Eight-year responses of light interception, effective leaf area index, and stemwood production in fertilized stands of interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca)

2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 733-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick J Balster ◽  
John D Marshall

Data from 72 Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco) plots across the Interior Northwest were used to determine whether (i) increased intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (%IPAR), effective leaf area index (LAIe), and stemwood volume production (cubic metres stemwood per hectare per year) could still be detected 7 or 8 years after nitrogen fertilization and (ii) fertilization would increase the efficiency by which light is converted into stemwood volume. Projected LAIe varied from 1.82 to 6.07 m2·m-2 on the control plots. The fertilized plots intercepted 9-11% more light than the control plots (P < 0.001); they also had 22-25% higher LAIe than the control plots (P < 0.001). Stemwood volume production increased by 25-29% relative to the control (P < 0.001) and increased exponentially with %IPAR across all study plots (R2 = 0.57). Stemwood growth efficiency averaged 12.0 ± 0.4 (mean ± SE), 13.5 ± 0.4, and 13.7 ± 0.4 m3·ha-1·a-1 per IPAR for the control, low fertilization, and high fertilization plots, respectively (P < 0.01). Fertilization thus induced increases in both light interception and the efficiency with which intercepted light was converted to stemwood across the region.

1991 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 1020-1028 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Andrew Black ◽  
Jing-Ming Chen ◽  
Xuhui Lee ◽  
Robert M. Sagar

Measurements of the spatial mean values of global irradiance, photosynthetic photon flux density, and the downward longwave irradiance under a 26-year-old, second-growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) forest canopy on a 26° south-facing slope were made with a tramway system, which scanned a 20-m transect in 12 min. The diffuse solar irradiance under the canopy was measured with a stationary pyranometer equipped with a shadow band. The extinction coefficients for the direct, global, and photon components were derived as functions of the solar incident angle over the range of 15° to 85°. The extinction coefficient for the diffuse radiation was found to correlate well with the ratio of the direct to diffuse irradiance above the canopy. Complete diurnal cycles of the downward longwave irradiance were simulated with a simple model based on the air temperature inside the stand. Analyses of the measurements of all the shortwave and longwave components were made using an effective leaf area index, which was derived from the measurements of the direct irradiance above and below the stand. It was found that the distribution of the leaf inclination angle of a Douglas-fir canopy has strong planophile characteristics, and that in the case of a forest stand on a slope, it is critical to obtain the characteristics of the light transmission through the canopy over the entire incident angle range before effective leaf area index is calculated. Warren Wilson's 57.5° approximation did not hold for the Douglas-fir canopy, which had distinct foliage clumping features.


Ecology ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 975-979 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Marshall ◽  
R. H. Waring

1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 1278-1289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Velazquez-Martinez ◽  
David A. Perry ◽  
Tom E. Bell

The effect of thinning and cultural practices (multinutrient fertilization, pruning) on total aboveground biomass increment and growth efficiency was studied over three consecutive 2-year periods (1981–1987) in young Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) plantations. Net aboveground biomass increment over the 6-year period averaged 14.5, 7.8, and 5.5 Mg•ha−1•year−1 for the high-, medium-, and low-density plots, respectively. Growth efficiency, after dropping sharply between leaf area indexes of 1 and 6 m2/m2, remained relatively constant up to a leaf area index of 17, the highest measured. Consequently, aboveground biomass increment continued to increase at leaf area indexes well above that at which the Beer–Lambert law predicts maximum light should be absorbed. Foliage analyses indicate that thinning improved nitrogen, potassium, and magnesium nutrition and increased the translocation of potassium from 1-year-old foliage to support new growth. However, fertilization increased foliar nitrogen and phosphorus contents only when coupled with pruning, suggesting that trees favor total leaf area over individual needle nutrition. Indications of potassium and magnesium limitations in this study are supported by other recent studies in Douglas-fir. Further work on the role of multinutrient deficiencies in this species is warranted.


2011 ◽  
Vol 115 (11) ◽  
pp. 2954-2964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Zhao ◽  
Xiaoyuan Yang ◽  
Mitchell A. Schull ◽  
Miguel O. Román-Colón ◽  
Tian Yao ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 903 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. L. Silva ◽  
J. P. R. Costa ◽  
G. P. Caputti ◽  
A. L. S. Valente ◽  
D. Tsuzukibashi ◽  
...  

