The world's tallest trees grow in thermally similar climates

Larjavaara, Markku

doi:10.1111/nph.12656

Cited by 48 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 33 publications

(54 reference statements)

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“…Such differences in mortality must be balanced against rates of primary productivity; in temperate rain forests, the latter can closely approach or exceed those of tropical rain forests (e.g., 3.6 kgÁm À2 Áyr À1 for Eucalyptus regnans [Attiwill 1991]). Fourth, although tropical montane forests have favorable climates for GPP (Larjavaara 2013), we believe that their shallow, heavily leached, infertile soils (Tanner et al 1998) and unstable steep slopes explain why the tallest trees are absent there. Finally, the shallow slope of D vs. height in several gymnosperms (McDowell et al 2011) and the hydraulic architecture of Eucalyptus regnans (Petit et al 2010) suggest that these denizens of tall sclerophyll forests and temperate rain forests show exceptionally shallow declines in w leaf with height, an internal factor that should also contribute to exceptional maximum tree heights.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Five reasons for the concentration of the tallest trees in tall sclerophyll forests and temperate rain forests vs. tropical rain forests seem plausible. First, the yearly thermal regimes of the former are more likely to maximize the difference between gross primary productivity (GPP) and respiration than the latter; the tallest trees are indeed clustered in cool, often temperate maritime climates (Larjavaara 2013). Second, the much greater evaporative load placed on the tops of tree crowns by intense sunlight in the tropics should sharpen water potential gradients near tree apices and limit height growth.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Variation in maximum tree height has profound implications for the photosynthesis, growth, crown and bole dimensions, tissue allocation, hydraulic conductance, and population density of individual trees (Givnish 1995, Ryan and Yoder 1997, McDowell et al 2011, Mencuccini et al 2011, Larjavaara 2013, stand biomass, carbon storage, and productivity (Feldpausch et al 2012, Hui et al 2012, Ruiz-Benito et al 2014, leaf area index and transpiration (Roberts et al 2001, Falster et al 2010, net input to ground and surface waters (Bleby et al 2012), and the availability of suitable habitat for certain animals (Wormington et al 2002, Garcı´a-Ferced et al 2011. Over the last three decades, several models have been advanced to account for maximum tree height and its variation with environmental conditions and plant traits.…”

Section: Introduction and Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Determinants of maximum tree height inEucalyptusspecies along a rainfall gradient in Victoria, Australia

Givnish

Wong

Stuart‐Williams

et al. 2014

Ecology

102

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Abstract. We present a conceptual model linking dry-mass allocational allometry, hydraulic limitation, and vertical stratification of environmental conditions to patterns in vertical tree growth and tree height. Maximum tree height should increase with relative moisture supply and both should drive variation in apparent stomatal limitation. Carbon isotope discrimination (D) should not vary with maximum tree height across a moisture gradient when only hydraulic limitation or allocational allometry limit height, but increase with moisture when both hydraulic limitation and allocational allometry limit maximum tree height. We quantified tree height and D along a gradient in annual precipitation from 300 to 1600 mm from mallee to temperate rain forest in southeastern Australia; Eucalyptus on this gradient span almost the entire range of tree heights found in angiosperms worldwide. Maximum tree height showed a strong, nearly proportional relationship to the ratio of precipitation to pan evaporation. D increased with ln P/E p , suggesting that both hydraulic limitation and allocational allometry set maximum tree height. Coordinated shifts in several plant traits should result in different species having an advantage in vertical growth rate at different points along a rainfall gradient, and in maximum tree height increasing with relative moisture supply, photosynthetic rate, nutrient supply, and xylem diameter.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introduction and Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Determinants of maximum tree height inEucalyptusspecies along a rainfall gradient in Victoria, Australia

Givnish

Wong

Stuart‐Williams

et al. 2014

Ecology

102

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“…Global analyses have shown that precipitation is a poor predictor of tree height (King 1991) or biomass (Keith et al 2009) when forest landscapes are compared. Instead, temperature distribution seems to be the most significant determinant of tall tree growth, supporting the energetic and biomechanical approach to understanding tree size and allometry (Larjavaara 2014). The tallest trees grow in climates with small seasonal temperature variation (Larjavaara 2014).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Africa’s highest mountain harbours Africa’s tallest trees

et al. 2016

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While world records of tree heights were set by American, Australian and Asian tree species, Africa seemed to play no role here. In our study we show that Entandrophragma excelsum (Meliaceae) found in a remote valley at Kilimanjaro has to be included in the list of the world's superlative trees. Estimating tree age from growth rates monitored by high resolution dendrometry indicates that tall individuals may reach more than 470 years of age. A unique combination of anatomical peculiarities and favorable site conditions might explain their enormous size. The late date

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“…Previous work has shown that the tallest trees in the world are not necessarily in the equatorial regions where the growing season is the longest and there is plentiful precipitation. Instead, they are located in areas with thermally similar climates with average annual temperature around 10 o C and seasonal temperature variation of approximately 10 o C (Larjavaara, 2014). Slope had a positive association with species richness/ diversity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking hypothesized causal factors to aboveground biomass growth in forests of Alabama and the eastern United States

Ojha

Dimov

2018

For. syst.

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Aim of study: We analyzed the hypothesized causal effects of relative density, density, height, species richness, species diversity, temperature, precipitation, and slope on above ground biomass growth (AGBG).Area of study: Eastern region of the USA. Materials and methods:We used the USDA Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database. A total of 2554 plots from all stand ages, regardless of disturbance history, were selected from the state of Alabama and 967 plots of stand age under 30 years and no prior disturbance were selected from the eastern US. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling.Main results: Relative stand density exhibited a strong positive direct effect on AGBG, especially in the young forests (path coefficient 0.79), but a weaker indirect effect through species richness/diversity. Tree height influenced positively AGBG directly and indirectly through relative density and species richness. The effect of temperature and slope was greater than the effect of species richness/diversity on AGBG in the young forests of the eastern US.Research highlights: For the forests of the eastern US, greater tree species diversity did not appear to result in neither greater nor lower productivity. The diversity-productivity relationship was negative in forests of Alabama, however, where prior management likely resulted in removal of select dominant trees from valuable species (i.e., high-grading).Additional keywords: FIA; productivity; path analysis; relative stand density; species richness; Shannon's diversity index; temperature.Abbreviations used: AGB (above ground biomass); AGBG (above ground biomass growth); CCR (compacted crown ratio); DBH (diameter at breast height); IVP (importance value percent); FIA (Forest Inventory and Analysis); SDI (stand density index); SEM (structural equation modeling).Authors´ contributions: LDD and SKO conceived and designed the research. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript. SKO acquired national forest inventory data from the USDA, Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA), Knoxville Tennessee for the study. SKO extracted climatic variables from spatial data sources; he conducted statistical analysis and made figures and tables and prepared the first draft of the manuscript. LDD contributed to all parts and drafts of the manuscript.Data acquisition and accuracy of analysis: The national forest inventory dataset was obtained with the help of the USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) personnel. FIA data is publicly available at FIA DataMart (https://apps.fs.usda.gov/fia/ datamart/CSV/datamart_csv.html).

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The world's tallest trees grow in thermally similar climates

Cited by 48 publications

References 33 publications

Determinants of maximum tree height inEucalyptusspecies along a rainfall gradient in Victoria, Australia

Determinants of maximum tree height inEucalyptusspecies along a rainfall gradient in Victoria, Australia

Africa’s highest mountain harbours Africa’s tallest trees

Linking hypothesized causal factors to aboveground biomass growth in forests of Alabama and the eastern United States

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