Ontogenetic changes in water-use efficiency ( δ 13C) and leaf traits differ among tree species growing in a semiarid region of the Loess Plateau, China

• Published in: Forest ecology and management Vol. 259; no. 5; pp. 953 - 957
• Main Authors: Tanaka-Oda, Ayumi, Kenzo, Tanaka, Koretsune, Satomi, Sasaki, Haruto, Fukuda, Kenji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 20.02.2010; [Amsterdam]: Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: anatomy and morphology; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; carbon; Carbon isotope discrimination; drought tolerance; forest trees; Forestry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; growth inhibition; height; leaf area; Leaf mass per area; Leaf nitrogen content; leaves; nitrogen; Ontogeny; plant-water relations; plantation forestry; Populus; Robinia pseudoacacia; Semiarid region; semiarid zones; species differences; stable isotopes; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; traits; tree growth; Ulmus pumila; Water-use efficiency; Ziziphus jujuba; Zizyphus jujuba; China; Asia; Far east; China, People's Rep., Loess Plateau; China, People's Rep; Ontogeny; Leaf mass per area; Carbon isotope discrimination; Water-use efficiency; Semiarid region; Leaf nitrogen content; Growth; Carbon Isotopes; Biomass; Mass per unit area; Climatic zone; Inorganic element; Semi arid zone; Development; Tree; Chemical composition; Loess; Nitrogen content; Arid environment; Forest ecology; Plant leaf; Woody plant; Water use efficiency; Sediments; Geographical division; C-13; Vegetative apparatus; Forestry
• ISSN: 0378-1127; 1872-7042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2009.11.037

On the Loess Plateau, China, several planted tree species such as Populus hopeinsis and Robinia pseudoacacia suffer occasional diebacks in the top shoots, reducing growth rates after maturation. However, this does not usually occur in other species, e.g., Ulmus pumila and Zizyphus jujuba. We compared stable carbon isotope ratios ( δ 13C) as indicators of leaf water-use efficiency (WUE), leaf mass per unit area (LMA), and leaf area- and mass-based nitrogen content (N area and N mass) by tree height (1, 5, and 10 m) in P. hopeinsis, R. pseudoacacia, U. pumila, and Z. jujuba. In P. hopeinsis and R. pseudoacacia, leaf δ 13C and N area were significantly lower in 10-m trees than in 1-m saplings, indicating that leaf WUE and photosynthetic rates of both species decreased with tree height. In contrast, δ 13C in Z. jujuba varied little with tree height. The δ 13C of 10-m-tall U. pumila trees was significantly higher than that of 1-m plants, demonstrating an increase in WUE with tree height. Decreasing WUE, leaf N area, and N mass with height increases in P. hopeinsis and R. pseudoacacia may be related to water and nutrient limitations for these species in semiarid regions. In contrast, stable or increasing δ 13C with tree height in U. pumila and Z. jujuba may account (to some extent) for successful production of these species under identical environmental conditions. Diameter growth rate also decreased with maturity in P. hopeinsis and R. pseudoacacia, but increased or was stable for U. pumila and Z. jujuba. The differences in leaf WUE and LMA among species with tree maturity may be related to species’ growth patterns and susceptibility to drought stress, and are likely to be important new criteria for plantation species selection on the Loess Plateau.