Understanding changes in black (Picea mariana) and white spruce (Picea glauca) foliage biomass and leaf area characteristics |
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Authors: | Hugues Power Robert Schneider Frank Berninger |
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Affiliation: | 1. Direction de la recherche forestière, Ministère des Ressources naturelles / Gouvernement du Québec, 2700 Einstein, Québec, QC, G1P 3W8, Canada 2. Département de biologie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, C.P. 3300, succ. A 300, allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada 3. Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 27, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
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Abstract: | Key message Growth conditions related to inter-tree competition greatly influence black and white spruce foliage biomass and projected leaf area characteristics. Abstract Foliage characteristics such as biomass and area are important among other reasons because they can be related to tree growth. Despite their economic and ecologic importance, equations to characterize foliage biomass and projected area of black (Picea mariana (Miller) BSP) and white (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) spruces are sparse. Total foliage biomass and projected leaf area, foliage biomass and leaf area density, and relative vertical distribution of black and white spruces foliage biomass and leaf area were modelled with linear and nonlinear mixed effect models. A total of 65 white spruces and 57 black spruces were destructively sampled at four different locations in Alberta, Québec, and Ontario, Canada. Our results show that for each species, total tree foliage biomass and projected leaf area is proportional to stem diameter, total height, and crown length. The addition of crown length in the equations improved the precision of the predictions of total foliage biomass for both species and diminishes greatly the site level random effect. An increase in DBH for black spruce and in the DBH to total height ratio for white spruce skewed the relative vertical foliage biomass distribution toward the base of the living crown. According to our results, growth conditions or tree development stage influence both foliage biomass and leaf area characteristics of black and white spruces. Our results emphasize the importance of inter-tree competition on foliage biomass characteristics. |
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