This study compared the effect of residual leaf area index (rLAI) on the spatial distribution of morphological components of Tifton 85 (Cynodon spp.) pastures and the ingestive behaviour of grazing sheep. Also, it was investigated whether any specific correlation could be found between pasture structural characteristics and sheep ingestive behaviour. Four rLAI treatments (0.8; 1.4; 2.0 and 2.6) with four replications were evaluated per period. Sheep grazed under rotational stocking management and they grazed for 4 days in each pasture while pasture regrowth period was determined by the 95% light interception requirement. Pasture structure was evaluated using inclined point-quadrat, LAI estimates, light interception and leaf : stem ratio. The 2.6 rLAI yielded the highest proportion of dead material in the lower canopy. In the post-grazing period the proportion of leaves increased with increasing rLAI, especially on the canopy surface during the rainy season. In the pre-grazing average pasture height ranged between 19 and 26 cm with dead material and stem observed up to the canopy surface in the dry season. The animals grazed longer on the last day (89.72%) compared with the first day (80.25%) in the dry season. However, they spent less time (11.45%) ruminating in the dry season compared with the rainy season (15.38%), regardless of the grazing day. Grazing time decreased and rumination time increased as rLAI increased. Sheep grazing time correlated negatively with pasture height, before and after grazing. The sheep tend to graze longer on Tifton 85 pastures when rLAI was lower and forage supply was possibly less as on the last grazing day and in the dry season.


2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 440-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaac G Amponsah ◽  
Philip G Comeau ◽  
Robert P Brockley ◽  
Victor J Lieffers

We investigated the effects of repeated fertilization (either periodically every 6 years or annual fertilization) on needle longevity and growth response in two juvenile lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. var. latifolia Engelm.) stands in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. Annual fertilization decreased needle longevity by 23% at the Kenneth Creek site and by 30% at Sheridan Creek, compared with the control treatments at each site. At Sheridan, repeated fertilization significantly increased effective leaf area index, foliated shoot length, and annual shoot growth. However, none of these variables was significantly altered by repeated fertilization at Kenneth. At both locations, fertilization elevated nutrient concentrations in the current year's foliage. Annual fertilization increased nitrogen concentration in mid-crown branches of retained cohorts (1998–2002) at both study sites. Furthermore, annual nitrogen addition apparently induced or exacerbated copper and iron deficiency in these stands, especially at Kenneth Creek, which may be related to the premature loss of foliage. Nutrient imbalance may also be related to poor effective leaf area index and growth response at Kenneth Creek. Stem growth efficiency declined with annual fertilization at Kenneth Creek because of accelerated turnover of needles, increased allocation of growth to branches, and probably reduced photosynthetic capacity.


2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 721-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Aparecida Giacomini ◽  
Sila Carneiro da Silva ◽  
Daniel Oliveira de Lucena Sarmento ◽  
Cauê Varesqui Zeferino ◽  
Júlio Kuhn da Trindade ◽  
...  

Leaf area index is the main sward characteristic related to the processes of light interception and competition in plant communities. The objective of this experiment was to quantify and evaluate the composition of the leaf area on tillers of marandu palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) subjected to strategies of intermittent stocking. The experiment was carried out in Piracicaba, state of São Paulo, Brazil, from October/2004 to December/2005. Swards were grazed at 95 and 100% canopy light interception (LI) to post-grazing heights of 10 and 15 cm, following a 2 ' 2 factorial arrangement with four replications in a randomised complete block design. Estimates were made of sward leaf area index, site filling, specific leaf area and the dimensionless ratio between tiller leaf area and volume (R), as well as the relative contribution of basal and aerial tillers to these variables. In early spring, values of leaf area index and specific leaf area were low when compared to the other seasons, and swards grazed at 95% LI presented higher site filling and specific leaf area than those grazed at 100% LI. This resulted in higher tillering activity and increase in leaf area index in late spring, indicating quick recovery and early return of swards grazed at 95% LI to growing conditions. Aerial tillers corresponded to an important morphological adaptation of marandu palisadegrass to increase its competitive ability. Treatment 100/10 resulted in the highest and 95/15 in the lowest R values throughout the experiment, suggesting an allometric pattern of growth of tillers during regrowth in order to compensate low tiller population and optimise the leaf area index. Grazing management practices can benefit from this knowledge by promoting ideal sward conditions to maximise and accelerate growth.


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