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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 36(1)

Temporal variation in δ13C, wood density and microfibril angle in variously irrigated Eucalyptus nitens

David M. Drew A E , E. Detlef Schulze B and Geoffrey M. Downes C D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Building 18, Clayton, Vic. 3800, Australia.

B Max-Planck Institut für Biogeochemie, Hans-Knoell-Strasse 10, 07745 Jena, Germany.

C CSIRO Forest Biosciences, Private bag 12, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.

D Co-operative Research Centre for Forestry, Private bag 12, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.

E Corresponding author. Email: david.drew@sci.monash.edu.au

Functional Plant Biology 36(1) 1-10 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP08180
Submitted: 25 June 2008  Accepted: 20 October 2008   Published: 7 January 2009

Abstract

Wood can serve as a record of past climate, recording tree responses to changing conditions. It is also valuable in understanding tree responses to environment to optimise forest management. Stable carbon isotope ratios (δ13C), wood density and microfibril angle (MFA) are potentially useful wood property parameters for these purposes. The goal of this study was to understand how δ13C varied over time in response to cycles of soil drying and wetting and to variation in temperature in Eucalyptus nitens Deane & Maiden, in concert with wood density and MFA. δ13C increases did not necessarily occur when water stress was highest, but, rather, when it was relieved. Our hypothesis is that this was a result of the use of previously fixed carbohydrate reserves when growth and metabolic activity was resumed after a period of dormancy. MFA in particular showed concomitant temporal variation with δ13C. A peak in δ13C may not coincide temporally with an increase in water stress, but with a decrease, when higher growth rates enable the final incorporation of earlier stored photosynthate into mature wood. This has implications for using δ13C as a tool to understand past environmental conditions using radial measurements of wood properties. However, interpreting this data with other wood properties may be helpful for understanding past tree responses.

Additional keywords: carbohydrate storage, climate signal, dendrometer, drought stress, growth response.


Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr Christian Wirth for helpful discussion and suggestions, Associate Professor Jenny Read (Monash University) for her support and Monash Research Graduate School (MRGS), as well as Rob Evans and Sharee Harper (CSIRO) for their assistance with the SilviScan analyses.


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