Timing Of Bud Burst Research Articles

Analysis of gene expression during bud burst initiation in Norway spruce via ESTs from subtracted cDNA libraries

We have made and partially sequenced two subtracted cDNA libraries, one representing genes predominantly expressed in a tree from an early-flushing family of Norway spruce (early-flushing library; EFL) and the second from a late flushing family (late flushing library; LFL), during 4 weeks before bud burst. In the EFL, expressed sequence tags (ESTs) encoding proteins of the photosynthetic apparatus and energy metabolism and proteins related to stress (abiotic and biotic) and senescence were abundant. ESTs encoding metallothionein-like and histone proteins as well as transcription factors were abundant in the LFL. We used quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to study the expression patterns of 25 chosen genes and observed that the highest levels of activity for most genes were present when plants were still ecodormant. The results indicate that the late flushing is not a result of a delay in gene activity, but is rather associated with an active transcriptional process. Accordingly, certain metabolic processes may be turned on in order to prevent premature flushing. We discuss the putative role of the studied genes in regulation of bud burst timing. Among the candidate genes found, the most interesting ones were the DNA-binding proteins, water-stress-related genes and metallothioneins. Expression patterns of some genes involved in chemical modification of DNA and histones indicate that epigenetic factors are involved in the timing of bud burst. In the obtained transcriptomes, we could not find genes commonly believed to be involved in dormancy and bud set regulation (PHY, CRY, ABI etc.) in angiosperm plants.

The influence of root-zone temperature on growth of Betula pendula Roth.

We have examined shoot and root growth and the concentration of carbohydrates in seedlings of a northern (67°N) and a southern (61°N) ecotype of Betula pendula Roth. cultivated at root-zone temperatures of 2, 6, 12 and 17°C. Three hydroponic experiments were conducted in controlled environments. We used three different pretreatments before seedlings were subjected to the experimental temperature treatments. Actively growing seedlings that were acclimated to the hydroponic solution for 3 weeks at a root temperature of 17°C, continued to grow at all the experimental temperatures, with an expected increase in growth from 2 to 17°C. However, if we started with ecodormant cold stored plants or used seedlings grown actively in perlite, no growth was observed at 2°C and only minor growth was found at 6°C. The highest root temperature always produced the best growth. The concentration of nonstructural carbohydrates was higher in seedlings grown at 2°C than at 17°C, and this is probably due to extensive incorporation of carbohydrates into cell walls and other structural elements at 17°C. We found no evidence for differences between the two ecotypes in root growth, in timing of bud burst, but shoot growth terminated in the northern ecotype in the first experiment because the natural photoperiod was below the critical value. Our study highlights the importance of post-transplantation stress (planting check) related to root growth, and that root threshold temperatures may change according to the way plants are pretreated.

Are polyphagous geometrid moths with flightless females adapted to budburst phenology of local host species?

The majority of studies demonstrating local adaptation of insect herbivores involve sessile species, particularly those with a parthenogentic phase to their life history or endophagous “parasites” of plants. Current arguments suggest the strength of selection determines whether local adaptation can or cannot take place. Therefore local adaptation should not be limited to species with such traits. We studied the ability of three polyphagous geometrid moths with flightless adult females (Erannisdefoliaria, Operophtera brumata and O. fagata) to synchronise their egg hatching with the budburst of a local host species in north east Scotland. A strong selection for hatching time is expected among generalist moths given the large variation in budburst phenology and an inability to hatch in synchrony with budburst decreases moth fitness substantially. In two successive seasons, we trapped emerging females from patches of five host species and recorded the temperature sum needed for 50% egg hatch of each brood laid by the trapped females. The hatching times of broods were compared against the average budburst time of the maternal host species in the study area. In addition, the trapping dates of each female were recorded. Only O. brumata showed synchrony with egg hatch and budburst which suggests local phenological adaptation to different host species. This could be maintained by selection and partial reproductive isolation between populations dwelling on different host species. No phenological adaptation was found in the other common geometrids of the study area.

