Tom De Mil1,2, Wannes Hubau2, Bhély Angoboy Ilondea1,2,3, Mirvia Angela Rocha Vargas1,4, Pascal Boeckx4, Kathy Steppe5, Joris Van Acker1, Hans Beeckman2, Jan Van den Bulcke1. 1. UGCT-UGent-Woodlab, Ghent University, Laboratory of Wood Technology, Department of Environment, Gent, Belgium. 2. Royal Museum for Central Africa, Wood Biology Service, Tervuren, Belgium. 3. Institut National pour l'Etude et la Recherche Agronomiques, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 4. Isotope Bioscience Laboratory - ISOFYS, Ghent University, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Gent, Belgium. 5. Laboratory of Plant Ecology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Wood traits are increasingly being used to document tree performance. In the Congo Basin, however, weaker seasonality causes asynchrony of wood traits between trees. Here, we monitor growth and phenology data to date the formation of traits. METHODS: For two seasons, leaf and cambial phenology were monitored on four Terminalia superba trees (Mayombe) using cameras, cambial pinning and dendrometers. Subsequently, vessel lumen and parenchyma fractions as well as high-resolution isotopes (δ13C/δ18O) were quantified on the formed rings. All traits were dated and related to weather data. KEY RESULTS: We observed between-tree differences in green-up of 45 d, with trees flushing before and after the rainy season. The lag between green-up and onset of xylem formation was 59 ± 21 d. The xylem growing season lasted 159 ± 17 d with between-tree differences of up to 53 d. Synchronized vessel, parenchyma and δ13C profiles were related to each other. Only parenchyma fraction and δ13C were correlated to weather variables, whereas the δ18O pattern showed no trend. CONCLUSIONS: Asynchrony of leaf and cambial phenology complicates correct interpretation of environmental information recorded in wood. An integrated approach including high-resolution measurements of growth, stable isotopes and anatomical features allows exact dating of the formation of traits. This methodology offers a means to explore the asynchrony of growth in a rainforest and contribute to understanding this aspect of forest resilience.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Wood traits are increasingly being used to document tree performance. In the Congo Basin, however, weaker seasonality causes asynchrony of wood traits between trees. Here, we monitor growth and phenology data to date the formation of traits. METHODS: For two seasons, leaf and cambial phenology were monitored on four Terminalia superba trees (Mayombe) using cameras, cambial pinning and dendrometers. Subsequently, vessel lumen and parenchyma fractions as well as high-resolution isotopes (δ13C/δ18O) were quantified on the formed rings. All traits were dated and related to weather data. KEY RESULTS: We observed between-tree differences in green-up of 45 d, with trees flushing before and after the rainy season. The lag between green-up and onset of xylem formation was 59 ± 21 d. The xylem growing season lasted 159 ± 17 d with between-tree differences of up to 53 d. Synchronized vessel, parenchyma and δ13C profiles were related to each other. Only parenchyma fraction and δ13C were correlated to weather variables, whereas the δ18O pattern showed no trend. CONCLUSIONS: Asynchrony of leaf and cambial phenology complicates correct interpretation of environmental information recorded in wood. An integrated approach including high-resolution measurements of growth, stable isotopes and anatomical features allows exact dating of the formation of traits. This methodology offers a means to explore the asynchrony of growth in a rainforest and contribute to understanding this aspect of forest resilience.
Authors: Alice Michelot; Thomas Eglin; Eric Dufrêne; Caroline Lelarge-Trouverie; Claire Damesin Journal: Plant Cell Environ Date: 2010-11-12 Impact factor: 7.228
Authors: Jérémy Derory; Patrick Léger; Virginie Garcia; Jacques Schaeffer; Marie-Theres Hauser; Franck Salin; Christian Luschnig; Christophe Plomion; Josef Glössl; Antoine Kremer Journal: New Phytol Date: 2006 Impact factor: 10.151