Les falaises sont les derniers écosystèmes vierges de la zone tempérée. Elles représentent un réservoir de biodiversité et un refuge pour de nombreuses espèces végétales et peuvent abriter des espèces longévives. Dans le bassin méditerranéen, la rareté des populations anciennes et naturelles et même celle d’arbres isolés qui atteignent des âges importants s’explique par l’existence d’une pression anthropique forte depuis environ 10 000 ans. Pourtant, dans les gorges de l’Ardèche (sud de la France), des populations de Juniperus phoenicea en falaise présentent toutes les classes d’âges y compris des individus millénaires. Les falaises abritent de façon régulière des vieux arbres qui peuvent être identifiés à l’aide de critères morphologiques visuels. Néanmoins, les parois rocheuses imposent aux arbres qui s’y développent des contraintes importantes liées à la verticalité et à la compacité du substrat. Le sol y est absent ou très réduit et cela entraîne un apport en eau et en nutriments qui peut également être limité. De plus, la verticalité du milieu entraîne de nombreuses chutes de pierres qui blessent ou tuent les arbres. Les genévriers de Phénicie qui colonisent ces milieux très contraignants, répondent à cette pression par un très faible taux de croissance, une mortalité partielle de l’appareil aérien et du cambium, des caractéristiques morphologiques foliaires adaptées à la sécheresse, une capacité à utiliser l’eau des brouillards et des petites pluies qui mouillent uniquement le feuillage et ils possèdent également des communautés de champignons mycorhiziens à arbuscules adaptées à ce milieu et ce tout en pouvant atteindre des longévités exceptionnelles. / The cliffs are the last virgin ecosystems of the temperate zone. They represent a reservoir of biodiversity and a refuge for many plant and animal species and can harbor long-lived species. In the Mediterranean basin, the scarcity of old and natural forest populations and even that of isolated trees reaching great ages is explained by the existence of a strong anthropogenic pressure for about 10 000 years. However, in the gorges of the Ardèche (southern France), populations of Juniperus phoenicea in cliffs present all age classes including millennial individuals. Beyond this, the cliffs regularly shelter old trees that can be identified using visual morphological criteria. Nevertheless, the rock walls impose important stresses on the trees which develop therein due to the verticality and the compactness of the substrate. The soil is absent or very reduced and this leads to a supply of water and nutrients which can also be limited. Moreover, the verticality of the environment causes many rockfalls that injure or kill the trees. Juniperus phoenicea which colonize these very restrictive habitat respond to the pressure of such a medium by a very low growth rate, a partial mortality of the aerial system and the cambium, the leaf morphological characteristics adapted to the drought, the ability to use water from mists and small rains that only wet the foliage, and they also have arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community adapted to this environment, while at the same time achieving exceptional longevity.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2003. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Determinadas espécies arbóreas apresentam ciclos anuais de crescimento e dormência, registrados no lenho por conspícuas estruturas anatômicas – os anéis de crescimento. Nessas árvores pode-se determinar a idade e taxas de crescimento, com resolução calendária anual, através da análise temporal dos anéis de crescimento (dendrocronologia), bem como estudar a variação dessas estruturas segundo as condições ambientais (dendroecologia). Pesquisas recentes têm descrito anéis de crescimento anuais num grande número de espécies tropicais e subtropicais. A exemplo do que ocorre em zonas temperadas e áridas, o desenvolvimento da dendroecologia pode contribuir substancialmente ao conhecimento da dinâmica do clima e da vegetação em ecossistemas tropicais e subtropicais. Nesta tese eu reviso e desenvolvo estudos dendroecológicos em biomas brasileiros, principalmente, em ecossistemas subtropicais montanos, visando solidificar a dendroecologia no país. Segundo ampla revisão bibliográfica, estudos relacionados à dendroecologia nos biomas brasileiros, em sua maioria, versam sobre a anatomia e periodicidade de formação de anéis de crescimento na flora; poucos efetivamente relacionam séries anuais de anéis de crescimento com variações do ambiente. As pesquisas estão concentradas em biomas florestais, notadamente na Amazônia. No intuito de facilitar estudos futuros, apresento uma compilação de 124 espécies que formam anéis anuais. Pesquisas inéditas sobre anéis de crescimento em Araucaria angustifolia, espécie típica de formações florestais e campestres em regiões montanas do sul e sudeste do Brasil, comprovam seu potencial dendroecológico. Através de análise da atividade cambial demonstro que esta espécie forma anéis de crescimento anuais, relacionados à variação sazonal de temperatura e fotoperíodo. Estudando séries temporais de largura de anéis de crescimento verifiquei a existência de padrões regionais de crescimento, relacionados à variação interanual do clima, principalmente da temperatura. Regionalmente, A. angustifolia parece sensível a déficit hídrico em Dezembro e Janeiro, bem como responde de forma complexa às condições térmicas em Maio e Junho. Padrões de crescimento divergente entre árvores de campo e de floresta podem estar relacionados ao regime de queimada da vegetação campestre, por sua vez, moderado pela precipitação no mês de ignição de queimadas (Agosto). / Certain tree species present annual cycles of growth and dormancy, imprinted in wood as conspicuous anatomical structures – the growth rings. Temporal analysis of annual growth rings (dendrochronology) allows the determination of tree age and growth rate, with calendar year resolution, and to study long-term relationship