Effect Of Tree Age Research Articles

Influence of tree age on the wood color and compounds involved in the “golden-thread” wood color formation in Phoebe zhennan

Wood color plays a key role in the quality and commercial value of wood products. However, the mechanism underlying wood color formation has yet to be fully elucidated. The principal objective of this study was to determine the effects of tree age on the wood color and identify the key metabolites correlated with the golden-thread wood color formation in Phoebe zhennan. The results indicated that the golden-thread wood color of P. zhennan was significantly affected by tree age. Four polar organic solvents and water were tested for the extraction of the metabolites, and ethyl acetate was determined to be the most suitable solvent for the extraction of the golden-thread wood color-related metabolites. Based on the experimental data from the UVVIS-NIR spectral scanning and comparative metabolomics, 66 differentially accumulated metabolites were significantly enriched in older wood, and among these, 46 metabolites (e.g., prenol lipids, carboxylic acids and their derivatives, steroids and their derivatives, and benzene and its substituted derivatives) were closely related to the golden-thread wood color formation (r = 0.526–0.944, P < 0.05). In addition, compared to younger wood (10 years old), older wood (30 and 80 years old) had greater durability and a stronger fragrance because of the enrichment of sesquiterpenoids in older wood. In this study, the effects of tree age on P. zhennan wood color, fragrance, and durability were determined through the alterations in the composition and contents of the related secondary metabolites. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the special wood color formation and can be used for a wide range of applications in the wood industry, from quality control to marketing and product development.

Effect of tree age on the properties of Himalayan birch (Betula alnoides Buch.-H.ex D.Don) wood

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of four different age groups on wood properties, i.e., anatomical, physical, and mechanical, of Himalayan birch (Betula alnoides Buch.-H.ex D.Don). The correlation between the properties was also discussed. The results indicated age influences the anatomical, physical, and mechanical properties of Himalayan birch. Results were comparable with other plantation species. Moreover, mechanical properties were highly correlated with the fibre morphology in Himalayan birch. Results from this present study indicate that the 15-, 20-, and 25-year-old Himalayan birch are suitable to be used for parquet, furniture, and other products. Generally, plantation-grown Himalayan birch has the potential to be a raw material to fulfill the demand for the timber industry.

Composition and Diversity of Endophytic Rhizosphere Microbiota in Apple Tree with Different Ages.

In order to determine the underlying mechanism of the senescence occurring in older apple trees, the effects of tree age on the community structure and dominant genus of endophytic rhizosphere bacteria in apple were investigated. The diversity and structure of the bacterial communities and corresponding changes in the dominant genera of endophytic rhizosphere bacteria of apple at different ages (2, 8, 16, 22years) were compared based on 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology. The results revealed that the longer the tree age, the less the number of ASV in the endophytic bacteria. Moreover, the number of ASV in the endophytic bacteria gradually decreased as the tree age increased, however no significant changes were observed in the alpha diversity. At the phyla level, the relative abundance of Actinobacteria increased, while that of Proteobateria decreased. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Mycobacterium, Chujaibacter, and other genera increased, while the relative abundance of Aquabacterium, Ralstonia, Streptomyces, Asticcacaulis, Hyphomicrobium, Pseudomonas, and Sphingomonas decreased. The reduced relative abundance of endophytic rhizosphere bacteria associated with plant growth and disease resistance may thus be the cause of tree senescence. This work acts as a reference to increases the understanding of plant-microbe interactions.

Tree age affects soil physico-chemical properties of mango orchard in Dong Thap province

The study was carried out to investigate the effect of tree age to soil physical and chemical characteristics of mango orchard. Effect of 4 different tree ages (&lt;10, 10 - 20, 21 – 30, and over 30 years) on soil physic-chemical properties of farmers’ Mango field in Dong Thap province. The research was handled from June to November 2021. Soil samples at two depths (0 - 20 and 20 - 50 cm) were collected from the tree basin and were subjected to laboratory analysis from November to December 2021. Data showed that soil properties varied across mango tree’ age and depths. Bulk density was higher in over 10-year-old tree and soil texture of silty clay-loam represented in the whole observed orchards. The results showed that the chemical properties of the soils were characterized by the low to rather low pH values (4.0 - 6.0) of the topsoil and tended to decrease gradually with depths and tree ages. Unimpacted EC (electrical conductivity) in mango orchards was recorded, while total N, P, K, soil organic carbon and CEC tended to decrease with tree age and depths. These values declined for 10 years old onwards for both depths of 0 - 20 and 20 - 50 cm.

