Two studies were conducted with the objective of quantifying the carbon storage potential of extensive green roofs. The first was performed on eight roofs in Michigan and four roofs in Maryland, ranging from 1 to 6 years in age. All 12 green roofs were composed primarily of Sedum species, and substrate depths ranged from 2.5 to 12.7 cm. Aboveground plant material was harvested in the fall of 2006. On average, these roofs stored 162 g C x m(-2) in aboveground biomass. The second study was conducted on a roof in East Lansing, MI. Twenty plots were established on 21 April 2007 with a substrate depth of 6.0 cm. In addition to a substrate only control, the other plots were sown with a single species of Sedum (S. acre, S. album, S. kamtshaticum, or S. spurium). Species and substrate depth represent typical extensive green roofs in the United States. Plant material and substrate were harvested seven times across two growing seasons. Results at the end of the second year showed that aboveground plant material storage varied by species, ranging from 64 g C x m(-2) (S. acre) to 239 g C x m(-2) (S. album), with an average of 168 g C x m(-2). Belowground biomass ranged from 37 g C x m(-2) (S. acre) to 185 g C x m(-2) (S. kamtschaticum) and averaged 107 g C x m(-2). Substrate carbon content averaged 913 g C x m(-2), with no species effect, which represents a sequestration rate of 100 g C x m(-2) over the 2 years of this study. The entire extensive green roof system sequestered 375 g C x m(-2) in above- and belowground biomass and substrate organic matter.
Water stress and temperature impose fundamental limits to forest productivity. Stresses caused by fluctuating or extreme temperatures or limited water availability vary both seasonally and from year to year. The role of these stresses should be considered when investigating the causes of declines in forest productivity. Forest growth, or carbon gain, can be related quantitatively to three components: leaf area, rate of net photosynthesis and rate of respiration. This paper examines effects of temperature and water supply on these components with particular reference to loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), a species of economic importance in the southeastern United States where declines, of unknown cause, in forest productivity have been reported.
Seedlings from 27 open-pollinated families of ponderosa pine representing nine geographically diverse origins were screened for drought tolerance based on survival and growth under imposed drought. Seedlings that had been preconditioned to drought survived 14 days longer than seedlings that had been well watered before being subjected to drought. Seed sources varied in their ability to survive drought and this variation was accentuated by drought preconditioning. Seedlings from a South Dakota source and a Nebraska source generally survived the longest under drought. Seedlings from a Montana source and a New Mexico source succumbed the fastest after water was withheld. Significant family within source variation in drought survival was observed for some sources. In general, drought survival was poorly correlated to climate indices of the seed sources. Allocation of biomass to roots, stems, and needles varied significantly among the seed sources with the most drought-sensitive sources (Montana and New Mexico) showing the most divergent allocation patterns. The relation between drought survival and shoot/root ratio suggested that there is an optimum pattern of allocation for drought survival. A comparison of the most and least drought-tolerant sources indicated that needle gas exchange (net photosynthesis and needle conductance to water vapor) and predawn needle water potential were similar among the sources regardless of their relative ability to survive drought. Needle morphology traits often associated with variation in drought tolerance, such as stomatal density and specific leaf area, did not differ among the seed sources. However, seedlings from the drought-tolerant sources had shorter needles, less surface area per needle, and fewer stomata per needle than seedlings from the drought-sensitive sources. The results suggest that drought tolerance of ponderosa pine may be improved through seed source selection and, within certain sources, family selection. Allocation patterns and needle morphology appear to play a larger role than needle gas exchange patterns in determining drought tolerance in this species.
A 10-year-old stand of loblolly pine (Pinustaeda L.) in southeastern Oklahoma was thinned to three target basal-area levels: 5.8, 11.5, and 23 m2•ha−1 (control). Specific gravity, latewood percentage, date of transition from earlywood to latewood, growth, and climate variables were measured for 2 years after thinning. Variation in the measured wood properties was more influenced by climatic variation than by the thinning treatments. Diameter growth and per-tree basal-area growth were significantly greater on the thinned treatments both years after thinning. However, stand basal-area growth was greatest on the unthinned treatment. Basal-area growth rates were significantly related to stand basal area, tree size, soil water potential, and air temperature. Early in the summer, growth was positively related to mean daily temperature, while later in the summer, growth was negatively related to mean daily temperature, reflecting the influence of high-temperature stress on growth. A year with high summer rainfall (1984) resulted in wood with a higher percentage of latewood and higher specific gravity than wood produced in a year with low summer rainfall (1985). The date of latewood initiation was significantly related to tree size, soil moisture, and evaporative demand. The date of transition from earlywood to latewood occurred 10–14 days sooner on the unthinned plots in both years. However, annual ring latewood percentage and specific gravity were not significantly affected by thinning. Increased late-season growth rates compensated for the later transition date on the thinned treatments, resulting in no net change in ring latewood percentage due to thinning. The results indicate that individual tree basal-area growth can be increased by thinning without reducing wood density.
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