Canariensis Trees Research Articles

Tree-ring density and carbon isotope composition are early-warning signals of drought-induced mortality in the drought tolerant Canary Island pine

Tree death is not always preceded by a visible decline in vigor (canopy dieback) or a progressive loss in crown volume. Identifying early-warning signals of incipient decline can help to implement the necessary measures to prevent tree death. The aim of this work is to understand what functional alterations preceded the massive drought-induced death of adult Pinus canariensis trees in an arid stand, located in the Canary Islands. To this aim, we analyzed interannual variations in earlywood and latewood width, wood density and anatomy, and carbon isotope composition, and the relationships among these variables, in dead and living trees from 1980 to 2013. Dead trees grew less since the 1990′s, produced fewer parenchyma rays and resin canals, and exhibited a trend of decreasing latewood density and a marked shift in carbon isotope discrimination over the last 34 years that were reversed in living trees. Higher wood density in living trees resulted from thicker tracheid cell walls rather than narrower lumens. The intrinsic water use efficiency shifted from higher to lower values in dead trees after the 2000s. These results suggest a carbon limitation to maintain hydraulic safety under xylem tension, as well as to maintain storage and defense capacity, which can render trees more vulnerable to severe drought episodes. A long-term trend of decreasing tree-ring density and a reduced intrinsic water use efficiency in the short-term can be early-warning signals of carbon limitation and tree decline in drought-stressed P. canariensis. The analysis of these variables can be used to assess tree decline risks in similarly vulnerable conifer populations inhabiting drought-prone regions.

Coexistent Heteroblastic Needles of Adult Pinus canariensis C.Sm. ex DC. in Buch Trees Differ Structurally and Physiologically

Great variation in shape and size between primary (juvenile) and secondary (adult) needles, so-called leaf-heteroblasty, occurs in several Pinus species. Most of them loss primary needles during the juvenile-to-adult transition of the tree. An exception to this is Pinus canariensis (a Canary Islands endemism) in which basal resprouting twigs of adult trees frequently wear both primary and secondary needles. Taking advantage of this extraordinary study-case-species, we conducted an exhaustive comparison of both needle types through quantitative analyses of needle anatomy, photochemical performance, gas exchange, and resistance to extreme dehydration and to extreme needle temperature. We hypothesized that primary needles would show lower investment to leaf structure but higher photosynthetical efficiency. Primary needles had less stomatal density and thicker and less wettable cuticles. In cross section, primary needles showed smaller structural fraction (e.g., percent of hypodermis, endodermis and vascular tissue) and higher fraction of photosynthetic parenchyma. Significant differences between primary and secondary needles were not found in net carbon assimilation not in their leaf mass area values. Interestingly, secondary needles showed higher electron transport rate, and they were additionally much more efficient in retaining water under severe and controlled desiccant conditions. When subjected to extreme temperatures (−10° to +50 °C), primary needles recovered better their photochemical efficiency than secondary needles, after +46° and +48 °C heat-shock treatments. Our results indicate that both needle types broaden the diversity of physiological responses against environmental constrains in basal twigs of adult P. canariensis trees. Considering that this is a fire-resistant and resprouting species, this advantage could be particularly useful after a drastic environmental change such a fire or a gap opening in the forest.

Why is seed production so variable among individuals? A ten-year study with oaks reveals the importance of soil environment.

