Growth patterns in the stem of the palm Archontophoenix cunninghamiana

Studies on the growth of Archontophoenix cunninghamiana in two separate populations show that this species establishes only a narrow apical meristem complex before rising above ground This complex continues to expand in girth as it rises, until at a height of about 12 m its girth becomes fixed. The lower regions of the trunk expand, more than equalling the expansion at the apex, producing at least a 20-fold increase in volume. Anatomical observations show that this expansion, termed sustained primary growth , is due to cell enlargement and cell division in the ground tissue, and is relatively uniform along the radius of the stem. When the apex reaches a height of 12 m, sustained primary growth ceases abruptly, fixing the taper of the trunk. Subsequent growth produces a cylindrical top on this tapered base.
These results are considered in the light of a review of earlier work on palm growth. The determinate nature of this type of arborescence is discussed, and brief reference is made to its evolutionary status.     

Western myall groves (Acacia papyrocarpa) determine the fine‐scale distribution of soil Collembola in semi‐arid South Australia

Vegetation can exert a strong influence on the distribution and activity of biotic communities across a broad range of spatial scales, especially in arid and semi‐arid ecosystems. At fine spatial scales, patches created by individual plants can support different faunal and floral communities even at locations distant from the plant. These differences can have profound effects on a range of ecosystem processes, including seed dispersal, nutrient cycling and resource distribution. In semi‐arid Australia, areas surrounding groves of western myall (Acacia papyrocarpa) trees are largely devoid of vegetation, being referred to as ‘halos’. Here, we investigate the soil‐dwelling Collembola in groves of western myall trees, the surrounding halos and nearby chenopod shrubland. We also investigated whether the abundance of Collembola was influenced by soil depth (0–5 cm layer vs. 6–10 cm layer) in groves. We found that collembolan density was approximately nine times lower and taxonomic richness half that in a halo compared with the grove and chenopod vegetation. Furthermore, analyses at finer taxonomic levels indicate that vegetation patches differed in species composition, with some species restricted to or preferring particular patches. In the grove, we found a higher abundance of Collembola in the 0–5 cm soil layer compared with the 6–10 layer. Our results indicate vegetation patches strongly influence collembolan abundance and species composition in bare patches around western myall. As patches created by vegetation are a common feature of semi‐arid and arid regions, we suspect that these effects are widespread although seldom reported. Furthermore, as Collembola are involved in the decomposition process, Acacia papyrocarpa patches will be influencing nutrient cycling through their effects on the soil biota. Our results also emphasize that comprehensive fauna survey and management of woodland ecosystems need to consider fine‐scale processes.     

Ants remove virtually all western myall (Acacia papyrocarpa Benth.) seeds at Middleback,South Australia

Abstract Ants can have a profound effect on the numbers of seeds present in the seed-bank. We investigated the removal of seeds of an important arid zone tree species, the western myall (Acacia papyrocarpa Benth.). The species has seed characteristics typical of other Acacia species: a hard seed-coat and a small, white aril or elaiosome; the latter is reported to be attractive to ants. An experiment was conducted to see how rapidly and completely the seeds would be removed under various caging treatments. Observations were also made to discover the major seed removers and the fate of the seeds. Seed removal was rapid (< 12h) and was almost entirely by ants, and while our observations were not conclusive, we speculate that much of the seed supply is effectively destroyed by seed harvester ants which thus act as true granivores, not seed dispersers. Whether this matters for western myall in the long term is problematic because the species is so long-lived; rare but successful recruitment events may well be sufficient for its long-term survival.     

Influence of canopy tree size on stand basal area may reflect uncoupling of crown expansion and trunk diameter growth

Abstract A recent article by Midgley and colleagues suggests that large trees give rise to inordinately high stand basal areas because they pack canopy space more efficiently than smaller trees. We argue that this phenomenon bears more relation to the fact that diameter increment is not necessarily accompanied by significant crown expansion during all stages of a tree's life. Using data from a canopy tree population in an old‐growth temperate forest, we found that crown area scaled as roughly the 3/5 power of trunk basal area. Rather than reflecting fixed scaling laws, we suggest that this pattern arises because of limited opportunities for crown expansion in dense stands. Old canopy trees in dense stands can thus accumulate large basal areas without occupying a commensurately large canopy area.     

