Water relations and morphological development of bare-root jack pine and white spruce seedlings: seedling establishment on a boreal cut-over site

Bare-root jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) seedlings were planted on a boreal cut-over site and subsequent growth and seedling water relation patterns were monitored over the first growing season. Comparison of morphological development between white spruce and jack pine showed jack pine seedlings had greater new root development and a lower new shoot/new root ratio, while white spruce seedlings had greater new shoot development. Seasonal water relation patterns showed white spruce seedlings to have a greater decrease in xylem pressure potential (_x) per unit increase in transpirational flux density in comparison to jack pine seedlings. These results suggest that the greater resistance to water flow through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum in white spruce seedlings compared to jack pine seedlings may be due to the relative lack of new root development in white spruce. Stomatal response of the seedlings showed that as absolute humidity deficit between the needles and air (AHD) increased, needle conductance (gwv) decreased in both species, but at low AHD levels white spruce had gwv approximately 35% higher than jack pine. For white spruce seedlings, gwv decreased as _x became more negative in a predictable curvilinear manner, while gwv of jack pine seedlings responded to _x with a threshold closure phenomenon at approximately - 1.75 MPa. Tissue water potential components for jack pine and white spruce seedlings at the beginning and end of the growing season showed jack pine to reach turgor loss at 76% relative water content while white spruce reached turgor loss at 88% relative water content. White spruce seedlings showed osmotic adjustment over the growing season, with an osmotic potential at turgor loss of - 1.27 MPa and - 1.92 MPa at the beginning and end of the growing season, respectively. Jack pine did not show any osmotic adjustment over the growing season. The implication of morphological development on water relation patterns are discussed with reference to successful seedling establishment.     

Acquired thermotolerance of jack pine, white spruce and black spruce seedlings

The acquired thermotolerance of first-year seedlings of jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) hardened at 36, 38, 40 or 42 degrees C for 90, 180 or 360 minutes and of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) hardened at 34, 36, 38 or 40 degrees C for 30, 90, 180 or 360 minutes was determined by comparison of needle damage to that of non-hardened seedlings (25 degrees C) following exposure to temperatures of 49 and 47.5 degrees C, respectively. Compared to seedlings kept at 25 degrees C, heat injury sustained from exposure to high temperatures was markedly reduced following hardening for 180 minutes at 36 and 38 degrees C in jack pine and black spruce, respectively. Increasing the exposure time at 36 degrees C in jack pine, and at 36 to 40 degrees C in black spruce, also reduced needle damage. The duration of increased thermotolerance was investigated in jack pine, black spruce and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) by comparing heat injury from high temperatures in non-hardened seedlings and in seedlings hardened at 38 degrees C for 180 minutes a day for either 1, 3 or 6 days. In all three species, the duration of acquired thermotolerance increased with the number of days of heat hardening. For jack pine and white spruce seedlings hardened at 38 degrees C for 6 days, increased thermotolerance persisted for at least 14 and 10 days, respectively, after the end of the hardening treatment. In contrast, the thermotolerance of black spruce seedlings hardened at 38 degrees C for 6 days remained elevated for only 4 days.     

多重复干旱循环对北美短叶松和黑云杉苗木气体交换及水分利用效率的影响

本文研究了多重复干旱循环对１年生北美短叶松（ＰｉｎｕｓｂａｎｋｓｉａｎａＬａｍｂ．）和黑云杉（Ｐｉｃｅａｍａｒｉａｎａ［Ｍｉｌ］Ｂ．Ｓ．Ｄ．）苗木的气体交换速率及水分利用效率的影响。结果表面，多重干旱循环对它们的气体交换（Ｃｓ，Ｐｎ，Ｔｒ）有显著影响（Ｐ＜０．５），而对其水分利用效率（ＷＵＥ）影响不大（Ｐ＞０．１）。尽管北美短叶松的气孔对轻度干旱胁迫不如黑云杉敏感，但是它对中度及严重干旱胁迫的敏感程度却高于黑云杉。在轻度及中度干旱胁迫下，北美短叶松的光合作用主要受非气孔因素的影响，而黑云杉则主要受气孔因素的影响。解除干旱胁迫后，黑云杉的气孔敏感性、光合能力及水分利用效率的恢复都要比北美短叶松更快．我们认为，延迟脱水是北美短叶松的主要耐旱机理，而忍耐脱水则是黑云杉重要的耐旱途径。轻度的干旱胁迫锻炼可以帮助北美短叶松在更严重的干旱胁迫下保持固有而较强的耐旱能力。然而，通过多重复干旱循环锻炼后黑云杉在改善耐旱能力的强度方面则大于北美短叶松     

