采收方式对云南红豆杉药用原料林枝构件种群特性的影响

以云南省马关县6年生云南红豆杉药用原料林为研究对象,比较采收主干及其上部枝条、保留主干采收其上部枝条、保留主干采收其下部枝条3种采收方式3个采收强度(1/4、2/4、3/4树冠长度)下枝条收获量,分析不同的枝条采收方式与强度对云南红豆杉枝构件种群生长的影响。结果表明:采收强度的增大促进了枝构件种群的生长,3/4树冠长度的枝条采收强度使老枝萌新枝比例、新枝数量、新枝长度与体积均显著或极显著高于对照;从当年生的新枝长度和新枝体积大小来看,采收树冠上部枝条对枝构件种群的促进作用远大于采收下部枝条;采收主干更有利于去除顶端优势,且在植株剩余的树冠上生长出更多的萌枝。为获取尽可能多的枝条,同时保证药用原料林的长期可持续利用,建议将采收主干及上部3/4树冠长度的枝条采收处理作为最佳枝条采收方案。     

干旱胁迫下新疆杨树冠不同高度叶片水分状况与非结构性碳动态北大核心CSCD

水力结构调整及非结构性碳动态对于认知干旱胁迫下植物生存前景和死亡风险至关重要。该研究以新疆杨(Populus bolleana Lauche.)为对象,通过干旱处理分析树冠不同高度叶片水力性状、光合生理特性、不同功能器官间的可溶性糖、淀粉及非结构性碳水化合物(NSC)含量变化,以甄别树冠不同高度叶片对干旱胁迫的生理响应和适应差异。结果表明:(1)在干旱胁迫下,树冠上部的叶水势、叶含水量、枝条含水量普遍低于下部,饱和膨压渗透势及膨压损失点水势在不同树冠高度间差异不显著;(2)干旱处理组植株净光合速率随树冠高度的增加而降低,叶绿素SPAD值在树冠的上部显著低于下部,而水分利用效率在树冠的上部却高于下部;(3)干旱处理组比叶面积在各树冠高度下显著低于对照组,而胡伯尔值在中部及上部高于对照组但差异不显著;(4)干旱处理组,树冠上部叶片淀粉含量显著高于下部,枝条可溶性糖及NSC含量在树冠上部显著高于下部,韧皮部的可溶性糖、淀粉及NSC含量在不同树冠高度间无显著差异,细根的可溶性糖、淀粉及NSC含量在对照组与干旱处理组间的差异不显著。研究发现,干旱处理下,树冠高度的增加会加剧新疆杨枝叶的干旱胁迫,致使树冠上部枝条木质部发生栓塞的风险大于下部,并导致NSC在不同器官间的分配和组分产生差异,但新疆杨植株可通过水分利用效率和形态上的适应性调整减缓干旱胁迫。     

不同激素处理对白桦幼树萌条及三萜合成的影响

探索一种可持续、稳定的获得白桦（Betula platyphylla Suk.）枝条的方法,拟通过促萌处理建立多枝条类型白桦材料。以一年生白桦幼苗为试材,采用3个截干高度：10、20、30 cm处理后,每个截干高度使用4种激素或化学药剂处理（20 mg·L^-1 2,4-D、20 mg·L^-1 KT、20 mg·L^-1 6-BA和20 mg·L^-1 KMnO₄）进行促发萌条试验。结果表明,白桦幼苗初次截干（30 d后）采条,截干高度10 cm进行激素KT、6-BA处理的白桦苗萌芽率最高,达65.0%以上;锯末保湿处理下3种截干高度萌条率、萌条产量均较高,萌条率达75.0%以上。枝条中总三萜含量以截干高度20 cm处理下最高,达76.43 mg·g^-1,其次为截干高度10 cm处理下,其他处理均不利于总三萜积累。叶中总三萜含量以截干高度30 cm下激素6-BA处理最高,达91.16 mg·g^-1,是锯末处理（30 cm）的2.68倍。在锯末处理、KT和KMnO₄处理下的枝条和叶片中总三萜含量显著低于其他处理。6-BA对枝条、叶片中齐墩果酸的积累有利,其他处理均不利于齐墩果酸积累。锯末处理有利于二次萌条及产量的提高,截干高度为10 cm处理下萌条产量达126.96 g。枝条总三萜含量以截干高度20 cm进行激素6-BA处理效果较好,达97.99 mg·g^-1。叶中总三萜含量以截干高度30 cm进行激素KT处理最佳,达99.22 mg·g^-1,其次为锯末处理组和6-BA处理组。该研究结果为可持续、高效的利用白桦资源及获得三萜产物提供了技术支持。     

