title: Coordination between growth, phenology and carbon storage in three coexisting deciduous tree species in a temperate forest.
abstract: In deciduous trees growing in temperate forests, bud break and growth in spring must rely on intrinsic carbon (C) reserves. Yet it is unclear whether growth and C storage occur simultaneously, and whether starch C in branches is sufficient for refoliation. To test in situ the relationships between growth, phenology and C utilization, we monitored stem growth, leaf phenology and stem and branch nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) dynamics in three deciduous species: Carpinus betulus L., Fagus sylvatica L. and Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. To quantify the role of NSC in C investment into growth, a C balance approach was applied. Across the three species, >95% of branchlet starch was consumed during bud break, confirming the importance of C reserves for refoliation in spring. The C balance calculation showed that 90% of the C investment in foliage (7.0-10.5 kg tree(-1) and 5-17 times the C needed for annual stem growth) was explained by simultaneous branchlet starch degradation. Carbon reserves were recovered sooner than expected, after leaf expansion, in parallel with stem growth. Carpinus had earlier leaf phenology (by ∼25 days) but delayed cambial growth (by ∼15 days) than Fagus and Quercus, the result of a competitive strategy to flush early, while having lower NSC levels.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, 4056 Basel, Switzerland; Present address: Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, ARO Volcani Center, Beit Dagan 50250, Israel tamirkl@volcani.agri.gov.il.
authors.forename: Tamir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geography, University of Neuchatel, 2000 Neuchatel, Switzerland; Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), 2000 Neuchatel, Switzerland; Group Mountain Ecosystems, Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), 7620 Davos, Switzerland;
authors.forename: Yann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vitasse
authors.affiliation: Institute of Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, 4056 Basel, Switzerland;
authors.forename: Günter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hoch
mesh_terms: D029401:Betulaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D004463:Ecology; D029964:Fagus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D065928:Forests; D018519:Meristem / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010788:Photosynthesis; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029963:Quercus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons; D013213:Starch / Q000378:metabolism; D014197:Trees / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon; D013213:Starch
keywords: bud break; growth onset; mixed forest; starch degradation