A multiyear evaluation of a Dynamic Global Vegetation Model at three AmeriFlux forest sites: Vegetation structure, phenology, soil temperature, and CO 2 and H 2O vapor exchange

We utilized eddy-covariance observations of carbon dioxide (CO 2) and water vapor exchange at three AmeriFlux mid-latitude forest stands to evaluate IBIS, a Dynamic Global Vegetation Model (DGVM). Measurements of leaf area index (LAI), soil moisture and temperature, runoff, soil carbon (C), and soil respiration (R) were also compared with model output. An experimental approach was designed to help attribute model errors to the vegetation dynamics and phenology formulations versus simulated biological processes. Continental scale phenology sub-models poorly represented the timing of budburst and evolution of canopy LAI in deciduous forests. Biases of vegetation green-up of 6 weeks and delayed senescence were noted. Simulated soil temperatures were overestimated (underestimated) during the summer (winter) on average by 2–5 °C. Ecosystem R was overestimated during the growing season, on average, by 20–60 g C m −2 month −1, and underestimated during the winter by 10–20 g C m −2 month −1 at all sites. Simulated soil R failed to capture observed mid-summer peak rates and was generally lower than observed in winter. The overall comparison of simulated net ecosystem production (NEP) to observations showed a significant underestimate of growing season NEP of 25–100 g C m −2 month −1, and an overall positive bias of 10–40 g C m −2 month −1 during the winter. Excellent agreement between annual average NEP observations and IBIS simulations in “fixed vegetation” mode resulted from offsetting seasonal model biases. The magnitude of simulated variation in seasonal and inter-annual C exchange was generally dampened with respect to observations. The parameterization, and in some cases the formulations (e.g., ecosystem R and phenology) limited model capacity to capture the seasonal fluctuations of C and water exchange. Model parameterizations and formulations were originally constrained and generalized for application to a wide range of global climate and soil conditions and plant functional types (PFTs), likely contributing to model biases. This problem potentially applies to other DGVMs and biosphere models, and will likely become increasingly relevant if investigators apply their models at higher spatial resolution. We suggest that revisions to DGVMs should focus on advancing the capabilities of current phenology formulations to account for photoperiod, soil moisture and frost in addition to temperature. Model representations of PFTs and formulations of ecosystem R need to be rethought, particularly with respect to use of Q 10 temperature functions as modifiers. Surface energy balance, C allocation, soil R, and plant response to nutrient stress deserve attention as well.

Dryocosmus kuriphilus

<i>Dryocosmus kuriphilus</i>

Elevated temperature during reproductive development affects cone traits and progeny performance in Picea glauca x engelmannii complex

Two temperature regimes were applied during reproductive development of seed and pollen cones of interior spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss and Picea engelmannii (Parry) complex) to determine temperature effects on the adaptive traits of progeny. In Experiment 1, identical crosses were made on potted interior spruce using untreated pollen followed by exposure to a day/night temperature of 22/8 or 14/8 degrees C with a 12-h photoperiod during the stages of reproductive development from post-pollination to early embryo development. Frost hardiness and growth of progeny from seed produced in the two temperature treatments were measured over a 4-year period. Elevated temperature significantly affected both seed-cone development and the adaptive properties of the progeny. Seed cones exposed to the 22/8 degrees C treatment reached the early embryo stage in 53 days versus 92 days in the 14/8 degrees C treatment. Seed yields, cotyledon emergence and percent germination were also significantly enhanced by the 22/8 degrees C treatment. Progeny from seed produced in the higher temperature treatment showed significantly reduced spring and fall frost hardiness, but the elevated temperature treatment had no significant effects on time of bud burst, growth patterns or final heights. In Experiment 2, single ramets of the same clone were subjected to a day/night temperature of 20/8 or 10/8 degrees C during pollen cone development, starting from meiosis and ending at pollen shedding. The two populations of pollen were then crossed with untreated seed cones. Compared with pollen cones exposed to the 10/8 degrees C treatment, pollen cones exposed to the 20/8 degrees C treatment during development reached the shedding stage 2-4 weeks earlier, whereas pollen yields, in vitro viability and fertility (seed set) were significantly lower; however, the resulting progeny displayed no treatment differences in frost hardiness or growth after 1 year. Results suggest that seed orchard after-effects could be caused by temperature differences between orchard site and parent tree origin and that this effect acts on maternal development. Gametophytic (pollen or megagametophyte or both) and early embryo (sporophytic) selection are possible mechanisms that may explain the observed results. Although the effects are biologically significant, they are relatively small and do not justify changes in current deployment strategies for seed orchard seed.

