Lower Crown Research Articles

Intra-tree variation in foliage quality drives the adaptive sex-biased foraging behaviors of a specialist herbivore

Some herbivorous insects enhance their fitness using foraging strategies that allow them to find and colonize the best of available resources within heterogeneous plants. The yellowheaded spruce sawfly, Pikonema alaskensis (Roh.) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), is a common defoliator that oviposits and feeds on the developing foliage of young open-grown black spruce [Picea mariana (Mills) B.S.P.]. While female and male eggs are both laid throughout the crown, most eggs laid in the upper crown are female, and more female than male late-instar larvae disperse acropetally, from the lower and mid-crown to the upper crown, to complete juvenile development. Here we present results from 4 years of manipulative sleeve-cage experiments that were carried out to evaluate the hypothesis that sex-biased oviposition-site selection and acropetal dispersal by P. alaskensis are adaptive responses to intra-tree variation in foliage quality. Survival and proportion of survivors that were female were either the same (2 years) or significantly higher (2 years) for groups placed in the lower or mid-crown during early instars, and then transferred acropetally during late instars to complete development in the upper crown, compared with those forced to feed exclusively in the lower crown. This suggests that females benefited most from acropetal dispersal. Sex ratios of survivors that had been forced to develop exclusively in the upper crown were usually more female biased than those of survivors that developed exclusively in the lower crown, suggesting higher survival for female than for male larvae emerging from eggs laid in the upper crown. Sex-biased egg allocation and larval dispersal appear to increase the survival of P. alaskensis by accounting for differential effects on male versus female larvae of phenology-independent temporal and spatial variations in the quality of foliage within the heterogeneous crown of black spruce.

Sampling plan for Adelges cooleyi (Hemiptera: Adelgidae) in spruce seed orchards

AbstractWithin-plant and between-plants distributions of the Cooley spruce gall adelgid, Adelges cooleyi (Gillette), fundatrices were measured in “interior spruce”, Picea glauca × P. engelmannii (Moench) Voss. & Parry (Pinaceae), seed orchards in central British Columbia to develop a quantitative sampling plan. Adelgids (number of fundatrices per shoot) were abundant at the lower and middle crown heights of the tree crowns but scarce at the upper crown height, and more abundant on the ends and central one-third of branches than on the inner portions. The northern and eastern aspects of trees had slightly but significantly more adelgids than did the southern and western aspects, and terminal shoots had more adelgids than did distolateral shoots. Variance was much greater between than within trees. These data were used to create a sampling plan with a sample unit consisting of a single 1-year-old shoot selected from the ends or central area of main branches in the lower or middle portion of each sample tree. Collecting 104 samples required 69 min, and yielded an estimate of the mean number of fundatrices per shoot with a standard error of 10% of the mean.

Carbon in Trees in Tasmanian State Forest

The mass of carbon (C) in standing trees on 1.5 M ha of Tasmanian State forest was 163 Tg C, with 139 Tg in eucalypt forest. The highest C densities occurred in the tallest, highest crown cover, mature, wet eucalypt forest, representing 0.2% by area containing only 1.3 Tg C. Shorter mature forests with lower crown cover contained 21–68% of this C density. Rainforests and forests containing regrowth or silvicultural regeneration components also contained lower C densities. Landscape-level C saturation of Tasmanian State forest could only be achieved when all forest was simultaneously mature eucalypt forest. This would sequester an additional 93 Tg C into trees, but would require fire to convert existing mixed forest and rainforest to eucalypt forest, and subsequent estate wildfire prevention while eucalypt forests mature and the prevention of eucalypt forests progressing to less C-dense rainforest. Theoretical C saturation at the landscape level is therefore ecologically impossible.