不同修剪措施对薄壳山核桃枝条生长及枝条和叶片碳氮代谢物积累的影响

以薄壳山核桃品种‘马罕’（Caryaillinoensis‘Mahan’）的5年生嫁接苗为实验材料,研究枝条短截（1/4、1/3和1/2短截）以及枝条和主干的环剥和环割对其枝条生长及枝条和叶片中碳氮代谢物积累的影响。结果显示：经不同程度短截处理后,枝条萌芽率均显著高于对照（未经任何修剪）,新枝的数量、长度和直径也均不同程度高于对照,而比叶质量及叶绿素含量总体上与对照无显著差异;经1/2和1/3短截处理后,长度0-10cm和30cm以上的新枝比例明显提高;枝条和叶片中可溶性糖含量和C/N比均高于对照、全N含量均低于对照,枝条中淀粉含量低于对照而叶片中淀粉含量高于对照。经枝条环剥和环割处理后,枝条萌芽率和比叶质量均高于对照但无显著差异,枝条平均长度增长量和叶绿素含量均显著低于对照、枝条平均直径增长量均显著高于对照;枝条和叶片中可溶性糖和淀粉含量以及C/N比均高于对照,全N含量均低于对照。经主干环剥和环割处理后,枝条的萌芽率和平均直径增长量以及比叶质量均显著高于对照,枝条平均长度增长量和叶绿素含量均显著低于对照;枝条和叶片中可溶性糖和淀粉含量以及C/N比均高于对照,枝条中全N含量高于对照而叶片中全N含量则低于对照。此外,品种‘马罕’的结果枝长度为0-30cm,其中长度0-10cm的结果枝数量最多。研究结果表明：不同短截措施均能提高薄壳山核桃的萌芽率、促进新枝伸长和增粗;而枝条和主干的环剥和环割处理对枝条萌芽率无明显促进作用,但有利于枝条增粗;不同修剪措施总体上有利于其叶片及枝条中碳水化合物的合成和积累。总体上,1/3短截及枝条和主干的适度环剥可促进品种‘马罕’结果枝的形成。     

杉木衰退个体截干后叶片气孔器特征及其对3个因素的响应

本研究以广西全州县咸水林场杉木种子园中的衰退个体为对象进行截干试验,截干1年和4年后,采集当年抽梢的半木质化枝条进行叶片气孔特征观察,从不同无性系、不同截干时间和不同枝条方向等3个方面探讨其叶片气孔器特征的差异性。结果表明:杉木叶片的气孔,中等密度占多数,总体近乎正态分布;气孔器长度与宽度呈极显著正相关,与气孔密度则呈极显著负相关;对于气孔形态,不同无性系的影响最为显著,截干因素次之,枝条方向的影响最小。本试验揭示了截干措施对杉木叶片生理结构的影响,可为进一步探究杉木种子园衰退母树个体的复壮机制,提高经营水平、延长使用期限提供依据。     

