The influence of nitrogen supply on relationships of relative growth rate (RGR) to leaf physiology, structural and non-structural carbon partitioning, and nitrogen- and water-use efficiencies were examined in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) clonal lines differing in growth potential. Nine 18-month-old loblolly pine clones were grown in a climate-controlled greenhouse for 20 weeks under two contrasting nitrogen (N) regimes (50 and 250 ppm) and a growth analysis was carried out. Higher nitrogen increased plant RGR and largely resulted in proportional shifts in biomass from roots and stems to needles. The RGR of plants receiving higher nitrogen was increased primarily through increased leaf area ratio (LAR), which was increased through higher leaf mass fraction (LMF) and not through changes in needle morphology. Although concentrations of needle glucose in plants receiving 250 ppm N were 22 percent higher than plants receiving lower N, total non-structural carbohydrate concentrations in needles of plants receiving 50 ppm N were nearly double that of clones receiving 250 pm N, primarily due to starch accumulation of the nitrogen-deficient plants. Plants receiving 250 ppm N also had 39 and 18 percent lower starch in the coarse and fine roots, respectively. Plants receiving higher nitrogen were also more water-use efficient, but had lower photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency. LAR, net assimilation rate (NAR), specific leaf area (SLA), and LMF were all positively correlated with RGR, but the main influence on RGR differences among clones was LAR. In addition, leaf-level rates of photosynthesis and respiration were positively correlated with RGR; however, faster-growing clones did not exhibit greater carbon economy at the leaf level. Both instantaneous water-use efficiency (A/E) and δ13C were positively correlated with RGR and photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency was negatively correlated with RGR. The identification of physiological and morphological traits underpinning differences in RGR among clones and how these traits are affected by nitrogen supply provides new information on trait correlations within species and parallels broader patterns observed among species.

The influence of nitrogen supply on relationships of relative growth rate (RGR) to leaf physiology, structural and non-structural carbon partitioning, and nitrogen- and water-use efficiencies were examined in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) clonal lines differing in growth potential. Nine 18-month-old loblolly pine clones were grown in a climate-controlled greenhouse for 20 weeks under two contrasting nitrogen (N) regimes (50 and 250 ppm) and a growth analysis was carried out. Higher nitrogen increased plant RGR and largely resulted in proportional shifts in biomass from roots and stems to needles. The RGR of plants receiving higher nitrogen was increased primarily through increased leaf area ratio (LAR), which was increased through higher leaf mass fraction (LMF) and not through changes in needle morphology. Although concentrations of needle glucose in plants receiving 250 ppm N were 22 percent higher than plants receiving lower N, total non-structural carbohydrate concentrations in needles of plants receiving 50 ppm N were nearly double that of clones receiving 250 pm N, primarily due to starch accumulation of the nitrogen-deficient plants. Plants receiving 250 ppm N also had 39 and 18 percent lower starch in the coarse and fine roots, respectively. Plants receiving higher nitrogen were also more water-use efficient, but had lower photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency. LAR, net assimilation rate (NAR), specific leaf area (SLA), and LMF were all positively correlated with RGR, but the main influence on RGR differences among clones was LAR. In addition, leaf-level rates of photosynthesis and respiration were positively correlated with RGR; however, faster-growing clones did not exhibit greater carbon economy at the leaf level. Both instantaneous water-use efficiency (A/E) and δ13C were positively correlated with RGR and photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency was negatively correlated with RGR. The identification of physiological and morphological traits underpinning differences in RGR among clones and how these traits are affected by nitrogen supply provides new information on trait correlations within species and parallels broader patterns observed among species.

Data from three long-term field studies with loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations were used to examine inequality (Gini coefficient) trends in diameter and the relationship between diameter relative growth rate (r) and initial size. Analysis with two spacing studies shows inequality increases with increasing density. For a given initial density, inequality initially decreases and then begins to increase as trees compete for resources. The slope of the linear relationship between r and relative size also increases with increasing density. The slope is initially negative and switches to positive as competition intensifies. The switch in the slope of the r/size relationship occurs when the crown projection area exceeds 1.05 or when the crown ratio falls below 0.75. These results are consistent with the resource pre-emptive or dominance/suppression theory of intra-specific competition. The r/size trends are not evident when calculations are based on class means as opposed to individual trees. The slope of the r/size relationship is a function of stand height, density, and to a lesser extent, site quality. Density reduction through mid-rotation thinning tends to decrease the slope coefficient. The r/size trends are used to develop a disaggregation model to distribute stand-level basal area growth over an initial tree list. This approach compares well with two other disaggregation models but tends to over predict growth on the largest trees. / Ph. D.

