Abstract
This study examined the distribution and variation of mass to projected area ratio of foliage (LMA, g/m2) within hybrid spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry×Picea glauca (Moench) Voss×Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr) crowns across three stages of stand development (20, 60, and 140 years). Variability of LMA was assessed at different heights and branch positions. LMA decreased with distance from top of tree (p<0.0001) at rates that varied among stand development stages (p<0.0001). A multi-level mixed effect analysis indicated that distance from the tip of the first-order branch (p=0.0002) had a significant influence on LMA. In general, LMAs decreased towards the base of the tree and increased towards tree apex.
LMA differed significantly across stand development stages. Older trees (140 years) showed the highest LMA, while younger trees (20 years) showed the lowest LMA values. LMA also increased with foliage age, suggesting a developmental change in leaf area and mass with increasing foliage age. Multiple linear regression (MLR) relationships were developed to predict LMA at various positions within tree crowns. The precision of the models was slightly greater when branch position (from the apex of the tree) was described relative to tree height, rather than relative to crown length. The MLR function resulted in precise representations of LMA within tree crowns.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Apple M, Tiekotter K, Snow M, Young J, Soeldner A, Phillips D, Tingey DG, Bond BJ (2002) Needle anatomy changes with increasing tree age in Douglas-fir. Tree Physiol 22:129–136
Ashton PMS, Olander LP, Berlyn GP, Thadani R, Cameron IR (1998) Changes in leaf structure in relation to crown position and tree size of Betula papyrifera within fire-origin stands of interior cedar-hemlock. Can J Bot 76:1180–1187
Baldocchi DD (1993) Scaling water vapour and carbon dioxide exchange from leaves to canopy: rules and tools. In: Ehleringer JR, Filed CB (eds) Scaling physiological processes: leaf to globe. Academic, San Diego, pp 77–114
Barker MG, Booth WE (1996) Vertical profiles in a Brunei rain forest: II. Leaf characteristics of Dryobalanops lanceolata. J Trop For Sci 9:52–66
Billow C, Matson PG,Yoder B (1994) Seasonal biochemical changes in coniferous forest canopies and their response to fertilization. Tree Physiol 14:563–574
Bjorkman O (1981) Responses to different quantum flux densities. In: Lange OL, Nobel PS, Osmond CB, Ziegler H (eds) Physiological plant ecology I. Responses to the physical environment. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 57–107
Bond JB, Farnsworth BT, Coulombe RA, Winner WE (1999) Foliage physiology and biochemistry in response to light gradients in conifers with varying shade tolerance. Oecologia 120:183–192
Brooks JR, Hinkley TM, Ford ED, Sprugel DG (1991) Foliage dark respiration in Abies amabilis (Dougl.) Forbes: variation within the canopy. Tree Physiol 9:325–338
Brooks JR, Schulte PJ, Bond BJ, Coulombe R, Domec JC, Hinkley TM, McDowell N, Phillips N (2003) Does foliage on the same branch compete for the same water? Experiments on Douglas-fir trees. Trees 17:101–108
Chabot BF, Jurik TW, Chabot JF (1979) Influence of instantaneous and integrated light-flux density on leaf anatomy and photosynthesis. Am J Bot 66:940–945
Clement CJ, Banner A (1992) Ecosystem mapping of the Date Creek silvicultural systems research area, Prince Rupert Forest Region. Report to the BC Ministry of Forests, Victoria, 33 pp
Ellsworth DS, Reich PB (1993) Canopy structure and vertical patterns of photosynthesis and related leaf traits in a deciduous forest. Oecologia 96:169–178
Farquhar GD, O’Leary MH, Berry JA (1982) On the relationship between carbon isotope discrimination and the intercellular carbon dioxide concentration in leaves. Aust J Plant Physiol 9:121–137
Gertner GG, Kohl M (1995) Correlated observer errors and their effects on survey estimates of needle-leaf loss. For Sci 41:758–776
Gilmore DW, Seymour RS, Halteman WA, Greenwood MS (1995) Canopy dynamics and the morphological development of Abies balsamea: effects of foliage age on specific leaf area and secondary vascular development. Tree Physiol 15:47–55
Goldfeld SM, Quandt RE (1965) Some tests for homoscedasticity. J Am Stat Assoc 60:539–547
Grulke NEG, Miller PR (1994) Changes in gas exchange characteristics during the life span of giant sequoia: implications for response to current and future concentrations of atmospheric ozone. Tree Physiol 14:659–668
Gulmon SLG, Chu CC (1981) The effects of light and nitrogen on photosynthesis, leaf characteristics, and dry matter allocation in the chaparral shrub, Diplacus aurantiacus. Oecologia 49:207–212
Gutschick VPG, Weigel FW (1988) Optimizing the canopy photosynthetic rate by patterns of investments in specific leaf mass. Am Nat 132:68–85
Hollinger DY (1989) Canopy organization and foliage photosynthetic capacity in a broad-leaved evergreen montane forest. Funct Ecol 3:53–62