아까시잎혹파리, Obolodiplosis robiniae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) 연간 밀도변동과 아까시나무 수관 내 분포

Locust gall midge (LGM), Obolodiplosis robiniae (Haldeman) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), is a cecidomyiid insect forming roll-up galls on leaves of Robinia pseudoacacia Linnaeus (Fabaceae). LGM, known as native to North America, was reported from Korea and Japan in 2002. LGM was observed weekly or biweekly to clarify their voltinism and distribution within the crown of the host tree in two sites of Osan and Siheung in Korea from May to August, 2007. Density of LGM was investigated based on the number of larvae per leaf. Two generations of LGM were observed in Siheung site whereas three generations in Osan site during the present study. The result indicated that LGM had at maximum three generations per year. The density of LGM in Osan was higher in the upper crown of the host trees than middle or lower part. In Siheung, LGMs were distributed more on the exterior of the lower crown than the interior. The average number of larvae per gall was and individuals per leaf in Osan and Siheung, respectively.

Leaf photosynthetic responses and related nitrogen changes associated with crown reclosure after thinning in a young Chamaecyparis obtusa stand

In order to quantify the effects of thinning on biochemical photosynthesis parameters and changes in leaf nitrogen contents associated with the process of crown reclosure, the maximum rate of carboxylation (Vcmax), the leaf nitrogen concentration per unit area (Na), and the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) were measured at four crown heights in both thinned (1500 trees ha−1) and unthinned control (3000 trees ha−1) stands of ten-year-old Chamaecyparis obtusa (36°3′N, 140°7′E) trees during four consecutive growing seasons after thinning. Thinning increased Vcmax in the lower and middle crowns in the first year after thinning, and leaves in the lower crown of the thinned stand maintained high Vcmax for four years, whereas they abscised in the second year in the control stand. Significant increases in Vcmax were detected even in the upper crowns of trees in the thinned stand in the second year. Thinning did not affect Na at any of the crown positions in the first year, but significantly increased Na in the middle crowns from the second year after thinning. Thus, the redistribution of nitrogen between leaves, driven by increases in light and nutrient availability due to the 50% thinning, appears to have enhanced photosynthetic rates in the thinned stand. Thinning also significantly affected the slope of the linear relationship between Na and Vcmax initially after thinning, but its effect on this relationship was negligible after the second year. These quantitative results may be used to simplify the estimation of the likely effects of management practices on carbon fixation in forest canopies.

Detection of Tricholoma Matsutake in Soil After FOREST Fire in a Pinus Densiflora Forest in Korea

We examined T. matsutake survived in soil after forest fires in T. matsutake-produced forest in the pre-fire period and the situation of damages from forest fire in stands. We established a square plot of (50 m×50 m) in a burned site and divided it into 100 square quadrats of (5 m×5 m). Tree density of P. den- siflora, the dominant tree species, in plot was 2,104/ha, with a basal area accounting for 99%. The percent- age of dead pine trees was 52.1%, which is less than in other species as 88.6% and 100% of Quercus spp. and Prunus sargentii, respectively. In PCR amplification using the T. matsutake-specific primer pair, the 400-bp fragment was found in 29 of 100 soil sample s from each quadrat and in control cultures. The rela- tionship to the percentage of crown damage differed significantly (p=0.0026), with means between Tm and nTm of 59% and 70.5%, respectively. Moreover, the difference between BLT and nBLT on crown damage was highly significant in the U-test (p=0.0008). Therefore, P. densiflora in inner quadrats with low crown damage had T. matsutake on their roots. T. matsutake favor P. densiflora and mineral soils with low litter rather than under BLT with a thick humus layer. The area of T. matsutake from a forest fire in crown dam- age to P. densiflora will eventually decrease in relation to the increase in BLT. Hence, the species distribu- tion in understory vegetation such as shrub and BLT is an important factor for overstory tree survival from forest fires. In conclusion, the management of T. matsutake forest by controlling tree density and taking out understory vegetation is considered a good method for decreasing damage from forest fires.

