Growth rates and age of native palms in the Baja California desert

Bullock, Stephen H.; Heath, David

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2006.03.002

Cited by 23 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 20 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Therefore, biomass studies are very costly and consequently only few datasets are available. The use of regression equations allows estimating the total aboveground biomass of trees as well as of different components (root, stem, branches, and leaves) with easily measured parameters such as diameter (Kershaw and Maguire, 1995;Monserud and Marshall, 1999;Návar et al, 2002;Porté et al, 2002;Xiao and Ceulemans, 2004;Northup et al, 2005;Bullock and Heath, 2006;Fehrmann and Kleinn, 2006). Different species on the same site may have different tree heights, wood densities, architecture resulting consequently in different allometric relationships (Chave et al, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Allometric equations for biomass estimations in Cameroon and pan moist tropical equations including biomass data from Africa

Djomo

Adamou

Saborowski

et al. 2010

Forest Ecology and Management

225

179

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Allometric equations for biomass estimations in Cameroon and pan moist tropical equations including biomass data from Africa

Djomo

Adamou

Saborowski

et al. 2010

Forest Ecology and Management

225

179

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…), a species that is naturally distributed throughout southern and central Baja California and western Sonora, Mexico along streams and canyons or near springs (Uhl and Dransfield 1987;Bullock and Heath 2006). Bullock and Heath (2006) studied W. robusta in the Baja California desert and estimate that they reach reproductive maturation at approximately 8 m tall with the tallest palms in their study being 32 m. They also estimate the potential longevity of these palms to exceed 500 years. We hypothesize that hydraulic constraints on leaf gas exchange will increase with height in W. robusta with taller palms having lower sap flux per unit leaf area and lower stomatal conductance than shorter palms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative hydraulic and anatomic properties in palm trees (Washingtonia robusta) of varying heights: implications for hydraulic limitation to increased height growth

Renninger

Phillips

Hodel

2009

Trees

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As trees grow taller, the energetic cost of moving water to the leaves becomes higher and could begin to limit carbon gain and subsequent growth. The hydraulic limitation hypothesis states that as trees grow taller, the path length and therefore frictional resistance of water flow increases, leading to stomatal closure, reduced photosynthesis and decreased height growth in tall trees. Although this hypothesis is supported by the physical laws governing water movement in trees, its validation has been complicated by the complex structure of most tree species. Therefore, this study tested the hydraulic limitation hypothesis in Washingtonia robusta (H. Wendl.), a palm that, while growing to tall heights, is still structurally simple enough to act as a model organism for testing. There were no discernable relationships between tree height and stomatal conductance, stomatal densities, guard cell lengths, leaf dry mass per unit area (LMA) or sap flux, suggesting that these key aspects of hydraulic limitation are not reduced in taller palms. Taller palms did, however, have higher maximum daily photosynthetic assimilation rates, lower minimum leaf water potentials that occurred earlier in the day and fewer, smaller leaves than did shorter palms. Leaf epidermal cells were also smaller in taller palms compared with shorter ones. These findings are consistent with hydraulic compensation in that tall palms may be overcoming the increased path length resistance through smaller, more efficient leaves and lower leaf water potentials than shorter palms.

show abstract

“…They occur in the lower parts of canyons with subsurface flow and scattered across granite rocky slopes (Bullock and Heath 2006), and seem to be tolerant to moderate salty soils (Wehncke, pers. obs.).…”

Section: Study Sites and Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of the three tribes within the subfamily Coryphoideae, the Corypheae are the least specialized and with more primitive leaf forms, flowers, and pollen (Dransfield et al 1990;Henderson 2002). Bullock and Heath (2006) reported a maximum height of 18.9 m for B. armata, at Misión de Santa María, in Cataviña, though reproductive maturity can occur when these slow-growing plants reach ca. 2-m height.…”

Section: Study Sites and Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, the endemic blue fan palm (B. armata; the most dominant palm species at these latitudes) seems well adapted to this environment, coping well with extreme aridity, summer heat, high direct solar radiation, and freezing temperatures (-12°C, www.floridata.com) with only minor foliage damage. Age estimates, using repeated photography methodology (Bullock and Heath 2006), suggest a potential longevity that exceeds 500 years. Brahea armata is included in the Coryphoideae, one of the five monophyletic subfamilies of the Arecaceae (Uhl and Dransfield 1987;Dransfield et al 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Blue fan palm distribution and seed removal patterns in three desert oases of northern Baja California, Mexico

2009

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Information on the current processes controlling the distribution patterns of relict palm populations at the limit of their northwestern distribution in America are poorly known. We explored the importance of post-dispersal seed removal by vertebrates, recruitment, and distribution patterns of the blue fan palm, Brahea armata, in the Northern Baja California peninsula, by evaluating (i) the levels of blue fan palm seed removal by vertebrates at two spatial scales and the initial fate of dispersed seeds, (ii) the spatial distribution and association of seedlings and adults at two spatial scales, (iii) seed removal levels and seedling densities based on density and distance to adult palm trees, and (iv) the population age structure. Overall, seed removal levels were low at all sites, varied at regional but not at local scales, with small rodents apparently being responsible of most removals. Adult density and distribution differed among oases, but seedling densities did differ locally. Whereas seed removal did not vary with distance from seed sources or parent trees, a weak positive association between seedlings and adults at the whole patch level indicated that establishment tended to occur in or near those grid cells where adults had established successfully. However, the analysis showed a negative association between seedling and adult densities within the patches, indicating that within the grid cells where growth was most successful, seedlings established preferentially in relatively open spaces. All life-history categories were adequately represented within each site and populations seemed to be in a fairly good conservation state. We did not find evidence to establish that post-dispersal seed removal by rodents is a main factor defining the recruitment patterns in these oases. In contrast, the effect of flood pulses seems to be significant and may have strong and conclusive effects on palm seedling distributions. We suggest that local biotic (nurse plants) and/or abiotic (canyon physiography, nurse objects) factors at each particular canyon have the potential to affect post-dispersal seed removal activity patterns by rodents, as well as to provide vital protection for palm seedling establishment from the extreme floods. This baseline information will help in further investigations on the possible mechanisms that sustain Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (

show abstract

Growth rates and age of native palms in the Baja California desert

Cited by 23 publications

References 20 publications

Allometric equations for biomass estimations in Cameroon and pan moist tropical equations including biomass data from Africa

Allometric equations for biomass estimations in Cameroon and pan moist tropical equations including biomass data from Africa

Comparative hydraulic and anatomic properties in palm trees (Washingtonia robusta) of varying heights: implications for hydraulic limitation to increased height growth

Blue fan palm distribution and seed removal patterns in three desert oases of northern Baja California, Mexico

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About