Jarvis PG (1993) Prospects for bottom-up models. In: Ehleringer JR, Filed CB (eds) Scaling physiological processes: leaf to globe. Academic, San Diego, pp 115–126
Judge GC, Griffith WE, Hill RC, Lutkephol H, Lee T (1985) The theory and practice of econometrics, 2nd edn. Wiley, Toronto, 1019 pp
Landsberg JJG, Waring RH (1997) A generalized model of forest productivity using simplified concepts of radiation use efficiency, carbon balance and partitioning. For Ecol Manage 95:209–228
Marshall JD, Monserud RA (2003) Foliage height influences specific leaf area of three conifer species. Can J For Res 33:164–170
Meidinger D, Pojar J (1991) Ecosystems of British Columbia. Research Branch, British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Victoria, BC, 330 pp
Nageswara Rao RCG, Wright GC (1994) Stability of the relationship between specific leaf area and carbon isotope discrimination across environment in peanut. Crop Sci 34:98–103
Neter J, Wasserman W, Kutner MH (1990) Applied linear statistical models. IRWIN, MA, 1181 pp
Oberbauer SFG, Strain BR (1986) Effects of canopy position and irradiance on the leaf physiology and morphology of pentaclethra macroloba (mimosaceae). Am J Bot 73:409–416
Oren R, Schulze E-D, Matyssek RG, Zimmermann R (1986) Estimating photosynthetic rate and annual carbon gain in conifers from specific leaf weight and leaf biomass. Oecologia 70:187–193
Parker GG, Davis MM, Chapotin SM (2002) Canopy light transmittance in Douglas-fir—western hemlock stands. Tree Physiol 22:147–158
Pinheiro JCG, Bates DM (2000) Mixed-effects models in S and S-Plus. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 528 pp
Reich PB, Walters MB, Ellsworth DS (1997) From tropics to tundra: global convergence in plant functioning. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94:13730–13734
Richardson AD, Berlyn GP, Ashton PMS, Thadani R, Cameron IR (2000) Foliar plasticity of hybrid spruce in relation to crown position and stand age. Can J Bot 78:305–317
Running SWG, Coughlan JC (1988) A general model of forest ecosystem processes for regional applications. I. Hydrologic balance, canopy gas exchange and primary production processes. Ecol Modell 41:125–154
SAS Institute Inc. (1989) SAS/STAT users's guide, version 6, vol. 2, 4th edn. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, 846 pp
Schoettle AW (1994) Influence of tree size on shoot structure and physiology of Pinus contorta and Pinus aristata. Tree Physiol 14:1055–1068
Schulze ED, Fuchs MI, Fuchs M (1977) Spatial distribution of photosynthetic capacity and performance in a mountain spruce forest of Northern Germany. I. Biomass distribution and daily CO2 uptake in different crown layers. Oecologia 29:43–61
Shapiro SS, Wilk MB (1965) An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika 52:591–611
Sutton BCS, Pritchard SC, Gawley JR, Newton CH, Kiss GK (1994) Analysis of Sitka spruce–interior spruce introgressions in British Columbia using cytoplasmic and nuclear DNA probes. Can J For Res 24:278–285
Temesgen H (2003) Evaluation of sampling alternatives to quantify tree leaf area. Can J For Res 33:82–95
Vitousek PM, Field CB, Matson PA (1990) Variation in foliar δ13C in Hawaiian Metrosideros polymorpha: a case of internal resistance? Oecologia 84:362–370
Wang YP, Jarvis PG, Benson ML (1990) Two dimensional needle-area density distribution within the crowns of Pinus radiata. For Ecol Manage 32:217–237
Webb WL, Ungs JM (1993) Three dimensional distribution of needle and stem surface area in a Douglas-fir crown. Tree Physiol 13:203–212
Weinbaum SW, Southwick SM, Shackel KA, Muraoka TT, Krueger WG, Yeager JT (1989) Photosynthetic photon flux influences microelement weight and leaf dry weight per unit of area in prune tree canopies. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 114:720–723
Woodman JN (1971) Variation of net photosynthesis within the crown of a large forest-grown conifer. Photosynthetica 5:50–54
Woodruff DR, Bond BJ, Meinzer FC (2004) Does turgor limit growth in tall trees? Plant Cell Environ 27:229–236
Yoder BJ, Ryan MG, Waring RH, Schoettle AW, Kaufmann MR (1994) Evidence of reduced photosynthetic rates in old trees. Forest Sci 40:513–527
Acknowledgements
The financial support of the British Columbia (BC) Ministry of Forests, Research Branch and the Department of Forest Resources at Oregon State University for the analysis phase of this research is gratefully acknowledged. We thank Drs. B. Bond, V. LeMay, and Robert Monserud for their comments on earlier drafts, and I. R. Cameron for coordinating the data collection phase of this study. We thank the two anonymous referees and the Communicating Editor for their constructive comments and insights.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by M. Adams
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Temesgen, H., Weiskittel, A.R. Leaf mass per area relationships across light gradients in hybrid spruce crowns. Trees 20, 522–530 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-006-0068-0
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-006-0068-0