Abstract
Evaluation of growth differences between clones and families has rarely been studied in slow-growing Cupressus funebris species, and whether such growth differences are related to biomass allocation patterns remains to be revealed and is essential for assessing the genetic selection potential and carbon sink capacity of superior species. We studied the genetic variation, heritability (replication power) and gain levels of 36 clones and 33 families of superior trees and analysed their biomass allocation patterns. The results showed that the early growth of Cupressus funebris was dominated by height growth, and the clones grew rapidly, with 28.45% and 47.81% higher diameter at breast height (DBH) and height at 9 years old than the family lines, respectively. However, the genetic variation of growth traits in the families was higher than that of the clones. Repeatability of 9-year-old clones for all traits was greater than family heritability. According to the 10% selection rate, the genetic gains of DBH and tree height of clones were 39.53% and 24.23%, respectively, 5.22 times and 2.05 times the genetic gains of families. The range of narrow and broad heritability of each trait was estimated to be 0.55–0.68, with an average value of 0.63, indicating that clones obtained higher additional genetic gains through nonadditive effects. The growth advantage of the clones was to increase the biomass of the aboveground part (86.03%) at the expense of the belowground biomass allocation, which was mainly reflected by the proportion of branch biomass allocation (18.45%). The branches and leaves of clones were mainly middle and upper, and the proportion of upper branches and leaves was 5.2% and 33.64% higher than those of the family, respectively, while the middle and lower layers of the branches and leaves of the family lines accounted for a higher percentage. The model \(\mathrm{ln}W={k}_{0}+{k}_{1}\mathrm{ln}D+{k}_{2}\mathrm{ln}H\)+\({k}_{3}\mathrm{ln}C\) has the best prediction of biomass and could be used for early genetic evaluation of Cupressus funebris by introducing the under branch height as an independent variable. In general, Cupressus funebris clones are fast growing and will help to improve the productivity and carbon storage of stands through genetic selection and utilization.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aspinwall MJ, King JS, McKeand SE (2013) Productivity differences among loblolly pine genotypes are independent of individual-tree biomass partitioning and growth efficiency. Trees 27(3):533–545. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-012-0806-4
Baltunis BS, Huber DA, White TL, Goldfarb B, Stelzer HE (2007) Genetic gain from selection for rooting ability and early growth in vegetatively propagated clones of loblolly pine. Tree Genet Genomes 3:227–238. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-006-0058-9
Baltunis BS, Wu HX, Dungey HS, Mullin TJ, Brawner JT (2009) Comparisons of genetic parameters and clonal value predictions from clonal trials and seedling base population trials of radiata pine. Tree Genet Genomes 5:269–278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-008-0172-y
Chmura DJ, Guzicka M, Rożkowski R, Chałupka W (2013) Variation in aboveground and belowground biomass in progeny of selected stands of Pinus sylvestris. Scand J Forest Res 28:724–734. https://doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2013.844269
Claesson S, Sahlen K, Lundmark T (2001) Functions for biomass estimation of young Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies and Betula spp. from stands in northern Sweden with high stand densities. Scand J Forest Res 16:138–146. https://doi.org/10.1080/028275801300088206
Dutc I, Mather R, Blujdea V, Iora F, Olari M, Abrudan IV (2018) Site-effects on biomass allometric models for early growth plantations of Norway spruce (Picea abies (l.) karst.). Biomass Bioenergy 116:8–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2018.05.013
Fang SZ, Liu Y, Yue J, Tian Y, Xu XZ (2021) Assessments of growth performance, crown structure, stem form and wood property of introduced poplar clones: Results from a long-term field experiment at a lowland site. For Ecol Manag 479:118586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118586