Interaction of age and elevation on xylogenesis in Juniperus przewalskii in a cold and arid region

Exogenous factors (such as temperature and water availability) as well as endogenous factors (such as tree age) have effects on cambial phenology and intra-annual tree growt dynamics. However, how these factors interactively influence this physiological process remains unclear. Here, we compared biweekly cambial activity, timing and duration of xylogenesis in adult (< 250 yr) and old (> 400 yr) trees of Juniperus przewalskii Kom. along an altitudinal gradient on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. We found that the onset of cell production was 10–11 days earlier in adult than in old trees, both at high and low elevations. However, the end of cell production was mainly correlated with water availability varying with elevation, regardless of age. In addition to earlier growth onset, adult trees were characterized by a longer growing season and higher growth rates, resulting in a higher number of xylem cells. We found that at relatively wet high elevations, tree age exerts a more dominant control on cell production, whereas at relatively dry low elevations, the effect of tree age on tree growth became weak or negligible. Our study demonstrates that age interacts with environmental constraints to determine intra-annual growth dynamics in this cold and arid region.

Effects of Different Donor Ages on the Growth of Cutting Seedlings Propagated from Ancient Platycladus orientalis.

The effects of tree age on the growth of cutting seedlings propagated from ancient trees have been an important issue in plant breeding and cultivation. In order to understand seedling growth and stress resistance stability, phenotypic measurements, physiological assays, and high-throughput transcriptome sequencing were performed on sown seedlings propagated from 5-year-old donors and cutting seedlings propagated from 5-, 300-, and 700-year-old Platycladus orientalis donors. In this study, the growth of cutting seedlings propagated from ancient trees was significantly slower; the soluble sugar and chlorophyll contents gradually decreased with the increase in the age of donors, and the flavonoid and total phenolic contents of sown seedlings were higher than those of cutting seedlings. Enrichment analysis of differential genes showed that plant hormone signal transduction, the plant-pathogen interaction, and the flavone and flavonol biosynthesis pathways were significantly up-regulated with the increasing age of cutting seedlings propagated from 300- and 700-year-old donors. A total of 104,764 differentially expressed genes were calculated using weighted gene co-expression network analysis, and 8 gene modules were obtained. Further, 10 hub genes in the blue module were identified, which revealed that the expression levels of JAZ, FLS, RPM1/RPS3, CML, and RPS2 increased with the increase in tree age. The results demonstrated that the age of the donors seriously affected the growth of P. orientalis cutting seedlings and that cutting propagation can preserve the resistance of ancient trees. The results of this study provide important insights into the effects of age on asexually propagated seedlings, reveal potential molecular mechanisms, and contribute to an improvement in the level of breeding and conservation of ancient germplasm resources of P. orientalis trees.

Effects of NSC in different organs and at different growth stages on the yield of oil peony Fengdan with different ages.

Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) as resource reserves of plants play important roles in energy supply for normal growth and reproduction under environmental stress. The yield of perennial crops is mainly determined by the carbohydrate production and allocation in the current growth season, as well as the re-allocation of NSC reserves. However, the contribution of NSC to crop yield has not been fully determined. Fengdan (Paeonia ostii) is a variety of oil Peony that is newly developed in China. The effects of tree age and NSC on yield were examined by investigated the variations of biomass, soluble sugars, starch, and NSC in the organ and whole tree levels in the dormant and ripening stages of Fengdan populations with 4-, 6-, and 8-year-old in 2020 and 5-, 7-, and 9- year old in 2021. Results showed that the biomass, yield (seed biomass), soluble sugars, starch, and NSC reserve of Fengdan at the whole tree level increased with the increase in age. Although consistent correlations were observed between soluble sugars, starch and NSC storage, and yield among the plants with different ages, Fengdan showed allometric growth relationships between the accumulation of soluble sugars, starch, and NSC and yield and biomass (standardized major axis analyses slope b ≠ 1). Tree age significantly affected biomass and its allocation and NSC levels, especially the yield of Fengdan plants. The results of the investigation of the variations in the relationships between the yield and seasonal fluctuations of NSC and biomass indicate that roots is the key storage structure, whereas stems both serve as sink and/or source functions for the adult (7-9a) plants. NSC level, particularly the concentration of soluble sugars, in stems mainly influences Fengdan yield. These findings together provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the yield formation of Fengdan and have implications for manipulating sink-source relationship to achieve high yield.

