Abstract
Spatial and temporal changes in canopy structure were studied in 1988 and 1989 in a Mediterranean Quercus ilex forest in north-eastern Spain. Due to differences in precipitation patterns the 1989 growing season was drier than the 1988 growing season. Sampling was conducted in parallel at two sites which represent endpoints along a slope gradient within a watershed (ridge top at 975 m, and valley bottom at 700 m). At both sites, similar inter-annual changes in canopy structure were observed in response to differences in water availability. Samples harvested in the upper 50 cm of the canopy during 1989 exhibited a decrease in both average leaf size and the ratio of young to old leaf and stem biomass relative to samples obtained in 1988. At the whole canopy level, a decrease in leaf production efficiency and an increase in the stem to leaf biomass ratio was observed in 1989. Temporal changes in canopy leaf area index (LAI) were not statistically significant. Average LAI values of Q. ilex at the two sites were not significantly different despite differences in tree stature and density (4.6 m2 m−2 at the ridge top, and 5.3 m2 m−2 at the valley bottom). Vertical distribution of leaves and stems within the canopy was very similar at the two locations, with more than 60% of the total LAI in the uppermost metre of the canopy. The possible significance of such an LAI distribution on the canopy carbon budget is discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bellot J, Escarré A (1991) Chemical characteristics and temporal variations of nutrients in throughfall and stemflow of three species in Mediterranean holm oak forest. For Ecol Manage 41: 125–135
Bellot J, Sánchez JR, Lledó MJ, Martínez P, Escarré A (1992) Litterfall as a measure of primary production in Mediterranean holm-oak forest. Vegetatio 99–100: 69–76
Caldwell MM, Meister HP, Tenhunen JD, Lange OL (1986) Canopy structure, light microclimate and leaf gas exchange of Quercus coccifera L. in a Portuguese macchia: measurements in different canopy layers and simulations with a canopy model. Trees 1: 25–41
Canadell J and Rodà F (1991) Root biomass of Quercus ilex in a montane Mediterranean forest. Can J For Res 21: 1771–1778
Eckardt FE, Berger A, Méthy M, Heim G, Sauvezon R (1978) Interception de l'énergie rayonnante, échanges de CO2, régime hydrique et production chez différents types de végétation sous climat méditerranéen. In: Moyse A (ed) Les processus de la production végétale primairie. Gauthier Villars, Paris
Floret C, Galan MJ, de Folch E, Rapp M, Romane F (1989) Organisation de la structure, de la biomasse et de la minéralomasse d'un taillis ouvert de chêne vert (Quercus ilex L.). Oecol Plant 10: 245–262
Folch R, Velasco E (1978) Dades cartogràfiques per a l'estudi de la vegetació de les Muntanyes de Prades. XVII Assemblea Intercomarcal d'Estudiosos. L'Espluga de Francolí. Barcino, Barcelona
Gates DM (1980) Biophysical ecology. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Gholz HL (1982) Environmental limits on above-ground net primary production, leaf area, and biomass in vegetation zones of the Pacific northwest. Ecology 63: 469–487
Gholz HL, Ewel KC, Teskey RO (1990) Water and forest productivity. For Ecol Manage 30: 1–18
Gower ST, Norman JM (1991) Rapid estimation of leaf area index in conifer and broad leaf-plantations. Ecology 72: 1896–1900
Gracia CA (1984) Response of the evergreen oak to the incident radiation at Montseny (Barcelona, Spain). Bull Soc Bot Fr 131, Actual Bot 2–3–4: 595–597
Gratani L, Fiorentino E (1988) Leaf area index for Quercus ilex high machis. Photosynthetica 22: 458
Grier CC, Running SW (1977) Leaf area of mature west coniferous forests: relation to site water balance. Ecology 58: 893–899
Hsiao TC (1973) Plant responses to water stress. Annu Rev Plant Physiol 24: 519–570
Hollinger DY (1989) Canopy organization and foliage photosynthetic capacity in a broad-leaved evergreen montane forest. Funct Ecol 3: 53–62
Horn HS (1971) The adaptive geometry of trees. Princeton University Press, Princeton