Climate change and the effect of temperature backlashes causing frost damage in Picea abies

In boreal and nemoboreal forests, tree frost hardiness is modified in reaction to cues from day length and temperature. The dehardening processes in Norway spruce, Picea abies, could be estimated to start when the daily mean temperature is above 5 °C for 5 days. Bud burst will occur approximately after 120–170 degree-days above 5 °C, dependent on genetic differences among provenances. A reduced cold hardiness level during autumn and spring and an advanced onset of bud burst are expected impacts of projected future global warming. The aim of this study was to test if this will increase the risk for frost damage caused by temperature backlashes. This was tested for Sweden by comparing output from the Hadley Centre regional climate model, HadRM3H, for the period 1961–1990 with future IPCC scenario SRES A2 and B2 for 2070–2099. Different indices for calculating the susceptibility to frost damage were used to assess changes in frost damage risk. The indices were based on: (1) the start of dehardening; (2) the severity of the temperature backlash; (3) the timing of bud burst; and (4) the cold hardiness level. The start of dehardening and bud burst were calculated to occur earlier all over the country, which is in line with the overall warming in both climate change scenarios. The frequency of temperature backlashes that may cause frost damage was calculated to increase in the southern part, an effect that became gradually less pronounced towards the north. The different timing of the onset of dehardening mainly caused this systematic latitudinal pattern. In the south, it occurs early in the year when the seasonal temperature progression is slow and large temperature variations occur. In the north, dehardening will occur closer to the spring equinox when the temperature progression is faster.

Clonal Variation in Temperature Requirements for Budburst and Dehardening in Salix Species Used for Biomass Production

Differences in temperature requirements for budburst were investigated among Salix clones used for biomass production spanning a wide range of geographical origins. When assessed under controlled conditions, the threshold temperature for the accumulation of the temperature sum for budburst was not significantly different among clones, with six out of the seven clones having a value of 1.0–1.2°C. However, there were significant clonal differences in the temperature sum required for budburst, with values ranging from 110 to 191 d °C. This variation was only weakly linked to the geographical origin of the clones. The decline during the spring in levels of cold hardiness and sugars was also investigated in field-grown plants. All clones could tolerate temperatures ≤−15°C, according to freeze tests, until at least a couple of weeks before budburst. This finding, together with the fact that buds become frost sensitive when they burst, suggests that the clonal variation in susceptibility to spring frosts, as observed in field trials, is related to the clonal variation in the timing of budburst, largely determined by the temperature sum requirement. Stem contents of cryoprotective sugars (sucrose, raffinose and stachyose) declined in spring in parallel with dehardening at first, but reached summer levels before dehardening was completed.

The effect of soil temperature on the bud phenology, chlorophyll fluorescence, carbohydrate content and cold hardiness of Norway spruce seedlings.

The effects of soil temperature on the shoot phenology, carbohydrate dynamics, chlorophyll fluorescence and cold hardiness of 4-year-old Norway spruce seedlings (Picea abies L. Karst.) were studied. The experiment was carried out under controlled conditions in the Joensuu dasotrons. Air conditions were similar but soil temperatures differed by treatments (9, 13, 18 and 21 degrees C) during the second growing period in the dasotrons. The after-effects of the treatments were investigated during the third growing period following the treatments. Low soil temperature increased the starch content of needles and delayed the loss of starch at the end of the growing season. The photochemical efficiency (F(v)/F(m)) of the PSII of the current-year needles was reduced at the lowest soil temperature. The cold hardiness of needles correlated with the soluble sugar content. The differences in soil temperature had no effect on the timing of bud burst. No after-effects from the treatments were observed during the third growing period in the dasotrons.