Fehrmann L, Kleinn C (2006) General considerations about the use of allometric equations for biomass estimation on the example of Norway spruce in central Europe. For Ecol Manag 236:412–421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2006.09.026
Feldpausch TR, Lloyd J, Lewis SL, Brienen RJ, Gloor M, Mendoza M, Phillips OL (2012) Tree height integrated into pantropical forest biomass estimates. Biogeosciences 9(8):3381–3403. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-9-3381-2012
Forrester DI (2021) Does individual-tree biomass growth increase continuously with tree size? For Ecol Manag 481:118717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118717
Griffin AR (2014) Clones or improved seedlings of eucalyptus? Not a simple choice. Int Forest Rev 16:216–224. https://doi.org/10.1505/146554814811724793
Headlee WL, Zalesny RS (2019) Allometric relationships for aboveground woody biomass differ among hybrid poplar genomic groups and clones in the North-Central USA. BioEnerg Res 12:966–976. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-019-10038-1
Kang XY (2019) Thoughts on the strategy of tree clonal breeding. J Beijing For Univ 41(07):1–9. https://doi.org/10.13332/j.1000-1522.20190098
Lelu-Walter MA, Thompson D, Harvengt L, Sanchez L, Toribio M, Pâques LE (2013) Somatic embryogenesis in forestry with a focus on Europe: state-of-the-art, benefits, challenges and future direction. Tree Genet Genomes 9:883–899. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-013-0620-1
Li X, Dong LH, Li FR (2018) Construction of artificial Pinus sylvestris branch height model based on simultaneous equations. J Beijing For Univ 40(6):10. https://doi.org/10.13332/j.1000-1522.20170428
Lin KM, Liu MK, Jiang MH (2017) Improved allometric equations for estimating biomass of the three Castanopsis carlesii H. forest types in subtropical China. New For 48(1):115–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-016-9559-z
Lou J, Jin GQ, Zhong FP (2014) Seedling cultivation techniques for clones of Cupressus Funebris by cutting. Zhejiang For Sci Technol 34(4):34–40 ([in Chinese])
Mcconnaughay KDM, Coleman JS (1999) Biomass allocation in plants: ontogeny or optimality? A test along three resource gradients. Ecology 80(8):2581–2593. https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(1999)080[2581:BAIPOO]2.0.CO;2
Meshram SG, Alvandi E, Meshram C, Kahya E, Al-Quraishi AMF (2020) Application of SAW and TOPSIS in prioritizing watersheds. Water Resour Manage 34(2):715–732. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-019-02470-x
Moussa M, Mahamane L (2018) Allometric models for estimating aboveground biomass and carbon in Faidherbia albida and Prosopis africana under agroforestry parklands in drylands of Niger. J For Res 29(6):1703–1717. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-0603-z
Mullin TJ, Park YS (1994) Genetic parameters and age-age correlations in a clonally replicated test of black spruce after 10 years. Can J For Res 24:2330–2341. https://doi.org/10.1139/x94-301
Niklas KJ (2002) Canonical rules for plant organ biomass partitioning and annual allocation. Am J Bot 89(5):00000001–00000008. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.89.5.812
Pang KJ, Woeste KE, Saunders MR, Mckenna JR, Michler CH (2021) Rapid growth in clonal Juglans nigra l. is most closely associated with early foliation, robust branch architecture, and protandry. For Ecol Manag 499(3):119590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119590
Park YS (2002) Implementation of conifer somatic embryogenesis in clonal forestry: technical requirements and deployment considerations. Ann For Sci 59:651–656. https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:2002051
Rezende DGSP, Rezende MDV, Assis TFD (2013) Eucalyptus breeding for clonal forestry. In: Fenning TM (ed) Challenges and opportunities for the world’s forests in the 21st century Forestry Sciences, vol. 81, pp 393–424. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7076-8_16
Schall P, Lodige C, Beck M, Ammer C (2012) Biomass allocation to roots and shoots is more sensitive to shade and drought in European beech than in Norway spruce seedlings. For Ecol Manag 266:246–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2011.11.017
Stovall JP, Fox TR, Seiler JR (2013) Allometry varies among 6-year-old pinus taeda (L.) clones in the Virginia Piedmont. For Sci 59(1):50–62. https://doi.org/10.5849/forsci.10-095
Sumida A, Miyaura T, Torii H (2013) Relationships of tree height and diameter at breast height revisited: analyses of stem growth using 20-year data of an even-aged Chamaecyparis obtusa stand. Tree Physiol 33:106–118. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tps127
Taeroe A, Nord-Larsen T, Stupak I, Raulund-Rasmussen K (2015) Allometric biomass, biomass expansion factor and wood density models for the op42 hybrid poplar in southern scandinavia. Bioenerg Res 8(3):1332–1343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-015-9592-3
Wang XW, Weng YH, Liu GF, Krasowski MJ, Yang CP (2015) Variations in carbon concentration, sequestration and partitioning among Betula platyphylla provenances. For Ecol Manag 358:344–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2015.08.029
Weng YH, Park YS, Krasowski MJ, Tosh KJ, Adams G (2008a) Partitioning of genetic variance and selection efficiency for alternative vegetative deployment strategies for white spruce in Eastern Canada. Tree Genet Genomes 4:809–819. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-008-0154-0
Weng YH, Kershaw J, Tosh K, Adams G, Fullarton MS (2008b) Height-diameter relationships for jack pine seedlots of different genetic improvement levels. Silvae Genet 57:276–282
Wu HX (2019) Benefits and risks of using clones in forestry—a review. Scand J For Res 34:352–359. https://doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2018.1487579
Wu HX, Ivković M, Gapare WJ, Matheson AC, Baltunis BS, Powell MB, McRae TA (2008) Breeding for wood quality and profit in Pinus radiata: a review of genetic parameter estimates and implications for breeding and deployment. NZJ For Sci 38:56–87
Xiang WH, Liu SH, Deng XW, Shen AH, Lei XD, Tian DL, Zhao MF, Peng CH (2011) General allometric equations and biomass allocation of Pinus massoniana trees on a regional scale in southern China. Ecol Res 26:697–711. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-011-0829-0
Yang Y, Li XW, Wang H (2015) Effects of thinning on growth and plant diversity of cypress plantation in the central Sichuan hilly region. Mt Res 33(02):199–207. https://doi.org/10.16089/j.cnki.1008-2786.000026
Yang HB, Zhang R, Jin GQ, Feng ZP, Zhou ZC (2016) Assessing the genetic diversity and genealogical reconstruction of cypress (Cupressus funebris Endl.) breeding parents using SSR markers. Forests 7:160–174. https://doi.org/10.3390/f7080160
Zhang Z, Jin GQ, Chen T, Zhou ZC (2021) Effects of CaO on the clonal growth and root adaptability of cypress in acidic soils. Forests 12:922. https://doi.org/10.3390/f12070922
Zhang YH, Fang SZ, Tian Y, Wang LL, Lv Y (2022) Responses of radial growth, wood density and fiber traits to planting space in poplar plantations at a lowland site. J For Res 33:963–976. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-021-01382-0
Zhu HY, Weng YH, Zhang HG, Meng FR, Major JE (2013) Comparing fast- and slow-growing provenances of Picea koraiensis in biomass, carbon parameters and their relationships with growth. For Ecol Manag 307:178–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.06.024
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Derong Fan (Forest Farm of Kaihua County in Zhejiang Province) for their assistance in the investigation of the experimental forests.
Funding
This work was funded by Zhejiang Science and Technology Major Program on Agricultural New Variety Breeding (2021C002070-8).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
TY: Formal analysis, Writing—Original Draft. PW: Supervision, Review & Editing. WW: Investigation, Data curation. GJ: Investigation, Data curation. YQ: Investigation. HS: Investigation. ZZ: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing—Review & Editing, Project administration. ZZ: Supervision.
Corresponding authors
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Additional information
Communicated by Tianjian Cao.
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Yang, T., Wang, P., Wang, W. et al. Early growth evaluation and biomass allocation difference between clones and families in Cupressus funebris. Eur J Forest Res 142, 839–850 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-023-01563-y
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-023-01563-y