Ecophysiology of deciduous plants grown at different densities in the semiarid region of Brazil

Mendes, Marlete Moreira de Sousa; Lacerda, Claudivan Feitosa de; Fernandes, Francisco Éden Paiva; Cavalcante, Ana Clara Rodrigues; Oliveira, Teógenes Senna de

Abstract

Physiological differences in the Cordia oncocalyx tree growing at different densities in two distinct areas were investigated. An agrosilvopastoral system (AGP) and a secondary forest (SF) were studied. Under both types of land-use, C. oncocalyx presented a relative frequency of approximately 50%, and absolute densities of 670 and 80 individuals per hectare, respectively. Net photosynthesis (A), stomatal conductance (g s), and transpiration (E) were measured, and the SPAD index was recorded in sun leaves from the canopy and shade leaves from the lower canopy, in both the wet and dry seasons. We quantified the dry biomass of leaves and fruit on a per-tree basis at the end of the wet season. Net photosynthesis was higher in shaded leaves in the AGP in the wet season, reaching an average of 4.8 μmol m-2 s-1 against 3.2 μmol m-2 s-1 under SF. As trees began to shed their leaves at the beginning of the dry season and more radiation reached the shaded leaves, there was an increase in SF for A, depending on the intensity of light reaching the leaves. In the sun leaves, gas exchange was similar for the land-use systems during the wet season, but stronger in AGP than under SF during the dry season. This happened when the leaves in AGP retained more relative water content during a period of low gravimetric levels of the soil water. The lower tree density in AGP promoted a higher SPAD index and dry biomass in both the sun and shaded leaves, and allowed greater A, E and g s rates in the sun leaves at the beginning of the dry period.

agroforestry system; chlorophyll; Cordia oncocalyx; dry biomass; leaf gas exchange; secondary forest

