, Coyhaique, 5951601, Chile
- Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Patagonia, Coyhaique, Chile
| | - Günter Hoch
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alex Fajardo
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Moraleda 16, Coyhaique, 5951601, Chile
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22
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Schönbeck L, Gessler A, Hoch G, McDowell NG, Rigling A, Schaub M, Li MH. Homeostatic levels of nonstructural carbohydrates after 13 yr of drought and irrigation in Pinus sylvestris. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 219:1314-1324. [PMID: 29770969 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) are important for the growth and survival of trees. Drought may lead to a decrease in tree growth and to NSC depletion, whereas increased soil moisture in otherwise dry ecosystems may increase growth and NSC concentrations. A long-term (13 yr) irrigation experiment was conducted in a Pinus sylvestris-dominated forest located at the dry margin of the species in southern Switzerland. We measured the relative leaf area, growth, NSCs, needle δ13 C, [N] and [P] in trees on control and irrigated plots. Irrigation resulted in higher growth rates and carbon isotope discrimination, but did not alter NSC levels. Growth and NSC decreased with decreasing leaf area in both treatments, but NSC did not correlate with leaf-level gas exchange indices, such as foliar δ13 C, [N] or [P]. A legacy effect was shown, as trees with initially low leaf area had limited ability to respond to prolonged irrigation. The NSC constancy across treatments provides evidence that carbohydrate storage may stay constant when climate changes are sufficiently slow to allow acclimation. Moreover, we speculate that total leaf area, rather than leaf gas exchange per unit leaf area, drives the variation in whole-tree carbohydrate dynamics in this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Schönbeck
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Arthur Gessler
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Günter Hoch
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nate G McDowell
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Andreas Rigling
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Marcus Schaub
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Mai-He Li
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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23
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Stem Photosynthesis of Twig and Its Contribution to New Organ Development in Cutting Seedlings of Salix Matsudana Koidz. FORESTS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/f9040207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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24
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Hartmann H, Moura CF, Anderegg WRL, Ruehr NK, Salmon Y, Allen CD, Arndt SK, Breshears DD, Davi H, Galbraith D, Ruthrof KX, Wunder J, Adams HD, Bloemen J, Cailleret M, Cobb R, Gessler A, Grams TEE, Jansen S, Kautz M, Lloret F, O'Brien M. Research frontiers for improving our understanding of drought-induced tree and forest mortality. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 218:15-28. [PMID: 29488280 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence highlights increased mortality risks for trees during severe drought, particularly under warmer temperatures and increasing vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Resulting forest die-off events have severe consequences for ecosystem services, biophysical and biogeochemical land-atmosphere processes. Despite advances in monitoring, modelling and experimental studies of the causes and consequences of tree death from individual tree to ecosystem and global scale, a general mechanistic understanding and realistic predictions of drought mortality under future climate conditions are still lacking. We update a global tree mortality map and present a roadmap to a more holistic understanding of forest mortality across scales. We highlight priority research frontiers that promote: (1) new avenues for research on key tree ecophysiological responses to drought; (2) scaling from the tree/plot level to the ecosystem and region; (3) improvements of mortality risk predictions based on both empirical and mechanistic insights; and (4) a global monitoring network of forest mortality. In light of recent and anticipated large forest die-off events such a research agenda is timely and needed to achieve scientific understanding for realistic predictions of drought-induced tree mortality. The implementation of a sustainable network will require support by stakeholders and political authorities at the international level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Hartmann
- Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knöll Str. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Catarina F Moura
- Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knöll Str. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Faculty of Sciences and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, Campus da Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, Universilty of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Nadine K Ruehr
- Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research - Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - Yann Salmon
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Crew Building, The Kings Buildings, Alexander Crum Brown Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK
- Faculty of Science, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, University of Helsinki, PO Box 68, Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2b, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
- Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 7, PO Box 27, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Craig D Allen
- US Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Centre, New Mexico Landscapes Field Station, Los Alamos, NM, 87544, USA
| | - Stefan K Arndt
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, 3121, Vic., Australia