Phenological observation of white grape varieties in the grape growing area of Grocka

Phenological stages of white wine varieties grown in the "Radmilovac" collection vineyard were recorded during a three- year period. The included stages were: time of bud burst - shoot growth, flowering, v?raison and full ripening. The number of days, sum of active and sum of effective temperatures were established for each phenological stage, 12 features in total. The features such as the length of vegetative period from bud burst to full ripening and sum of active temperatures for the same period were of crucial importance for the classification of varieties. Based on climate characteristics and phenological observations of plant organ growth and development in some cultivars, the total of 66 cultivars, of 71 investigated, can be grown at Radmilovac. Late-maturing varieties cannot be successfully grown.

A Review of Red and White Currant Cultivars

ABSTRACT This manuscript contains a review of world red and white currant cultivars. Information on each cultivar includes origin, hardiness, bush habit, relative timing of bud burst, flowering and ripening, strig and berry description, yield, quality, pest and disease ratings, and typical use where they have been reported in the literature.

The timing of bud burst and its effect on tree growth.

A phenology model for estimating the timings of bud burst--one of the most influential phenological phases for the simulation of tree growth--is presented in this study. The model calculates the timings of the leafing of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and oak (Quercus robur L.) and the May shoot of Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) on the basis of the daily maximum temperature. The data for parameterisation and validation of the model have been taken from 40 climate and 120 phenological stations in southern Germany with time series for temperature and bud burst of up to 30 years. The validation of the phenology module by means of an independent data set showed correlation coefficients for comparisons between observed and simulated values of 54% (beech), 55% (oak), 59% (spruce) and 56% (pine) with mean absolute errors varying from 4.4 days (spruce) to 5.0 days (pine). These results correspond well with the results of other--often more complex--phenology models. After the phenology module had been implemented in the tree-growth model BALANCE, the growth of a mixed forest stand with the former static and the new dynamic timings for the bud burst was simulated. The results of the two simulation runs showed that phenology has to be taken into account when simulating forest growth, particularly in mixed stands.

High autumn temperature delays spring bud burst in boreal trees, counterbalancing the effect of climatic warming.

The effect of temperature during short-day (SD) dormancy induction was examined in three boreal tree species in a controlled environment. Saplings of Betula pendula Roth, B. pubescens Ehrh. and Alnus glutinosa (L.) Moench. were exposed to 5 weeks of 10-h SD induction at 9, 15 and 21 degrees C followed by chilling at 5 degrees C for 40, 70, 100 and 130 days and subsequent forcing at 15 degrees C in a 24-h photoperiod for 60 days. In all species and with all chilling periods, high temperature during SD dormancy induction significantly delayed bud burst during subsequent flushing at 15 degrees C. In A. glutinosa, high temperature during SD dormancy induction also significantly increased the chilling requirement for dormancy release. Field experiments at 60 degrees N with a range of latitudinal birch populations revealed a highly significant correlation between autumn temperature and days to bud burst in the subsequent spring. September temperature alone explained 20% of the variation between years in time of bud burst. In birch populations from 69 and 71 degrees N, which ceased growing and shed their leaves in August when the mean temperature was 15 degrees C, bud burst occurred later than expected compared with lower latitude populations (56 degrees N) in which dormancy induction took place more than 2 months later at a mean temperature of about 6 degrees C. It is concluded that this autumn temperature response may be important for counterbalancing the potentially adverse effects of higher winter temperatures on dormancy stability of boreal trees during climate warming.

Phenological variation as protection against defoliating insects: the case of Quercus robur and Operophtera brumata.

