Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Evidence of threshold temperatures for xylogenesis in conifers at high altitudes

  • Ecophysiology
  • Published:
Oecologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Temperature is the most important factor affecting growth at high altitudes. As trees use much of the allocated carbon gained from photosynthesis to produce branches and stems, information on the timing and dynamics of secondary wood growth is crucial to assessing temperature thresholds for xylogenesis. We have carried out histological analyses to determine cambial activity and xylem cell differentiation in conifers growing at the treeline on the eastern Alps in two sites during 2002–2004 with the aim of linking the growth process with temperature and, consequently, of defining thresholds for xylogenesis. Cambial activity occurred from May to July–August and cell differentiation from May–June to September–October. The earliest start of radial enlargement was observed in stone pine in mid-May, while Norway spruce was the last species to begin tracheid differentiation. The duration of wood formation varied from 90 to 137 days, depending on year and site, with no difference between species. Longer durations were observed in trees on the south-facing site because of the earlier onset and later ending of cell production and differentiation. The threshold temperatures at which xylogenesis had a 0.5 probability of being active were calculated by logistic regressions. Xylogenesis was active when the mean daily air temperature was 5.6–8.5°C and mean stem temperature was 7.2–9°C. The similar thresholds among all trees suggested the existence of thermal limits in wood formation that correspond with temperatures of 6–8°C that are supposed to limit growth at the treeline. Different soil temperature thresholds between sites indicated that soil temperature may not be the main factor limiting xylogenesis. This study represents the first attempt to define a threshold through comparative assessment of xylem growth and tissue temperatures in stem meristems at high altitudes.

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

  • Abe H, Funada R, Ohtani J, Fukazawa K (1997) Changes in the arrangement of cellulose microfibrils associated with the cessation of cell expansion in tracheids. Trees 11:328–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beniston M, Diaz HF, Bradley RS (1997) Climatic change at high elevation sites: an overview. Clim Change 36:233–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cairns DM, Malanson GP (1998) Environmental variables influencing the carbon balance at the alpine treeline: a modeling approach. J Veg Sci 9:679–692

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carrer M, Urbinati C (2001) Spatial analysis of structural and tree-ring related parameters in a timberline forest in the Italian Alps. J Veg Sci 12:643–652

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carrer M, Urbinati C (2004) Age-dependent tree-ring growth responses to climate in Larix decidua and Pinus cembra. Ecology 85:730–740

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrer M, Anfodillo T, Urbinati C, Carraro V (1998) High-altitude forest sensitivity to global warming: results from long-term and short-term analyses in the Eastern Italian Alps. In: Beninston M, Innes JL (eds) The impacts of climate variability on forests. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 171–189

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Deslauriers A, Morin H (2005) Intra-annual tracheid production in balsam fir stems and the effect of meteorological variables. Trees 19:402–408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deslauriers A, Morin H, Begin Y (2003) Cellular phenology of annual ring formation of Abies balsamea in the Quebec boreal forest (Canada). Can J For Res 33:190–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deslauriers A, Rossi S, Anfodillo T (2006) Dendrometer and intra-annual tree growth: what kind of information can be inferred? Dendrochronologia (in press)

  • Ford ED, Robards AW, Piney MD (1978) Influence of environmental factors on cell production and differentiation in the earlywood of Picea sitchensis. Ann Bot 42:683–692

    Google Scholar 

  • Forster T, Schweingruber FH, Denneler B (2000) Increment puncher: a tool for extracting small cores of wood and bark from living trees. IAWA J 21:169–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Gindl W, Grabner M, Wimmer R (2000) The influence of temperature on latewood lignin content in treeline Norway spruce compared with maximum density and ring width. Trees 14:409–414

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grace J (1988) Temperature as a determinant of plant productivity. In: Long SP, Woodward FI (eds) Plants and temperature. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 91–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Grace J (1989) Tree lines. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B324:233–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Grace J, Norton DA (1990) Climate and growth of Pinus sylvestris at its upper altitudinal limit in Scotland: evidence from tree growth-rings. J Ecol 78:601–610

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graumlich LJ, Brubaker LB (1986) Reconstruction of annual temperature (1590–1979) for Longmire, Washington, derived from tree-rings. Quat Res 25:223–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gričar J, Čufar K, Oven P, Schmitt U (2005) Differentiation of terminal latewood tracheids in silver fir trees during autumn. Ann Bot 95:959–965

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen-Bristow K (1986) Influence of increasing elevation on growth characteristics at timberline. Can J Bot 64:2517–2523

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen J, Beck E (1990) The fate and path of assimilation products in the stem of 8-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees. Trees 4:16–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen J, Beck E (1994) Seasonal changes in the utilization and turnover of assimilation products in 8-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees. Trees 8:172–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen J, Türk R, Vogg G, Heim R, Beck E (1997) Conifer carbohydrate physiology: updating classical views. In: Rennenberg H, Eschrich W, Ziegler H (eds) Trees: contributions to modern tree physiology. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, pp 97–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Hättenschwiler S, Körner C (1995) Responses to recent climatewarming of Pinus sylvestris and Pinus cembra within their montane transition zone in the Swiss Alps. J Veg Sci 6:357–368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holtmeier F-K (1997) Timberlines: research in Europe and North America. In: Loven L, Salmela S (eds) Pallastunturi symposium. Finnish Forest Research Institute, Finland, pp 23–36

