Climate sensitivity of radial growth in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) under different CO2 concentrations (original) (raw)
Tree Physiology, 2013
The growth responses of mature Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees exposed to elevated [CO 2 ] (C E ; 670-700 ppm) and long-term optimized nutrient availability or elevated air temperature (T E ; +3.9 °C) were studied in situ in northern Sweden in two 3 year field experiments using 12 whole-tree chambers in ca. 40-year-old forest. The first experiment (Exp. I) studied the interactions between C E and nutrient availability and the second (Exp. II) between C E and T E . It should be noted that only air temperature was elevated in Exp. II, while soil temperature was maintained close to ambient. In Exp. I, C E significantly increased the mean annual height increment, stem volume and biomass increment during the treatment period (25, 28, and 22%, respectively) when nutrients were supplied. There was, however, no significant positive C E effect found at the low natural nutrient availability. In Exp. II, which was conducted at the natural site fertility, neither C E nor T E significantly affected height or stem increment. It is concluded that the low nutrient availability (mainly nitrogen) in the boreal forests is likely to restrict their response to the continuous rise in [CO 2 ] and/or T E .
Tree Physiology, 2009
Effects of ambient and elevated temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO 2 ]) on CO 2 assimilation rate and the structural and phenological development of shoots during their first growing season were studied in 45-year-old Norway spruce trees (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) enclosed in whole-tree chambers. Continuous measurements of net assimilation rate (NAR) in individual buds and shoots were made from early bud development to late August in two consecutive years. The largest effect of elevated temperature (T E ) was manifest early in the season as an earlier start and completion of shoot length development, and a 1-3-week earlier shift from negative to positive NAR compared with the ambient temperature (T A ) treatments. The largest effect of elevated [CO 2 ] (C E ) was found later in the season, with a 30% increase in maximum NAR compared with trees in the ambient [CO 2 ] treatments (C A ), and shoots assimilating their own mass in terms of carbon earlier in the C E treatments than in the C A treatments. Once the net carbon assimilation compensation point (NACP) had been reached, T E had little or no effect on the development of NAR performance, whereas C E had little effect before the NACP. No interactive effects of T E and C E on NAR were found. We conclude that in a climate predicted for northern Sweden in 2100, current-year shoots of P. abies will assimilate their own mass in terms of carbon 20-30 days earlier compared with the current climate, and thereby significantly contribute to canopy assimilation during their first year.
Tree Physiology, 2007
Effects of elevated temperature and atmospheric CO 2 concentration ([CO 2 ]) on spring phenology of mature field-grown Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees were followed for three years. Twelve whole-tree chambers (WTC) were installed around individual trees and used to expose the trees to a predicted future climate. The predicted climate scenario for the site, in the year 2100, was 700 µmol mol -1 [CO 2 ], and an air temperature 3°C higher in summer and 5°C higher in winter, compared with current conditions. Four WTC treatments were imposed using combinations of ambient and elevated [CO 2 ] and temperature. Control trees outside the WTCs were also studied. Bud development and shoot extension were monitored from early spring until the termination of elongation growth. Elevated air temperature hastened both bud development and the initiation and termination of shoot growth by two to three weeks in each study year. Elevated [CO 2 ] had no significant effect on bud development patterns or the length of the shoot growth period. There was a good correlation between temperature sum (day degrees ≥ 0°C) and shoot elongation, but a precise timing of bud burst could not be derived by using an accumulation of temperature sums.
Journal of Forest Science, 2010
Bud phenology and shoot elongation growth were monitored on Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) trees grown inside glass domes with adjustable windows for six years under ambient (355 µmol CO2∙mol–1) and elevated (700 µmol CO2∙mol–1) atmospheric CO2 concentrations CO2. Each treatment consisted of two stand densities – sparse (5,000 trees∙ha–1) and dense (10,000 trees∙ha–1). The age of spruce trees was 10 years at the beginning of the experiment.Elevated CO2 slightly accelerated the consequential bud germinating phases and it significantly induced shoot elongation growth, especially of sun-exposed shoots in a stand with sparse density. This accelerated growth lasted one to three weeks after full bud development in E compared to A. At the end of the growing season the total shoot length did not show any differences between the treatments. We supposed that limiting nitrogen supply to needles slowed down subsequent shoot elongation growth in E treatment. Nevertheless, faster shoot g...
