Role of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance on the long-term rising of intrinsic water use efficiency in dominant trees in three old-growth forests in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro
Old-growth forests have an important role in maintaining animal and plant diversity, are important carbon (C) reservoirs and are privileged sites to study long-term plant physiological responses, long-term forest dynamics and climate change impact on forest ecosystems. Several studies have highlight...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF)
2021-02-01
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| Series: | iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://iforest.sisef.org/contents/?id=ifor3414-013 |
| _version_ | 1818418702344781824 |
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| author | Palandrani C Motta R Cherubini P Curović M Dukić V Tonon G Ceccon C Peressotti A Alberti G |
| author_facet | Palandrani C Motta R Cherubini P Curović M Dukić V Tonon G Ceccon C Peressotti A Alberti G |
| author_sort | Palandrani C |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Old-growth forests have an important role in maintaining animal and plant diversity, are important carbon (C) reservoirs and are privileged sites to study long-term plant physiological responses, long-term forest dynamics and climate change impact on forest ecosystems. Several studies have highlighted how old-living trees undergo age-related declines with hydraulic limitations and reduction in photosynthesis, though some recent works have suggested that such a decline is not always observed. Our study aims at understanding the role of atmospheric CO2 increase on tree C uptake and stomatal conductance (gs) in old-living trees by analysing the long-term patterns of tree growth and intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) in three old-growth forests in the Balkans (Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro), using dendrochronology and isotopic analysis. We hypothesised a long-term increase in iWUE in the studied old-growth forests, mostly related to enhanced photosynthesis rather than reduced stomatal conductance. Tree cores were sampled from dominant silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) trees in each forest. Tree-ring widths were measured and basal area increments (BAI) were assessed for each sampled tree and, from the six longest chronologies, five decades were chosen for cellulose extraction, its isotopic analysis (δ13C, δ18O), iWUE and leaf water 18O evaporative enrichment above the source water (Δ18OL) determination. We observed a continuous and significant increase in iWUE from 1800 to 2010 in the sampled dominant trees at all the three old-growth forests. Our BAI data and our estimates of Δ18OL across the study period support the idea that enhanced photosynthesis rather than reduced stomatal conductance is the major driver of the measured iWUE increase. Thus, our results support some recent findings challenging the hypothesis that iWUE in forests is primarily the result of a CO2-induced reduction in stomatal conductance as well as the so called hydraulic limitation hypothesis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T12:26:52Z |
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| id | doaj.art-3df8fa9e5b2e490f8bef9cc4e8f7a1ae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1971-7458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T12:26:52Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry |
| spelling | doaj.art-3df8fa9e5b2e490f8bef9cc4e8f7a1ae2022-12-21T23:01:17ZengItalian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF)iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry1971-74582021-02-01141536010.3832/ifor3414-0133414Role of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance on the long-term rising of intrinsic water use efficiency in dominant trees in three old-growth forests in Bosnia-Herzegovina and MontenegroPalandrani C0Motta R1Cherubini P2Curović M3Dukić V4Tonon G5Ceccon C6Peressotti A7Alberti G8Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, v. Weiss 2, 34128 Trieste - ItalyDepartment of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Sciences, University of Turin, l.go Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO - ItalyWSL Swiss Federal Research Institute, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, - SwitzerlandUniversity of Montenegro, Biotechnical Faculty, Mihaila Lalica 1, Podgorica - MontenegroFaculty of Forestry, University of Banja Luka, Bulevar vojvode Stepe Stepanovica 75 a, 78000 Banja Luka - Bosnia and HerzegovinaFaculty of Science and Technology, Libera Università di Bolzano, 39100 Bolzano/Bozen - ItalyFaculty of Science and Technology, Libera Università di Bolzano, 39100 Bolzano/Bozen - ItalyDepartment of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, v.le delle Scienze 206, 33100 Udine - ItalyDepartment of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, v.le delle Scienze 206, 33100 Udine - ItalyOld-growth forests have an important role in maintaining animal and plant diversity, are important carbon (C) reservoirs and are privileged sites to study long-term plant physiological responses, long-term forest dynamics and climate change impact on forest ecosystems. Several studies have highlighted how old-living trees undergo age-related declines with hydraulic limitations and reduction in photosynthesis, though some recent works have suggested that such a decline is not always observed. Our study aims at understanding the role of atmospheric CO2 increase on tree C uptake and stomatal conductance (gs) in old-living trees by analysing the long-term patterns of tree growth and intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) in three old-growth forests in the Balkans (Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro), using dendrochronology and isotopic analysis. We hypothesised a long-term increase in iWUE in the studied old-growth forests, mostly related to enhanced photosynthesis rather than reduced stomatal conductance. Tree cores were sampled from dominant silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) trees in each forest. Tree-ring widths were measured and basal area increments (BAI) were assessed for each sampled tree and, from the six longest chronologies, five decades were chosen for cellulose extraction, its isotopic analysis (δ13C, δ18O), iWUE and leaf water 18O evaporative enrichment above the source water (Δ18OL) determination. We observed a continuous and significant increase in iWUE from 1800 to 2010 in the sampled dominant trees at all the three old-growth forests. Our BAI data and our estimates of Δ18OL across the study period support the idea that enhanced photosynthesis rather than reduced stomatal conductance is the major driver of the measured iWUE increase. Thus, our results support some recent findings challenging the hypothesis that iWUE in forests is primarily the result of a CO2-induced reduction in stomatal conductance as well as the so called hydraulic limitation hypothesis.https://iforest.sisef.org/contents/?id=ifor3414-013Old-growth ForestsIntrinsic Water-Use Efficiency (iWUE)Basal Area IncrementStable C IsotopesAtmospheric CO2 Increase |
| spellingShingle | Palandrani C Motta R Cherubini P Curović M Dukić V Tonon G Ceccon C Peressotti A Alberti G Role of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance on the long-term rising of intrinsic water use efficiency in dominant trees in three old-growth forests in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry Old-growth Forests Intrinsic Water-Use Efficiency (iWUE) Basal Area Increment Stable C Isotopes Atmospheric CO2 Increase |
| title | Role of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance on the long-term rising of intrinsic water use efficiency in dominant trees in three old-growth forests in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro |
| title_full | Role of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance on the long-term rising of intrinsic water use efficiency in dominant trees in three old-growth forests in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro |
| title_fullStr | Role of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance on the long-term rising of intrinsic water use efficiency in dominant trees in three old-growth forests in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro |
| title_full_unstemmed | Role of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance on the long-term rising of intrinsic water use efficiency in dominant trees in three old-growth forests in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro |
| title_short | Role of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance on the long-term rising of intrinsic water use efficiency in dominant trees in three old-growth forests in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro |
| title_sort | role of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance on the long term rising of intrinsic water use efficiency in dominant trees in three old growth forests in bosnia herzegovina and montenegro |
| topic | Old-growth Forests Intrinsic Water-Use Efficiency (iWUE) Basal Area Increment Stable C Isotopes Atmospheric CO2 Increase |
| url | https://iforest.sisef.org/contents/?id=ifor3414-013 |
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