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Shade tolerance of temperate Asian bamboos: a harbinger of their naturalization in Pacific Northwest coniferous forests?

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Abstract

Bamboos native to temperate East Asian coniferous forests arrive with increasing frequency in the United States as horticultural imports, and some are becoming naturalized locally. Given the strong floristic and physiognomic similarities between East Asian and western North American coniferous forests, we asked whether these introduced bamboos could tolerate the varied light regimes within coniferous forests in their new range. Seven temperate Asian bamboos and one North American bamboo (Arundinaria gigantea) were grown within shade structures in an experimental garden; these structures reduced ambient light to three light levels (50, 70, 90 % shade) that occur routinely within coniferous forests in the Pacific Northwest. Species’ responses under these light levels were measured by their light response curves to photosynthesis, resource allocation to light or carbon harvesting centers inferred by CO2 response curves, and shifts amongst forms of leaf Chlorophyll. Bashania fargesii has lower chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rates under high shade (90 %) relative to other Asian species and to B. fargesii grown in 50 and 70 % shade. Bashania fargesii, Sasa kurilensis and A. gigantea also displayed lower photosynthetic rates under 90 % shade compared to plants grown in 50 and 70 % shade and lower electron transport capacity under 70 and 90 % shade compared to plants grown in 50 % shade. In contrast, Pleioblastus chino, Pleioblastus distichus, Pseudosasa japonica, Sasa palmata and Sasaella ramosa display strong tolerance of low light. Our results indicate these five Asian bamboos (and others yet to be introduced) could skirt a major environmental barrier to new species establishment in these North American forests. Measuring a species’ light response curve offers a reliable, rapid means to assess an immigrant species’ potential to tolerate forests’ varied light regimes.

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Acknowledgments

We thank three anonymous reviewers for their insightful and helpful remarks. We thank several people for their invaluable assistance. The project was primarily funded by a contract from USDA-APHIS with the invaluable assistance of A. Tasker. We thank J. Bishop for the use of a LI-6400 gas exchange system during four field seasons. C. Cody, J. Ringwood and others aided with splitting rhizomes and plant care during winter. T. Almquist and B. Connolly assisted with erecting shade structures. L. Clark gave excellent insight into bamboo-specific morphology. G. E. Edwards and A. Cousins gave invaluable advice regarding interpreting physiological responses.

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  1. Invasive Plant Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33312, USA

    Melissa C. Smith

  2. School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA

    Richard N. Mack

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  1. Melissa C. Smith
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Correspondence to Melissa C. Smith.

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10530_2013_434_MOESM1_ESM.tiff

Figure S1 Daily profiles of PAR in incoming radiation (no shade cloth) and under 50 %, 70 % and 90 % shade on 15 May and 15 July, 2007-2010 (n = 12). Plants’ light response measurements were taken from 1000 to 1800 h (shaded area). Supplementary material 1 (TIFF 1521 kb)

10530_2013_434_MOESM2_ESM.tiff

Table S1 Mean Chlorophyll content (mg cm−2) under different shade levels ± SE for leaves of 8 bamboo species. All species, except B. fargesii, displayed no shifts (ANOVA, P > 0.05) in Chla, Chlb, Chla:b, or total Chl. In contrast, total Chl was lowest for B. fargesii under 90 % shade (Tukey’s HSD, P = 0.047). Supplementary material 2 (TIFF 1521 kb)

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Smith, M.C., Mack, R.N. Shade tolerance of temperate Asian bamboos: a harbinger of their naturalization in Pacific Northwest coniferous forests?. Biol Invasions 15, 2081–2093 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-013-0434-y

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