Intraseasonal Growth Research Articles

Site and provenance interact to influence seasonal diameter growth of Pseudotsuga menziesii

Phenology of diameter growth in trees has been studied for many years but generally using a limited number of sites and genotypes. In this project provenances of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) planted across a wide range of environments were used to evaluate diameter growth and phenology to an extreme heat event and to seasonal conditions. Sampling was done in nine common gardens in western Oregon and Washington, USA that included a coastal site, a low elevation interior site, and high elevation interior site on three latitude bands. In 2021, three provenances at four sites were monitored for late-season diameter growth following an extreme heat event in June. In 2022, five provenances were evaluated for full-seasonal diameter growth at four growth intervals across all nine sites. Growth after the 2021 extreme heat event varied by planting site, with the greatest growth observed at mild (cooler/wetter) sites and the least growth observed at arid (hotter/drier) sites. Comparisons of diameter growth over the late season period (i.e., July–October) showed that 2022 growth was 1.25-fold to 3.70-fold higher, presumably due to premature growth cessation in 2021. In 2022, diameter growth rates showed significant variation by site and provenance; the interaction between site and provenance was significant in all but the first growth interval. Intra-seasonal growth rates were not consistent across sites; there was substantial diameter growth early in the season on sites with continental climates, little diameter growth by any provenance after early August at three high elevation sites, and most sources continued growth later in the season at coastal sites. One source differed more in phenology across sites than the others, apparently due to its susceptibility to a needle-cast disease. Cambial phenology varied with genetic and site factors that control the timing of growth and intrinsic growth rates. In addition, the interaction between genotype and site resulted in some provenances performing better than others on some sites as a function of disease susceptibility or response to environmental factors. Understanding phenology of seed sources under a range of site conditions should help predict diameter growth under different climate conditions in the future.

Response of model-based cambium phenology and climatic factors to tree growth in the Altai Mountains, Central Asia

• The principal growth limiting factor shifts from temperature to soil moisture from RU to FY. • Cambial dynamic was bimodal pattern in AL, right-skewed unimodal in FY and unimodal in RU. • The length of growing seasons had a significant positive trends in two sites from Northwest China – Chinese Altai Mountains for the last six decades. • The intra-seasonal growth rate regulated tree growth rather than length of growing season. It is important to study the relationships between tree growth and phenology and climate factors in Central Asia for the sustainable development of forest ecology and the exploration of carbon sink potential in the region in a context of global change. Herein, the process-based Vaganov-Shashkin model was used to simulate tree-ring growth rates, to assess a cambial phenology (start and end of growing season) of larch trees ( Larix sibirica ) based on three sites located on three different latitudes in the Altai-Sayan Mountains in Central Asia over 1960–2018. It was shown that the principal factor limiting growth rates was temperature in RU (located in southern central Siberia), cambial dynamic was unimodal. In RU site, although the length of growing season did not change significantly over the past 59 years, it was correlated with tree radial growth. Moisture was the principal factor limiting the growth rates of AL and FY (located in Chinese Altai Mountains), and cambium dynamics were bimodal and unimodal, respectively. Temperature and precipitation before the start of the growing season lengthen the growing season, but this did not promote the tree radial growth. In conclusion, we determined that the climate-influenced intra-seasonal growth rate regulated tree growth rather than length of growing season in this area. In this study, the VS-simulation showed high potential develop a long-term reconstruction of cambial phenology in the Altai Mountains, which was conducive to a more comprehensive understanding of the exogenous-endogenous factors effects on tree-ring growth.

Influence of weather and day length on intra-seasonal growth of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica) in a natural montane forest

Intra-seasonal growth responses of co-occurring European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) to weather variability in montane forests can provide useful information on their future growth trends. To improve growth predictions, we aimed to identify (i) the main seasonal windows during which weather variability influences tree-ring growth, (ii) species-specific differences in the response to weather fluctuations, and (iii) teleconnections to remote sites in the Western Carpathians. We monitored intra-seasonal growth dynamics based on proxies extracted growth signals detected by high-resolution dendrometers in the transition zone between the beech and spruce altitudinal belt. Over 12 consecutive seasons in the natural montane forest (1350 m a.s.l.), the main part of spruce (68% to 10 July) and beech (95% to 26 August) annual increment was under the prevailing influence of temperature. After this, precipitation pattern (regarding spruce) and day length became the most influential variables during deceleration and cessation of growth. In addition, synchronous patterns with remote sites in the Western Carpathians were found. The results emphasize the importance of studying the influence of shorter-term weather fluctuations during the season. Our findings suggest that montane spruce tends to be less temperature-demanding and more drought-sensitive than beech, which may favor beech over the spruce under the future climate.