Accumulation of free amino acids in the shoots and roots of three northern conifers during drought

The effects of drought on the free amino acid pools in 21- to 23-week-old seedlings of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) Britt.), white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench.) Voss) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) were followed during soil drying. Although water and pressure potentials were sensitive to water deficits, large changes in osmotic potential were not recorded until after the development of severe drought. Total soluble amino nitrogen in the shoots and roots of the three species rose as turgor declined, with peak concentrations attained late in the drought period when the pressure potentials of the shoots approached zero. All white spruce seedlings were alive at zero turgor and showed large decrements in osmotic potential, but concentrations of free amino nitrogen in the roots and shoots showed only modest increases, reaching 125 to 150% of their control values. In contrast, large numbers of black spruce and jack pine were dead or severely damaged at zero turgor, and only small changes in osmotic potential were detected during soil drying. Nevertheless, concentrations of soluble amino nitrogen in both species reached 150 to 200% of control values a few days before the seedlings died. Alanine, arginine, aspartic acid/asparagine, glutamic acid/glutamine, glycine, hydroxyproline and proline were the major components of the free amino acid pools under both water-stressed and non-stressed conditions, with the largest and most consistent increases observed in the roots of all three conifers. Although proline was an important and dynamic component of the free pools, absolute concentrations were commony equalled or exceeded by other free amino acids in the roots and shoots and nearly always exceeded by the concentration of aspartic acid/asparagine in both tissues. Differences in drought resistance among the three conifers were not reflected by unique patterns of amino acid accumulation or by large differences in absolute concentrations of the free amino acid pools.     

Planting stress in newly planted jack pine and white spruce. 2. Changes in tissue water potential components

Water relations of bare-root jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) planted in a greenhouse and on a boreal cut-over site were examined during the first growing season. In field-planted trees, maximum stomatal conductances (g(wv)) were initially low (< 0.10 cm s(-1)). Base and minimum xylem pressure potentials (Psi(x(base)) and Psi(x(min))) were less than -1.5 and -1.7 MPa for jack pine and -2.0 and -2.6 MPa for white spruce, respectively. During the growing season, maximum g(wv) increased in both species to around 0.2 cm s(-1). Base and minimum xylem pressure potentials also increased in both species to around -0.5 and -1.0 MPa in jack pine and -1.0 and -1.5 MPa in white spruce, respectively. Minimum xylem pressure potentials in white spruce fell below the turgor loss point during the first half of the growing season. Osmotic potential at the turgor loss point Psi(pi(TLP)) decreased after field planting to around -2.7 and -2.3 MPa in jack pine and white spruce, respectively. In the greenhouse, minimum values of Psi(pi(TLP)) were -2.2 and -2.3 MPa in jack pine and white spruce, respectively. Maximum bulk modulus of elasticity was greater in white spruce and underwent greater seasonal change than in jack pine. Relative water content (RWC) at turgor loss ranged between 71 and 74% in jack pine and 80 and 87% in white spruce. Available turgor (T(avail)), defined as the integral of turgor over the range of RWC between Psi(x(base)) and xylem pressure potential at the turgor loss point, was similar in jack pine and white spruce just after field planting. For the rest of the growing season, however, T(avail) in jack pine was two to three times that in white spruce. Diurnal turgor (T(diurnal)), defined as the integral of turgor over the range of RWC between Psi(x(base)) and Psi(x(min)), as a percent of T(avail) was higher in field-planted white spruce than jack pine until the end of the season. Dynamics of tissue water potential components are discussed in relation to plantation establishment.     

Cone traits of jack pine and black spruce in young seedling seed orchards

The number of fertile and infertile scales, filled and empty seeds, cone volume, seed efficiency and the incidence of insect and disease damage to seed were evaluated for seven jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb) and six black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) seedling seed orchards in northern Ontario, Canada. On average, the seed potential of jack pine and black spruce cones was 50 and 82 seeds, respectively. Cone volume and the number of fertile scales were under strong genetic control and well correlated with one another for both species. Seed efficiency values were high for jack pine (60%) but poor for black spruce (24%). The incidence of seed insect damage was less than 2.5% for both species and nil for seed diseases.     