Phenological synchrony between budburst and emergence of larvae is critical for the fitness of many spring-feeding insect herbivores. Therefore, large intraspecific variation in timing of budburst of the host may have a negative effect on the herbivore. We studied how asynchrony between emergence of larvae and budburst affects the fitness of Operophtera brumata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), a major defoliator of Quercus robur, which can adapt to the phenology of a single tree. It is known that, in maturing leaves of Q. robur, accumulation of condensed tannins has a negative effect on growth of O. brumata. However, there is no information about the effect of hydrolysable tannins and other phenolics that are potential antifeedants. In this study, we also analysed changes in secondary chemistry of the foliage of Q. robur and how different compounds are correlated with growth and survival of O. brumata. The effect of asynchrony on O. brumata was studied in rearing experiments. The neonate larvae were incubated without food for different periods of time. The decline in nutritional quality of foliage was estimated by rearing cohorts of larvae with manipulated hatching times on the leaves of ten individual Q. robur trees. For the chemical analysis, the foliage of these trees was sampled at regular intervals. In the absence of foliage, mortality of neonate larvae started to increase exponentially soon after the larvae emerged. If the larvae missed budburst, the decline in nutritional quality of the foliage led to increased mortality and lower body mass (= fecundity). Hydrolysable tannins were not significantly correlated with performance of the larvae. Only condensed tannins were found to correlate negatively with the growth and survival of O. brumata. Certain individual trees were unsuitable hosts for O. brumata because the decline in quality of the foliage was very rapid. Based on regression equations for increasing rate of mortality and decreasing fecundity, we calculated that a relatively small mismatch of +/-30 degree days between budburst and hatching of larvae leads to a 50% decrease in the fitness of O. brumata. Thus, large phenological variation within a Q. robur stand can limit the colonisation of neighbouring trees by dispersing larvae. Furthermore, the hybridisation of moths adapted to phenologically different trees may lead to maladapted phenology of their offspring.

MODELING VEGETATION AS A DYNAMIC COMPONENT IN SOIL‐VEGETATION‐ATMOSPHERE TRANSFER SCHEMES AND HYDROLOGICAL MODELS

Vegetation affects the climate by modifying the energy, momentum, and hydrologic balance of the land surface. Soil‐vegetation‐atmosphere transfer (SVAT) schemes explicitly consider the role of vegetation in affecting water and energy balance by taking into account its physiological properties, in particular, leaf area index (LAI) and stomatal conductance. These two physiological properties are also the basis of evapotranspiration parameterizations in physically based hydrological models. However, most current SVAT schemes and hydrological models do not parameterize vegetation as a dynamic component. The seasonal evolution of LAI is prescribed, and monthly LAI values are kept constant year after year. The effect of CO2 on the structure and physiological properties of vegetation is also neglected, which is likely to be important in transient climate simulations with increasing CO2 concentration and for hydrological models that are used to study climate change impact. The net carbon uptake by vegetation, which is the difference between photosynthesis and respiration, is allocated to leaves, stems, and roots. Carbon allocation to leaves determines their biomass and LAI. The timing of bud burst, leaf senescence, and leaf abscission (i.e., the phenology) determines the length of the growing season. Together, photosynthesis, respiration, allocation, and phenology, which are all strongly dependent on environmental conditions, make vegetation a dynamic component. This paper (1) familiarizes the reader with the basic physical processes associated with the functioning of the terrestrial biosphere using simple nonbiogeochemical terminology, (2) summarizes the range of parameterizations used to model these processes in the current generation of process‐based vegetation and plant growth models and discusses their suitability for inclusion in SVAT schemes and hydrological models, and (3) illustrates the manner in which the coupling of vegetation models and SVAT schemes/hydrological models may be accomplished.

Adaptation of a generalist moth, Operophtera brumata, to variable budburst phenology of host plants

AbstractThe adaptation of three allopatric populations of a generalist moth, Operophtera brumata (L.), on two tree species, Prunus padus (L.) and Quercus robur (L.) which represent the extremes of the timing of budburst in spring, was studied in Finland and Sweden. The synchrony of the hatching and budbursting was monitored, and its importance to dispersal and growth of larvae was assessed by rearing cohorts of larvae, whose hatching dates were manipulated, on both hosts. In addition, the realised heritability of the hatching time was estimated.Experimental populations hatched in approximate synchrony with the budburst of their original host species. As a result of the manipulation of the hatching dates of larvae, the growth rates of larvae decreased and the dispersal rates increased on both hosts in relation to the ageing of foliage. The realised heritability of hatching times was rather high (0.63). There were fewer differences in the host use efficiency and behaviour of the experimental populations than in the hatching phenology. The synchrony of hatching with the budburst of the local dominant host plant is probably a result of stabilising selection.