Drought alters the canopy architecture and micro-climate of Hevea brasiliensis trees

 In this study a comparison of the canopy architecture and the growth and distribution of roots was made in 10-year-old trees of Hevea brasiliensis grown in a severely drought-prone area on the west coast of India under rainfed and irrigated conditions. LAI and light interception increased significantly in the irrigated compared to the rainfed trees. Girth and height of the tree were 29 and 19% more while width and height of the canopy were 19 and 20% more in the irrigated than rainfed trees. There were 22% more primary branches which had 26% more diameter in the irrigated trees than rainfed trees. The branches were inserted on the main trunk at an angle of 58.36° in the irrigated and 44.22° in rainfed trees. The above changes led to more light penetration which altered the light distribution inside the rainfed trees during summer and inhibited leaf photosynthesis particularly in the top canopy leaves. In the rainfed trees most of the growth occurred during the short favorable season immediately after the monsoon between June and October and no growth or even shrinking of the trunk was seen during summer. In the irrigated trees a higher growth was seen throughout the year and summer had no adverse effect. Although there was some difference in the root distribution pattern, the total root density per unit soil volume did not vary between the irrigated and rainfed trees. Key words  Hevea brasiliensis· Drought · Crown architecture · Micro-climate · Root growth Received: 8 May 1998 / Accepted 8 October 1998     

Stand structure, variability in growth and intraspecific competition in a peatland stand of black spruce Picea mariana

Age and size distributions and growth rates of individual trees were examined in a black spruce stand growing on a peatland in Alberta, Canada, 38 years after fire. Both height and basal girth frequency distributions were positively-skewed, with many small and few large individuals. Age distributions were negatively-skewed; most trees were recruited five to seven years after fire and there was little recruitment after 25 years. Stem analysis data indicated that increment in height was nearly constant over the life of the trees but larger trees grew faster than smaller trees. The trees which started growth immediately after the fire maintained faster growth than those recruited some years later. At the time of study, above ground competition and canopy shading were not considered to have a large effect on growth rates of individual trees. Several hypotheses are presented to explain these differences in growth of individual trees.     

Responses of crown development to canopy openings by saplings of eight tropical submontane forest tree species in Indonesia: a comparison with cool-temperate trees

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Growth in trunk height in canopy openings is important for saplings. How saplings increase height growth in canopy openings may relate to crown architectural constraints. Responses of crown development to canopy openings in relation to trunk height growth were studied for saplings (0.2-2.5 m tall) of eight tropical submontane forest tree species in Indonesia. The results of this study were also compared with those of temperate trees in northern Japan. METHODS: The crown architecture differed among the eight tropical species, i.e. they had sparsely to highly developed branching structures. Crown allometry was compared among the eight species in each canopy condition (closed canopy or canopy openings), and between closed canopy and canopy openings within a species. A general linear regression model was used to analyse how each species increases height growth rate in canopy openings. Crown allometry and its plasticity were compared between tropical and temperate trees by a nested analysis of covariance. KEY RESULTS: Tropical submontane trees had responses similar to cool-temperate trees, showing an increase in height in canopy openings, i.e. taller saplings of sparsely branched species increase height growth rates by increasing the sapling leaf area. Cool-temperate trees have a wider crown projection area and a smaller leaf area per crown projection area to avoid self-shading within a crown compared with tropical submontane trees. Plasticity of the crown projection area is greater in cool-temperate trees than in tropical submontane trees, probably because of the difference in leaf longevity. CONCLUSIONS: This study concluded that interspecific variation in the responses of crown development to canopy openings in regard to increasing height related to the species' branching structure, and that different life-forms, such as evergreen and deciduous trees, had different crown allometry and plasticity.     

Analysis of ovipositional environment using Quantification Theory Type I: the case of the butterfly, Luehdorfia puziloi inexpecta (Papilionidae)

The habitat of Luehdorfia puziloi inexpecta was analyzed by using Quantification Theory Type I, a method for quantifying qualitative data. The investigation area was divided into 92 small sections and was surveyed for its environmental characteristics such as type of trees, tree trunk girth, condition of undergrowth, geography, aspect of slope, and amount of food plants. Environmental factors suitable for oviposition were analyzed using the area density of eggs in each section as the external criterion. The results showed the order of importance of environmental factors to be: aspect of slope > amount of food plants > tree type = tree trunk girth > condition of undergrowth > geography. A slope facing northeast, rich in food plants, with deciduous trees of trunk girth larger than 40 cm, with undergrowth below 30 cm and along a ridgeline was the most preferable habitat for the butterfly.     

Using Light-Use and Production Efficiency Models to Predict Photosynthesis and Net Carbon Exchange During Forest Canopy Disturbance

Vegetation growth models are used with remotely sensed and meteorological data to monitor terrestrial carbon dynamics at a range of spatial and temporal scales. Many of these models are based on a light-use efficiency equation and two-component model of whole-plant growth and maintenance respiration that have been parameterized for distinct vegetation types and biomes. This study was designed to assess the robustness of these parameters for predicting interannual plant growth and carbon exchange, and more specifically to address inconsistencies that may arise during forest disturbances and the loss of canopy foliage. A model based on the MODIS MOD17 algorithm was parameterized for a mature upland hardwood forest by inverting CO₂ flux tower observations during years when the canopy was not disturbed. This model was used to make predictions during a year when the canopy was 37% defoliated by forest tent caterpillars. Predictions improved after algorithms were modified to scale for the effects of diffuse radiation and loss of leaf area. Photosynthesis and respiration model parameters were found to be robust at daily and annual time scales regardless of canopy disturbance, and differences between modeled net ecosystem production and tower net ecosystem exchange were only approximately 2 g C m⁻² d⁻¹ and less than 23 g C m⁻² y⁻¹. Canopy disturbance events such as insect defoliations are common in temperate forests of North America, and failure to account for cyclical outbreaks of forest tent caterpillars in this stand could add an uncertainty of approximately 4–13% in long-term predictions of carbon sequestration.     

Calibrating the radial-growth averaging method for detecting releases in old-growth forests of coastal British Columbia,Canada

Dendroecological methods that use growth releases to reconstruct the history of canopy disturbances are most useful when calibrated for specific species in specific forest types. In this study, we calibrate the radial-growth averaging method to detect growth releases of western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), and Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis Dougl. ex J. Forbes) following fine-scale canopy disturbances in old-growth forests of coastal British Columbia, Canada. Our goal is to establish a version of the method that will capture the full range of growth increases that occur for the study species following natural, fine-scale canopy gaps, yet will account for the effects of climatic variability on radial growth and growth increases. We used traditional dendroclimatological techniques and the radial-growth averaging method to examine how climatic and regional-scale factors contributed to radial growth and growth increases. In addition, we did a sensitivity analysis, using both ring widths and basal area increments, to explore how varying the values of three parameters of the radial-growth averaging method (threshold, moving average, and window) influenced the proportion of trees that showed a release pattern following the formation of canopy gaps of known timing of origin. Although radial growth of western redcedar and western hemlock was significantly associated with climate, percent-growth change derived from residual chronologies rarely exceeded 25%, which defined our minimum threshold for a release. For the sensitivity analysis, two general trends were common to all three species: (1) as threshold increased, the proportion of trees that showed a release pattern decreased, particularly for western redcedar and (2) a higher proportion of trees showed a release pattern using a 10-year versus a 5-year window, particularly for thresholds <100%. The greatest proportion of trees showed a release pattern using a 25% threshold, 5-year moving average, and 10-year window for both ring widths and basal area increments. Overall, a higher proportion of trees showed a release pattern using basal area increments as opposed to ring widths. Therefore, basal area increments are better suited to assess releases in these old-growth stands that have large inter- and intra-species variability in tree size. By establishing these empirically-based criteria, we have achieved the first step towards quantifying attributes of growth releases of trees in the study stands, allowing future studies to capture the variability of past disturbance events and predict changes in forest structure and composition over time.     