Cover Image, Volume 4, Issue 1

Food FrontiersVolume 4, Issue 1 p. 1-3 FEATURED COVERFree Access Cover Image, Volume 4, Issue 1 First published: 27 March 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.175AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Graphical Abstract The cover image is based on the Research Article Effects of tree age on flavonoids and antioxidant activity in Torreya grandis nuts via integrated metabolome and transcriptome analyses by Jingwei Yan et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.211. Volume4, Issue1March 2023Pages 1-3 RelatedInformation

Importance of conserving large and old trees to continuity of tree-related microhabitats.

Protecting structural features, such as tree-related microhabitats (TreMs), is a cost-effective tool crucial for biodiversity conservation applicable to large forested landscapes. Although the development of TreMs is influenced by tree diameter, species, and vitality, the relationships between tree age and TreM profile remain poorly understood. Using a tree-ring-based approach and a large data set of 8038 trees, we modeled the effects of tree age, diameter, and site characteristics on TreM richness and occurrence across some of the most intact primary temperate forests in Europe, including mixed beech and spruce forests. We observed an overall increase in TreM richness on old and large trees in both forest types. The occurrence of specific TreM groups was variably related to tree age and diameter, but some TreM groups (e.g., epiphytes) had a stronger positive relationship with tree species and elevation. Although many TreM groups were positively associated with tree age and diameter, only two TreM groups in spruce stands reacted exclusively to tree age (insect galleries and exposed sapwood) without responding to diameter. Thus, the retention of trees for conservation purposes based on tree diameter appears to be a generally feasible approach with a rather low risk of underrepresentation of TreMs. Because greater tree age and diameter positively affected TreM development, placing a greater emphasis on conserving large trees and allowing them to reach older ages, for example, through the establishment of conservation reserves, would better maintain the continuity of TreM resource and associated biodiversity. However, this approach may be difficult due to the widespread intensification of forest management and global climate change.

Effects of tree age on flavonoids and antioxidant activity in Torreya grandis nuts via integrated metabolome and transcriptome analyses

AbstractThe nuts of Torreya grandis are abundant in flavonoids, providing potential antioxidant activity. Considering that T. grandis can yield nuts for hundreds or thousands of years, effects of tree age on flavonoids and antioxidant activity of T. grandis nuts were targeted in this study for the first time. Results revealed that antioxidant activity and total flavonoid contents in 100‐ and 1000‐years‐old T. grandis nuts were much higher compared to 10‐years‐old T. grandis. The content of 19 flavonoids showed significant correlations with antioxidant activity in 100‐ and 1000‐years‐old trees using metabolites profiling. Transcriptome and coexpression analysis indicated that seven genes were associated with aged‐related flavonoids biosynthesis. Further analysis showed that abscisic acid and gibberellin might regulate the age‐related differential flavonoids accumulation. Our study provides a novel viewpoint that aged T. grandis is likely to present a better source of natural antioxidants and has yet to be examined in other tree models.

Effect of tree age on fruit characteristics, seed emergence and seedling growth in Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.)