Morphological characteristics associated with tolerance to competition from herbaceous vegetation for seedlings of jack pine,black spruce,and white pine

Tolerance of bareroot and container-grown seedlings of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) to competition from herbaceous vegetation was examined in the first five years after planting on a site in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence forest of Ontario, Canada. Shoot and root morphological characteristics of various stocktypes were measured before planting and correlated with 5-year survival and growth following control and no control of herbaceous vegetation. For black spruce and jack pine, medium-sized bareroot stocktypes had greater relative 5-year stem volume growth in the presence of herbaceous vegetation than did container stock of either species or large bareroot stock of spruce. Relative volume growth was measured as the ratio of the cumulative stem volume increment in the presence of vegetation (Veg) to that in the absence of vegetation (NoVeg), i.e., the Veg:NoVeg ratio. In white pine, the Veg:NoVeg ratio of volume increment of medium container and large bareroot stocktypes exceeded that of small container and medium bareroot stocktypes. In jack pine, root collar diameter at planting and number of first-order lateral roots were positively correlated with 5-year Veg:NoVeg ratio of volume increment. In white pine, the Veg:NoVeg ratio was also positively correlated with root collar diameter at planting and with root volume. In black spruce, the ratio was not related to pre-plant morphology. Thus, for white pine and jack pine, certain pre-plant morphological features may be useful in forecasting the relative ability of different stocktypes to grow under herbaceous competition conditions in the field.     

Water relation patterns of bare-root and container jack pine and black spruce seedlings planted on boreal cut-over sites

Water relation patterns and subsequent growth were studied on bare-root and container jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) seedlings during the first growing season on boreal cut-over sites.Containerized seedlings of both species had greater needle conductance compared to bare-root seedlings over a range of absolute humidity deficits. Needle conductance of containerized seedlings in both species remained high during periods of high absolute humidity deficits and increasing plant moisture stress. Bare-root seedlings of both species had a greater early season resistance to water-flow through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) than container seedlings. Resistance to water flow through the SPAC decreased in bare-noot seedlings of both species as the growing season progressed, and was comparable to container seedlings 9 through 14 weeks after planting. Four weeks after field planting jack pine container seedlings had greater new root development compared to bare-root seedlings, while at the end of the summer both stock types had similar new root development. Black spruce bare-root seedlings had greater new root development compared with container seedlings throughout the growing season.     

Relationships among drought resistance, transpiration rates, and abscisic acid levels in three northern conifers

Water potentials, transpiration rates and abscisic acid (ABA) levels in shoots of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP), white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) seedlings were monitored during periods of drought and recovery from drought. Abscisic acid contents of shoots increased during the period of drought as water potentials decreased. The increase in levels of ABA was closely associated with a decrease in rates of transpiration. In the spruces, the levels of ABA peaked and then fell while plant water potentials continued to decrease, whereas in jack pine, the level of ABA rose throughout the drought treatment. After rewatering, the levels of ABA in all three conifers fell concurrent with a rise in transpiration rates. At the end of the three-day recovery period, ABA levels and transpiration rates in the spruces were either at or near control levels, whereas the concentration of ABA in jack pine remained approximately twice the control level, and transpiration was only 60% of the control rate. A compound tentatively identified as phaseic acid followed trends similar to those for ABA.     

Paclobutrazol affects the resistance of black spruce to high light and thermal stress

Detached needles from 20-week-old black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) seedlings root-drenched with 60 mg of paclobutrazol were exposed to two temperatures (22 and 50 degrees C) and two light treatments (100 and 1900 &mgr;mol m(-2) s(-1) PAR) in a factorial combination for 4 h in vitro. Mean dry weights of individual needles from paclobutrazol-treated plants were approximately 1.9 times heavier than that of needles from untreated controls at 22 degrees C, but no differences were observed following incubation at 50 degrees C. Numbers of cells per needle remained constant in all treatments. Chlorophyll and carotenoid contents per needle were higher in seedlings treated with paclobutrazol than in untreated control seedlings, and the differences were most pronounced in the high temperature plus high light treatment. In low light at 50 degrees C, quantum efficiency of photosystem II was 45% higher in needles of paclobutrazol-treated seedlings than in needles of untreated control seedlings, but quantum efficiency of needles from treated seedlings declined when needles were exposed to high light at either temperature. Peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities were up-regulated by paclobutrazol, whereas catalase activities were depressed and no significant differences were observed between treated and control needles at 50 degrees C in either light treatment. Paclobutrazol treatment did not moderate the depressive effects of high temperature on total soluble protein or on the activity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase. In contrast, high activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase were maintained in paclobutrazol-treated needles under all stress conditions, whereas large losses in activity were recorded in untreated needles at 50 degrees C. Collectively, these observations suggest that paclobutrazol treatment may convey resistance to excessive light and high temperatures by increasing the potential of conifers to limit damage caused by oxidative stress.     

