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Photosynthesis and growth of Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai seedlings in the understory of trees with various phenologies

  • Original Article
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Journal of Forest Research

Abstract

We have studied the photosynthetic production and growth of Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai (hiba) seedlings under typical light conditions found in mixed forests, including constant shade, phenological gaps under broad-leaved trees with different lengths of foliation period, and in an open plot. Leaves sampled from the open plot had significantly higher rates of light-saturated gross photosynthesis and dark respiration, and a significantly lower specific leaf area than leaves from the other plots. The relative growth rate of whole plant biomass was significantly higher in plots that received larger amounts of light. The variations in these properties under the various light conditions are considered to reflect the ability of hiba seedlings to adapt to available light. In the late autumn, leaves sampled from the open and from the gap under deciduous trees indicated photoinhibition. However, the estimated value of monthly net photosynthesis of hiba seedlings was greater in these plots, indicating that the benefit of a greater light intensity for photosynthesis seems to be larger than the detriment of photoinhibition. The seasonal pattern of photosynthesis by understory hiba seedlings was affected by the phenology of canopy trees. Light availability under the canopy of deciduous trees associated with phenological gaps helped hiba seedlings to tolerate the relatively dark conditions during the subsequent foliation period. These results for reaction to the light regime and for the phenology of hiba seedlings are practicable for hiba forest management.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank T. Kanazashi and S. Mori for their advice on designing this investigation. We also thank Y. Awaya and A. Ishida for their support of photosynthetic measurement instruments. Thanks also to M. Shibata, T. Yagihashi, D. Hoshino, and H. Sugita for their valuable discussions and critical comments on early versions of the manuscript. The seedlings for this experiment were grown by N. Shimoda. This study was supported in part by a grant provided by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for “Evaluation, Adaptation and Mitigation of Global Warming in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Research and Development”, and by Research Grant #200608 of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tohoku Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 92-25 Nabeyashiki, Shimokuriyagawa, Morioka, Iwate, 020-123, Japan

    Gaku Hitsuma

  2. Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8687, Japan

    Qingmin Han & Yukihiro Chiba

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  1. Gaku Hitsuma
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  2. Qingmin Han
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  3. Yukihiro Chiba
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Correspondence to Gaku Hitsuma.

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Hitsuma, G., Han, Q. & Chiba, Y. Photosynthesis and growth of Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai seedlings in the understory of trees with various phenologies. J For Res 17, 156–163 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-011-0281-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-011-0281-6

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