Inter- and intra-annual dynamics of height increment in young beech and spruce stands in relation to tree size and weather conditions

Drought potentially affects carbon balance and growth of trees, but little is known to what extent soil plays a role in the trade-off between carbon gain and growth investment. In the present study, we analyzed leaf non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) as an indicator of the balance of photosynthetic carbon gain and carbon use, as well as growth of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) saplings, which were grown on two different soil types (calcareous and acidic) in model ecosystems and subjected to a severe summer drought. Our results showed that drought led in general to increased total NSC concentrations and to decreased growth rate, and drought reduced shoot and stem growth of plants in acidic soil rather than in calcareous soil. This result indicated that soil type modulated the carbon trade-off between net leaf carbon gain and carbon investment to growth. In drought-stressed trees, leaf starch concentration and growth correlated negatively whereas soluble sugar:starch ratio and growth correlated positively, which may contribute to a better understanding of growth regulation under drought conditions. Our results emphasize the role of soil in determining the trade-off between the balance of carbon gain and carbon use on the leaf level and growth under stress (e.g. drought).

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“…According to Konôpka et al . 54 and Michelot et al . 55 , height and diameter increments of European beech almost ceased in July.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Effects of drought on leaf carbon source and growth of European beech are modulated by soil type

Liu

Arend

Yang

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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“…This time difference is consistent for the Roda area (5 years) but varies in the Thuringian forest area (between several months and 4 years). The mean annual height growth rate of the main tree types in the Roda area (pine and spruce) varies between 20-60 cm [48,49]. A mean annual height growth of 40 cm would amount to 2 m in 5 years.…”

Section: Gedi-chmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Accuracy Assessment of GEDI Terrain Elevation and Canopy Height Estimates in European Temperate Forests: Influence of Environmental and Acquisition Parameters

et al. 2020

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Lidar remote sensing has proven to be a powerful tool for estimating ground elevation, canopy height, and additional vegetation parameters, which in turn are valuable information for the investigation of ecosystems. Spaceborne lidar systems, like the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI), can deliver these height estimates on a near global scale. This paper analyzes the accuracy of the first version of GEDI ground elevation and canopy height estimates in two study areas with temperate forests in the Free State of Thuringia, central Germany. Digital terrain and canopy height models derived from airborne laser scanning data are used as reference heights. The influence of various environmental and acquisition parameters (e.g., canopy cover, terrain slope, beam type) on GEDI height metrics is assessed. The results show a consistently high accuracy of GEDI ground elevation estimates under most conditions, except for areas with steep slopes. GEDI canopy height estimates are less accurate and show a bigger influence of some of the included parameters, specifically slope, vegetation height, and beam sensitivity. A number of relatively high outliers (around 9–13% of the measurements) is present in both ground elevation and canopy height estimates, reducing the estimation precision. Still, it can be concluded that GEDI height metrics show promising results and have potential to be used as a basis for further investigations.

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“…Hence, in this study we applied the same assumption. Soil water availability and weather conditions were repeatedly reported as crucial for tree growth and seasonal variation in stem circumferences (Dittmar & Elling 2007;Ježík et al 2011;Vieira et al 2013;Konôpka et al 2014). Generally, development of climatic variables and water supply in early season (spring) has the major effect on stem diameter increment of forest trees (Michelot et al 2012;Bošeľa et al 2013).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

How does soil water potential limit the seasonal dynamics of sap flow and circumference changes in European beech?

Sitková¹,

Nalevanková²,

Střelcová³

et al. 2014

Forestry Journal

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We focus on the analysis of sap flow and stem circumference changes in European beech (Fagus sylvatica, L.) in relation to available soil water and weather conditions during the growing seasons 2012 and 2013. The objective was to examine how soil water potential affects growth and transpiration of a mature beech stand situated at the lower distributional limit of beech in Slovakia. To be able to evaluate beech response to soil water shortage, we irrigated a group of 6 trees during the period of pronounced drought, while the control group of other 6 trees remained exposed to actual weather conditions. Mean air temperatures of both seasons were considerably above the long-term average and the temporal pattern of precipitation differed between the years. During the whole growing season 2012, beech samples transpired an average volume of 6.9 m3 of water in the control and 7.7 m3 in the irrigated group. A slightly higher average volume was found in the growing season 2013 under both treatments (7.7 m3 in control and 10.5 m3 in irrigated trees). In the drought period 2012, when the irrigation experiment was commenced, the sap flow in the control group was reduced by 30% as compared with the irrigated group. In 2013, a 38.1% difference in sap flow was observed between the groups. Sap flow in the non-irrigated trees decreased with reducing soil moisture, and ceased at soil water potential -0.6 MPa. In both treatments and years, we found significant correlations between hourly sap flow and investigated weather variables. A reduction in stem circumferences of the control trees, which was observed during stem shrinkage phase, was up to 19% in 2012 and 10% in 2013. We conclude that stem circumference shrinkage during the peak of soil drought was induced by the cessation in the sap flow process.

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Inter- and intra-annual dynamics of height increment in young beech and spruce stands in relation to tree size and weather conditions

Cited by 7 publications

References 27 publications

Effects of drought on leaf carbon source and growth of European beech are modulated by soil type

Effects of drought on leaf carbon source and growth of European beech are modulated by soil type

Accuracy Assessment of GEDI Terrain Elevation and Canopy Height Estimates in European Temperate Forests: Influence of Environmental and Acquisition Parameters

How does soil water potential limit the seasonal dynamics of sap flow and circumference changes in European beech?

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