scholarly journals Are Shade Tolerance, Survival, and Growth Linked? Low Light and Nitrogen Effects on Hardwood Seedlings

Ecology ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 841-853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael B. Walters ◽  
Peter B. Reich
2005 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Iriarte Vivar Balderrama ◽  
Robin L. Chazdon

The dependence of tree seedling survival and growth on light availability was evaluated over 15 mo in three second-growth, wet forest stands (15–18 y old) in north-eastern Costa Rica. Seedlings of four canopy tree species (Dipteryx panamensis, Hyeronima alchorneoides, Virola koschnyi and Vochysia guatemalensis) were planted into four canopy treatments in three replicated stands and in a pasture site, spanning a nearly complete gradient of light availability. Survival and growth of all species increased in response to increasing light availability, but species differed in survival in shaded microsites (6–20% light transmittance) and in growth increments per light increase. Hyeronima showed the highest mortality at low light levels and the highest relative height growth increase per light increase. In contrast, Virola showed high survival at low and moderate light, but showed the lowest leaf area and above-ground biomass per light increase among all species. Dipteryx and Vochysia maintained relatively high rates of survival and growth across the entire light gradient. Hyeronima and Virola showed trade-offs between growth and survival responses to light, unlike Dipteryx and Vochysia. Differences among species in seedling survival at low light may be determined by a variety of physiological and morphological traits that may or may not be mechanistically linked to growth responses.


2018 ◽  
Vol 409 ◽  
pp. 19-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deliang Lu ◽  
G. Geoff Wang ◽  
Jinxin Zhang ◽  
Yunting Fang ◽  
Chunyu Zhu ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (14) ◽  
pp. 4315-4323 ◽  
Author(s):  
周卫霞 ZHOU Weixia ◽  
李潮海 LI Chaohai ◽  
刘天学 LIU Tianxue ◽  
王秀萍 WANG Xiuping ◽  
闫志广 YAN Zhiguang

Revista CERES ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-207
Author(s):  
Douglas Mochi Victor ◽  
Liana Jank ◽  
Beatriz Lempp ◽  
Rosangela Maria Simeão ◽  
Marcos Deon Vilela de Resende ◽  
...  

The silvopastoral system is a viable technological alternative to extensive cattle grazing, however, for it to be successful, forage grass genotypes adapted to reduced light need to be identified. The objective of this study was to select progenies of Panicum maximum tolerant to low light conditions for use in breeding programs and to study the genetic control and performance of some traits associated with shade tolerance. Six full-sib progenies were evaluated in full sun, 50% and 70% of light reduction in pots and subjected to cuttings. Progeny genotypic values (GV) increased with light reduction in relation to plant height (H) and specific leaf area (SLA). The traits total dry mass accumulation (DM) and leaf dry mass accumulation (LDM) had GV higher in 50% shade and intermediate in 70% shade. The GV of tiller number (TIL) and root dry mass accumulation (RDM) decreased with light reduction. The highest positive correlations were obtained for the traits H and RDM with SLA and DM; the highest negative correlations were between TIL and SLA and RDM, and H and LDM. The progenies showed higher tolerance to 50% light reduction and, among them, two stood out and will be used in breeding programs. It was also found that it is not necessary to evaluate some traits under all light conditions. All traits had high broad sense heritability and high genotypic correlation between progenies in all light intensities. There is genetic difference among the progenies regarding the response to different light intensities, which will allow selection for shade tolerance


2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A. Gehring

Interspecific variation in seed size can affect seedling establishment in the light-limited understorey of rain forests. Large seeds with extensive seed reserves may allow seedlings to (1) persist in the deep shade, thereby increasing the likelihood of exposure to a canopy gap (Leishman & Westoby 1994, Saverimuttu & Westoby 1996); (2) promote growth, thereby allowing seedlings to reach higher light strata or to develop sufficient photosynthetic tissue to meet their energy needs in low light (Foster 1986); and (3) allow compensation for tissue losses to herbivores and pathogens (Armstrong & Westoby 1993, Foster 1986, Harms & Dalling 1997). However, comparisons of shade tolerance among species that vary in seed size have produced conflicting results; short-term seedling survival was strongly positively associated with seed size in several studies (Grime & Jeffrey 1965, Leishman & Westoby 1994), but only weakly in others (Augspurger 1984, Grubb & Metcalfe 1996).


