Quantitative Classification of Plant Functional Types Based on Photosynthesis |
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| Authors: | Xiongwen Chen Bai-Lian Li |
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| Institution: | 1. Center for Forestry, Ecology and Wildlife , Alabama A&2. M University , Normal, Alabama, USA xiongwen.chen@aamu.edu;4. Department of Botany &5. Plant Sciences , University of California , Riverside, California, USA |
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| Abstract: | Classifying plant functional types by a general and quantitative technique is important for sustainable forest management. Here, the time series of diurnal net photosynthetic rate and other related external and internal factors of 11 tree species in a young mixed broadleaf and coniferous Korean pine forest in Northeast China were recorded during the growing season. All time series data were analyzed by a newly proposed model, by which the relative importance of external environmental factors and internal factors on leaf photosynthetic rate among tree species was evaluated. The analysis showed that this method can be useful to identify environmentally sensitive tree species and to quantitatively classify plant functional types. Photosynthetic rate in most pioneer tree species is less sensitive to variation in environmental conditions than in late successional species. The photosynthetic rate of all 11 tree species was mainly determined by their internal factors. The results may also have implications for tree species selection in forest plantations and forest restoration. |
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| Keywords: | mixed broadleaf and coniferous Korean pine forest community Northeast China photosynthesis plant functional types quantitative classification |
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