Light and VPD gradients drive foliar nitrogen partitioning and photosynthesis in the canopy of European beech and silver fir

While foliar photosynthetic relationships with light, nitrogen, and water availability have been well described, environmental factors driving vertical gradients of foliar traits within forest canopies are still not well understood. We, therefore, examined how light availability and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) co-determine vertical gradients (between 12 and 42 m and in the understorey) of foliar photosynthetic capacity (Amax), 13C fractionation (∆), specific leaf area (SLA), chlorophyll (Chl), and nitrogen (N) concentrations in canopies of Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba growing in a mixed forest in Switzerland in spring and summer 2017. Both species showed lower Chl/N and lower SLA with higher light availability and VPD at the top canopy. Despite these biochemical and morphological acclimations, Amax during summer remained relatively constant and the photosynthetic N-use efficiency (PNUE) decreased with higher light availability for both species, suggesting suboptimal N allocation within the canopy. ∆ of both species were lower at the canopy top compared to the bottom, indicating high water-use efficiency (WUE). VPD gradients strongly co-determined the vertical distribution of Chl, N, and PNUE in F. sylvatica, suggesting stomatal limitation of photosynthesis in the top canopy, whereas these traits were only related to light availability in A. alba. Lower PNUE in F. sylvatica with higher WUE clearly indicated a trade-off in water vs. N use, limiting foliar acclimation to high light and VPD at the top canopy. Species-specific trade-offs in foliar acclimation to environmental canopy gradients may thus be considered for scaling photosynthesis from leaf to canopy to landscape levels.     

Effects of altitudinal gradient on Salix atopantha foliar delta13C

In 2010, measurements were conducted on the foliar delta13C, photosynthesis, CO2 diffusive conductivity, nitrogen content, photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE), and special leaf area (SLA) of Salix atopantha at different altitudes (2350 m, 2700 m, 3150 m, and 3530 m) in Wolong Natural Reserve. With the increase of altitude, the foliar nitrogen content (especially the nitrogen content per unit leaf area, N(area)) and the PNUE increased, and the foliar delta13C had a significant increase, with an increment of 1.4 per thousand per 1000 m altitude. The stomatal and mesophyll CO2 diffusion conductance also increased with increasing altitude, which had definite negative effect on the increase of foliar delta13C, but the effect was not strong enough. Comparing with CO2 diffusion conductance, carboxylation capacity was a more important factor limiting the P(c)/P(a), and even, the foliar delta13C. At altitude 2350-2700 m, air temperature was the main factor affecting the allocation of nitrogen in S. atopantha photosynthetic system, whereas at altitude 2700-3530 m, light could be the main affecting factor. No significant difference was observed in the SLA at different altitudes.     

海拔梯度对巴郎山奇花柳叶片δ13C的影响

2010年在四川卧龙自然保护区选择海拔为2350、2700、3150和3530 m的4个分布地点,研究了巴郎山海拔梯度对奇花柳叶片¹³C、光合、CO₂扩散导度、氮含量、光合氮利用效率(PNUE)和比叶面积(SLA)的影响.结果表明： 随着海拔的升高,目标树种叶片氮含量(尤其是单位面积氮含量)及PNUE增加,叶片¹³C值也随之显著增加,且海拔每升高1000 m,¹³C增加1.4‰;CO₂扩散导度(气孔导度和叶肉细胞导度)的增加,在一定程度上阻碍了叶片¹³C值随海拔升高,但不足以改变¹³C值随海拔升高的趋势;羧化能力是羧化位点与外界CO₂分压比(P_c/P_a),甚至¹³C的限制因子.在海拔2350～2700 m,奇花柳光合系统内部氮素分配主要受温度的影响,而2700～3530 m的光照作用可能更大.奇花柳的SLA随海拔无显著变化.     