Hutchinson BA, Matt DR, McMillen RT, Gross LJ, Tajchman SJ, Norman JM (1986) The architecture of a deciduous forest canopy in eastern Tennessee USA. J Appl Ecol 74: 635–646
Jarvis PG, Leverenz JW (1983) Productivity of temperate, deciduous and evergreen forests. In: Lange OL, Nobel PS, Osmond CB, Ziegler H (eds) Encyclopedia plant physiol. NS. Physiological plant ecology IV, vol 12 D. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 233–303
Larcher W, Tisi F (1990) Bioclima invernale e rendimento carbonico di Quercus ilex al limite settentrionale delle leccete prealpine. Atti Accad Naz Lincei Mem Fis Mat Nat Sez 9: 1–22
Lledó MJ (1990) Compartimentos y flujos biogeoquímicos en una cuenca de encinar del Monte Poblet. PhD Thesis, University of Alacant
Parker GG, O'Neill JP, Higman D (1989) Vertical profile and canopy organization in a mixed deciduous forest. Vegetatio 85: 1–11
Piñol J (1990) Hidrologia i biogeoquímica de conques forestades de les Muntanyes de Prades. PhD Thesis, University of Barcelona
Piñol J, Lledó MJ, Escarré A (1991) Hydrological balance of two mediterranean forested catchments (Prades, NE Spain). Hydrol Sci J 36: 95–107
Poole DK, Miller DC (1981) The distribution of plant water-stress and vegetation characteristics in Southern California chaparral. Am Mid Nat 105: 32–43
Rambal S, Leterme C (1987) Changes in aboveground structure and resistances to water uptake in Quercus coccifera along rainfall gradient. In: Tenhunen JD, Catarino FM, Lange OL, Oechel WC (eds) Plant responses to stress. Functional analysis in Mediterranean ecosystems. Nato ASI Ser, vol G15. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 191–200
Rhizopoulou S, Mitrakos K (1990) Water relations of evergreen sclerophylls. I. seasonal changes in the water relations of eleven species from the same environment. Ann Bot 65: 171–178
Sala A (1992) Water relations, canopy structure and canopy gas exchange in a Quercus ilex forest: variation in time and space. PhD Thesis, University of Barcelona
SAS, Institute (1988) SAS/STAT user's guide, Release 6.03 Edition. Cary, North Carolina
Schulze E-D (1986) Whole plant responses to drought. Aust J Plant Physiol 13: 127–141
Specht RL, Specht A (1989) Canopy structure in Eucalyptus dominated communities in Australia along climatic gradients. Oecol Plant 10: 191–213
Tenhunen JD, Catarino FM, Lange OL, Oechel WC (eds) (1987a) Plant responses to stress. Functional analysis in Mediterranean ecosystems. Nato ASI Ser, vol G15. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Tenhunen JD, Beyschlag W, Lange OL, Harley PC (1987b) Changes during summer drought in leaf CO2 uptake rates of macchia shrubs growing in Portugal. Limitations due to photosynthetic capacity, carboxylation efficiency, and stomatal conductance. In: Tenhunen JD, Catarino FM, Lange OL, Oechel WC (eds) Plant responses to stress. Functional analysis in Mediterranean ecosystems. Nato ASI Ser, vol G15. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 305–327
Tenhunen JD, Sala A, Harley PC, Dougherty RL, Reynolds JF (1990) Factors influencing carbon fixation and water use by mediterranean sclerophyll shrubs during summer drought. Oecologia 82: 381–393
Terradas J, Savé R (1992) The influence of summer and winter stress and water relationships on the distribution of Quercus ilex L. Vegetatio 99–100: 137–145
Vose JM, Swank WT (1990) Assessing seasonal leaf area dynamics and vertical leaf area distribution in eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) with a portable light meter. Tree Physiol 7: 125–134
Waring RH, Emmingham W, Gholz HL, Grier CC (1978) Variation in maximum leaf area of coniferous forests and its ecological significance. For Sci 24: 131–140
Woodward FI (1987) Climate and plant distribution. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sala, A., Sabaté, S., Gracia, C. et al. Canopy structure within a Quercus ilex forested watershed: variations due to location, phenological development, and water availability. Trees 8, 254–261 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00196629
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00196629