Climate–growth relationships of the dominant tree species from semi-arid savanna woodland in Ethiopia

Long-term climate–growth relationships, were examined in tree rings of four co-occurring tree species from semi-arid Acacia savanna woodlands in Ethiopia. The main purpose of the study was to prove the presence of annual tree rings, evaluate the relationship between radial growth and climate parameters, and evaluate the association of El Niño and drought years in Ethiopia. The results showed that all species studied form distinct growth boundaries, though differences in distinctiveness were revealed among the species. Tree rings of the evergreen Balanites aegyptiaca were separated by vessels surrounding a thin parenchyma band and the growth boundary of the deciduous acacias was characterized by thin parenchyma bands. The mean annual diameter increment ranged from 3.6 to 5.0 mm. Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal showed more enhanced growth than Acacia tortilis and B. aegyptiaca. High positive correlations were found between the tree-ring width chronologies and precipitation data, and all species showed similar response to external climate forcing, which supports the formation of one tree-ring per year. Strong declines in tree-ring width correlated remarkably well with past El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events and drought/famine periods in Ethiopia. Spectral analysis of the master tree-ring chronology indicated occurrences of periodic drought events, which fall within the spectral peak equivalent to 2–8 years. Our results proved the strong linkage between tree-ring chronologies and climate, which sheds light on the potential of dendrochronological studies developing in Ethiopia. The outcome of this study has important implications for paleoclimatic reconstructions and in restoration of degraded lands.     

Is the lack of leguminous savanna trees in grasslands of South Africa related to nutritional constraints?

As with many grasslands globally, the Highveld grasslands of South Africa are tree-less, despite having a climate that can support tree growth. Models predict that fire maintains these grasslands. The question arises as to why fire-tolerant savanna trees do not survive in these ecosystems? Savanna tree survival in mesic areas is restricted by demographic bottlenecks, specifically limitations to sapling-escape from fire. It was hypothesised that ancient highly leached soils from grassland areas would prevent saplings from growing fast enough to escape the fire-trap. Growth rates of savanna tree seedlings (Acacia karroo Hayne and Acacia sieberiana Burtt Davy) were measured in a common garden experiment using soils from ten sites collected along a savanna-grassland continuum. Soils from grassland sites were relatively nutrient-poor compared to those from savannas with lower pH, and associated cations. A. sieberiana growth rates responded to pH and these nutrients, whereas A. karroo growth was less strongly linked to specific nutrients. Even so, both species accumulated more biomass when grown in soils from savanna sites compared to grassland sites. An exception was a low elevation low nutrient savanna site that resulted in poor growth, yet sustains high tree biomass in situ. Differences between growth in grassland and savanna soils were small. They may contribute to, but are unlikely to explain, the treeless nature of these grasslands.     

Phylogenetic analyses of symbiotic genes and characterization of functional traits of Mesorhizobium spp. strains associated with the promiscuous species Acacia seyal Del.

Aims: To assess the phenotypic, symbiotic and genotypic diversity scope of Mesorhizobium spp. strains associated with Acacia seyal (Del.) isolated from different agro‐ecological zones in Senegal, and uses of susceptible microbial inoculum in a reafforestation process. Methods and Results: A polyphasic approach including phenotypic and genotypic techniques was used to study the diversity and their relationships with other biovars and species of rhizobia. The geographical origins of the strains have limited effect on their phylogenetic and phenotypic classification. Nodulation tests indicated promiscuity of the strains studied, because they were capable of nodulating six woody legume species (Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia senegal, A. seyal, Acacia tortilis ssp. raddiana, Leucaena leucocephala and Prosopis juliflora). Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of nodA, nodC and nifH genes pointed out that in contrast to nodA gene, the phylogenies of nodC and nifH genes were not consistent with that of 16S rRNA, indicating that these genes of the A. seyal‐nodulating rhizobia might have different origins. Microbial inoculation on nonsterile soil had significant effect on the nodules number and the growth of the seedlings, indicating that these strains of rhizobia might be used as inoculum. Conclusions: The results indicated that A. seyal is a nonselective host that can establish effective symbiosis with Mesorhizobium spp. strains from diverse genomic backgrounds and that the selected A. seyal‐nodulating rhizobia could enhance plant growth. Significance and Impact of the Study: These results showed the important role that A. seyal could play in the improvement of reafforestation process as a promiscuous host, which can establish effective symbiosis with rhizobia from diverse genomic backgrounds.     