皖南亚热带常绿阔叶林林下灌木层主要树种叶片养分特征

对皖南亚热带常绿阔叶林林下灌木层主要树种草珊瑚〔Sarcandra glabra(Thunb.)Nakai〕、乌药〔Lindera aggregata(Sims)Kosterm.〕、香桂(Cinnamomum subavenium Miq.)、红楠(Machilus thunbergii Sieb.et Zucc.)、连蕊茶〔Camellia cuspidata(Kochs)H.J.Veitch〕、甜槠〔Castanopsis eyrei(Champ.ex Benth.)Tutch.〕、矩叶鼠刺(Itea oblonga Hand.-Mazz.)、红淡比(Cleyera japonica Thunb.)和小叶蚊母树〔Distylium buxifolium(Hance)Merr.〕叶片养分(包括C、N、P、K、Ca和Mg)含量、单位叶面积养分含量和比叶面积进行了测定,并分析了比叶面积与养分含量和单位叶面积养分含量的相关性。结果表明:9种树种叶片的C、N、P、K、Ca和Mg含量分别为438.09~492.31、9.79~15.60、0.33~2.06、11.39~32.52、3.84~13.34和2.85~14.05 g·kg-1,单位叶面积C、N、P、K、Ca和Mg含量分别为24.48~47.38、0.66~1.03、0.02~0.21、0.73~1.82、0.22~1.35和0.20~1.05 g·m-2,C/N比、C/P比和N/P比分别为31.40~47.88、227.76~1 495.66和5.26~32.90。9种树种叶片的比叶面积平均值为14.5 m2·kg-1,其中草珊瑚的比叶面积最大(17.90 m2·kg-1)、小叶蚊母树的比叶面积最小(9.89 m2·kg-1)。相关性分析结果表明:供试树种叶片的C/P比与N/P比间呈极显著正相关;比叶面积与叶片N含量呈显著正相关,与单位叶面积C、N和Ca含量分别呈极显著和显著负相关,与其他指标的相关性均不显著。综合分析结果表明:皖南亚热带常绿阔叶林下灌木层主要树种叶片的养分含量及比叶面积差异明显,其中,乌药、草珊瑚、矩叶鼠刺和香桂叶片的养分含量较高,而小叶蚊母树、红淡比和红楠的单位叶面积养分含量较高。     

冠层部位和叶龄对红松光合蒸腾特性的影响

利用Li-6400便携式CO2/H2O红外气体分析仪测定了红松不同冠层部位和叶龄针叶的光合蒸腾特性及其环境影响因子.结果表明:冠层部位和叶龄显著地影响最大净光合速率(Pmax)、光饱和点(LSP)、光补偿点(LCP)、表观最大量子效率(α)、蒸腾速率(Tr)和比叶面积(SLA),但对水分利用效率(WUE)影响不显著.随着冠层部位的下降和叶龄的增加,红松针叶的Pmax逐渐下降,其平均值变动在6·55～9·05μmol·m-2·s-1之间.不同冠层部位和叶龄针叶的LSP和LCP的差异很大,以树冠中部针叶对弱光和强光的利用能力最大.Tr随着冠层部位的下降而降低;不同叶龄针叶的Tr在1·37～1·59mmol·m-2·s-1之间变化.不同部位和叶龄红松针叶的Tr和光合有效辐射存在极显著正相关关系(R2=0·967).红松的WUE与净光合速率紧密相关(R2=0·860).随冠层部位的上升和叶龄的增大,红松针叶的SLA递减,分别在6·61～8·41m2·kg-1和6·65～8·38m2·kg-1之间波动.     

Photosynthesis, growth and nutrient changes in non-nodulated Phaseolus vulgaris grown under atmospheric and elevated carbon dioxide conditions

The response of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Contender grown under controlled environment at either ambient or elevated (360 and 700 μmol mol^-1, respectively) CO₂ concentrations ([CO₂]), was monitored from 10 days after germination (DAG) until the onset of senescence. Elevated CO₂ had a pronounced effect on total plant height (TPH), leaf area (LA), leaf dry weight (LD), total plant biomass (TB) accumulation and specific leaf area (SLA). All of these were significantly increased under elevated carbon dioxide with the exception of SLA which was significantly reduced. Other than high initial growth rates in CO₂-enriched plants, relative growth rates remained relatively unchanged throughout the growth period. While the trends in growth parameters were clearly different between [CO₂], some physiological processes were largely transient, in particular, net assimilation rate (NAR) and foliar nutrient concentrations of N, Mg and Cu. CO₂ enrichment significantly increased NAR, but from 20 DAG, a steady decline to almost similar levels to those measured in plants grown under ambient CO₂ occurred. A similar trend was observed for leaf N content where the loss of leaf nitrogen in CO₂-enriched plants after 20 DAG, was significantly greater than that observed for ambient-CO₂ plants. Under enhanced CO₂, the foliar concentrations of K and Mn were increased significantly whilst P, Ca, Fe and Zn were reduced significantly. Changes in Mg and Cu concentrations were insignificant. In addition. high CO₂ grown plants exhibited a pronounced leaf discoloration or chlorosis, coupled with a significant reduction in leaf longevity.     

