Authors: Ladd, Brenton; Peri, Pablo Luis; Pepper, David A.; Silva, Lucas C.R.; Sheil, Douglas; Bonser, Stephen P.; Laffan, Shawn W.; Amelung, Wulf; Ekblad, Alf; Eliasson, Peter; Bahamonde, Héctor Alejandro; Duarte Guardia, Sandra; Bird, Michael I.
Publication Date: 2014.
Language: English.
Abstract:
Leaf area index (LAI), a measure of canopy density, is a key variable for modelling and understanding primary productivity, and also water use and energy exchange in forest ecosystems. However, LAI varies considerably with phenology and disturbance patterns, so alternative approaches to quantifying stand‐level processes should be considered. The carbon isotope composition of soil organic matter (δ13CSOM) provides a time‐integrated, productivity‐weighted measure of physiological and stand‐level processes, reflecting biomass deposition from seasonal to decadal time scales. Our primary aim was to explore how well LAI correlates with δ13CSOM across biomes. Using a global data set spanning large environmental gradients in tropical, temperate and boreal forest and woodland, we assess the strength of the correlation between LAI and δ13CSOM; we also assess climatic variables derived from the WorldClim database. We found that LAI was strongly correlated with δ13CSOM, but was also correlated with Mean Temperature of the Wettest Quarter, Mean Precipitation of Warmest Quarter and Annual Solar Radiation across and within biomes. Synthesis. Our results demonstrate that δ13CSOM values can provide spatially explicit estimates of leaf area index (LAI) and could therefore serve as a surrogate for productivity and water use. While δ13CSOM has traditionally been used to reconstruct the relative abundance of C3 versus C4 species, the results of this study demonstrate that within stable C3‐ or C4‐dominated biomes, δ13CSOM can provide additional insights. The fact that LAI is strongly correlated to δ13CSOM may allow for a more nuanced interpretation of ecosystem properties of palaeoecosystems based on palaeosol 13C values.
EEA Santa Cruz
Author affiliation: Ladd, Brenton. Universidad Científica del Sur. Escuela de Agroforestería; Peru. University of New South Wales. School of Biological. Earth and Environmental Sciences, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre; Australia
Author affiliation: Peri, Pablo Luis. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral; Argentina. INTA. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Author affiliation: Pepper, David A. University of New South Wales. School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences; Australia.
Author affiliation: Silva, Lucas C.R. University of California. Department of Land, Air and Water Resources; Estados Unidos
Author affiliation: Sheil, Douglas. Southern Cross University. School of Environmental Science and Management; Australia. Center for International Forestry Research; Indonesia. Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management; Noruega
Author affiliation: Bonser, Stephen P. University of New South Wales. School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences. Evolution and Ecology Research Centre; Australia
Author affiliation: Laffan, Shawn W. University of New South Wales. School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences; Australia
Author affiliation: Amelung, Wulf. University of Bonn. Soil Science and Soil Ecology. Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES); Alemania
Author affiliation: Ekblad, Alf. Örebro University. School of Science and Technology; Suecia
Author affiliation: Eliasson, Peter. Örebro University. School of Science and Technology; Suecia. Lund University. Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science; Suecia
Author affiliation: Bahamonde, Héctor Alejandro. INTA. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Author affiliation: Duarte Guardia, Sandra. Universidad Científica del Sur. Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales; Perú
Author affiliation: Bird, Michael I. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Department of Ecology; Suecia. James Cook University. College of Science, Technology and Engineering and Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science; Australia
Repository: INTA Digital (INTA). Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
Authors: Fernández, Victoria; Bahamonde, Héctor Alejandro; Peguero-Pina, José Javier; Gil-Pelegrín, Eustaquio; Sancho-Knapik, Domingo; Gil, Luis; Goldbach, Heiner E.; Eichert, Thomas
Publication Date: 2017.
Language: English.
Abstract:
Most aerial plant surfaces are covered with a lipid-rich cuticle, which is a barrier for the bidirectional transport of substances between the plant and the surrounding environment. This review article provides an overview of the significance of the leaf cuticle as a barrier for the deposition and absorption of water and electrolytes. After providing insights into the physico-chemical properties of plant surfaces, the mechanisms of foliar absorption are revised with special emphasis on solutes. Due to the limited information and relative importance of the leaf cuticle of herbaceous and deciduous cultivated plants, an overview of the studies developed with Alpine conifers and treeline species is provided. The significance of foliar water uptake as a phenomenon of ecophysiological relevance in many areas of the world is also highlighted. Given the observed variability in structure and composition among, for example, plant species and organs, it is concluded that it is currently not possible to establish general permeability and wettability models that are valid for predicting liquid-surface interactions and the subsequent transport of water and electrolytes across plant surfaces.
EEA Santa Cruz
Author affiliation: Fernández, Victoria. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. School of Forest Engineering. Forest Genetics and Ecophysiology Research Group; España
Author affiliation: Bahamonde, Héctor Alejandro. INTA. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina.
Author affiliation: Peguero-Pina, José Javier. Gobierno de Aragón. Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria. Unidad de Recursos Forestales; España
Author affiliation: Gil-Pelegrín, Eustaquio. Gobierno de Aragón. Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria. Unidad de Recursos Forestales; España
Author affiliation: Sancho-Knapik, Domingo. Gobierno de Aragón. Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria. Unidad de Recursos Forestales; España
Author affiliation: Gil, Luis. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. School of Forest Engineering. Forest Genetics and Ecophysiology Research Group; España
Author affiliation: Goldbach, Heiner E. University of Bonn. Department of Plant Nutrition. Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation; Alemania
Author affiliation: Eichert, Thomas. University of Bonn. Department of Plant Nutrition. Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation; Alemania
Repository: INTA Digital (INTA). Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria