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Storm-induced tree resistance and chemical differences in Norway spruce (Picea abies)

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Abstract

Introduction

Windstorm is one of the most destructive environmental disturbance factors on forests, but its influence on conifer defense chemistry and susceptibility to insects and diseases is not well understood.

Materials and methods

We selected groups of 10 Norway spruce trees with short leaders, leaning stems, or no apparent damage 17 months after the largest storm ever recorded in Sweden. Trees were mass-inoculated with Ceratocystis polonica, a virulent blue stain fungus associated with the spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) to estimate tree resistance. Terpene and phenolic composition in the bark was analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, two-dimensional gas chromatography, and liquid chromatography.

Results

In contrast to our hypothesis, the results showed that trees with no apparent damage were more susceptible to C. polonica inoculation than short-leader and leaning-stem trees. Chemical composition also differed between trees in different damage classes. (+)-3-carene and two unidentified stilbenes were higher, and taxifolin glycoside was lower in trees without apparent damage than in the others. The relative amount of (−)-α-pinene was negatively correlated, whereas (+)-3-carene, sabinene, (−)-germacrene D, thunbergol and two unidentified stilbenes were positively correlated with fungal performance.

Conclusions

These results suggested that wind damage had increased resistance level of short-leader and leaning trees to C. polonica inoculation, and that change in terpene and phenolic composition in the bark could be at least partly responsible for the induced resistance. Different possible explanations for this unexpected finding are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The present study was funded by FORMAS (to akbk and BL) and Skog og landskap (to HS). We thank Paal Krokene for constructive comments to the manuscript, Douglas Jones for linguistic revision, and Morgan Erixon, Ulf Johansson, and Olaug Olsen for advice and technical assistance. Special thanks to Annie Yart for providing us with reference phenols.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Royal Institute of Technology, 10044, Stockholm, Sweden

    Tao Zhao & Anna-Karin Borg-Karlson

  2. Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, P.O. Box 115, 1431, Ås, Norway

    Halvor Solheim

  3. Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P. O. Box 7044, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden

    Bo Långström

Authors
  1. Tao Zhao
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  2. Halvor Solheim
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  3. Bo Långström
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  4. Anna-Karin Borg-Karlson
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Correspondence to Anna-Karin Borg-Karlson.

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Handling Editor: François Lieutier

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Zhao, T., Solheim, H., Långström, B. et al. Storm-induced tree resistance and chemical differences in Norway spruce (Picea abies). Annals of Forest Science 68, 657–665 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-011-0049-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-011-0049-3

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