青海省沙珠玉治沙站17种主要植物叶性因子的比较

国外大量研究结果表明,具有高叶氮含量和低比叶面积的干旱地区植物往往具有较高的水分利用效率。选取青海省沙珠玉治沙站地区17种主要植物(野生9种,人工8种) ,分别测定其比叶面积(SL A) ,单位重量叶氮含量(Nmass)及单位面积叶氮含量(Narea) ,并与贡嘎山湿润森林样带测定数据进行比较分析。结果表明,Nmass随SL A的增加而增加,但Nmass与SL A关系格局在固定沙丘野生多年生草本-灌木植物(类群1,Narea>3.0 g m- 2 )与流动沙丘野生短命草本植物(类群2 ,Narea<3.0 g m- 2 )之间存在策略位移现象,即在相同SL A下,类群1比类群2具有更高的叶氮含量,或在相同Nmass时类群1比类群2具有更小的比叶面积。在8个人工物种中,柠条锦鸡儿、中间锦鸡儿、绵柳和西北沙柳等灌木属于类群1,而甘草、小叶锦鸡儿、柽柳和青杨属于类群2 ,前者比后者具备更好的干旱适应机制,建议在生产上优先考虑前者。流动沙丘野生短命草本植物具有较低的叶氮含量和较高的比叶面积,这一特征与流动沙丘土壤贫瘠及其生长期内降水集中和土壤水分含量相对丰富密切相关。     

Effects of nutrient addition on leaf chemistry,morphology, and photosynthetic capacity of three bog shrubs

Plants in nutrient-poor environments typically have low foliar nitrogen (N) concentrations, long-lived tissues with leaf traits designed to use nutrients efficiently, and low rates of photosynthesis. We postulated that increasing N availability due to atmospheric deposition would increase photosynthetic capacity, foliar N, and specific leaf area (SLA) of bog shrubs. We measured photosynthesis, foliar chemistry and leaf morphology in three ericaceous shrubs (Vaccinium myrtilloides, Ledum groenlandicum and Chamaedaphne calyculata) in a long-term fertilization experiment at Mer Bleue bog, Ontario, Canada, with a background deposition of 0.8 g N m⁻² a⁻¹. While biomass and chlorophyll concentrations increased in the highest nutrient treatment for C. calyculata, we found no change in the rates of light-saturated photosynthesis (A _max), carboxylation (V _cmax)_, or SLA with nutrient (N with and without PK) addition, with the exception of a weak positive correlation between foliar N and A _max for C. calyculata, and higher V _cmax in L. groenlandicum with low nutrient addition. We found negative correlations between photosynthetic N use efficiency (PNUE) and foliar N, accompanied by a species-specific increase in one or more amino acids, which may be a sign of excess N availability and/or a mechanism to reduce ammonium (NH₄) toxicity. We also observed a decrease in foliar soluble Ca and Mg concentrations, essential minerals for plant growth, but no change in polyamines, indicators of physiological stress under conditions of high N accumulation. These results suggest that plants adapted to low-nutrient environments do not shift their resource allocation to photosynthetic processes, even after reaching N sufficiency, but instead store the excess N in organic compounds for future use. In the long term, bog species may not be able to take advantage of elevated nutrients, resulting in them being replaced by species that are better adapted to a higher nutrient environment.     