截干及修枝整形对有效枝条萌发能力及其对紫胶虫产紫胶的影响

为了研究紫胶虫的寄主植物久树抚育对紫胶产量的影响,通过对云南元江和红河干热河谷区中的久树分别进行截干和修枝整形处理,调查有效枝条的萌发能力和紫胶产量。结果表明,截干高度及截干处的平均直径对有效枝条的总长度和数量无显著影响,但截干位置的分支数量与有效枝条的总长度和数量显著正相关。保留12支左右枝条的中度模式的修枝整形较轻度和重度模式中有效枝条的长度、直径和表面积更加有利于紫胶生产;截干的高度和截干处平均直径对紫胶产量无显著影响,但截干位置的分支数量、萌发的有效枝条总长、数量和着胶枝长与紫胶产量显著正相关,中度模式的修枝整形亩产和单数紫胶产量最高。截干和修枝整形能够影响紫胶的产量,对寄主植物合理的抚育有助于提高紫胶产量。     

20个赤苍藤种质资源表型性状的遗传多样性分析及综合评价

分析木本蔬菜赤苍藤不同种质资源的表型性状特点,为筛选出叶大、枝条生长旺盛的赤苍藤优良种源奠定基础,该研究以来自越南及中国3省(区)(广西、广东、福建)的20个赤苍藤种源为对象,对12个叶性状及4个枝条性状进行测定及计算,对各性状进行描述统计、方差分析及性状相关性分析,采用主成分分析法计算各种源主成分得分并对各种源进行聚类,对不同赤苍藤种源表型性状进行统计、分类及评价。结果表明:(1)各赤苍藤种源间大多数叶、枝条性状存在显著或极显著差异。种源内各性状变异系数变化幅度不尽相同。种源间各性状变异系数变化幅度依次为叶功能性状(15.42%～70.01%)>枝条性状(20.57%～71.71%)>叶形态性状(3.39%～20.01%); 种源内表型变异更突出。(2)就性状间相关性而言,叶形态性状及叶功能性状指标间多为极显著相关,新枝数量与节间数、新叶数极显著相关,但与叶形态性状的相关关系不明显。(3)16个表型性状共可提取4个主成分,累计贡献率达85.528%。4个主成分分别体现出叶的形态、枝叶萌发生长、叶形状及叶干物质积累及枝条增粗状况。(4)对20个种源进行聚类分析可分为三大类,一类为叶大、生长良好的种源,一类为叶较小、枝条生长旺盛的种源,还有一类种源综合表现不突出。各大类种源中的小类在地理分布上较为接近。(5)福建安溪及福清的种源可选择为大叶种源; 广西大新、上思和桂平的种源可选择为枝条生长旺盛种源。综合来看,中国福建安溪种源综合表现最佳,其次为中国福建福清、中国广东海丰、中国广西南宁、越南茶陵。广西昭平、宜州的两种源综合表现最差,不适宜广西南宁地区引种栽培。部分种源中存在生长表现突出的优良单株,可将此类植株开发为无性系,进行更深入的种源试验。该研究结果为赤苍藤种源表型性状分析及广西南宁引种初步表现提供了科学依据,为筛选、培育高产赤苍藤品种奠定了基础。     

内蒙古扁蓿豆野生资源形态特征研究

对产自内蒙古不同分布区12份扁蓿豆种质资源的12个形态性状进行主成分和聚类分析.结果表明,12个形态性状在材料间都表现显著差异,扁蓿豆种质资源遗传变异丰富;通过多变量的主成分分析,前6个主成分代表了扁蓿豆形态多样性的85.72％,株高、叶面积、叶长、株丛直径、枝条长和千粒重等6个性状是造成扁蓿豆表型差异的主要因素;基于形态性状的聚类分析把12份材料聚为4类,其中第4类MR-12扁蓿豆资源的株高、枝条长和株丛直径明显高于其他类,叶片大且叶量丰富,营养性状表现良好;结实性状中英果长和千粒重较大,综合性状表现较好,可以作为引种驯化和育种的试验材料.     