Evaluating the annual nature of juvenile rings in Bolivian tropical rainforest trees

Knowledge on juvenile tree growth is crucial to understand how trees reach the canopy in tropical forests. However, long-term data on juvenile tree growth are usually unavailable. Annual tree rings provide growth information for the entire life of trees and their analysis has become more popular in tropical forest regions over the past decades. Nonetheless, tree ring studies mainly deal with adult rings as the annual character of juvenile rings has been questioned. We evaluated whether juvenile tree rings can be used for three Bolivian rainforest species. First, we characterized the rings of juvenile and adult trees anatomically. We then evaluated the annual nature of tree rings by a combination of three indirect methods: evaluation of synchronous growth patterns in the tree- ring series, ¹⁴C bomb peak dating and correlations with rainfall. Our results indicate that rings of juvenile and adult trees are defined by similar ring-boundary elements. We built juvenile tree-ring chronologies and verified the ring age of several samples using ¹⁴C bomb peak dating. We found that ring width was correlated with rainfall in all species, but in different ways. In all, the chronology, rainfall correlations and ¹⁴C dating suggest that rings in our study species are formed annually.     

Genetic and Genomic Diversity Studies of Acacia Symbionts in Senegal Reveal New Species of Mesorhizobium with a Putative Geographical Pattern

Acacia senegal (L) Willd. and Acacia seyal Del. are highly nitrogen-fixing and moderately salt tolerant species. In this study we focused on the genetic and genomic diversity of Acacia mesorhizobia symbionts from diverse origins in Senegal and investigated possible correlations between the genetic diversity of the strains, their soil of origin, and their tolerance to salinity. We first performed a multi-locus sequence analysis on five markers gene fragments on a collection of 47 mesorhizobia strains of A. senegal and A. seyal from 8 localities. Most of the strains (60%) clustered with the M. plurifarium type strain ORS 1032^T, while the others form four new clades (MSP1 to MSP4). We sequenced and assembled seven draft genomes: four in the M. plurifarium clade (ORS3356, ORS3365, STM8773 and ORS1032^T), one in MSP1 (STM8789), MSP2 (ORS3359) and MSP3 (ORS3324). The average nucleotide identities between these genomes together with the MLSA analysis reveal three new species of Mesorhizobium. A great variability of salt tolerance was found among the strains with a lack of correlation between the genetic diversity of mesorhizobia, their salt tolerance and the soils samples characteristics. A putative geographical pattern of A. senegal symbionts between the dryland north part and the center of Senegal was found, reflecting adaptations to specific local conditions such as the water regime. However, the presence of salt does not seem to be an important structuring factor of Mesorhizobium species.     

Wood growth of Tabebuia barbata (E. Mey.) Sandwith (Bignoniaceae) and Vatairea guianensis Aubl. (Fabaceae) in Central Amazonian black-water (igapó) and white-water (várzea) floodplain forests

Tree growth is a fundamental indicator for conservation plans of Amazonian floodplain forests. In this study we use dendrochronology to analyze wood growth patterns of Tabebuia barbata and Vatairea guianensis, two tree species occurring in nutrient-rich white-water (várzea, Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, MSDR) and nutrient-poor black-water (igapó, Amanã Sustainable Development Reserve, ASDR) floodplain forests of Central Amazonia. From 20 trees per species and floodplain system (total of 80 trees) growing under a similar flooding regime with a mean inundation height of about 4 m we measured diameter at breast height (dbh). We sampled two cores per tree with an increment corer at the height of dbh to determine wood density (WD), tree age and mean radial increment (MRI) rates. The wood samples were macroscopically analyzed. Both tree species show distinct annual tree rings characterized by marginal parenchyma tissues. MRI was measured by a digital measuring device and WD was determined by the ratio dry mass/fresh volume. MRI of both tree species was significantly higher in the várzea than in the igapó, which can be traced back to the contrasting nutrient status. WD showed no difference comparing both floodplain forest types. Tree ages of a species for the same diameter are more than twofold higher in the igapó than in the várzea. To insure a sustainable harvest, felling cycles in these forests should be adjusted according to rates of growth.     

