Abstract
Evergreen conifers Abies mariesii and A. veitchii codominate in the subalpine zone in central Japan. This study compared the photosynthetic light response curves and related leaf traits of 1-year-old needles between the two species to examine whether photosynthetic traits of A. veitchii are more favorable for growth in bright conditions than those of A. mariesii. Saplings of the two species were sampled at forest edge (FE) and forest understory (FU). FE saplings of the two species showed more shade-intolerant traits (i.e., lower initial slope of photosynthesis light response curve, greater light compensation point and dark respiration rate) than FU saplings. Maximum photosynthetic rate and leaf nitrogen concentration were greater in A. veitchii than A. mariesii for both FE and FU saplings. Photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE) was also greater in A. veitchii than A. mariesii. On the contrary, leaf mass per area was greater in A. mariesii than A. veitchii for both FE and FU saplings. Therefore, this study showed that photosynthetic traits of A. veitchii are more favorable for growth in bright conditions compared with A. mariesii, and A. mariesii has more robust needles at the expense of PNUE.
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