Detection and quantification of changes in membrane-associated calcium in red spruce saplings exposed to acid fog

Five-year-old red spruce saplings (Picea rubens Sarg.) were exposed to either (1) acid fog consisting of a mixture of H(2)SO(4) and HNO(3) adjusted to pH 2.5, (2) distilled-water fog at pH 5.6, or (3) no fog (dry control) for 3.5 hours per day, five times a week during the 1996 and 1997 growing seasons. The effect of fog on cell membrane-associated calcium (mCa) of leaf mesophyll cells was investigated with the fluorescence probe chlortetracycline (CTC). In both years, mean mCa concentrations were significantly less in needles exposed to acid fog than in needles exposed to distilled-water fog or in untreated needles. In 1997, acid-fog treatment resulted in 25 and 12% reductions in mCa in current-year needles, and 18 and 15% reductions in 1-year-old needles, compared with untreated needles and needles exposed to distilled-water fog, respectively, indicating that acid deposition induced calcium leaching from the membranes of photosynthetic mesophyll cells. Exposure to distilled-water fog also led to reductions in mCa in young needles, suggesting that water films on needle surfaces can induce losses by diffusion between the needle interior and surface. Consistent with the chamber studies, field data obtained from red spruce trees at two sites in Maine showed that low mCa concentrations in needles were associated with exposure to acid fog.     

Determining thresholds of low soil temperature for ecophysiological traits of black spruce and jack pine seedlings

Many studies have estimated approximately ranges of thresholds of low soil temperature in the growth and ecophysiological traits of trees, but difficultly determined the exact values. To resolve the problem, black spruce (Picea mariana) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana) seedlings were exposed to 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C soil temperature in greenhouses. After 90 days of the treatment, net photosynthetic rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E), water use efficiency (WUE) and specific l...     

Relationship between nuclear DNA markers and physiological parameters in Sitka x interior spruce populations

Eight populations of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) and interior spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss x Picea engelmannii Parry ex. Engelm.) seedlings were sampled from a zone of Sitka-interior spruce introgression in British Columbia, Canada. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) were used to define species-specific hybridization patterns for the Sitka spruce and interior spruce populations. Hybridization was estimated from an index based on the relative abundance of polymorphic rDNA combining bands for each population. Sitka x interior hybrid seedlings had an index value for the relative abundance of interior spruce rDNA (Si-rDNA) ranging from 0.07 (Lower Nass; the most westerly collected source) to 0.95 (Bulkley Valley low-elevation seed orchard). During shoot elongation, osmotic potential at saturation (Psi(sat)) and turgor loss point (Psi(tlp)) increased, whereas total turgor (Psi(PTotal)) decreased. After bud set in the summer and throughout the fall, Psi(sat) and Psi(tlp) decreased, whereas Psi(PTotal) increased. At all times of year, populations with a higher Si-rDNA index had lower Psi(tlp) and Psi(sat) and higher Psi(PTotal) than populations with a lower Si-rDNA index. During the fall, Sitka x interior hybrid seedlings exhibited a seasonal decline in the temperature causing 50% needle electrolyte leakage (LT(50)) and in the critical temperature indicating the initial point of freezing injury. Seedlings with a higher Si-rDNA index had lower LT(50) and critical temperature values indicating greater freezing tolerance in the fall. Throughout most of the year, seedling population Si-rDNA index was related to the degree of drought and freezing tolerance.     