between tree-growth and environmental conditions (dendroecology). Recent studies have found annual growth rings in many tropical and subtropical species. As in temperate and arid zones, dendroecological investigations may contribute for understanding the dynamics of climate and vegetation in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. Here, I review and develop dendroecological studies in biomes of Brazil, aiming to support further advances. According to a broad literature review, dendroecological studies in Brazilian Biomes have focused mostly on anatomy and periodicity of growth ring formation; few of them relate growth ring time-series to environmental conditions. The studies are concentrated in forested biomes, noticebly in Amazonia. In order to assist future studies I present a compilation of 124 species that produce annual growth rings. Novel studies on Araucaria angustifolia, a typical conifer growing in forest and grassland ecosystems of south and southeast Brazilian highlands, confirm its dendroecological potential. By means of cambium activity examination I show that this species produces annual growth rings, related to seasonal variations of temperature and photoperiod. Analyses of ring-width time series revealed regional growth patterns related to inter-annual climate variations. In a regional extent, A. angustifolia trees are, probably, sensitive the water deficit in December and January, as well respond to thermal conditions of May and June, in a complex manner. Divergent patterns between grassland and forest trees may be related to grassland fire regimes, moderated by rainfall during the fire ignition period (August).

Determinadas espécies arbóreas apresentam ciclos anuais de crescimento e dormência, registrados no lenho por conspícuas estruturas anatômicas – os anéis de crescimento. Nessas árvores pode-se determinar a idade e taxas de crescimento, com resolução calendária anual, através da análise temporal dos anéis de crescimento (dendrocronologia), bem como estudar a variação dessas estruturas segundo as condições ambientais (dendroecologia). Pesquisas recentes têm descrito anéis de crescimento anuais num grande número de espécies tropicais e subtropicais. A exemplo do que ocorre em zonas temperadas e áridas, o desenvolvimento da dendroecologia pode contribuir substancialmente ao conhecimento da dinâmica do clima e da vegetação em ecossistemas tropicais e subtropicais. Nesta tese eu reviso e desenvolvo estudos dendroecológicos em biomas brasileiros, principalmente, em ecossistemas subtropicais montanos, visando solidificar a dendroecologia no país. Segundo ampla revisão bibliográfica, estudos relacionados à dendroecologia nos biomas brasileiros, em sua maioria, versam sobre a anatomia e periodicidade de formação de anéis de crescimento na flora; poucos efetivamente relacionam séries anuais de anéis de crescimento com variações do ambiente. As pesquisas estão concentradas em biomas florestais, notadamente na Amazônia. No intuito de facilitar estudos futuros, apresento uma compilação de 124 espécies que formam anéis anuais. Pesquisas inéditas sobre anéis de crescimento em Araucaria angustifolia, espécie típica de formações florestais e campestres em regiões montanas do sul e sudeste do Brasil, comprovam seu potencial dendroecológico. Através de análise da atividade cambial demonstro que esta espécie forma anéis de crescimento anuais, relacionados à variação sazonal de temperatura e fotoperíodo. Estudando séries temporais de largura de anéis de crescimento verifiquei a existência de padrões regionais de crescimento, relacionados à variação interanual do clima, principalmente da temperatura. Regionalmente, A. angustifolia parece sensível a déficit hídrico em Dezembro e Janeiro, bem como responde de forma complexa às condições térmicas em Maio e Junho. Padrões de crescimento divergente entre árvores de campo e de floresta podem estar relacionados ao regime de queimada da vegetação campestre, por sua vez, moderado pela precipitação no mês de ignição de queimadas (Agosto). / Certain tree species present annual cycles of growth and dormancy, imprinted in wood as conspicuous anatomical structures – the growth rings. Temporal analysis of annual growth rings (dendrochronology) allows the determination of tree age and growth rate, with calendar year resolution, and to study long-term relationship between tree-growth and environmental conditions (dendroecology). Recent studies have found annual growth rings in many tropical and subtropical species. As in temperate and arid zones, dendroecological investigations may contribute for understanding the dynamics of climate and vegetation in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. Here, I review and develop dendroecological studies in biomes of Brazil, aiming to support further advances. According to a broad literature review, dendroecological studies in Brazilian Biomes have focused mostly on anatomy and periodicity of growth ring formation; few of them relate growth ring time-series to environmental conditions. The studies are concentrated in forested biomes, noticebly in Amazonia. In order to assist future studies I present a compilation of 124 species that produce annual growth rings. Novel studies on Araucaria angustifolia, a typical conifer growing in forest and grassland ecosystems of south and southeast Brazilian highlands, confirm its dendroecological potential. By means of cambium activity examination I show that this species produces annual growth rings, related to seasonal variations of temperature and photoperiod. Analyses of ring-width time series revealed regional growth patterns related to inter-annual climate variations. In a regional extent, A. angustifolia trees are, probably, sensitive the water deficit in December and January, as well respond to thermal conditions of May and June, in a complex manner. Divergent patterns between grassland and forest trees may be related to grassland fire regimes, moderated by rainfall during the fire ignition period (August).

