Forest Research Centre Research Articles

Spatial Variability in Soil Water-Physical Properties in Southern Subtropical Forests of China

Quantification of soil water-physical properties and their spatial variation is important to better predict soil structure and functioning, as well as associated spatial patterns in the vegetation. The provision of site-specific soil data further facilitates the implementation of enhanced land use and management practices. Using geostatistical methods, this study quantified the spatial distribution of soil bulk density (SBD), soil moisture (SM), capillary water-holding capacity (CWHC), capillary porosity (CP), non-capillary porosity (NCP), and total porosity (TP) in southern subtropical forests located at the Tropical Forest Research Center in Pingxiang City, China. A topographic map (scale = 1:10,000) was used to create a grid of l km squares across the study area. At the intersections of the grid squares, the described soil water-physical properties were measured. By calculating the coefficient of variation for each soil water-physical property, all measured soil water-physical properties were found to show moderate spatial heterogeneity. Exponential, gaussian, spherical, and linear models were used to fit the semivariograms of the measured soil water-physical properties. Across all soil water-physical properties, the range A0 variable (i.e., the separation distance between the semivariance and the sill value) measured between 3419 m and 14,156 m. The nugget-to-sill ratio ranged from 9 to 41%, indicating variations in the level of spatial autocorrelation among the soil water-physical properties. Many of the soil water-physical properties were strongly correlated (as assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients). Spatial distribution maps of the soil water-physical properties created via ordinary kriging (OK) showed that most water-physical properties had clumped (aggregated) distributions. SBD showed the opposite spatial pattern to SM and CWHC. Meanwhile, CP and TP showed similar distributions.

Diversity, Seasonal Dynamics and Host Plants of Butterflies in Forest Research Centre, Siddipet, Telangana, India

Aim: This study aims at bringing out butterfly diversity through species richness, seasonal distribution and suitable host plant preferences of identified butterflies in Forest Research Centre, Siddipet, Telangana, India.
 Study Design: Line Transect Method is followed.
 Place and Duration of the Study: The study was conducted in Forest Research Centre (FRC), Siddipet, Telangana, India during 2021-2022.
 Methodology: Five line transects are laid across the research centre which are surveyed both in morning and afternoon at 9-11AM and 4-6PM respectively across the season viz., rainy, winter and summer seasons. Species identification was done based on the visual and photographical observations.
 Results: The study revealed a butterfly species richness of 53, spanning 39 genera and distributed across five families. These families included Nymphalidae (23 species), Pieridae (12 species), Lycaenidae (10 species), Papilionoidae (6 species), and Hesperiidae (2 species). When it came to host plant preferences, the butterflies showed a preference for families such as Fabaceae (23%), Malvaceae (16%), Capparaceae (12%), Acanthaceae (11%), and Poaceae (8%). Additionally, several other families, including Apocynaceae, Aristolochiaceae, Rhamnaceae, and Rutaceae, were found to host a few butterfly species. Regarding seasonal distribution, the study noted that butterfly species were more abundant during the winter season, followed by the rainy season, with the summer season exhibiting a significant difference in distribution and occurrence compared to the other two seasons.
 Conclusion: From the study, it can be concluded that FRC reported a diverse range of butterflies distributed across all the seasons making it potential site for preservation and conservation of butterflies and its host species.

Assessment of Carbon Sequestration Potential Of Different Tree Plantations In Forest Research Centre, Mulugu, Telangana State

Assessment of Carbon Sequestration Potential Of Different Tree Plantations In Forest Research Centre, Mulugu, Telangana State

The effect of various doses of biofertilizers on the growth response of medang (Dehaasia firma Blume) seedling

The increasing demand of wood whilst log production from natural forest decreasing is answered by a forest planting program in unproductive lands. The Medang (Dehaasia firma Blume) tree of Lauraceae family is one of the recommended species for plantation forests due to its its wide distribution areas in Indonesia and its wood’s multi-functionality. To increase its growth, application of biofertilizer could supply organic matter and improve the soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of biofertilizer doses on the growth of medang. The research was conducted in the Silvicultural nursery of the Forest Research and Development Center in Bogor. A Completely Randomize Design (CRD) comprising one factor with three replications was employed as the research method. The dosage of bionature as a treatment factor consists of control (without fertilizer), bionature-25, bionature-50, and bionature-100. The measured growth parameters were height, diameter, shoot ratio, and seedling quality index. The results showed that the dose of bionature-50 generated the best growth of medang seedlings for height and diameter; bionature-25 generated the best growth for root shoot ratio while bionature-100 generated the best growth for total dry weight and Seedling Quality Index.

