Solar ultraviolet radiation alters alder and birch litter chemistry that in turn affects decomposers and soil respiration

Kotilainen, Titta; Haimi, Jari; Tegelberg, Riitta; Julkunen‐Tiitto, Riitta; Vapaavuori, Elina; Aphalo, Pedro J.

doi:10.1007/s00442-009-1413-y

Cited by 16 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…The youngest unfolded leaves adjust their flavonoid contents under dynamic fluxes of UV within the ambient range. These changes in the leaf chemistry, if they persist in the litter, might have important consequences in other ecological process such as plant–pathogen interactions, decomposition and nutrient cycling (Kotilainen et al 2009b, Paul and Gwynn‐Jones 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal variation in epidermal flavonoids due to altered solar UV radiation is moderated by the leaf position in Betula pendula

Morales

Tegelberg

Brosché

et al. 2011

Physiologia Plantarum

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The physiological mechanisms controlling plant responses to dynamic changes in ambient solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation are not fully understood: this information is important to further comprehend plant adaptation to their natural habitats. We used the fluorimeter Dualex to estimate in vivo the epidermal flavonoid contents by measuring epidermal UV absorbance (A(375) ) in Betula pendula Roth (silver birch) leaves of different ages under altered UV. Seedlings were grown in a greenhouse for 15 days without UV and transferred outdoors under three UV treatments (UV-0, UV-A and UV-A+B) created by three types of plastic film. After 7 and 13 days, Dualex measurements were taken at adaxial and abaxial epidermis of the first three leaves (L1, L2 and L3) of the seedlings. After 14 days, some of the seedlings were reciprocally swapped amongst the treatments to study the accumulation of epidermal flavonoids in the youngest unfolded leaves (L3) during leaf expansion under changing solar UV environments. A(375) of the leaves responded differently to the UV treatment depending on their position. UV-B increased the A(375) in the leaves independently of leaf position. L3 quickly adjusted A(375) in their epidermis according to the UV they received and these adjustments were affected by previous UV exposure. The initial absence of UV-A+B or UV-A, followed by exposure to UV-A+B, particularly enhanced leaf A(375) . Silver birch leaves modulate their protective pigments in response to changes in the UV environment during their expansion, and their previous UV exposure history affects the epidermal-absorbance achieved during later UV exposure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal variation in epidermal flavonoids due to altered solar UV radiation is moderated by the leaf position in Betula pendula

Morales

Tegelberg

Brosché

et al. 2011

Physiologia Plantarum

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“…In leaf litter of B. pendula growing at elevated CO 2 and O 3 concentrations, several phenolic compounds were elevated, and the growth of juvenile earthworms was reduced ( Kasurinen et al, 2007 ) suggesting that CC reduced quality of food for soil animals. In Alnus incana litter, UV-A and UV-B exclusion affected concentrations of phenolic groups variably, whereas in birch litter there were no significant differences in phenolic compounds ( Kotilainen et al, 2009 ).…”

Section: Psc Transmitted Ecosystem Feedbacks To Climate Changementioning

confidence: 98%

Climate Change Effects on Secondary Compounds of Forest Trees in the Northern Hemisphere

et al. 2018

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Plant secondary compounds (PSCs), also called secondary metabolites, have high chemical and structural diversity and appear as non-volatile or volatile compounds. These compounds may have evolved to have specific physiological and ecological functions in the adaptation of plants to their growth environment. PSCs are produced by several metabolic pathways and many PSCs are specific for a few plant genera or families. In forest ecosystems, full-grown trees constitute the majority of plant biomass and are thus capable of producing significant amounts of PSCs. We summarize older literature and review recent progress in understanding the effects of abiotic and biotic factors on PSC production of forest trees and PSC behavior in forest ecosystems. The roles of different PSCs under stress and their important role in protecting plants against abiotic and biotic factors are also discussed. There was strong evidence that major climate change factors, CO2 and warming, have contradictory effects on the main PSC groups. CO2 increases phenolic compounds in foliage, but limits terpenoids in foliage and emissions. Warming decreases phenolic compounds in foliage but increases terpenoids in foliage and emissions. Other abiotic stresses have more variable effects. PSCs may help trees to adapt to a changing climate and to pressure from current and invasive pests and pathogens. Indirect adaptation comes via the effects of PSCs on soil chemistry and nutrient cycling, the formation of cloud condensation nuclei from tree volatiles and by CO2 sequestration into PSCs in the wood of living and dead forest trees.

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“…The effects of elevated CO 2 on the physical and chemical defences of plants are less clear, but there may be increased concentrations of phenolics in fresh leaf litter derived from high‐CO 2 conditions (Wardle, 2002; Kasurinen et al , 2007). Changes in litter chemistry and individual phenolic concentrations can also occur in response to ultraviolet radiation (Kotilainen et al , 2009).…”

Section: Effects Of Changes In Food Quality On Macroarthropodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ecology of saprophagous macroarthropods (millipedes, woodlice) in the context of global change

2010

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Millipedes (Diplopoda) and woodlice (Crustacea, Isopoda), with a total of about 15000 described species worldwide, contribute substantially to invertebrate biodiversity. These saprophagous macroarthropods, which are key regulators of plant litter decomposition, play an important role in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems in tropical and temperate areas. Herein we review current knowledge on the effects of climate, food quality and land cover on millipede and woodlouse species to explore their potential responses to global change. Essentially similar trends are observed in the two taxa. Experiments have shown that climate warming could result in higher rates of population growth and have positive effects on the abundance of some temperate species. This is consistent with signs of northward expansion in Europe, although the mechanisms of dispersal remain unclear. The generality of this finding is evaluated in relation to the life histories and geographical distributions of species. At low latitudes, interactions with more severe droughts are likely and could affect community composition. Elevated atmospheric CO₂ levels and changes in plant community composition are expected to alter leaf litter quality, a major determinant of macroarthropod fertility via the link with female adult body size. Although food quality changes have been shown to influence population growth rates significantly, it is proposed that the effects of warming will be probably more important during the coming decades. Land cover changes, mainly due to deforestation in the tropics and land abandonment in Europe, are critical to habitat specialists and could override any other effect of global change. Habitat destruction by man may be the main threat to macroarthropod species, many of which are narrow endemics. At the landscape scale, habitat heterogeneity could be a good option for conservation, even at the cost of some fragmentation. Two principal areas are identified which require further work: (i) the effects of climate change across broader geographic ranges, and on species with different ecologies and life histories; (ii) the effects of global change on both macroarthropods and their natural enemies (predators, parasites and pathogens), to improve predictions in field situations.

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Solar ultraviolet radiation alters alder and birch litter chemistry that in turn affects decomposers and soil respiration

Cited by 16 publications

References 38 publications

Temporal variation in epidermal flavonoids due to altered solar UV radiation is moderated by the leaf position in Betula pendula

Temporal variation in epidermal flavonoids due to altered solar UV radiation is moderated by the leaf position in Betula pendula

Climate Change Effects on Secondary Compounds of Forest Trees in the Northern Hemisphere

The ecology of saprophagous macroarthropods (millipedes, woodlice) in the context of global change

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