Long-Term Impacts of Tree Architectures and Branch Configurations on Tree Growth, Yield, Fruit Quality Attributes, and Leaf Minerals in “Aztec Fuji” Apple

Canopy and branch architectures in high-density orchards can be crucial in production and fruit quality. The influence of two canopy orientations (Upright and Tilted) in combination with two arm (branch) architectures (Shortened or Overlapped) on tree growth, yield components, fruit quality, and leaf mineral nutrients in an “Aztec Fuji” apple (Malus domestica Bork.) high-density orchard was studied over five years. Tilted trees with shortened arm configuration (TilShArm) always had significantly larger trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA) than Upright trees with an Overlapped arm configuration (UpOverArm) every year from 2012 to 2016. Trees with a TilShArm system had more cumulative fruit per tree than those with an Upright orientation. Trees with a tilted canopy (TilShArm and TilOverArm) tended to have higher yield per tree and yield per hectare than those with an upright system. Trees with a TilShArm system were more precocious and had more yield per tree than those with an upright canopy orientation in 2012. When values were polled over five years, trees with an upright canopy-shortened arm system (UpShArm) treatment had a lower biennial bearing index (BBI) than those with an upright canopy-overlapped system (UpOverArm). Trees receiving an arm shortening (UpShArm or TilShArm) configuration often had larger fruits than those with overlapped arms (UpOverArm and TilOverArm). Fruit from trees receiving an UpOverArm had higher fruit firmness than those from trees with other canopy-branch arrangements at harvest due to their smaller size. Fruit from trees with a TilShArm and TilOverArm had significantly higher water core and bitter pit but lower sunburn than trees with an upright canopy (UpShArm and UpOverArm). Leaves from trees with an UpOverArm canopy-branch configuration had the lowest leaf Ca but the highest leaf K and Fe concentrations among all treatments.

Developing allometric equations to estimate forest biomass for tree species categories based on phylogenetic relationships

The development of allometric biomass models is important process in biomass estimation because the reliability of forest biomass and carbon estimations largely depends on the accuracy and precision of such models.National Forest Inventories(NFI)are detailed assessments of forest resources at national and regional levels that provide valuable data for forest biomass estimation.However,the lack of biomass allometric equations for each tree species in the NFI currently hampers the estimation of national-scale forest biomass.The main objective of this study was to develop allometric biomass regression equations for each tree species in the NFI of China based on limited biomass observations.These equations optimally grouped NFI and biomass observation species according to their phylogenetic relationships.Significant phylogenetic signals demonstrated phylogenetic conservation of the crown-to-stem biomass ratio.Based on phylogenetic relationships,we grouped and matched NFI and biomass observation species into 22 categories.Allometric biomass regression models were developed for each of these 22 species categories,and the models performed successfully(R^(2)=0.97,root mean square error(RMSE)=12.9​t·ha^(–1),relative RMSE=11.5%).Furthermore,we found that phylogeny-based models performed more effectively than wood density-based models.The results suggest that grouping species based on their phylogenetic relationships is a reliable approach for the development and selection of accurate allometric equations.

Patterns of tree buttressing at Lawachara National Park, Bangladesh

We describe patterns of buttress formation and development in eleven tree species at Lawachara National Park, Bangladesh. Forty-five percent of trees of these 11 species had buttresses. Artocarpus chaplasha Roxb. showed maximum （87%） buttress formation, whereas Alstonia scholaris （L.） R. Br. did not show any buttress. Buttresses were recorded in 20%-40% of trees of six species and 40%-60% of trees in three species. Mean length and height of buttress varied among the species and ranged from 0.37-4.37 m and 0.71-2.13 m, respectively. Buttress height, mean buttress length, total buttress length, and total length plus length of secondaries increased with DBH （diameter at breast height） and tree height. Buttress number did not increase with DBH or tree height. Under-storey and mid-canopy trees produced less developed buttresses than did emergent trees （p〈0.01）. Wood density showed moderate effects on buttress characters （p〈0.05）, while the slope of the land did not. Canopy category was a primary regulating factor for tree buttressing, suggesting that buttresses are mechanical adaptations of trees to counter physical stresses.

Multi-Layer Tree Hierarchical Architecture Based on Web Service

To solve the problem of the information share and services integration in population information system, we propose a multi-layer tree hierarchical architecture. The command （Web Service Call） is recursively muhicast from top layer of tree to bottom layer of tree and statistical data are gatbered from bottom layer to top layer. We implemented the architecture by using Web Services technology. In our implementation, client program is the requestor of Web Services, and all leaf nodes of the last layer are only the provider of Web Services. For those nodes of intermediate layers, every node is not only the provider of Web Services, but also the dispatcher of Web Services. We take population census as an cxample to describe the working flow of the architecture.

Tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) Coarse Root Morphology: Prediction Models for Volume and Biomass of Individual Roots

Descriptions of tree root morphology inform design of belowground biomass and carbon inventories and sampling for research. We studied root morphology of tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus), an important component in mixed evergreen forests of California and Oregon, USA. Tanoak re-sprouts from belowground lignotubers after disturbances, and stores an unknown amount of carbon in coarse roots underground. We sought to ascribe explanatory nomenclature to roots’ morphological features and to identify models describing tanoak root morphology. Twelve tanoak root systems were excavated, dissected, and measured. Roots tapered according to their circumference and location. Larger roots closer to the lignotuber (located at the base of the tree stem) tapered more rapidly per unit of length. Tanoak roots forked frequently. Root cross-sectional area was preserved after forking events (i.e., the sum of cross-sectional areas for smaller roots on one side of the fork correlated with the adjoining large root). Occurrence and quantity of root branches (small roots branching laterally from larger roots) was dependent upon length of the source root segment. Our models of tanoak root morphology are designed to be organized together to estimate biomass of any segment or collection of lateral roots (e.g., roots lost/missed during excavation, or in lieu of destructive sampling), given root diameter at a known distance from the lignotuber. The taper model gives distal- and proximal-end diameters for calculation of volume for segments of root tapering between forks. Frequency of forking and branching can also be predicted. Summing the predicted mass of each lateral root segment, branch, and forked segment would produce an estimate of mass for a contiguous network of lateral roots.

Functional traits shape size-dependent growth and mortality rates of dry forest tree species

Aims Functional traits have emerged as an important tool to evaluate plant performance.However,the environmental conditions and ecological pressures that plants face change with their size,and the relationship between traits and plant performance should therefore be size-dependent,which has rarely been tested.Methods Here,we evaluated over a broad range of tree sizes the interspe-cific relationship between tree growth and mortality and eight func-tional stem,leaf and seed traits.We did so across 59 tree species in Brazilian dry forests and evaluated whether the relationships found for wet forest types in the literature also hold for dry forests,where water rather than light might limit tree performance.Important Findings We indeed found a strong size-dependent relationship between demographic rates and functional traits.At small sizes,when trees are in the shaded understory,species with functional trait values that enhance light capture or shade tolerance(i.e.higher maximum adult stature,taller heights,wider crowns,higher seed mass)have higher growth and/or lower mortality rates(MR).This relationship disappears at larger sizes when trees attain better light conditions in the canopy.Drought adaptations play only a role at larger tree sizes;once trees are in the dry and exposed canopy,species with higher wood density(an indicator of cavitation resistance)have lower MRs.Our study shows that both drought and shade adaptations are important in this dry forest,and that the relationships between func-tional traits and plant performance changes with plant size.Plant size should therefore explicitly be included as an axis of variation in functional analyses,to better understand the relationship between functional traits and demographic rates.