New skeletal material of Andrewsiphius and Kutchicetus, two Eocene cetaceans from India

The Eocene cetacean genera Andrewsiphius and Kutchicetus are systematically revised, their anatomy described, and their phylogenetic position analyzed. Each genus contains a single species, A. sloani and K minimus, and both are known only from the middle Eocene of the Indian Subcontinent. Andrewsiphius and Kutchicetus differ in a number of respects, the most important dental difference being that P2, P3, p2, and p3 are double-rooted in Andrewsiphius and single-rooted in Kutchicetus. Lower molars are separated by diastemata in Kutchicetus, but not in Andrewsiphius. Postcranially, Andrewsiphius has caudal vertebrae that are far more robust than those of Kutchicetus.We propose the new clade Andrewsiphiinae for these two genera, based on their unique characters: the extremely slender jaw, fused mandibular symphysis, narrow palate and rostrum, and lower molars that have a low crown with three cusps lined up rostro-caudally. A phylogenetic analysis indicates that andrewsiphiines are either a subfamily of Remingtonocetidae or an independent branch on the Eocene cetacean lineage. Interpreting conservatively, we classify them as remingtonocetids. Andrewsiphiines have a long, robust, dorso-ventrally flattened tail and short limbs, suggesting that they swam using dorsoventral undulation of the tail.

Variability in leaf traits, insect herbivory and herbivore performance within and among individuals of four broad-leaved tree species

Abstract Individual plants may vary in their suitability as hosts for insect herbivores. The adaptive deme formation hypothesis predicts that this variability will lead to the fine-scale adaptation of herbivorous insects to host individuals. We studied individual and temporal variation in the quality of leaves of the tree species ash, lime, common oak, and sycamore in the field as food for herbivores. We determined herbivore attack and leaf consumption and performance of the generalist caterpillars of Spodoptera littoralis in the laboratory. We further assessed the concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and water in the leaves. All measures of leaf tissue quality varied among and within individuals for all tree species. The level of herbivory differed among the tree individuals in lime, oak and sycamore, but not in ash. Within host individuals, differences in herbivory between the upper and lower crown layer varied in direction and magnitude depending on tree species. In feeding experiments, herbivore performance also varied among and within tree individuals. However, variation in palatability was not consistently related to the leaf traits measured or to herbivory levels in the field. The ranking of individuals with respect to the quality of leaf tissue for herbivorous insects varied between years in lime and oak. Thus, trees of both species might present moving targets for herbivores which prevents fine-scale adaptations. In contrast, among individuals of ash and sycamore the pattern of insect performance remained constant over 2 years. These species may be more suitable hosts for the formation of adapted demes in herbivores.

Sex biased intra‐tree oviposition site selection and larval foraging behavior of a specialist herbivore

AbstractHeterogeneity in the quality of oviposition and feeding sites within plants can significantly influence the distribution and abundance of herbivorous insects, but remains poorly understood. Field surveys and a manipulative study were conducted to evaluate the influence of variation within the crown of black spruce, Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P. (Pinaceae), on adult oviposition and larval feeding behavior of yellowheaded spruce sawfly, Pikonema alaskensis Rohwer (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae). Most eggs were laid in the mid to lower crown of 1.5–2 m tall trees. However, most of the few eggs that were laid in the upper crown (i.e., whorl 2) were female. Fourth and fifth instars dispersed acropetally, from the mid and lower to the upper crown, causing high defoliation in the upper crown. Late‐instar females were generally more abundant than males on the leader, the most apical shoot on a tree where eggs and early instars rarely occurred, strongly suggesting that more females than males disperse acropetally. This hypothesis was supported in a manipulative experiment, where only 15–20% of larvae in all‐male broods, but almost three‐quarters of larvae in mixed broods, dispersed to the upper crown. To our knowledge, this is only the second study to explicitly demonstrate preferential allocation of progeny sex through oviposition site selection by a herbivorous insect, and the first study to unambiguously demonstrate sex‐biased dispersal by the juveniles of an insect whose adult females can fly. This study emphasizes the important role of intra‐plant variation in shaping both oviposition site selection and the dispersal behavior of juvenile phytophagous insects within their hosts, and suggests that sex‐biased foraging behaviors may be necessary for some insects to accommodate the respective needs of immature females and males within heterogeneous host plants.

