Growth,morphology and leaf characteristics after simulated herbivory in Chinese subtropical evergreen saplings |
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Authors: | J H C Cornelissen |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, South West China Teachers University, Beibei, Chongqing, People's Republic of China;(2) Present address: Department of Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Utrecht, Sorbonnelaan 16, 3584 CA Utrecht, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | Growth, morphology and leaf characteristics were assessed in late spring following simulated autumnal defoliation in second-year
saplings of three Chinese subtropical evergreen tree species.Castanopsis fargesii showed strong compensatory growth in terms of plant biomass after removal of both 50 and 75% of leaf biomass and slight compensatory
growth after 90% defoliation. DefoliatedC. fargesii saplings had more leaves per unit shoot length than non-defoliated saplings. New leaves on defoliated plants were smaller
and had higher per area nitrogen content than new leaves on non-defoliated plants.Pinus massoniana andElaeocarpus japonicus showed strong and no compensatory growth, respectively, after 50% defoliation. The strong compensatory growth inP. massoniana andC. fargesii may partly explain why these species predominate in the early and late successional phases of evergreen broad-leaved forests |
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Keywords: | compensatory growth defoliation evergreen saplings leaf characteristics morphology |
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