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Within-twig biomass allocation in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved species along an altitudinal gradient: allometric scaling analysis

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Abstract

We studied the effects of twig size and altitude on biomass allocation within plant twigs (terminal branches of current-year shoots), to determine whether species with large twigs/leaves or living at low altitude allocate a higher proportion of biomass to laminas than their counterparts with small twigs/leaves or living at high altitude. Stem mass, lamina mass and area, and petiole mass were measured for terminal branches of current-year shoots in 80 subtropical evergreen broad-leaved species belonging to 38 genera from 24 families along an altitudinal gradient of Mt. Emei, Southwest China. The scaling relationships between the biomass allocations of within-twig components were determined using model type II regression method. Isometric relationships were found between leaf mass and twig mass and between lamina mass and twig mass, suggesting that the biomass allocation to either leaves or laminas was independent of twig mass. Petiole mass disproportionally increased with both lamina mass and twig mass, indicating the importance of leaf petioles to the within-twig biomass allocation. These cross-species correlations were consistent with those among evolutionary divergences. In addition, species at low altitude tended to have a greater leaf and lamina mass but a smaller stem mass at a given twig mass than at middle and high altitudes. This is possibly due to the high requirement in physical support and the low efficiency of eco-physiological transport for the species living at high altitude. In general, within-twig biomass allocation pattern was not significantly affected by twig size but was greatly modulated by altitude.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Xianming Gao, Guoyong Li, Dongmei Yang, Yanan Li, Yin Zou, Shuo Wang and Qin Shi for assistance in the field investigation, and Osbert Sun for English improvement. Thanks are also due to the staff of biological station at Mt. Emei for permitting this study to be conducted. The research was funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-XB2-02), National Science Foundation of China (30670333), and NCET to Shucun Sun.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 610041, Chengdu, China

    Shuang Xiang, Ning Wu & Shucun Sun

  2. Department of Biology, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, 210093, Nanjing, China

    Shucun Sun

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  1. Shuang Xiang
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Correspondence to Shucun Sun.

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Communicated by S. Linder.

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Xiang, S., Wu, N. & Sun, S. Within-twig biomass allocation in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved species along an altitudinal gradient: allometric scaling analysis. Trees 23, 637–647 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-008-0308-6

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