Looking for age-related growth decline in natural forests: unexpected biomass patterns from tree rings and simulated mortality

Forest biomass growth is almost universally assumed to peak early in stand development, near canopy closure, after which it will plateau or decline. The chronosequence and plot remeasurement approaches used to establish the decline pattern suffer from limitations and coarse temporal detail. We combined annual tree ring measurements and mortality models to address two questions: first, how do assumptions about tree growth and mortality influence reconstructions of biomass growth? Second, under what circumstances does biomass production follow the model that peaks early, then declines? We integrated three stochastic mortality models with a census tree-ring data set from eight temperate forest types to reconstruct stand-level biomass increments (in Minnesota, USA). We compared growth patterns among mortality models, forest types and stands. Timing of peak biomass growth varied significantly among mortality models, peaking 20–30 years earlier when mortality was random with respect to tree growth and size, than when mortality favored slow-growing individuals. Random or u-shaped mortality (highest in small or large trees) produced peak growth 25–30 % higher than the surviving tree sample alone. Growth trends for even-aged, monospecific Pinus banksiana or Acer saccharum forests were similar to the early peak and decline expectation. However, we observed continually increasing biomass growth in older, low-productivity forests of Quercus rubra, Fraxinus nigra, and Thuja occidentalis. Tree-ring reconstructions estimated annual changes in live biomass growth and identified more diverse development patterns than previous methods. These detailed, long-term patterns of biomass development are crucial for detecting recent growth responses to global change and modeling future forest dynamics.     

Predicting tree biomass growth in the temperate–boreal ecotone: Is tree size,age, competition,or climate response most important?

As global temperatures rise, variation in annual climate is also changing, with unknown consequences for forest biomes. Growing forests have the ability to capture atmospheric CO₂ and thereby slow rising CO₂ concentrations. Forests’ ongoing ability to sequester C depends on how tree communities respond to changes in climate variation. Much of what we know about tree and forest response to climate variation comes from tree‐ring records. Yet typical tree‐ring datasets and models do not capture the diversity of climate responses that exist within and among trees and species. We address this issue using a model that estimates individual tree response to climate variables while accounting for variation in individuals’ size, age, competitive status, and spatially structured latent covariates. Our model allows for inference about variance within and among species. We quantify how variables influence aboveground biomass growth of individual trees from a representative sample of 15 northern or southern tree species growing in a transition zone between boreal and temperate biomes. Individual trees varied in their growth response to fluctuating mean annual temperature and summer moisture stress. The variation among individuals within a species was wider than mean differences among species. The effects of mean temperature and summer moisture stress interacted, such that warm years produced positive responses to summer moisture availability and cool years produced negative responses. As climate models project significant increases in annual temperatures, growth of species like Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra, and Picea glauca will vary more in response to summer moisture stress than in the past. The magnitude of biomass growth variation in response to annual climate was 92–95% smaller than responses to tree size and age. This means that measuring or predicting the physical structure of current and future forests could tell us more about future C dynamics than growth responses related to climate change alone.     

The use of X-ray densitometry to evaluate the wood density profile of Tectona grandis trees growing in fast-growth plantations

Tectona grandis (teak) is an important commercial tree species that is widely used in tropical dendrochronology due to the formation of climate-sensitive annual growth rings. However, young trees growing in plantation conditions exhibit poor ring visibility during the first years of growth, limiting the dendrochronology application. In the present study, we use x-ray densitometry to determine the wood density profile between and within annual rings and at the sapwood-heartwood boundary in trees from fast-growth plantations. The resulting wood density profiles (WDP) can be categorized as uniform, stable growth, unstable growth, and false. The annual ring boundaries were indistinct in trees less than 8 years old. In mature trees, the annual ring boundaries are more defined. In relation to the sapwood-heartwood boundary, the WDP showed a decrease in the wood density; however, this decrease is influenced by the annual ring boundary when the two boundaries coincide. The identification of annual rings in trees growing in fast-growth plantations should be combined with X-ray densitometry and visual identification if wood density data are necessary for deriving other analysis, as climate change, from annual ring.     