Forest Ecology and Management, 2002
Regional and temporal growth variation of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and its dependence on air temperature and precipitation were compared in stands across latitudinal and altitudinal transects in southwestern and eastern Germany, Norway, and Finland. The temporal variation of radial growth was divided into two components: medium-and high-frequency variation, i.e. decadal and year-to-year variation, respectively. The medium-frequency component was rather different between regions, especially the southern and northern ones. However, within each region the medium-frequency growth variation was relatively similar, irrespective of altitudinal and latitudinal differences of the sample sites. A part of the high-frequency variation was common to all four regions, which suggests that some factors synchronising tree growth are common for the entire study area. The high-frequency component of growth was more strongly related to monthly air temperature and precipitation than was the medium-frequency variation. The limiting effect of low temperatures was more significant at northern as well as high-altitude sites, while the importance of precipitation increased in the south and at low altitudes. #
Tree Physiology, 2001
Branches of field-grown Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees were exposed to either long-term ambient or to elevated CO 2 concentrations ([CO 2 ]) using the branch bag technique. The light-saturated photosynthetic rates (A max ) of current-year shoots differing in nitrogen (N) status were measured at various temperatures and at either ambient (360 µmol mol -1 , AMB) or elevated (ambient + 350 µmol mol -1 , EL) [CO 2 ]. The value of A max was determined at various intercellular [CO 2 ]s (A/C i curves) and used to normalize photosynthetic rates to the mean treatment C i values, which were 200 µmol mol -1 (AMB) and 450 µmol mol -1 (EL), respectively. Needle N status and temperature strongly affected A max . The response to N increased with temperature, and the photosynthetic temperature optimum increased with N status. This was assumed to be a result of reduced mesophyll CO 2 conductance. The relative increase of A max in the EL treatment compared to the AMB treatment varied from 15 to 90%, and increased with temperature, but decreased with N status. Nevertheless, the absolute photosynthetic response to EL increased with shoot N status. The relative increase in the instantaneous response of A max to elevated [CO 2 ] was about 20% higher than the long-term response, i.e., there was downward acclimation in A max in response to elevated [CO 2 ]. The photosynthetic temperature optimum increased 4 °C with either a short-or a long-term increase in [CO 2 ]. The bag treatment itself increased A max by approximately 16% and the temperature optimum of A max by approximately 3 °C.
Regional differences in climatic responses of Norway spruce ( Picea abies L. Karst) growth in Norway
Forest Ecology and Management, 2006
We examined growth responses of Norway spruce using tree-ring series from increment cores and monthly climate variables over the period 1900-1998. The 1398 cores were selected from 588 plots scattered all over Norway. We correlated tree-ring indices with temperature, precipitation, Palmer drought severity index and length of the growing season. The weather in June had the largest influence on ring widths. However, two different, and almost opposite, response types were found: Tree growth was restricted by June precipitation in the lowlands in southeastern Norway, but by the June temperature in other regions and at high altitudes. In order to define the shift between these two main response types, we correlated response functions with various 30-year mean climatic variables, including humidity and aridity indices. The 30-year mean June temperature was the variable most clearly showing this shift in response, with a threshold at 12-13 8C. At sites with normal temperature below this threshold, spruce responded positively to unusually warm and dry June months, and vice versa. #
The effects of elevated atmospheric [CO 2 ] on Norway spruce needle parameters
Acta Physiologiae Plantarum
Studies of selected morphological needle parameters were carried out on young (17–19 year old) Norway spruce trees cultivated inside glass domes at ambient (A, 370 μmol (CO2) mol−1) and elevated (E, 700 μmol (CO2) mol−1) atmospheric CO2 concentrations [CO2] beginning in 1997. Annual analyses performed from 2002 to 2004 revealed higher values for needle length (especially for current needles, up to 18%) and projected needle area (up to 13%) accompanied by lower values for specific needle area (up to 15% lower, as quantified by needle mass to projected area ratio) in the E treatment compared to the A treatment. Statistically significant differences for most of the investigated morphological parameters were found in young needles in the well irradiated sun-adapted crown parts, particularly under water-limiting soil conditions in 2003. This was likely a result of different water relations in E compared to A trees as investigated under temperate water stress (Kuper et al. in Biol Plantarum 50:603–609, 2006). Furthermore, E trees had much higher absorbing root area, which modified and enhanced root:shoot as well as root:conductive stem area proportions. These hydraulic properties and early seasonal stimulation of photosynthesis forced advanced needle development in E trees, particularly under limited soil water conditions. The number of needles per unit shoot length was found to be unaffected by elevated [CO2].