中国主要苜蓿品种的产量性状及其多样性研究

对28个4龄苜蓿品种单株产量性状及其相关性和变异进行了研究．结果表明,品种间单株干物质产量及各产量性状存在显著差异,其中单株干物质产量最高和较高的分别是新疆大叶(452．8g·株^-1)和甘农3号(373．0g·株^-1);叶片最宽和最长者均为新疆大叶和甘农3号;单株枝条数增加最多是第3茬,3茬单株枝条数最高和较高的品种是新牧1号、图牧2号、肇东和北疆;苜蓿株高生长高峰期在第1茬,生长最快的品种为甘农3号和新疆大叶．相关分析表明,单株干物质产量与株高及枝条数等构成因素之间存在显著或极显著相关,其中1、3茬株高及3茬单株枝条数等性状相关最好,呈显著相关的品种达19～22个,且相关系数亦最高．产量性状变异分析表明,品种内变异大于品种间变异,前者占总变异的76．0％～93．8％,而后者仅占6．1％～24．0％．各性状变异程度表现依次为3茬单株枝条数>单株干物质产量>1茬单株枝条数>2茬单株枝条数>春季株高>3茬株高>2茬株高>叶宽>现蕾期株高>叶长>1茬株高．     

内蒙古扁蓿豆野生资源形态学特性研究

对产自内蒙古不同分布区12份扁蓿豆种质资源的12个形态性状进行主成分和聚类分析。结果表明,除荚果形状和种子宽外,其余形态性状在材料间都表现显著差异,扁蓿豆种质资源遗传变异丰富;通过多变量的主成分分析,第一主成分和第二主成分代表了扁蓿豆形态多样性的62.30%,枝条长、叶面积、荚果宽、种子长和千粒重等5个性状是造成扁蓿豆表型差异的主要因素;基于形态性状的聚类分析把12份材料聚为4类,其中第 1类MR-12扁蓿豆资源的株高、枝条长和株丛直径明显高于其他类,叶片大且叶量丰富,营养性状表现良好;结实性状中荚果长和千粒重较大,综合性状表现较好,可以作为合适的材料作为引种驯化和育种的试验材料。     

北美驼绒藜主要性状遗传变异特性的初步研究

对北美驼绒藜的4个世代12个主要性状遗传变异特性初步分析结果表明:在世代内12个主要性状变异都不显著,在世代间除枝条节数和着生雄花节数外,其它10个性状变异程度都达到了显著或极显著水平,表明北美驼绒藜各性状主要变异来自世代间;10个性状表型变异系数和遗传变异系数总体趋势基本一致,但程度上存在差异,说明这些性状遗传变异潜力较大;株高、叶腋雌花数、叶宽、再生小枝数性状遗传力较高(72-62),其变异主要是遗传因素决定,而叶长、株幅性状遗传力较低(16-14),其变异主要是环境因素决定。     

Scale‐dependent trait correlations in a temperate tree community

Recent investigations of relationships among plant traits have generated important insights into plant form and function. However, relationships involving leaf area, leaf shape and plant height remain poorly resolved. Previous work has also focused on correlations between average trait values for individual species. It is unclear whether similar relationships occur within species. We searched for novel plant trait correlations by comparing leaf area, leaf circularity, specific leaf area (SLA) and plant height among 16 common woody plant species from a temperate forest in New Zealand. Analyses were conducted both within species (intra‐specifically) and among species (inter‐specifically) to determine whether trait correlations were scale dependent. Leaf area was unrelated to other leaf traits inter‐specifically. However, leaf area declined with plant height and increased with SLA intra‐specifically. Leaf circularity decreased with plant height inter‐specifically, but increased with plant height intra‐specifically. SLA increased with plant height both inter‐ and intra‐specifically. Leaf circularity increased with SLA inter‐specifically, but decreased with SLA intra‐specifically. Overall results showed that leaf shape, SLA and plant height are interrelated. However, intra‐specific relationships often differed substantially from inter‐specific relationships, suggesting that the processes shaping relationships between this suite of plant traits are scale‐dependent.     

