Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Photosynthesis adaption in Korean pine to gap size and position within Populus davidiana forests in Xiaoxing’anling, China

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Forestry Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Forest gaps restrict the restoration of temperate secondary forest to broad-leaved Korean pine forest in zonal climax vegetation by affecting the growth of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis). However, the photosynthetic adaptability of Korean pine to gap size and position within the gap is unclear. In order to explore the adaptability of young Korean pine (35 years) to different gap sizes in Xiaoxing’anling, photosynthetic capacity and microenvironmental factors (leaf temperature, light transmittance) of Korean pine needles in three positions in the gap (central, transition, and edge areas) were investigated. Three gaps were identified in the secondary Populus davidiana forest: a large 201 m2 gap, a middle 112 m2 gap, and a small 50 m2 gap; 12 m2 of the understory was sampled as a control. The results show that: (1) maximum net photosynthetic rate (Pmax) in needles of Korean pine growing in the large gap was higher than in the small gap, and Pmax in the centre in the same gap was higher than in the transition and edge areas; (2) light saturation point (LSP) and photosynthetic quantum yield (AQY) of needles in the large gap were higher than in the small gap, while the light compensation point (LCP) and chlorophyll contents of needles were lower in the small gap; and, (3) Pmax had a significant positive correlation with temperature and light transmittance. It is suggested that the larger the gap in secondary Populus davidiana forests, the greater the change in light intensity and temperatures, the stronger the light adaption of Korean pine needles and the higher the photosynthetic capacity. Therefore, in the recovery of broad-leaved/Korean pine forests, suitable gaps should be created and gap microhabitats fully utilized to accelerate the restoration process.

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
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andrew P, Scafaro XS, Benedict M, Nur H, Lasantha K, Danielle C, John R, Peter B, Owen K (2017) Strong thermal acclimation of photosynthesis in tropical and temperate wet-forest tree species: the importance of altered Rubisco content. Global Change Biol 23(7):2783–2800

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arnon DI (1949) Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts. polyphenoloxidase in beta vulgaris. Plant Physiol 24(1):1–15

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ater M, Diaci J, Enbergar D (2014) Gap size and position influence variable response of Fagus sylvatica L. and Abies alba Mill. For Ecol Manag 325:128–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown N (1996) A gradient of seedling growth from the centre of a tropical rain forest canopy gap. For Ecol Manag 82(1–3):239–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calfapietra C, Tulva I, Eensalu E, Perez M, Angelis PD, Scarascia MG, Kull O (2005) Canopy profiles of photosynthetic parameters under elevated CO2 and N fertilization in a poplar plantation. Environ Pollut 137(3):525–535

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Canham CD (1989) Different responses to gaps among shade-tolerant tree species. Ecology 70(3):548–550

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clinton BD, Boring LR, Swank WT (1993) Canopy gap characteristics and drought influences in oak forests of the coweeta basin. Ecology 74(5):1551–1558

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa GSD, Dalmolin NC, Schilling AC, Sanches MC, Mielke MS (2019) Physiological and growth strategies of two Cariniana species in response to contrasting light availability. Flora 258:151427–215142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craine JM, Reich PB (2005) Leaf-level light compensation points in shade-tolerant woody seedlings. New Phytol 166(3):710–713

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Denslow JS (1987) Tropical rainforest gaps and tree species diversity. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 18(1):431–451

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dumais D, Raymond P, Prévost M (2020) Eight-year ecophysiology and growth dynamics of Picea rubens seedlings planted in harvest gaps of partially cut stands. For Ecol Manag 478:118514

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farquhar GD, Caemmerer SV, Berry JA (1980) A biochemical model of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation in leaves of C3 species. Planta 149(1):78–90

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gálhidy L, Mihók B, Hagyó A, Rajkai K, Standovár T (2006) Effects of gap size and associated changes in light and soil moisture on the understorey vegetation of a Hungarian beech forest. Plant Ecol 183(1):133–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Granata MU, Bracco F, Nola P, Catoni R (2020) Photosynthetic characteristic and leaf traits variations along a natural light gradient in Acer campestre and Crataegus monogyna. Flora 268:151626

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gray AN, Spies TA (1996) Gap size, within-gap position and canopy structure effects on conifer seedling establishment. J Ecol 84(5):635–645

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo ZH, Zhang XD, Huang LL, Ju GS (2006) Solar energy and water utilization of Quercus mongolica, a deciduous broadleaf tree, in different light regimes across the edge of a deciduous broad-leaved forest. Acta Ecol Sin 26(4):1047–1056