Ductoagathoxylon jimsarensis gen. nov. et sp. nov., a gymnospermous stem from the Wuchiapingian (upper Permian) Wutonggou Formation in the Junggar Basin, northern Bogda Mountains, northwestern China

A silicified stem, Ductoagathoxylon jimsarensis Wan, Yang, Liu et Wang gen. nov. et sp. nov., is described from the Wuchiapingian (late Permian) Wutonggou Formation from the Dalongkou section, Jimsar County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwestern China. It is composed of a pith, and primary and secondary xylem. The stem is characterized by a solid, heterocelluar pith with grouped secretory ducts and cells, an end- to mesarch primary xylem, and an Agathoxylon-type secondary xylem. Based on the Agathoxylon-type secondary xylem and the occurrence of secretory ducts and cells in the pith, it is suggested that Ductoagathoxylon is of a coniferous affinity. It provides additional evidence for the biodiversity of the Wuchiapingian Subangaran flora in northwestern China. Growth rings and false rings in D. jimsarensis and other previously reported fossil woods from the Wutonggou Formation in the Junggar Basin indicate both seasonal and intra-seasonal growth variations caused by environmental stress and precipitation seasonality. The fossil stem records suggest varying climatic and environmental conditions between the Dalongkou section in the northern Bogda Mountains and the Tarlong-Taodonggou sections, about 70km to the south, in the southern Bogda Mountains during the Wuchiapingian.

On the problem of ecological groups formation in European perch Perca fluviatilis populations

Simulation model of the intraseasonal growth dynamics of young-of-the-year European perch Perca fluviatilis has been developed and studied. The model has been constructed based on the principles of bioenergetics and covers all the main physiological utilization processes of energy that come with food, including somatic growth, expenses on metabolism, and partial loss of energy with egestion and excretion. It is assumed that there are two space-separated biotopes called “inshore” and “pelagial” with different feeding conditions. Fish move from inshore to pelagial as the amount of food in the inshore biotope gets lower, provided that the actual ration is reduced down to the predetermined threshold level. It is demonstrated that the combined distribution of fish specimens belonging to one generation according to weight by the end of their growth period mainly depends on the intensity of exchange process between the biotopes. The ratio between the abundance values of young fish localized in different biotopes is determined by the threshold ration level, which motivates fish to move, as well as the duration of spawning, and, accordingly, length of hatching period.

Long-term monitoring of climatic and nutritional affects on tree growth in interior Alaska

The comparative analysis of a large set of long-term fertilization and thinning studies in the major forest types of interior Alaska is summarized. Results indicate that nutrient limitations may only occur during the early spring growth period, after which moisture availability is the primary control of tree growth on warm sites. The temperature dynamics of both air and soil set seasonal bounds on the nutrient and moisture dynamics for all forest types. Air and soil temperature limitations are the primary control of intraseasonal growth in the colder topographic locations in interior Alaska. These locations are usually dominated by black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns, Poggenb.) vegetation types. The seasonal progression of factors controlling growth is strongly tied to the state factor structure of the landscape.

DEFOLIATION SYNCHRONIZES ABOVEGROUND GROWTH OF CO-OCCURRING C4GRASS SPECIES

The aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of grass communities in grasslands and savannas is primarily determined by precipitation quantity. Recent research, motivated by predictions of changes in the distribution of rainfall events by global climate change models, indicates that ANPP may be affected by rainfall distribution as much as by annual totals. Grazing and community composition are also known to affect grassland ANPP. The manner in which interactions between rainfall distribution, grazing, and community composition affect the relationship between precipitation and ANPP represents a critical knowledge gap. The effects of community composition and grazing on aboveground growth responses to intraseasonal variation in water availability were investigated at seven grassland sites with a nonselective clipping experiment. The aboveground growth of the dominant C4 species at each site was measured at regular intervals for 2-3 growing seasons in the presence or absence of regular defoliation. In the absence of defoliation, there was a general lack of synchrony of intraseasonal growth among co-occurring species. Variation in growth rates was high and was only partially explained by variation in rainfall. Regular defoliation increased growth synchrony at all sites, but changes in growth responses to rainfall varied between sites. These results suggest that community composition will be important in determining ANPP-precipitation relationships under conditions of altered rainfall distribution. However this effect appears to be a result of species responding differently to soil water or other resources rather than to rainfall per se. Grazing may override the effects of community composition by reducing differences in growth patterns between species and has the potential to weaken precipitation controls on ANPP.