Site preparation: Water relations and growth of newly planted jack pine and white spruce

Bareroot jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) were planted near Elliot Lake, Ontario, on a boreal reforestation site. Site preparation treatments were mixed, mineral and undisturbed (i.e., control) soil. Seedling water relations and growth were examined during the first field season. During the first 28 days after planting, jack pine base (i.e., predawn) and minimum xylem water potential readings were more negative in the control site preparation treatment. White spruce, during the first 10 days, in all site preparation treatments had base and minimum xylem water potential readings more negative than –1.7 MPa. By day 28 base xylem water potentials of white spruce had increased to approximately –1.0 MPa in all site preparation treatments. As the growing season progressed, white spruce minimum xylem water potential readings ceased exceeding the measured turgor loss point first in the mixed followed by the mineral and then control site preparation treatment. Jack pine minimum xylem water potential readings, in all site preparation treatments, almost never exceeded the measured turgor loss point. Water stress and stomatal optimization integrals, day 28 and 125, for both species showed least water stress and greater stomatal optimization in the mixed, mineral and control site preparation treatments, respectively. Both species had less new root growth in the field during the first 28 days after planting compared to seedlings grown for 28 days in a greenhouse for root growth capacity testing. Root growth at 28 days and both shoot and root development at the end of the growing season, were greatest to least in mixed, mineral, and control site preparation treatments, respectively.     

Boron retranslocation in Scots pine and Norway spruce

We previously traced 10B-enriched boric acid from shoots to roots to demonstrate the translocation of boron (B) in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings. To gain a more detailed understanding of B translocation, we sought: (1) to demonstrate B retranslocation directly, by showing that foliar-applied 10B is located in the new growth after dormancy; and (2) to assess whether shoot-applied B affects growth in the long term. We applied 10B-enriched boric acid to needles of Scots pine and Norway spruce seedlings. After a dormancy period and 9 weeks of growth, small but significant increases in the 10B isotope were found in the new stem and needles of both species. In Scots pine, the total B concentration of the new stem was also increased. Both species contained polyols, particularly pinitol and inositol. Boron-polyol complexes may provide a mechanism for mobilizing B in these species. To determine the long-term effects of applied B, seedlings were grown for two growing seasons after the application of 10B to shoots. In Norway spruce, the proportion of 10B in the root systems and current needles of the harvest year was slightly higher than in the controls, and in Scots pine root systems, marginally so. The B treatment had no effect on growth of Norway spruce seedlings. In Scots pine seedlings, the B treatment caused a 33% increase in total dry mass and significantly increased the number of side branches.     

Stem deformation in young plantations of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) in the boreal forest of Quebec,Canada

Stem deformation has often been observed in young black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) plantations. Whenever important stem deformations are observed at the time of harvesting, timber value is negatively affected especially during the wood transformation process. The present work was undertaken to quantify and qualify the importance of stem deformation of black spruce and jack pine in the boreal forest of central Quebec at the stand and tree levels. In 30 black spruce and jack pine plantations, approximately 22% of spruce trees and 27% of pine trees exhibited stem deformation. The proportion of deformed trees was higher in the youngest plantations and decreased with the age of the plantations. Stem deformation caused the formation of compression wood which is another factor that can reduce the value of wood products. Thirty-nine black spruces and 34 jack pines were analysed at the tree level. On average, compression wood represented 14% and 20% of stem volume in 7- and 10-year old black spruce plantations, respectively. These proportions ranged from 18% in the youngest jack pine plantation to 26% in the oldest one. Stems of both species classified as normal contained a lower volume of compression wood than stems classified as deformed or very deformed. Annual percentages of compression wood and annual shoot length increased significantly with tree age (p < 0.0001 for both variables). Statistically significant correlations were also found between the range of displacement of the stem and the percentage of compression wood. The fewer number of trees with deformed stems in older plantations combined with high compression wood formation suggests that, over time, a deformed tree can become normal and straight in appearance.     

Effect of early transplanting upon growth and development of spruce and pine seedlings in paperpot containers

Black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) seedlings were transplanted into Japanese paperpots at five different stages of development between the occurrence of an erect hypocotyl and 14 days after initiation of primary needles. Transplanting difficulty increased between the first and last treatments, and transplanting generally became impracticable after the stage of primary-needle initiation. Transplanting had a relatively minor effect on the eventual size of 12-week-old pine and 16-week-old spruce seedlings, although the incidence of root deformities inside the container increased rapidly as transplanting was delayed beyond the erect-hypocotyl stage. These deformities persisted after seedlings were outplanted, but did not appear to have a negative effect on the subsequent growth of new roots into the planting medium. Despite the absence of major adverse effects, it is recommended that transplanting be avoided as a routine practice for supplementing stocking in trays of containerized seedlings because of possible biological risks, the difficulty of ensuring careful transplanting and high labor costs.     

