Growth of Festuca pallescens in Silvopastoral Systems in Patagonia, Part 1: Positive Balance between Competition and Facilitation

Silvopastoral systems may overyield compared to monocultures as a result of higher resource capture and/or facilitation effects of the trees on the pastures. Festuca pallescens (St. Ives) Parodi, a forage species of Patagonia, is vulnerable to water deficit, suggesting that it may benefit from the facilitative effects of trees. Radiation (PPFD), temperature, relative humidity (RH) and soil water distribution during the growing season were measured under different tree cover levels in ponderosa pine-based silvopastoral systems. PPFD decreased with increasing tree cover, and the decrease was lower in the positions under than between tree crowns. No significant differences were observed for temperature, RH nor for soil water content between treatments. Pre-dawn water potential of grasses during the growing season showed similar high values in all treatments. However, cumulative water stress was slightly lower in high tree cover treatments than in open situations. Leaf water potential of the grasses during the day was always lower in open grassland than in forested plots. The growth of the grasses showed no significant differences between treatments, but mean growth tended to decrease in the more densely planted treatments. We concluded that F. pallescens is a species that is biologically sound for use in silvopastoral systems, because the balance between facilitation and competition can be positive under the semiarid conditions of Patagonia.     

Silvopastoral systems in northwestern Patagonia. I: growth and photosynthesis of Stipa speciosa under different levels of Pinus ponderosa cover

Combination of native pastures with fast-growing tree species (mainly Pinus spp.), may be an interesting economic and environmental alternative for small and medium land-owners in Patagonia,Argentina. Pasture productivity is usually the single most important factor affecting livestock carrying capacity. Therefore the prediction of the effects of tree cover on understory herbaceous production is of great importance for management. This paper reports the growth response of Stipa speciosa Trin. et Rupr. (tillering, tiller height, number of green leaves per tiller, and relative growth) to Pinus ponderosa Doug. (Laws) canopy cover (0 to 100%). Grasses did not grow when crown cover was >70%. Tiller production and relative growth were negatively correlated with tree cover; tiller height was larger under high tree cover. There was no relationship between leaf production and tree canopy cover. Grass leaves maintained net photosynthetic rates, at similar light levels, at a wide range of plant water potentials (from saturation to at least –2.4 MPa). Decrease in photosynthesis occurred at very low plant water potentials (–4.3 MPa). No differences in photosynthetic rate at similar radiation levels were foundbe tween plants growing in different light environments (determined by tree cover) in the field. Stipa speciosa can maintain positivenet CO₂ assimilation and growth under moderate shading and severewater stress conditions. For this reason, it can be used in silvopastoral systems, with a proper light management.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

水分和热胁迫处理对4种针叶树苗木气体交换和水分利用效率的影响

以杉木、马尾松、花旗松和北美乔柏为研究对象 ,研究了水分和热胁迫对生长期间苗木的气体交换、瞬间水分利用效率和稳定碳同位素组成 (δ1 3C值 )等生理生态指标的影响 ,结果如下 :(1 )水分胁迫使杉木、马尾松、花旗松和北美乔柏 4个树种的净光合速率显著下降。但热胁迫只影响杉木和北美乔柏的净光合速率 ,对马尾松的净光合速率影响不大。 (2 )对针叶气孔导度的研究发现 ,水分和热胁迫均对马尾松苗木针叶气孔导度有显著影响 ,但对杉木和北美乔柏苗木针叶的气孔导度只有轻微影响。 (3)水分和热胁迫处理对马尾松苗木的瞬间水分利用效率有显著影响 ,但对杉木和北美乔柏的瞬间水分利用效率无显著影响。 (4 )水分胁迫处理对杉木、马尾松、花旗松和北美乔柏 4个树种的稳定碳同位素组成 (δ1 3C值 )均有显著影响 ,随着水分胁迫程度的加深 ,4个树种苗木针叶的δ1 3C值增大 (负值绝对值变小 ) ,说明其永久水分利用效率更高。 (5 )热胁迫对杉木和北美乔柏苗木针叶的δ1 3C值有显著影响 ,且在热胁迫下 ,两树种苗木针叶的δ1 3C值减小 (负值绝对值增大 ) ,即永久水分利用效率下降。但热胁迫对马尾松和花旗松苗木的δ1 3C值没有显著影响     

不同环境条件下气孔和光合作用模型: 4个杨树无性系对光照、温度和相对湿度的反应(英文)

用配有Ｌｉ－６１０露点发生器的Ｌｉ－ｃｏｒ６２００在温室中测定了４个杨树无性系叶水平上的气孔导度（Ｃｓ）和净光合速率（Ｐｎ）．在３个相对湿度（ＲＨ）水平（７０％，５０％和３０％）控制下，不同温度（２５℃，３０℃和３５℃）条件下，杨树无性系的Ｐｎ、Ｃｓ、蒸腾速率（Ｅ）和胞间ＣＯ２浓度（Ｃｉ）表现出显著差异（Ｐ＜０．０００１）．随着空气湿度的减小，Ｅ、Ｃｓ、Ｃｉ明显下降．结果表明：ＲＨ低时，而不是ＶＰＤ高时，气孔关闭在调节蒸腾速率和胞间ＣＯ２浓度中起更大作用．另外，还选用了净光合速率－光照模型和Ｃｓ－Ｐｎ复合模型模拟了不同光照、温度和相对湿度条件下Ｐｎ和Ｃｓ间的关系．尽管无性系、温度和湿度间存在差异，但在模拟Ｐｎ对光照的关系上净光合速率－光照模型最合适．关于Ｃｓ－Ｐｎ模型，检验了Ｌｅｕｎｉｎｇ模型，建立了新的Ｃｓ－Ｐｎ模型：Ｃｓ＝Ｃｓ０＋ａ０Ｐｎ／［（ＣＯ２－Γ）（１＋ｆ（Ｔ）（１－ＲＨ／１００）／Ｄ０）］．基于它们之间的关系，式中加入了反映温度和ＲＨ的变量，代替了ＶＰＤ变量．与田间数据模拟结果相比较，新模型和Ｌｅｕｎｉｎｇ模型一样适合．并且，为了预测气孔和气体交换的行为，可以用净光合速率－光照模型修正Ｃｓ－Ｐ     

大气CO2浓度升高对莴苣生长和物质分配的影响

对CO2浓度(550×10-6)下莴苣的生长、物质积累及其分配和光合性状进行了比较研究.结果表明,高浓度CO2(550×10-6)下莴苣具有高光合速率、高生长速度,其根和茎的干物质积累速度较快,叶面积增长快而且不积累过多的光合作用产物,高光合速率能够产生足够能量将光合作用产物从源转运到库,用于生长发育.生长在CO2浓度550×10-6下,莴苣能提早7d达到市场要求.     

Propagation of trembling aspen and hybrid poplar for agroforestry: potential benefits of elevated CO2 in the greenhouse

We examined the usefulness of elevated CO₂ in the greenhouse to aid in early selection of genotypes and in the propagation of Populus tremuloides Michaux (aspen) and hybrid poplars for agroforestry, afforestation, or reclamation. Growth in elevated (800 ppm) vs ambient (375 ppm) CO₂ for 95 days resulted in greater height (14%), stem caliper (16%), overall biomass, and proportional allocation of biomass to roots as well as elevated net assimilation and water-use-efficiency. Aspen clones selected for superior growth (based on phenotypic selection) broke bud significantly earlier than unselected clones under both CO₂ levels; superior clones were also taller with greater stem caliper under both CO₂ treatments (but not significant). Under ambient CO₂ male aspen were taller than females while under elevated CO₂ female aspen were taller than males and also had greater caliper (but not significant). Hybrid poplar grown under elevated (vs ambient) CO₂ broke bud significantly earlier and had significantly greater net assimilation and water-use efficiency; they were also taller with greater caliper (but not significant). Differences in performance among the eight hybrid clones were enhanced by growth under elevated CO₂. Under ambient CO₂, P38P38 was the clone that broke bud earliest, was tallest with greater caliper and had a lower shoot:root biomass ratio. Sargentii, on the other hand, was the shortest with the smallest caliper. The implications of these results need to be considered in the context of using aspen and hybrid poplar for large-scale agroforestry, afforestation and reclamation across Canada. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of Water and Nutrient Availability in Pinus pinaster Ait. Open Pollinated Families at an Early Age: Growth, Gas Exchange and Water Relations

Growth and physiological responses of Pinus pinaster Ait. to water and nutrient availability were compared in four open pollinated families of Arenas de San Pedro provenance (Central Iberian Peninsula), looking for more useful parameters and growing conditions to be included in early selection programmes of forest trees. Young seedlings were grown in a greenhouse, subjected to high and low water and nutrient regimes, during 14 weeks. Interfamily differences were significant with regard to growth, nutrient content and water-use efficiency (WUE): differences in growth were higher under more favourable growing conditions; gas exchange differences were higher in the short term (9 weeks), indicating a faster reaction to water stress of the better adapted families to these conditions; the highest growth rates were found in the families with the largest plasticity, highest WUE and highest nutrient content. Water regime and nutrients had significant effects on growth, δ¹³C, gas exchange and water relation parameters. For these parameters the ranking of the families was kept regardless the water × nutrient supply combination and there was not a significant family × treatment interaction. In the long term (14 weeks) higher water supply and nutrient content significantly increased instantaneous WUE. The positive relationships between growth, intrinsic WUE (A/g _wv) and δ¹³C demonstrate that it should be possible to use physiological parameters (e.g. g _wv, δ¹³C) as a surrogate for the efficiency in the use of water, at least if short periods of water stress (up to 2 months long) were frequent, as it occurs in the Mediterranean basin. There was also some indication that the decrease in nitrogen or potassium supply led to increasing stomatal conductance and hence lower WUE.     