Influence of climatic factors on tree growth in riparian forests in the humid and dry savannas of the Volta basin,Ghana

Key message

The paper demonstrates the prospects and applications of dendrochronology for understanding climate change effects on riparian forests in the savanna landscape. 

Abstract

Riparian trees in savannas have a potential for dendro-climatic studies, but have been neglected hitherto. We examined ring-width series of Afzelia africana (evergreen) and Anogeissus leiocarpus (deciduous) to study the influence of climatic factors on the growth of riparian trees in the humid (HS) and dry (DS) savanna zones of the Volta basin in Ghana. A total of 31 stem discs belonging to A. africana and A. leiocarpus were selected from HS and DS to establish species-specific local chronologies of tree growth. Each individual of A. africana and A. leiocarpus from the two savanna sites showed distinct growth rings. Cross-dating of individual tree-ring patterns was successful using standard dendrochronological techniques. The mean annual growth rates of A. africana in the HS (1.38 ± 0.09) and DS (1.34 ± 0.08) were not statistically different. Furthermore, mean annual growth rate of A. leiocarpus in the DS (3.75 ± 0.27) was higher than in the HS (2.83 ± 0.16) suggesting that species in drier environment can have higher growth rates when sufficient soil moisture is available. The growth rates of both species at the same sites were different, which might indicate different water use strategies. High correlations of individual tree-ring series of A. africana and A. leiocarpus trees at HS and DS suggest a strong climatic forcing controlled by the seasonal movement of the inter-tropical convergence zone. The annual growth of A. africana and A. leiocarpus at both the HS and DS was significantly correlated with local temperature and precipitation. The negative correlations of the growth of the two tree species to global sea surface temperatures were however, indications that the growth of riparian forests can be impacted during El Niño-Southern Oscillation years. The result of our study shows that riparian trees in the humid and dry savanna zones of West Africa can be successfully used for dendrochronological studies.

     

Dendrochronological potential of four neotropical dry-forest tree species: Climate-growth correlations in northeast Brazil

Tropical dry forests (TDF) are highly important tropical forest ecosystems. Yet, these forests are highly threatened, usually neglected and only poorly studied. Understanding the long-term influences of environmental conditions on tree growth in these forests is crucial to understand the functioning, carbon dynamics and potential responses to future climate change of these forests. Dendrochronology can be used as a tool to provide these insights but has only scantly been applied in (dry) tropical forests. Here we evaluate the dendrochronological potential of four Caatinga neotropical dry forest tree species – Aspidosperma pyrifolium, Ziziphus joazeiro, Tabebuia aurea, and Libidibia ferrea – collected in two locations in northeastern Brazil (Sergipe state). We provide an anatomical characterization of the ring boundaries for the four species and investigate correlations of their growth with local and regional climatic variables. All four species form annual rings and show high inter-correlation (up to 0.806) and sensitivity (up to 0.565). Growth of all species correlated with local precipitation as well as with sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic and/or tropical Pacific oceans. We also show teleconnections between growth and the El Niño South Oscillation. The strong dependence of tree on precipitation is worrisome, considering that climate change scenarios forecast increased drought conditions in the Caatinga dry forest. Including more species and expanding dendrochronological studies to more areas would greatly improve our understanding of tree growth and functioning in TDFs. This type of knowledge is essential to assist the conservation, management and restoration of these critical tropical ecosystems.     

Contrasting demographics of tropical savanna and temperate forest eucalypts provide insight into how savannas and forests function. A case study using Corymbia clarksoniana from north‐eastern Australia