Aguiar MI, Maia SMF, Oliveira TS, Mendonça ES, Araújo-Filho JA (2006) Perdas de solo, água e nutrientes em sistemas agroflorestais no município de Sobral, CE. Revista Ciência Agronômica 37:270-278.
Aguiar MI, Maia SMF, Xavier FAS, Mendonça ES, Araújo-Filho JA, Oliveira TS (2010) Sediment, nutrient and water losses by water erosion under agroforestry systems in the semi-arid region in northeastern Brazil. Agroforestry Systems 79:277-289.
Alfaia SS, Ribeiro GA, Nobre AD, Luizão RC, Luizão FJ (2004) Evaluation of soil fertility in smallholder agroforestry systems and pastures in western Amazonia. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 102:409-414.
Ayres M, Ayres-Júnior M, Ayres DL, Santos AA (2007) Bioestat - Aplicações estatísticas nas áreas das ciências biomédicas. Ong Mamirauá, Belém, PA.
Boussadia O, Steppe K, Zgallai El Hadj SB, Braham M, Lemeur R, Van Labeke MC (2010) Effects of nitrogen deficiency on leaf photosynthesis, carbohydrate status and biomass production in two olive cultivars 'Meski' and 'Koroneiki'. Scientia Horticulturae 123:336-342.
Campanha MM, Aguiar MI, Maia SM, Oliveira TS, Mendonça ES, Araújo-Filho JA (2008) Perdas de solo, água e nutrientes pela erosão hídrica em diferentes sistemas de manejo agroflorestal no semiárido cearense. Embrapa, Sobral, CE, Brasil. Circular Técnica, 37.
Campanha MM, Nogueira RS, Oliveira TS, Teixeira AS, Romero RE (2009) Teores e estoque de carbono no solo de sistemas agroflorestais e tradicionais no semiárido brasileiro. Embrapa, Sobral. Circular Técnica, 42.
Campanha MM, Araújo FS, Menezes MO, Silva VM, Medeiros HR (2011) Structure of plantcommunity of shrubs and trees in agrosilvopasture system, in Sobral - CE. Revista Caatinga 24:94-101.
arvalho PER (2008) Pau-branco-do-sertão (Auxemma oncocalyx). Embrapa Florestas, Colombo-PR. Circular Técnica, 153.
D'Ambrosio N, Arena C, Santo AV (2006) Temperature response of photosynthesis, excitation energy dissipation and alternative electron sinks to carbon assimilation in Beta vulgaris L. Environmental and Experimental Botany 55:248-257.
Eastham J, Rose CW, Cameron DM, Rance SJ, Talsma T (1988) The effect of tree spacing on evaporation from an agroforestry experiment. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 42:355-368.
Egea G, Verhoef A, Vidale PL (2011) Towards an improved and more flexible representation of water stress in coupled photosynthesis - stomatal conductance models. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 151:1370-1384.
Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária - EMBRAPA (1997) Manual de métodos de análise de solo, segunda ed. Ministério da Agricultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Forrester DI, Collopy JJ, Beadle CL, Warren CR, Baker TG (2012) Effect of thinning, pruning and nitrogen fertiliser application on transpiration, photosynthesis and water-use efficiency in a young Eucalyptus nitens plantation. Forest Ecology and Management 266:286-300.
Gerhardt K (1996) Effects of root competition and canopy openness on survival and growth of tree seedlings in a tropical seasonal dry forest. Forest Ecology and Management 82:33-48.
Gindaba J, Rozanov A, Negash L (2005) Photosynthetic gas exchange, growth and biomass allocation of two Eucalyptus and three indigenous tree species of Ethiopia under moisture deficit. Forest Ecology and Management 205:127-138.
Grant RH (1985) The influence of the sky radiance distribution on the flux density in the shadow of a tree crown. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 35:59-70.
Groot A, Saucier JP (2008) Volume increment efficiency of Picea mariana in northern Ontario, Canada. Forest Ecology and Management 255:1647-1653.
Guerfel M, Obaccouri O, Boujnah D, Chai Bi W, Zarrouk M (2009) Impacts of water stress on gas exchange, water relations, chlorophyll content and leaf structure in the two main Tunisian olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars. Scientia Horticulturae 19:257-263.
Hummel S (2000) Height, diameter and crown dimensions of Cordia alliodora associated with tree density. Forest Ecology and Management 127:31-40.
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística - IBGE (2006) Censo Agropecuário. IBGE, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Jensen AM, Löf M, Gardiner ES (2011) Effects of above- and below-ground competition from shrubs on photosynthesis, transpiration and growth in Quercus robur L. seedlings. Environmental and Experimental Botany 71:367-375.
Kilpeläinen A, Routa J, Peltola P, Gerendiain AZ, Pulkkinen P, Kellomäki S (2010) Effects of genetic entry and competition on above ground biomass production of Norway spruce grown in southern Finland. Forest Ecology and Management 259:2327-2332.
Lott JE, Howard SB, Ong CK, Black CR (2000) Long-term productivity of a Grevillea robusta-based overstorey agroforestry system in semi-arid Kenya: I. Tree growth. Forest Ecology and Management 139:175-186.
Maia SMF, Xavier FAS, Oliveira TS, Mendonça ES, Araújo-Filho JA (2008) Frações de nitrogênio em Luvissolo sob sistemas agroflorestais e convencional no semi-árido cearense. Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo 32:381-392.
Mahouachi J (2009) Changes in nutrient concentrations and leaf gas exchange parameters in banana plantlets under gradual soil moisture depletion. Scientia Horticulturae 120:460-466.
McDonald MA, Healey JR, Stevens PA (2002) The effects of secondary forest clearance and subsequent land-use on erosion losses and soil properties in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 92:1-19.
Mendes MMS (2013) Ecofisiologia de plantas nativas e cultivadas e parâmetros físicos e químicos do ambiente em sistemas agroflorestais no semiárido cearense. Fortaleza, Universidade Federal do Ceará. PhD thesis.
Menezes RSC, Salcedo IH, Elliott ET (2002) Microclimate and nutrient dynamics in a silvopastoral system of semiarid northeastern Brazil. Agroforestry Systems 56:27-38.
Microcal Software INC. (1997) Data analysis and technical graphics software. Origin Professional version 6.0. Northampton, MA.
Minotta G, Pinzauti S (1996) Effects of light and soil fertility on growth, leaf chlorophyll content and nutrient use efficiency of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings. Forest Ecology and Management 86:61-71.
Moço MKS, Gama-Rodrigues EF, Gama-Rodrigues AC, Machado RCR, Baligar VC (2010) Relationships between invertebrate communities, litter quality and soil attributes under different cacao agroforestry systems in the south of Bahia, Brazil. Applied Soil Ecology 46:347-354.
Muthuri CW, Ong CK, Craigon J, Mati BM, Ngumi VW, Black CR (2009) Gas exchange and water use efficiency of trees and maize in agroforestry systems in semi-arid Kenya. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 129:497-507.
Raz-Yaseef N, Yakir D, Schiller G, Cohen S (2012) Dynamics of evapotranspiration partitioning in a semi-arid forest as affected by temporal rainfall patterns. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 157:77-85.
Rodrigues BM, Arcoverde GB, Antonino AC, Santos MG (2011) Water relations in physic nut according to climatic seasonality, in semiarid regions. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira 46:1112-1115.
Romero P, Botía P (2006) Daily and seasonal patterns of leaf water relations and gas exchange of regulated deficit-irrigated almond trees under semiarid conditions. Environmental and Experimental Botany 56:158-173.
Santos CM, Veríssimo V, Wanderley-Filho HCL, Ferreira VM, Cavalcante PGS, Rolim EV, Endres L (2013) Seasonal variations of photosynthesis, gas exchange, quantum efficiency of photosystem II and biochemical responses of Jatropha curcas L. grown in semi-humid and semi-arid areas subject to water stress. Industrial Crops and Products 41, 203-213.
Silva GL, Lima HV, Campanha MM, Gilkes RJ, Oliveira TS (2011) Soil physical quality of Luvisols under agroforestry, natural vegetation and conventional crop management systems in the Brazilian semi-arid region. Geoderma 167-168:61-70.
Singh G, Mutha S, Bala N (2007) Effect of tree density on productivity of a Prosopis cineraria agroforestry system in North Western India. Journal of Arid Environments 70:152-163.
Souza HN, Goede RGM, Brussaard L, Cardoso IM, Duarte EMG, Fernandes RBA, Gomes LC, Pulleman MM (2012) Protective shade, tree diversity and soil properties in coffee agroforestry systems in the Atlantic Rainforest biome. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 146:179-196.
Strand M, Löfvenius MO, Bergsten U, Lundmark T, Rosvall O (2006) Height growth of planted conifer seedlings in relation to solar radiation and position in Scots pine shelterwood. Forest Ecology and Management 224:258-265.
Streck N (2003) Stomatal response to water vapor pressure deficit: an unsolved question. Revista Brasileira de Agrociência 9:317-322.
Subedi S, Kane M, Zhao D, Borders B, Greene D (2012) Cultural intensity and planting density effects on aboveground biomass of 12-year-old loblolly pine trees in the Upper Coastal Plain and Piedmont of the southeastern United States. Forest Ecology and Management 267:157-162.
Turner DW, Thomas DS (1998) Measurements of plant and soil water status and their association with leaf gas exchange in banana (Musa spp.): a laticiferous plant. Scientia Horticulturae 77:177-193.
Uemura A, Ishida A, Matsumoto Y (2005) Simulated seasonal changes of CO₂ and H₂O exchange at the top canopies of two Fagus trees in a winter-deciduous forest, Japan. Forest Ecology and Management 212:230-242.
Will RE, Barron GA, Burkes EC, Shiver B, Teskey RO (2001) Relationship between intercepted radiation, net photosynthesis, respiration, and rate of stem volume growth of Pinus taeda and Pinus elliottii stands of different densities. Forest Ecology and Management 154:155-163.
Woodward FI, Lomas MR, Kelly CK (2004) Global climate and the distribution of plant biomes. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 359:1465-1476.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
15 Oct 2013
Date of issue
2013

History

Received
26 Oct 2012
Accepted
03 June 2013

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] Aguiar MI, Maia SMF, Oliveira TS, Mendonça ES, Araújo-Filho JA (2006) Perdas de solo, água e nutrientes em sistemas agroflorestais no município de Sobral, CE. Revista Ciência Agronômica 37:270-278.

[2] Aguiar MI, Maia SMF, Xavier FAS, Mendonça ES, Araújo-Filho JA, Oliveira TS (2010) Sediment, nutrient and water losses by water erosion under agroforestry systems in the semi-arid region in northeastern Brazil. Agroforestry Systems 79:277-289.

[3] Alfaia SS, Ribeiro GA, Nobre AD, Luizão RC, Luizão FJ (2004) Evaluation of soil fertility in smallholder agroforestry systems and pastures in western Amazonia. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 102:409-414.

[4] Ayres M, Ayres-Júnior M, Ayres DL, Santos AA (2007) Bioestat - Aplicações estatísticas nas áreas das ciências biomédicas. Ong Mamirauá, Belém, PA.

[5] Boussadia O, Steppe K, Zgallai El Hadj SB, Braham M, Lemeur R, Van Labeke MC (2010) Effects of nitrogen deficiency on leaf photosynthesis, carbohydrate status and biomass production in two olive cultivars 'Meski' and 'Koroneiki'. Scientia Horticulturae 123:336-342.

[6] Campanha MM, Aguiar MI, Maia SM, Oliveira TS, Mendonça ES, Araújo-Filho JA (2008) Perdas de solo, água e nutrientes pela erosão hídrica em diferentes sistemas de manejo agroflorestal no semiárido cearense. Embrapa, Sobral, CE, Brasil. Circular Técnica, 37.