| | - David D Breshears
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Hendrik Davi
- INRA, URFM Ecologie des Forest Méditerranéennes, Domaine Saint Paul, Site Agroparc, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - David Galbraith
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Katinka X Ruthrof
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Fraser Avenue, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
| | - Jan Wunder
- Insubric Ecosystems Research Group, Community Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, a Ramèl 18, CH-6593, Cadenazzo, Switzerland
- Tree-Ring Laboratory, School of Environment, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Henry D Adams
- Department of Plant Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, 301 Physical Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
| | - Jasper Bloemen
- Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Maxime Cailleret
- Forest Ecology, Department of Environmental Sciences, ETH Zürich. ETH-Zentrum, CHN G77, Universitätstrasse 16, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Richard Cobb
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93407, USA
| | - Arthur Gessler
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Thorsten E E Grams
- Ecophysiology of Plants, Technical University of Munich, Von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Steven Jansen
- Institute of Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus Kautz
- Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research - Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - Francisco Lloret
- CREAF - Centre for Ecological Research and Applied Forestry, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
- Unitat d'Ecologia, Department of Biologia Animal, Biologia Vegetal i Ecologia, Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, Edifici C, Campus UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael O'Brien
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, E-04120 La Cañada, Almería, Spain
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Weber R, Schwendener A, Schmid S, Lambert S, Wiley E, Landhäusser SM, Hartmann H, Hoch G. Living on next to nothing: tree seedlings can survive weeks with very low carbohydrate concentrations. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 218:107-118. [PMID: 29424009 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The usage of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) to indicate carbon (C) limitation in trees requires knowledge of the minimum tissue NSC concentrations at lethal C starvation, and the NSC dynamics during and after severe C limitation. We completely darkened and subsequently released seedlings of two deciduous and two evergreen temperate tree species for varying periods. NSCs were measured in all major organs, allowing assessment of whole-seedling NSC balances. NSCs decreased fast in darkness, but seedlings survived species-specific whole-seedling starch concentrations as low as 0.4-0.8% per dry matter (DM), and sugar (sucrose, glucose and fructose) concentrations as low as 0.5-2.0% DM. After re-illumination, the refilling of NSC pools began within 3 wk, while the resumption of growth was delayed or restricted. All seedlings had died after 12 wk of darkness, and starch and sugar concentrations in most tissues were lower than 1% DM. We conclude that under the applied conditions, tree seedlings can survive several weeks with very low NSC reserves probably also using alternative C sources like lipids, proteins or hemicelluloses; lethal C starvation cannot be assumed, if NSC concentrations are higher than the minimum concentrations found in surviving seedlings; and NSC reformation after re-illumination occurs preferentially over growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Weber
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, Basel, 4056, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Schwendener
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, Basel, 4056, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Schmid
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, Basel, 4056, Switzerland
| | - Savoyane Lambert
- Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knöll Strasse 10, Jena, 07745, Germany
| | - Erin Wiley
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - Simon M Landhäusser
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - Henrik Hartmann
- Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knöll Strasse 10, Jena, 07745, Germany
| | - Günter Hoch
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, Basel, 4056, Switzerland
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Wiley E, Hoch G, Landhäusser SM. Dying piece by piece: carbohydrate dynamics in aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedlings under severe carbon stress. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2017; 68:5221-5232. [PMID: 29036658 PMCID: PMC5853906 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erx342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Carbon starvation as a mechanism of tree mortality is poorly understood. We exposed seedlings of aspen (Populus tremuloides) to complete darkness at 20 or 28 °C to identify minimum non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations at which trees die and to see if these levels vary between organs or with environmental conditions. We also first grew seedlings under different shade levels to determine if size affects survival time under darkness due to changes in initial NSC concentration and pool size and/or respiration rates. Darkness treatments caused a gradual dieback of tissues. Even after half the stem had died, substantial starch reserves were still present in the roots (1.3-3% dry weight), indicating limitations to carbohydrate remobilization and/or transport during starvation in the absence of water stress. Survival time decreased with increased temperature and with increasing initial shade level, which was associated with smaller biomass, higher respiration rates, and initially smaller NSC pool size. Dead tissues generally contained no starch, but sugar concentrations were substantially above zero and differed between organs (~2% in stems up to ~7.5% in leaves) and, at times, between temperature treatments and initial, pre-darkness shade treatments. Minimum root NSC concentrations were difficult to determine because dead roots quickly began to decompose, but we identify 5-6% sugar as a potential threshold for living roots. This variability may complicate efforts to identify critical NSC thresholds below which trees starve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Wiley