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • He ZS, Tang R, Li MJ, Jin MR, Xin C, Liu JF, Hong W (2019) Response of photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of Castanopsis Kawakamii seedlings to forest gaps. Forests 11(1):21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He DN, Yang H, Wen J, Xie R (2020) Density and spatial distribution of seedlings and saplings in different gap sizes of a spruce-fir mixed stand in Changbai Mountains. China Chin J Appl Ecol 31(06):1916–1922

    Google Scholar 

  • Heimann M, Reichstein M (2008) Terrestrial ecosystem carbon dynamics and climate feedbacks. Nature 451(7176):289–292

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hu CF, Chen QL, Qiao XT, Cheng YX (2020) Photosynthetic, spectral reflectance characteristics and primary productivity of main tree species in broadleaved Korean pine forest. J Beijing For Univ 42(05):12–24

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang QJ, Huang GW, Ding CJ, Zhang XY (2013) Comparative Analysis of photosynthetic characteristics of Populus deltoides clones with different growth vigor. Scientia Silvae Sinicae 49(003):56–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang Z, Tang JY, Liu JC, Chen BB, Fan Y, Cheng YX (2014) Seasonal dynamics of photosynthesis and spectral characteristics of natural regeneration Pinus koriensis in the Changbai Mountains. Chin J Appl Environ Biol 20(03):455–461

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huo H, Wang CK (2007) Effects of canopy position and leaf age on photosynthesis and transpiration of Pinus koraiensis. Chin J Appl Ecol 18(06):1181–1186

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kirschbaum MUF, Pearcy RW (1988) Gas exchange analysis of the fast phase of photosynthetic induction in Alocasia macrorrhiza. Plant Physiol 87(4):818–821

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Li JW (1998) The ecology and management of Korean pine mixed forest. Northeast Forestry University Press, China, Harbin, pp 22–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Li WH (2007) Research on Forest and Wetland Conservation and Forestry Development Strategy in Northeast China: Forestry Volume. Science Press, pp 12–35

  • Liang XY, Liu SR (2019) In-situ measurement of photosynthetic characteristics of dominant tree species based on canopy crane in a Korean pine broad-leaved forest in Changbai Mountain, northeastern China. Chin J Appl Ecol 30(05):1494–1502

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu DL, Zhu JJ, Wang XY, Hao GY, Wang GG (2021) A systematic evaluation of gap size and within-gap position effects on seedling regeneration in a temperate secondary forest. Northeast China. For Ecol Manag 490:119140

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo GS, Ma LY, Jia ZK, Shen ZC, Chi MF (2020) Comparison of environmental factors differences in gaps with different size of Pinus tabulaeformis plantation. J Cent South Univ for Technol 40(5):86–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Malcolm DC, Mason WL, Clarke GC (2001) The transformation of conifer forests in Britain-Regeneration, gap size and silvicultural systems. For Ecol Manag 151(1–3):7–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mccarthy J (2001) Gap dynamics of forest trees: a review with particular attention to boreal forests. Environ Rev 9(1):1–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Messier C, Parent S, Bergeron Y (1998) Managing light and understory vegetation in boreal and temperate broadleaf-conifer forests. J Veg Sci 9:511–520

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nicotra AB, Iriarte CSVB (1999) Spatial heterogeneity of light and woody seedling regeneration in tropical wet forests. Ecology 80(6):1908–1926

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nie XM, Sun YR, Liu SL, Yang M (2008) A summary of the research on the shade tolerance of Korean pine. Liaoning for Sci Technol 03:39–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Orman O, Dobrowolska D, Szwagrzyk J (2018) Gap regeneration patterns in Carpathian old-growth mixed beech forests: Interactive effects of spruce bark beetle canopy disturbance and deer herbivory. For Ecol Manag 430:451–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pang SJ, Zhang P, Yang BB, Liu SL, Deng SK, Feng CL (2020) Effects of gap size on growth of transplanted saplings of Aquilaria sinensis. J Northwest A F Univ (nat Sci Ed) 48(04):83–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Pulinets MP (1986) The influence of light intensity on the growth of Pinus koraiensis. Lesnoe Khozyaistvo 4(4):40–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Riichi O, Tsutom H, Kouki H (2017) The effect of interspecific variation in photosynthetic plasticity on 4-year growth rate and 8-year survival of understorey tree seedlings in response to gap formations in a cool-temperate deciduous forest. Tree Physiol 37:1113–1127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ritter E (2005) Litter decomposition and nitrogen mineralization in newly formed gaps in a Danish beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest. Soil Biol Biochem 37(7):1237–1247