Mast-seeding species exhibit not only a large inter-annual variability in seed production but also considerable variability among individuals within the same year. However, very little is known about the causes and consequences for population dynamics of this potentially large between-individual variability. Here, we quantified seed production over ten consecutive years in two Mediterranean oak species – the deciduous Quercus canariensis and the evergreen Q. suber - that coexist in forests of southern Spain. First, we calibrated likelihood models to identify which abiotic and biotic variables best explain the magnitude (hereafter seed productivity) and temporal variation of seed production at the individual level (hereafter CVi), and infer whether reproductive effort results from the available soil resources for the plant or is primarily determined by selectively favoured strategies. Second, we explored the contribution of between-individual variability in seed production as a potential mechanism of satiation for predispersal seed predators. We found that Q. canariensis trees inhabiting moister and more fertile soils were more productive than those growing in more resource-limited sites. Regarding temporal variation, individuals of the two studied oak species inhabiting these resource-rich environments also exhibited larger values of CVi. Interestingly, we detected a satiating effect on granivorous insects at the tree level in Q. suber, which was evident in those years where between-individual variability in acorn production was higher. These findings suggest that individual seed production (both in terms of seed productivity and inter-annual variability) is strongly dependent on soil resource heterogeneity (at least for one of the two studied oak species) with potential repercussions for recruitment and population dynamics. However, other external factors (such as soil heterogeneity in pathogen abundance) or certain inherent characteristics of the tree might be also involved in this process.

Diplopimarane, a 20-nor-ent-Pimarane Produced by the Oak Pathogen Diplodia quercivora

In this study a new 20-nor-ent-pimarane, named diplopimarane, was isolated together with sphaeropsidins A (9) and C (10), and (+)-epiepoformin (11) from organic crude extracts of Diplodia quercivora, a recently described oak pathogen originally found on declining Quercus canariensis trees in Tunisia. Diplopimarane was characterized as (1S,2R)-2,8,8-trimethyl-2-vinyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydrophenanthrene-1,9,10-triol by spectroscopic, X-ray, optical, and chemical methods. It exhibited a wide range of activities including remarkable phytotoxicity on nonhost plants such as tomato cuttings, moderate antifungal activity against important plant pathogens, and moderate zootoxicity against Artemia salina. Its derivatives (2-4 and 6) were also tested for their phytotoxic and zootoxic activities. All these derivatives proved to be active against A. salina at 200 μg/mL, while 2 and 6 were also active on tomato cuttings. The other secondary metabolites (9, 10, and 11) herein reported for D. quercivora exhibited phytotoxic, antifungal, and zootoxic activity. This is the first report on the secondary metabolites secreted in vitro by this oak pathogen that could be key components of its adaptative strategies.

Diplodia quercivora sp. nov.: a new species of Diplodia found on declining Quercus canariensis trees in Tunisia

During a study of the species of Botryosphaeriaceae associated with oak decline in Tunisia, a large collection of Diplodia strains were isolated from Quercus afares, Q. canariensis and Q. suber trees showing a progressive dieback of shoots and branches, trunk canker and exudates and collar rot. Most of the isolates were identified as Diplodia corticola, while two isolates from Q. canariensis were morphologically and phylogenetically (ITS and tef1-α sequences data) distinct from all other known species of Diplodia. They are described here as Diplodia quercivora sp. nov. In addition, phylogenetic analyses showed for the first time the existence of two distinct lineages within D. corticola. In artificial inoculation experiments, D. quercivora caused necrotic lesions on bark and wood of three Mediterranean oak species, Q. ilex, Q. pubescens and Q. suber. In particular, among the oak species tested, Q. pubescens was the most susceptible.

The diversification of terpene emissions in Mediterranean oaks: lessons from a study of Quercus suber, Quercus canariensis and its hybrid Quercus afares

Interspecific gene flow is common in oaks. In the Mediterranean, this process produced geographical differentiations and new species, which may have contributed to the diversification of the production of volatile terpenes in the oak species of this region. The endemic North African deciduous oak Quercus afares (Pomel) is considered to be a stabilized hybrid between the evergreen Quercus suber (L.) and the deciduous Quercus canariensis (Willd.), presumably being monoterpene and isoprene emitters, respectively. In a common garden experiment, we examined the terpene emission capacities, terpene synthase (TPS) activities and nuclear genetic markers in 52 trees of these three oak species. All but one of the Q. suber and Q. canariensis trees were found to be genetically pure, whereas most Q. afares trees possessed a mixed genotype with a predominance of Q. suber alleles. Analysis of the foliar terpene emissions and TPS activities revealed that all the Q. canariensis trees strongly produced isoprene while all the Q. suber trees were strong monoterpene producers. Quercus afares trees produced monoterpenes as well but at more variable and significantly lower rates, and with a monoterpene pattern different than that observed in Q. suber. Among 17 individuals tested, one Q. afares tree emitted only an insignificant amount of terpenes. No mixed isoprene/monoterpene emitter was detected. Our results suggest that the capacity and pattern of volatile terpene production in Algerian Q. afares populations have strongly diverged from those of its parental species and became quantitatively and qualitatively reduced, including the complete suppression of isoprene production.