Determinadas espécies arbóreas apresentam ciclos anuais de crescimento e dormência, registrados no lenho por conspícuas estruturas anatômicas – os anéis de crescimento. Nessas árvores pode-se determinar a idade e taxas de crescimento, com resolução calendária anual, através da análise temporal dos anéis de crescimento (dendrocronologia), bem como estudar a variação dessas estruturas segundo as condições ambientais (dendroecologia). Pesquisas recentes têm descrito anéis de crescimento anuais num grande número de espécies tropicais e subtropicais. A exemplo do que ocorre em zonas temperadas e áridas, o desenvolvimento da dendroecologia pode contribuir substancialmente ao conhecimento da dinâmica do clima e da vegetação em ecossistemas tropicais e subtropicais. Nesta tese eu reviso e desenvolvo estudos dendroecológicos em biomas brasileiros, principalmente, em ecossistemas subtropicais montanos, visando solidificar a dendroecologia no país. Segundo ampla revisão bibliográfica, estudos relacionados à dendroecologia nos biomas brasileiros, em sua maioria, versam sobre a anatomia e periodicidade de formação de anéis de crescimento na flora; poucos efetivamente relacionam séries anuais de anéis de crescimento com variações do ambiente. As pesquisas estão concentradas em biomas florestais, notadamente na Amazônia. No intuito de facilitar estudos futuros, apresento uma compilação de 124 espécies que formam anéis anuais. Pesquisas inéditas sobre anéis de crescimento em Araucaria angustifolia, espécie típica de formações florestais e campestres em regiões montanas do sul e sudeste do Brasil, comprovam seu potencial dendroecológico. Através de análise da atividade cambial demonstro que esta espécie forma anéis de crescimento anuais, relacionados à variação sazonal de temperatura e fotoperíodo. Estudando séries temporais de largura de anéis de crescimento verifiquei a existência de padrões regionais de crescimento, relacionados à variação interanual do clima, principalmente da temperatura. Regionalmente, A. angustifolia parece sensível a déficit hídrico em Dezembro e Janeiro, bem como responde de forma complexa às condições térmicas em Maio e Junho. Padrões de crescimento divergente entre árvores de campo e de floresta podem estar relacionados ao regime de queimada da vegetação campestre, por sua vez, moderado pela precipitação no mês de ignição de queimadas (Agosto). / Certain tree species present annual cycles of growth and dormancy, imprinted in wood as conspicuous anatomical structures – the growth rings. Temporal analysis of annual growth rings (dendrochronology) allows the determination of tree age and growth rate, with calendar year resolution, and to study long-term relationship between tree-growth and environmental conditions (dendroecology). Recent studies have found annual growth rings in many tropical and subtropical species. As in temperate and arid zones, dendroecological investigations may contribute for understanding the dynamics of climate and vegetation in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. Here, I review and develop dendroecological studies in biomes of Brazil, aiming to support further advances. According to a broad literature review, dendroecological studies in Brazilian Biomes have focused mostly on anatomy and periodicity of growth ring formation; few of them relate growth ring time-series to environmental conditions. The studies are concentrated in forested biomes, noticebly in Amazonia. In order to assist future studies I present a compilation of 124 species that produce annual growth rings. Novel studies on Araucaria angustifolia, a typical conifer growing in forest and grassland ecosystems of south and southeast Brazilian highlands, confirm its dendroecological potential. By means of cambium activity examination I show that this species produces annual growth rings, related to seasonal variations of temperature and photoperiod. Analyses of ring-width time series revealed regional growth patterns related to inter-annual climate variations. In a regional extent, A. angustifolia trees are, probably, sensitive the water deficit in December and January, as well respond to thermal conditions of May and June, in a complex manner. Divergent patterns between grassland and forest trees may be related to grassland fire regimes, moderated by rainfall during the fire ignition period (August).

The current study focuses on the vascular cambium and the reiterative formation of phloem fiber bundles in cotton stems. The role of the TDIF-PXY-WOX pathway was examined in regulating cambial activity and the differentiation of phloem fibers. A study was conducted to identify and characterize the cotton WOX family genes, focusing on WOX4 and WOX14, aiming to identify and analyze their phylogenetic relationships, tissue-specific expression profiles, functional roles, and metabolic consequences. Through a sequence analysis of the Gossypium hirsutum genome, 42 cotton loci were identified as WOX family members. GhWOX4 exhibited a close homology to 7 loci, while GhWOX14 displayed homology with 8 loci. Tissue-specific expression analysis revealed prominent expression patterns of GhWOX4 and GhWOX14 in cotton internodes and roots, suggesting their involvement in vascular tissue development. Functional studies utilizing VIGS (virus-induced gene silencing) demonstrated that the knockdown of GhWOX4 and GhWOX14 resulted in a significant reduction in stem diameter and bast fiber production. This result suggests that secondary phloem fiber development is regulated by GhWOX4 and GhWOX14 genes in cotton. Additionally, the metabolic profiling of VIGS plants revealed significant alterations in amino acids, organic acids, and sugars, with implications for primary metabolic pathways. These findings suggest that GhWOX4 and GhWOX14 play pivotal roles in cotton plant development, including vascular tissue growth and phloem fiber production, and metabolic regulation.

The Arabidopsis chitinase-like1 (Atctl1) mutant, pom1 is compromised in primary cell wall development, resulting in short roots when grown on high sucrose and shortened hypocotyls when grown in darkness. To better understand this phenotype and the evolution of AtCTL1 and its homologue, AtCTL2, we obtained a large number of CTL sequences and determined the phylogenetic relationships among them. Since microarray analysis had suggested a change in auxin response or homeostasis in pom1, I used the auxin reporter DR5::GUS in the pom1 background to assess changes in distribution. To assess whether the biochemical functions of AtCTL1 homologues in Arabidopsis and other plants are conserved, I transformed pom1 with AtCTL2 and CTLs from poplar (Populus trichocarpa x Populus deltoides clone H-11) and from Picea glauca (spruce) and assessed rescue of the pom1 phenotype. To further understand CTL expression and function, Arabidopsis and poplar CTL promoter::GUS fusions were also expressed in Arabidopsis, PopCTL1 overexpressed in Arabidopsis, and CTL expression down regulated in poplar by RNAi. Our results indicate that CTL genes represent an ancient family encoding proteins of conserved biochemical function. In dicots, represented by Arabidopsis and poplar) duplicated CTL genes are differentially expressed in conjunction with primary and secondary cell wall development, respectively. Mutation of these genes results in improperly formed primary walls in certain cell types in the case of AtCTL1, and an impairment in the differentiation of vascular bundles for AtCTL2. Overexpression of PopCTL1 in Arabidopsis seems to over stimulate the differentiation of vascular bundles, and our studies show that auxin distribution is altered in the Atctl1 mutant. Down regulation of PopCTL1 and PopCTL2 in poplar appears to phenocopy aspects of these mutations, resulting in secondary cell walls that appear to have less deposition of lignin and an accelerated production of secondary xylem respectively. While specific biochemical function(s) of CTL genes were not studied, potential functions are discussed.