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) is an important exotic fruit from Asia, which is gaining popularity due to its nutritional benefits. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of tree age on fruit characteristics, seed emergence and seedling growth of rambutan. The study was conducted at the CSIR-Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute, Bunso, Ghana. Fruits of rambutan were harvested from 8, 10, 25 and 40 years old trees at different locations of the field genebank. For each tree age, three trees were used as replicates. Fruits harvested from trees of different ages were assessed for total fruit weight, pulp weight, pericarp weight, seed weight, percentage seed emergence, seedling plant height and number of leaves at monthly intervals. Fruits harvested from 8, 10, 25 and 40 years old trees did not show significant difference in fruit characteristics and seed emergence. Significant (p&lt;0.05) differences were observed in plant height and number of leaves at 5 and 6 months after emergence, respectively.

Modelling the response of larch growth to age, density, and elevation and the implications for multifunctional management in northwest China

Plantations of Rupprecht’s larch (Larix principis-rupprechtii) have been widely established in the drylands of northwest and north China under traditional fast-growing plantation management strategies. These strategies and the long-term logging ban have led to over-populated stands with lower structural and functional stability, less economic benefit and higher water consumption. To guide the sustainable management of larch plantations, field surveys and historical data compilation were undertaken in the Liupan Mountains of northwest China. The main influencing factors (stand structure and site condition) and their effects on mean tree height, mean DBH and timber volumes were determined based on up-boundary line analysis. Tree growth models coupling the effects of tree age, stand density, and elevation were established. Both height and DBH markedly increased initially and then slowly with tree age, decreased with stand density, and showed unimodal change with elevation. The coupled growth models accounted for 72–78% of the variations in tree height, DBH and timber growth. Recommendations for future plantation management are: (1) prolong the rotation to at least 60 years to produce large-diameter, high-quality timber and maintain greater carbon stocks; (2) zone the target functions of stands by elevation; and, (3) reduce stand density for balanced supply of multiple ecosystem services. The growth models developed can predict growth response of larch plantations to density alteration under given ages and elevations, and assist the transformation from traditional management for maximum timber production to site-specific and multifunctional management with longer rotations and moderate tree density.

Early flowering changes robusta coffee yield responses to climate stress and management

A shift towards earlier flowering is a widely noted consequence of climate change for the world's plants. However, whether early flowering changes the way in which plants respond to climate stress, and in turn plant yield, remains largely unexplored. Using 10 years of flowering time and yield observations (Total N = 5580) from 558 robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) farms across Vietnam we used structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine the drivers of flowering day anomalies and the consequent effects of this on coffee climate stress sensitivity and management responses (i.e. irrigation and fertilization). SEM allowed us to model the cascading and interacting effects of differences in flowering time, growing season length and climate stress. Warm nights were the main driver of early flowering (i.e. flowering day anomalies <0), which in turn corresponded to longer growing seasons. Early flowering was linked to greater sensitivity of yield to temperature during flowering (i.e. early in the season). In contrast, when late flowering occurred yield was most sensitive to temperature and rainfall later in the growing season, after flowering and fruit development. The positive effects of tree age and fertilizer on yield, apparent under late flowering conditions, were absent when flowering occurred early. Late flowering models predicted yields under early flowering conditions poorly (a 50 % reduction in cross-validated R2 of 0.54 to 0.27). Likewise, models based on early flowering were unable to predict yields well under late flowering conditions (a 75 % reduction in cross-validated R2, from 0.58 to 0.14). Our results show that early flowering changes the sensitivity of coffee production to climate stress and management and in turn our ability to predict yield. Our results indicate that changes in plant phenology need to be taken into account in order to more accurately assess climate risk and management impacts on plant performance and crop yield.

The effects of tree age, thickness, and depth of timber on density and mechanical properties of heat-treated black poplar wood (Populus nigra)

ThermoWood is a wood modification method that is used to improve the wood application and dimensional stability of wood. In this study, poplar wood (Populus nigra) was used in two age groups of 18- and 38-year-old trees to investigate the effect of tree age, thickness, and depth of heat-treated timbers on mechanical properties and density. In each age group, the timbers were prepared according to thickness of 40, 50, and 60 mm. The experimental samples were prepared from the surface (S) and middle (M) depth of heat-treated timbers based on age and thickness. Some properties of heat-treated and control wood such as density (oven-dry density, air-dry density, and basic density) and mechanical properties (modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and impact strength) were measured. In general, density and mechanical properties of heat-treated wood were decreased compared with the control samples. Density and mechanical properties of heat-treated and control wood samples were increased from 18- to 38-year-old trees. There were no differences in density and mechanical properties after changing thickness. Surface and middle depth specimens of heat-treated timbers showed a positive effect on the impact strength but had no considerable effect on densities and other strengths of heat-treated wood timbers.