  • James JC, Grace J, Hoad SP (1994) Growth and photosynthesis of Pinus sylvestris at its altitudinal limit in Scotland. J Ecol 82:297–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Körner C (1998) A re-assessment of high elevation treeline positions and their explanation. Oecologia 115:445–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Körner C (2003) Alpine plant life: functional plant ecology of high mountain ecosystems, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Körner C, Paulsen J (2004) A world-wide study of high altitude treeline temperatures. J Biogeogr 31:713–732

    Google Scholar 

  • Kramer PJ, Kozlowski TT (1979) Physiology of woody plants. Academic, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Malyshev L (1993) Levels of the upper forest boundary in northern Asia. Vegetatio 109:175–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Motta R, Nola P (2001) Growth trends and dynamics in sub-alpine forest stands in the Varaita valley (Piedmont, Italy) and their relationships with human activities and global change. J Veg Sci 12:219–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oberhuber W (2004) Influence of climate on radial growth of Pinus cembra within the alpine timberline ecotone. Tree Physiol 24:291–301

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oribe Y, Funada R, Kubo T (2003) Relationships between cambial activity, cell differentiation and the localisation of starch in storage tissues around the cambium in locally heated stems of Abies sachalinensis (Schmidt) Masters. Trees 17:185–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Philipson WR, Ward JM, Butterfield BG (1971) The vascular cambium: its development and activity. Chapman & Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Pisaric MFJ, Holt C, Szeicz JM, Karst T, Smol JP (2003) Holocene treeline dynamics in the mountains of northeastern British Columbia, Canada, inferred from fossil pollen and stomata. Holocene 13:161–173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Potvin C, Lechowicz MJ, Tardif S (1990) The statistical analysis of ecophysiological response curves obtained from experiments involving repeated measures. Ecology 71:1389–1400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quinn GP, Keough MJ (2002) Experimental design and data analysis for biologists. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Rossi S, Anfodillo T, Menardi R (2006a) Trephor: a new tool for sampling microcores from tree stems. IAWA J 27:89–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Rossi S, Deslauriers A, Anfodillo T (2006b) Assessment of cambial activity and xylogenesis by microsampling tree species: an example at the Alpine timberline. IAWA J 27:383–394

    Google Scholar 

  • Rossi S, Deslauriers A, Anfodillo T, Morin H, Saracino A, Motta R, Borghetti M (2006c) Conifers in cold environments synchronize maximum growth rate of tree-ring formation with day length. New Phytol 169:279–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAS (1999) SAS version 8.02. SAS Institute, Cary, N.C.

  • Schmitt U, Jalkanen R, Eckstein D (2004) Cambium dynamics of Pinus sylvestris and Betula spp. in the northern boreal forest in Finland. Silva Fenn 38:167–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Shönenberger W, Frey W (1988) Untersuchungen zur Ökologie und Technik der Hochlagenaufforstung. Forschungsergebnisse aus dem Lawinenanrissgebiet Stillberg. Schweiz Z Forstwes 139:735–820

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith WK, Germino MJ, Hancock TE, Johnson DM (2003) Another perspective on altitudinal limits of alpine timberlines. Tree Physiol 23:1101–1112

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stevens GC, Fox JF (1991) The causes of treeline. Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst 22:177–191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sveinbjörnsson B (2000) North American and European treelines: external forces and internal processes controlling position. Ambio 29:388–395

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Theurillat JP, Guisan A (2001) Potential impact of climate change on vegetation in the European Alps: a review. Clim Change 50:77–109

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tranquillini W (1979) Physiological ecology of the alpine timberline. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner H, Streule A (1983) Wurzelwachstum und Sprossentwicklung junger Koniferen im Klimastress der alpinen Waldgrenze, mit Berücksichtigung von Mikroklima, Photosynthese und Stoffproduktion. In: Böhm W, Kutschera L, Lichtenegger E (eds) Wurzelökologie und Ihre Nutzanwendung. Irding, Gumpenstein, pp 617–635

    Google Scholar 

  • Uggla C, Magel E, Moritz T, Sundberg B (2001) Function and dynamics of auxin and carbohydrates during earlywood/latewood transition in Scots pine. Plant Physiol 125:2029–2039

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Urbinati C, Carrer M, Sudiro S (1998) Dendroclimatic response variability of Pinus cembra L. in upper timberline forests of Italian Eastern Alps. Dendrochronologia 15:101–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaganov EA, Hughes MK, Kirdyanov AV, Schweingruber FH, Silkin PP (1999) Influence of snowfall and melt timing on tree growth in subarctic Eurasia. Nature 400:149–151

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zweifel R, Item H, Häsler R (2000) Stem radius changes and their relation to stored water in stems of young Norway spruce trees. Trees 15:50–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the MAXY 2004 (CPDA045152) and MIUR-PRIN 2005 (2005072877). The authors wish to thank C. Filoso, F. Fontanella, M. Gardin, L. Marini, M. Mazzaro and R. Menardi for their technical support and the Regole of Cortina d’Ampezzo for permitting the study on their property. Special thanks are extended to M. Carrer and C. Körner for their recommendations on the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Treeline Ecology Research Unit, Dipartimento TeSAF, Università degli Studi di Padova, viale dell’Università 16, 35020, Legnaro, PD, Italy

    Sergio Rossi, Annie Deslauriers, Tommaso Anfodillo & Vinicio Carraro

Authors
  1. Sergio Rossi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Annie Deslauriers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tommaso Anfodillo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Vinicio Carraro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sergio Rossi.

Additional information

Communicated by Hermann Heilmeier.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rossi, S., Deslauriers, A., Anfodillo, T. et al. Evidence of threshold temperatures for xylogenesis in conifers at high altitudes. Oecologia 152, 1–12 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-006-0625-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-006-0625-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation