A multi-proxy approach reveals common and species-specific features associated with tree defoliation in broadleaved species

Gottardini, E.; Cristofolini, F.; Cristofori, Alessandro; Pollastrini, Martina; Camin, Federica; Ferretti, Marco

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118151

Cited by 22 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Our temporal analysis also indicates a negative effect of crown defoliation (TotDef) on DM100 of beech (Table 4). The negative relationship between TotDef and DM100 is in line with the findings of Gottardini et al (2020), who additionally reported a decrease in leaf volume and photosynthetic efficiency with increasing defoliation. Thus, a thinned-out crown could indicate leaf loss due to drought-induced embolism or parasites, but at the same time allows more irradiance to reach inside the canopy, which has been shown to influence LMTs (e.g., Poorter et al, 2009).…”

Section: Mast Year and Crown Defoliation Effects On Leaf Morphological Traitssupporting

confidence: 90%

“…Thus, a thinned-out crown could indicate leaf loss due to drought-induced embolism or parasites, but at the same time allows more irradiance to reach inside the canopy, which has been shown to influence LMTs (e.g., Poorter et al, 2009). Given that TotDef is determined by multiple factors, it remains difficult to discern whether TotDef is really a driver of LMTs or simply reflects the health and leaf condition of the trees (Gottardini et al, 2020).…”

Section: Mast Year and Crown Defoliation Effects On Leaf Morphological Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Variation in Leaf Morphological Traits of European Beech and Norway Spruce Over Two Decades in Switzerland

Zhu

Thimonier

Etzold

et al. 2022

Front. For. Glob. Change

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Leaf morphological traits (LMTs) of forest trees have been observed to vary across space and species. However, long-term records of LMTs are scarce, due to a lack of measurements and systematic leaf archives. This leaves a large gap in our understanding of the temporal dynamics and drivers of LMT variations, which may help us understand tree acclimation strategies. In our study, we used long-term LMT measurements from foliar material collections of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Norway spruce (Picea abies), performed every second year from 1995 to 2019 on the same trees within the Swiss Long-term Forest Ecosystem Research Program LWF. The 11 study plots (6 beech, 4 spruce, and 1 mixed) are distributed along gradients of elevation (485–1,650 m a.s.l.), mean annual precipitation (935–2142 mm), and mean annual temperature (3.2–9.8°C). The investigated LMTs were (i) leaf or needle mass, (ii) leaf area or needle length, and (iii) leaf mass per area or needle mass per length. We combined this unique data set with plot variables and long-term data on potential temporal drivers of LMT variations, including meteorological and tree trait data. We used univariate linear regressions and linear mixed-effects models to identify the main spatial and temporal drivers of LMT variations, respectively. For beech LMTs, our temporal analysis revealed effects of mast year and crown defoliation, and legacy effects of vapor pressure deficit and temperature in summer and autumn of the preceding year, but no clear long-term trend was observed. In contrast, spruce LMTs were mainly driven by current-year spring conditions, and only needle mass per length showed a decreasing long-term trend over the study period. In temporal models, we observed that LMTs of both species were influenced by elevation and foliar nutrient concentrations, and this finding was partly confirmed by our spatial analyses. Our results demonstrate the importance of temporal analysis for determining less recognized drivers and legacy effects that influence LMTs, which are difficult to determine across space and species. The observed differences in the temporal drivers of beech and spruce LMTs suggest differences in the adaptation and acclimation potential of the two species.

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Section: Mast Year and Crown Defoliation Effects On Leaf Morphological Traitssupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Mast Year and Crown Defoliation Effects On Leaf Morphological Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in Leaf Morphological Traits of European Beech and Norway Spruce Over Two Decades in Switzerland

Zhu

Thimonier

Etzold

et al. 2022

Front. For. Glob. Change

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This wealth of data has shown that most of the variability associated with crown transparency assessments is the result of methodological differences, differences in tree age, and some climatic factors, mainly drought [30], rather than air pollution [8]. Crown transparency is therefore not a good indicator of tree vitality, although it continues to be recommended as an indicator when used in association with other indices of crown condition [31][32][33].…”

Section: Crown Transparencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Tree Vitality and Forest Health: Can Tree-Ring Stable Isotopes Be Used as Indicators?

