Climate and nutrient influences on the growth of white spruce trees in the boreal forests of the Yukon

Boonstra, Rudy; Desantis, Lanna M.; Hik, David S.

doi:10.3354/cr00736

Cited by 12 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…The NRE profiles thereby provide some insight into the limited response of P. glauca stands in the region to NPK fertilization observed by Boonstra et al. (). The NRE profiles can also aid in explaining the contradictory results obtained by Prescott et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…On the other hand, species from low productivity or infertile environments tend to exhibit a lower degree of plasticity compared to species from fertile environments, and as such are able to persist in nutrient-poor environments but unable to take up additional nutrients under high availability (Chapin 1980). In the above-mentioned study (Boonstra et al 2008), it is unclear whether P. glauca had limited access or limited uptake of the added nutrients. What is evident though is that any imbalances generated by increased nutrient availability can lead to significant changes in community composition and structure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…In the above‐mentioned study (Boonstra et al. ), it is unclear whether P. glauca had limited access or limited uptake of the added nutrients. What is evident though is that any imbalances generated by increased nutrient availability can lead to significant changes in community composition and structure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…(, ) found that NPK fertilization caused changes in shrub and herb communities in the southwest Yukon, whereas Boonstra et al. () found that Picea glauca (Moench) Voss productivity only marginally increased due to fertilization, with productivity returning to control conditions following the termination of the fertilization. They suggested that the added nutrients could be tied up and cycled within the grasses, herbs and shrubs, becoming unavailable to the trees of the stand.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The plant species in the boreal forests of northwest Canada have evolved under low nutrient conditions, but even in nutrient-poor communities species may exist that are able to take advantage of nutrient enrichment and show an increase in productivity, while others may not (Turkington et al 1998(Turkington et al , 2002Shaver et al 2001). For example, Turkington et al (1998Turkington et al ( , 2002 found that NPK fertilization caused changes in shrub and herb communities in the southwest Yukon, whereas Boonstra et al (2008) found that Picea glauca (Moench) Voss productivity only marginally increased due to fertilization, with productivity returning to control conditions following the termination of the fertilization. They suggested that the added nutrients could be tied up and cycled within the grasses, herbs and shrubs, becoming unavailable to the trees of the stand.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nutrient uptake and use efficiency in co‐occurring plants along a disturbance and nutrient availability gradient in the boreal forests of the southwest Yukon, Canada

Nitschke

Waeber

Klaassen

et al. 2016

J Vegetation Science

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Aim In boreal forest ecosystems plant productivity is typically constrained by mineral nutrient availability. In some boreal regions changes in nutrient availability have led to limited changes in productivity but large changes in plant composition. To determine the impact that a change in nutrient availability has on the plant communities it is important to understand how species use nutrients. Here we explore how plant species and functional types in a cold‐dry boreal forest community use available nutrients by quantifying their respective nutrient utilization and response efficiency. Location Boreal forests in the southwest corner of the Yukon Territory, Canada. Methods We collected soil samples and total plant biomass from 29 plots from nine locations subjected to fire, harvesting or bark beetle disturbances. Nutrient analysis of all vegetation and soil samples were conducted to determine the concentration of macro‐ and micronutrients from both plant biomass and soils collected. Nutrient pools between stands with different disturbance histories are compared. Nutrient uptake, use and response efficiencies were then calculated and nutrient response profiles were developed for each species/functional type. Results We found few differences between nutrient pools in plots with different disturbance histories. A clear separation of species and functional groups in elemental hyperspace suggesting divergent nutrient use in co‐occurring species was identified. The use efficiency analysis highlighted that the species with the highest uptake efficiency have lowest use efficiency and vice versa. Species showed either a monotonic or constant relationship between nutrient response efficiency and N, P, K, reflecting a lack of relationship between plant productivity and resource availability or a linear increase in productivity with increasing nutrient availability, respectively. Conclusions Our findings indicate that species are maximizing nutrient use along different parts of the resource gradient, which has implications for understanding how species respond to changes in nutrient availability. Our findings also show that nutrient use by some species may be governed more by uptake efficiency than use efficiency, allowing them to respond to increases in resource availability by increasing uptake rather than use.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Nutrient uptake and use efficiency in co‐occurring plants along a disturbance and nutrient availability gradient in the boreal forests of the southwest Yukon, Canada

Nitschke

Waeber

Klaassen

et al. 2016

J Vegetation Science

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Red foxes enhance long‐term tree growth near the Arctic treeline

et al. 2022

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Recent climate warming is expected to increase tree growth and productivity, substantially altering ecological function and boundaries in northern ecosystems. Although climate largely determines the range and growth of trees in any biome, variations in microsite conditions can influence growth on a finer scale. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are found in most terrestrial ecosystems and are considered ecosystem engineers through their denning activities. Added soil nutrients from prey remains, feces, and urine could benefit tree growth on dens in subarctic regions by alleviating soil nutrient limitations. We examined growth in white spruce (Picea glauca) trees growing on eight red fox dens and paired control sites at the Arctic treeline. Radial growth was 55% higher for trees on dens than on control sites between 1897 and 2017, despite similarities in tree ages and densities. This enhanced growth was more pronounced in younger trees, consistent with the decrease in growth with age among all trees.By promoting tree growth near the treeline, red foxes may act as hotspots for tree reproduction. Although the impacts on tree growth largely depend on the spatial distribution of dens, predators can create distinct microhabitats across the landscape, leading to increased vegetation productivity, persisting over many decades.

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Unstable climate−growth relations for white spruce in southwest Yukon, Canada

et al. 2012

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We used dendroclimatology to quantify inter-annual to multi-decadal climatic variation effects on white spruce radial growth in southwest Yukon, Canada. Local climate is dry and cold, such that tree growth was primarily moisture-rather than temperature-limited, although the mechanisms varied temporally. During the 20 th century, significant increases in precipitation countered warming temperatures, so that heatmoisture indices have not changed significantly. Directional climatic change, superimposed on variation due to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), resulted in unstable climategrowth relations. Prior to 1977, ring widths were positively correlated with previous growing season precipitation and warm temperatures had a negative impact, exacerbating moisture limitations in dry years especially during the cool, dry negative PDO phase (19461976). After 1977, correlations with previous growing season precipitation became negative and correlations with previous fall and winter precipitation and current year July and August temperatures became positive, although not statistically significant. These changes suggest precipitation and temperature increases over recent decades benefitted white spruce growth. Climate projections for this region include further temperature and precipitation increases, which may promote white spruce growth depending on the seasonality and interactions between temperature and precipitation. This study demonstrated the complexity of potential responses of white spruce to climate variation and change.

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Climate and nutrient influences on the growth of white spruce trees in the boreal forests of the Yukon

Cited by 12 publications

References 43 publications

Nutrient uptake and use efficiency in co‐occurring plants along a disturbance and nutrient availability gradient in the boreal forests of the southwest Yukon, Canada

Nutrient uptake and use efficiency in co‐occurring plants along a disturbance and nutrient availability gradient in the boreal forests of the southwest Yukon, Canada

Red foxes enhance long‐term tree growth near the Arctic treeline

Unstable climate−growth relations for white spruce in southwest Yukon, Canada

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