Leaf morphological traits of nine major tropical trees of Shorea species (Dipterocarpaceae)

Abstract. Mufarhatun N, Susilowati A, Hilwan I, Arrofaha N, Yulita KS, Dwiyanti FG, Hidayat A, Kamiya K, Rachmat HH. 2023. Leaf morphological traits of nine major tropical trees of Shorea species (Dipterocarpaceae). Biodiversitas 24: 1704-1712. Shorea is the largest genus in the Dipterocarpaceae family and has high leaf morphological variations among its species, which causes difficulties in field identification. Therefore, information on the specific characteristics of the leaf morphology of each species is needed. This study aimed to examine and discriminate leaf morphological traits at both mature and sapling stages of nine Shorea species, namely Shorea balangeran (Korth.) Burck, S. leprosula Miq., S. mecistopteryx Ridl., S. multiflora (Burck) Symington, S. ovalis (Korth.) Blume, S. pinanga Scheff., S. platyclados Slooten ex Endert, S. selanica (Wight & Arn.) Blume, and S. stenoptera Burck. The leaves of 90 mature trees growing in the Dramaga Research Forest (DRF) and Gunung Dahu Research Forest (GDRF) as well as the leaves of 180 saplings growing in the nursery of Forest Research and Development Center (FRDC) were observed. Leaf traits, leaf color, and chlorophyll content were assessed on 3 leaves from each mature tree and 5 from each sapling collected. Furthermore, comparative analysis using F independent test in the one-way analysis variance (ANOVA), multivariate analysis using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis were used in this study. The results showed that 8 of the 11 measured morphological traits were identified as the quantitative leaves morphological differentiators, namely Leaves Width (LW), Lamina Length (LL), the length between the largest Leaves Point (LP) with the base of the leaves, angle of leaves vein (SD), Petiole Length (PL), number of leaves vein (LB), breadth of the leaves (WL), and the Circumference of the Leaves (CL). In addition, the results of cluster analysis showed the nine Shorea spp. are clustered into two major groups. Group 1 consisted of species, S. stenoptera, and S. mecistopteryx, while the remaining are included in Group 2. Our findings conclude that the eight leaf morphological traits obtained from this study are useful as additional characters to distinguish the nine Shorea species in the field.

Effects of Irrigation Interval and Planting Spacing on the Establishment and Growth of Faidherbia albida (Del.) A. Chev. Transplants in Arid Land Soils

The study aimed to assess the establishment of Faidherbiaalbida transplants under the effect of irrigation intervals and plantingspacing in the field conditions. It consisted of three irrigation intervals of5, 10 and 15 days and three planting spacings of 1x1 m, 1x2 m, and 2x3m; and it was conducted in the premises of the Forest Research Center,Khartoum, during May 2008 to June 2009. The results showed that thetemporal growth rate of F. albida shoot heights was greater in winter(November-February), but it was seriously slowed during the summerperiod (March-June). The shoot height, diameter and biomass growth ofF. albida increased with decreasing irrigation intervals; the growth ofthese parameters was highest in 5 days interval and lowest in 15 daysinterval. Planting spacings had no direct definite effect on F. albidaseedlings’ growth parameters. Even though, in the longer irrigationintervals, transplants’ growth tented to be greater in the wider spacing.Root biomass development seemed to be higher in the longer irrigationinterval regimes. There were no significant differences in the foliarnutrient content of the transplants between the different irrigationintervals. The values of mineral elements measured in this study areindicative of moderate nutrient supply for the F. albida transplants

Influence of Aspergillus niger Phospho-compost on Growth, Dry Matter Yield and P Uptake of Maize

Aims: Soils in Ghana's coastal savanna are typically poor in phosphorus (P), which has an impact on crop growth and productivity. The majority of West African phosphate rock formations are not reactive; therefore, their direct applications do not facilitate easy P availability to crops. Co-composting organic waste with phosphate rock and using phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms is the new paradigm adopted by scientists in response to the lack of P availability (PSMs). The goals of this study were to (1) assess the effect of Aspergillus niger in P dissolution in phosphate rock during composting with citrus waste (CW) and rice straw (RS) and (2) to evaluate the effect of phosphor-compost on growth, dry matter yield and P uptake of maize.
 Methodology: Preparation of compost took place at University of Ghana Forest and Horticulture Research Center, Okumaning Camp close to Kade. Citrus waste and rice straw were used as feed stock. Each composting pile contained a mixture of urea, Togo phosphate rock, and feedstock in a 1:3:24 weight-to-weight ratio.
 Results: According to the findings, citrus waste feedstock was superior to rice straw in dissolving the P in rock phosphate. In a pot experiment, the phospho-composts were assessed using maize (Zea mays) as the test crop.