Impact of long-term, saline flooding on condition and reproduction of the clonal wetland tree, Melaleuca ericifolia (Myrtaceae)

Although water regime modification and salinity are recognised as significant threats to wetland ecosystems worldwide, the effects of long-term saline flooding (decades) on woody tree persistence are poorly quantified. We compared the condition, growth, structure and reproduction (sexual and asexual) of mature individuals of the clonal tree, Melaleucaericifolia (Myrtaceae), that experienced continual (>30 years) flooding with trees that were only intermittently (approximately every 5 years) flooded. An index developed to assess the condition of multi-stemmed trees found that continually flooded trees were in significantly poorer condition than intermittently flooded trees, having lower crown cover, foliar cover and foliar density, and a higher incidence of dead stags and dieback. Annual stem growth correlated strongly with condition scores. Evidence for a trade-off between sexual and asexual reproductions was found; flooded trees were constrained in their vegetative lateral spread (<12 m dia.) and flowered more than intermittently flooded trees, which were not restricted in lateral spread (~30 m dia.). Flooded trees used intensively by the colonially roosting Australian Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) were in especially poor condition. These trees flowered infrequently and produced the lowest number of infructescences, but produced many new vegetative stems (ramets) within their centre. Although chronic flooding appeared to compromise the condition of M. ericifolia trees in Dowd Morass, their existence upon woody hummocks (~40 cm high) upon which they are able to produce new stems is likely to be a key mechanism in their persistence. It is unknown, however, how long this process can maintain the existing population. Production and maintenance of a large aerial seed bank by living mature trees under flooded conditions may allow M. ericifolia to regenerate sexually upon drawdown and may be important for population persistence in the longer term.

Within-crown structural variability of dwarfed mature Abies mariesii in snowy subalpine parkland in central Japan

We investigated mature dwarf Abies mariesii trees growing in conifer thicket–meadow parklands on a snowy subalpine plateau, where these dwarf trees are buried in the accumulated snow in winter. We focused on structural variation in the needles, shoots, and branchlets within different crown positions (leader crown vs lower crown) of the dwarf trees. In the leader crown, which appears above the snow surface earlier than the lower crown, current-year shoots and branchlets had greater total biomass, and foliage was more closely packed along the stem axis than in the lower crown, whereas current-year shoots in the leader crown had a lower needle mass ratio than in the lower crown. These results suggest that current-year shoots and branchlets in the leader crown have a specific structure that allows them to harvest more light, although construction and maintenance costs would be higher. In contrast, the structural characteristics of current-year shoots and branchlets in the lower crown efficiently concentrate incoming light by avoiding mutual shading within foliage, thus leading to increased biomass of photosynthetic needles within shoot and branchlet biomass. Such within-crown variability at various hierarchical levels from needles to branches in mature, but very dwarf, A. mariesii trees maintains the crown and allows survival within conifer clumps in areas of subalpine parklands that receive heavy snowfall.

Influence of intra‐tree variation in phenology and oviposition site on the distribution and performance of Ennomos subsignaria on mature sycamore maple

Abstract 1. Field surveys and a manipulative experiment were conducted to examine the hypotheses that intra‐tree heterogeneity in natural enemy activity, foliar quality (independent of phenology), or phenology influence the intra‐tree distribution and performance of Ennomos subsignaria on mature sycamore maple, Acer pseudoplatanus.2. Ennomos subsignaria intra‐tree distribution was distinctly clumped. Egg mass density was 85% higher on the lower bole than in the crown. Most early instars were found on lower crown proximal branches while most late instars and pupae were found on lower crown distal branches. This resulted in high levels of defoliation in the lower crown, especially on proximal branches.3. No parasitoids were reared from eggs or late‐instar larvae and only one pupa was parasitised, suggesting that preference for the bole and lower crown was not a response to parasitism. Similarly, E. subsignaria performance was not influenced by variable foliage quality (independent of phenology) within the crown. However, sycamore maple phenology had a large influence on E. subsignaria survival. More than 90% of newly emerged larvae survived to the adult stage when they fed on foliage with three pairs of leaves expanded per bud, whereas survival on younger foliage was reduced by &gt;45%.4. The peak period of E. subsignaria egg hatch was approximately 2 weeks after the peak period of sycamore maple budburst, which occurred acropetally. Egg hatch was closely synchronised with the availability of most suitable leaves for insect development on proximal branches of the lower crown, the location where most larvae initiated feeding.5. The results support the phenology hypothesis and suggest that intra‐tree variation in oviposition site and host phenological development influence the intra‐tree distribution and performance of this generalist herbivore.

