Early growth and photosynthetic responses to light in seedlings of three tropical species differing in successional strategies |
| |
| Authors: | Richard Gyimah Toshio Nakao |
| |
| Institution: | (1) The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, c/o Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 889-2192 Miyazaki-shi, Japan;(2) Department of Biological Production and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 889-2192 Miyazaki-shi, Japan |
| |
| Abstract: | Containerized seedlings of three commercially important tropical species were grown under four different light treatments
i.e., 100 (open site), 45, 22 and 10% sunlight] for 130 days. Light-saturated photosynthesis (A
max) and light saturation estimates (LSE) reflected the species successional status with Terminalia superba Engl. and Diels, the pioneer species showing largest mean A
max and LSE at 100% sunlight, whereas at 10% sunlight, it showed the lowest A
max and LSE. At 22% sunlight, Cedrela odorata L., an intermediate successional species had greater A
max and LSE than Mansonia altissima A. Chev., a non-pioneer light demander and T. superba. T. superba had the lowest relative growth rate (RGR) at 10% sunlight and greatest net assimilation rate (NAR) at 100% sunlight; although
a higher RGR at this light level was not seen for this species. Strong and positive linear mean A
max–mean NAR relationship of C. odorata and T. superba indicated that differences in leaf photosynthetic rates of the two species were reflected in their NAR, which increased with
increasing light. At final harvest, superior biomass production was found at 45% sunlight for all the species. Seedling responses
in specific leaf area, leaf area ratio, leaf mass ratio and root mass ratio were typically those found along a light gradient.
At the 100% sunlight, intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUE), F
v/F
m and final root system of the plants was generally superior in T. superba but at 10% sunlight, WUE was inferior in T. superba when compared to C. odorata and M. altissima, reflecting the respective species’ short-term acclimation to high or low light. Results of this study may have practical
use in screening tropical tree species for use in plantation forestry. |
| |
| Keywords: | Cedrela odorata Growth analysis Mansonia altissima Photochemical efficiency Photosynthesis Reforestation Terminalia superba |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