2021

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Purpose of Review Society is concerned about the long-term condition of the forests. Although a clear definition of forest health is still missing, to evaluate forest health, monitoring efforts in the past 40 years have concentrated on the assessment of tree vitality, trying to estimate tree photosynthesis rates and productivity. Used in monitoring forest decline in Central Europe since the 1980s, crown foliage transparency has been commonly believed to be the best indicator of tree condition in relation to air pollution, although annual variations appear more closely related to water stress. Although crown transparency is not a good indicator of tree photosynthesis rates, defoliation is still one of the most used indicators of tree vitality. Tree rings have been often used as indicators of past productivity. However, long-term tree growth trends are difficult to interpret because of sampling bias, and ring width patterns do not provide any information about tree physiological processes. Recent Findings In the past two decades, tree-ring stable isotopes have been used not only to reconstruct the impact of past climatic events, such as drought, but also in the study of forest decline induced by air pollution episodes, and other natural disturbances and environmental stress, such as pest outbreaks and wildfires. They have proven to be useful tools for understanding physiological processes and tree response to such stress factors. Summary Tree-ring stable isotopes integrate crown transpiration rates and photosynthesis rates and may enhance our understanding of tree vitality. They are promising indicators of tree vitality. We call for the use of tree-ring stable isotopes in future monitoring programmes.

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“…Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in the sample may indicate a disturbance in developmental stability caused by environmental and / or genomic stress (Rodrigues-Gonzalez et al, 2020). The magnitude of the fluctuating leaf asymmetry is an indicator of developmental stability, as well as a marker of the quality of the habitat, used for both plants and animals (Abdulsamad et al 2020, Gottardini et al 2020, Francuski et al 2020. By the value of FA (Table 1), it is important to note that all oak forests, with the exception of the area 3 (0.056), have coefficients not exceeding 0.04, thus they are resistant to the anthropogenic factor.…”

Section: Morphological Analysis Of Maternal Populations Of English Oak Treesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of the Urban Environment on the English Oak (Quercus Robur L.) Growth and Development

Popova¹,

Попова²

2021

alinteri

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The morphological parameters of the maternal trees growth, seed progeny and seedlings, and the value of the fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of the leaves of adult plants under urban influence were estimated. Urban oak groves have a low growth rate of shoots. Rural and suburban oak groves are characterized by an increase in the shoot. The coefficients of variation (Cv) in the length and width of leaf blades are generally low; only for 1 territory near urban radius and experiencing the influence of industrial enterprises, the Cv of the length of the leaf blade is 29.3% and the width of the leaf blade - 30.4%. FA for all oak forests, with the exception of Chizhovskoe tract (0.056), not exceed 0.04, thus, they are resistant to the anthropogenic factor. The average growth of seedlings is 13-14 cm. The coefficient of variation for shoot length for most groups of seedlings exceeds 30%. The suburban seedlings have the largest shoot thickness and exceed 0.3 cm. Among urban seedlings, the oak population in the most distant from the city (middle circle), is close to this indicator. The areas of the lowest emission load of pollutants coincide with the forest areas of the city.

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A multi-proxy approach reveals common and species-specific features associated with tree defoliation in broadleaved species

Cited by 22 publications

References 42 publications

Variation in Leaf Morphological Traits of European Beech and Norway Spruce Over Two Decades in Switzerland

Variation in Leaf Morphological Traits of European Beech and Norway Spruce Over Two Decades in Switzerland

Tree Vitality and Forest Health: Can Tree-Ring Stable Isotopes Be Used as Indicators?

Influence of the Urban Environment on the English Oak (Quercus Robur L.) Growth and Development

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