Age-related physiological and structural traits of chestnut coppices at the Castelli Romani Park (Italy)

Abstract

-Coppices of Castanea sativa Miller (1,5,7,10,12,17,23,26, and 30 years old stands) were investigated. Total basal area (BA) ranged from 4.9 ± 1.9 m 2 ha -1 (1 year old stands) to 41.0 ± 2.3 m 2 ha -1 (30 years old stands), and Leaf Area Index (LAI) from 0.18 ± 0.08 m 2 m -2 (1 year old stands) to 5.00 ± 0.22 m 2 m -2 (12 years old stands). Morphological and physiological leaf traits were analysed in 5 (YC) and 23 years old stands (OC) to point out the functional responses to clearing impact. The results pointed out the high productivity of C. sativa in the Park, due to favourable climatic and soil conditions. Significant differences of morpho-physiological leaf traits between YC and OC stands were observed during the last period of the vegetative cycle; it could be due to the higher efficiency in resource use of YC leaves than OC.

The successional status of tropical rainforest tree species is associated with differences in leaf carbon isotope discrimination and functional traits

“…Several studies demonstrated ontogenetic shifts for functional traits such as biomass allocation, SLA or A for tropical [36,43,53] or temperate (e.g. [11]) species, whereas no such shift was observed for hydraulic traits for Patagonian conifers [27]. Our results support the statement that among species differences in the metabolic intrinsic set point for the trade-off between carbon and water fluxes at the leaf level, as reflected by ∆ [13], are maintained over the lifetime of these species.…”

An Inventory of Tree and Stand Growth Empirical Modelling Approaches with Potential Application in Coppice Forestry (a Review)

“…Shoot height growth in coppice is correlated with the size of the parent stool prior to cutting, primarily with the quantity of supply nutrients in the roots. The rate of height growth is high in early phase of development and then declines quickly (Giovannini et al, 1992); the rapid growth at an early age is related to an early peak of the current height increment (Giovannini et al, 1992;Covone and Gratani, 2006;Marziliano et al, 2013). The current height growth increment peaks approximately 10 to 20 years earlier than in individuals of generative origin, and consequently declines faster a er 20 to 30 years (Groos, 1953;Vyskot et al, 1978).…”

“…From this group of models, the model SORTIE (Pacala et al, 1996;Murphy, 2012) uses number of stumps and the Forest Vegetation Simulator (Dixon et al, 2002) uses number of sprouts. The stand density in coppices peaks in a relatively short time (Joff re et al, 1996;Damesin et al, 1998;Gondard and Romane, 2005;Covone and Gratani, 2006). The ensuing autoreduction of stand density takes place primarily within the stools (polycormons), while the number of stools remains approximately the same (Covone and Gratani, 2006).…”

“…The stand density in coppices peaks in a relatively short time (Joff re et al, 1996;Damesin et al, 1998;Gondard and Romane, 2005;Covone and Gratani, 2006). The ensuing autoreduction of stand density takes place primarily within the stools (polycormons), while the number of stools remains approximately the same (Covone and Gratani, 2006). The initially large number of shoots in the stools gradually decreases due to a number of factors, most important being the amount of nutrients in the soil and the available light and nutrients for further growth (Giovannini et al, 1992;Retana et al, 1992;Giudici and Zingg, 2005;Gould et al, 2007;Pyttel et al, 2013).…”

“…II) focus on the tree level. At the stand level, they focus only on the modelling of ingrowth (Adame et al, 2010) (2001), Covone and Gratani (2006), Adame et al (2008), Nachtmann (2011), Marziliano et al (2013) 3 number…”