Aboveground carbon stocks and sequestration rates of forests under different management regimes in Churia region of Nepal

The impact of forest management activities on the ability of forest ecosystems to sequester and store atmospheric carbon is of increasing scientific and social concern. This research estimated the aboveground carbon stocks and carbon sequestration rates of forests under various management regimes in the Churia region of Nepal. We used tree data from 469 permanent sample plots distributed across the region from the data archive of Forest Research and Training Centre for the study. The data from 2012 and 2017 were used. The volumes of individual trees were calculated using species–specific allometric equations, which were then converted to biomasses using their respective wood densities. The carbon content was calculated by multiplying the biomass by 0.47 and was converted to the amount of sequestrated CO2 by multiplying by 3.67. We found that the average estimated aboveground carbon stock increased from 78.43 t ha–1 in 2012 to 89.20 t ha–1 in 2017, resulting in an average annual carbon sequestration rate of 5.34 t ha–1 yr–1 (i.e. 7.90 t CO2 ha–1 yr–1). The results showed significant differences in aboveground carbon stocks and annual carbon sequestration rates among different forest management regimes in the region. Generally, aboveground carbon stock was found to be the highest in protected areas in both years whereas, the annual carbon sequestration rate was found to be the highest in government–managed forests. It can be concluded that the Churia region has great potential in terms of carbon sequestration. The evidence of the strong association of carbon stock and sequestration rate with management regimes provides valuable information for policymakers to maintain and further enhance carbon storage in a geographically vulnerable region like Churia.

Spatial Patterns of Soil Organic Matter, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium in a Subtropical Forest and Its Implication for Forest Management

Total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), and soil organic matter (OM) can significantly affect forest growth. However, these soil properties are spatially heterogeneously distributed, complicating the prescription of forest management strategies. Thus, it is imperative to obtain an in-depth understanding of the spatial distribution of soil properties. In this study, soils were sampled at 181 locations in the Tropical Forest Research Center in the southwestern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. We investigated the spatial variability of soil OM, TN, TP, and TK using geostatistical analysis. The nugget to sill ratio indicated a strong spatial dependence of soil TN and a moderate spatial dependence of soil OM, TP, and TK, suggesting that TN was primarily controlled by intrinsic factors (e.g., soil texture, parent material, vegetation type, and topography), whereas soil OM, TP, and TK were controlled by intrinsic and extrinsic factors (e.g., cultivation practices, fertilization, and planting systems). Based on the spatial variability determined by the geostatistical analysis, we performed ordinary kriging to create thematic maps of soil TN, TP, TK, and OM. Model validation indicated that the thematic maps were reliable to inform forest management.

Diversity and abundance of avifauna in forest research centre, Mulugu, Telangana, India

A study was conducted to document the avian diversity of the Forest Research Centre (FRC) and Forest College and Research institute (FCRI) Mulugu, Telangana, India from January 2020 to December 2020. Birds were surveyed at two different timings of the day i.e. early morning from 7am to 10 am and at evening from 3pm to 6 pm using line transect and point count method. A total of 77 species belonging to 15 orders and 42 families were recorded in which the maximum abundance of the species was recorded in the order Passeriformes. The analysis of dietary preference showed the dominance of the insectivorous community (52 %) followed by Frugivores (13%). The data on residential status revealed that all the 77 species observed, are resident in India with local migratory nature. The recorded species, Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) is listed under the near threatened (NT) category in the IUCN red data list. The work highlighted the importance of green cover around urban ecosystems as a preferred habitat for avian populations. FRC supports good bird diversity and protection and management of areas in and around them will help with conservation of the species.

Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and planting media on seedlings growth of Helicteres isora L. in the nursery

A screw tree (Helicteres isora L.) is a small/large shrub species that grows and spreads in many Asian countries, including Indonesia (NTT and Maluku). It is a medicinal plant commonly used to treat many diseases, such as bleeding and constipation. This study aimed to determine the effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and planting media on the growth of screw tree seedlings in a nursery. This research was conducted at Bogor Forest Research and Development Center’s nursery, Indonesia. This study consisted of two factors: AM fungi with three levels, namely control, Glomus aggregatum and Glomus clarum and growth media with two levels, namely mixed media of soil: rice husk charcoal (2:1) and mixed soil of media: rice husk charcoal: cocopeat (2:1:1). The results showed that treatment of G. aggregatum and soil mixed of media: rice husk charcoal: cocopeat (2:1:1) was significantly different from other treatments except for G. clarum and soil mixture of media: rice husk charcoal: cocopeat (2:1:1) that significantly increased height, diameter and dry weight of seedlings and the values were 97, 56, 126 and 46, 37, 127% compared to the control. Mycorrhizal dependency of screw tree was very high (126 and 127%). Generally, interaction treatment of G. clarum and mixed media of soil: rice husk charcoal: cocopeat (2:1:1) increased the growth of 11-month-old screw tree in the nursery.

Diversity and potential utilization of medicinal plants in Way Kambas National Park

The lowland forest area of Section I Way Kanan, Way Kambas National Park, possesses abundant medicinal tree species. This study aims to identify the medicinal tree species and their potential uses. Data collection was carried out by an inventory of all tree species by the belt transect method on a 100 m x 10 m. All plants were sampled for the herbarium, recorded, identified, and then analyzed for their usefulness. Data analysis was carried out to obtain the accuracy of scientific names, using the comparative identification approach, comparing herbarium samples from the field with herbarium specimens from Heyne’s collection at the Forest Botanical Herbarium, Forest Research and Development Center, Bogor. The identification results using herbarium specimens recorded 24 medicinal tree species of the 20 genera and 20 families. Based on Heyne’s Herbarium collection, 13 tree species of the 11 genera and 11 families possess the potential for medicinal and food. Among these species, the community still uses medicinal trees, such as Artocarpus elasticus, Baccaurea bracteata, Bouea oppositifolia and Cinnamomum iners. In general, people use medicinal plants when a family member is sick or used as tonics and supplements to maintain endurance.

Business feasibility of several PS-01 hybrid silkworms (Bombix mori L.) cultivation scheme

Forest Research and Development Center has developed technology to increase productivity of sericulture through selection of types and varieties and cross-breeding to obtain superior hybrids. One of the superior hybrids produced is superior silkworm PS-01. The use of PS-01 hybrid silkworm seeds has been officially carried out with the Minister of Forestry Decree Number 794 I Menhut-II/2013 concerning the Release of PS-01 Hybrid Silkworm (Bombyx Mory L) Seeds. Several variations in the cultivation of the PS-01 hybrid silkworm in the field result in several cultivation schemes. This study aims to assess feasibility of several of PS-01 hybrid silkworm cultivation schemes. The research is conducted at KTH Bina Mandiri Sukabumi. Data and information are obtained through in-depth interviews with several farmer group members Bina Mandiri Sukabumi, owner and manager of PT Begawan Nusantara as a partner of KTH, which cultivates PS-01 silkworm seeds. Data are analyzed descriptively and qualitatively. Feasibility of PS-01 hybrid silkworm cultivation business is assessed using several criteria, namely NPV, BCR, IRR, and BEP, during the 10-year business cycle. The results of financial analysis on four silkworm cultivation schemes using PS-01 hybrid silkworm seeds show Schema I : KTH farmers buy PS-01 hybrid silkworm eggs and sell their products in cocoons; it is not feasible; Schema II : KTH farmers buy PS-01 hybrid silkworm egg seeds and sell their products in the form of yarn, and it is feasible; Schema III : KTH farmers do not purchase PS-01 hybrid silkworm eggs and sell their products in the form of cocoons; it is not feasible; Schema IV. In a partnership scheme, KTH farmers are assisted with silkworm eggs, consumable operational materials, farmers receive maintenance assistance up to the 3rd instar, and the sale of the produce in the form of cocoons is feasible.