Contrasting species responses to continued nitrogen and phosphorus addition in tropical montane forest tree seedlings

Global changes in nutrient deposition rates are likely to have profound effects on plant communities, particularly in the nutrient‐limited systems of the tropics. We studied the effects of increased nutrient availability on the seedlings of six tree species in montane forests of southern Ecuador in situ. After five years of continued N, P, or N+P addition, naturally grown seedlings of each of the two most common species at each elevation (1000, 2000, and 3000 m asl) were harvested for analyses of leaf morphology, nutrient content, herbivory, and tissue biomass allocation. Most species showed increased foliar N and P concentrations after addition of each respective element. Leaf tissue N:P ratios of >20 in the control plants of all species suggest that P is more growth‐limiting in these forests than N. Leaf morphological responses to nutrient addition were species and nutrient specific, with some species (Hedyosmum purparescens, Graffenrieda emarginata) exhibiting increased specific leaf area (SLA), and others (Graffenrieda harlingii) increased leaf area ratios (LAR). Pouteria torta (1000 m) had lower SLA and LAR after P addition. Increased herbivory was only evident in G. emarginata (after N and N+P addition). Only the species from 3000 m asl modified biomass allocation after nutrient addition. In general, N and N+P addition more strongly affected the species studied at the upper elevations, whereas P addition had a similar range of effects on the species at all elevations. We conclude that the responses of the studied tropical montane forest tree seedlings to chronic N and P addition are highly species‐specific and that successful adaptation to increased nutrient availability will depend on species‐specific morphological and physiological plasticity.     

Divergent patterns of foliar δ13C and δ15N in Quercus aquifolioides with an altitudinal transect on the Tibetan Plateau: an integrated study based on multiple key leaf functional traits

Aims With a close association with plant water availability, foliar δ 13 C had been investigated extensively in alpine regions; however, foliar δ 15 N has rarely been concurrently used as an indicator of plant nitrogen availability. Due to the positive correlations between leaf nitrogen content and foliar δ 13 C and δ 15 N found in previous studies, we expected that they should show consistent patterns along an altitudinal gradient.Methods To test our hypothesis, we measured foliar δ 13 C and δ 15 N in conjunction with multiple key leaf functional traits of Quercus aquifolioides, a dominant species of alpine forest on the eastern slopes of the Sygera Mountains, southeastern Tibetan Plateau from 2500 to 3800 m.Important findings (i) Contrary to our hypothesis, foliar δ 13 C exhibited a significant positive linear relationship with altitude; in contrast, foliar δ 15 N initially increased and subsequently decreased with altitude, the change in trend occurring around 3300 m. (ii) Our analyses indicated that leaf internal resistance and stomatal conductance, rather than photosynthetic capacity indicated by leaf N concentration, apparently explained the altitudinal variation in foliar δ 13 C, while differences in foliar δ 15 N were likely the result of soil N availability. (iii) Principal component analysis revealed a clear association between δ 13 C and a tradeoff between water loss and carbon gain, indicated by traits related to gas exchange such as leaf thickness, density, stomatal properties. In contrast, the second axis was associated with δ 15 N and nitrogen acquisition strategy in Q. aquifolioides across its altitudinal distribution, represented by traits related to nitrogen concentration and stomata per gram of leaf nitrogen.     

Interacting determinants of specific leaf area in 22 herbaceous species: effects of irradiance and nutrient availability

We measured specific leaf area (SLA) and six of its determinants (the thickness of lamina, mesophyll, epidermis, mid-vein and mid-vein support tissues and leaf water content) in a collection of 22 herbaceous species grown in factorial combinations of high μ 1100 (mol m^–2 s^–1) and low (200) irradiance crossed with high (1 : 1) and low (1 : 6 dilution) concentrations of a modified Hoagland hydroponic solution. SLA increased with both decreasing irradiance and with increasing nutrient availability but there was a strong interaction between the two. Lamina and mesophyll thickness both increased with increasing irradiance and nutrient availability without any interaction. The experimental treatments had complicated effects on mid-vein thickness and its support tissues. Leaf water content (a measure of leaf tissue density) decreased with increasing irradiance levels and with decreasing nutrient supply, but with an interaction between the two treatments. Changes in nutrient supply had no effect on SLA at high irradiance because leaf thickness and leaf tissue density changed in a compensatory way. A path analysis revealed that each of the components affected SLA when the others were statistically controlled but the strengths of the effects of mesophyll thickness, mid-vein thickness and water content differed between treatment groups. The effect of epidermal thickness on SLA was constant across environments and it showed no significant covariation with the other determinants. There was significant covariation between mesophyll thickness, mid-vein thickness and water content and this covariation was constant across the treatment groups.     

Imaging spectroscopy reveals the effects of topography and logging on the leaf chemistry of tropical forest canopy trees

Logging, pervasive across the lowland tropics, affects millions of hectares of forest, yet its influence on nutrient cycling remains poorly understood. One hypothesis is that logging influences phosphorus (P) cycling, because this scarce nutrient is removed in extracted timber and eroded soil, leading to shifts in ecosystem functioning and community composition. However, testing this is challenging because P varies within landscapes as a function of geology, topography and climate. Superimposed upon these trends are compositional changes in logged forests, with species with more acquisitive traits, characterized by higher foliar P concentrations, more dominant. It is difficult to resolve these patterns using traditional field approaches alone. Here, we use airborne light detection and ranging‐guided hyperspectral imagery to map foliar nutrient (i.e. P, nitrogen [N]) concentrations, calibrated using field measured traits, over 400 km² of northeastern Borneo, including a landscape‐level disturbance gradient spanning old‐growth to repeatedly logged forests. The maps reveal that canopy foliar P and N concentrations decrease with elevation. These relationships were not identified using traditional field measurements of leaf and soil nutrients. After controlling for topography, canopy foliar nutrient concentrations were lower in logged forest than in old‐growth areas, reflecting decreased nutrient availability. However, foliar nutrient concentrations and specific leaf area were greatest in relatively short patches in logged areas, reflecting a shift in composition to pioneer species with acquisitive traits. N:P ratio increased in logged forest, suggesting reduced soil P availability through disturbance. Through the first landscape scale assessment of how functional leaf traits change in response to logging, we find that differences from old‐growth forest become more pronounced as logged forests increase in stature over time, suggesting exacerbated phosphorus limitation as forests recover.     

Grazing increases functional richness but not functional divergence in Tibetan alpine meadow plant communities

Plant community diversity and ecosystem function are conditioned by competition among co-occurring species for multiple resources. Previous studies suggest that removal of standing biomass by grazing decreases competition for light, but coincident grazing effects on competition for soil nutrients remain largely unknown in Tibetan rangelands where grazing tends to deplete soil phosphorus availability. We measured five functional traits indicative of plant productivity and stoichiometry leaf carbon concentration (LCC), leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC), leaf phosphorus concentration (LPC), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC) for component species of plant communities in grazed and ungrazed plots in five Tibetan alpine meadows. We examined the diversity of traits singly Rao index of functional diversity (FDrao) and in aggregate functional richness (FRic), functional divergence (FDiv), and functional evenness (FEve) in response to grazing. We tested whether foliar trait diversity increases with nutrient competition but decreases with light competition when competitive exclusion is reduced by grazing. The FDrao of LPC significantly increased under grazing, but FDrao for LCC, LNC and SLA tended to decrease. The FDrao of LDMC increased at the drier site but decreased at the wettest site. There was a strong negative association between increase in FDrao of LPC and decrease in soil nutrients, especially soil phosphorus availability. The FRic for all five traits together increased with species diversity following grazing, but neither FDiv nor FEve differed significantly between grazed and ungrazed plots at most sites. Grazing in Tibetan alpine meadows tends to increase competition for soil phosphorus while decreasing competition for light, resulting in an increase in the functional richness in grazed plant communities without any significant changes in the overall functional diversity of foliar traits. Our study highlights the potential importance of grazing mediated competition for multiple resources in alpine meadow ecosystems.     

紫茎泽兰和飞机草的形态、生物量分配和光合特性对氮营养的响应

比较研究了紫茎泽兰(Ageratina adenophora)和飞机草(Chromolaena odorata)的形态、生物量分配、生长和光合特性对氮营养的可塑性反应,探讨其与入侵性的关系。结果表明:1) 两种入侵植物对氮营养变化表现出很高的可塑性。随供氮量的增加,两种植物的根冠比、根生物量比降低,叶生物量比(LMR)、叶面积比和叶根比升高。低氮时,增加吸收器官的生物量分配,有利于养分吸收;高氮时,更多的生物量投入同化器官,有利于碳积累。相比之下紫茎泽兰对氮素的适应性更强。2) 两种入侵植物偏好较高的氮营养环境,土壤氮含量升高利于紫茎泽兰和飞机草的入侵。在较大的氮范围内,其相对生长速率(RGR)、总生物量、株高、分枝数、叶面积指数、最大净光合速率和光合色素含量都随供氮量的增加而显著增加,过量氮素对上述参数的抑制不显著。在本地种基本停止生长的干季,紫茎泽兰和飞机草仍维持较高的RGR,这与它们的入侵性密切相关。3) 在决定RGR对氮营养的响应过程中,平均叶面积比和净同化速率同等重要。LMR对两种植物的RGR有重要的影响,是决定处理间和种间RGR差异的重要因素。随氮素的增加,紫茎泽兰的比叶面积(SLA)降低,飞机草的SLA升高,但在所有氮水平下,前者的SLA都高于后者,紫茎泽兰SLA的变化规律更利于植物适应氮环境。     

Pseudoviviparous reproduction of Poa alpina var. vivipara L. (Poaceae) during long-term exposure to elevated atmospheric CO2

Pseudovivipary is an asexual reproductive strategy exhibited by some arctic/alpine grasses in which leafy plantlets are produced in place of seeds, with genetic conservation an advantage for stress tolerators in these nutrient-poor habitats. Photosynthetic metabolism and the development of this reproductive system were investigated under varying nutrient availability and predicted future CO(2) partial pressure (pCO(2)). Poa alpina var. vivipara L., grown at present ambient pCO(2) or ambient plus 340 micro mol mol(-1) CO(2) (elevated pCO(2)), was supplied with either 0.05 mol m(-3) phosphorus and 0.2 mol m(-3) nitrogen, or 0.2 mol m(-3) phosphorus and 1.0 mol m(-3) nitrogen. Gas exchange measurements and determination of total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC), nitrogen and phosphorus contents revealed that parent plant leaf blade tissues experienced acclimatory loss of photosynthetic capacity after long-term growth at elevated pCO(2) (particularly so when nutrient availability was low); there were associated reductions in photosynthetic nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiencies (PNUE and PPUE). In addition, decreased PNUE and PPUE were exhibited by plantlets grown at elevated pCO(2) with low nutrient availability. Decreased reproductive dry matter in this treatment also resulted from a lack of reproductive initiation in daughter tillers, and altered phenology. Pseudoviviparous P. alpina is likely to be at a disadvantage in both vegetative and reproductive phases at predicted future elevated atmospheric CO(2) concentrations, particularly where nutrients are scarce and when in competition with species experiencing less acclimatory loss of photosynthetic capacity.     

Water source utilization and foliar nutrient status differs between upland and flooded plant communities in wetland tree islands

Tree islands in the Everglades wetlands are centers of biodiversity and targets of restoration, yet little is known about the pattern of water source utilization by the constituent woody plant communities: upland hammocks and flooded swamp forests. Two potential water sources exist: (1) entrapped rainwater in the vadose zone of the organic soil (referred to as upland soil water), that becomes enriched in phosphorus, and (2) phosphorus-poor groundwater/surface water (referred to as regional water). Using natural stable isotope abundance as a tracer, we observed that hammock plants used upland soil water in the wet season and shifted to regional water uptake in the dry season, while swamp forest plants used regional water throughout the year. Consistent with the previously observed phosphorus concentrations of the two water sources, hammock plants had a greater annual mean foliar phosphorus concentration over swamp forest plants, thereby supporting the idea that tree island hammocks are islands of high phosphorus concentrations in the oligotrophic Everglades. Foliar nitrogen levels in swamp forest plants were higher than those of hammock plants. Linking water sources with foliar nutrient concentrations can indicate nutrient sources and periods of nutrient uptake, thereby linking hydrology with the nutrient regimes of different plant communities in wetland ecosystems. Our results are consistent with the hypotheses that (1) over long periods, upland tree island communities incrementally increase their nutrient concentration by incorporating marsh nutrients through transpiration seasonally, and (2) small differences in micro-topography in a wetland ecosystem can lead to large differences in water and nutrient cycles.     

