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Elevated air humidity modulates bud size and the frequency of bud break in fast-growing deciduous trees: silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. × P. tremuloides Michx.)

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Elevated atmospheric humidity reduced bud size by restricting primordium growth and increased the frequency of bud break in fast-growing deciduous trees, but the responses are species-specific.

Abstract

The initiation, development, and growth potential of buds determine the structure of a tree crown. Climate change scenarios project increasing amounts of precipitation at high latitudes in the future, but the effects of a more humid climate on bud size and growth potential remain mostly unexplored. This study investigates the effects of atmospheric humidity on fast-growing deciduous trees, silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. × P. tremuloides Michx.), planted in a unique free-air experimental facility, designed for increasing air humidity during the growing season. Over four consecutive years (2009–2012), the size of overwintering buds was assessed in the upper crown of young trees, and additionally, annual height increments were assessed during the study period. Furthermore, bud contents, probabilities of bud death and break, and subsequent shoot growth were examined. In silver birch, misting effect on height growth depended on year, possibly due to acclimation or variable weather conditions, but bud size was consistently reduced. Nevertheless, misting restricted the growth rather than the initiation of leaf primordia in the bud, and decreased bud size did not translate into changes in the leaf area of future shoots. In contrast, the size of hybrid aspen buds was markedly reduced by misting only in 2009; however, increased humidity promoted bud break, reducing the proportion of dormant buds. The underlying mechanisms causing reduced bud size may involve interactions with shoot growth, but require further study. Although the effect of stimulated bud break is subtle in a given year, cumulative effects may modulate crown structure in the long term, facilitating the acclimation of tree growth to rising humidity in the future.

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Author contribution statement

MK collected the data set on buds, carried out analyses, and wrote the paper. OR and IT measured annual height increments. JS provided the data on weather conditions during the study period and was responsible for running the FAHM experiment. AS conceived the current study and together with KL provided feedback on earlier drafts of the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Kertu Lõhmus, Gristin Rohula, and Kaarin Parts for help during field work, Priit Kupper for information on environmental variables in misting plots, and Marit Maidla and Nicholas James Barker for language revision. We also thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments. This study was supported by the Estonian Science Foundation (Grant no 9186), by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (target financing project SF0180025s12), the European Regional Development Fund (Centre of Excellence in Environmental Adaptation), and project no. 3.2.0802.11-0043 (BioAtmos).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai 40, 51005, Tartu, Estonia

    Maarja Kukk, Olaf Räim, Ingmar Tulva, Jaak Sõber, Krista Lõhmus & Anu Sõber

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  1. Maarja Kukk
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  2. Olaf Räim
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  3. Ingmar Tulva
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  4. Jaak Sõber
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  5. Krista Lõhmus
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Correspondence to Maarja Kukk.

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Communicated by M. Adams.

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Kukk, M., Räim, O., Tulva, I. et al. Elevated air humidity modulates bud size and the frequency of bud break in fast-growing deciduous trees: silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. × P. tremuloides Michx.). Trees 29, 1381–1393 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-015-1215-2

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