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How does Dryobalanops aromatica supply carbohydrate resources for reproduction in a masting year?

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Abstract

The effect on reproduction of the dynamics of resource allocation was studied in an emergent and masting tree species, Dryobalanops aromatica (Dipterocarpaceae), in a lowland dipterocarp forest in Sarawak, Malaysia. Girdling of the reproductive shoots (5 mm diameter) caused an increase in abortion during the flowering period, but did not affect the fruit set at the middle or final stages of seed maturation. In contrast, 50% defoliation significantly affected fruit setting, but had little effect on flowering. The total leaf area of reproductive shoots was significantly correlated with final fruit set and total fruit mass. Control of the carbohydrate supply to reproductive shoots by girdling and defoliation made no difference to fruit size, but the fruit number was highly sensitive to carbohydrate availability. Total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) decreased during the flowering period mainly in the branch (P<0.05), but fluctuated little in any organs during fruit maturation. Leaf nitrogen and photosynthetic capacity of the reproductive shoots were not significant variables for reproduction. Our results suggest that D. aromatica uses current photosynthates in the leaves of reproductive shoots as a carbon source during fruit development, but requires stored assimilates in the branch for flowering. However, since TNC was still present in all organs even after flowering, our study also suggests that storage of carbohydrate resources might not be the decisive factor in the occurrence or frequency of flowering in this species.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the Sarawak Forest Department for permission to conduct the study and for their help, and to S. Sakai for providing the data on flowering phenology. We also thank K. Kawaguchi and Y. Seki for help with the laboratory work. Valuable comments were provided by S. Kitaoka. This study was partly supported by a Project of the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (P2-2), the Japan Science and Technology Agency, and JSPS Research Fellowships for Young Scientists for T. Ichie

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hokkaido University Forests, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0809, Japan

    Tomoaki Ichie & Takayoshi Koike

  2. United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Ehime University, Matsuyama, 790-8566, Japan

    Tanaka Kenzo

  3. Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8589, Japan

    Yoshinori Kitahashi

  4. Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

    Tohru Nakashizuka

  5. Faculty of Agriculture, Kochi University, Otsu 200 Monobe, Nankoku, 783-8502, Japan

    Tomoaki Ichie

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  1. Tomoaki Ichie
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Correspondence to Tomoaki Ichie.

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Ichie, T., Kenzo, T., Kitahashi, Y. et al. How does Dryobalanops aromatica supply carbohydrate resources for reproduction in a masting year?. Trees 19, 704–711 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-005-0434-3

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