Abstract
In shaded environments, minimizing dark respiration during growth could be an important aspect of maintaining a positive whole-plant net carbon balance. Changes with plant size in both biomass distribution to different tissue types and mass-specific respiration rates (Rd) of those tissues would have an impact on whole-plant respiration. In this paper, we evaluated size-related variation in Rd, biomass distribution, and nitrogen (N) and total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) concentrations of leaves, stems and roots of three cold-temperate tree species (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill, Acer rubrum L. and Pinus strobus L.) in a forest understory. We sampled individuals varying in age (6 to 24 years old) and in size (from 2 to 500 g dry mass), and growing across a range of irradiances (from 1 to 13% of full sun) in northern Minnesota, USA. Within each species, we found small changes in Rd, N and TNC when comparing plants growing across this range of light availability. Consistent with our hypotheses, as plants grew larger, whole-plant N and TNC concentrations in all species declined as a result of a combination of changes in tissue N and shifts in biomass distribution patterns. However, contrary to our hypotheses, whole-plant and tissue Rd increased with plant size in the three species.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 915-923 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Tree physiology |
Volume | 26 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2006 |
Keywords
- Abies balsamea
- Acer rubrum
- Balsam fir
- Biomass allocation
- Carbohydrates
- Deeply shaded
- Low light
- Pinus strobus
- Red maple
- Root excavation
- White pine
- Whole plant respiration