Variation in Phenology, Growth, and Wood Anatomy of Toona sinensis and Toona ciliata in Relation to Different Environmental Conditions

Tree‐ring proxy data from subtropical to tropical Australasia are valuable though rare sources for climate reconstructions. Toona sinensis (A. Juss.) M. Roem. and Toona ciliata M. Roem. occurring naturally in this region are among the most promising tree species for future tree‐ring research. However, little is known about their phenological behaviors and the influence of environmental conditions on their intraseasonal growth and wood anatomical properties. Growth experiments were conducted on young trees of both species to investigate their responses to different treatments. The results show that phenology and growth were adjusted according to the severity of the treatments. Restricted growth conditions often caused longer leafless periods, shorter flushes of leaves, and decreased height and diameter growth increments, and they resulted in more but smaller vessels. Under optimum conditions, T. ciliata did not become leafless, had multiple leaf flushes, sustained growth throughout the experiment, and did ...

Intraseasonal growth and nutrient composition of jack pine needles following fertilization

Seasonal responses in dry weight, nutrient concentration, and nutrient content of current and year-old needles of plantation jack pine (Pinusbanksiana Lamb.) were examined after treatment with factorial combinations of N, P, and K applied at 0 and 100 kg/ha, respectively. Nitrogen fertilization not only increased dry matter production and N composition of new needles, but also increased uptake of P, K, Ca, and Mg by prolonging the active growing season. Net translocation of N from old to new foliage occurred only in N-deficient trees at the peak of the growing season. Application of P and (or) K failed to increase growth and nutrient uptake of needles, except for P additions which induced luxury consumption of phosphorous. Diagnosis of foliar nutrient status indicated P and K as sufficient and N as deficient for growth in this stand.

Growth of Lake Trout in Lake Superior before the Maximum Abundance of Sea Lampreys

The growth in length of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) from the inshore water of Lake Superior in 1953 increased with age from the 3rd to 9th year, and was nearly constant from the 9th to the 12th year. Growth was greatest in the 1st year (4.0 inches) and least in the 2nd and 3rd years (2.3 inches). Between the 4th and 9th years the increments increased from 2.6 to 3.5 inches. Growth was calculated from a curvilinear body-scale relation. Intraseasonal growth in length extended from late April until well after October; most growth was in late summer and fall. The younger fish started growth earlier, and some mature fish did not increase in length until after the October spawning. Lake trout reached the minimum legal weight (1.5 pounds) in the 7th year of life and the average size taken in the commercial fishery (about 3 pounds) in the 8th year. The annual increase in weight in the 8th year of life was over 64%. Fish used in this study grew more slowly than those from Lakes Michigan and Huron taken during the period when sea lamprey abundance was increasing, but at about the same rate as lake trout of Lake Michigan before the sea lamprey appeared.

Intraseasonal Growth in Lake Superior Lake Trout

Intraseasonal growth curves for lake trout, Cristivomer namaycush (Walbaum), of Lake Superior are deduced from a consideration of the increment in the number of circuli outside the last annulus of the scales as the season (1961) progressed. These curves are generally sigmoid and differ from one another in ways which suggest that they define differences in the onset, rate and duration of growth in the groups of fish concerned. However, the relationship between this measure of scale growth and the more conventional dimensional measures of both scale and fish growth have not been established.

Intraseasonal Growth Variation and Cultivation of Sugar-cane

IN my previous work1,2, I have explained the parabolic growth-variation as noticed in the sizes of the successive leaves, internodes, flowers, fruits and seeds formed from time to time during a season, stressing the importance of this knowledge for the selection of better planting material. The influence of the robustness of seed or planting material on the progeny and yield has been sufficiently stressed by many3. I have applied this method successfully to the cultivation of sugar-cane, rice, cotton, mulberry, turmeric and many other plants on an experimental scale, and feel that this could be applied with advantage to the cultivation of most plants.