Eucalypts (Eucalyptus spp. and Corymbia spp.) dominate many communities across Australia, including frequently burnt tropical savannas and temperate forests, which receive less frequent but more intense fires. Understanding the demographic characteristics that allow related trees to persist in tropical savannas and temperate forest ecosystems can provide insight into how savannas and forests function, including grass–tree coexistence. This study reviews differences in critical stages in the life cycle of savanna and temperate forest eucalypts, especially in relation to fire. It adds to the limited data on tropical eucalypts, by evaluating the effect of fire regimes on the population biology of Corymbia clarksoniana, a tree that dominates some tropical savannas of north‐eastern Australia. Corymbia clarksoniana displays similar demographic characteristics to other tropical savanna species, except that seedling emergence is enhanced when seed falls onto recently burnt ground during a high rainfall period. In contrast to many temperate forest eucalypts, tropical savanna eucalypts lack canopy‐stored seed banks; time annual seed fall to coincide with the onset of predictable wet season rain; have very rare seedling emergence events, including a lack of mass germination after each fire; possess an abundant sapling bank; and every tropical eucalypt species has the ability to maintain canopy structure by epicormically resprouting after all but the most intense fires. The combination of poor seedling recruitment strategies, coupled with characteristics allowing long‐term persistence of established plants, indicate tropical savanna eucalypts function through the persistence niche rather than the regeneration niche. The high rainfall‐promoted seedling emergence of C. clarksoniana and the reduction of seedling survival and sapling growth by fire, support the predictions that grass–tree coexistence in savannas is governed by rainfall limiting tree seedling recruitment and regular fires limiting the growth of juvenile trees to the canopy.     

Reaction of savanna plants from Botswana on UV-B radiation

The annual savanna grasses Chloris virgata (C₄) and Tragus berteronianus (C₃) and the tree Acacia tortilis were exposed in a greenhouse to elevated UV-B radiation (16.8 kJ m^-2 d^-1 UV-B_Be) and to no UV-B and grown on a poor and a rich soil for one life-cycle (grasses) and one growing season (Acacia). UV-B radiation had no effect on biomass production and caryopses mass of both annual grasses. The longevity of the cotyledons of A. tortilis was shortened by 4 to 10 days under enhanced UV-B radiation, which also hampered the translocation of Fe, Mg and Mn from the cotyledons to the seedling and the retranslocation of Mn on both soil types and that of P on fertile soil out of senescent leaves. At the end of the growth period (190 days after germination), photosynthesis of UV-B radiated leaves of A. tortilis was significantly decreased and supported the tendency of decreased biomass of UV-B radiated plants. It is concluded that from the investigated savanna species the grasses are relatively well adapted to increased UV-B due to their actual exposure to high UV-B radiation under Botswana conditions, whereas saplings of A. tortilis are more sensitive to UV-B radiation.     

Metabolomic profiling and antioxidant activity of some Acacia species

Metabolomic profiling of different parts (leaves, flowers and pods) of Acacia species (Acacia nilotica, Acacia seyal and Acacia laeta) was evaluated. The multivariate data analyses such as principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used to differentiate the distribution of plant metabolites among different species or different organs of the same species. A.nilotica was characterized with a high content of saponins and A.seyal was characterized with high contents of proteins, phenolics, flavonoids and anthocyanins. A.laeta had a higher content of carbohydrates than A. nilotica and A. seyal. On the basis of these results, total antioxidant capacity, DPPH free radical scavenging activity and reducing power of the methanolic extracts of studied parts were evaluated. A.nilotica and A.seyal extracts showed less inhibitory concentration 50 (IC₅₀) compared to A.laeta extracts which means that these two species have the strongest radical scavenging activity whereas A. laeta extracts have the lowest radical scavenging activity. A positive correlation between saponins and flavonoids with total antioxidant capacity and DPPH radical scavenging activity was observed. Based on these results, the potentiality of these plants as antioxidants was discussed.     

On the dendrochronological potential of Australian trees

In the last few years there has been a marked growth of interest in the recent history of climate. The evidence of secular variations in climatic parameters during the last few centuries has implications for ecologists studying forests containing long-lived species. Such species record aspects of past climate in their annual growth-rings and in their population structures. The study of annual growth rings in Australian trees is still in its infancy. The concepts and techniques of dendrochronology and its sub-fields dendroecology and dendroclimatology are outlined. A species by species account of dendrochronological studies employing Australian trees is presented. As most of the results are unpublished, the treatment is selective and intended to illustrate the potential of, or progress with, a particular tree species. The greatest potential for dendrochronology in Australia lies with the endemic Tasmanian conifers in the genera Athrotaxis, Dacrydium and Phyllocladus. Not only do these contain very long lived individuals (e.g. > 2000yr, Dacrydium franklinii) but also they have the most suitable ring characteristics. Chronologies of about 1000 yr and 780 yr are being prepared for A. cupressoides and Phyllocladus aspleniifolius respectively. There is good regional cross-dating within species, and to a lesser extent between species, giving promise of a detailed reconstruction of past climate for Tasmania. Relatively short chronologies may be developed on the mainland using Callitris. This species may provide a proxy rainfall record for semi-arid areas which would be invaluable to their future management. The possibilities for developing chronologies using long-lived tropical rain-forest species in Queensland are discussed. The most abundant tree species of the continent as a whole, in the genera Eucalyptus and Acacia, appear to be generally unsuitable for standard dendrochronological methods aimed at climatic reconstruction although there are some exceptions. For many dendroecological studies Eucalyptus will be the only species available, and it should certainly not be disregarded.     

