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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 37(3)

Comparison of sapling-level daily light capture and carbon gain between a temperate deciduous and a co-occurring evergreen tree species in the growing season and in winter

Yoshiyuki Miyazawa A B C and Kyoichi Otsuki A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Experimental Forest of Fukuoka, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 811-2415, Japan.

B Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan.

C Corresponding author. Email: sclero@forest.kyushu-u.ac.jp

Functional Plant Biology 37(3) 215-222 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP09168
Submitted: 7 July 2009  Accepted: 14 October 2009   Published: 25 February 2010

Abstract

Light capture efficiency (Ea) and mass-based daily carbon gain (Amass) were compared between saplings of a deciduous tree species, Ficus erecta Thunb. and the co-occurring evergreen broadleaved tree species, Neolitsea aciculata (Bl.) Koidzumi, in a temperate forest in Japan. Using obtained data and an ecophysiological–architectural model, we calculated the Ea and Amass of each study sapling. We also analysed the response of Amass to changes in photosynthetic traits and Ea. Saplings of F. erecta had a higher Amass than N. aciculata, due to the high leaf area : aboveground mass ratio (LAR). The model calculation suggested that changes in photosynthetic traits and Ea changed Amass but did not modify the interspecific difference of Amass. In winter Amass was lower than that in the growing season due to low light availability during the short day lenght, suggesting modest importance of winter carbon gain for the evergreen saplings of N. aciculata. In conclusion, the advantage of this deciduous species for carbon gain over the co-occurring evergreen broadleaved saplings is not modified by acclimative changes in leaf physiology, crown architecture or prolonged photosynthesis period by evergreen broadleaved trees.

Additional keywords: crown architecture, efficiency, Ficus erecta, growth analysis, Neolitsea aciculate, photosynthetic traits, understory.


Acknowledgements

We thank staff of the Experimental Forest of Kyushu University for discussions, comments, encouragement and assistance with field measurements. The editor and the reviewers made productive comments on the manuscript. This research was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (#17380096, Leader: Kyoichi Otsuki) from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan.


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