Objetivou-seanalisar o crescimento de Anacardium occidentaleL.(Anacardiaceae), Dipteryx alataVogeleParkia platycephalaBenth (Fabaceae), introduzidas em uma área de Cerrado sentido restritoemPorto Nacional, Tocantins. Foram analisados 30 indivíduos de A. occidentale, 16 de D. alatae 34 de P. platycephala, com análises realizadas nos anos de 2006, 2010 e 2016. Foram avaliadas a altura das plantas e o diâmetro dos caules. Esses dados também foram utilizados para o cálculo das taxas de crescimento relativo em altura e em diâmetro. P. platycephala exibiu os maiores incrementos em altura e diâmetro, como também as maiorestaxas de crescimento relativo, mostrando-se a espécie melhor adaptada às condições ambientais da área. A. occidentale e D. alataapresentaram crescimento em altura e diâmetro bem como taxas de crescimento relativo menores, o que dificultou a adaptação dosindivíduos ao ambiente onde foram introduzidos. / Aimed at analyzing the growth of Anacardium occidentaleL.(Anacardiaceae), Dipteryx alataVogel andParkia platycephala Benth (Fabaceae), introduced in a Cerrado stricto sensu area in Porto Nacional, Tocantins. Thirty individuals of A. occidentale, 16 of D. alataand 34 of P. platycephalawere evaluated according to data collected in 2006, 2010 and 2016. Plant height and stem diameter were assessed. These data were also used to determine the relative growth rates of stem height and diameter. P.platycephalaexhibited the greatest increments in height and stem diameter as well as the largest increases in relative growth rates, turning out to be the species that best adapted to the environmental conditions of the area. A. occidentale and D. alata presented lower increments in terms of height, stem diameter and relative growth rates, which hindered the adaptation of individuals to the environment where they were introduced.

The arrival order of species, also known as priority effects, can have big impacts on the future plant community assembly and diversity. Knowledge about priority effects can be of importance in grassland restoration and to counteract invasive species invasion. The aim of this study was to evaluate if and how much plant traits change with arrival order. Here, 15 grassland species, divided into functional groups (forbs, grasses, and legumes) were sown in a greenhouse. The plants were subject to one of three treatments: ‘Control Alone’ (CA), where each plant was grown alone, ‘Control Together’ (CT), where two plants arrived at the same time and ‘Priority effect’ where the first plant (PE.1) arrived three weeks before the second plant (PE.2). For plants grown alone, there was significant differences between the functional groups for the traits mass relative growth rate, height relative growth rate, plant height, plant width and width of stolons. Forbs had significantly largest relative growth rate (RGR), smallest height after three and six weeks of growth as well as largest stolons at both times. Grasses showed significant largest width at three weeks of growth and legumes reached about the same width as grasses after six weeks of growth. The plants that arrived second showed significantly less growth compared to the other treatments which imply that priority effects occurred. The growth strategy for forbs was fast RGR and production of stolons, for grasses it was primarily an increased width and for legumes it was a combination of reaching large height and width.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are a category of fungi that occupy virtually all of the Earth's soils. Their role as plant symbionts for nearly all land plants is well documented, where these fungi forms partnerships with plants through the root system. These relationships vary from mutualistic to parasitic and allow the exchange of nutrients between the partners via fungal hyphae that penetrate the cell walls of roots. However, many details of the nature of this symbiosis are not well understood, and the interaction between plants and AMF has been the subject of increased interest recently given the potential benefit to farming systems and natural ecosystems. This study evaluated the variability of mycorrhizal growth response (MGR) to inoculation by the common AMF species Rhizophagus intraradices in a diverse set of wild sunflower species (Helianthus), focusing on how changes in plant traits due to fungal colonization may determine the relative cost or benefit of AMF partnership for wild plants. Results indicate that the overall impacts of AMF colonization on plant growth rate are small, though MGR is correlated with AMF-driven shifts in leaf chlorophyll content. These findings suggest that relative changes in plant growth rate that result from AMF partnership are mediated by plant functional trait.