Will climate change have a different impact on different trophic levels? Phenological development of winter moth Operophtera brumata and its host plants

Will climate change have a different impact on different trophic levels? Phenological development of winter moth <i>Operophtera brumata</i> and its host plants

Adaptation of the timing of bud burst of Norway spruce to temperate and boreal climates

The adaptation of the annual cycle of development of boreal and temperate trees to climatic conditions has been seen as a result of stabilizing selection caused by two opposite driving forces of natural selection, i.e. the tolerance of unfavorable conditions during the frost exposed season (survival adaptation) and the effective use of growth resources during the growing season (capacity adaptation). In this study, two theories of the effects of climate on the adaptation of the timing of bud burst of trees were evaluated. This was done with computer simulations by applying a temperature sum model for predicting the timing of bud burst of different Norway spruce genotypes on the basis of air temperature data from various climatic conditions. High geographical variation in the temperature response of bud burst, typical for Norway spruce, was included in the theoretical analyses. The average timing of bud burst and the corresponding risk of occurrence of damaging frost during the susceptible period after bud burst were calculated for each genotype in each climate. Two contrasting theories of the stabilizing selection were evaluated, i.e. the overall adaptedness of each genotype was evaluated either 1) by assuming a fixed threshold for the risk of frost damage, or 2) by assuming a tradeoff between the risk of frost damage and the length of the growing season. The tradeoff assumption produced predictions of between provenance variation in bud burst which correspond more closely with empirical observations available in literature, compared to the fixed threshold assumption.

Effects of soil temperature on biomass and carbohydrate allocation in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) seedlings at the beginning of the growing season.

We studied effects of soil temperature on shoot and root extension growth and biomass and carbohydrate allocation in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings at the beginning of the growing season. One-year-old Scots pine seedlings were grown for 9 weeks at soil temperatures of 5, 9, 13 and 17 degrees C and an air temperature of 17 degrees C. Date of bud burst, and the elongation of shoots and roots were monitored. Biomass of current and previous season roots, stem and needles was determined at 3-week intervals. Starch, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol and inositol concentrations were determined in all plant parts except new roots. The timing of both bud burst and the onset of root elongation were unaffected by soil temperature. At Week 9, height growth was reduced and root extension growth was much less at a soil temperature of 5 degrees C than at higher soil temperatures. Total seedling biomass was lowest in the 5 degrees C soil temperature treatment and highest in the 13 degrees C treatment, but there was no statistically significant difference in total biomass between seedlings grown at 13 and 17 degrees C. In response to increasing soil temperature, below-ground biomass increased markedly, resulting in a slightly higher allocation of biomass to below-ground parts. Among treatments, root length was greatest at a soil temperature of 17 degrees C. The sugar content of old roots was unaffected by soil temperature, but the sugar content of new needles increased with increasing soil temperature. The starch content of all seedling parts was lowest in seedlings grown at 17 degrees C. Otherwise, soil temperature had no effect on seedling starch content.

Effect of accumulated duration of the light period on bud burst in Norway spruce (Picea abies) of varying ages

One-year-old seedlings (two sowing times), two-year-old seedlings and 14- and 18-year-old cuttings of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) were exposed to shortening photoperiod (initially 16 h), lengthening photoperiod (initially 6 h) and constant short photoperiod (6 h) treatments with uniform temperature conditions in growth chambers. The timing of bud burst was examined. In all plants, shortening photoperiod treatment seemed to promote bud burst compared with other treatments. This effect was clearest in the oldest material. The results suggest that, in addition to temperature sum, the accumulated duration of the light period may promote bud burst of Norway spruce.