Phenotypic analysis of first-year traits in a pseudo-backcross {(slash x loblolly) x slash} and the open-pollinated families of the pure-species progenitors

A single test, including one pseudo-backcross (Pinus elliottii x Pinus taeda) x P. elliottii and open-pollinated families of the pure species progenitors, was established in North Central Florida in December 2007 to study the transfer of the fast-growing characteristics from a P. taeda L. (loblolly pine) parent into the P. elliottii Engelm. (slash pine) background. Several traits were measured in the first growing season: height growth, phenology, tip moth incidence, stem traits, crown architectural and needle traits. Heterosis was evaluated for each trait using analyses of variance by fitting a linear mixed model. All traits were significantly (p value < 0.05) different among families while the significance for heterosis varied by trait. Positive heterosis was found for average rate of shoot elongation (ASRE), total growth (TG), total height and number of needles per fascicle while the opposite was true for base diameter, top diameter, fascicle length, fascicle diameter, crown projected area and phenological traits (cessation, duration and day to reach 50% of the height). Average performance (i.e., no heterosis) was found for initiation of growth, number of branches, number of nodes, tip moth incidence, sheath length and specific leaf area. The analyses indicated that introgression of loblolly pine alleles into slash pine was effective and novel trait combinations were achieved. The pseudo-backcross had larger variation in early height growth than the slash pine families and was taller than all open-pollinated families at the end of the first season. Tip moth incidence was much lower than the loblolly pine family.     

Exploring the generality of associations between plant functional traits: evidence within ecological groups along an altitudinal gradient in Hyrcanian forest

We hypothesized that associations among plant functional traits may differ within different ecological assemblages and plant communities. Association among plant traits including plant maximum height, seed weight, fruit type, pollination mode, mean leaf area, and leaf type were explored within life forms, plant strategy groups along with lowland and montane forest vegetation. In total, 83 sampling plots of 400 m² were placed along a 2400 m altitudinal gradient in Hyrcanian forest. Importance‐values of species within vegetation types were used for weighting data and trait associations were explored using categorical principal component analysis. A G‐test and Fisher's exact test of independence were used to retest significance of the correlations. Different paired trait associations (association lines) including height–leaf, height–seed, height–pollination, leaf–seed, seed–fruit and fruit–pollination were observed and their ecological or physiological basis was discussed. Life forms, strategy types and vegetation types differed based on association lines. Some of the well‐known trade‐offs appear by increasing scale from ecological groups to vegetation types in Hyrcanian forest. The observed patterns of trait associations in Hyrcanian forest and several other ecosystems of the world call the generality of previously accepted trait correlations into question.     

Vertical gradients in leaf trait diversity in a New Zealand forest

Leaves come in a remarkable diversity of sizes and shapes. However, spatial patterns in leaf trait diversity are rarely investigated and poorly resolved. We used a hierarchical approach to evaluate vertical variability in leaf morphology (i.e., leaf trait diversity) in 16 common tree and shrub species inhabiting a New Zealand forest. Height-related heterogeneity in leaf area, specific leaf area, circularity and length to width ratio was analyzed at three scales: (1) among leaves within plants, (2) among plants within species and (3) among species within functional groups (i.e., trees vs. shrubs). Results were scale dependent. Among-leaf morphological diversity was unrelated to plant height. Among-individual morphological diversity increased with the average height of each species, indicating that taller plant species express a greater range of leaf traits than shorter species. Among-species morphological diversity was higher in shrubs than in trees. We hypothesize that scale-dependent patterns in leaf trait diversity result from scale-dependent adaptations to forest environmental conditions. As trees grow from the forest floor into the canopy, they are exposed to a range of environmental conditions, which may select for a range of leaf traits through ontogeny. Conversely, shrubs never reach the forest canopy and may instead be differentially adapted to suites of environmental conditions associated with different stages of forest recovery from tree-fall disturbances. Overall results indicate that vertical patterns in leaf trait diversity exist. However, their strength and directionality are strongly scale-dependent, suggesting that different processes govern leaf shape diversity at different levels of ecological organization.     