Em ambientes degradados, a restauração ecológica visa acelerar o processo de sucessão ecológica. A técnica mais utilizada para a restauração de ambientes muito degradados é o plantio de mudas. A seleção das espécies é determinante para o sucesso dos projetos de restauração, pois as espécies precisam se estabelecer e crescer diante das condições do ambiente. Utilizar a abordagem de características funcionais pode ser uma ferramenta promissora para auxiliar a seleção de espécies em projetos de restauração. Em ambientes florestais, há evidências de que as características funcionais afetam o desempenho das espécies, entretanto, existem poucos estudos realizados em áreas em restauração. Neste estudo, foi avaliada a relação entre as características funcionais foliares e a taxa de crescimento relativo em altura e em diâmetro à altura do solo de espécies arbóreas nativas plantadas em uma área degradada que está sendo restaurada. Para descrever a relação entre as características funcionais e a taxa de crescimento relativo (TCR) dos indivíduos foi utilizada a abordagem de seleção de modelos baseados em modelos lineares de efeitos mistos (MLEM). A seleção de modelos foi realizada utilizando o critério de informação de Akaike (Akaike\'s Information Criterion) (AIC). As características funcionais não apresentaram relação com a taxa de crescimento relativo em altura e diâmetro dos indivíduos das espécies, possivelmente devido às diferenças nas condições ambientais entre ambientes florestais e ambientes degradados. Apesar de não ter sido encontrada uma relação entre as características funcionais e a TCR, o modelo mais plausível selecionado indica que indivíduos maiores no início do monitoramento possuem menores taxas de crescimento relativo em altura, ou seja, indivíduos mais altos possuem menores taxas de crescimento em altura. Isso pode ser um indicativo de que as espécies analisadas possuem taxa de crescimento relativo dependente do tamanho. Considerando que não foi encontrada relação entre as características funcionais morfológicas e a taxa de crescimento relativo em uma área em restauração, é razoável supor que essa abordagem não pode ser utilizada em todos os ambientes. Estudos que avaliem características funcionais foliares nos diferentes estágios de desenvolvimento das plantas em ambientes degradados podem refinar essas análises e ajudar a definir se a seleção de espécies para projetos de restauração pode ser feita usando a abordagem de características funcionais / In degraded environments, ecological restoration aims to accelerate the process of ecological succession. The most widely used technique for restoration of degraded environments is the planting of seedlings. The selection of species is crucial to the success of the restoration projects, because the species need to establish and grow under the harsh conditions of the environment. Using the approach of functional traits can be a promising tool to assist in the selection of species in restoration projects. In forest environments, there is evidence that functional traits affect the performance of the species, however, there are few studies conducted in areas undergoing restoration. In this study, the relationship between the functional leaf traits and the relative growth rate in height and in diameter at ground level of native tree species planted in a degraded area that is being restored was evaluated. To describe the relationship between the functional traits and the relative growth rate (RGR) of individuals, we used the approach of model selection based on linear mixed effects models (LMEM). The selection of models was performed using Akaike\'s Information Criterion (AIC). The functional traits showed no relationship with the relative growth rate in height and diameter of the individuals of the species, possibly due to differences in environmental conditions between forest environments and degraded environments. Despite not finding a relationship between the functional traits and the RGR, the most plausible model selected indicates that larger individuals at the beginning of monitoring have lower relative growth rates in height, that is, taller individuals have lower rates of growth in height. Considering that no relationship between the morphological functional traits and the relative growth rate in an area undergoing restoration was found, it is reasonable to assume that this approach cannot be applied in all environments. Studies that assess functional traits of the leaf in the different stages of plant development in degraded environments can refine these analyses and help define whether the selection of species for restoration projects can be accomplished using the approach of functional characteristics

Em ambientes degradados, a restauração ecológica visa acelerar o processo de sucessão ecológica. A técnica mais utilizada para a restauração de ambientes muito degradados é o plantio de mudas. A seleção das espécies é determinante para o sucesso dos projetos de restauração, pois as espécies precisam se estabelecer e crescer diante das condições do ambiente. Utilizar a abordagem de características funcionais pode ser uma ferramenta promissora para auxiliar a seleção de espécies em projetos de restauração. Em ambientes florestais, há evidências de que as características funcionais afetam o desempenho das espécies, entretanto, existem poucos estudos realizados em áreas em restauração. Neste estudo, foi avaliada a relação entre as características funcionais foliares e a taxa de crescimento relativo em altura e em diâmetro à altura do solo de espécies arbóreas nativas plantadas em uma área degradada que está sendo restaurada. Para descrever a relação entre as características funcionais e a taxa de crescimento relativo (TCR) dos indivíduos foi utilizada a abordagem de seleção de modelos baseados em modelos lineares de efeitos mistos (MLEM). A seleção de modelos foi realizada utilizando o critério de informação de Akaike (Akaike\'s Information Criterion) (AIC). As características funcionais não apresentaram relação com a taxa de crescimento relativo em altura e diâmetro dos indivíduos das espécies, possivelmente devido às diferenças nas condições ambientais entre ambientes florestais e ambientes degradados. Apesar de não ter sido encontrada uma relação entre as características funcionais e a TCR, o modelo mais plausível selecionado indica que indivíduos maiores no início do monitoramento possuem menores taxas de crescimento relativo em altura, ou seja, indivíduos mais altos possuem menores taxas de crescimento em altura. Isso pode ser um indicativo de que as espécies analisadas possuem taxa de crescimento relativo dependente do tamanho. Considerando que não foi encontrada relação entre as características funcionais morfológicas e a taxa de crescimento relativo em uma área em restauração, é razoável supor que essa abordagem não pode ser utilizada em todos os ambientes. Estudos que avaliem características funcionais foliares nos diferentes estágios de desenvolvimento das plantas em ambientes degradados podem refinar essas análises e ajudar a definir se a seleção de espécies para projetos de restauração pode ser feita usando a abordagem de características funcionais / In degraded environments, ecological restoration aims to accelerate the process of ecological succession. The most widely used technique for restoration of degraded environments is the planting of seedlings. The selection of species is crucial to the success of the restoration projects, because the species need to establish and grow under the harsh conditions of the environment. Using the approach of functional traits can be a promising tool to assist in the selection of species in restoration projects. In forest environments, there is evidence that functional traits affect the performance of the species, however, there are few studies conducted in areas undergoing restoration. In this study, the relationship between the functional leaf traits and the relative growth rate in height and in diameter at ground level of native tree species planted in a degraded area that is being restored was evaluated. To describe the relationship between the functional traits and the relative growth rate (RGR) of individuals, we used the approach of model selection based on linear mixed effects models (LMEM). The selection of models was performed using Akaike\'s Information Criterion (AIC). The functional traits showed no relationship with the relative growth rate in height and diameter of the individuals of the species, possibly due to differences in environmental conditions between forest environments and degraded environments. Despite not finding a relationship between the functional traits and the RGR, the most plausible model selected indicates that larger individuals at the beginning of monitoring have lower relative growth rates in height, that is, taller individuals have lower rates of growth in height. Considering that no relationship between the morphological functional traits and the relative growth rate in an area undergoing restoration was found, it is reasonable to assume that this approach cannot be applied in all environments. Studies that assess functional traits of the leaf in the different stages of plant development in degraded environments can refine these analyses and help define whether the selection of species for restoration projects can be accomplished using the approach of functional characteristics

