Abstract
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Isotope variation (δ 18 O) in wood suggests new insights on growth rhythms in trees growing in tropical forest with extremely high precipitation, without seasonal droughts or flooding.
Abstract
It is well known that growth-limiting factors such as seasonal droughts can induce periodicities in woody tissue formation of tropical trees. In regions without seasonal droughts or flooding but sufficient water for photosynthesis (ever-wet tropical forests), rhythmic growth has been previously reported; however, triggering factors remain little explored. Our objective was to establish tree-ring frequency and probable growing season by analysis of the intra-annual variability of isotopic ratios in cellulose (δ18Ocellulose and δ13Ccellulose) and relationships with environmental variables in two tree species (Humiriastrum procerum and Virola dixonii) growing in an ever-wet tropical forest (Choco region of Colombia, precipitation 7200 mm year−1, mean annual temperature 25.9 °C), located close to the Pacific Ocean at ca 3° 57′ 12.54″ N–76° 59′ 27.96″ W. Here, we report annual rhythmic growth evidenced by radiocarbon analysis, leaf phenology, dendrometer records, and stable-isotope variation in cellulose. All evidence points to the probable growing season occurring during the least rainy months for both species. While intra-annual δ18Ocellulose values follow a rhythmic variation, δ13Ccellulose variations show a less clear pattern, probably due to deciduity and remobilization of non-structural carbon stored in previous growing stages. Furthermore, δ18Ocellulose covary with relative humidity, vapor pressure deficit, short-wave solar radiation, and temperature during the least rainy months. In contrast, δ13Ccellulose values were not significantly correlated with environmental variables. Our results show that stable-isotope variations in tree rings, even under ever-wet conditions, are valuable for understanding drivers of tropical tree growth in such conditions.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the IsoLab and 14C Analysis Facility of Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry for sample processing. In addition, we thank the “Tropical Dendroecology Laboratory” of the Department of Forest Sciences of the National University of Colombia and MEDEL Herbarium. We thank “Pedro Antonio Pineda Tropical Forestry Center” of the University of Tolima and those people who help us during sampling: Amalia Forero, Faber Hernández, Sixto Cáseres, Iris Valencia, Andrés Caro, Diego Andrés David, and Jorge Mario Velez. We also thank the Communicating Editor, and three anonymous reviewers whose comments help to improve our paper manuscript.
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Colciencias Project 1118-714-51372. Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, JAG and SGC are supported by Colciencias in the announcement 785.
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Giraldo, J.A., del Valle, J.I., González-Caro, S. et al. Intra-annual isotope variations in tree rings reveal growth rhythms within the least rainy season of an ever-wet tropical forest. Trees 36, 1039–1052 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-022-02271-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-022-02271-7