Energy properties of Eucalyptus benthamii wood based on tree age and region in Guarapuava, Paraná state, Brazil

This study aimed to evaluate the properties of Eucalyptus benthamii wood for bioenergy purposes. Trees were sampled in five diametric classes and used to evaluate properties of the wood according to three ages (5, 6 and 7 years) in three regions of E. benthamii production in Parana state, southern Brazil. The basic density, proximate analysis, gross calorific value and net calorific value, and energy density were determined. For evaluation of the energy properties, 27 composite samples were used, which represented tree classes of minimum, medium and maximum diameter. The variables were statistically analysed under the effect of tree age and region. Basic density was positively affected by age, and this effect was reflected in energy density of the wood. The interaction of Region 1 with trees of age seven years identified the best conditions for biomass energy production from this source. As there were no significant differences in the immediate chemical analysis and the calorific value for either factor evaluated, we suggest that plantation managers could reduce the cutting cycle without compromising the energy efficiency of these forests.

Stable mercury isotopes stored in Masson Pinus tree rings as atmospheric mercury archives

The accuracy of mercury (Hg) dendrochemistry has been questioned because significant knowledge gaps exist in understanding the Hg translocation and mobility in tree-ring. In this study, we evaluated Hg concentrations and isotopic profiles in the tree-ring at a Hg artisanal mining site and a control site with the documented local Hg production inventory. Results show that the Hg concentration accumulated in tree-ring fails to reconstruct the temporal trend of Hg production due to confounded tree physiological and environmental factors, specifically, the radial translocation and tree age effects occurring during the fast-growing period. The temporal profiles of δ202Hg exhibit pronounced tree-specific variabilities due to the complexity of Hg isotopic mass dependent fractionation during atmospheric Hg uptake and translocation in vegetation. The Hg odd-MIF (mass independent fractionation) profiles in tree-ring can reconstruct a decadal-scale temporal trend of the atmospheric Hg0 pollution level, and also be used as a tracer to distinguish the emission source shifts of atmospheric Hg0. However, the radial translocation would result in uncertainties at the higher resolution because of the mixing of odd-MIF signatures with active rings. Caution should be taken and additional supporting evidence collected from independent methods should be used for verifying the tree-ring records.

The effect of tree age, daily sap volume and date of sap collection on the content of minerals and heavy metals in silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) tree sap.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the age of trees, daily sap volume as well as the term of tapping birch sap collected in the forest environment on the content of selected minerals (zinc, copper and manganese) and heavy metals (lead, nickel, chromium and cadmium). The study was performed on material taken from two stands (aged 34 and 84 years) in a moist broadleaved forest habitat with a dominant share of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth).The research results confirmed the presence of both nutritional essential minerals and hazardous heavy metals in the birch sap. At the same time, the content of minerals and heavy metals was found to be very variable and the differences between their concentrations, recorded on the same day of collecting in several trees of the same age group, can be even several dozen times higher. Depending on the examined elements, the factors influencing their content vary. The age of the trees determines only the manganese content; daily sap volume significantly affects the content of manganese and copper, and date of collection differentiates the content of zinc, lead, nickel and cadmium.The results may be interesting in the context of developing procedures for collecting birch sap for the purpose of obtaining raw material with beneficial nutritional values and a high level of health safety. For this reason, our recommendation for guaranteeing the health safety and high nutritional value of birch sap is to combine batches of raw material taken from as many trees as possible, and at the same time to publicize the fact that collecting birch sap from just one single tree may result in a raw material that is both dangerous and has no nutritional benefits.

