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Ecophysiology of Forest Succession under Changing Environment

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A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecophysiology and Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2021) | Viewed by 75027

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Takayoshi Koike

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Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita 9 Nishi 9, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8589, Japan
Interests: forestry; ecophysiology; climate change

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Regulation of forest succession is essential to sustainable resource management in natural and man-made forests under rapidly changing environments, e.g., increasing CO2 and O3, nitrogen deposition, soil degradation, and flooding. For this, we should identify interactions between the demography of forest tree species (pollination, fruit set, germination, seedling establishment, growth of trees, etc.) and their abiotic and biotic conditions. Former studies in this field have been well-reviewed by Bazzaz (1979), Schulze et al. (1993), Scherer-Lorenzen et al. (2005), and Matyssek et al. (2012) from Euro–American perspectives. In this Special Issue, we will focus on recent progress in ecophysiological aspects in forest succession as well as biodiversity conservation in species-rich ecosystems with disturbances. In this sense, we welcome not only original papers but also mini-reviews.

Prof. Dr. Takayoshi Koike
Guest Editor

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Keywords

ecophysiology
changing environment
biodiversity
disturbances
forest succession

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 1693 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Regeneration Dynamics on Treefall Mounds and Pits for 10 Years after a Windfall in a Natural Mixed Forest

by Toshiya Yoshida

Forests 2021, 12(8), 1064; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12081064 - 10 Aug 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1855

Abstract

The treefall mounds and pits resulting from uprooting caused by strong winds is an indispensable microtopography for the regeneration of many tree species through improved light conditions and mineral soil exposure. These microtopographies are expected to become more important because global warming is predicted to increase windstorm frequency. This study aimed to clarify the characteristics of mounds and pits that contribute to the early establishment of major tree species in a natural mixed forest of northern Japan. The 39 tip-up mounds caused simultaneously by a strong typhoon in September 2004 were selected. In 2006, light intensity and soil moisture contents were measured in each mound and pit. Seedlings of all tree species were counted, and in 2014, the height of saplings was measured. The initial seedling density, regardless of tree species, was significantly higher in the pits than on the mound, but the density at the 10-th growing season decreased significantly in the pits and was comparable between the two locations. Intense light conditions favor regeneration of Betula sp. (Betula platyphylla and B. ermanii). In contrast, for Abies sachalinensis and Picea glehnii, the light intensity had a negative effect, so it was concluded that regeneration of conifers would be limited under the condition where strong winds form large gaps. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecophysiology of Forest Succession under Changing Environment)

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16 pages, 1464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Species-Specific Nitrogen Resorption Efficiency in Quercus mongolica and Acer mono in Response to Elevated CO₂ and Soil N Deficiency

by Hiroyuki Tobita, Mitsutoshi Kitao, Akira Uemura and Hajime Utsugi

Forests 2021, 12(8), 1034; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12081034 - 4 Aug 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1852

Abstract

To test the effects of elevated CO₂ and soil N deficiency on N resorption efficiency (NRE) from senescing leaves in two non-N₂-fixing deciduous broadleaved tree species, Japanese oak (Quercus mongolica var. grosseserrata Blume) and Painted maple (Acer mono Maxim. var. glabrum (Lév. Et Van’t.) Hara), potted seedlings were grown in a natural daylight phytotron with either ambient or elevated CO₂ conditions (36 Pa and 72 Pa CO₂) and with two levels of N (52.5 and 5.25 mg N pot⁻¹ week⁻¹ for high N and low N, respectively). We examined the N content (N_mass) of mature and senescent leaves, as well as photosynthesis and the growth of plants, and calculated both the mass-based NRE (NRE_mass) and leaf area-based NRE (NRE_area). In both species, the N_mass of mature leaves decreased with high CO₂ and low N, whereas the leaf mass per area (LMA) increased under elevated CO₂, regardless of N treatments. In Q. mongolica, both the maximum rate of carboxylation (V_cmax) and the maximum electron transport rate (J_max) were reduced by elevated CO₂ and low N, but V_cmax exhibited an interactive effect of N and CO₂ treatments. However, in A. mono, both the V_cmax and J_max decreased under elevated CO₂, regardless of N treatments. The partitioning of N for the photosynthetic function within leaves was also significantly decreased by elevated CO₂ in both species and increased under low N in A. mono. The N_mass of senesced leaves decreased under low N in both species and exhibited an increase (Q. mongolica) or no effect (A. mono) by elevated CO₂. The NRE_area of Q. mongolica was affected by CO₂ and N treatments, with a decrease under elevated CO₂ compared to ambient CO₂ and under low N compared to high N. The NRE_area of A. mono was also affected by CO₂ and N treatments and decreased under elevated CO₂; however, unlike in the case of Q. mongolica, it increased under low N. We speculate that these interspecific differences in the responses of leaf N allocation, indicated by the photosynthetic (V_cmax and J_max) and morphological (LMA) responses to elevated CO₂, may have affected the NRE during defoliation under high CO₂ and soil N-deficient conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecophysiology of Forest Succession under Changing Environment)

