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Interactive responses of Quercus suber L. seedlings to light and mild water stress: effects on morphology and gas exchange traits

Réponses interactives de semis de Quercus suber L. à la lumière et à un stress hydrique modéré : effets sur la morphologie et sur les caractéristiques des échanges gazeux

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Abstract

  • • The combined effect of water stress and light on seedlings of forest species is a key factor to determine the best silvicultural and afforestation practices in the Mediterranean area.

  • • The aims of this work was (1) to determine the optimal light level for the early development of cork oak seedlings under mild water stress and (2) to test if the combined effect of water stress and light followed the trade-off, the facilitation or the orthogonal hypothesis.

  • • Shade reduced instantaneous photosynthetic rates and water use efficiency in cork oak. However, seedlings grown under moderate shade (15% of full sunlight) were capable to accumulate similar amount of biomass than those grown under more illuminated environments by increasing their specific leaf area. Absolute differences in net photosynthesis between light treatments were higher in well watered than in water stressed seedlings. However, the impact of both factors on overall growth was orthogonal.

  • • We concluded that cork oak development is impaired under deep shade (5% of full sunlight) but it can be optimal under moderate shade (15% of full sunlight) even under moderate water stress. Implications of these patterns on regeneration, cultivation and afforestation of cork oak are discussed.

Résumé

  • • L’effet combiné du stress hydrique et de la lumière sur les semis est un facteur clé pour déterminer les meilleures pratiques pour la sylviculture et le reboisement dans la région méditerranéenne.

  • • Le but de ce travail a été (1) de déterminer le niveau optimal de lumière pour le développement précoce des semis de chêne liège soumis à un stress hydrique modéré et (2) de tester si l’effet combiné du stress hydrique et de la lumière suit l’hypothèse de compensation, de facilitation ou d’orthogonalité.

  • • L’ombre réduit le taux instantané de photosynthèse et l’efficience d’utilisation de l’eau chez le chêne liège. Cependant, les semis qui ont poussé sous une ombre modérée (15 % de la pleine lumière) ont été capables d’accumuler une biomasse totale similaire à celle des semis qui ont poussé sous de meilleures conditions d’éclairement en accroissant leur surface foliaire spécifique. Les différences absolues pour la photosynthèse nette, entre les traitements lumineux, ont été plus importantes pour les traitements bien alimentés en eau que pour les semis soumis à un stress hydrique. Cependant, l’impact des deux facteurs sur l’ensemble de la croissance a été orthogonal.

  • • Nous en avons déduit que le développement du chêne liège est diminué sous une ombre profonde (5 % du plein éclairement) mais il peut être optimal sous une ombre modérée (15 % du plein éclairement) même en conditions de stress hydrique modéré. Les implications de ces modèles pour le chêne liège ont été discutées pour ce qui concerne la régénération, la culture et le reboisement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.D. Anatomía, Fisiología y Genética, ETSI Montes, UPM, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Jaime Puértolas, María Dolores Jiménez & José Alberto Pardos

  2. CIFOR-INIA, Ap. Correos 8.111, 28080, Madrid, Spain

    Marta Pardos & Ismael Aranda

  3. Fundación CEAM, Universidad de Alicante, Dpto. Ecología, Campus de Sant Vicent del Raspeig, Apdo. 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain

    Jaime Puértolas

Authors
  1. Jaime Puértolas
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  2. Marta Pardos
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  3. María Dolores Jiménez
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  4. Ismael Aranda
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  5. José Alberto Pardos
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Correspondence to José Alberto Pardos.

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Puértolas, J., Pardos, M., Jiménez, M.D. et al. Interactive responses of Quercus suber L. seedlings to light and mild water stress: effects on morphology and gas exchange traits. Ann. For. Sci. 65, 611 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:2008044

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:2008044

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