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.     

北京地区侧柏人工林密度效应

密度是影响森林尤其是人工林生长的重要因素,林冠层是森林生态系统与其他系统进行能量和物质交换的重要场所,树木及树冠生长对林分密度的响应关系可以看作是生物对环境变化产生的适应性现象。林分密度效应是生态学和森林培育学的重要研究内容之一。以23块8种不同密度梯度的北京山区侧柏人工幼龄林林分为研究对象分析其树木生长及树冠生长对密度的响应关系,其中树冠指标使用了参照了美国林务局(USDA)的树冠调查指标。研究结果表明:(1)林分平均胸径、平均树高和平均冠幅生长均随密度增大而减小,林分密度大于3000株/hm2时各指标减小的趋势变缓,使用异速生长模型可以很好地拟合这种变化关系;(2)随密度增加,树冠水平方向和垂直方向生长均到显著地抑制作用,树冠外形表现出由饱满冠型向狭长冠型变化的适应性现象;(3)使用树冠二维、三维指标与密度进行相关性分析可知树冠长度、树冠率等指标与林分密度呈负相关关系,树冠圆满度及树冠生产效率与密度表现出极显著正相关关系;(4)采用枝解析的方法研究了树枝长度、材积的平均生长量、连年生长量与密度的关系,结果表明幼龄期各生长量差异不大;(5)在建立冠幅模型时考虑了自变量间的多重共线性问题,所建的胸径单自变量二次方模型能够很好地预测侧柏人工幼龄林冠幅生长过程,模型相关系数R2为0.961。     

基于边际回归的沈阳市绿化树种人工油松冠形模拟

构建城市典型绿化树种树冠外部轮廓预估模型,可以为城市绿化树种的空间配置优化奠定基础。本研究以辽宁省沈阳市典型绿化树种人工油松为对象,基于Crown Window装置获取60株样木树冠形状,利用幂函数、分段抛物线方程和修正Kozak方程选取基础模型,通过再参数化引入树冠结构因子(最大树冠半径)和相邻木竞争变量(相邻木平均树高、平均胸径、平均冠幅、相邻木株数,以及样木与其相邻木平均树冠接触高),构建耦合相邻木竞争及树冠结构因子的油松树冠外部轮廓预估模型。结果表明: 修正Kozak方程R_a²最大、均方根误差(RMSE)最小,模型稳定性良好,选取其为构建油松冠形模型的基础模型。通过再参数化在基础模型中引入最大树冠半径和相邻木平均胸径后,模型的R_a²提高0.0693,MSER为14.4%。分析最大树冠半径和相邻木竞争对油松树冠形状的影响发现,最大树冠半径对树冠形状影响较大,树冠半径随最大树冠半径增大而增大;相邻木平均胸径对树冠形状影响相比最大树冠半径较弱,树冠上半部分随相邻木竞争增强而增大,树冠下半部分随相邻木竞争增强而变小。本研究构建的耦合相邻木竞争及最大树冠半径的油松树冠外部轮廓边际回归模型具有良好的拟合优度,能够合理地模拟及预测沈阳市典型绿化树种人工油松的树冠形状。     

Tree shape plasticity in relation to crown exposure

Trees outside closed forest stands differ in the relation between stem diameter, height and crown volume from trees that grew with neighbours close by. Whether this plasticity in tree shape varies between species in relation to their light requirement is unknown. We purposefully sampled 528 trees ranging 5–100?cm diameter at breast height growing in a range of light conditions. Across ten broad-leaved species observed in Sumatra or Kalimantan, a generic relationship was found between light exposure of the crown and a light-dependent a _l parameter that modifies the height–diameter allometric equation (H?=?a _l D ^b ) from those for closed stands. In our results, vertical stretching is well predicted by light availability. In fully open conditions, trees are on average 31% shorter for the same diameter than under (partial) shade. Most of the stretching response occurs in all species as soon as some degree of lateral shading occurs. The response, however, varies by species (8–44% reduction) in a way apparently unrelated to species’ successional status. Crown volume varied less than stem height in its relationship with stem diameter across all light conditions tested. The scaling of crown volume with stem diameter, however, differed markedly between tree species.     

