Summary:
Published in Annals of Botany 2022: mcac110.
Background and Aims: Upscaling carbon allocation requires knowledge of the variability at the scales at which
data are collected and applied. Trees exhibit different growth rates and timings of wood formation. However, the
factors explaining these differences remain undetermined, making samplings and estimations of the growth dynamics
a complicated task, habitually based on technical rather than statistical reasons. This study explored the
variability in xylem phenology among 159 balsam firs [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.].
Methods Wood: microcores were collected weekly from April to October 2018 in a natural stand in Quebec,
Canada, to detect cambial activity and wood formation timings. We tested spatial autocorrelation, tree size and
cell production rates as explanatory variables of xylem phenology. We assessed sample size and margin of error
for wood phenology assessment at different confidence levels.
Key Results: Xylem formation lasted between 40 and 110 d, producing between 12 and 93 cells. No effect of
spatial proximity or size of individuals was detected on the timings of xylem phenology. Trees with larger cell
production rates showed a longer growing season, starting xylem differentiation earlier and ending later. A sample
size of 23 trees produced estimates of xylem phenology at a confidence level of 95 % with a margin of error of 1
week.
Conclusions: This study highlighted the high variability in the timings of wood formation among trees within
an area of 1 km2. The correlation between the number of new xylem cells and the growing season length suggests
a close connection between the processes of wood formation and carbon sequestration. However, the causes of the
observed differences in xylem phenology remain partially unresolved. We point out the need to carefully consider
sample size when assessing xylem phenology to explore the reasons underlying this variability and to allow reliable
upscaling of carbon allocation in forests.
File:
Permanent identifier (DOI):
Sector(s):
Forests
Catégorie(s):
Scientific Article
Theme(s):
Ecosystems and Environment, Forest Ecology, Forestry Research, Forests
Departmental author(s):
Author(s):
SILVESTRO, Roberto, Jean-Daniel SYLVAIN, Guillaume DROLET, Valentina BUTTÒ, Isabelle AUGER, Maurizio MENCUCCINI and Sergio ROSSI
Year of publication:
2022
Format:
Keyword(s):
article scientifique de la recherche forestière, scientific article, écologie forestière, forest ecology, écosystèmes et environnement, ecosystems and environment, forêt boréale, répartition du carbone, production cellulaire, abies balsamea, croissance des arbres, taille des arbres, formation du bois, développement du xylème, différenciation du xylème, xylogenèse