Needle longevity, photosynthetic rate and nitrogen concentration of eight spruce taxa planted in northern Japan

Growth characteristics of Picea glehnii Masters, P. jezoensis (Sieb. et Zucc) Carr., P. jezoensis var. hondoensis (Mayr) Rehder and P. shirasawae Hayashi from Japan, P. abies (L.) Karst. from Europe and P. glauca Voss, P. mariana Britt., Sterns and Pogg. and P. rubens Sarg. from North America were compared. The trees were grown in similar conditions at the Tomakomai Experimental Forest of Hokkaido University in northern Japan. Tree growth, needle biomass, longevity, photosynthetic rate, nitrogen concentration and specific leaf area (SLA) were measured, and photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency was calculated. Picea jezoensis, P. jezoensis var. hondoensis, P. abies and P. glauca had high growth rates, high photosynthetic rates in young needles, high needle nitrogen concentrations and short needle life spans. In contrast, P. glehnii, P. shirasawae, P. mariana and P. rubens had low growth and photosynthetic rates, low needle nitrogen concentrations, long needle life spans and maintained a high photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency in older needles. Examination of relationships between several growth parameters of the eight taxa revealed positive correlations between SLA and mass-based photosynthetic rate and between SLA and mass-based nitrogen concentration, whereas mass-based photosynthetic rate and mass-based nitrogen concentration were negatively correlated with needle longevity. The species differed greatly in growth characteristics despite being grown in similar conditions.