Oak trees and soil interactions in Mediterranean forests: a positive feedback model

Questions: What is the spectrum of variability of chemical elements in a Mediterranean forest ecosystem across the different compartments? Do co-existing tree species with different leaf chemical composition and nutrient cycling distinctly modify soil conditions? Could these species-specific, tree-generated soil changes create a potential positive feedback by affecting long-term species distribution? Location: Mixed oak forests of southern Spain, Los Alcornocales Natural Park. Methods: We sampled and chemically analysed five different ecosystem components: leaves, leaf fall, litter and superficial (0–25 cm) and sub-superficial (25–50 cm) soil beneath the canopies of evergreen Quercus suber and deciduous Q. canariensis trees. We used multiple co-inertia analysis (MCoA) to conjointly analyse the patterns of variability and covariation of eight macro- and micronutrients determined in each of the sampled ecological materials. We implemented a path analysis to investigate alternative causal models of relationships among the chemical properties of the different ecosystem components. Results: Variability in the concentration of chemical elements was related to the nature of their biogeochemical cycles. However, the rank of element concentration was consistent across ecosystem components. Analysis of co-inertia (MCoA) revealed that there was a common underlying multivariate pattern of nutrient enrichment in the ecosystem, which supported the hypothesis of a separation in biogeochemical niches between the two co-existing oak species, with Q. canariensis having richer plant tissues and more fertile soil directly under each tree than Q. suber. The feasibility of a potential tree–soil positive feedback model was the only statistically validated among several alternative (non-feedback) models tested. Conclusions: In the studied Mediterranean forests, oak species distinctly modify soil fertility conditions through different nutrient return pathways. Further investigation is needed to address whether these tree-generated soil changes could affect seedling establishment and ultimately influence species distribution.

Survey of diseases caused by Fusarium spp. on palm trees in the Canary Islands

Between 2006 and 2007, palm trees growing in both gardens and public parks and natural palm groves in the Canary Islands ( Spain ), and showing symptoms of wilt and dieback, were surveyed. Isolates were recovered from affected tissues of the crowns, leaves and vascular fragments on potato dextrose agar (PDA). After incubation, the Fusarium spp. colonies recovered were single-spored. They were transferred to PDA and Spezieller Nahrstoffarmer Agar (SNA) for morphological identification. Identification of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Canariensis was confirmed by PCR with the specific primers HK66 and HK67, which amplified a fragment of 567 bp. Fusarium wilt caused by F. oxysporum f. sp. canariensis was found on 54 Phoenix canariensis trees growing on four islands: Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, La Palma and Tenerife. F. proliferatum occurred on fifteen palms (10 P. canariensis , 1 P. dactylifera , 3 Roystonea regia and 1 Veitchia joannis ) located in Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Tenerife . Both these Fusarium species were found only in diseased palms from gardens and public parks, but not in natural palm groves. The results show that Fusarium wilt of P. canariensis is common in the Canary Islands and for the first time report F. proliferatum affecting different palm species in those islands.