Demographic Drivers of Aboveground Biomass Dynamics During Secondary Succession in Neotropical Dry and Wet Forests

The magnitude of the carbon sink in second-growth forests is expected to vary with successional biomass dynamics resulting from tree growth, recruitment, and mortality, and with the effects of climate on these dynamics. We compare aboveground biomass dynamics of dry and wet Neotropical forests, based on monitoring data gathered over 3–16 years in forests covering the first 25 years of succession. We estimated standing biomass, annual biomass change, and contributions of tree growth, recruitment, and mortality. We also evaluated tree species’ contributions to biomass dynamics. Absolute rates of biomass change were lower in dry forests, 2.3 and 1.9 Mg ha^?1 y^?1, after 5–15 and 15–25 years after abandonment, respectively, than in wet forests, with 4.7 and 6.1 Mg ha^?1 y^?1, in the same age classes. Biomass change was largely driven by tree growth, accounting for at least 48% of biomass change across forest types and age classes. Mortality also contributed strongly to biomass change in wet forests of 5–15 years, whereas its contribution became important later in succession in dry forests. Biomass dynamics tended to be dominated by fewer species in early-successional dry than wet forests, but dominance was strong in both forest types. Overall, our results indicate that biomass dynamics during succession are faster in Neotropical wet than dry forests, with high tree mortality earlier in succession in the wet forests. Long-term monitoring of second-growth tropical forest plots is crucial for improving estimates of annual biomass change, and for enhancing understanding of the underlying mechanisms and demographic drivers.     

秦岭火地塘林区油松和华山松林乔木层净生产力与气候因子的关系

以秦岭火地塘林区油松(Pinus tabulaeformis)和华山松(Pinus armandi)林为研究对象,以其生物量及树高-胸径模型为基础,运用树木年轮宽度方法推算出1973年至2011年生物量和生产力年际动态,并通过相关分析和多元逐步回归分析探讨了油松和华山松林乔木层净生产力与温度、降水之间的关系。结果显示,该林区油松林和华山松林乔木层生物量39a间增长迅速,分别从1973年的15.32 t/hm2和7.53 t/hm2增长到2011年的175.97 t/hm2和130.98 t/hm2,平均年净生产力分别为4.18 t hm-2a-1和3.20 t hm-2a-1,油松林乔木层生物量和生产力均高于华山松林;气候分析表明年净生产力与降水关系不明显,与温度关系较为密切,随气温升高呈波动上升趋势:单月气候因子中上年7月温度、当年7月温度与油松林乔木层净生产力显著正相关,上年7月温度与华山松林乔木层净生产力显著正相关;油松林乔木层净生产力动态变化主要受1—7月平均温度影响,华山松林主要受5—7月平均温度影响;油松林生产力与温度因子的相关性高于华山松林。两种林型的生物量和生产力差异是由油松和华山松生物学特性所致。     

Effect of Water Potential and Temperature on the Germination of Four Species of African Savanna Trees

