Abstract
The terpenoid profile could give information about the water status in Scots pine, especially for trees growing in the same geographical area but under contrasting local environmental conditions. Terpenes were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in needles, twigs and wood of ten affected and ten unaffected Scots pines in the southern “Sistema Iberico” range (Teruel, Spain), where forest decline has been recently reported. Soil depth and secondary growth was also studied in both types of trees. Needles and twigs total resin acids were significantly higher in affected trees. The pimarane type resin acids were also higher in the twigs of affected trees. Secondary growth was lower in affected trees and it showed higher climate sensitivity. The use of the terpenoid profile may be used as an additional tool for the estimation of the water status, especially for situations inducing moderate but relatively prolonged stress conditions.
Highlights
Pinus sylvestris L. reaches some of its southern distribution limits in different mountain ranges of the Iberian Peninsula (Matías & Jump, 2012)
The pimarane type resin acids increased in the affected trees, this change was only statistically significant (P
We found a shift in the pimarane type resin acids in the twigs of affected trees, as previously described by Turtola et al (2003)
Summary
Pinus sylvestris L. reaches some of its southern distribution limits in different mountain ranges of the Iberian Peninsula (Matías & Jump, 2012) In these southern populations, Scots pine is restricted to specific altitudinal ranges (Alía et al, 2001), most of them in a scattered distribution pattern (Galiano et al, 2010) and under climatic conditions far from those existing in the rest of the palearctic distribution area (Andersson & Fedorkov, 2004). Scots pine is restricted to specific altitudinal ranges (Alía et al, 2001), most of them in a scattered distribution pattern (Galiano et al, 2010) and under climatic conditions far from those existing in the rest of the palearctic distribution area (Andersson & Fedorkov, 2004) In these habitats, the Mediterranean influence in the climate induces the existence of a summer drought period, which might be locally amplified in some specific locations with very shallow soils (Poyatos et al, 2008). These two kind of trees showed marked differences in the minimum xylem water potential through the year and, more specially, in the driest period of the summer of 2005 and 2006 (Peguero-Pina et al, 2011)
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