title: Canopy structure and leaf nitrogen distribution in a stand of Lysimachia vulgaris L. as influenced by stand density.
abstract: A hypothesis that a dense stand should develop a less uniform distribution of leaf nitrogen through the canopy than an open stand to increase total canopy photosynthesis was tested with experimentally established stands of Lysimachia vulgaris L. The effect of stand density on spatial variation of photon flux density, leaf nitrogen and specific leaf weight within the canopy was examined. Stand density had little effect on the value of the light extinction coefficient, but strongly affected the distribution of leaf nitrogen per unit area within a canopy. The open stand had more uniform distribution of leaf nitrogen than the dense stand. However, different light climates between stands explained only part of the variation of leaf nitrogen in the canopy. The specific leaf weight in the canopy increased with increasing relative photon flux density and with decreasing nitrogen concentration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Ecology, University of Utrecht, Lange Nieuwstraat 106, NL-3512 PN, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Ecology, University of Utrecht, Lange Nieuwstraat 106, NL-3512 PN, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M J A
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Werger
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Ecology, University of Utrecht, Lange Nieuwstraat 106, NL-3512 PN, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Pons
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Ecology, University of Utrecht, Lange Nieuwstraat 106, NL-3512 PN, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J W A
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: van Rheenen
keywords: Canopy structure; Leaf nitrogen; Light climate; Lysimachia vulgaris L.; Specific leaf weight