You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article

Leaf-level resource use for evergreen and deciduous conifers along a resource availability gradient

  1. B. D. Kloeppel1,†,
  2. S. T. Gower1,
  3. J. G. Vogel1,‡,
  4. P. B. Reich2

Article first published online: 25 DEC 2001

DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.2000.00439.x

Issue

Functional Ecology

Functional Ecology

Volume 14, Issue 3, pages 281–292, June 2000

Additional Information

How to Cite

Kloeppel, B. D., Gower, S. T., Vogel, J. G. and Reich, P. B. (2000), Leaf-level resource use for evergreen and deciduous conifers along a resource availability gradient. Functional Ecology, 14: 281–292. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.2000.00439.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Forest Ecology and Management, 1630 Linden Drive, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA, and

  2. 2

    Department of Forest Resources, 115 Green Hall, 1530 North Cleveland Avenue, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA

  1. †

    Present address and correspondence: Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, 3160 Coweeta Lab Road, Otto, NC 28763, USA.

  2. ‡

    Present address: Department of Forest Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 757200, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 25 DEC 2001
  2. Article first published online: 25 DEC 2001
  3. Received 26 November 1998; revised 6 September 1999;accepted 16 September 1999

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (990K)

Keywords:

  • Larix occidentalis;
  • photosynthesis;
  • Pinus contorta;
  • Pseudotsuga menziesii;
  • resource-use efficiency;
  • respiration

Abstract

1. We compared leaf-level carbon, nitrogen and water use for a deciduous (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) and sympatric evergreen (Pseudotsuga menziesii, Beissn., Franco, or Pinus contorta Engelm.) conifer along a resource availability gradient spanning the natural range of L. occidentalis in western Montana, USA.

2. We hypothesized that leaf photosynthesis (A), respiration (r), specific leaf area (SLA) and foliar nitrogen concentration (N) would be higher for deciduous than sympatric evergreen conifers in mixed stands, and that these interspecies differences would increase from high to low resource availability. We also hypothesized that leaf-level nitrogen and water-use efficiency would be higher for the co-occurring evergreen conifer than L. occidentalis.

3. In general, mass-based photosynthesis (Am) was significantly higher for L. occidentalis than co-occurring evergreen conifers in the drier sites, but Am was similar for evergreen and deciduous conifers at the mesic site.

4. Mass-based foliar nitrogen concentration (Nm) was positively correlated to SLA for all species combined across the gradient (R2 = 0·64), but the relationship was very weak (R2 = 0·08–0·34) for evergreen and deciduous species separately. Mass-based Am and rm were poorly correlated to Nm for all species combined across the gradient (R2 = 0·28 and 0·04, respectively).

5. For each site-species combination, daily maximum Am was negatively correlated to vapour pressure deficit (VPD) (R2 = 0·36–0·59), but was poorly correlated to twig predawn water potential (R2 < 0·04).

6. Instantaneous nitrogen-use efficiency (NUEi; Am divided by Nm) and water-use efficiency (δ13C) increased significantly (P = 0·05) from high to low resource availability for both evergreen and deciduous conifers, except for NUEi in L. occidentalis.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (990K)