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- Title
Does leaf net carbon gain and damage explain the minimum thresholds of light for shade tolerance in seedlings of an emergent rainforest tropical tree?
- Authors
Mielke, Marcelo Schramm; Pinheiro, Marayana Prado; Dalmolin, Ândrea Carla; Schilling, Ana Cristina; dos Santos, Martielly Santana; Cerqueira, Amanda Freitas; Sanches, Maria Cristina; Sousa-Santos, Catriane
- Abstract
Key message: The strategies of net carbon gain and defense/storage are evidenced to be complementary for the shade tolerance of seedlings of an emergent tropical tree. Cariniana legalis is one of the largest endemic tree species in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. From two independent experiments we investigated the influence of nine leaf traits and leaf damage on the growth and whole-plant carbon gain of C. legalis seedlings in a wide gradient of light availability. Two hypotheses were tested: (a) At leaf scale, C. legalis seedlings are able to simultaneously maximize net carbon gain and maintain characteristics associated to defense/storage strategy under dense shade conditions. (b) At a whole-plant scale, leaf damage by simulated herbivory affects the ratio between carbon gain by leaves and carbon loss by stems and roots, altering the minimum thresholds of light to shade tolerance of C. legalis seedlings. All seedlings had positive relative growth rates (RGR) in low daily light integral (DLI), i.e. from 0.6 mol photons m−2 day−1. Our first hypothesis was partially accepted, as the highest plasticity values for light compensation point (LCP) and dark respiration rate (Rd) indicated that the net carbon gain under low light is related to a decrease in leaf metabolism and carbon loss. Additionally, the high values of leaf mass per area (LMA) and the low individual leaf area (ILA) can be important survival mechanisms for C. legalis seedlings under dense shade conditions. Our second hypothesis was accepted, as the whole-plant light compensation point (WPLCP) was significantly higher in seedlings with simulated herbivory compared to control. Leaf damage can affect the minimum thresholds of light for shade tolerance of C. legalis seedlings.
- Subjects
RAIN forests; LEAF growth; LEAF area; CARBON metabolism; CARBON; SEEDLINGS; MOSQUITO nets
- Publication
Trees: Structure & Function, 2023, Vol 37, Issue 6, p1727
- ISSN
0931-1890
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00468-023-02455-9