Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Growth, allometry and shade tolerance of understory saplings of four subalpine conifers in central Japan

  • Regular Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Plant Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The conifers Abies veitchii, A. mariesii, Picea jezoensis var. hondoensis, Tsuga diversifolia dominate in subalpine forests in central Japan. We expected that species differences in shade tolerance and in aboveground and belowground architecture are important for their coexistence. We examined net production and carbon allocation of understory saplings. Although the four species allocated similar amounts of biomass to roots at a given trunk height, the root-zone area of T. diversifolia was greater than that of the three other species. T. diversifolia often dominates shallow soil sites, such as ridge and rocky slopes, and, therefore, a wide spread of lateral roots would be an adaptation to such edaphic conditions. Crown width and leaf and branch mass were greatest for T. diversifolia and A. mariesii, followed in order by A. veitchii and P. jezoensis var. hondoensis. Although leaf mass of P. jezoensis var. hondoensis was lowest among the four species, species differences were not found in the net production per sapling because net production per leaf mass was greatest for P. jezoensis var. hondoensis. The leaf lifespan was longer in the order A. mariesii, T. diversifolia, P. jezoensis var. hondoensis and A. veitchii. The minimum rate of net production per leaf mass required to maintain the current sapling leaf mass (MRNPLM) was lowest in A. mariesii and T. diversifolia, and increased in the order of A. veitchii and P. jezoensis var. hondoensis. A. mariesii and T. diversifolia may survive in shade conditions by a lower MRNPLM than the two other species. Therefore, species differences in aboveground and belowground architecture and MRNPLM reflected their shade tolerance and regeneration strategies, which contribute to their coexistence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aber JD, Melillo JM, Nadelhoffer KJ, McClaugherty CA, Pastor J (1985) Fine root turnover in forest ecosystems in relation to quantity and form of nitrogen availability: a comparison of two methods. Oecologia 66:317–321

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson LJ, Winterton A (1996) Germination as a determinant of seedling distributions among natural substrates in Picea engelmannii (Pinaceae) and Abies lasiocarpa (Pinaceae). Am J Bot 83:112–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Antos JA, Parish R (2002) Structure and dynamics of a nearly steady-state subalpine forest in south-central British Columbia, Canada. Oecologia 130:126–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Antos JA, Guest HJ, Parish R (2005) The tree seedling bank in an ancient montane forest: stress tolerators in a productive habitat. J Ecol 93:536–543

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baltzer JL, Thomas SC (2007) Determinants of whole-plant light requirements in Bornean rain forest tree saplings. J Ecol 95:1208–1221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker P, Castillo A (1990) Root architecture of shrubs and saplings in the understory of a tropical moist forest in lowland Panama. Biotropica 22:242–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Canham CD, Finzi AC, Pacala SW, Burbank DH (1994) Causes and consequences of resource heterogeneity in forests: interspecific variation in light transmission by canopy trees. Can J For Res 24:337–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christy EJ, Mack RN (1984) Variation in demography of juvenile Tsuga heterophylla across the substratum mosaic. J Ecol 72:75–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Day RJ (1972) Stand structure, succession, and use of southern Alverta’s Rocky mountain forest. Ecology 53:472–478

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrar JL (1995) Trees in Canada. Fitzhenry and Whiteside Limited and the Canadian Forest Service, Tronto

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitter AH, Stickland TR (1991) Architectural analysis of plant root systems 2. Influence of nutrient supply on architecture in contrasting plant species. New Phytol 118:383–389

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fitter AH, Graves JD, Self GK, Brown TK, Bogie DS, Taylor K (1998) Root production, turnover and respiration under two grassland types along an altitudinal gradient: infuence of temperature and solar radiation. Oecologia 114:20–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franklin JF, Maeda T, Ohsumi Y, Matsui M, Yagi H, Hawk GM (1979) Subalpine coniferous forests of central Honshu, Japan. Ecol Monogr 49:311–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gill RA, Jackson RB (2000) Global patterns of root turnover for terrestrial ecosystems. New Phytol 147:13–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hallik L, Niinemets Ü, Wright IJ (2009) Are species shade and drought tolerance reflected in leaf-level structural and functional differentiation in Northern Hemisphere temperate woody flora? New Phytol 184:257–274

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harmon ME, Franklin JF (1989) Tree seedling on logs in Picea-Tsuga forests of Oregon and Washington. Ecology 70:48–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ho MD, Rosas JC, Brown KM, Lynch JP (2005) Root architectural tradeoffs for water and phosphorus acquisition. Funct Plant Biol 32:737–748

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Horn S (1971) The adaptive geometry of trees. Princeton University Press, Princeton