Ozone sensitivity and ethylenediurea protection in ash trees assessed by JIP chlorophyll a fluorescence transient analysis

The effect of ethylenediurea (EDU) was tested using the chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence transient analysis, performed with JIP-test, to assess ambient ozone (O3) effects on photosynthesis of adult trees under natural conditions. Twelve adult European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) trees, known to be sensitive or tolerant to O3, determined by presence symptomatic (S) or absence asymptomatic (AS) trees of foliar symptoms in previous years, were treated either with distilled water containing 450 g m-3 EDU or with distilled water. Once a month across the growing season [the accumulated exposure over a threshold of 40 nmol(O3) mol-1 was 32.49 &micro;mol mol-1 h-1], Chl a fluorescence transients were measured in vivo on dark-adapted leaves of 1-year-old labeled shoots, from the lower crown part. Twenty-five parameters were calculated. The maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry (&#x3D5;Po or Fv/Fm) did not differentiate between S-and AS-trees, while increased Chl content and de-excitation rates suggested compensation of O3 injury in S-trees. Seasonal reductions in absorbing fluxes and increase in heat and fluorescence dissipation processes was due to leaf ageing and drought, the latter suggesting water deficit influenced Chl a fluorescence stronger than ambient O3 exposure. AS-trees showed elevated probability of connectivity among photosystem 2 units, a mechanism to stimulate energy dissipation and reduce photo-oxidative injury. EDU prevented the inactivation of reaction centers. This slight effect does not warrant EDU as a tool to assess O3 effects on photosynthesis, while the JIP-test is suggested for a quantitative assessment in adult trees.

Effects of elevated CO2 on feeding preference and performance of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) larvae

AbstractMultiple‐choice assays were conducted in the laboratory to examine the effect of CO2‐induced changes in leaf quality on growth, nutritional indices and preferences of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) larvae. The tested tree species, one‐year‐old aspen (Populus pseudo‐simonii Kitag.), two‐year‐old birch (Betula platyphylla) and three‐year‐old oak (Quercus mongolica Fisch.) were transplanted to open‐top chambers at ambient or elevated CO2 (650 ppm) concentrations in May 2005. The present study was conducted in 2006. Leaves from the upper and lower crowns of each tree species were sampled and analysed, respectively. On both measurement dates (24 July 2006 and 16 August 2006), there were significant CO2 effects on levels of condensed tannin, starch, nitrogen and C : N ratio. But only on the latter date, were the concentrations of total phenolics, soluble sugar, carbon and total non‐structural carbohydrates significantly affected by elevated CO2. Leaf dry weight content and specific leaf weight were almost completely unaffected by CO2 enrichment. Gypsy moth larvae exhibited a clear selectivity for tested leaf types (leaves from the upper and lower crowns of each tree species) even in their early instar stage, with the upper leaves of P. pseudo‐simonii being the most preferable and the lower leaves of Q. mongolica being the least preferred. The changes in leaf quality significantly reduced larval growth and altered partial indices of insect performance (e.g., relative growth rate and relative consumption rate). However, at least in this short‐term choice feeding assay (13 days), the CO2‐induced changes in leaf quality had no significant effects on food preference behaviour of the gypsy moth larvae, neither within the limited range of host plants nor within the leaves at different canopy heights of the same tree species.

An Experimental Study on Deformation of Wave -Dissipating Concrete Blocks Covering Caisson Breakwaters

The purpose of this study is to investigate the deformation characteristics of wave-dissipating concrete blocks covering caisson breakwaters. Examples of actual deformation were examined to obtain knowledge on the features. The study suggested that the relative crown height of the breakwater affected the deformation of the wave-dissipating concrete blocks. A series of hydraulic stability tests was conducted to investigate the deformation characteristics. The test results show that deformation of wave-dissipating concrete blocks is different between low and high crown conditions.