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
- Correspondence:
| | - Günter Hoch
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Caignard T, Kremer A, Firmat C, Nicolas M, Venner S, Delzon S. Increasing spring temperatures favor oak seed production in temperate areas. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8555. [PMID: 28819191 PMCID: PMC5561138 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09172-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The changes in reproductive phenology (i.e. timing of flowering and fruiting) observed in recent decades demonstrate that tree reproduction has already been altered by climate change. However, understanding the impact of these changes in reproductive success and fitness remains a major challenge for ecologists. We describe here a previously unreported phenomenon: a significant increase in the reproductive effort (seed production) of temperate oaks with increasing spring temperature, observed over the last decade. In contrast, no relationship was found between seed production and precipitation. This sensitivity of seed production to temperature was confirmed by a "space-for-time" substitution based on elevation gradients. Our findings suggest that global warming may enhance oak reproductive effort in temperate ecosystems. Nevertheless, while fitness can be enhanced by higher levels of seed production, it also depends on the frequency and synchronization of mast seeding production, which may also be influenced by climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cyril Firmat
- BIOGECO, INRA, Univ. Bordeaux, 33615, Pessac, France
- INRA, URP3F, RD150, Site du Chêne, BP 86006, 86600, Lusignan, France
| | - Manuel Nicolas
- Office National des Forêts, Département recherche-développement-innovation, Boulevard de Constance, 77300, Fontainebleau, France
| | - Samuel Venner
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR 5558-CNRS, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, F-69365, Lyon, France
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28
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Piper FI, Fajardo A, Hoch G. Single-provenance mature conifers show higher non-structural carbohydrate storage and reduced growth in a drier location. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 37:1001-1010. [PMID: 28549182 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpx061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Since growth is more sensitive to drought than photosynthesis, trees inhabiting dry regions are expected to exhibit higher carbohydrate storage and less growth than their conspecifics from more humid regions. However, the same pattern can be the result of different genotypes inhabiting contrasting humidity conditions. To test if reduced growth and high carbohydrate storage are environmentally driven by drought, we examined the growth and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations in single-provenance stands of mature trees of Pinus contorta Douglas and Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex C. Lawson planted at contrasting humidity conditions (900 versus 300 mm of annual precipitation) in Patagonia, Chile. Individual tree growth was measured for each species and at each location as mean basal area increment of the last 10 years (BAI10), annual shoot elongation for the period 2011-14, and needle length for 2013 and 2014 cohorts. Additionally, needle, branch, stem sapwood and roots were collected from each sampled tree to determine soluble sugars, starch and total NSC concentrations. The two species showed lower mean BAI10 and 2013 needle length in the dry site; P. ponderosa also had lower annual shoot extension for 2011 and 2014, and lower 2014 needle length, in the dry than in the mesic site. By contrast, NSC concentrations of all woody tissues for both species were either similar or higher in the dry site when compared with the mesic site. Patterns of starch and sugars were substantially different: starch concentrations were similar between sites except for roots of P. ponderosa, which were higher in the dry site, while sugar concentrations of all woody tissues in both species were higher in the dry site. Overall, our study provides evidence that reduced growth along with carbon (C) accumulation is an environmentally driven response to drought. Furthermore, the significant accumulation of low-molecular weight sugars in the dry site is compatible with a prioritized C allocation for osmoregulation. However, since this accumulation did not come at the expense of reduced starch, it is unlikely that growth was limited by C supply in the dry site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frida I Piper
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Moraleda 16, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
- Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Patagonia, Camino Coyhaique Alto Km 4, Coyhaique, Chile
| | - Alex Fajardo
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Moraleda 16, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
- Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Patagonia, Camino Coyhaique Alto Km 4, Coyhaique, Chile
| | - Günter Hoch
- Department of Environmental Sciences-Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
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29