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson RB, Caldwell MM (1993a) Geostatistical patterns of soil heterogeneity around individual perennial plants. J Ecol 81:683–692

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson RB, Caldwell MM (1993b) The scale of nutrient heterogeneity around individual plants and its quantification with geostatistics. Ecology 74:612–614

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanzaki M (1984) Regeneration in subalpine coniferous forests. I. Mosaic structure and regeneration process in a Tsuga diversifolia forest. Bot Mag Tokyo 97:297–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karizumi N (1979) Illustrations of tree roots. Seibundo Shinkosha, Tokyo (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Keyes MR, Grier CC (1981) Above- and below-ground net production in 40-year-old Douglas-fir stands on low and high productivity sites. Can J For Res 11:599–605

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kimura M (1963) Dynamics of vegetation in relation to soil development in northern Yatsugatake mountains. Jpn J Bot 18:255–287

    Google Scholar 

  • King DA (1994) Influence of light level on the growth and morphology of saplings in a Panamanian forest. Am J Bot 81:948–957

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohyama T (1980) Growth pattern of Abies mariesii saplings under conditions of open-growth and suppression. Bot Mag Tokyo 93:13–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohyama T (1983) Seedling stage of two subalpine Abies species in distinction from sapling stage: a matter-economic analysis. Bot Mag Tokyo 96:49–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohyama T (1987) Significance of architecture and allometry in saplings. Funct Ecol 1:399–404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohyama T (1991) A functional model describing sapling growth under a tropical forest canopy. Funct Ecol 5:83–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohyama T, Grubb PJ (1994) Below- and above-ground allometries of shade-tolerant seedlings in a Japanese warm-temperate rain forest. Funct Ecol 8:229–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leuschner C, Hertel D, Schmid I, Koch O, Muhs A, Hölscher D (2004) Stand fine root biomass and fine root morphology in old-growth beech forests as a function of precipitation and soil fertility. Plant Soil 258:43–56

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Markesteijn L, Poorter L (2009) Seedling root morphology and biomass allocation of 62 tropical tree species in relation to drought- and shade-tolerance. J Ecol 97:311–325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matsuda K, Haruki M, Hasegawa S, Yajima T, Sekine M, Mayama R (1978) Studies on the Picea glehnii forest (V) Species composition and regeneration of the southern natural community of the Picea glehnii on Mt. Hayachine. Jpn J Ecol 28:347–356 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • McKee A, LaRoi G, Franklin JF (1982) Structure, composition and reproductive behavior of terrace forests, South Fork Hoh River, Olympic National Park. In: Starkey EE, Franklin JF, Matthews JW (eds) Ecological research in national parks of the Pacific Northwest. Oregon State University, Forest Research Laboratory, Oregon, pp 22–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Miyajima Y, Takahashi K (2007) Changes with altitude of the stand structure of temperate forests on Mount Norikura, central Japan. J For Res 12:187–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miyajima Y, Sato T, Takahashi K (2007) Altitudinal changes in vegetation of tree, herb and fern species on Mount Norikura, central Japan. Veg Sci 24:29–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Mori A, Takeda H (2004a) Functional relationships between crown morphology and within-crown characteristics of understory saplings of three codominant conifers in a subalpine forest in central Japan. Tree Physiol 24:661–670

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mori A, Takeda H (2004b) Effects of undisturbed canopy structure on population structure and species coexistence in an old-growth subalpine forest in central Japan. For Ecol Manage 200:89–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mori A, Mizumachi E, Osono T (2004) Doi Y Substrate-associated seedling recruitment and establishment of major conifer species in an old-growth subalpine forest in central Japan. For Ecol Manage 196:287–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mori A, Mizumachi E, Komiyama A (2007) Roles of disturbance and demographic non-equilibrium in species coexistence, inferred from 25-year dynamics of a late-successional old-growth subalpine forest. For Ecol Manage 241:74–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Narukawa Y, Yamamoto S (2001) Gap formation, microsite variation and the conifer seedling occurrence in a subalpine old-growth forest, central Japan. Ecol Res 16:617–625

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Narukawa Y, Yamamoto S (2002) Effects of dwarf bamboo (Sasa sp.) and forest floor microsites on conifer seedling recruitment in a subalpine forest, Japan. For Ecol Manage 163:61–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nibau C, Gibbs DJ, Coates JC (2008) Branching out in new directions: the control of root architecture by lateral root formation. New Phytol 179:595–614

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nishimura N, Hara T, Kawatani M, Hoshino D, Yamamoto S (2005) Promotion of species co-existence in old-growth coniferous forest through interplay of life-history strategy and tree competition. J Veg Sci 16:549–558