Responses of crown architecture in Betula pendula to competition are dependent on the species of neighbouring trees

We measured the growth responses of individual shoots and branches of Betula pendula when growing next to trees of the same species or Pinus sylvestris, Larix sibirica or Alnus glutinosa. We used the three-dimensionally digitized response variables and the size and distance of trees growing within a 5-m radius of the study trees to establish a relationship between tree performance and the effect of competing neighbouring tree species on crown architecture. B. pendula was able to modify its crown architecture and thus alter its strategy to compete with different neighbours. Trees of B. pendula growing beside species counterparts had the highest growth of new long shoots in relation to the already existing branch length [growth vigour (GV)], while GV was the lowest next to L. sibirica. With B. pendula or P. sylvestris as its main neighbour, B. pendula invested in short shoots by growing them rather densely in short branches with limited numbers, whereas with L. sibirica the number, length and angle of the branches were high. The competitive response was also strongly dependent on tree ontogeny and the shoot and branch characteristics were significantly affected by their location inside the crown. B. pendula was able to respond to the challenges posed by its neighbours, which was also reflected in the GV. The ability to maintain steady growth with alternative crown designs in different neighbourhoods reflects plasticity in the crown responses.     

The effect of autumn N supply on the architecture of young peach (Prunus persica L.) trees

Irrigation and fertilisation were recently considered as useful tools to control tree shape, and reduce pruning costs. The role of the N reserves, which determined spring growth, was considered to be essential. We intended therefore to evaluate its effects on peach tree architecture. Four levels of N fertilisation were applied on 1-year-old trees, from the end of shoot growth to leaf fall. In subsequent spring, each bud fell into one of the ten classes of positions previously defined within the crown. Its development was followed weekly from burst to June. Fertilisation promoted growth until a threshold level, since no differences were evidenced between the three highest N treatments. Fall N did not affect burst but the further transformation of the buds into rosettes, proleptic or ramificated axes. Crown base was little affected. Fall N increased the number of proleptic axes on most median and upper positions. Axes lengthening and thickening were limited on the median positions, promoted at crown top. The variations concerned the mean internodes lengths, not the number of phytomers per axis. Sylleptic ramification was limited to the crown outer parts, and decreased with fall N. Treatment did neither affect the fruit dry weights, nor the ratio between the number of leaves and the number of fruits. Fruit number was proportioned to vegetative growth by blossoming and fruit set. We conclude that a moderate autumn fertilisation improved orchard productivity, but favoured vegetative growth in the crown outer parts. Additional pruning may therefore be required to control tree shape.     

Individual variability in tree allometry determines light resource allocation in forest ecosystems: a hierarchical Bayesian approach

Tree species differences in crown size and shape are often highlighted as key characteristics determining light interception strategies and successional dynamics. The phenotypic plasticity of species in response to light and space availability suggests that intraspecific variability can have potential consequences on light interception and community dynamics. Species crown size varies depending on site characteristics and other factors at the individual level which differ from competition for light and space. These factors, such as individual genetic characteristics, past disturbances or environmental micro-site effects, combine with competition-related phenotypic plasticity to determine the individual variability in crown size. Site and individual variability are typically ignored when considering crown size and light interception by trees, and residual variability is relegated to a residual error term, which is then ignored when studying ecological processes. In the present study, we structured and quantified variability at the species, site, and individual levels for three frequently used tree allometric relations using fixed and random effects in a hierarchical Bayesian framework. We focused on two species: Abies alba (silver fir) and Picea abies (Norway spruce) in nine forest stands of the western Alps. We demonstrated that species had different allometric relations from site to site and that individual variability accounted for a large part of the variation in allometric relations. Using a spatially explicit radiation transmission model on real stands, we showed that individual variability in tree allometry had a substantial impact on light resource allocation in the forest. Individual variability in tree allometry modulates species’ light-intercepting ability. It generates heterogeneous light conditions under the canopy, with high light micro-habitats that may promote the regeneration of light-demanding species and slow down successional dynamics.     

Fertilization and allelopathy modify Pinus halepensis saplings crown acclimation to shade

Pinus halepensis Mill., is a Mediterranean pioneer forest species with shade-intolerant features. The purpose of this study is to better understand how stand fertility and allelopathic properties of adult trees influence shade acclimation of saplings. Crown growth and morphological plasticity were studied under different light, fertilization, and allelopathic conditions in a nursery experiment. We tested whether shade-acclimation capacity increases with fertilization, and is affected by autotoxicity due to pine leachates. We examined stem diameter, and crown characteristics (length, width, shape, and density) in a factorial experiment with two levels for each tested factor: light (full and 20% reduced light), fertilization (low and high rate of NPK fertilizer) and allelopathy (control and allelopathic leachates uptake). In our study, shading induced a significantly higher crown length, width, and surface. Fertilization strongly increased crown length and vertical expended crown shape (the ratio crown length/crown width). Leachates uptake reduced crown length and density, highlighting an autotoxicity phenomenon. We concluded that P. halepensis saplings presented a shade-avoiding syndrome and that the crown shade-acclimation response increased with fertilization but was severely compromised by autotoxicity. We finally discuss the role of fertilization and allelopathy in early P. halepensis acclimation ability.     

Understanding crown shyness from a 3-D perspective

Background and AimsCrown shyness describes the phenomenon whereby tree crowns avoid growing into each other, producing a puzzle-like pattern of complementary tree crowns in the canopy. Previous studies found that tree slenderness plays a role in the development of crown shyness. Attempts to quantify crown shyness have largely been confined to 2-D approaches. This study aimed to expand the current set of metrics for crown shyness by quantifying the characteristic of 3-D surface complementarity between trees displaying crown shyness, using LiDAR-derived tree point clouds. Subsequently, the relationship between crown surface complementarity and slenderness of trees was assessed.MethodsFourteen trees were scanned using a laser scanning device. Individual tree points clouds were extracted semi-automatically and manually corrected where needed. A metric that quantifies the surface complementarity (S_c) of a pair of protein molecules is applied to point clouds of pairs of adjacent trees. Then 3-D tree crown surfaces were generated from point clouds by computing their α shapes.Key ResultsTree pairs that were visually determined to have overlapping crowns scored significantly lower S_c values than pairs that did not overlap (n = 14, P < 0.01). Furthermore, average slenderness of pairs of trees correlated positively with their S_c score (R² = 0.484, P < 0.01), showing agreement with previous studies on crown shyness.ConclusionsThe characteristic of crown surface complementarity present in trees displaying crown shyness was succesfully quantified using a 3-D surface complementarity metric adopted from molecular biology. Crown surface complementarity showed a positive relationship to tree slenderness, similar to other metrics used for measuring crown shyness. The 3-D metric developed in this study revealed how trees adapt the shape of their crowns to those of adjacent trees and how this is linked to the slenderness of the trees.     

邻体竞争对城市森林微景观中针叶树视觉形态性状的影响

树木视觉形态性状是城市绿地微景观美学质量的重要影响因素之一,树木视觉形态性状的变化与其周围邻体木的竞争作用息息相关,但邻体竞争对树木视觉性状的作用机制尚不明确。研究于2022年8-10月对北京市城市公园中常见的针叶树种白皮松、侧柏、油松、圆柏展开调查,从树冠形态、干冠协调、树干形态3个方面构建了9个树木视觉形态性状指标,采用3个不同的竞争指标分析邻体竞争对针叶树种视觉形态性状的影响。结果表明,针叶树的树冠形态对邻体竞争的响应比较敏感,竞争中的白皮松、侧柏、油松、圆柏偏冠指数与孤立木相比分别提高了16.95%、28.95%、22.76%、17.67%;树冠缺失率分别提高了3.92%、6.09%、4.87%、4.95%。与孤立木相比,部分针叶树种高径比、分枝角变异度在多侧竞争环境中显著提高,而树冠舒展度则显著降低。邻体竞争强度越大,针叶树树冠的偏移与缺失程度越大。当针叶树受到强烈的侧方竞争时,对象木树冠和树干的径向生长显著受阻,表现为树冠舒展度大幅度下降、高径比显著提高,使树冠向细高方向发展。当针叶树上方的生长空间被占据时,其轴向生长同样受到严重阻碍,树木的冠径比和高径比维持较稳定状态。总体而言,四种针叶树种在视觉形态上对竞争胁迫的响应具有一定差异性,其中油松最为敏感,圆柏次之。综上,在城市森林微景观中,邻体竞争会导致针叶树种的树冠及树形发生明显变化,这种变化主要受综合资源竞争的影响,与其周围潜在生长空间的大小及对称性有关。在城市森林景观营建时,建议将针叶树栽植在对称的竞争环境中,但是其邻体木不宜过高,通过四周邻体木的适度竞争,能够促进针叶树的轴向生长,同时降低树冠偏移或变形的风险,提高其视觉美学效果。     

红松人工林优势木竞争指数影响因子

在温带湿润气候区东段不同立地条件下的红松人工林内设置面积为600 m~2(20 m×30 m)的70块矩形固定样地。在每个样地内,选取5颗最高且长势较好的优势木作为研究的对象木,用Voronoi图确定优势木相应的竞争木,测定每一块样地内优势木与竞争木之间的距离。采用Hegyi单木竞争指数模型,分析优势木在不同样地水平上的种内竞争强度,探讨林分生长因子、地形因子、土壤养分因子对优势木竞争指数的影响,并对这3类因子与优势木竞争指数进行相应的拟合和相关性分析。结果表明：红松人工林优势木竞争强度随着优势木胸径的增大而变小,并且两者之间的关系服从幂函数;红松优势木的竞争指数与其树高、胸径、冠幅呈极显著的相关关系(P<0.01);坡向、坡位、海拔对竞争指数影响极显著(P<0.01);红松人工林优势木竞争指数的大小与土壤氮磷钾含量均呈极显著的相关关系(P<0.01);pH值对优势木竞争指数的影响不显著。当红松人工林优势木平均胸径达到45cm,优势木平均树高和冠幅大于周围竞争木时,其对周围资源的利用程度增大,林木会发生自然稀疏现象,其所受的竞争压力减小。红松喜光性强,对水分的要求高,...     

Including tree spatial extension in the evaluation of neighborhood competition effects in Bornean rain forest

Classical tree neighborhood models use size variables acting at point distances. In a new approach here, trees were spatially extended as a function of their crown sizes, represented impressionistically as points within crown areas. Extension was accompanied by plasticity in the form of crown removal or relocation under the overlap of taller trees. Root systems were supposedly extended in a similar manner. For the 38 most abundant species in the focal size class (10–<100 cm stem girth) in two 4‐ha plots at Danum (Sabah), for periods P₁ (1986–1996) and P₂ (1996–2007), stem growth rate and tree survival were individually regressed against stem size, and neighborhood conspecific (CON) and heterospecific (HET) basal areas within incremented steps in radius. Model parameters were critically assessed, and statistical robustness in the modeling was set by randomization testing. Classical and extended models differed importantly in their outcomes. Crown extension weakened the relationship of CON effect on growth versus plot species’ abundance, showing that models without plasticity overestimated negative density dependence. A significant negative trend of difference in CON effects on growth (P₂−P₁) versus CON or HET effect on survival in P₁ was strongest with crown extension. Model outcomes did not then support an explanation of CON and HET effects being due to (asymmetric) competition for light alone. An alternative hypothesis is that changes in CON effects on small trees, largely incurred by a drought phase (relaxing light limitation) in P₂, and following the more shaded (suppressing) conditions in P₁, were likely due to species‐specific (symmetric) root competition and mycorrhizal processes. The very high variation in neighborhood composition and abundances led to a strong “neighborhood stochasticity” and hence to largely idiosyncratic species’ responses. A need to much better understand the roles of rooting structure and processes at the individual tree level was highlighted.     