Improving the growth of cempaka (Elmerillia ovalis) seedlings to accelerate ex situ plantation

Cempaka tree (Elmerillia ovalis), best known as a multipurpose tree species, is mostly used for the building of luxurious traditional houses of the Toraja and Minahasa Tribe as well as for religious sculptures. Due to the specific qualifications, the cempaka wood demands gradually increase, while the populations in nature drastically decrease. On the other hand, early seedling growth encounters many obstacles such as recalcitrant seeds, slow growth, and sensitivity to leaf disease. This study aimed to improve the quality of the seedling prepared for a higher survival rate when planted in the field. This research was conducted at the nursery of the Bogor Forest Research and Development Centre, Indonesia. The factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, consisting of two factors: wood vinegar as a growth stimulant and media composition, in three replications. The stimulant factor consisted of two levels: the addition of wood vinegar (1.5 %) and (control), and the media composition factor consisted of four levels: (a) soil 100%, (b) soil: cocopeat rice husks (6: 3: 1), (c) soil: rice husks (1:1), and (d) soil: manure (2:1). The observed parameters were seedling height, diameter, root/shoot ratio, seedling quality index (SQI). The best growth of cempaka seedlings resulted in treatments of wood vinegar in combination with soil media mixed with manure. Seedlings in this treatment height 58.93 cm, 6.8 mm diameter, S/R ratio 3.61, and 1.26 SQI, respectively, better than the others. The best treatment also gives the 12 months seedlings absence of leaf disease.

The impact of community capacity building on forest management at Paru Village Forest, Sijunjung Regency, West Sumatera

The management of Paru Village Forest in Sijunjung Regency, West Sumatera, has not been optimal, resulting in the low economic value of the farm products and relatively weak bargaining position of the farmers. Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), in collaboration with Forest Research and Development Center, facilitated training through technology transfer to increase farmer’s capacity in forest management; post-harvest product processing; and alternative livelihood development in Paru Village Forest located in Sijunjung Protected Forest Management Unit since 2016 until 2020 to overcome the situation. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of facilitation on increasing the community’s capacity in forest management, post-harvest product processing, and alternative livelihood development. Data collection was carried out by interviewing 34 respondents, selected purposively using semi-structured questionnaires. Collected data and information were analyzed descriptively by comparing before and after situations. The results showed that after AFoCO facilitation, the community’s interaction with the forest has increased by 26.47%. The total number of farmers farming in the forest increased by 16.14%. The study also revealed that AFoCO facilitation had created new alternative sources of income having forward and backward linkage, as well as access to network marketing, thereby increasing the product selling price and marketing reach.

Preface

International Conference on Agriculture, Environment, and Food Security (AEFS) is a conference organized by Faculty of Agriculture Universitas Sumatera Utara which aimed to offer the opportunity for knowledge sharing, networking and collaboration between engineers, scientists, academicians, technologists and researchers working in agriculture, environment, and food technology sectors. AEFS has been held annually since 2017. The AEFS Conference deliberations for the last two year were on the following themes: agriculture, plantation and livestock for world food security (AEFS 2017) prospects and challenges of sustainable agriculture to improve food security and environment (AEFS 2018). For the 3rd AEFS 2019, the committee has chosen "Challenges on Food Security and Sovereignty in the Industrial Era 4.0" while for the 4th AEFS the theme was focused on Innovation and Technologies on Agricultural and Environmental Sustainability Systems with 6 selected tracks including Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Economics, Plant Science (Agronomy and Plantation, Plant Breeding, Biotechnology, Integrated Pest Management and Soil Science), Animal Science, Food Science and Technology, Marine and Fisheries Sciences.

Effect of Root Restriction on the Performance of Three-Truss Cultivated Tomato in the Low-Node Pinching Order at High-Density Cultivation System

The low-node pinching order at a high-density plant cultivation system (LN&HD) is now widely adopted for increasing tomato yield and fruit quality. The LN&HD cultivation period spans 70–120 days, employs the use of a small amount of substrate (low substrate volume), and plants are usually topped between the first and the fourth truss. Using a small amount of substrate in cultivation induces root restriction. Increasing the extent of root restriction in small pots has been adopted for increasing the fruit quality of tomato in some advanced countries. However, improving fruit quality at the expense of yield becomes a major drawback for adopting the LN&HD in Ghana. The LN&HD was introduced into Ghana mainly to increase tomato yield sustainably at a cost-effective level. This study aimed to manipulate or reduce the extent of root restriction to increase tomato yield. Information related to manipulating or reducing the extent of root restriction has not been extensively reported. Thus, an experiment was conducted (between 21 April 2019 and 11 August 2019) in the greenhouse of the University of Ghana Forest and Horticultural Research Centre, Kade-Ghana. Plants of two tomato cultivars (Jaguar and Momotaro York) were subjected to four root restriction conditions. The extent of root restriction were (1) complete root restriction in a 1.0 L volume capacity pot, (2) complete root restriction in a 1.5 L volume capacity pot, (3) partial root restriction in Rockwool-like cultivation, otherwise referred to as Cocowool, and (4) No root restriction in a trough containing 1.5 L of the substrate. The experiment was laid out in a 2 x 4 factorial in a randomized complete block. Results showed that partial root restriction in Cocowool and unrestricted roots in the trough produced the highest tomato yield and total dry matter compared to the plants that received complete root restrictions in the 1.0 and 1.5 L pots. However, the tomato’s total soluble solids increased with a complete root restriction in the 1.0 L pot. Reducing the extent of root restriction increased the yield and total dry matter of tomato. With the LN&HD, a small amount of substrate could be used (at a reduced cost) with a partial root restriction to increase the yield of tropical tomato cultivars grown in Ghana.