&lt;i&gt;Microcnemum coralloides&lt;/i&gt; (Chenopodiaceae- Salicornioideae): an example of intraspecific East-West disjunctions in the Mediterranean region

Kadereit, G. & A.E. Yaprak. 2008. Microcnemum coralloides (Chenopodiaceae-Salicornioideae): an example of intraspecific East-West disjunctions in the Mediterranean region. Anales Jard. Bot. Madrid 65(2): 415-426. Microcnemum is a monotypic genus of Salicornioideae comprising rare, annual, hygrohalophytic herbs growing in hypersaline inland lagoons and salt pans. Microcnemum coralloides shows an East-West disjunction in the Mediterranean region: M. coralloides subsp. coralloides occurs in central and eastern Spain while M. coralloides subsp. anatolicum grows in Turkey, Syria, Armenia and Iran. We studied the phylogeny, biogeography and morphological differentiation of M. coralloides. Molecular analyses, using five western and eight eastern accessions of the species, were based on three different markers (nuclear ITS and plastid atpB-rbcL spacer and trnT/F region) analysed with Maximum Parsimony and Maximum Likelihood. Estimates of divergence times were calculated using a Likelihood Ratio Test (LRT) and the Penalized Likelihood (PL) method. The two subspecies can be clearly distinguished by their different seed testa surface. Other diagnostic characters were not found. The molecular data (ITS and ML analysis of the trnT/F region) indicate that M. coralloides subsp. coralloides originated from within M. coralloides subsp. anatolicum which implies an East Mediterranean origin and subsequent westward dispersal. Age estimates for the split of the two subspecies range from 2.8–0.5 million years ago. Considering the relatively low genetic differentiation and the low crown group age (0.7–0.1 mya) of M. coralloides subsp. coralloides in comparison to M. coralloides subsp. anatolicum we favour the hypothesis that the Iberian part of the species range was established during cold periods of the Early Pleistocene and that the range of the species was fragmented during a warmer period soon after its arrival in Iberia.

Spatiotemporal Changes in Landscape Pattern in Response to Afforestation in Northeastern Turkey: A Case Study of Torul

Monitoring and understanding of land use/forest cover dynamics as well as the factors affecting the changes in land use/forest cover are necessary for the sustainable management of natural resources. This study analyzes the spatial and temporal changes in land use and forest cover patterns in a typical mountain forest area in the Torul State Forest Enterprise area of Northeastern Turkey. The investigation evaluates the temporal changes of the spatial structure of forest conditions through the spatial analysis of forest-cover type maps from 1984 and 2005 using GIS and FRAGSTATS. The evidence presented here showed that there were drastic changes in the temporal and spatial dynamics of land use/forest cover, and between 1984 and 2005 there was a net increase of 19.9% in total forested area. Productive forest area increased by 3161 ha, although degraded forest area increased 9216 ha. In examining the changes of crown closure and development stages of the forest ecosystem during the study period, the forest stand area with low crown closures increased. The regenerated area increased because of regeneration activities while the other development stages were left to grow to older development stages in the period. These results regarding the crown closure and development stage show that forest quality has increased, and this is partly due to emigration of the rural population in Torul. In terms of spatial configuration, the landscape structure in Torul, the State Forest Enterprise area, changed substantially over the 21-year study period, resulting in fragmentation of the landscape as indicated by large patch numbers and smaller mean patch sizes, owing to heavy timber subtraction, illegal cutting, and uncontrolled stand treatments.

Freezing in non-acclimated oats. II: Thermal response and histology of recovery in gradual and rapidly frozen plants

Freezing in winter cereals is a complex phenomenon that can affect various plant tissues differently. To better understand how freezing affects specific tissue in the over wintering organ (crown) of winter cereal crops, non-acclimated oats ( Avena sativa L .) were gradually frozen to −3 °C and tissue damage during recovery was compared to plants that had been supercooled to −3 °C and then frozen suddenly. Percentage of total water frozen, was the same whether crowns were frozen suddenly or gradually although the rate of freezing was considerably different. For example, all available water froze within 3 h in suddenly frozen crowns but it took more than 15 h for all available water to freeze in gradually frozen crowns. When plants were suddenly frozen, cells in the apical meristem were disrupted and apparently killed. In these plants re-growth was limited or non-existent. In contrast, the apical region of plants that were slowly frozen appeared undamaged but extensive vessel plugging was observed in cells of the lower crown, possibly from accumulation of phenolics or from microbial proliferation. These histological observations along with the calorimetric analysis suggested that the apical region was killed by intracellular freezing when frozen suddenly while the crown core was damaged by a process, which either induced production of putative phenolic compounds by the plant and/or permitted what appeared to be microbial proliferation in metaxylem vessels.

