Striped maple: shoot growth and bud formation related to light intensity

Abstract

Terminal shoot growth and bud formation in striped maple (Acerpensylvanicum) were followed both in vigorous and suppressed forest trees and in suppressed trees grown in the greenhouse and garden under 10 light intensities from 6 to 82% of solar radiation in the open. All buds contained (1) a pair of preformed early leaves that grew rapidly and (2) a pair of rudimentary primordia that became either bud scales in suppressed trees, after abortion of the blade, or a second pair of leaves in vigorous or released trees. The fate of the rudimentary primordia could be regulated by light intensity. They formed bud scales at 6% light or leaves at about 18% light. Maximum height growth and leaf pair formation occurred at 30–60% solar radiation in the open, although the first internode was longest under the lowest light. When leaf production stopped, bud formation was similar in vigorous and suppressed trees. The inner and outer bud scales and the pair of preformed early leaves were produced at 2- to 4-week intervals. The rudimentary primordia were not formed until after an interval of 8–12 weeks, in late summer near the end of bud formation.

Population structure and growth acclimation of mountain maple along a successional gradient in the southern boreal forest

“…These light levels are roughly equivalent to those previously suggested as being optimal for mountain maple growth (Post, 1967). Wilson and Fischer (1977) found a similar light growth requirement for striped maple. These light requirements are characteristic of a gap-phase strategy species (Hibbs, Wilson & Fischer, 1980).…”

“…The foraging behaviour of mountain maple (Bell, 1984;Lei & Lechowicz, 1990) and its ability to rapidly alternate between the suppression and expansion phase following small canopy openings form the basis of its persistence through succession in our gap-riddled boreal forest. It appears from our results that mountain maple's strategy is typical of that of other mid-shade-tolerant clonal understory shrubs, such as striped maple (Wilson & Fischer, 1977;Hibbs, 1979;Hibbs & Fischer, 1979;Hibbs, Wilson & Fischer, 1980), hazel (Kurmis & Sucoff, 1989), and salal (Messier, 1992).…”

Effects of bird predation on arthropod abundance and tree growth across an elevational gradient

“…Because striped maple growth rate has been reported to be strongly influenced by light conditions (Wilson and Fischer 1977, Hibbs et al 1980), we estimated light availability for each tree based on methods of Messier and Puttonen (1995) and Parent and Messier (1996). Light availability was used as a covariate in shoot growth analyses.…”

Biocontrol ofAilanthus altissima: inoculation protocol and risk assessment forVerticillium nonalfalfae(Plectosphaerellaceae: Phyllachorales)

“…Sudden exposure to full sunlight has been reported to cause stress and wilt on striped maples (Wilson & Fischer, 1977). Such stress may then predispose striped maple to opportunistic fungal pathogens such as Botryosphaeria dothidea Moug.…”