The germination responses of seeds from the African tree speciesColophospermum mopane, Combretum apiculatum, Acacia tortilisand Acacia karroo under varying regimes of temperature and waterstress (induced by incubation in PEG 8000) are reported Withthe exception of Combretum (at –0.14 and –0.29 MPa)and Colophospermum (at –0.29 MPa), incubation in PEG decreasedthe maximum achieved germination percentage (90–100% forall species), but did not extend the germination lag (exceptin Combretum) or affect the time required to reach maximum germinationCombretum and Colophospermum were found to germinate under thewidest range of temperatures and water potentials, for example,as strongly negative as –1.0 MPa at 20 and 30 °C,respectively These seeds also showed greater or equivalent hypocotylelongation in PEG solutions creating potentials of –0.14,–0.29 or –0.51 MPa when compared with seeds germinatedin water, indicating an additional stress adaptation Acaciaspecies showed progressive reduction in germination rates andradicle elongation in response to decreasing water potentialExperiments giving pre-imbibition treatments in water priorto transfer to PEG solutions showed that both Acacia speciesgerminated at approximately 90% if given such pre-treatmentand less than 10% if transferred directly to PEG It is concludedthat the most stress-adapted species studied are Colophospermummopane and Combretum apiculatum, a finding generally correlatedwith the growth habit of these trees Colophospermum mopane, Combretum apiculatum, Acacia tortilis, Acacia karroo, germination, water stress, Zimbabwe     

Dynamics of novel forests of Castilla elastica in Puerto Rico: from species to ecosystems

Novel forests (NFs)—forests that contain a combination of introduced and native species—are a consequence of intense anthropogenic disturbances and the natural resilience of disturbed ecosystems. The extent to which NFs have similar forest function as comparable native secondary forests is a matter of debate in the scientific community. Little is known about the performance of individual species in those forests. This study focuses on the functional attributes of Castilla elastica NFs in Puerto Rico and on the differences between introduced and native species growing side by side in these forests. Rates of processes measured here were later compared with data from literature about NSFs. I hypothesize that juvenile plants of C. elastica in NFs have higher survival rate than those of native species and that C. elastica trees have faster biomass fluxes than native trees. To test the hypotheses, I measured survival rates of juvenile plants and tree growth and characterized the aboveground litter fluxes and storage. Although juvenile plants of native species displayed higher survival rates than those of C. elastica (53% vs. 28%), the latter was dominant in the understory (96%). Stand biomass growth rate was 2.0 ± 0.4 (average ± one standard deviation) Mg·ha⁻¹·year⁻¹ for the whole forest, and Guarea guidonia, a native species, exhibited the highest tree growth. Total litter fall was 9.6 ± 0.5 Mg·ha⁻¹·year⁻¹, and mean litter standing stock was 4.4 ± 0.1 Mg·ha⁻¹. Castilla elastica litter fall decomposed twice as fast as that of native species (5.8 ± 1.1 vs. 3.03 ± 1 k·year⁻¹). Literature comparisons show that the present NFs differ in some rates of processes from NSFs. This study brings unique and detailed supporting data about the ecological dynamics under mature novel forest stands. Further comprehensive studies about NFs are important to strengthen the body of knowledge about the wide range of variation of emerging tropical ecosystems. Due to the large increase in the area covered by NFs, greater attention is needed to understand their functioning, delivery of ecological services and management requirements.     

Detecting snow-related signals in radial growth of Pinus uncinata mountain forests

Climate warming is responsible for observed reduction in snowpack depth and an earlier and faster melt-out in many mountains of the Northern Hemisphere. Such changes in mountain hydroclimate could negatively affect productivity and tree growth in high-elevation forests, but few studies have investigated how and where recent warming trends and changes in snow cover influence forest growth. A network comprising 36 high-elevation Pinus uncinata forests was sampled in the NE Iberian Peninsula, mainly across the Spanish Pyrenees, using dendrochronology to relate tree radial growth to a detailed air temperature and snow depth data. Radial growth was negatively influenced by a longer winter snow season and a higher late-spring snowpack depth. Notably, the effect of snow on tree growth was found regardless the widely reported positive effect of growing-season air temperatures on P. uncinata growth. No positive influence of moisture from spring snowmelt on annual growth of P. uncinata was detected in sampled forests. Tall trees showed a lower growth responsiveness to snow than small trees. Decreasing trends in winter and spring snow depths were detected at most Pyrenean forests, suggesting that the growth of high-elevation P. uncinata forests can beneficiate for a shallower and of shorter duration snowpack associated with warmer conditions. However, water-limited sites located on steep slopes or on rocky substrates, with poor soil-water holding capacity, could experience drought stress because of early depleted snow-related soil moisture.