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Influence of the light on the morphophysiological responses of native trees species of the semidecidual stational forest

  • Ecology & Biogeography - Original Article
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Abstract

Tree species have the ability to respond to different levels of light, changing their morphophysiological characteristics. The present study aimed to analyze the influence of light on the growth of three tree species from the Atlantic Forest biome. Growth variables, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, carbohydrates content and leaf anatomical aspects were investigated in the plants kept under two levels of light (80% shading and in full sun) at 60 and 120 days. The results showed that the three species have plastic responses, which allowed them to survive in both light levels. However, Machaerium brasiliense Vogel did not show differences for most growth variables, when kept under shade or full sun, indicating performance similar in both light conditions. Cordia trichotoma (Vell.) Arráb. ex Steud. and Triplaris americana L. presented different responses when maintained at different light levels, such as higher dry biomass, greater thickness of the palisade parenchyma, and greater total thickness of the leaves when kept in full sun. Shade-tolerant species (M. brasiliense) showed higher content of total soluble carbohydrates in the roots of plants kept in shade, representing plasticity in the physiological response of the plant. The two pioneer species have better growth and physiological performance in the higher light intensity treatment. In general, M. brasiliense is less plastic in relation to the other two species. Thus, the pioneers species, C. trichotoma and T. americana, could be used in the early phases of restoration of degraded areas due to their ability to perform better under higher luminosity.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for the scholarship of the first author of this work.

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Author notes

  1. Mariza Barion Romagnolo

    Present address: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia e Aquicultura (Nupelia), Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), UEM, Maringá, PR, Brazil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Comparada, Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM), Maringá, PR, Brazil

    Taysi Pereira Firmino, Luiz Antonio de Souza, Caroline Barbeiro, Thais Marcílio, Mariza Barion Romagnolo & Lindamir Hernandez Pastorini

  2. Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia e Aquicultura (Nupelia), Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), UEM, Maringá, PR, Brazil

    Lindamir Hernandez Pastorini

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  1. Taysi Pereira Firmino
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Contributions

FTP was the main author, designed the experiments, performed the experiments, wrote the manuscript, and analyzed the data. LAS analyzed anatomical and morphological characteristics. CB analyzed the data for carbohydrates and assisted in designing the figures. TM performed the experiments with carbohydrates. MBR: collected plant material and identified the plants. LHP designed the experiments, assisted in the writing of the manuscript, and analyzed the data. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Lindamir Hernandez Pastorini.

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Firmino, T.P., de Souza, L.A., Barbeiro, C. et al. Influence of the light on the morphophysiological responses of native trees species of the semidecidual stational forest. Braz. J. Bot 44, 963–976 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-021-00754-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-021-00754-4

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