Elevated CO2 reduces leaf damage by insect herbivores in a forest community

By altering foliage quality, exposure to elevated levels of atmospheric CO(2) potentially affects the amount of herbivore damage experienced by plants. Here, we quantified foliar carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) content, C : N ratio, phenolic levels, specific leaf area (SLA) and the amount of leaf tissue damaged by chewing insects for 12 hardwood tree species grown in plots exposed to elevated CO(2) (ambient plus 200 microl l(-1)) using free-air CO(2) enrichment (FACE) over 3 yr. The effects of elevated CO(2) varied considerably by year and across species. Elevated CO(2) decreased herbivore damage across 12 species in 1 yr but had no detectable effect in others. Decreased damage may have been related to lower average foliar N concentration and SLA and increased C : N ratio and phenolic content for some species under elevated compared with ambient CO(2). It remains unclear how these changes in leaf properties affect herbivory. Damage to the leaves of hardwood trees by herbivorous insects may be reduced in the future as the concentration of CO(2) continues to increase, perhaps altering the trophic structure of forest ecosystems.     

Competitive ability of two Brassica varieties in relation to biomass allocation and morphological plasticity under varying nutrient availability

Green cabbage (Brassica campestris, leafy variety) and turnip (Brassica campestris var. rapifera, rooty variety) were grown in both monocultures and mixtures at three nutrient levels to investigate their responses to nutrient availability with respect to biomass allocation, morphological plasticity and competitive ability. Their allocation parameters and leaf morphological traits were affected by both nutrient availability and developmental stage. Both of the varieties had a smaller biomass allocation to leaf blades, but a greater allocation to petioles at high nutrient levels. Root:shoot ratio (RSR) of green cabbage decreased with increasing nutrient availability, whereas that of turnip increased. Turnip had a smaller leaf blade weight ratio (LBWR) than cabbage, being compensated for by larger leaf area ratio (LAR) and specific leaf area (SLA). Leaf area ratio and SLA of both the varieties increased with increasing nutrient availability as did their mean dry weights. The mean dry weight of turnip was slightly greater than that of green cabbage in their respective monocultures, while that of green cabbage was greater than that of turnip in their 1:1 mixture. Therefore, green cabbage, having inherently greater biomass allocation to leaves, was generally more competitive than turnip with more biomass allocation to roots, especially at higher nutrient levels. However, within a variety, morphological plasticity (variation in LAR and SLA) was more important than the plasticity in biomass allocation (e.g. variation in RSR and LBWR) in determining competitive ability. The implication of our results is that competition models based on biomass allocation pattern alone may fail to predict competitive outcomes and that such models should also take morphological plasticity into full account.     

Inter‐specific Variation in Foliar Nutrients and Resorption of Nine Canopy‐tree Species in a Secondary Neotropical Rain Forest

The influence of environmental gradients on the foliar nutrient economy of forests has been well documented; however, we have little understanding of what drives variability among individuals within a single forest stand, especially tropical forests. We evaluated inter‐ and intra‐specific variation in nutrient resorption, foliar nutrient concentrations and physical leaf traits of nine canopy tree species within a 1‐ha secondary tropical rain forest in northeastern Costa Rica. Both nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) resorption efficiency (RE) and proficiency of the nine tree species varied significantly among species, but not within. Both N and P RE were significantly negatively related to leaf specific strength. Green leaf N and P concentrations were strongly negatively related to leaf mass per area, and senesced leaf nutrient concentrations were significantly positively related to green leaf nutrient concentrations. This study reveals a strong influence of physical leaf traits on foliar nutrient and resorption traits of co‐occurring species in a secondary wet tropical forest stand.     

Relationships among net primary productivity, nutrients and climate in tropical rain forest: a pan-tropical analysis

Tropical rain forests play a dominant role in global biosphere-atmosphere CO(2) exchange. Although climate and nutrient availability regulate net primary production (NPP) and decomposition in all terrestrial ecosystems, the nature and extent of such controls in tropical forests remain poorly resolved. We conducted a meta-analysis of carbon-nutrient-climate relationships in 113 sites across the tropical forest biome. Our analyses showed that mean annual temperature was the strongest predictor of aboveground NPP (ANPP) across all tropical forests, but this relationship was driven by distinct temperature differences between upland and lowland forests. Within lowland forests (相似文献