Analyzing the Relationship, Distribution of Tree Species Diversity, and Above-Ground Biomass on the Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape in Nepal

Forests provide numerous ecosystem goods and services. Their roles are considered as important for both climate mitigation and adaptation program. In Nepal, there are significant forest resources which are distributed in different regions; however, the studies on the spatial tree species distribution and the above-ground biomass and their relationship at the landscape level have not been well studied. This study aims to analyze the relationship, distribution of tree species diversity, and above-ground biomass at a landscape level. The data used for this study were obtained from the Forest Research and Training Center of Nepal, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), and Worldwide Wildlife Fund (WWF-Nepal). The landscape has a mean of 191.89 tons ha−1 of the above-ground biomass. The highest amount of the above-ground biomass measured was 650 tons ha−1 with 96 individual trees, and the least was 3.428 tons ha−1. The measured mean height of the tree was 11.77 m, and diameter at breast height (DBH) was 18.59 cm. In the case of the spatial distribution of the above-ground biomass, plots distributed at the middle altitude range greater than 900 meters above sea level (m. a. s. l) to 3000 meters above sea level taking more amount of the above-ground biomass (AGB). Similarly, the highest plot-level Shannon diversity index (H’) was 2.75 with an average of 0.96 at the middle altitude region followed by the lower region with an average of 0.89 and least 0.87 at a higher elevation. Above-ground biomass (R2 = 0.48) and tree height (R2 = 0.506) significantly increased with increasing elevation up to a certain level increased of elevation. Diameter at breast height (DBH) showed significance (R2 = 0.364) but small increase with increasing elevation, while the relationship among tree species diversity index, above-ground biomass, and elevation showed a weak and very weak positive relationship with R2 = 0.018 and R2 = 0.002, respectively. Based on the overall results, it is concluded that elevation has some level of influence on the forest tree diversity and above-ground biomass. The finding of this study could be useful for landscape-level resource management and planning under various changes.

Investigation on distribution and genetic diversity of endemic species of Shikoku "Ishizuchizakura" (Cerasus shikokuensis) for its conservation ―Forest Research Center Ehime Ishizuchizakura Research Group―

Investigation on distribution and genetic diversity of endemic species of Shikoku "Ishizuchizakura" (Cerasus shikokuensis) for its conservation ―Forest Research Center Ehime Ishizuchizakura Research Group―

Linking functional traits to multiscale statistics of leaf venation networks.

Leaf venation networks evolved along several functional axes, including resource transport, damage resistance, mechanical strength, and construction cost. Because functions may depend on architectural features at different scales, network architecture may vary across spatial scales to satisfy functional tradeoffs. We develop a framework for quantifying network architecture with multiscale statistics describing elongation ratios, circularity ratios, vein density, and minimum spanning tree ratios. We quantify vein networks for leaves of 260 southeast Asian tree species in samples of up to 2cm2 , pairing multiscale statistics with traits representing axes of resource transport, damage resistance, mechanical strength, and cost. We show that these multiscale statistics clearly differentiate species' architecture and delineate a phenotype space that shifts at larger scales; functional linkages vary with scale and are weak, with vein density, minimum spanning tree ratio, and circularity ratio linked to mechanical strength (measured by force to punch) and elongation ratio and circularity ratio linked to damage resistance (measured by tannins); and phylogenetic conservatism of network architecture is low but scale-dependent. This work provides tools to quantify the function and evolution of venation networks. Future studies including primary and secondary veins may uncover additional insights.