Nine years of irrigation cause vegetation and fine root shifts in a water-limited pine forest.
Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the inner-Alpine dry valleys of Switzerland have suffered from increased mortality during the past decades, which has been caused by longer and more frequent dry periods. In addition, a proceeding replacement of Scots pines by pubescent oaks (Quercus pubescens Wi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2014-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4011741?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818976623412641792 |
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| author | Claude Herzog Jan Steffen Elisabeth Graf Pannatier Irka Hajdas Ivano Brunner |
| author_facet | Claude Herzog Jan Steffen Elisabeth Graf Pannatier Irka Hajdas Ivano Brunner |
| author_sort | Claude Herzog |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the inner-Alpine dry valleys of Switzerland have suffered from increased mortality during the past decades, which has been caused by longer and more frequent dry periods. In addition, a proceeding replacement of Scots pines by pubescent oaks (Quercus pubescens Willd.) has been observed. In 2003, an irrigation experiment was performed to track changes by reducing drought pressure on the natural pine forest. After nine years of irrigation, we observed major adaptations in the vegetation and shifts in Scots pine fine root abundance and structure. Irrigation permitted new plant species to assemble and promote canopy closure with a subsequent loss of herb and moss coverage. Fine root dry weight increased under irrigation and fine roots had a tendency to elongate. Structural composition of fine roots remained unaffected by irrigation, expressing preserved proportions of cellulose, lignin and phenolic substances. A shift to a more negative δ13C signal in the fine root C indicates an increased photosynthetic activity in irrigated pine trees. Using radiocarbon (14C) measurement, a reduced mean age of the fine roots in irrigated plots was revealed. The reason for this is either an increase in newly produced fine roots, supported by the increase in fine root biomass, or a reduced lifespan of fine roots which corresponds to an enhanced turnover rate. Overall, the responses belowground to irrigation are less conspicuous than the more rapid adaptations aboveground. Lagged and conservative adaptations of tree roots with decadal lifespans are challenging to detect, hence demanding for long-term surveys. Investigations concerning fine root turnover rate and degradation processes under a changing climate are crucial for a complete understanding of C cycling. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T16:14:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e6568e30a5948e78d4e57455e43a8ed |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T16:14:47Z |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e6568e30a5948e78d4e57455e43a8ed2022-12-21T19:33:50ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0195e9632110.1371/journal.pone.0096321Nine years of irrigation cause vegetation and fine root shifts in a water-limited pine forest.Claude HerzogJan SteffenElisabeth Graf PannatierIrka HajdasIvano BrunnerScots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the inner-Alpine dry valleys of Switzerland have suffered from increased mortality during the past decades, which has been caused by longer and more frequent dry periods. In addition, a proceeding replacement of Scots pines by pubescent oaks (Quercus pubescens Willd.) has been observed. In 2003, an irrigation experiment was performed to track changes by reducing drought pressure on the natural pine forest. After nine years of irrigation, we observed major adaptations in the vegetation and shifts in Scots pine fine root abundance and structure. Irrigation permitted new plant species to assemble and promote canopy closure with a subsequent loss of herb and moss coverage. Fine root dry weight increased under irrigation and fine roots had a tendency to elongate. Structural composition of fine roots remained unaffected by irrigation, expressing preserved proportions of cellulose, lignin and phenolic substances. A shift to a more negative δ13C signal in the fine root C indicates an increased photosynthetic activity in irrigated pine trees. Using radiocarbon (14C) measurement, a reduced mean age of the fine roots in irrigated plots was revealed. The reason for this is either an increase in newly produced fine roots, supported by the increase in fine root biomass, or a reduced lifespan of fine roots which corresponds to an enhanced turnover rate. Overall, the responses belowground to irrigation are less conspicuous than the more rapid adaptations aboveground. Lagged and conservative adaptations of tree roots with decadal lifespans are challenging to detect, hence demanding for long-term surveys. Investigations concerning fine root turnover rate and degradation processes under a changing climate are crucial for a complete understanding of C cycling.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4011741?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Claude Herzog Jan Steffen Elisabeth Graf Pannatier Irka Hajdas Ivano Brunner Nine years of irrigation cause vegetation and fine root shifts in a water-limited pine forest. PLoS ONE |
| title | Nine years of irrigation cause vegetation and fine root shifts in a water-limited pine forest. |
| title_full | Nine years of irrigation cause vegetation and fine root shifts in a water-limited pine forest. |
| title_fullStr | Nine years of irrigation cause vegetation and fine root shifts in a water-limited pine forest. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nine years of irrigation cause vegetation and fine root shifts in a water-limited pine forest. |
| title_short | Nine years of irrigation cause vegetation and fine root shifts in a water-limited pine forest. |
| title_sort | nine years of irrigation cause vegetation and fine root shifts in a water limited pine forest |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4011741?pdf=render |
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