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Okitsu S, Ito K, Li CH (1995) Establishment processes and regeneration patterns of montane virgine coniferous forest in northern China. J Veg Sci 6:305–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parish R, Antos JA (2004) Structure and dynamics of an ancient montane forest in coastal British Columbia. Oecologia 141:562–576

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paz H (2003) Root/shoot allocation and root architecture in seedlings: variation among forest sites, microhabitats, and ecological groups. Biotropica 35:318–332

    Google Scholar 

  • Peet RK (1981) Forest vegetation of the Colorado Front Range. Vegetatio 45:3–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poorter L, Bongers F (2006) Leaf traits are good predictors of plant performance across 53 rain forest species. Ecology 87:1733–1743

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Poot P, Lambers H (2008) Shallow-soil endemics: adaptive advantages and constraints of a specialized root-system morphology. New Phytol 178:371–381

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reubens B, Poesen J, Danjon F, Geudens G, Muys B (2007) The role of fine and coarse roots in shallow slope stability and soil erosion control with a focus on root system architecture: a review. Trees 21:385–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smithwick EAH, Mack MC, Turner MG, Chapin FS III, Zhu J, Balser TC (2005) Spatial heterogeneity and soil nitrogen dynamics in a burned black spruce forest stand: distinct controls at different scales. Biogeochemistry 76:517–537

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sterck FJ, Poorter L, Schieving F (2006) Leaf traits determine the growth-survival trade-off across rain forest tree species. Am Nat 167:758–765

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sugita H, Tani M (2001) Difference in microhabitat-related regeneration patterns between two subalpine conifers, Tsuga diversifolia and Abies mariesii, on Mount Hayachine, northern Honshu, Japan. Ecol Res 16:423–433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland WJ, Stillman RA (1988) The foraging tactics of plants. Oikos 52:239–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi K (1994) Effect of size structure, forest floor type and disturbance regime on tree species composition in a coniferous forest in Japan. J Ecol 82:769–773

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi K (1997) Regeneration and coexistence of two subalpine conifer species in relation to dwarf bamboo in the understorey. J Veg Sci 8:529–536

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi K (2010) Mid-successional stand dynamics in a cool-temperate conifer-hardwood forest in northern Japan. Plant Ecol 211:159–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi K, Lechowicz MJ (2008) Do interspecific differences in sapling growth traits contribute to the codominance of Acer saccharum and Fagus grandifolia? Ann Bot 101:103–109

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi K, Rustandi A (2006) Responses of crown development to canopy openings by saplings of eight tropical submontane forest tree species in Indonesia: a comparison with cool temperate trees. Ann Bot 97:559–569

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi K, Seino T, Kohyama T (2001) Responses to canopy openings in architectural development of saplings in eight deciduous broad-leaved tree species. Can J For Res 31:1336–1347

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor AH (1990) Disturbance and persistence of sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong) Carr.) in coastal forests of the Pacific Northwest, North America. J Biogeogr 17:47–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor AH, Qin Z, Jie L (1996) Structure and dynamics of subalpine forests in the Wang Lang Natural Researve, Sichuan, China. Vegetatio 124:25–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valladares F, Niinemets Ü (2008) Shade tolerance, a key plant feature of complex nature and consequences. Ann Rev Ecol Evol Syst 39:237–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veblen TT (1986) Treefalls and the coexistence of conifers in subalpine forests of the central Rockies. Ecology 67:644–649

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walters MB, Reich PB (1999) Low-light carbon balance and shade tolerance in the seedlings of woody plants: do winter deciduous and broad-leaved evergreen species differ? New Phytol 143:143–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warton DI, Wright IJ, Falster DS, Westoby M (2006) Bivariate line-fitting methods for allometry. Biol Rev 33:1–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright JS, Muller-Landau HC, Condit R, Hubbell SP (2003) Gap-dependent recruitment, realized vital rates, and size distributions of tropical trees. Ecology 84:3174–3185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto S (1993) Gap characteristics and gap regeneration in a subalpine coniferous forest on Mt Ontake, central Honshu, Japan. Ecol Res 8:277–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yanagisawa N, Fujita N (1999) Different distribution patterns of woody species on a slope in relation to vertical root distribution and dynamics of soil moisture profiles. Ecol Res 14:165–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the handling editor for his valuable comments. This study was partially supported by grants from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University, Asahi 3-1-1, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan

    Koichi Takahashi & Yoshiko Obata

  2. Institute of Mountain Science, Shinshu University, Asahi 3-1-1, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan

    Koichi Takahashi

Authors
  1. Koichi Takahashi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yoshiko Obata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Koichi Takahashi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Takahashi, K., Obata, Y. Growth, allometry and shade tolerance of understory saplings of four subalpine conifers in central Japan. J Plant Res 127, 329–338 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-013-0610-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-013-0610-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation