Seasonal dynamics of radial growth and micro-variation in stems of Quercus mongolica var. liaotungensis and Robinia pseudoacacia in loess hilly region

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2022.0100

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims The dynamics of radial growth and micro-variation in tree stems are jointly controlled by species-specific properties and environmental factors, and reflect the characteristics of trees in response to change of environments. Exploring the dynamic characteristics of diameter changes in various temporal scales and their relationships with environmental factors is an important way for revealing the species ecophysiological properties, particularly in semiarid areas where the trees are subjected to high risk of water stress. Our objectives were to clarify the year-round radial growth patterns and dynamics of micro-variations in stems of two semiarid afforestation species, Quercus mongolicavar. liaotungensis and Robinia pseudoacacia,and their response to major environmental factors.

Methods We used DC3 dendrometers to monitor stem diameters in order to investigate year-round dynamics of radial growth and stem micro-variations of the two species, Q. mongolicavar. liaotungensis and R. pseudoacacia, in the loess hilly region. Soil moisture dynamics and the main meteorological factors driving transpiration were simultaneously monitored for analyses on the relationship between stem micro-variation and environmental factors.

Important findings The year-round change of stem diameter in the two species could be divided into a contraction phase during the non-growing season, a transition phase and a growing phase during the growing season. The radial growth of Q. mongolicavar. liaotungensis and R. pseudoacacia started around April 7 and May 4, respectively, and ceased in late September. The diameter changes for the growing phase in Q. mongolicavar. liaotungensis and R. pseudoacacia could be fitted by the exponential saturation growth function and the linear growth function, respectively. The diurnal courses of stem micro-variation for both species were grouped monthly, which showed a typical non-growing (November to March of next year) and a typical growing season (June to September) patterns, while it differed between the two species in April and May, probably due to their species-specific phenological rhythm. The daily maximum diameter shrinkage for both tree species was negatively correlated with air temperature and air vapor pressure deficit during the non-growing season, but positively with those during the growing season. The diameter shrinkage and expansion during non-growing season were strongly influenced by air temperature, while those during the growing season were mainly caused by changes in water within the stem due to transpiration and replenishment. The daily variation of diameter could be used to characterize the water loss through transpiration. The water loss per unit of air vapor pressure deficit in Q. mongolicavar. liaotungensis showed significant difference under two periods differing in soil moisture condition, whereas that in R. pseudoacacia did not reach a significant level, indicating that Q. mongolicavar. liaotungensis adjusted its response level of transpiration to the driving factor. Those results may contribute to clarifying the mechanism of stem micro-variation in the two species and the species-specific strategies for regulation of leaf transpiration in response to changes in soil water condition.

Key words: Quercus mongolicavar. liaotungensis, Robinia pseudoacacia, radial growth, stem diameter micro-variation, diurnal variation, seasonal dynamic

LIU Mei-Jun, CHEN Qiu-Wen, LÜ Jin-Lin, LI Guo-Qing, DU Sheng. Seasonal dynamics of radial growth and micro-variation in stems of Quercus mongolica var. liaotungensis and Robinia pseudoacacia in loess hilly region[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2023, 47(2): 227-237.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2022.0100

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2023/V47/I2/227

Figures/Tables 7

Table 1 Basic information of the sample trees of Quercus mongolica var. liaotungensis and Robinia pseudoacacia in the loess hilly region

树种 Species	样树编号 Sample tree No.	树高 Tree height (m)	胸径 DBH (cm)
辽东栎 Q. mongolica var. liaotungensis	1	6.9	20.2
	2	6.9	25.9
	3	6.9	17.5
刺槐 R. pseudoacacia	4	8.1	13.3
	5	8.8	16.1
	6	9.1	12.9

Fig. 1 Dynamics of daily precipitation, average daily air temperature, average daily photosynthetically active radiation and daily maximum stem diameter variation of Quercus mongolica var. liaotungensis and Robinia pseudoacacia during the experiment. I, average daily air temperature and 15-day moving average; II, average daily photosynthetically active radiation and 15-day moving average; III, maximum daily variation in stem diameter and 15-day moving average of Q. mongolica var. liaotungensis; IV, maximum daily variation in stem diameter and 15-day moving average of R. pseudoacacia; P, precipitation.

Fig. 2 Radial growth pattern of stem diameter of Quercus mongolica var. liaotungensis and Robinia pseudoacacia during the growing season. I, daily maximum stem diameter variation of Q. mongolica var. liaotungensis; II, boundary points of daily maximum diameter variation of Q. mongolica var. liaotungensis; III, upper boundary line; IV, daily maximum stem diameter variation of R. pseudoacacia; V, boundary points of daily maximum diameter variation of R. pseudoacacia; VI, upper boundary line. Day of the growing season starts April 1, 2019.

Fig. 3 Daily pattern of monthly average stem radial variation of Quercus mongolica var. liaotungensis (I) and Robinia pseudoacacia (II).

Fig. 4 Diurnal variation of stem diameter and environmental factors in non-growing (A) and growing seasons (B) in typical sunny days. PAR, average daily photosynthetically active radiation; T, average daily air temperature; VPD, vapor pressure deficit.

Table 2 Correlation analysis of maximum daily shrinkage with meteorological factors during non-growing (January to February) and active growing (July to September) seasons of Quercus mongolica var. liaotungensis and Robinia pseudoacacia

时期 Period	树种 Tree species	空气温度 T (℃)	空气相对湿度 RH (%)	空气水汽压亏缺 VPD (kPa)	光合有效辐射 PAR (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)
非生长季 Non-growing season (n = 32)	辽东栎 Q. mongolica var. liaotungensis	-0.622^**	0.308	-0.536^**	0.198
非生长季 Non-growing season (n = 32)	刺槐 R. pseudoacacia	-0.732^**	0.151	-0.554^**	0.214
生长季盛期 Growing season (n = 30)	辽东栎 Q. mongolia var. liaotungensis	0.554^**	-0.513^**	0.610^**	0.525^**
生长季盛期 Growing season (n = 30)	刺槐 R. pseudoacacia	0.370^*	-0.354^*	0.393^*	0.372^*

Table 3 Significance analysis of the differences in the daily variation of diameter and its response to transpiration drivers under different soil moisture conditions of Quercus mongolica var. liaotungensis and Robinia pseudoacacia (mean ± SD)

树种 Species	项目 Item	土壤水分较高时段 High soil water content period	土壤水分较低时段 Low soil water content period
辽东栎 Q. mongolica var. liaotungensis	土壤含水量 Soil water content (%)	14.18 ± 0.55^a	10.20 ± 0.32^b
	MDS (μm)	204.16 ± 43.69^b	304.08 ± 53.22^a
	MDS/VPD (μm·kPa^-1)	151.04 ± 31.35^a	145.57 ± 23.31^a
	TWD (μm)	106.98 ± 37.02^a	73.62 ± 51.83^a
	TWD/VPD (μm·kPa^-1)	91.90 ± 25.58^a	34.28 ± 22.45^b
刺槐 R. pseudoacacia	土壤含水量 Soil water content (%)	10.80 ± 0.71^a	9.80 ± 0.28^b
	MDS (μm)	125.38 ± 27.56^a	136.88 ± 54.72^a
	MDS/VPD (μm·kPa^-1)	91.90 ± 13.54^a	65.25 ± 23.32^a
	TWD (μm)	58.90 ± 21.42^a	72.96 ± 98.84^a
	TWD/VPD (μm·kPa^-1)	42.67 ± 12.18^a	34.55 ± 44.14^a

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