Loading...
Physiological Responses of Fagus sylvatica and Quercus robur Seedlings to Light Intensity
Citations
Altmetric:
Date
22/06/2014
Collections
Files
Loading...
Poster
Adobe PDF, 740.29 KB
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Citation
Ignacio Sevillano, Ian Short, Conor O'Reilly, Olga M. Grant. Physiological Responses of Fagus sylvatica and Quercus robur Seedlings to Light Intensity. Plant Biology Europe, FESPB/EPSO 2014 Congress. Poster P347
Abstract
Broadleaf planting has become increasingly important in Ireland over the recent years and light is
recognised as one of the main environmental factors affecting stand development, but to date there has
been little research on broadleaf responses to light intensity, particularly in Ireland. Continuous cover
forestry (CCF) is increasing as an alternative to clear-cutting and uses the control of light to produce
plantation benefits. The physiological responses of beech (Fagus sylvatica) and oak (Quercus robur)
seedlings to four different shade environments (100%, 62%, 51% and 28% of incident
photosynthetically active radiation, PAR) were studied in a shadehouse experiment during the summer
of 2013.
Light-response curves (only measured in the extreme treatments) differed between beech seedlings of
the Control treatment (PAR=100%) and those of the heavy shade treatment (PAR=28%) when PAR >
100 μmol m-2 s-1, while there was little difference for oak between both treatments. Light-response
curves generally showed maximum photosynthetic rates (Amax) at 1500 μmol m-2 s-1 in both treatments,
and this PAR value was used while measuring stomatal conductance (gs) and water use efficiency
(WUE). Significantly higher values of Amax and gs were found in oak than in beech in the 62%, 51% and
28% treatments. There were no significant differences between oak and beech for Amax and gs in the
Control treatment or for WUE in the four treatments.