Soil-surface CO2 flux and growth in a boreal Norway spruce stand
2001
Global warming is predicted to affect the carbon balance of forests. A change in the carbon balance would give a positive or negative feedback to the greenhouse effect, which would affect global warming. The effects of long-term soil warming on growth, nutrient and soil-surface CO2 flux (R) dynamics were studied in irrigated (I) and irrigated-fertilised (IL) stands of Norway spruce in northern Sweden. Soil temperature on heated plots (Ih and ILh) was maintained 5 oC above that on unheated plots (Ic and ILc) from May to October, by heating cables. After six years' soil warming, stemwood production increased by 100% and 50% in the I and IL treatment, respectively. The main production increase occurred at the beginning of the season, probably as an effect of the earlier increase in soil temperature. In the Ih treatment, however, the growth increase was evident during the entire season. The effect of increased nitrogen (N), mineralisation on annual growth appeared to be stronger tha...
2014
Knowledge gaps still exist concerning the resilience of Norway spruce growth to changing climate conditions especially outside their natural range. We used a dendroecological approach to assess growth resilience of Norway spruce to changing moisture availability on different sites in southwest Germany near the xerothermic range limits of this species. We described the temporal and spatial variation of Norway spruce tree-ring width, comparatively assessed the response of tree-ring width to changes in moisture availability between different study sites and assessed the capacity of Norway spruce growth to absorb disturbance by drought. To assess the capacity, we applied the concept of resilience and the concept of early-warning signals to tree-ring width data. The results indicated no adequate short-term adaptive capacity to changing climate conditions for the respective Norway spruce trees within the study period. Furthermore the results showed an enhancement of growth synchronicity among the trees at each study site which is highly correlated with changes in moisture availability. Critical slow down, loss of buffering ability and simultaneous increase in spatial correlation are indicative of a loss in growth resilience of Norway spruce. We assume that the capacity of Norway spruce trees to absorb disturbance in terms of their growth response to moisture deficits decreased presumably as a consequence of a series of drought events in the more recent past.
Geochronometria, 2012
The research was conducted in selected 80-to 110-year-old spruce stands in the southeastern part of the Českomoravská Upland at altitudes from 350 m a.s.l. to 465 m a.s.l. The regional standard tree-ring chronology shows very low increments for years 1974 . After 1992 there is a sharp rise in increments with a climax in 1997. Afterwards, increments gradually decrease, reaching minima in 2003 and 2008. The years with low increments were also confirmed by the analysis of negative pointer years when over 80% of the analysed trees responded by a sharp decrease in increment, mainly in years 1976 and 1992. We can usually find values of monthly precipitation or monthly temperature average which can explain or help explain these falls in the radial growth.
