eCite Digital Repository
Growth and photosynthetic responses following defoliation and bud removal in eucalypts
Citation
Barry, KM and Pinkard, E, Growth and photosynthetic responses following defoliation and bud removal in eucalypts, Forest Ecology and Management, 293 pp. 9-16. ISSN 0378-1127 (2013) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Copyright 2013 Elsevier B.V.
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2012.12.012
Abstract
CABALA, a productivity model for temperate plantation eucalypts, accounts for the impact of eucalypt
defoliation on growth but does not yet account for differences in damage type. Consideration of both leaf
and bud damage may result in a more realistic representation of growth outcomes for sites with different
pest ecologies. We tested whether bud, as compared to leaf damage, elicited similar responses in two
commercially important eucalypt species. Growth, biomass and physiological responses of young potgrown
plants to artificial removal of approximately 40% of leaf area (L treatment) or both leaves and buds
(LB treatment) was assessed over a 4 month period of recovery. We identified that responses to defoliation
were similar between the two species (Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus nitens). Time series analysis
highlighted that growth (height and stem diameter) was significantly reduced by defoliation during
the study, which was more pronounced following LB treatment than L alone. At the end of the study, leaf
area, stem height and diameter increment were not significantly affected by treatment, but total aboveground,
stem biomass and foliar N were. This suggests that changes in patterns of biomass allocation
occurred to maintain leaf area and capacity for light interception. Increased photosynthetic rate, which
occurred for plants of both defoliation treatments but to a greater extent for the LB than L treatment, also
contributed to recovery following defoliation. There was no evidence that photosynthetic rate increase
was driven by changes in foliar nitrogen or chlorophyll, as there was not a statistically significant and
strong relationship between the two factors. These results give us confidence that the process-based
models used to predict the impacts of defoliation on productivity (1) can assume similar responses to
defoliation for E. globulus and E. nitens and (2) should account for differences in physiological responses
to foliage and bud damage.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
---|---|
Keywords: | defoliation, photosynthesis, chlorophyll, biomass |
Research Division: | Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences |
Research Group: | Forestry sciences |
Research Field: | Forest health and pathology |
Objective Division: | Plant Production and Plant Primary Products |
Objective Group: | Forestry |
Objective Field: | Hardwood plantations |
UTAS Author: | Barry, KM (Associate Professor Kara Barry) |
UTAS Author: | Pinkard, E (Dr Elizabeth Pinkard) |
ID Code: | 78709 |
Year Published: | 2013 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 26 |
Deposited By: | Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture |
Deposited On: | 2012-07-22 |
Last Modified: | 2014-04-03 |
Downloads: | 0 |
Repository Staff Only: item control page