吉林蛟河针阔混交林功能性状分布格局及其对地形因素的响应

森林群落的构建过程及其内在机制是生态学研究的热点问题。植物功能性状是指能够代表植物的生活史策略,反映植物对环境变化响应的一系列植物属性。通过植物功能性状的分布格局及其对环境因素的响应有助于推测群落的构建过程及其内在作用机制。以吉林蛟河21.12hm²温带针阔混交林样地为研究对象,采集并测量了样地内34种木本植物的6种不同的功能性状。以20m×20m的样方为研究单元,通过计算平均成对性状距离指数（mean pairwise trait distance;PW）和平均最近邻体性状距离指数（mean nearest neighbor trait distance;NN）来探讨群落中单个性状和综合性状的分布格局。同时结合地形因子采用回归分析探讨功能性状的分布格局对局域生境变化的响应。基于PW的结果显示：单个性状中除叶面积外,其余性状的分布格局均为聚集分布多于离散分布;基于NN的结果显示：除叶面积和最大树高外,其余性状的分布格局为聚集分布多于离散分布。此外,由6种单个性状组成的综合性状的分布格局同样为聚集分布多于离散分布。基于回归分析的结果显示：森林群落中功能性状的分布格局受到海拔、坡度和坡向等因素的显著影响,而凹凸度的影响则不显著。研究结果表明包括环境过滤和生物相互作用的非随机过程能够影响温带针阔混交林的群落构建过程,中性过程对该区域群落构建过程的影响不显著。     

Remotely sensed between‐individual functional trait variation in a temperate forest

1. Trait‐based ecology holds the promise to explain how plant communities work, for example, how functional diversity may support community productivity. However, so far it has been difficult to combine field‐based approaches assessing traits at the level of plant individuals with limited spatial coverage and approaches using remote sensing (RS) with complete spatial coverage but assessing traits at the level of vegetation pixels rather than individuals. By delineating all individual‐tree crowns within a temperate forest site and then assigning RS‐derived trait measures to these trees, we combine the two approaches, allowing us to use general linear models to estimate the influence of taxonomic or environmental variation on between‐ and within‐species variation across contiguous space.
2. We used airborne imaging spectroscopy and laser scanning to collect individual‐tree RS data from a mixed conifer‐angiosperm forest on a mountain slope extending over 5.5 ha and covering large environmental gradients in elevation as well as light and soil conditions. We derived three biochemical (leaf chlorophyll, carotenoids, and water content) and three architectural traits (plant area index, foliage‐height diversity, and canopy height), which had previously been used to characterize plant function, from the RS data. We then quantified the contributions of taxonomic and environmental variation and their interaction to trait variation and partitioned the remaining within‐species trait variation into smaller‐scale spatial and residual variation. We also investigated the correlation between functional trait and phylogenetic distances at the between‐species level. The forest consisted of 13 tree species of which eight occurred in sufficient abundance for quantitative analysis.
3. On average, taxonomic variation between species accounted for more than 15% of trait variation in biochemical traits but only around 5% (still highly significant) in architectural traits. Biochemical trait distances among species also showed a stronger correlation with phylogenetic distances than did architectural trait distances. Light and soil conditions together with elevation explained slightly more variation than taxonomy across all traits, but in particular increased plant area index (light) and reduced canopy height (elevation). Except for foliage‐height diversity, all traits were affected by significant interactions between taxonomic and environmental variation, the different responses of the eight species to the within‐site environmental gradients potentially contributing to the coexistence of the eight abundant species.
4. We conclude that with high‐resolution RS data it is possible to delineate individual‐tree crowns within a forest and thus assess functional traits derived from RS data at individual level. With this precondition fulfilled, it is then possible to apply tools commonly used in field‐based trait ecology to partition trait variation among individuals into taxonomic and potentially even genetic variation, environmental variation, and interactions between the two. The method proposed here presents a promising way of assessing individual‐based trait information with complete spatial coverage and thus allowing analysis of functional diversity at different scales. This information can help to better understand processes shaping community structure, productivity, and stability of forests.

     

Trait-based community assembly of understory palms along a soil nutrient gradient in a lower montane tropical forest

Two opposing niche processes have been shown to shape the relationship between ecological traits and species distribution patterns: habitat filtering and competitive exclusion. Habitat filtering is expected to select for similar traits among coexisting species that share similar habitat conditions, whereas competitive exclusion is expected to limit the ecological similarity of coexisting species leading to trait differentiation. Here, we explore how functional traits vary among 19 understory palm species that differ in their distribution across a gradient of soil resource availability in lower montane forest in western Panama. We found evidence that habitat filtering influences species distribution patterns and shifts community-wide and intraspecific trait values. Differences in trait values among sites were more strongly related to soil nutrient availability than to variation in light or rainfall. Soil nutrient availability explained a significant amount of variation in site mean trait values for 4 of 15 functional traits. Site mean values of leaf nitrogen and phosphorus increased 37 and 64%, respectively, leaf carbon:nitrogen decreased 38%, and specific leaf area increased 29% with increasing soil nutrient availability. For Geonoma cuneata, the only species occurring at all sites, leaf phosphorus increased 34% and nitrogen:phosphorus decreased 42% with increasing soil nutrients. In addition to among-site variation, most morphological and leaf nutrient traits differed among coexisting species within sites, suggesting these traits may be important for niche differentiation. Hence, a combination of habitat filtering due to turnover in species composition and intraspecific variation along a soil nutrient gradient and site-specific niche differentiation among co-occurring species influences understory palm community structure in this lower montane forest.     

Australian Tropical and Subtropical Rain Forest Community Assembly: Phylogeny,Functional Biogeography,and Environmental Gradients

To compare community assemblage patterns in tropical northeastern and subtropical central eastern Australia across selected gradients and scales, we tested the relationship of species traits with phylogenetic structure, and niche breadth. We considered phylogenetic relationships across current‐day species in assemblages in relation to rain forest species pool sizes, and trait values along gradients including elevation and latitude. Trait values were quantified across scales for seed size, leaf area, wood density and maximum height at maturity for 1137 species and 596 assemblages using trait gradient analysis (TGA). Local assemblages of subtropical species had narrower trait ranges, and higher niche breadth values than corresponding assemblages of tropical species. Leaf size and seed size increased at low latitudes, and community phylogenetic structure was most strongly correlated with seed traits in the subtropics, reflecting dispersal and re‐colonization processes. Elevation accounted for little of the variance in community phylogenetic structure or trait variation across local and regional scales. Stable moist forest areas retained many species from ancestral rain forest lineages across a range of temporally conserved habitats; species within assemblages were less related; and rain forest assemblages had higher functional diversity, but lower niche breadth. This suggests that on average, assemblages of species in stable areas had greater trait variation and narrower distributions. Historic and recent rain forest contraction and re‐expansion can result in recolonized areas that are dominated by species that are more related (phylogenetically) than by chance, have smaller, widely dispersed seeds, and greater niche breadth (broader distributions).     

Leaf size serves as a proxy for xylem vulnerability to cavitation in plantation trees

Hybrid poplars are an important renewable forest resource known for their high productivity. At the same time, they are highly vulnerable to water stress. Identifying traits that can serve as indicators for growth performance remains an important task, particularly under field conditions. Understanding which trait combinations translate to improved productivity is key in order to satisfy the demand for poplar wood in an uncertain future climate. In this study, we compared hydraulic and leaf traits among five hybrid poplar clones at 10 plantations in central Alberta. We also assessed the variation of these traits between 2‐ to 3‐year‐old branches from the lower to mid‐crown and current‐year long shoots from the mid to upper crown. Our results showed that (1) hybrid poplars differed in key hydraulic parameters between branch type, (2) variation of hydraulic traits among clones was relatively large for some clones and less for others, and (3) strong relationships between measured hydraulic traits, such as vessel diameter, cavitation resistance, xylem‐specific and leaf‐specific conductivity and leaf area, were observed. Our results suggest that leaf size could serve as an additional screening tool when selecting for drought‐tolerant genotypes in forest management and tree improvement programmes.