Patterns of growth in wild bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus

The growth of bottlenose dolphins is described from observations made during a capture release programme that has operated in coastal waters of the eastern Gulf of Mexico from 1970 to the present. Measurements of standard length, girth and body mass were recorded from 47 female and 49 male dolphins, some captured as many as nine times. Ages were known from approximate birth dates or estimated from counts of dentinal growth layers. In all three measurements. females grew at a faster initial rate than males, but reached asymptotic size at an earlier age. This extended period of growth in males resulted in significant sexual dimorphism in length, girth and mass at physical maturity. The growth of both sexes was well described by three-parameter Gompertz models using either cross-sectional data or a mixture of longitudinal and cross-sectional data. There was considerable variation in size-at-age for both sexes in all year classes. Residuals of size measurements were used to derive measures of relative size for individual dolphins; most dolphins demonstrated little ontogenetic change in relative size. Body mass was adequately predicted by multiple regression equations that incorporated both length and girth as independent variables.     

Vertical patterns and duration of surface wetness in an old-growth tropical montane forest, Indonesia

In tropical montane forests, the wetness of leaf surfaces is an important parameter which may influence gas exchange, growth and vitality of leaves, and forest productivity. Thirty surface wetness sensors were operated during May–August 2004 in a vertical profile inside an old-growth lower montane rain forest of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, with the objective to analyse spatial and temporal patterns of surface wetness and to relate wetness duration to the microclimate inside the stand. The canopy was wet during 25–30% of time in this study period. In a dry period, however, surface wetness lasted for only 5% of the time, whereas the canopy was wet during 45–55% of the time in a rainy period. In the lower shade canopy, surface wetness continuously existed for periods of up to 22 h and more, although rainfall occurred only during afternoon thunderstorms of limited duration. The long duration of surface wetness has implications for forest interception models, which assume a complete drying of the canopy between subsequent rainfall events. In periods with rainfall, leaf wetness typically occurred in the afternoon, evening and first half of the night because intercepted water persisted on the leaves until about midnight. In dry periods, in contrast, surface wetness was mainly caused by dewfall in the second half of the night, and it occurred mainly in the uppermost canopy where radiative heat losses resulted in a substantial under-cooling of the leaves. Ecophysiological and hydrological importance is suggested by the long duration of surface wetting in this stand with possible implications for gas exchange, leaf growth, leaf colonization by epiphylls and the forest water balance.     

Rabbits and the failure of regeneration in Australian arid zone Acacia

Three experiments are reported concerning the effect of rabbit grazing (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) upon the recruitment of Acacia seedlings to populations in the South Australian arid zone. In western myall woodland (Acacia papyrocaqsa Benth.) under prevailing rabbit and sheep densities, seedlings exposed to grazing by these two herbivores or to rabbits alone were severely pruned, whereas totally protected seedlings grew unchecked. Seedlings of four Acacia species; A. papyrocarpa, A. oswaldii (F. Muell.), A. kempeana (F. Muell.) and A. burkittii (F. Muell. ex Benth.) were transplanted into four 50 m × 50 m rabbit-proof enclosures. Six rabbits were introduced into each enclosure and within 24 h half of the total seedling population had been grazed. This was at a seedling dry weight ratio of 1|150 000 of the total fodder on offer. In one of the enclosures no seedlings were eaten and there is evidence to suggest that a dense patch of grass had a buffering effect, reducing grazing pressure. Small shoots cut from old Acacia and transferred to the ground throughout 1000 ha of western myall woodland were grazed rapidly near rabbit warrens and progressively less rapidly with increased distance from warrens. The experiments demonstrated that even with the lowered post-myxomatosis population densities, rabbit grazing pressure would significantly affect recruitment in arid zone Acacia populations in the absence of stock.     

Microclimatic buffering in forests of the future: the role of local water balance

Forest canopies buffer climate extremes and promote microclimates that may function as refugia for understory species under changing climate. However, the biophysical conditions that promote and maintain microclimatic buffering and its stability through time are largely unresolved. We posited that forest microclimatic buffering is sensitive to local water balance and canopy cover, and we measured this effect during the growing season across a climate gradient in forests of the northwestern United States (US). We found that forest canopies buffer extremes of maximum temperature and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), with biologically meaningful effect sizes. For example, during the growing season, maximum temperature and VPD under at least 50% forest canopy were 5.3°C and 1.1 kPa lower on average, respectively, compared to areas without canopy cover. Canopy buffering of temperature and vapor pressure deficit was greater at higher levels of canopy cover, and varied with water balance, implying that buffering effects are subject to changes in local hydrology. We project changes in the water balance for the mid‐21st century and predict how such changes may impact the ability of western US forests to buffer climate extremes. Our results suggest that some forests will lose their capacity to buffer climate extremes as sites become increasingly water limited. Changes in water balance combined with accelerating canopy losses due to increases in the frequency and severity of disturbance will create potentially non‐linear changes in the microclimate conditions of western US forests.     