Stem respiration of Norway spruce trees under elevated CO2 concentration
Biologia Plantarum, 2010
Measurements of stem respiration were conducted for a period of four years (1999 -2002) in 14-year old Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst) trees exposed to ambient (CA) and elevated CO 2 concentration (CE; ambient plus 350 μmol mol -1 ). Stem respiration measurements of six trees per treatment were carried out 2 -3 times per month during the growing season. Stem respiration in CE treatment was higher (up to 16 %) than in CA treatment. Temperature response of stem respiration (Q 10 ) for the whole experimental period ranged between 1.65 -2.57 in CA treatment and 2.24 -2.56 in CE treatment. The mean stem respiration rate normalized to 10 °C (R 10 ) in CA and CE treatments ranged between 1.67 -1.95 and 2.19 -2.72 μmol(CO 2 ) m -2 s -1 , respectively. Seasonal variations in stem respiration were related to temperature and tree growth.
Forest Ecology and Management, 2002
The response of an entire catchment to increased CO 2 and temperature was studied by experimental ecosystem manipulation during a 4-year period. The project was part of the CLIMEX project (Climate Change Experiment) conducted in a mountainous pine±birch forest (Pinus sylvestris, Betula pubescens) at an elevation of 300 m above sea level at Risdalsheia, southernmost Norway. The trees were up to 160 years old with a maximum height of 9 m. The site is typical for large areas of upland boreal forest in Scandinavia. The project involved ®ve catchments, two of which were divided into two subcatchments covered with a big greenhouse or a roof construction. The total set-up at the experimental site employed multiple treatments and controls. Data from four catchments are presented here: (1) control, (2) greenhouse control, (3) CO 2 enriched from the ambient level of ca. 360 to 560 ppmv and air temperature increased 3±5 8C above ambient, and (4) soil temperature increased 3±5 8C with heating cables. The results showed that increased CO 2 and/or temperature did not signi®cantly in¯uence tree growthÐmeasured as tree ring increment. This ®nding is opposed the increased primary production found for the forest¯oor vegetation in the present experiment and it contradicts the results from many short-term studies, done with seedlings or young plants. It is concluded that effects of increased CO 2 and temperature observed in experiments with seedlings, saplings and forest¯oor plants may not re¯ect the effects on mature trees and therefore cannot be directly extrapolated to whole ecosystem effects. In the end this may cause C sequestration in forests to be less than anticipated in general. An increased needle weight and shoot length in all roof-and greenhouse-covered catchments in the present study indicated that the reduced light conditions and shelter effect under the roof and greenhouses have blurred the possible small treatment effects. #
Tree Physiology, 2013
Accumulated carbon uptake, apparent quantum yield (AQY) and light-saturated net CO 2 assimilation (A sat ) were used to assess the responses of photosynthesis to environmental conditions during spring for three consecutive years. Whole-tree chambers were used to expose 40-year-old field-grown Norway spruce trees in northern Sweden to an elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentration, [CO 2 ], of 700 µmol CO 2 mol −1 (C E ) and an air temperature (T) between 2.8 and 5.6 °C above ambient T (T E ), during summer and winter. Net shoot CO 2 exchange (A net ) was measured continuously on 1-year-old shoots and was used to calculate the accumulated carbon uptake and daily A sat and AQY. The accumulated carbon uptake, from 1 March to 30 June, was stimulated by 33, 44 and 61% when trees were exposed to C E , T E , and C E and T E combined, respectively. Air temperature strongly influenced the timing and extent of photosynthetic recovery expressed as AQY and A sat during the spring. Under elevated T (T E ), the recovery of AQY and A sat commenced ~10 days earlier and the activity of these parameters was significantly higher throughout the recovery period. In the absence of frost events, the photosynthetic recovery period was less than a week. However, frost events during spring slowed recovery so that full recovery could take up to 60 days to complete. Elevated [CO 2 ] stimulated AQY and A sat on average by ~10 and ~50%, respectively, throughout the recovery period, but had minimal or no effect on the onset and length of the photosynthetic recovery period during the spring. However, AQY, A sat and A net all recovered at significantly higher T (average +2.2 °C) in T E than in T A , possibly caused by acclimation or by shorter days and lower light levels during the early part of the recovery in T E compared with T A . The results suggest that predicted future climate changes will cause prominent stimulation of photosynthetic CO 2 uptake in boreal Norway spruce forest during spring, mainly caused by elevated T, but also elevated [CO 2 ]. However, the effects of elevated T may not be linearly extrapolated to future warmer climates.
