Species differences in timing of leaf fall and foliage chemistry modify nutrient resorption efficiency in deciduous temperate forest stands

Niinemets, Ülo; Tamm, Ülo

doi:10.1093/treephys/25.8.1001

Cited by 103 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…During both examined periods, the specimens that began to senesce earlier remobilised a greater mass of nitrogen compounds, irrespective of the thermal conditions. These data indicate that the decrease in nitrogen content reflects a greater nitrogen resorption efficiency in leaves that senesce longer (Niinemets and Tamm 2005). The re-translocation and storage of nitrogen compounds in the perennial organs of the beech trees caused changes in the leaf C/N ratio.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Proteolytic activity and nitrogen remobilisation in senescing leaves of phenological forms of Fagus sylvatica

Kraj¹

2014

Dendrobiology

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Leaf senescence allows plants to remobilise and use the same nitrogen repeatedly and is closely linked to autumn phenology. The timing of leaf senescence affects the growth rate and survival of trees due to the association between senescence and the remobilisation of nutrients, particularly nitrogen. The present study compares protein degradation dynamics and nitrogen remobilisation in early, intermediate and late phenological forms of beech trees (Fagus sylvatica L.). Specimens of phenological forms were marked and examined in 2005 and 2008. Leaf samples were collected from August to October during each of these years, and a biochemical analysis and a determination of proteolytic enzyme activity were conducted. The early phenological form showed protein degradation with three clearly indicated phases, whereas in the late form, protein degradation was stable with a constant decrease. The phenological forms differed significantly in their C/N ratios, which increased from approximately 20 in August to 37.5, 35 and 32 for the early, intermediate and late forms, respectively, at the end of leaf senescence. The date of the sudden drop in temperature had a decisive effect on the beginning of leaf senescence. Temperature has a greater effect on protein degradation and the protein and nitrogen resorption efficiency in the early form than in the late form. The trees that began to senesce the earliest exhibited the highest resorption of nitrogen compounds. Senescence led to an increase in proteolytic activity. Aminopeptidase activity was highest at the beginning of senescence, while endo-and carboxypeptidase activity was highest in the middle of senescence. The early form had the highest activity levels for all peptidase types. These results indicate that beech trees that differ in their autumn senescence timing display different nitrogen remobilisation efficiencies. This efficiency depended on the length of leaf senescence, peptidase activity and the sensitivity of particular phenological forms to temperature changes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Proteolytic activity and nitrogen remobilisation in senescing leaves of phenological forms of Fagus sylvatica

Kraj¹

2014

Dendrobiology

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“…Some researchers reported a positive correlation between NRE and green-leaf nutrient concentrations (del Arco et al, 1991;Escudero et al, 1992), while other researchers stated that such a relationship was not found between NRE and green-leaf nutrient concentrations (Huang et al, 2007;Niinemets and Tamm, 2005;Yuan et al, 2005a). Ratnam et al (2008) stated that both NRE and PRE decreased as nutrient concentrations in green leaves increased.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The resorption of nutrients (mainly N and P) from senescing leaves may be a key component of adaptive mechanisms that conserve scarce nutrients (Niinemets and Tamm, 2005;Killingbeck, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Résorption foliaire chez Quercus petraea subsp. iberica et Arbutus andrachne le long d’un gradient altitudinal

et al. 2010

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Abstract• The resorption of nutrients (mainly N and P) from senescing leaves may be a key component of adaptive mechanisms that conserve scarce nutrients. Resorption may be expressed in two ways as resorption efficiency (RE) which is the ratio of the resorbed amounts of nutrient losses during leaf senescence in relation to its prior amount deposited in leaves and resorption proficiency (RP) is the level to which nutrient concentration per unit leaf mass is reduced in senescent leaves.• There is still much debate whether or not different life-forms (i.e. deciduous and evergreen species) show different foliar resorption patterns. Two sympatric species, namely Quercus petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl. subsp. iberica (Steven ex Bieb.) Krassiln. (deciduous) and Arbutus andrachne L. (evergreen) along an elevational gradient were compared with each other to determine whether or not nitrogen and phosphorus resorption efficiency and proficiency varies along the elevational gradient and which leaf parameters were as related to RE and RP.• NRE was found to be rather low in Q. petraea subsp. iberica compared to other deciduous species. Similarly, PRE in A. andrachne was rather low compared to other evergreen species. Mean residence time (MRT) measures how long a unit of nitrogen (MRT N ) and phosphorus (MRT P ) is present in the plant. MRT N and MRT P were found to be considerably higher in A. andrachne compared to Q. petraea subsp. iberica. In both species, the foliar N/P ratio was below 14 along the elevational gradient and, according to this threshold value, N-limitation occurred in the study area. Although both species in the present study show incomplete resorption deciduous species was more proficient as compared to evergreen one due to low N and P concentrations in senescent leaves. Based on the significant correlations (p < 0.05 and 0.01) between MRT and foliar resorption, it can be concluded that MRT could interfere with the mechanisms controlling nutrient resorption.Mots-clés : stratégies de Grime / temps moyenne de résidence (MRT) / rapport N/P / efficience de la résorption / capacité de résorption / espèces sympatriques Résumé -Résorption foliaire chez Quercus petraea subsp. iberica et Arbutus andrachne le long d'un gradient altitudinal.• La résorption des éléments nutritifs (essentiellement N et P) par sénescence des feuilles peut être une composante clé des mécanismes d'adaptation qui permettent de conserver les rares éléments nutritifs. La résorption peut être exprimée de deux façons : l'efficience de résorption (RE) qui est le rapport entre la quantité résorbée des pertes d'éléments nutritifs au cours de la sénescence des feuilles par rapport à son montant déposé auparavant dans les feuilles et la capacité de résorption (RP) qui est le niveau auquel la concentration des éléments nutritifs par unité de masse de feuilles est réduite dans les feuilles sénescentes.• Il reste encore beaucoup de débat pour déterminer si les différentes formes de vie (c'est-à-dire les espèces décidues et les espèces sempervirentes) prése...

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“…Lower proficiencies of resorption with early leaf senescence or fall have been found between species (del Arco et al, 1991;Milla et al, 2005), between leaves of individuals and between years differing in precipitation (Killingbeck et al, 1990) and in the progression of leaf fall within stands (Niinemets & Tamm, 2005).…”

Section: Environmental Controls Of Leaf Senescence and Fall And The Ementioning

confidence: 99%

Alteration of the phenology of leaf senescence and fall in winter deciduous species by climate change: effects on nutrient proficiency

Estiarte

Peñuelas

2015

Global Change Biology

361

287

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Leaf senescence in winter deciduous species signals the transition from the active to the dormant stage.The purpose of leaf senescence is the recovery of nutrients before the leaves fall. Photoperiod and temperature are the main cues controlling leaf senescence in winter deciduous species, with water stress imposing an additional influence. Photoperiod exerts a strict control on leaf senescence at latitudes where winters are severe and temperature gains importance in the regulation as winters become less severe. On average, climatic warming will delay and drought will advance leaf senescence, but at varying degrees depending on the species. Warming and drought thus have opposite effects on the phenology of leaf senescence, and the impact of climate change will therefore depend on the relative importance of each factor in specific regions. Warming is not expected to have a strong impact on nutrient proficiency although a slower speed of leaf senescence induced by warming could facilitate a more efficient nutrient resorption. Nutrient resorption is less efficient when the leaves senesce prematurely as a consequence of water stress. The overall effects of climate change on nutrient resorption will depend on the contrasting effects of warming and drought. Changes in nutrient resorption and proficiency will impact production in the following year, at least in early spring, because the construction of new foliage relies almost exclusively on nutrients resorbed from foliage during the preceding leaf fall. Changes in the phenology of leaf senescence will thus impact carbon uptake, but also ecosystem nutrient cycling, especially if the changes are consequence of water stress. Page 1 of 35 Global Change BiologyThis is the accepted version of the following article: "Alteration of the phenology of leaf senescence and fall in winter deciduous species by climate change: effects on nutrient proficiency / M. Estiarte et al., in Global change biology (Wiley), 2015, which has been published in final form at

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Species differences in timing of leaf fall and foliage chemistry modify nutrient resorption efficiency in deciduous temperate forest stands

Cited by 103 publications

References 74 publications

Proteolytic activity and nitrogen remobilisation in senescing leaves of phenological forms of Fagus sylvatica

Proteolytic activity and nitrogen remobilisation in senescing leaves of phenological forms of Fagus sylvatica

Résorption foliaire chez Quercus petraea subsp. iberica et Arbutus andrachne le long d’un gradient altitudinal

Alteration of the phenology of leaf senescence and fall in winter deciduous species by climate change: effects on nutrient proficiency

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