ABOVE- AND BELOW-GROUND COMPETITION BETWEEN SEEDLINGS OF LIANAS AND TREES UNDER TWO LIGHT IRRADIANCES

doi:10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2008.03.013

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Lianas are an important component of forests, especially in the tropics. They strongly influence regeneration of trees and maintenance of species diversity in tropical forests, but little is known about competition between trees and lianas. In this study, we investigate the effects of lianas on the morphology, photosynthesis and growth of trees and examine the relative importance of above- and below-ground competition between tree and liana seedlings under different light irradiances.

Methods We used four different competition treatments (AC: all competition; RC: root competition; SC: shoot competition; NC: no competition) between seedlings of one shade-intolerant liana (Byttneria grandif-olia) and three tree species (shade-tolerant Litsea dilleniifolia and Pometia tomentosa and shade-intolerant Bauhinia variegata). Seedlings were grown in a shade house under two levels of light availability (4% and 35% light intensity).

Important findings Competition from lianas substantially reduced the growth of tree seedlings, but the relative importance of above- and below-ground competition differed between the two light levels. At low light intensity, the relative growth rate (RGR) and photosynthetic capacity (maximum net photosynthetic rate, P_max) in seedlings of all three tree species were reduced more strongly by SC than RC. However, SC rather than RC greatly reduced RGR and P_max of tree seedlings grown under high light intensity. Different competition combinations (above- and below-ground competition) of liana seedlings resulted in distinctive morphological traits in seedlings of the three tree species. The specific leaf area and leaf area ratio of the three tree species were significantly influenced by light intensity. Meanwhile, only those of the light demanding species, B. variegata, were affected by the liana competition. Tree seedlings had small diameter, low height, leaf numbers and leaf area with slight changes in slenderness (stem length/diameter) under the competitive environments of liana seedlings. In conclusion, our findings suggest that competition from liana seedlings can greatly suppress growth in tree seedlings of both shade-intolerant and shade-tolerant species and the effects of lianas on tree seedlings can differ with type of competition. Above- and below-ground competition can interactively limit the growth of tree seedlings.

Key words: lianas, trees, above- and below-ground competition, photosynthesis, relative growth rate

CHEN Ya-Jun, CAO Kun-Fang, CAI Zhi-Quan. ABOVE- AND BELOW-GROUND COMPETITION BETWEEN SEEDLINGS OF LIANAS AND TREES UNDER TWO LIGHT IRRADIANCES[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2008, 32(3): 639-647.

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https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2008/V32/I3/639

Figures/Tables 8

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	最大净光合速率 Maximum net photosynthetic rate (P_max)			总生物量 Total biomass
	F	p		F		p
羊蹄甲Bauhinia variegata
光强 Light intensity	12.10	<0.001	36.70		<0.001
竞争 Competition	227.26	<0.001	7.38		<0.001
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	3.17	0.030	4.81		0.005
绒毛番龙眼Pometia tomentosa
光强 Light intensity	34.92	<0.001	33.72		<0.001
竞争 Competition	8.46	<0.001	18.74		<0.001
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	1.28	0.289	5.70		0.002
五桠果木姜子Litsea dilleniifolia
光强 Light intensity	149.83	<0.001	38.92		<0.001
竞争 Competition	30.38	<0.001	13.2		<0.001
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	10.05	<0.001	8.46		<0.001

	最大净光合速率 Maximum net photosynthetic rate (P_max)			总生物量 Total biomass
	F	p		F		p
羊蹄甲Bauhinia variegata
光强 Light intensity	12.10	<0.001	36.70		<0.001
竞争 Competition	227.26	<0.001	7.38		<0.001
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	3.17	0.030	4.81		0.005
绒毛番龙眼Pometia tomentosa
光强 Light intensity	34.92	<0.001	33.72		<0.001
竞争 Competition	8.46	<0.001	18.74		<0.001
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	1.28	0.289	5.70		0.002
五桠果木姜子Litsea dilleniifolia
光强 Light intensity	149.83	<0.001	38.92		<0.001
竞争 Competition	30.38	<0.001	13.2		<0.001
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	10.05	<0.001	8.46		<0.001

	RGR_B		RGR_H		RGR_A
	F	p		F	p		F	p
羊蹄甲Bauhinia variegata
光强 Light intensity	99.76	<0.001	21.77	<0.001	11.440	0.001
竞争 Competition	12.06	<0.001	12.42	<0.001	10.450	<0.001
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	7.99	<0.001	4.91	0.004	6.460	0.001
绒毛番龙眼Pometia tomentosa
光强 Light intensity	28.91	<0.001	19.36	<0.001	0.001	0.971
竞争 Competition	18.78	<0.001	19.00	<0.001	5.870	0.001
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	1.16	0.332	0.43	0.730	0.400	0.755
五桠果木姜子Litsea dilleniifolia
光强 Light intensity	48.71	<0.001	44.04	<0.001	1.350	0.250
竞争 Competition	16.00	<0.001	12.70	<0.001	9.870	<0.001
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	7.30	<0.001	5.45	0.002	5.070	0.003

	RGR_B		RGR_H		RGR_A
	F	p		F	p		F	p
羊蹄甲Bauhinia variegata
光强 Light intensity	99.76	<0.001	21.77	<0.001	11.440	0.001
竞争 Competition	12.06	<0.001	12.42	<0.001	10.450	<0.001
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	7.99	<0.001	4.91	0.004	6.460	0.001
绒毛番龙眼Pometia tomentosa
光强 Light intensity	28.91	<0.001	19.36	<0.001	0.001	0.971
竞争 Competition	18.78	<0.001	19.00	<0.001	5.870	0.001
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	1.16	0.332	0.43	0.730	0.400	0.755
五桠果木姜子Litsea dilleniifolia
光强 Light intensity	48.71	<0.001	44.04	<0.001	1.350	0.250
竞争 Competition	16.00	<0.001	12.70	<0.001	9.870	<0.001
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	7.30	<0.001	5.45	0.002	5.070	0.003

	高度 Height		直径 Diameter		长细比 Slenderness ratio		叶面积 Leaf area		比叶面积 SLA		叶面积比 LAR
	F	p		F	p		F	p		F	p		F	p	F	p
羊蹄甲Bauhinia variegata
光强 Light intensity	53.87	<0.001	57.26	<0.001	3.42	0.07	12.84	0.001	231.83	<0.001	154.48	<0.001
竞争 Competition	19.89	<0.001	13.12	<0.001	2.74	0.051	9.29	<0.001	5.73	0.002	4.39	0.007
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	11.03	<0.001	7.71	<0.001	2.47	0.07	5.59	0.002	7.40	<0.001	5.75	0.002
绒毛番龙眼Pometia tomentosa
光强 Light intensity	16.01	<0.001	60.1	<0.001	13.56	0.001	1.29	0.261	6.70	0.012	63.01	<0.001
竞争 Competition	16.67	<0.001	19.07	<0.001	2.65	0.057	6.38	0.001	0.992	0.403	2.20	0.098
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	0.19	0.903	3.37	0.025	1.61	0.197	0.36	0.784	1.198	0.319	0.37	0.776
五桠果木姜子Litsea dilleniifolia
光强 Light intensity	42.84	<0.001	85.27	<0.001	5.47	0.023	5.37	0.024	53.96	<0.001	127.93	<0.001
竞争 Competition	12.33	<0.001	23.28	<0.001	2.68	0.055	8.98	<0.001	0.67	0.573	2.49	0.069
竞争×光强 Competition×light intensity	5.88	0.001	11.52	<0.001	0.77	0.514	5.40	0.002	2.32	0.08	2.17	0.101