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14 pages, 2493 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Throughfall Exclusion on Photosynthetic Traits in Mature Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica (L. f.) D. Don.)

by Tanaka Kenzo, Yuta Inoue, Masatake G. Araki, Tatsuro Kawasaki, Satoshi Kitaoka, Tatsuya Tsurita, Tadashi Sakata and Satoshi Saito

Forests 2021, 12(8), 971; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12080971 - 22 Jul 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2610

Abstract

As climate change progresses, it is becoming more crucial to understand how timber species respond to increased drought frequency and severity. Photosynthetic traits in a 40-year-old clonal Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) plantation were assessed under artificial drought stress using a roof to exclude rainfall and a control with no exclusion. C. japonica is a commercial tree that is native to Japan and has high growth on mesic sites. The maximum carboxylation rate (Vc_max), maximum electron transfer rate (J_max), and dark respiration rate (R_d) in current-year shoots in the upper canopy were determined from spring to autumn over two growing seasons. In addition, the photosynthetic rate at light saturation (P_max), stomatal conductance (g_s), and intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE_i) were measured in the morning and afternoon during the same period. Leaf mass per unit area (LMA) and nitrogen concentration (N) were also measured. The values of Vc_max, J_max, R_d, N, and LMA did not differ between the two plots. By contrast, significantly lower P_max and g_s and higher WUE_i were found in the drought plot, and the reduction in P_max was accompanied by low g_s values. Midday depressions in P_max and g_s were more pronounced in the drought plot relative to the control and were related to higher WUE_i. Under drought conditions, mature Japanese cedar experienced little change in photosynthetic capacity, foliar N, or LMA, but they did tend to close the stomata to regulate transpiration, thus avoiding drought-induced damage to the photosynthetic machinery and improving WUE_i. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecophysiology of Forest Succession under Changing Environment)

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14 pages, 4456 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Elevated CO₂ and Nitrogen Loading on the Defensive Traits of Three Successional Deciduous Broad-Leaved Tree Seedlings

by Yoko Watanabe, Kiyomi Hinata, Laiye Qu, Satoshi Kitaoka, Makoto Watanabe, Mitsutoshi Kitao and Takayoshi Koike

Forests 2021, 12(7), 939; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12070939 - 16 Jul 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2354

Abstract

To elucidate changes in the defensive traits of tree seedlings under global environmental changes, we evaluated foliar defensive traits of the seedlings of successional trees, such as beech, oak, and magnolia grown in a natural-light phytotron. Potted seedlings were grown under the combination of two CO₂ concentrations (360 vs. 720 ppm) and two nitrogen (N) treatments (4 vs. 15 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) for two growing seasons using quantitative chemical analyses and anatomical method. We hypothesized that the effects of CO₂ and N depend on the successional type, with late successional species providing greater defense of their leaves against herbivores, as this species exhibits determinate growth. Beech, a late successional species, responded the most to both elevated CO₂ concentration (eCO₂) and high N treatment. eCO₂ and low N supply enhanced the defensive traits, such as the high leaf mass per area (LMA), high carbon to N ratio (C/N ratio), and increase in the concentrations of total phenolic and condensed tannin in agreement with the carbon–nutrient balance (CNB) hypothesis. High N supply decreased the C/N ratio due to the high N uptake in beech leaves. Oak, a mid–late successional species, exhibited different responses from beech: eCO₂ enhanced the LMA, C/N ratio, and concentration of total phenolics of oak leaves, but only condensed tannin increased under high N supply. Magnolia did not respond to all treatments. No interactive effects were observed between CO₂ and N supply in all species, except for the concentration of total phenolics in oak. Although the amounts of phenolic compounds in beech and oak varied under eCO₂ and high N treatments, the distribution of these compounds did not change. Our results indicate that the changes in the defensive traits of forest tree species under eCO₂ with N loading are related to the successional type. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecophysiology of Forest Succession under Changing Environment)

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12 pages, 2542 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Growth and Photosynthetic Responses of Seedlings of Japanese White Birch, a Fast-Growing Pioneer Species, to Free-Air Elevated O₃ and CO₂

by Mitsutoshi Kitao, Evgenios Agathokleous, Kenichi Yazaki, Masabumi Komatsu, Satoshi Kitaoka and Hiroyuki Tobita

Forests 2021, 12(6), 675; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12060675 - 25 May 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2379

Abstract

Plant growth is not solely determined by the net photosynthetic rate (A), but also influenced by the amount of leaves as a photosynthetic apparatus. To evaluate growth responses to CO₂ and O₃, we investigated the effects of elevated CO₂ (550–560 µmol mol⁻¹) and O₃ (52 nmol mol⁻¹; 1.7 × ambient O₃) on photosynthesis and biomass allocation in seedlings of Japanese white birch (Betula platyphylla var. japonica) grown in a free-air CO₂ and O₃ exposure system without any limitation of root growth. Total biomass was enhanced by elevated CO₂ but decreased by elevated O₃. The ratio of root to shoot (R:S ratio) showed no difference among the treatment combinations, suggesting that neither elevated CO₂ nor elevated O₃ affected biomass allocation in the leaf. Accordingly, photosynthetic responses to CO₂ and O₃ might be more important for the growth response of Japanese white birch. Based on A measured under respective growth CO₂ conditions, light-saturated A at a light intensity of 1500 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ (A₁₅₀₀) in young leaves (ca. 30 days old) exhibited no enhancement by elevated CO₂ in August, suggesting photosynthetic acclimation to elevated CO₂. However, lower A₁₅₀₀ was observed in old leaves (ca. 60 days old) of plants grown under elevated O₃ (regulated to be twice ambient O₃). Conversely, light-limited A measured under a light intensity of 200 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ (A₂₀₀) was significantly enhanced by elevated CO₂ in young leaves, but suppressed by elevated O₃ in old leaves. Decreases in total biomass under elevated O₃ might be attributed to accelerated leaf senescence by O_3, indicated by the reduced A₁₅₀₀ and A₂₀₀ in old leaves. Increases in total biomass under elevated CO₂ might be attributed to enhanced A under high light intensities, which possibly occurred before the photosynthetic acclimation observed in August, and/or enhanced A under limiting light intensities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecophysiology of Forest Succession under Changing Environment)

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14 pages, 2673 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Differences in Characteristics of Photosynthesis and Nitrogen Utilization in Leaves of the Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) According to Leaf Position

by Dongsu Choi, Woongsoon Jang, Hiroto Toda and Masato Yoshikawa

Forests 2021, 12(3), 348; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12030348 - 16 Mar 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3112

Abstract

Robinia pseudoacacia L. has been widely planted worldwide for a variety of purposes, but it is a nonindigenous species currently invading the central part of Japanese river terraces. To understand and control this invasion, we investigated how this species invests nitrogen resources in different functions depending on the leaf location, and how these resources are used in physiological reactions such as photosynthesis. The Tama river terrace was examined in Tokyo, Japan. The leaf nitrogen (N) concentration, chlorophyll (Chl) concentration, Chl a/b ratio, leaf mass per unit area (LMA) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase (RuBisCo) concentration were all significantly lower in shade leaves than in leaves exposed to the sun. Conversely, the net photosynthetic rate in saturated light conditions (P_max), the net photosynthetic rate under enhanced CO₂ concentration and light saturation (A_max), the maximum carboxylation rate of RuBisCo (V_cmax) and the maximum rate of electron transport driving RUBP regeneration (J_max) were all significantly lower in shade leaves than in leaves exposed to the sun. We also found that RuBisCo/N and Chl/N were significantly less in shade leaves, and values of J_max/N, V_cmax/N less in shade leaves than in sun leaves, but not significantly. Allocation of nitrogen in leaves to photosynthetic proteins, RuBisCo (N_R) was broadly less in shade leaves, and N_L (light-harvesting complex: LHC, photosystem I and II: PSI and PSII) and N_E (electron transport) were also lower. The N remaining was much greater in shade leaves than in sun leaves. We suggest that N remobilization from RuBisCo is more efficient than remobilization from proteins of N_E, and from N_L. This study shows that R. pseudoacacia has an enhanced ability to adapt to environmental changes via characteristic changes in N allocation trade-offs and physiological traits in its sun and shade leaves. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecophysiology of Forest Succession under Changing Environment)

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17 pages, 1487 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Growth and Nutrient Acclimation of Evergreen Oak Seedlings Infected with Boletus reticulatus in Infertile Colluvial Soil in Warm Temperate Monsoon Asia: Evaluation of Early Growth

by Masazumi Kayama

Forests 2020, 11(8), 870; https://doi.org/10.3390/f11080870 - 10 Aug 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2438