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Schmid S, Palacio S, Hoch G. Growth reduction after defoliation is independent of CO 2 supply in deciduous and evergreen young oaks. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 214:1479-1490. [PMID: 28240369 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Reduced productivity of trees after defoliation might be caused by limited carbon (C) availability. We investigated the combined effect of different atmospheric CO2 concentrations (160, 280 and 560 ppm) and early season defoliation on the growth and C reserves (nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC)) of saplings of two oak species with different leaf habits (deciduous Quercus petraea and evergreen Quercus ilex). In both species, higher CO2 supply significantly enhanced growth. Defoliation had a strong negative impact on growth (stronger for Q. ilex), but the relative reduction of growth caused by defoliation within each CO2 treatment was very similar across all three CO2 concentrations. Low CO2 and defoliation led to decreased NSC tissue concentrations mainly in the middle of the growing season in Q. ilex, but not in Q. petraea. However, also in Q. ilex, NSC increased in woody tissues in defoliated and low-CO2 saplings towards the end of the growing season. Although the saplings were C limited under these specific experimental conditions, growth reduction after defoliation was not directly caused by C limitation. Rather, growth of trees followed a strong allometric relationship between total leaf area and conductive woody tissue, which did not change across species, CO2 concentrations and defoliation treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Schmid
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland
| | - Sara Palacio
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecologia (IPE-CSIC), Av. Nuestra Señora de la Victoria, 16, Jaca, 22700, Spain
| | - Günter Hoch
- Department of Environmental Sciences - Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland
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Carbohydrate reserves in the facilitator cushion plant Laretia acaulis suggest carbon limitation at high elevation and no negative effects of beneficiary plants. Oecologia 2017; 183:997-1006. [PMID: 28233055 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3840-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The elevational range of the alpine cushion plant Laretia acaulis (Apiaceae) comprises a cold upper extreme and a dry lower extreme. For this species, we predict reduced growth and increased non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations (i.e. carbon sink limitation) at both elevational extremes. In a facilitative interaction, these cushions harbor other plant species (beneficiaries). Such interactions appear to reduce reproduction in other cushion species, but not in L. acaulis. However, vegetative effects may be more important in this long-lived species and may be stronger under marginal conditions. We studied growth and NSC concentrations in leaves and stems of L. acaulis collected from cushions along its full elevational range in the Andes of Central Chile. NSC concentrations were lowest and cushions were smaller and much less abundant at the highest elevation. At the lowest elevation, NSC concentrations and cushion sizes were similar to those of intermediate elevations but cushions were somewhat less abundant. NSC concentrations and growth did not change with beneficiary cover at any elevation. Lower NSC concentrations at the upper extreme contradict the sink-limitation hypothesis and may indicate that a lack of warmth is not limiting growth at high-elevation. At the lower extreme, carbon gain and growth do not appear more limiting than at intermediate elevations. The lower population density at both extremes suggests that the regeneration niche exerts important limitations to this species' distribution. The lack of an effect of beneficiaries on reproduction and vegetative performance suggests that the interaction between L. acaulis and its beneficiaries is probably commensalistic.
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31
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Allen RB, Millard P, Richardson SJ. A Resource Centric View of Climate and Mast Seeding in Trees. PROGRESS IN BOTANY VOL. 79 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/124_2017_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Martínez-Vilalta J, Sala A, Asensio D, Galiano L, Hoch G, Palacio S, Piper FI, Lloret F. Dynamics of non-structural carbohydrates in terrestrial plants: a global synthesis. ECOL MONOGR 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 319] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Martínez-Vilalta
- CREAF; Cerdanyola del Vallès E-08193 Barcelona Spain
- Universitat Autònoma Barcelona; Cerdanyola del Vallès E-08193 Barcelona Spain
| | - Anna Sala
- Division of Biological Sciences; University of Montana; Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | | | - Lucía Galiano
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL; CH-8903 Birmensdorf Switzerland
- Institute of Hydrology; University of Freiburg; Freiburg D-79098 Germany
| | - Günter Hoch
- Department of Environmental Sciences-Botany; University of Basel; 4056 Basel Switzerland
| | - Sara Palacio
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC); Avenida Nuestra Señora de la Victoria 16 22700 Jaca Spain
| | - Frida I. Piper
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP); Simpson 471 Coyhaique Chile
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad; Las Palmeras 3425 Santiago Chile
| | - Francisco Lloret
- CREAF; Cerdanyola del Vallès E-08193 Barcelona Spain
- Universitat Autònoma Barcelona; Cerdanyola del Vallès E-08193 Barcelona Spain