Evolutionarily stable growth of a sapling which waits for future gap formation under closed canopy

Summary A model was developed to examine the ESS sapling growth waiting for future gap formation under closed canopy. Assumptions are: a sapling has two parts, a trunk and a photosynthetic part, and allocates annual photosynthates to these two parts; and a sapling with a larger photosynthetic part has a larger production rate, but a sapling with a larger trunk is more successful in competition after gap formation. The ESS growth schedule of a sapling typically consists of three phases: (1) the sapling first allocates all annual photosynthates to the photosynthetic part, then (2) it allocates annual photosynthates both to its trunk and to photosynthetic part, and both parts grow simultaneously, and finally (3) it also allocates annual photosynthates to both parts, but the size of the photosynthetic part stays constant due to annual loss, and only the trunk size increases. A sapling should allocate photosynthates more to the trunk if mortality or probability of gap formation is large. However, a sapling should allocate photosynthates more to the photosynthetic part if large trunks are strongly advantageous in competition after gap formation.     

槟榔林冠穿透雨空间格局的时间稳定性

槟榔林是热带地区广泛种植典型经济林,独特的树冠结构改变了穿透雨的空间格局,但针对穿透雨空间格局的时间稳定性研究很少,影响对穿透雨生态效应的认识与调控。以海南岛槟榔林为研究对象,基于33场降雨数据,研究了穿透雨的空间格局及时间特性,结果显示:(1)槟榔树冠内不同位置穿透雨差异极显著(P0.01),穿透雨率分别为:树干附近(85.6%)、冠幅中央(48.3%)、冠幅边缘(59.8%),穿透雨空间格局表现为向树干附近汇集的特点;不同方位的穿透雨率仅东面显著高于南面(P0.1),表明风向对穿透雨空间格局具有一定影响。(2)槟榔树冠下各位点穿透雨时间变异程度大(65.7%),但槟榔树冠幅中央穿透雨时间稳定性较好(55.6%),而树干旁边和冠幅边缘穿透雨时间稳定性较差(25%、19.4%),各方位穿透雨的时间稳定性相差不大(约1/3)。(3)距树干距离和降雨量影响穿透雨的时间稳定性,距树干不同距离平均叶片倾斜角度的差异是造成穿透雨在时间上不稳定的关键因素,平均叶片倾斜角度与穿透雨时间不稳定程度呈现显著正相关关系(P0.05);穿透雨时间稳定性在中等降雨条件下最差,随着降雨量增加,冠层对穿透雨的"屏蔽效应"减弱,"滴水效应"增加。揭示槟榔植株个体穿透雨的空间格局及时间稳定性,可为认识乔木个体尺度穿透雨时空特征提供参考,也可为解释林地小尺度土壤水分和土壤侵蚀的空间格局及时间动态提供依据。     

热带次生林林窗不同热力作用面特征分析

利用热带次生林林窗边缘树表温和林窗区域地表温的观测资料,探讨了昼间林窗各热力作用面的热力效应及其变化规律,通过分析林窗边缘树表温和林窗地表温的变化,指出在林窗区域林窗边缘墙面是林冠面,林窗地面,林内地面之外的亲的第4热力作用面;各个热力作用面的热力效应随季节,位置和时刻的不同有着明显差异,在受浓雾影响的上午,林窗地面热力作用较强,在中午和下午林窗东侧林缘壁面,林窗东侧－东北侧地面的热力作用显著,中乖以林窗地面作用较强;而下午则以林窄边缘墙面作用较强,各个较力作用面的热力特征和相互作用将制约林窗的热力变化,影响植物的生长。     

Survival and growth of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Juniperus</Emphasis> seedlings in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Juniperus</Emphasis> woodlands

Juniperus woodlands are widely distributed in western North America. Few studies of seedling emergence, long-term survival, growth or mortality of the dominant Juniperus spp. in these woodlands have been carried out. Consequently, regeneration dynamics in these woodlands are poorly understood. Juniperus ashei is the dominant woody plant in the majority of woodland and savanna communities of the Edwards Plateau region in central Texas. We examined the emergence, mortality and growth of various spatial and temporal cohorts of J. ashei seedlings over an eight or nine-year period. Greatest emergence was found during the cool, mostly winter months and under the canopy of mature J. ashei trees. Emergence was significantly inversely related to temperature and significantly linearly related to rainfall, but only if the monthly rainfall and emergence were offset by one to four months. Greatest survival occurred below the J. ashei canopy, but greatest growth was at the canopy edge. Emerging seedlings were not from the current years seed crop, but from one or more previous years seed crops. Greatest mortality occurred mostly during the summer months and in the grassland habitat. There was a significant inverse logarithmic or exponential relationship between mean monthly temperature and mean monthly mortality. A large number of J. ashei seedlings or immature plants with reduced growth were found beneath the canopy of mature trees. These plants seem to serve as a seedling bank, providing the source of recruitment into the population should the overstory trees be removed. Survival of the two canopy cohorts with known emergence dates declined with time (negative exponential function) and was 1.0–3.4% after eight or nine years depending on the cohort. The pre-existing cohort seemed to have constant mortality (and presumably replacement), with about 8% of the population dying each year. Higher growth rates for seedlings were found at the edge of the established woodland canopy, which suggests that conditions in the edge habitat or possibly in canopy gaps are best for growth beyond the seedling stage.     

林冠截持降雨模型的初步研究

通过对林冠截持过程的研究,将单场降雨划分成很多个小的时段,顺序计算各小时段内降雨在林冠内的分配,建立了一个林冠降雨截持模型.模型考虑了冠层和树干干燥度对冠层雨期蒸发的影响,并在计算雨期蒸发时引入冠层叶面积指数、单位林地面积上树干表面积.运用模型对华北落叶松林的降雨截持进行模拟,结果表明,模拟穿透雨与实测穿透雨基本吻合,误差在±1 mm范围内,但在小降雨(＜6 mm)时模拟值偏低;树干茎流量模拟值偏低,茎流模拟相对误差随着降雨量增大而减小.同时模拟了穿透降雨的过程,结果与林内自动气象站实测穿透降雨的过程基本吻合,模拟效果较好.     

Tradeoffs in basal area growth and reproduction shift over the lifetime of a long-lived tropical species

Understanding of the extent to which reproductive costs drive growth largely derives from reproductively mature temperate trees in masting and non-masting years. We modeled basal area increment (BAI) and explored current growth–reproduction tradeoffs and changes in such allocation over the life span of a long-lived, non-masting tropical tree. We integrated rainfall and soil variables with data from 190 Bertholletia excelsa trees of different diameter at breast height (DBH) sizes, crown characteristics, and liana loads, quantifying BAI and reproductive output over 4 and 6 years, respectively. While rainfall explains BAI in all models, regardless of DBH class or ontogenic stage, light (based on canopy position and crown form) is most critical in the juvenile (5 cm ≤ DBH < 50 cm) phase. Suppressed trees are only present as juveniles and grow ten times slower (1.45 ± 2.73 m² year^?1) than trees in dominant and co-dominant positions (13.25 ± 0.82 and 12.90 ± 1.35 m² year^?1, respectively). Additionally, few juvenile trees are reproductive, and those that are, demonstrate reduced growth, as do reproductive trees in the next 50 to 100 cm DBH class, suggesting growth–reproduction tradeoffs. Upon reaching the canopy, however, and attaining a sizeable girth, this pattern gradually shifts to one where BAI and reproduction are influenced independently by variables such as liana load, crown size and soil properties. At this stage, BAI is largely unaffected by fruit production levels. Thus, while growth–reproduction tradeoffs clearly exist during early life stages, effects of reproductive allocation diminish as B. excelsa increases in size and maturity.