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High-resolution analysis of stem radius variations in black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP] subjected to rain exclusion for three summers

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Abstract

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A rain exclusion repeated for 3 years resulted in larger summer stem contractions in three of the sites in the third year of the experiment and in larger winter contractions in the northern sites. However, there was no pronounced stress reaction in the stem radius variations of mature black spruce since total stem expansion was not reduced.

Abstract

Future climate warming is expected to produce more severe and frequent periods of drought with consequent water stresses for boreal species. In this paper, we present a high-resolution analysis of stem radius variations in black spruce under rain exclusion. All summer long rain exclusions were applied for three consecutive summers to mature trees on four sites along a latitudinal gradient. The stem radius variations of control and treated trees were monitored year-round at an hourly resolution with automatic point dendrometers. The seasonal patterns of shrinking and swelling were analyzed using a sequential analysis technique and the daily patterns of contraction and expansion were extracted. Overall, the treated trees followed their diurnal cycles of contraction and expansion during the rain exclusions and no significant cumulative difference in stem expansion between control and treated trees was observed over the 3 years. In the third year trees subjected to rain exclusion showed larger stem contractions in summer on three out of four sites and larger winter contractions were observed on the northern sites. This study shows that repeated summer rain exclusion does not necessarily lead to a direct evident stress reaction, showing the resilience of the boreal forest.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Consortium Ouranos. The authors thank F. Gionest and J.-G. Girard for their technical support and A. Garside for checking the English text. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département des Sciences Fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 555 Boulevard de l’Université, Chicoutimi, QC, G7H2B1, Canada

    Evelyn Belien, Sergio Rossi, Hubert Morin & Annie Deslauriers

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  1. Evelyn Belien
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  2. Sergio Rossi
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  3. Hubert Morin
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  4. Annie Deslauriers
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Correspondence to Evelyn Belien.

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Communicated by A. Bräuning.

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Belien, E., Rossi, S., Morin, H. et al. High-resolution analysis of stem radius variations in black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP] subjected to rain exclusion for three summers. Trees 28, 1257–1265 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-014-1011-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-014-1011-4

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