[7] Campanha MM, Nogueira RS, Oliveira TS, Teixeira AS, Romero RE (2009) Teores e estoque de carbono no solo de sistemas agroflorestais e tradicionais no semiárido brasileiro. Embrapa, Sobral. Circular Técnica, 42.

[8] Campanha MM, Araújo FS, Menezes MO, Silva VM, Medeiros HR (2011) Structure of plantcommunity of shrubs and trees in agrosilvopasture system, in Sobral - CE. Revista Caatinga 24:94-101.

[9] arvalho PER (2008) Pau-branco-do-sertão (Auxemma oncocalyx). Embrapa Florestas, Colombo-PR. Circular Técnica, 153.

[10] D'Ambrosio N, Arena C, Santo AV (2006) Temperature response of photosynthesis, excitation energy dissipation and alternative electron sinks to carbon assimilation in Beta vulgaris L. Environmental and Experimental Botany 55:248-257.

[11] Eastham J, Rose CW, Cameron DM, Rance SJ, Talsma T (1988) The effect of tree spacing on evaporation from an agroforestry experiment. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 42:355-368.

[12] Egea G, Verhoef A, Vidale PL (2011) Towards an improved and more flexible representation of water stress in coupled photosynthesis - stomatal conductance models. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 151:1370-1384.

[13] Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária - EMBRAPA (1997) Manual de métodos de análise de solo, segunda ed. Ministério da Agricultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

[14] Forrester DI, Collopy JJ, Beadle CL, Warren CR, Baker TG (2012) Effect of thinning, pruning and nitrogen fertiliser application on transpiration, photosynthesis and water-use efficiency in a young Eucalyptus nitens plantation. Forest Ecology and Management 266:286-300.

[15] Gerhardt K (1996) Effects of root competition and canopy openness on survival and growth of tree seedlings in a tropical seasonal dry forest. Forest Ecology and Management 82:33-48.

[16] Gindaba J, Rozanov A, Negash L (2005) Photosynthetic gas exchange, growth and biomass allocation of two Eucalyptus and three indigenous tree species of Ethiopia under moisture deficit. Forest Ecology and Management 205:127-138.

[17] Grant RH (1985) The influence of the sky radiance distribution on the flux density in the shadow of a tree crown. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 35:59-70.

[18] Groot A, Saucier JP (2008) Volume increment efficiency of Picea mariana in northern Ontario, Canada. Forest Ecology and Management 255:1647-1653.

[19] Guerfel M, Obaccouri O, Boujnah D, Chai Bi W, Zarrouk M (2009) Impacts of water stress on gas exchange, water relations, chlorophyll content and leaf structure in the two main Tunisian olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars. Scientia Horticulturae 19:257-263.

[20] Hummel S (2000) Height, diameter and crown dimensions of Cordia alliodora associated with tree density. Forest Ecology and Management 127:31-40.

[21] Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística - IBGE (2006) Censo Agropecuário. IBGE, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

[22] Jensen AM, Löf M, Gardiner ES (2011) Effects of above- and below-ground competition from shrubs on photosynthesis, transpiration and growth in Quercus robur L. seedlings. Environmental and Experimental Botany 71:367-375.

[23] Kilpeläinen A, Routa J, Peltola P, Gerendiain AZ, Pulkkinen P, Kellomäki S (2010) Effects of genetic entry and competition on above ground biomass production of Norway spruce grown in southern Finland. Forest Ecology and Management 259:2327-2332.

[24] Lott JE, Howard SB, Ong CK, Black CR (2000) Long-term productivity of a Grevillea robusta-based overstorey agroforestry system in semi-arid Kenya: I. Tree growth. Forest Ecology and Management 139:175-186.

[25] Maia SMF, Xavier FAS, Oliveira TS, Mendonça ES, Araújo-Filho JA (2008) Frações de nitrogênio em Luvissolo sob sistemas agroflorestais e convencional no semi-árido cearense. Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo 32:381-392.

[26] Mahouachi J (2009) Changes in nutrient concentrations and leaf gas exchange parameters in banana plantlets under gradual soil moisture depletion. Scientia Horticulturae 120:460-466.

[27] McDonald MA, Healey JR, Stevens PA (2002) The effects of secondary forest clearance and subsequent land-use on erosion losses and soil properties in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 92:1-19.

[28] Mendes MMS (2013) Ecofisiologia de plantas nativas e cultivadas e parâmetros físicos e químicos do ambiente em sistemas agroflorestais no semiárido cearense. Fortaleza, Universidade Federal do Ceará. PhD thesis.