Abstract

Soil erosion after harvesting of forest plantations can create infertile colluvial soil, therefore, seedlings used for site reforestation should be equipped against nutrient-poor edaphic conditions. The oak genus is a suitable candidate for such reforestation efforts. Oak is an ectomycorrhizal (ECM) tree genus known to grow under infertile environments. In this study, the initial stage of tree growth in three species of oak seedlings inoculated with a spore suspension of ECM fungus was monitored to evaluate the acceleration of seedling growth and nutrient uptake. I selected Quercus acuta Thunb., Quercus glauca Thunb., and Quercus salicina Blume, as these are common, evergreen, broad-leaved woody species commonly found in Southwestern Japan. The seedlings were inoculated with Boletus reticulatus and planted in infertile colluvial soils collected from a site that had undergone soil erosion. I also compared the ecophysiological characteristics of the potted seedlings planted in colluvial soil and normal forest soil. After six months of cultivation, Q. glauca with the ECM showed the highest growth rate in the fertile forest soil and had leaves with a higher nutrient content. In contrast, root dry mass increased slightly in Q. acuta and Q. salicina planted in colluvial soil. In all species, the seedling’s ECM colonization rate in colluvial soil was lower than that in forest soil, yet the increase in nutrient uptake in the former was not obvious. The contents of K and Ca in the roots of Q. acuta and Q. salicina increased with B. reticulatus infection. I concluded that the inoculation with a B. reticulatus spore suspension effectively accelerated the growths in all three Quercus species. Q. glauca favored a fertile environment, and Q. acuta and Q. salicina suitably acclimated to both soil types. Thus, these species were selected as potential future candidates for reforestation in such eroded sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecophysiology of Forest Succession under Changing Environment)

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11 pages, 1040 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Topographic Factors and Tree Heights of Aged Cryptomeria japonica Plantations in the Boso Peninsula, Japan

by Takeshi Tange and Feng Ge

Forests 2020, 11(7), 771; https://doi.org/10.3390/f11070771 - 18 Jul 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 55101

Abstract

This study aimed to clarify the environmental factors limiting the height of aged Cryptomeria japonica trees. The study was conducted on C. japonica plantations of about 100 years old at the Boso Peninsula, Japan, where the climatic conditions are almost uniform. Twenty-eight plots measuring 10 × 10 m were established on ridges, and 40 plots were established on the middle or lower sections of slopes. The stand ages ranged from 93 to 115 years old. The height of the tallest tree and soil depth (SD) were measured in each plot, and the wetness index (WI) and openness (OP) of each plot were calculated using a digital elevation model. The tree height at the 100-year age (H₁₀₀) was estimated. The H₁₀₀ ranged from 16.2 to 44.9 m and was significantly correlated with the logWI (r = 0.78) and OP (r = −0.70). SD and H₁₀₀ were significantly correlated in the plots on the ridges but not in the plots on the middle or lower sections of slopes. It indicated that soil water retention capacity might limit tree height in the relatively dry soil conditions. The coefficient of determination adjusted by the number of parameters for H₁₀₀ predicted using multiple regression analysis with environmental factors of logWI, logWI and OP, or logWI, OP and SD were 0.60, 0.69, and 0.73, respectively. The inclusion of OP and SD in the model improved the prediction of H₁₀₀, suggesting that the wind and rooting depth could be the influencing factors in determining the height of aged trees. The findings of this study could be used in the planning and management of forestry plantations of long rotation system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecophysiology of Forest Succession under Changing Environment)

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18 pages, 2510 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Economy of Canopy Space Occupation and Shade Production in Early- to Late-Successional Temperate Tree Species and Their Relation to Productivity

by Christoph Leuschner and Marc Hagemeier

Forests 2020, 11(3), 317; https://doi.org/10.3390/f11030317 - 13 Mar 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2138

Abstract

Light capture is linked to occupation of canopy space by tree crowns, which requires investment of carbon and nutrients. We hypothesize that (i) late-successional trees invest more in casting shade than in occupying space than early-successional trees, and (ii) shade production and crown volume expansion are generally greater in more productive species. For six Central European early-successional (Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris), mid/late-successional (Quercus petraea, Carpinus betulus), and late-successional tree species (Tilia cordata, Fagus sylvatica), we measured through full-tree harvests (1) crown volume, (2) the costs of canopy space exploration (carbon (C) and nutrients invested to fill crown volume), of space occupation (annual foliage production per volume), and of shade production (foliage needed to reduce light transmittance), and (3) related the costs to aboveground productivity (ANPP). The C and nutrient costs of canopy volume exploration and occupation were independent of the species’ seral stage, but increased with ANPP. In contrast, the cost of shade production decreased from early-to late-successional species, suggesting that the economy of shade production is more decisive for the competitive superiority of late-successional species than the economy of canopy space exploration and occupation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecophysiology of Forest Succession under Changing Environment)

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