Changes in foliar carbon isotope composition and seasonal stomatal conductance reveal adaptive traits in Mediterranean coppices affected by drought |
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Authors: | Giovanni Di Matteo Luigi Perini Paolo Atzori Paolo De Angelis Tiziano Mei Giada Bertini Gianfranco Fabbio Giuseppe Scarascia Mugnozza |
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Affiliation: | 1. Consiglio per la Ricerca e la sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Research Unit for Climatology and Meteorology applied to Agriculture, CRA-CMA, I-00186, Rome, Italy 2. Department for Innovation in Biological, Agrofood and Forest systems, DIBAF, University of Viterbo, I-01100, Viterbo, Italy 3. Ente Foreste della Sardegna, Servizio Territoriale di Cagliari, Viale Luigi Merello 86, I-09123, Cagliari, Italy 4. Consiglio per la Ricerca e la sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Forestry Research Centre, CRA-SEL, I-52100, Arezzo, Italy
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Abstract: | We estimated water-use efficiency and potential photosynthetic assimilation of Holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) on slopes of NW and SW aspects in a replicated field test examining the effects of intensifying drought in two Mediterranean coppice forests. We used standard techniques for quantifying gas exchange and carbon isotopes in leaves and analyzed total chlorophyll, carotenoids and nitrogen in leaves collected from Mediterranean forests managed under the coppice system. We postulated that responses to drought of coppiced trees would lead to differential responses in physiological traits and that these traits could be used by foresters to adapt to predicted warming and drying in the Mediterranean area. We observed physiological responses of the coppiced trees that suggested acclimation in photosynthetic potential and water-use efficiency: (1) a significant reduction in stomatal conductance (p<0.01) was recorded as the drought increased at the SW site; (2) foliar δ13C increased as drought increased at the SW site (p<0.01); (3) variations in levels of carotenoids and foliar nitrogen, and differences in foliar morphology were recorded, and were tentatively attributed to variation in photosynthetic assimilation between sites. These findings increase knowledge of the capacity for acclimation of managed forests in the Mediterranean region of Europe. |
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Keywords: | Mediterranean forest ecosystems forest acclimation stableisotopes, leaf gas exchanges water-use efficiency foliar traits adaptivesilviculture. |
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