Library

Notes: C. N, P and S were determined in the roots of white- and red-clover, lucerne, perennial ryegrass, cocksfoot and timothy, taken at intervals over a period of several months, and in roots of ryegrass receiving four levels of fertilizer N.The results indicated that decomposition of The root material would result in The mineralization of N in substantial amounts from white clover, in smaller amounts from red clover and in negligible amounts from lucerne. The roots of grasses would tend to immobilize soil N, even when They bad received moderate applications of fertilizer N. The C:P ratios suggested that the legume roots would neither mineralize nor immobilize inorganic pbospbate but that the grass roots would induce immobilization. S was likely to be mineralized in appreciable amounts from roots of white– and red–clover, but not firom roots of lucerne or the grasses.

Notes: The three dimensional distribution of intercepted radiation, intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) and late summer needle nitrogen (N) concentration were determined at the tips of all 54 branches in a 6·2-m-tall Pinus radiata D. Don tree growing in a New Zealand plantation. Measurements included above- and below-canopy irradiance, leaf stable carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) and tree canopy architecture. The radiation absorption component of the model, MAESTRO, was tested on site and then used to determine the branch tip distribution of intercepted radiation. We hypothesized that in branch tip needles: (i) the allocation of nitrogen and other nutrients would be closely associated with the distribution of intercepted radiation, reflecting carbon gain optimization theory, and (ii) Ci would predominantly reflect changes in photosynthetic rate (A) rather than stomatal conductance (gs), indicating that the increase in A for a given increase in N concentration was larger than the corresponding increase in gs. Needle nitrogen concentration was poorly related to intercepted radiation, regardless of the period over which the latter was calculated. At a given height, there was a large azimuthal variation in intercepted radiation but N concentration was remarkably uniform around the tree canopy. There was, however, a linear and positive correspondence between N concentration and δ13C and needle height above ground (r2 = 0·73 and 0·68, respectively). The very strong linear correspondence between N concentration and Ci (r2 = 0·71) was interpreted, using gas exchange measurements, as supporting our second hypothesis. Recognizing the strong apical control in P. radiata and possible effects of leaf nitrogen storage in an evergreen species, we propose that the tree leader must have constituted a very strong carbon sink throughout the growing season, and that the proximity of branch tip needles to the leader affected their photosynthetic capacity and nutrient concentration, independent of intercepted radiation. This implies an integrated internal determination of resource allocation within the tree and challenges the current convention that resources are optimally distributed according to the profile of intercepted radiation.

Notes: Sudden but transient changes in the fraction or illuminated foliage area in a well-watered 7-year-old Pinus radiata D. Don tree were imposed by completely covering either the upper 22% or the lower 78% of the foliage for periods of up to 36 h. Measurements of transpiration flux density (E), tree conductance (gt), stomatal conductance (gs) and net photosynthesis (A) were made to test the hypothesis that compensatory responses would occur in the remaining illuminated foliage when the cover was installed. When the lower foliage was covered there was an immediate decrease in gt. However, when tree conductance was normalized with respect to the illuminated leaf area (gt'), it increased between 50 and 75%, depending on the value of air saturation deficit (D). The effect was also apparent from concurrent measurements of increases in gs and A up to 59 and 24%, respectively, for needles in the top third of (he crown. When the cover was removed these effects were reversed. The changes in the lower foliage when the upper foliage was covered were much smaller. Changes in bulk needle water potential were small. It is suggested that the observed responses occurred because of a perturbation to the hydraulic pathway in the xylem that could have triggered the action of a chemical signal to regulate stomatal conductance and photosynthesis.

Notes: Abstract. Experiments were carried out on Pinus radiata (D. Don) trees grown as cuttings from clonal parent stock. Some of these trees were about 0.4 m high while others were about 5 m high; all were grown in containers. The stem diameters at the tops and at the bottoms of the large trees, rates of photosynthesis, and needle water potentials were measured both when the trees were well watered and as they dehydrated after water was withheld. The water potentials of well-watered plants was highest in the small trees and lowest at the top of the large trees. When water was withheld, photosynthesis was in most cases unaffected by a small reduction in water potential, but the rate of photosynthesis fell as water potentials declined further. The stems of the large trees expanded at a constant rate when the trees were well watered and for part of the dehydration period, while subsequent stem shrinkage and the fall in photosynthesis both occurred at approximately the same time.Water potentials increased little in the 24 h after rewatering, and significant rates of photosynthesis were not measured until 2 or 3 d later while renewed stem expansion was not measured until 2 d after rewatering.Water deficits reduced the lumen diameter of newly matured stem tracheids, but increased the thickness of their walls. After 1 month of water potentials of about −2.4 MPa, tracheid lumen diameter and wall thickness were both much reduced, and this reduction continued in tracheids maturing shortly after rewatering.

Notes: Abstract. Stomatal conductance and needle water potential of P. radiata clones were measured after 2, 5 and 8 months on plants grown in controlled environment rooms with markedly different water vapour saturation deficits (D). Conductance was significantly lower at high D, but water potential differences between treatments were not significant. When trees were moved between treatments most of the changes in conductances occurred within 2 h, with residual changes after 24 h. Water potentials were not different 24 h after the trees were moved. The effects were completely reversible.Transpiration rates of individual trees were highest in the high D treatment and lowest in the low D treatment. They were not linearly related to D because of decreasing conductance with increasing D.Height growth, diameter growth and foliage areas were not significantly different between treatments. Tracheid lumen diameters tended to be larger in trees grown at higher D although treatment differences were not significant.There were significant clonal differences in shoot conductance and tracheid dimensions.

Notes: The effects of CO2 enrichment on photosynthesis and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rubisco) were studied in current year and 1-year-old needles of the same branch of field-grown Pinus radiata D. Don trees. All measurements were made in the fourth year of growth in large, open-top chambers continuously maintained at ambient (36 Pa) or elevated (65 Pa) CO2 partial pressures. Photosynthetic rates of the 1-year-old needles made at the growth CO2 partial pressure averaged 10·5 ± 0·5 μmol m−2 s−1 in the 36 Pa grown trees and 11·8 ± 0·4 μmol m−2 s−1 in the 65 Pa grown trees, and were not significantly different from each other. The photosynthetic capacity of 1-year-old needles was reduced by 25% from 23·0 ± 1·8 μmol m−2 s−1 in the 36 Pa CO2 grown trees to 17·3 ± 0·7 μmol m−2 s−1 in the 65 Pa grown trees. Growth in elevated CO2 also resulted in a 25% reduction in Vcmax (maximum carboxylation rate), a 23% reduction in Jmax (RuBP regeneration capacity mediated by maximum electron transport rate) and a 30% reduction in Rubisco activity and content. Total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) as a fraction of total dry mass increased from 12·8 ± 0·4% in 1-year-old needles from the 36 Pa grown trees to 14·2 ± 0·7% in 1-year-old needles from the 65 Pa grown trees and leaf nitrogen content decreased from 1·30 ± 0·02 to 1·09 ± 0·10 g m−2. The current-year needles were not of sufficient size for gas exchange measurements, but none of the biochemical parameters measured (Rubisco, leaf chlorophyll, TNC and N), were effected by growth in elevated CO2. These results demonstrate that photosynthetic acclimation, which was not found in the first 2 years of this experiment, can develop over time in field-grown trees and may be regulated by source-sink balance, sugar feedback mechanisms and nitrogen allocation.