两种亚热带榕属乔木植冠损伤后的位置依赖性枝发生

三峡库区需要大量植株用于三峡工程所涉及的诸多建设(如铁路、公路、建筑)之后的植被恢复和绿化.由于具有优美树冠和耐瘠薄土壤的能力,榕(Ficus microcarpa L.)和黄桷树(Fvirens Ait.var.sublanceolata(Miq.)Cornor) 在三峡库区作为绿化和行道树木大量栽植.在三峡库区,这两种树种苗木的培育主要通过切枝扦插的方式进行.大量切枝损伤植株植冠并且使叶组织数量减少,对植株生长有很大影响.植株生长与植株的枝发生格局有很大关系,为明确植冠损伤对植株生长的可能影响,对榕和黄桷树植冠损伤后的枝发生进行了研究.实验发现,切枝造成的植冠损伤对榕和黄桷树植株侧枝上的枝发生没有影响,不同损伤强度之间和不同损伤发生时间之间都不存在明显的差异.但是,植冠损伤后,榕和黄桷树植株主茎上的枝发生是位置依赖性的.植冠损伤不影响榕和黄桷树植株损伤处理后新生主茎段和具侧枝主茎段上的枝发生,却促进了损伤处理后裸露主茎段上的枝发生,并且裸露主茎段上枝发生的数量和密度随植冠损伤强度的升高而增大.此外,实验结果表明,秋季植冠损伤植株裸露主茎段上的枝发生要高于春季植冠损伤植株裸露主茎段上的枝发生;在榕和黄桷树的枝发生中,仅有裸露主茎段上增强的枝发生会促进植冠损伤植株对叶组织的生物量投资并有利于受损植株的恢复和生长.     

长白山红松阔叶林林冠木竞争生长及林冠空隙动态研究

以长白山红松阔叶林林冠木的年龄资料为基础,分析林木冠重叠与年轮径向生长的关系;通过林冠空隙边缘人隙边缘株的干扰释压分析,揭示林冠空隙集中形成的动态规律。红松林相邻林木间理论树冠重叠率与年轮径向生长呈显著负相关,不同树种间存在不同的竞争和协同关系;红松林中除个别小空隙是经过一个集中形成期形成外,大部分空隙是经过２－３个集中形成期形成的,１９００－１９２０和１９１０－１９３０是大部分空隙的集中形成期。     

Phenotypic Plasticity of Sylleptic Branching: Genetic Design of Tree Architecture

The crown of many trees is composed of a main axis and branches. All branches arise from axillary or lateral buds and two types of branches exist: proleptic and sylleptic. Proleptic branches form from buds that have undergone a rest period, typically associated with winter dormancy, whereas sylleptic branches emerge without a rest and without complete bud formation. All trees have proleptic branches; some trees with the indeterminant growth habit have both proleptic and sylleptic branches. Sylleptic branches may play an important role in determining tree growth, architecture and adaptation for many temperate-zone woody plants. We review evidence for the phenotypic plasticity of sylleptic branches and its genetic, environmental, and developmental control.     

The impact of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum elaeagnifolium</Emphasis>, an invasive plant in the Mediterranean,on the flower visitation and seed set of the native co-flowering species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Glaucium flavum</Emphasis>

The sprouting response types of 1,151 cork oak (Quercus suber) trees one and half years after a wildfire in southern Portugal were characterised. It was hypothesised that different response types should occur according to the following conceptual model: an increased level of damage (fire severity) on a sprouting tree that suffered a crown fire was expected to be reflected in a sequence of four alternative events, namely (a) resprouting exclusively from crown, (b) simultaneous resprouting from crown and base, (c) resprouting exclusively from base and (d) plant death. To assess whether the level of expected damage was influenced by the level of protection from disturbance, we explored the relationships between response types and tree size, bark thickness and cork stripping, using an information-theoretic approach. The more common response type was crown resprouting (68.8% of the trees), followed by plant death (15.8%), simultaneous resprouting from crown and base (10.1%) and basal resprouting (5.3%). In agreement with the conceptual model, trees which probably suffered a higher level of damage by fire (larger trees with thinner bark; exploited for cork) died or resprouted exclusively from base. On the other hand, trees that were well protected (smaller trees with thicker bark not exploited for cork) were able to rebuild their canopy through crown resprouting. Simultaneous resprouting from the crown and base was determined mainly by tree size, and it was more common in smaller trees.     

Developmental and physiological correlates of leaf size in Hyeronima alchorneoides (Euphorbiaceae)

The tropical emergent tree Hyeronima alchorneoides has large decreases in leaf size with tree age: 1200 cm(2) at 1 yr, 900 cm(2) at 3 yr, 200 cm(2) at 11 yr, and 80 cm(2) in old (>30 yr) individuals. We tracked leaf growth and physiological attributes on trees of three different ages (1, 3, and 11 yr) to determine the developmental basis and functional consequences of this variation. Leaves on young trees grew faster and sustained maximum rates of leaf expansion longer than leaves on older trees. Leaf mass per area (LMA) did not differ among age classes. Maximum photosynthetic rates reflected differences in leaf nitrogen concentration, in which leaves from the lower crown of younger trees outperformed those at a comparable crown position in older trees. One-year-old trees had the lowest stomatal conductance and the greatest instantaneous water use efficiency. Ontogenetic plasticity in mature leaf size, structure, and physiology may be a balance between the advantages conferred by rapid height growth when trees are young and the benefits derived from producing branches that increase light harvesting ability as trees reach the canopy.     