1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 871-886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine F Wright ◽  
K Dave Coates ◽  
Charles D Canham ◽  
Paula Bartemucci

We characterize variation in radial and height growth of saplings of 11 tree species across a range of light levels in boreal, sub-boreal, subalpine, and temperate forests of northwestern British Columbia. Shade-tolerant species had the greatest response to an increase in light at low-light levels but had low asymptotic growth at high light. Shade-intolerant species had weaker responses to increases at low light but had the highest growth rates at high light. The effects of climate on intraspecific variation in sapling response to light were also related to shade tolerance: across different climatic regions, the most shade-tolerant species varied in their response to low-light but not high light, while shade-intolerant species varied only in their high-light growth. Species with intermediate shade tolerance varied both their amplitude of growth at high light and the slope of the growth response at low light. Despite the interspecific trade-offs between high- and low-light growth, there was a striking degree of overlap in the light response curves for the component species in virtually all of the climatic regions. Successional dynamics in these forests appear to be more strongly governed by interspecific variation in sapling survival than growth.


2008 ◽  
Vol 24 (05) ◽  
pp. 569-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabiano Micheletto Scarpa ◽  
I. F. M. Valio

A close relationship has been reported between seed size and many different plant traits such as seedling size, relative growth rate, seedling survival, distance of dispersion, colonization and density of seeds in the soil (Coomes & Grubb 2003, Jurado & Westoby 1992, Lahoreauet al. 2006, Saverimuttu & Westoby 1996, Souza & Valio 2001). Although the association of seed size and shade tolerance is unclear (Westobyet al. 1996) some authors have suggested that a larger-seeded species is better able to tolerate low light availability (Foster 1986, Foster & Janson 1985, Leishman & Westoby 1994) by producing a vigorous seedling with a higher ability to withstand predation (Armstrong & Westoby 1993, Foster 1986) and delaying the beginning of carbon fixation so as to increase survival under a canopy and under leaf litter.


HortScience ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (10) ◽  
pp. 1445-1448
Author(s):  
Kelly D. Norris ◽  
William R. Graves

Shrubs in the genus Dirca are rarely used in landscaping despite their shade tolerance and aesthetic qualities. A trial of 81 plants, 27 of each of three species, was established in 2007 in USDA hardiness zone 5a to evaluate survival and growth. After four winters, survival of Dirca mexicana (89%) was greater than survival of Dirca palustris from Florida (44%) and Dirca occidentalis (41%). Survival of Dirca palustris from Ontario, Canada, was intermediate (56%), but annual stem extension was only 60% that of Dirca mexicana and Dirca palustris from Florida. Surviving plants of Dirca mexicana and Dirca palustris from Ontario showed minimal winter injury, but tips of some stems of Dirca palustris from Florida and Dirca occidentalis were killed. Our data on survival, winter injury, plant health, and stem extension of the California-endemic Dirca occidentalis suggest it will be especially challenging to identify genotypes adapted for use in the Upper Midwest. In contrast, we conclude that another narrowly endemic species, Dirca mexicana, has potential as a new shrub for horticulture. Additionally, our results provide evidence for variation in cold-hardiness and annual stem extension of Dirca palustris. Although over half of plants from Florida had died after the first two winters, no additional mortality occurred over remaining years, and survivors were more vigorous than plants from Ontario. This suggests that exploitable variation in cold-hardiness and vigor exists among and within populations of this broadly distributed species.


PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e9316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingling Wan ◽  
Yixuan Zhang ◽  
Min Zhang ◽  
Aiying Hong ◽  
HuiYan Yang ◽  
...  

Insufficient light intensity inhibits the growth of cultivated herbaceous peony and decreases its economic value. Owing to the increased demand for shade-tolerant herbaceous peony, the selection of appropriate parents for hybridization is essential. Paeonia anomala, Paeonia intermedia and Paeonia veitchii can grow under shade conditions in their natural habitats; however, their photosynthetic capacities under shade have not been studied. In this study, we simulated low light intensity (30% sunlight) and evaluated the morphological, photosynthetic and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of these three species. Moreover, the shade tolerance of these species as well as two common cultivars (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Da Fugui’, which is suitable for solar greenhouse cultivation, and P. lactiflora ‘Qiao Ling’, which is not suitable for solar greenhouse cultivation) was evaluated. The results showed that under shade, the leaf area of P. anomala and P. intermedia increased, the single flowering period of P. intermedia and P. veitchii was prolonged, and the flower color of P. veitchii faded. With respect to P. anomala, P. intermedia and P. veitchii, shade eliminated the photosynthetic ‘lunch break’ phenomenon and decreased photoinhibition at midday. Furthermore, the maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) and maximum primary photochemical yield (Fv/Fo) of photosystem II (PSII) in the three species improved significantly, and their changes in light dissipation were different. The shade tolerance of the tested accessions was in the order P. veitchii > P. intermedia > P. anomala > ‘Da Fugui’ > ‘Qiao Ling’, showing that the three wild species were better adapted to low light intensity than the cultivars. Thus, P. anomala, P. intermedia and P. veitchii could potentially be used in the development of shade-tolerant herbaceous peony cultivars.


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