[29] Menezes RSC, Salcedo IH, Elliott ET (2002) Microclimate and nutrient dynamics in a silvopastoral system of semiarid northeastern Brazil. Agroforestry Systems 56:27-38.

[30] Microcal Software INC. (1997) Data analysis and technical graphics software. Origin Professional version 6.0. Northampton, MA.

[31] Minotta G, Pinzauti S (1996) Effects of light and soil fertility on growth, leaf chlorophyll content and nutrient use efficiency of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings. Forest Ecology and Management 86:61-71.

[32] Moço MKS, Gama-Rodrigues EF, Gama-Rodrigues AC, Machado RCR, Baligar VC (2010) Relationships between invertebrate communities, litter quality and soil attributes under different cacao agroforestry systems in the south of Bahia, Brazil. Applied Soil Ecology 46:347-354.

[33] Muthuri CW, Ong CK, Craigon J, Mati BM, Ngumi VW, Black CR (2009) Gas exchange and water use efficiency of trees and maize in agroforestry systems in semi-arid Kenya. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 129:497-507.

[34] Raz-Yaseef N, Yakir D, Schiller G, Cohen S (2012) Dynamics of evapotranspiration partitioning in a semi-arid forest as affected by temporal rainfall patterns. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 157:77-85.

[35] Rodrigues BM, Arcoverde GB, Antonino AC, Santos MG (2011) Water relations in physic nut according to climatic seasonality, in semiarid regions. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira 46:1112-1115.

[36] Romero P, Botía P (2006) Daily and seasonal patterns of leaf water relations and gas exchange of regulated deficit-irrigated almond trees under semiarid conditions. Environmental and Experimental Botany 56:158-173.

[37] Santos CM, Veríssimo V, Wanderley-Filho HCL, Ferreira VM, Cavalcante PGS, Rolim EV, Endres L (2013) Seasonal variations of photosynthesis, gas exchange, quantum efficiency of photosystem II and biochemical responses of Jatropha curcas L. grown in semi-humid and semi-arid areas subject to water stress. Industrial Crops and Products 41, 203-213.

[38] Silva GL, Lima HV, Campanha MM, Gilkes RJ, Oliveira TS (2011) Soil physical quality of Luvisols under agroforestry, natural vegetation and conventional crop management systems in the Brazilian semi-arid region. Geoderma 167-168:61-70.

[39] Singh G, Mutha S, Bala N (2007) Effect of tree density on productivity of a Prosopis cineraria agroforestry system in North Western India. Journal of Arid Environments 70:152-163.

[40] Souza HN, Goede RGM, Brussaard L, Cardoso IM, Duarte EMG, Fernandes RBA, Gomes LC, Pulleman MM (2012) Protective shade, tree diversity and soil properties in coffee agroforestry systems in the Atlantic Rainforest biome. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 146:179-196.

[41] Strand M, Löfvenius MO, Bergsten U, Lundmark T, Rosvall O (2006) Height growth of planted conifer seedlings in relation to solar radiation and position in Scots pine shelterwood. Forest Ecology and Management 224:258-265.

[42] Streck N (2003) Stomatal response to water vapor pressure deficit: an unsolved question. Revista Brasileira de Agrociência 9:317-322.

[43] Subedi S, Kane M, Zhao D, Borders B, Greene D (2012) Cultural intensity and planting density effects on aboveground biomass of 12-year-old loblolly pine trees in the Upper Coastal Plain and Piedmont of the southeastern United States. Forest Ecology and Management 267:157-162.

[44] Turner DW, Thomas DS (1998) Measurements of plant and soil water status and their association with leaf gas exchange in banana (Musa spp.): a laticiferous plant. Scientia Horticulturae 77:177-193.

[45] Uemura A, Ishida A, Matsumoto Y (2005) Simulated seasonal changes of CO₂ and H₂O exchange at the top canopies of two Fagus trees in a winter-deciduous forest, Japan. Forest Ecology and Management 212:230-242.

[46] Will RE, Barron GA, Burkes EC, Shiver B, Teskey RO (2001) Relationship between intercepted radiation, net photosynthesis, respiration, and rate of stem volume growth of Pinus taeda and Pinus elliottii stands of different densities. Forest Ecology and Management 154:155-163.

[47] Woodward FI, Lomas MR, Kelly CK (2004) Global climate and the distribution of plant biomes. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 359:1465-1476.

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Ecophysiology of deciduous plants grown at different densities in the semiarid region of Brazil

Abstract

Publication Dates

History