Scots pine needle longevity and gradation of needle shedding along pollution gradients

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jukka Lamppu ◽  
Satu Huttunen
Keyword(s):  
Scots Pine ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Time Span ◽  
Marked Variation ◽  
Pine Needle ◽  
Pollution Gradient ◽  
Needle Age ◽  
Vegetation Zones ◽  
Adult Trees ◽  
Needle Longevity

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needle longevity and gradation of needle shedding (the time span with 90–10% needle survival) in the middle and northern boreal vegetation zones were studied. The duration of the first half of gradual shedding (the time span with 90–50% needle survival) was of special interest, because it represents the number of youngest cohorts that have lost needle biomass. Branches of adult trees along transects with an air pollution gradient were sampled. Mean longevity (the sum of survival proportions) decreased 15–40% as pollution sources were approached. To rank or compare the values of a single needle age parameter, we prefer to use mean longevity. It gives an estimate of the whole needle biomass, and it was the parameter with the least variation. The first half of gradual shedding proved to be a valid indicator of changes in needle age structure. The most marked variation in needle age structure was seen in slightly polluted areas, which continued to pose a risk of acute pollution injuries. This study confirmed the feasibility of the needle age structure of branch samples as an objective and reliable vitality indicator for Scots pine.

scholarly journals Needle longevity as a criterion of response to a climatic fluctuation (so called heat wave) in Scots pine populations at early phases of ontogeny

2012 ◽  
Vol 58 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 27-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Nárovec ◽  
J. Nárovcová
Keyword(s):  
Scots Pine ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Age Classes ◽  
Needle Age ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Dry Spells ◽  
Needle Longevity ◽  
Reproduction Period ◽  
The Impact

The paper presents results of an assessment of needle age classes in Scots pine partial populations in the period of three and five years after outplanting in a lowland site in relation to conditions created by climatic elements. The method is based on Skuhravý’s (1987) description when the state of needle age classes of the third whorl (from the apex) is evaluated just once. Five-year summary of meteorological data was assessed according to the criteria of determination of periods of heat waves and dry spells. Differences in numbers of living needle age classes in the groups of Scots pine populations in the period of three and five years after their outplanting in permanent lowland sites proved the highest total number of living needle classes in the group of local lowland populations. On the contrary, the lowest total number of living needle classes was found out in the group of mountain populations. Critical climatic periods are overlaps of heat waves and dry spells that illustrate the complexity of moisture and temperature conditions of lowland sites. Although the Scots pine is a xerophytic species, it responded to the cumulation of adverse factors by accelerated needle senescence. Its physiological response to heat and dry stress consists in needle shedding, i.e. reduction in the assimilating area. As mountain populations are not usually exposed to heat waves, the impact of this phenomenon on them was the highest. On the other hand, the local (lowland) populations carrying information on the patterns of local climate from the reproduction period do not undergo any marked reduction in needle age classes.  

Needle longevity of Scots pine in relation to foliar nitrogen content, specific leaf area, and shoot growth in different forest types

2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 1225-1231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margus Pensa ◽  
Arne Sellin
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Scots Pine ◽  
Specific Leaf Area ◽  
Specific Pattern ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Needle Age ◽  
Needle Longevity ◽  
Length Increment

The aim of the study was to examine whether the variation in needle longevity of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is of a community-specific nature. Altogether 300 trees were examined in Vaccinium, dry heath, and pine bog forests in Estonia. Mean number of needle age-classes was 4.1 for all forest types, while mean survivorship of needles averaged 70% in Vaccinium forests and 80% in the others (p < 0.01). Mean mass-based nitrogen content (Nm) of the needles was the highest in Vaccinium forests (11.8 mg·g–1, p < 0.05) and lower in dry heath (10.4 mg·g–1) and pine bog (9.8 mg·g–1) forests. Specific leaf area (SLA) did not differ between Vaccinium (6.3 mm2·mg–1) and dry heath (6.0 mm2·mg–1) forests but was lower in pine bog forests (5.5 mm2·mg–1, p < 0.05). Shoot length increment was the smallest in pine bog forests (45.1 mm·year–1, p < 0.05) and did not differ between Vaccinium (92.2 mm·year–1) and dry heath (95.2 mm·year–1) forests. Our findings confirm that the small-scale variation in needle longevity of Scots pine has a community-specific pattern and is in accordance with the trends in Nm and SLA.

Variation in Scots pine needle longevity and nutrient conservation in different habitats and latitudes

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (9) ◽  
pp. 1599-1604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margus Pensa ◽  
Risto Jalkanen ◽  
Valdo Liblik
Keyword(s):  
Scots Pine ◽  
Nutrient Concentration ◽  
Shoot Growth ◽  
Shoot Length ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Species Variation ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Needle Age ◽  
Needle Longevity ◽  
Nutrient Conservation

Within-species variation in needle traits is an important characteristic of conifers enabling trees to grow in different environments. We compared mean needle age (NA), shoot growth, and nutrient conservation in Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) populations in different habitats and latitudes (peatlands and Vaccinium -type stands in Estonia (59°N) and Lapland (66°30′N)). In Vaccinium-type stands, trees with higher NA (mostly in Lapland) had lower shoot length increment and lower concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus in current-year needles than trees with low NA (mostly in Estonia). However, in peatlands, variation in NA (which was as high as in the Vaccinium-type stands) was weakly or insignificantly related to shoot growth and needle nutrient concentration. Within latitudes, pines with different shoot length increments and needle nutrient concentrations tend to have similar NAs. Resorption efficiency and concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus in senescent needles decreased with the initial concentrations of these nutrients in green needles. Our results demonstrate that slow growth and low needle nutrient concentration are not necessarily followed by higher NA and greater nutrient conservation in Scots pine. This is the opposite of the results often obtained in among-species comparisons or within species along latitudinal and altitudinal gradients.

scholarly journals Fire and age structure of Scots pine and Norway spruce in northern Sweden during the past 700 years

1994 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
OLA ENGELMARK ◽  
LEIF KULLMAN ◽  
YVES BERGERON
Keyword(s):  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Scots Pine ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Northern Sweden ◽  
The Past

Effects of needle age, long-term temperature and CO2 treatments on the photosynthesis of Scots pine

1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 211-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Wang ◽  
S. Kellomaki ◽  
K. Laitinen
Keyword(s):  
Scots Pine ◽  
Needle Age

Occurrence of Gremmeniella abietina damage on Scots pine along a pollution gradient from Monchegorsk nickel smelter to western Lapland

1995 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kaitera ◽  
A. Fedorkov ◽  
R. Jalkanen ◽  
V. Krutov ◽  
V. Tsvetkov
Keyword(s):  
Scots Pine ◽  
Pollution Gradient ◽  
Nickel Smelter

Scots pine needle injuries at subarctic industrial sites

Trees ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 378 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Kukkola ◽  
Satu Huttunen ◽  
Jaana Bäck ◽  
Pasi Rautio
Keyword(s):  
Scots Pine ◽  
Pine Needle ◽  
Industrial Sites
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