The Arabidopsis chitinase-like1 (Atctl1) mutant, pom1 is compromised in primary cell wall development, resulting in short roots when grown on high sucrose and shortened hypocotyls when grown in darkness. To better understand this phenotype and the evolution of AtCTL1 and its homologue, AtCTL2, we obtained a large number of CTL sequences and determined the phylogenetic relationships among them. Since microarray analysis had suggested a change in auxin response or homeostasis in pom1, I used the auxin reporter DR5::GUS in the pom1 background to assess changes in distribution. To assess whether the biochemical functions of AtCTL1 homologues in Arabidopsis and other plants are conserved, I transformed pom1 with AtCTL2 and CTLs from poplar (Populus trichocarpa x Populus deltoides clone H-11) and from Picea glauca (spruce) and assessed rescue of the pom1 phenotype. To further understand CTL expression and function, Arabidopsis and poplar CTL promoter::GUS fusions were also expressed in Arabidopsis, PopCTL1 overexpressed in Arabidopsis, and CTL expression down regulated in poplar by RNAi. Our results indicate that CTL genes represent an ancient family encoding proteins of conserved biochemical function. In dicots, represented by Arabidopsis and poplar) duplicated CTL genes are differentially expressed in conjunction with primary and secondary cell wall development, respectively. Mutation of these genes results in improperly formed primary walls in certain cell types in the case of AtCTL1, and an impairment in the differentiation of vascular bundles for AtCTL2. Overexpression of PopCTL1 in Arabidopsis seems to over stimulate the differentiation of vascular bundles, and our studies show that auxin distribution is altered in the Atctl1 mutant. Down regulation of PopCTL1 and PopCTL2 in poplar appears to phenocopy aspects of these mutations, resulting in secondary cell walls that appear to have less deposition of lignin and an accelerated production of secondary xylem respectively. While specific biochemical function(s) of CTL genes were not studied, potential functions are discussed.

Le genre Larix intéresse les reboiseurs en raison de sa croissance rapide et de son bois apprécié. En particulier, le mélèze est une alternative intéressante au douglas pour les reboisements à basse et moyenne altitude. L'adaptation à l'environnement est une question clé pour les améliorateurs d'arbres forestiers. Cette question est particulièrement importante dans le cadre du changement climatique, où une diminution de la disponibilité en eau durant la saison de végétation est prédite. Trois espèces principales de mélèzes sont utilisées en reboisement en France : le mélèze d'Europe, le mélèze du Japon et leur hybride. Les bonnes performances du mélèze hybride en plantation témoignent de son grand potentiel. La structure cellulaire des cernes annuels reflète la réponse du cambium (division cellulaire, allongement et épaississement des parois) aux facteurs environnementaux (climat, fertilité, compétition...), ainsi que des stades physiologiques et l'effet de la génétique. La densité du bois peut être interprétée comme le produit de l'activité cambiale, et sa variation comme la réponse de l'arbre à son environnement. Toutefois, afin de bien avons combiné de façon originale microdensitométrie et blessures du cambium comprendre cette réponse et les variations du processus de xylogenèse lui-même, il est important de repérer les évènements qui se succèdent lors de la production des cellules de bois. Plusieurs approches permettent de dater la formation du bois. Nous (pinning method) afin d'étudier la dynamique de la fabrication du bois. Nous avons analysé les données obtenues du point de vue de l'améliorateur d'arbres forestiers. Cette nouvelle approche nous a permis d'aller au-delà le caractère statique du profil microdensitométrique (où la densité varie en fonction de la distance) afin de le convertir en profil dynamique (où la densité varie en fonction du temps). La variation de la phénologie de l'activité cambiale peut être vue comme un mécanisme ajustant bois peuvent être interprétées comme des caractères d'adaptation. L'intérêt pour les les le fonctionnement des arbres à leur environnement. Si cet ajustement améliore leur valeur adaptative (fitness), alors les variations correspondantes de l'anatomie du entre phénologie cambiale, formation du bois et stress pédoclimatiques afin de améliorateurs est double : d'un côté, il est urgent de mieux comprendre les liens concevoir des génotypes mieux adaptés à leur environnement. [...] Suite et fin du résumé dans la thèse.

Les mouvements morphogénétiques se caractérisent, au niveau tissulaire, par une succession de dynamiques cellulaires, précisément agencées temporellement et spatialement. Ce travail de thèse vise à étudier, par la modélisation mathématique, comment les mouvements morphogénétiques globaux s'expliquent par l'intégration des dynamiques cellulaires locales (prolifération, migration, différenciation,...). Le tissu est modélisé par un système multi-agents où chaque cellule est individualisée. Cette structure est couplée avec un système d'équations aux dérivées partielles qui décrit un contrôle chimique global. <br /> <br />Cette méthode a été appliquée principalement à la croissance radiale secondaire des conifères qui est générée par divisions et croissances successives des cellules d'un tissu spécialisé nommé cambium. Le cambium est modélisé par un système dynamique discret. Un modèle continu aux dérivées partielles rend compte du transport d'une hormone dont la concentration contrôle les taux de croissance des cellules cambiales. <br /> <br />La croissance radiale est un mouvement morphogénétique essentiellement régi par la prolifération cellulaire. Nous avons également considéré l'invagination épithéliale où dominent la migration et la déformation cellulaire. Nous avons enfin étudié l'importance des relations de voisinage dans les processus de différenciation.