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Piper FI, Fajardo A. Carbon dynamics of Acer pseudoplatanus seedlings under drought and complete darkness. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 36:1400-1408. [PMID: 27539732 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpw063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 06/18/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Carbon (C) storage is considered a key component to plant survival under drought and shade, although the combined effects of these factors on survival remain poorly understood. We investigated how drought and shade alter the C dynamics and survival of tree seedlings, and whether drought limits the access to or usage of stored C. We experimentally applied two levels of soil humidity (well-watered versus drought, the latter induced by dry-down) and light availability (light versus complete darkness) on 1-year-old seedlings of Acer pseudoplatanus L. for 3 months. We quantified the survival, biomass, growth rate and non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) of seedlings at their time of death or at the end of the experiment for those that survived. We found that the soil dried out faster when drought was combined with light than when it was combined with complete darkness. Seedlings subjected to both drought and light showed reduced growth and reached 100% mortality earlier than any other treatment, with the highest NSC concentrations at the time of death. Seedlings exposed to both drought and complete darkness died significantly earlier than seedlings exposed to complete darkness only, but had similar NSC concentrations at time of their death, suggesting that drought accelerated the use of stored C under complete darkness. Complete darkness significantly reduced seedling growth and whole-plant NSC concentrations regardless of soil humidity, while root NSC concentrations were significantly more reduced when complete darkness was combined with drought conditions. Thus, the C dynamics in A. pseudoplatanus seedlings under complete darkness was not hindered by drought, i.e., the access and use of stored C was not limited by drought. The contrasting growth and C storage responses driven by drought under light versus complete darkness are consistent with a key role of the drought progression in the C dynamics of trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frida I Piper
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP) Almirante Simpson 471, 5951822 Coyhaique, Chile
- Instituto Milenio de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), 7800003 Santiago, Chile
| | - Alex Fajardo
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP) Almirante Simpson 471, 5951822 Coyhaique, Chile
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Hartmann H, Trumbore S. Understanding the roles of nonstructural carbohydrates in forest trees - from what we can measure to what we want to know. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2016; 211:386-403. [PMID: 27061438 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 264] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Contents 386 I. 386 II. 388 III. 392 IV. 392 V. 396 VI. 399 399 References 399 SUMMARY: Carbohydrates provide the building blocks for plant structures as well as versatile resources for metabolic processes. The nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC), mainly sugars and starch, fulfil distinct functional roles, including transport, energy metabolism and osmoregulation, and provide substrates for the synthesis of defence compounds or exchange with symbionts involved in nutrient acquisition or defence. At the whole-plant level, NSC storage buffers the asynchrony of supply and demand on diel, seasonal or decadal temporal scales and across plant organs. Despite its central role in plant function and in stand-level carbon cycling, our understanding of storage dynamics, its controls and response to environmental stresses is very limited, even after a century of research. This reflects the fact that often storage is defined by what we can measure, that is, NSC concentrations, and the interpretation of these as a proxy for a single function, storage, rather than the outcome of a range of NSC source and sink functions. New isotopic tools allow direct quantification of timescales involved in NSC dynamics, and show that NSC-C fixed years to decades previously is used to support tree functions. Here we review recent advances, with emphasis on the context of the interactions between NSC, drought and tree mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Hartmann
- Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knöll Str. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Susan Trumbore
- Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knöll Str. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
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35
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Pringle EG. Integrating plant carbon dynamics with mutualism ecology. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2016; 210:71-75. [PMID: 26414800 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Plants reward microbial and animal mutualists with carbohydrates to obtain nutrients, defense, pollination, and dispersal. Under a fixed carbon budget, plants must allocate carbon to their mutualists at the expense of allocation to growth, reproduction, or storage. Such carbon trade-offs are indirectly expressed when a plant exhibits reduced growth or fecundity in the presence of its mutualist. Because carbon regulates the costs of all plant mutualisms, carbon dynamics are a common platform for integrating these costs in the face of ecological complexity and context dependence. The ecophysiology of whole-plant carbon allocation could thus elucidate the ecology and evolution of plant mutualisms. If mutualisms are costly to plants, then they must be important but frequently underestimated sinks in the terrestrial carbon cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth G Pringle
- Michigan Society of Fellows, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Present address: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Beutenberg Campus, Hans-Knoell-Strasse 8, Jena, 07745, Germany
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36
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Allen CD, Breshears DD, McDowell NG. On underestimation of global vulnerability to tree mortality and forest die-off from hotter drought in the Anthropocene. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es15-00203.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1345] [Impact Index Per Article: 149.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
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