Effects of light intensity and duration on leaf hydraulic conductance and distribution of resistance in shoots of silver birch (Betula pendula)

Variation in leaf hydraulic conductance (K(L)) and distribution of resistance in response to light intensity and duration were examined in shoots of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth). K(L) was determined on detached shoots using the evaporative flux method (transpiration was measured with a porometer and water potential drop with a pressure chamber). Although K(L) depended on light duration per se, its dynamics was largely determined by leaf temperature (T(L)). Both upper-crown leaves and branches developed in well-illuminated environment exhibited higher hydraulic efficiency compared with the lower crown, accounting for vertical trends of apparent soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductance in canopy of silver birch revealed in our previous studies. K(L) varied significantly with light intensity, the highest values for both shade and sun foliage were recorded at photosynthetic photon flux density of 330 micromol m(-2) s(-1). Light responses of K(L) were associated evidently with an irradiance-mediated effect on extravascular tissues involving regulation of cell membrane aquaporins. Effects of irradiance on K(L) resulted in changes of Psi(L), bringing about considerable alteration in partitioning of the resistance between leaves and branch (leafless shoot stem): the contribution of leaves to the shoot total resistance decreased from 94% at -1.0 MPa to 75% at -0.2 MPa. Treatment with HgCl2 decreased hydraulic conductance of both leaves and branches, implying that condition of bordered pit membranes or shoot living tissues may be involved in responses of xylem conductance to Hg2+.

Variables affecting Suillus luteus fructification in ponderosa pine plantations of Patagonia (Argentina)

Suillus luteus is the most abundant wild edible mushroom harvested in Patagonian pine plantations from Argentina. Their fruitbodies are unevenly distributed in plantations but no studies have been carried out to investigate and quantify the macro- and micro-level environmental factors affecting their fructification in productive patches. The objective of this study was to determine the biotic and abiotic micro-environmental factors affecting the productivity of S. luteus fructification. The study was conducted in an even-aged (17–18 years) Pinus ponderosa plantation with sandy loam soil, very common in the region. Twelve plots with fructifications and 12 with no fructification were randomly selected to make comparative measurements. Crown cover (CROWN), percentage of herbaceous + small-shrubs cover (HERB) and species composition, percentage of duff cover (DUFFC), percentage of bare soil (BARE), decomposed + non-decomposed duff depth (TDUFFD), soil water content (SOILH), soil texture, pH in water, pH in NaF, organic matter percentage (OM), total nitrogen percentage, available phosphorus content, S–SO 4 2− content, and exchangeable cations including Ca, Mg, K and Na were determined. Multiple logistic regression was used to select variables that explain presence or absence of fructifications, and a principal component analysis to further analyze the relationship between herbaceous species cover and fructification. The occurrence of fructifications was associated with a group of highly correlated variables (high HERB, OM and SOILH and low CROWN, DUFFC and TDUFFD), all determined by the irregular tree spatial pattern in plantation that impacts the quantity of light and water reaching the soil. Those variables related with chemical and physical soil properties, with the exception of OM and SOILH, explained little variation in the data set. The principal component analysis showed that plots with fructification presented higher Acaena ovalifolia and Stipa sp. cover, and that plots without fructification presented higher CROWN and TDUFFD. Pruning and thinning prior to complete canopy closure would maintain light and water reaching the soil and preventing duff accumulation by stimulating decomposition. If ponderosa plantations are managed for high production of S. luteus fructification, silvicultural treatments that include thinning should be implemented earlier.