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sack L, Melcher PJ, Liu WH, Middleton E, Pardee T (2006) How strong is intracanopy leaf plasticity in temperate deciduous trees? Am J Bot 93(6):829–839

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Santos V, Ferreira MJ (2020) Are photosynthetic leaf traits related to the first-year growth of tropical tree seedlings? a light-induced plasticity test in a secondary forest enrichment planting. For Ecol Manag 460:117900

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun YR, Zhu JJ, Yu LZ, Yan QL, Wang K (2009) Photosynthetic characteristics of pinus koraiensis seedlings under different light regimes. Chin J Ecol 28(05):850–857

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun JW, Yuan FH, Guan DX, Wu JB (2016) Dark respiration of terrestrial vegetations: a review. Chin J Appl Ecol 36(21):6777–6785

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang H, Hu YY, Yu WW, Song LL, Wu JS (2015) Growth, photosynthetic and physiological responses of Torreya grandis seedlings to varied light environments. Trees 29(4):1011–1022

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Fan XH (2009) Effects of light intensity heterogeneity in gaps of broadleaved Korean pine forest in Changbai Mountainson Pinus koraiensis seedings growth. Chin J Appl Ecol 20(5):1044–1050

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang WJ, Zu YG, Yang FJ, Wang HM, Wang F (2003) Photosynthetic ecophysiological study on the growth of korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) afforested by the edge-effect belt method. Acta Ecol Sin 11:2318–2326

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitmore TC (1989) Canopy gaps and the two major groups of forest trees. Ecology 70(3):536–538

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu LZ, Miao J, Zhang JX, Xu Y, Zhang WR (2014) Seasonal variation of photosynthetic pigment content in Pinus koraiensis: the role of different light-induced strategies. Acta Ecol Sin 34(14):3924–3931

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zang RG, Xu HC, Gao WD (1999) Regeneration response of main tree species to gap size and gap development phase in the korean pine- broadleaved forest in jiaohe, northeast china. Scientia Silvae Sinicae 35(3):2–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang MM, Yi XF (2021) Seedling recruitment in response to artificial gaps: predicting the ecological consequence of forest disturbance. Plant Ecol 222:81–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang M, Wu JB, Guan DX, Shi TT, Chen PS, Ji RP (2006) Light response curve of dominant tree species photosynthesis in broadleaved Korean pine forest of Changbai Mountain. Chin J Appl Ecol 17(9):1575–1578

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang D, Ren J, Wang HM (2016) Response of photosynthetic characteristics and antioxidant system in needles and bark chlorenchyma of Korean pine to drought stress and rehydration. Chin J Ecol 35(10):2606–2614

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang T, Yan QL, Wang J, Zhu JJ (2018) Restoring temperate secondary forests by promoting sprout regeneration: Effects of gap size and within-gap position on the photosynthesis and growth of stump sprouts with contrasting shade tolerance. For Ecol Manag 429:267–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao L, Zheng XY, Sun GY (2010) Morphological structure and photosynthetic adaptations in mulberry seedlings growing in low light to light intensity. Non-Wood for Res 28(03):90–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou YB, Yin Y, Liu XS, Wang QL (2004) Photosynthetic induction responses of Pinus koraiensis seedlings grown in different light environments. J For Res 15(3):246–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu JJ, Wang K, Sun YR, Yan QL (2014) Response of Pinus koraiensis seedling growth to different light conditions based on the assessment of photosynthesis in current and one-year-old needles. J For Res 25(1):53–62

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful to Dr. Yue Wang from the College of Life Science of NEFU for revising the manuscript to improve the paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150040, People’s Republic of China

    Xuannan Li, Yahui Wang, Zhihui Yang, Ting Liu & Changcheng Mu

Authors
  1. Xuannan Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yahui Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhihui Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ting Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Changcheng Mu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Changcheng Mu.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Project funding: This research was funded by national key research and development project of the "13th Five-Year Plan" of China-(2017YFC0504102).

The online version is available at http://www.springerlink.com.

Corresponding editor: Yanbo Hu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, X., Wang, Y., Yang, Z. et al. Photosynthesis adaption in Korean pine to gap size and position within Populus davidiana forests in Xiaoxing’anling, China. J. For. Res. 33, 1517–1527 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-021-01439-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-021-01439-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation