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Effects of flooding depth on growth, morphology and photosynthesis in Alnus japonica species

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Abstract

The present study deals with effects of flooding depth on growth, morphology and photosynthesis in Alnus japonica species thorough one field study and two controlled experiments. In the field study performed in Kushiro Mire, Hokkaido Island, Japan, tree heights and stem diameters decreased with an increase in water depth accompanied with the reduction of soil redox potential. In contrast, the rate of multiple stems per individual tree increased. In the controlled experiments for seedlings flooding suppressed the shoot elongation and biomass increment in roots. However, diameter increment around water levels, epicormic shoot development and adventitious root formation were enhanced in flooded seedlings. The photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance of flooded seedlings also were lowered with an increase in flooding depth. The recovery of the reduced photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance occurred simultaneously with the advancement of adventitious root formation in the flooded seedlings. These results indicate the importance of a series of morphological changes occurring on stems around water levels in flood tolerance in A. japonica species.

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Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Dr. Asayo Oda and Mr. Yoshiharu Minami for provided valuable assistance and collecting data in field works.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, Minami 4-101, Koyama, Tottori, 680-8553, Japan

    Fumiko Iwanaga & Fukuju Yamamoto

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  1. Fumiko Iwanaga
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  2. Fukuju Yamamoto
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Correspondence to Fukuju Yamamoto.

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Iwanaga, F., Yamamoto, F. Effects of flooding depth on growth, morphology and photosynthesis in Alnus japonica species. New Forests 35, 1–14 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-007-9057-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-007-9057-4

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