Growth responses to elevated CO2 and soil quality in beech-spruce model ecosystems
Acta Oecologica, 1997
Growth responses of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) to elevated atmospheric CO 2 (366 and 550 lat CO 21-l) and increased wet deposition of nitrogen (2.5 and 25 kg N ha r at) in combination with two soil types were studied in open-top chambers. Eight young beech and spruce trees, together with five understory species, were established in each of 32 model ecosystems. We present initial growth responses of trees during the first year of treatment which may set the trends for longer term responses to elevated CO 2. Above-ground biomass production at the system level (biometric data) during the first year and root biomass (coring data) did not show significant responses to elevated CO2, irrespectively of other co-treatments. Increased nitrogen deposition (treatment commencing by mid-season) also had no effect on above-ground biomass, whereas end of season root biomass was significantly increased in the high-nitrogen treated low fertility acidic soil (74 g m ~ in the high-N versus 49 g m-2 in the low N-treatment), but not-in the more fertile calcareous soil. Stem diameter increment of beech was significantly increased (+ 9%) under elevated CO 2 in the calcareous soil, but not in the acidic soil. The opposite was found for spruce stems, which responded positively to elevated CO 2 in the acidic soil (+ 11%; P < 0.05) but not in the calcareous soil. These results suggest that soil type co-determines the CO 2 response of young forest trees and that these interactions are species specific. These initial differences are likely to affect long-term responses of community structure and ecosystem functioning. Soil type appears to be a key factor in predictions of forest responses to continued atmospheric CO 2 enrichment.
Forests, 2021
Picea abies L. Karst is undeniably one of the most important tree species growing in Slovakia. In addition to natural mountain spruce forests, monocultures planted in lower areas are also quite common. In this article, we analyze the climate–growth response differences between these two types of spruce stands in the context of local climate change consequences. The study area representing natural mountain spruce forests is located under Osobitá Mt. (Tatra Mountains, Slovakia), while the analyzed low-lying planted monoculture is situated near Biely kríž (Malé Karpaty Mountains, Slovakia). Temporal variation of the dendroclimatological relationships was expressed by the running Spearman correlation coefficient during the observed period 1961–2018. The results showed crucial differences in the dendroclimatological relationships between the selected study areas. For the natural mountain spruce stand, consistent, weak, and positive correlations to the temperature variables were typical, ...
Soil surface CO2 fluxes in a Norway spruce stand
Journal of Forest Science, 2012
The measurements of soil CO2 efflux in a Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) forest stand are reported for a 6-month period (from May 1st to October 26th 1999). Forest floor CO2 efflux was measured at four positions using a portable infra-red gas analyser (LI-COR), operating as a closed dynamic system and connected to a portable soil chamber. Soil CO2 efflux was measured 3–4 times per month. Soil temperature at a depth of 5 cm was recorded during the whole period with an interval of ten minutes. An exponential regression was used to describe the relationship between soil temperature and soil CO2 efflux. On the basis of this relationship Q10 values were calculated. The averaged value of Q10 for the studied Norway spruce forest stand was 3.74.