Post-1935 changes in forest vegetation of Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA: Part 2—Mixed conifer, spruce-fir, and quaking aspen forests

This study examined changes in never-harvested mixed conifer (MCF), spruce-fir (SFF), and quaking aspen forests (QAF) in Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP), Arizona, USA based on repeat sampling of two sets of vegetation study plots, one originally sampled in 1935 and the other in 1984. The 1935 plots are the earliest-known, sample-intensive, quantitative documentation of forest vegetation over a Southwest USA landscape. Findings documented that previously described increases in densities and basal areas attributed to fire exclusion were followed by decreases in 1935-2004 and 1984-2005. Decreases in MCF were attributable primarily to quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and white fir (Abies concolor), but there were differences between dry-mesic and moist-mesic MCF subtypes. Decreases in SFF were attributable to quaking aspen, spruce (Picea engelmannii + Picea pungens), and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). Decreases in QAF resulted from the loss of quaking aspen during succession. Changes in ponderosa pine forest (PPF) are described in a parallel paper (Vankat, J.L., 2011. Post-1935 changes in forest vegetation of Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA: part 1 - ponderosa pine forest. Forest Ecology and Management 261, 309-325). Graphical synthesis of historical and modern MCF data sets for GCNP indicated tree densities and basal areas increased from the late 19th to the mid 20th century and then decreased to the 21st century. Changes began earlier, occurred more rapidly, and/or were larger at higher elevation. Plot data showed that basal area decreased earlier and/or more rapidly than density and that decreases from 1935 to 2004 resulted in convergence among MCF, SFF, and PPF. If GCNP coniferous forests are trending toward conditions present before fire exclusion, this implies density and basal area were more similar among these forests in the late 19th century than in 1935. Changes in MCF and SFF can be placed in a general framework of forest accretion, inflection, and recession in which increases in tree density and basal area are followed by an inflection point and decreases. Accretion was triggered by the exogenous factor of fire exclusion, and inflection and recession apparently were driven by the endogenous factor of density-dependent mortality combined with exogenous factors such as climate. Although the decreases in density and basal area could be unique to GCNP, it is likely that the historical study plots provided a unique opportunity to quantitatively determine forest trends since 1935. This documentation of post-1935 decreases in MCF and SFF densities and basal areas indicates a shift in perspective on Southwestern forests is needed.     

Alley cropping of maize with calliandra and leucaena in the subhumid highlands of Kenya: Part 2. Biomass decomposition, N mineralization, and N uptake by maize

A major challenge in developing agroforestry approaches that utilize tree-leaf biomass for provision of N to crops is to ensure synchrony between the N released from decomposing prunings and N demand by crops. A study was conducted in the subhumid highlands of Kenya to assess the rate of decomposition and mineralization of soil-incorporated Calliandra calothyrsus Meissner (calliandra) and Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit (leucaena) tree biomass and maize roots (Zea mays L.) both in an alley cropping and a sole cropping system. The amount of mineralized N peaked four weeks after planting (WAP) maize in all the treatments during both seasons of 1995. Cumulative mineralized N at week 20 ranged from 114 to 364 kg N ha⁻¹ season⁻¹, the absolute control treatment giving the lowest and the prunings-incorporated treatments giving the highest amounts in the two seasons. Total N uptake by maize, ranging from 42 to 157 kg ha⁻¹ season⁻¹, was lowest in the 'alley-cropped, prunings-removed' treatments, and highest in the 'non alley-cropped-prunings-incorporated' treatments. The apparent N recovery rate by maize was highest in the fertilizer applied treatments in the two seasons. Decomposition rate constants (kD) ranged from 0.07 to 0.21 week⁻¹, and the rates among the different plant residues were as follows: leucaena < calliandra < maize roots. Nitrogen release rate constants (kN), ranging from 0.04 to 0.25 week⁻¹, followed a similar pattern as the rate of decomposition with leucaena releasing the highest amount of N followed by calliandra and lastly by maize roots. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Summer field performance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus petraea</Emphasis> (Matt.) Liebl and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus pyrenaica</Emphasis> Willd seedlings,planted in three sites with contrasting canopy cover

In 2000, one-year-old seedlings of pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica Willd.) and sessile oak (Quercus petraea [Matt.] Liebl) were planted in a thinned and an unthinned plot in a pinewood (Pinus sylvestris), and in a nearby clearing. In summer 2002 and 2003, water relations and gas exchange parameters were measured to address the impact of drought on the seedlings. Chlorophyll a fluorescence was also measured to explore leaf photochemistry and a possible non-stomatal limitation to photosynthesis (A). Reduction in stomatal conductance (g) in response to the decrease of predawn water potential (Ψ_pd) resulted the main cause affecting net carbon uptake. Water potential at midday (Ψ_md) was similar in both species but Quercus petraea was more sensitive to soil water deployment occurred along summer, showing slightly lower Ψ_pd because worse recover of water potential during night. Rate of photosynthesis was higher in Q.␣pyrenaica probably in relation to its greater leaf mass per area (LMA) and nitrogen content per leaf area (N_a). Mortality was highest in the clearing and lowest in the thinned pinewood. Throughout the summer, soil moisture was higher in the thinned area, possibly because of the reduction in tree transpiring surface and interception of rainfall. Accordingly, Ψ_pd of both species was higher in the thinned site.