Importance of Crown Position and Morphological Plasticity in Competitive Interaction in a Population of Xanthium canadense

Interactions between individuals in terms of asymmetrical displayof crowns and reduction of growth were followed in an experimentalpopulation of Xanthium canadense . Competitive interaction was analysed using a neighbourhood interferencemodel. For the analysis of morphological interaction, crown-vector,a two-dimensional vector that joins the stem base position ofa plant with the centroid of its projected crown area, was usedto express the direction and magnitude of the asymmetry in crowndisplay. A model was developed in which the change in crown-vectorduring a growth period was expressed as a function of both thesize of the focal plant and the size and location of its neighbours. There was strong morphological interaction between crowns; theyrepelled each other. The competitive interaction was detectableby the competition model with crown-centres used as plant locations,but not detectable with stem bases used as plant locations. It was concluded that the position of neighbours' crowns wereimportant in determining the growth and crown asymmetry, whichin turn determine the crown location; and morphological plasticityin crown shape works to reduce interference between individuals.Copyright1995, 1999 Academic Press Crown asymmetry, Xanthium canadense, cocklebur, neighbourhood effect, morphological plasticity     

年龄效应对香樟古树程序性衰老的影响

以福建省三明市6个树龄阶段(0~49、50~149、150~349、350~549、550~749和750~900 a)香樟为研究对象,通过分析其生长发育规律、形态学和生理特征的变化,结合曲线拟合与遗传算法筛选表征衰老的相关指标,评价树龄与衰老的相关性,探讨香樟古树衰老机制,为香樟年龄预测、古树复壮和保护提供理论依据。结果表明:(1)年龄极显著地影响着古香樟的植株形态、叶片解剖结构及生理机能等生长发育指标,并以生理指标的年龄效应最大,其次为植株形态指标,最小的是解剖结构指标。(2)香樟呈现出程序性衰老的特征为:叶片细胞在130 a、叶片解剖结构和生理代谢在400 a、树皮厚度和新梢粗度在450 a先后进入衰老阶段,但香樟树体的离心生长(梢长、冠幅和胸径)在0~900 a内仍一直处于旺盛生长,还未进入衰老阶段。(3)冠幅和新叶超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性可作为单指标来评价香樟独立木的衰老程度,树皮厚度、冠幅、新叶SOD活性、多酚氧化酶(PPO)活性和栅栏组织与海绵组织比为参数构成的模型可作为古香樟年龄预测模型。研究认为,古香樟的保护和复壮,应先从叶片细胞着手,提高其生理功能,特别是提高其抗氧化能力,保护叶细胞结构完整,以保障叶片处在持续高效的光合状态。     

Light-dependent leaf trait variation in 43 tropical dry forest tree species

Our understanding of leaf acclimation in relation to irradiance of fully grown or juvenile trees is mainly based on research involving tropical wet forest species. We studied sun-shade plasticity of 24 leaf traits of 43 tree species in a Bolivian dry deciduous forest. Sampling was confined to small trees. For each species, leaves were taken from five of the most and five of the least illuminated crowns. Trees were selected based on the percentage of the hemisphere uncovered by other crowns. We examined leaf trait variation and the relation between trait plasticity and light demand, maximum adult stature, and ontogenetic changes in crown exposure of the species. Leaf trait variation was mainly related to differences among species and to a minor extent to differences in light availability. Traits related to the palisade layer, thickness of the outer cell wall, and N(area) and P(area) had the greatest plasticity, suggesting their importance for leaf function in different light environments. Short-lived pioneers had the highest trait plasticity. Overall plasticity was modest and rarely associated with juvenile light requirements, adult stature, or ontogenetic changes in crown exposure. Dry forest tree species had a lower light-related plasticity than wet forest species, probably because wet forests cast deeper shade. In dry forests light availability may be less limiting, and low water availability may constrain leaf trait plasticity in response to irradiance.