Orientadores: Ivany Ferraz Marques Valio, Sandra Maria Carmello-Guerreiro / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-08T15:55:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Scarpa_FabianoMicheletto_D.pdf: 3535805 bytes, checksum: 848a8f1513a88f057d84df520b2f7e99 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: O Cerrado e a Mata Atlântica são ambientes contrastantes em relação aos fatores hídrico, nutricional e luminoso. Portanto, algumas características adaptativas são esperadas em termos do crescimento das plântulas e da morfologia e anatomia das folhas para cada ambiente. Neste trabalho, foi feito um estudo comparativo entre espécies do cerrado e da Mata Atlântica utilizando-se pares congenéricos, sendo cada par formado por uma espécie da Mata Atlântica e uma espécie do Cerrado. Estudou-se o crescimento de plântulas em 10 pares congenéricos pertencentes a 8 famílias, a morfologia funcional de folhas de indivíduos adultos em 14 pares pertencentes a 11 famílias e a anatomia foliar em 8 pares pertencentes a 7 famílias. Para os estudos de crescimento, foram avaliados os atributos: área foliar específica (AFE), razão de área foliar (RAF), razão de massa da raiz (RMR), razão de massa do caule (RMC), razão de massa das folhas (RMF), razão raiz/parte aérea (R/PA), taxa de crescimento relativo (TCR) e taxa de assimilação líquida (TAL). Para o estudo do efeito do estresse de luz no crescimento das plântulas, foi utilizado um par congenérico de espécies: Eriotheca candolleana (da mata atlântica) e Eriotheca gracilipes (do Cerrado). Foram utilizados dois níveis de irradiância: 50% e 2%. Para avaliação da morfologia funcional das folhas, folhas de indivíduos adultos das diferentes espécies estudadas os atributos suculência, AFE, espessura e largura foram avaliados. Nos estudos anatômicos, as imagens dos cortes transversais da lâmina foliar foram digitalizadas e analisadas através do programa ¿image pro-plus¿. Houve convergências de adaptações aos ambientes estudados para algumas características. Maiores valores de TCR foram em geral encontrados para espécies da Mata Atlântica, assim como maiores valores de AFE e RAF, que estão intimamente associados à interceptação de luz para o crescimento. Não houve relação entre investimento radicular e o ambiente de ocorrência das espécies. Verificou-se que as espécies do Cerrado apresentaram maior suculência e menor AFE. Os dados de AFE encontrados nas folhas adultas revelaram o mesmo padrão obtido para plântulas. Os cortes anatômicos evidenciaram uma espessura maior da lâmina foliar e do mesofilo e um parênquima mais compactado, de maneira geral, para as espécies do Cerrado. A porção laminar lignificada também apresenta uma área significativamente maior em folhas de plantas do Cerrado. Folhas mais espessas e lignificadas diminuem a interceptação de luz e reduzem assim as taxas de crescimento, o que é muito vantajoso em ambientes onde os recursos hídricos e os nutrientes são limitantes / Abstract: The Cerrado and the Atlantic Rainforest are contrasting environments in terms of water, light and nutrient availability. Thus some adaptive traits for seedling growth and leaf morphology and anatomy are expected for each habitat. In this work a comparative study was performed between the Cerrado and the Atlantic rainforest species using congeneric pairs .Each pair was composed by a species from the Cerrado and a species from the Atlantic Rainforest. Seedling growth was studied in 10 pairs from 8 families, mature leaf functional morphology was studied in 14 pairs from 11 families and leaf anatomy was studied in 8 pairs from 7 families. For seedling growth studies, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf area ratio (LAR), root mass ratio (RMR), stem mass ratio (SMR), leaf mass ratio (LMR), root/shoot ratio (R/S), relative growth rate (RGR) and net assimilation rate (NAR) were calculated. For the study of light stress effect on seedling growth it was used a congeneric pair of species: Eriotheca candolleana (from the Atlantic Rainforest) and Eriotheca gracilipes (from Cerrado). Two irradiance levels were performed (50% and 2%) For the evaluation of mature leaf functional morphology, succulence, SLA, leaf thickness and leaf width were measured. For the anatomy studies, images from leaf transversal cross section were digitalized and analised using the software image pro plus. There were adaptive convergences for some traits relative to the habitat. Higher RGR, SLA and LAR values were generally achieved for species from the Atlantic Rainforest. SLA and LAR are closely related to light interceptance for plant growth. It was not found an association between root investiment and species environment. It was observed that leaves of Cerrado species were more succulent and presented lower values of SLA. SLA data found in mature leaves showed the same pattern obtained for the seedlings. Cross sections of the leaves revealed higher lamina thickness and higher mesophyll thickness. A more condensed parenchyma was generally found for the Cerrado species. The lignified proportion of leaves was also higher in plants from the Cerrado. Thick and more lignified leaves decrease light interception and reduce growth rates. Such traits are of important adaptive value in environments where water and nutrients are limiting resources / Doutorado / Doutor em Biologia Vegetal

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