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Variation of specific leaf area and upscaling to leaf area index in mature Scots pine

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Abstract

Reliable and objective estimations of specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf area index (LAI) are essential for accurate estimates of the canopy carbon gain of trees. The variation in SLA with needle age and position in the crown was investigated for a 73-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stand in the Belgian Campine region. Allometric equations describing the projected needle area of the entire crown were developed, and used to estimate stand needle area. SLA (cm2 g−1) as significantly influenced by the position in the crown and by needle age (current-year versus 1-year-old needles). SLA increased significantly from the top to the bottom of the crown, and was significantly higher near the interior of the crown as compared to the crown edge. SLA of current-year needles was significantly higher than that of 1-year-old needles. Allometric relationships of projected needle area with different tree characteristics showed that stem diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height and crown depth were reliable predictors of projected needle area at the tree level. The allometric relationships between DBH and projected needle area at the tree level were used to predict stand-level needle area and estimate LAI. The LAI was 1.06 (m2 m−2) for current-year needles and 0.47 for 1-year-old needles, yielding a total stand LAI of 1.53.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank B. Assissi and B.Y. Sanchez for assistance with field measurements, forest ranger M. Schuermans and his crew for harvesting the trees, and Prof. Ü. Niinemets for helpful comments. We are also grateful to the Division of Forests and Green Areas, Ministry of the Flemish Community (Brussels) and the Institute for Forestry and Game Management (Geraardtasbergen) for logistic support and access to the forest. This research was in part financially supported by the EC's Fifth Framework Programme through the CARBOEUROFLUX (EVKL-CT-1999-00032), MEFYQUE (QLK5-CT-2001-00345) research contracts and National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30570297). Chun-Wang Xiao acknowledges support from the research council of the University of Antwerpen (UA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Quantitative Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China

    Chun-Wang Xiao

  2. Department of Biology, Research Group of Plant and Vegetation Ecology, University of Antwerpen, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium

    Chun-Wang Xiao, I. A. Janssens, J. Curiel Yuste & R. Ceulemans

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  1. Chun-Wang Xiao
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  2. I. A. Janssens
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  3. J. Curiel Yuste
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  4. R. Ceulemans
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Correspondence to Chun-Wang Xiao.

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Communicated by P. von Aderkas

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Xiao, CW., Janssens, I.A., Curiel Yuste, J. et al. Variation of specific leaf area and upscaling to leaf area index in mature Scots pine. Trees 20, 304–310 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-005-0039-x

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