CO2 enrichment and development of freezing tolerance in Norway spruce
Physiologia Plantarum, 2001
ing tolerance (LT 50 ) was determined after exposing whole seedlings to temperatures ranging from − 6.5 to −36.0°C tures in a CO 2 -enriched atmosphere have received little attention despite their predicted effects on plant distribution and and scoring for visual needle browning. Elevated CO 2 did not productivity. In this study we looked at the interaction be-affect height growth or the timing of growth cessation and bud set. The only statistically significant effects of CO 2 treatment tween elevated CO 2 and development of freezing tolerance in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). First-year seedlings were on seedling dry weight, percent dry matter and starch were grown under controlled conditions in an atmosphere content. During the three weeks after growth cessation and enriched in CO 2 (70 Pa) for one simulated growth season. We bud set, freezing tolerance increased from − 10 to −35°C, and there was a marked increase in all soluble sugars except measured shoot growth, registered the timing of growth cessation and bud set, measured needle net photosynthetic rate, and inositol. However, neither freezing tolerance nor the concendetermined needle carbohydrate concentration (fructose+ tration of soluble sugars was significantly influenced by elepinitol, glucose, sucrose, inositol, raffinose and starch). Freez-vated CO 2 . after late spring frosts. Increased frost damage was also found during the period of cold hardening, in bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) leaves (Taulavuori et al. 1997) and black spruce (Picea mariana) needles (Margolis and Vézina 1990) grown in an atmosphere enriched in CO 2 . On the other hand, freezing tolerance increased after CO 2 treatment during cold hardening in needles of Scots pine (Pinus syl6estris) (Repo et al. 1996) and in dormant buds of the deciduous birch, Betula alleghaniensis (Wayne et al. 1998), while Wiemken et al. (1996) found no significant effects on Norway spruce (Picea abies) needles, neither during cold hardening in autumn nor during the dehardening phase in spring. In addition, elevated CO 2 was found to increase photoinhibition during periods of subzero temperatures in the evergreen species loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) ) and snow gum , and in seedlings of the deciduous tree Fagus syl6atica . These examples show that an atmosphere enriched in CO 2 can influence a plant's tolerance to cold and freezing temperatures during the period of active growth, during development of freezing tolerance, during the overwintering period, and/or at the start of the growth season. If elevated
International Journal of Biometeorology, 2020
Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) is among the most sensitive coniferous species to ongoing climate change. However, previous studies on its growth response to increasing temperatures have yielded contrasting results (from stimulation to suppression), suggesting highly sitespecific responses. Here, we present the first study that applies two independent approaches, i.e. the non-linear, process-based Vaganov-Shashkin (VS) model and linear daily response functions. Data were collected at twelve sites in Slovenia differing in climate regimes and ranging elevation between 170 and 1300 m a.s.l. VS model results revealed that drier Norway spruce sites at lower elevations are mostly moisture limited, while moist high-elevation sites are generally more temperature limited. Daily response functions match well the pattern of growth limiting factors from the VS model and further explain the effect of climate on radial growth: prevailing growth limiting factors correspond to the climate variable with higher correlations. Radial growth correlates negatively with rising summer temperature and positively with higher spring precipitation. The opposite response was observed for the wettest site at the highest elevation, which positively reacts to increased summer temperature and will most likely benefit from a warming climate. For all other sites, the future radial growth of Norway spruce largely depends on the balance between spring precipitation and summer temperature.
Atmospheric Environment, 2018
Mofettes are often investigated in ecology, either as extreme sites, natural analogues to future conditions under climate change, or model ecosystems for environmental impact assessments of carbon capture and storage systems. Much of this research, however, inadequately addresses the complexity of the gas environment at these sites, mainly focusing on aboveground CO 2-enrichment. In the current research, the gaseous environment of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L) Karst.) trees growing at the Stavešinske slepice mofette (NE Slovenia) were studied by measuring both soil ([CO 2 ] soil) and atmospheric CO 2 concentrations ([CO 2 ] air). Within the studied site (800 m 2), soil CO 2 enrichment was spatially heterogeneous; about 25% of the area was characterized by very high [CO 2 ] soil (> 40%) and hypoxic conditions. Aboveground gas measurements along vertical profiles not only revealed substantially elevated [CO 2 ] air close to the ground (height up to 1.5 m), but also in the upper heights (20-25 m; crown layer). On the basis δ 13 C of CO 2 , it was shown that elevated CO 2 relates to a geogenic source. Trees grown in high [CO 2 ] soil were characterized by decreased radial growth; the δ 13 C of their wood was less negative than in trees growing in normal soil. Unfavorable gaseous soil conditions should generally be accepted as being by far the most important factor affecting (i.e. disturbing) the growth of mofette trees.