Responses of black spruce (Picea mariana) and tamarack (Larix laricina) to flooding and ethylene

Black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) and tamarack (Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch) are the predominant tree species in the boreal peatlands of Alberta, Canada, where low nutrient availability, low soil temperature and a high water table limit their growth. Effects of flooding for 28 days on morphological and physiological responses were investigated in greenhouse-grown black spruce and tamarack seedlings in a growth chamber. Flooding reduced root hydraulic conductance, net assimilation rate and stomatal conductance, and increased water-use efficiency (WUE) and needle electrolyte leakage in both species. Although flooded black spruce seedlings maintained higher net assimilation rates and stomatal conductance than flooded tamarack seedlings, flooded tamarack seedlings were able to maintain higher root hydraulic conductance than flooded black spruce seedlings. Needles of flooded black spruce developed tip necrosis and electrolyte leakage after 14 days of flooding, and these symptoms were subsequently more prominent than in needles of flooded tamarack seedlings. Flooded tamarack seedlings exhibited no visible injury symptoms and developed hypertrophied lenticels at their stem base. Application of exogenous ethylene resulted in a significant reduction in net assimilation, stomatal conductance and root respiration, whereas root hydraulic conductivity increased in both species. Thus, although flooded black spruce seedlings maintained a higher stomatal conductance and net assimilation rate than tamarack seedlings, black spruce did not cope with the deleterious effects of prolonged soil flooding and exogenous ethylene as well as tamarack.     

Planting stress in newly planted jack pine and white spruce. 1. Factors influencing water uptake

Bareroot jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) seedlings (2 + 0) and bareroot white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) transplants (1 1/2 + 1 1/2) were taken from cold storage and planted on a clearcut forest site in northeastern Ontario on several dates between May 6 and June 5 during which period soil temperature at 15 cm depth increased from 0 to 18 degrees C. Additional cold-stored trees were transferred to a greenhouse where they were grown in pots for 0, 7 or 28 days and then placed with their roots in aerated water maintained at one of a range of constant temperatures between 0 and 22 degrees C. In both species, daytime xylem pressure potentials (Psi(x)) and needle conductances (g(wv)) decreased with decreasing soil or water temperature. At all root temperatures, g(wv) was lower, and Psi(x) higher, in jack pine than in white spruce. After 28 days in the greenhouse, g(wv) of jack pine seedlings, and Psi(x) of white spruce, was higher than in plants just removed from cold storage. In both species, water-flow resistance through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (RSPAC) increased as root temperature decreased. At all root temperatures, RSPAC was higher in plants just removed from cold storage than in plants grown in the greenhouse for 28 days, during which time many new unsuberized roots were formed. At root temperatures above 10 degrees C, RSPAC of both species was higher in trees newly planted in mineral soil than in trees with roots in aerated water; presumably because the roots of planted trees had limited hydraulic contact with the soil. On the day following removal from cold storage, relative plant water flow resistance increased, in both species, more rapidly with declining root temperature than could be accounted for by the change with temperature in the viscosity of water, thus indicating an effect of temperature on root permeability. The same effect was evident in jack pine seedlings, but not white spruce transplants, that had been grown for 28 days in the greenhouse after removal from cold storage.     

Effects of Root Freezing on the Physiology and Growth of Picea glauca,Picea mariana and Pinus banksiana Seedlings Under Different Soil Moisture Regimes

The root systems of 2-yr-old Picea glauca, Picea mariana and Pinus banksiana seedlings were submitted to various frost temperatures during an artificial frost to induce different levels of root damage. Frost-damaged and control seedlings were placed in a greenhouse under high and low soil moisture regimes. Seedling growth and physiology were evaluated periodically. Seedling survival was reduced when root damage reached levels of 60-80%. Root systems of all three species showed partial to total recovery by the end of the experiment. In general, root freezing damage caused reductions in seedling growth, with these reductions becoming less significant over time. Root damage had little to no effect on black spruce and jack pine seedling physiology, while white spruce CO 2 uptake decreased with increasing root damage. Shoot nitrogen content of all three species decreased slightly with increasing root damage.