Life History of the Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Dryophtoridae), in Southern Japan

ABSTRACT We surveyed the life history of the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae), in southern Japan, including seasonal changes in the flight activity of adults and composition of R. ferrugineus in different developmental stages in a total of 17 infested Phoenix canariensis trees which were cut down in 2003–2005. The flight of adults began in Mar, showed some peaks in summer and autumn, and ceased in mid-Dec. Various stages of individuals inhabited infested P. canariensis trees throughout the year. The composition of individuals at different stages in late fall was dependent on the resource (white intact tissue) availability in P. canariensis trees. In P. canariensis trees where considerable resource remained, all stages of larvae, pupae, and adults were found, whereas in palm trees with no resource, few young- and medium-stage larvae were observed. The temperature in the infested part of a palm trunk was 30°C or higher even in winter. From these results, we v...

Influence of canopy position, needle age and season on the foliar gas exchange of Pinus canariensis

We investigated the seasonal variation in the gas exchange of current and 1-year-old needles in the upper sun and lower shade crown of adult Pinus canariensis trees. In general, current year needles displayed lower gas exchange rates than the 1-year-old needles. In both needle age classes, gas exchange was significantly lower in the shade than in the sun crown. However irrespective of crown position and needle age, maximum daily net photosynthesis, transpiration, and stomatal conductance for water vapour were generally higher during the wet and cold winter as compared to the dry and hot summer. These higher gas exchange values obtained during the cold and wet season can mainly be explained by higher soil-water availability and lower evaporative demand as compared to the warm and dry seaon. In addition, we also observed a displacement in the temperature optimum of net photosynthesis towards lower temperatures during the cold and wet season as compared to the warm and dry season. The observed gas exchange characteristics indicate a conservative water saving strategy and thus allowing P. canariensis needles to maintain a positive carbon gain even at periods of high evaporative demand and low soil-water availability.

Altitudinal change in needle water relations of Pinus canariensis and possible evidence of a drought-induced alpine timberline on Mt. Teide, Tenerife

The alpine timberline on Mt. Teide, Tenerife, Canary Islands, occurs at about 1000 m lower elevation than that of continental mountains of similar latitude. We tested the hypothesis that edaphic and/or climatic drought are major causes for the timberline depression on this high subtropical island. Comparative measurements of soil water content, needle water status, stomatal conductance, carbon isotope signature, and foliar N concentration were conducted in mature trees of the timberline species, Pinus canariensis Chr. Smith ex. DC, along an elevational transect (upper montane forest at 1600 m to the timberline at 2100 m) in the wet and early dry seasons. The topsoil (0–10 cm) desiccated completely in the dry season at the timberline but retained a significantly higher soil moisture at 1600 m where cloud cover is frequent. Daily maximal stomatal conductance of pine needles decreased significantly from 1600 to 2100 m in the wet season which coincided with a higher water vapour saturation deficit of the air and a drier topsoil at 1800 and 2100 m compared to 1600 m. The δ 13 C value of sun-lit pine needles increased by 4.5 km −1 from 1600 to 2100 m, which is a greater increase with elevation than has been found in mountains on continents; this may indicate partial stomatal closure in high elevation pines. Daily minima of needle water potential in the dry season increased from –1.0 to – 1.5 MPa at 1600 m to –2.0 to –2.5 MPa at 1800 and 2100 m. We conclude that mature P. canariensis trees at the timberline are seasonally affected by edaphic and probably climatic drought which contradicts the opinion that drought stress is principally of low importance in alpine timberline environments. However, neither drought nor frost stress are likely to cause a critical reduction in vitality and growth rate of mature pines because the uppermost pine trees grow up to 14 m in height and have a vital appearance. The carbon sink limitation hypothesis is not applicable to the isolated pine trees at the timberline because self-shading and, consequently, lowered root zone temperatures do not occur. We forward the ‘multiple limitations at the seedling stage hypothesis’ in order to explain the timberline depression as resulting from a failure of P. canariensis toregenerate successfully at high elevations.