Resin tapping potential of Atlantic maritime pine forests depends on tree age and timing of tapping

Pine resin is a highly valuable and sought-after non-timber forest product with multiple uses in many industrial sectors. Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) is the main tapped species in Europe, where resin tapping activities are concentrated in only a few specific Mediterranean regions. Although maritime pine also occupies vast extensions under Atlantic climates, the resin tapping potential of these forests remains unexplored. The objectives of this study were to determine the main factors driving resin yield under Atlantic conditions and to adapt extraction practices to these regions. Resin yield was assessed in two naturally regenerated maritime pine forests in NW Spain. The effects of tree age, inter-tree competition, dendrometry, seasonality and wounding time on resin production were tested. The feasibility of a simple and rapid microtapping procedure to predict resin yield was also assessed. Tree age was identified as the main factor driving resin production, which increased considerably with tree age. Tree slenderness, tree size and inter-tree competition also significantly influenced resin production, although the effects were lower and likely mediated by age variation. Resin yield followed marked seasonal patterns, with maximum production in late summer and minimum production in winter. Resin flow decreased rapidly with time after wounding. More than 95 % of resin yield flowed in the first week after trees were wounded. The proposed microtapping procedure, which estimates resin flow from small wounds in just a few days, was shown to be a useful and reliable tool both for phenotyping and to predict resin yield in new stands. The results confirm the high potential for resin tapping in Atlantic maritime pine forests, although tapping should be restricted to stands older than 30 years and a season should be delimited for this activity in the region studied. Additionally, the periodicity of grooves (typically fortnightly) may need to be increased.

Assessing Yield, Growth and Climate Traits in Agroforestry Systems in Southern Brazil

ABSTRACT The relationship between growth, yield and climate variables using multivariate analysis on agroforestry system has not been documented yet. Considering the potential of agroforestry systems as strategy to improve the balance of crop production and environmental health, the aims of this study were (i) to analyze the canonical correlations among groups of tree growth and climatic variables during four seasons of the year; and (ii) to characterize the relationships between sugarcane growth, yield, and quality variables in two agroforestry arrangements and sugarcane monocropping system. A field experiment was conducted from September 2011 to June 2016. The information generated in this study is relevant, as it provides information to farmers and can assist in the planning of new agroforestry systems due to the better knowledge of tree–crop interactions and climate effects in Southern Brazil. In this study, we demonstrated that crops and trees interact dynamically as a result of variations in the interception of solar radiation by trees in time due to the effect of tree age and arrangement, and we concluded that larger tree arrangements are suggested to benefit sugarcane growth and yield in agroforestry systems in Southern Brazil.

Species- and elevation-dependent productivity changes in East Asian temperate forests

The velocity and impact of climate change on forest appear to be site, environment, and tree species-specific. The primary objective of this research is to assess the changes in productivity of five major temperate tree species (Pinus densiflora, PD; Larix kaempferi, LK; Pinus koraiensis, PK; Quercus variabilis, QV; and Quercus mongolica, QM) in South Korea using terrestrial inventory and satellite remote sensing data. The area covered by each tree species was further categorized into either lowland forest (LLF) or high mountain forest (HMF) and investigated. We used the repeated Korean national forest inventory (NFI) data to calculate a stand-level annual increment (SAI). We then compared the SAI, a ground-based productivity measure, to MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) net primary productivity as a measure of productivity based on satellite imagery. In addition, the growth index of each increment core, which eliminated the effect of tree age on radial growth, was derived as an indicator of the variation in primary productivity by tree species over the past four decades. Based on our result from NFI plots and increment core data sets, the productivity of PD, QV, and QM in LLF was relatively higher than those in HMF, while LK and PK in HMF were more productive than lowland ones. Our analysis of the increment core data revealed a contrasting pattern of long-term productivity changes between coniferous and oak tree species. While the productivity of oak tree species tended to increase after the 1990s, the productivity in coniferous forests tended to decrease. These differences across forest types and their altitudinal classes are also noticeable from the MODIS product. The results of our study can be used to develop climate-smart forest management strategies to ensure that the forests continue to be resilient and continue to provide a wide range of ecosystem services in the Eastern Asian region.