A survey of foliar mineral nutrient concentrations of Pinus canariensis at field plots in Tenerife

The foliar concentrations of the macronutrients Mg, Ca, K, N, and P and the micronutrients Fe, Mn, B, Cu, Mo, and Zn were measured in field grown Pinus canariensis trees. Plots were chosen all over the range of this species in Tenerife to establish a survey of the nutrient concentrations. Compared to available data from related pine species ( P. halepensis, P. pinaster, P. radiata) P. canariensis needles had lower N and P concentrations, higher Ca and Mg, and about equal K concentrations. N/nutrient ratios were in the range considered optimal for pine species. Micronutrients were in the range considered adequate for pines except for low Cu values.

Quercus canariensis, a New Host of Trabutia quercina.

Quercus canariensis Willd. is an oak species endemic to northwestern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. This species is particularly abundant in the southwestern Andalucía Region of southern Spain. During a disease survey in this area from 1997 to 1998, we observed Q. canariensis trees affected by a tar spot disease. Tar spot lesions were clearly differentiated by a black, crustose, and shiny stromata (10 to 20 mm in diameter) on the upper surface of leaves mainly arranged along leaf veins but also scattered randomly over the leaf surface. On most leaves there was little necrosis, and on most trees the damage was not serious, although some trees located in the most humid areas were severely affected with leaf chlorosis and heavy defoliation. Other Quercus species in the area, such as Q. ilex and Q. suber, did not show signs of tar spot. One fungus species was consistently associated with tar spots. The fungus formed ascomata, 250 to 400 µm in diameter, embedded in the stromata. Asci were clavate or saccate, 45 to 55 × 17 to 22 µm, eight spored, and short stalked. The ascus apex was acute to obtuse. Ascospores were arranged irregularly, 20 to 25 (-30) × 5 to 8.5 µm, fusiform to ellipsoidal fusiform, often curved and flattened on one side, thin walled, hyaline, aseptate, and smooth without a gelatinous sheath or appendage. Based on these characteristics, the fungus was identified as Trabutia quercina (Rudolphi ex Fr.) Sacc. & Roum., a pathogen causing tar spot in several Quercus species in the Northern Hemisphere (1). Samples were deposited in the Plant Pathology Mycotheca at the University of Córdoba, Spain (MIC-888 to MIC-897). To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. quercina on Q. canariensis and the first report of this pathogen in Spain. Reference: (1) P. F. Cannon. Mycopathologia 135:69, 1996.

Element contents and stress-physiological characterization of Pinus canariensis needles in Mediterranean type field stands in Tenerife

Contents of Ca, Mg, K, Na, S, Cl, P, N, pigments, ascorbic acid, glutathione, and tocopherol together with chlorophyll fluorescence were measured in needles of Pinus canariensis trees growing at four field stands at 4 different altitudes at the south-eastern slope of the Teide in Tenerife. S contents reflected impacts of SO 2 at lower altitudes. Via Na and Cl contents the influence from the sea was assessed up to 1000 m. Above 1000 m we found higher levels of ascorbic acid, less chlorophyll, higher carotenoid/chlorophyll-ratios, and lower α/β-carotene ratios. This pattern suits in a picture of elevated oxidative stress these trees are responding to. Decreases in Fv/Fm-ratios of chlorophyll fluorescence below 0.80 reflecting damages in the photosynthetic apparatus were only found at one site at 1500 m, where altitude stress was probably amplified by drought stress.

Height, Caliper Growth, and Biomass Response of Ten Shade Tree Species to Treeshelters

Ten tree species common to the California landscape were grown from liners with or without treeshelters in the landscape for 2 years. Periodic (~ every 2 months) height and caliper measurements were taken and, at the end of the 2 years, all trees were harvested for fresh and dry weight biomass determinations. Response to the treeshelter microenvironment was species dependent. Height was greater for sheltered versus unsheltered trees during the first 30 to 250 days for all species After 2 years, only Ginkgo biloba and Pinus canariensis trees grown in shelters were taller than their unsheltered counterparts. Stem caliper was often reduced for sheltered trees. Treeshelters may be useful for tree establishment in the landscape, but should be removed once the tree has grown out of it. Staking likely will be required after removal of the treeshelter.