A meta-analysis of cambium phenology and growth : linear and non-linear patterns in conifers of the northern hemisphere

Rossi, Sergio (author), Čufar, Katarina (author), Gričar, Jožica (author), Prislan, Peter (author)

Background and Aims Ongoing global warming has been implicated in shifting phenological patterns such as the timing and duration of the growing season across a wide variety of ecosystems. Linear models are routinely used to extrapolate these observed shifts in phenology into the future and to estimate changes in associated ecosystem properties such as net primary productivity. Yet, in nature, linear relationships may be special cases. Biological processes frequently follow more complex, non-linear patterns according to limiting factors that generate shifts and discontinuities, or contain thresholds beyond which responses change abruptly. This study investigates to what extent cambium phenology is associated with xylem growth and differentiation across conifer species of the northern hemisphere. Methods Xylem cell production is compared with the periods of cambial activity and cell differentiation assessed on a weekly time scale on histological sections of cambium and wood tissue collected from the stems of nine species in Canada and Europe over 1–9 years per site from 1998 to 2011. Key Results The dynamics of xylogenesis were surprisingly homogeneous among conifer species, although dispersions from the average were obviously observed. Within the range analysed, the relationships between the phenological timings were linear, with several slopes showing values close to or not statistically different from 1. The relationships between the phenological timings and cell production were distinctly non-linear, and involved an exponential pattern

• Language: English
• Keywords: fenologija, kambij, kambijska rast, celična rast, klimatske spremembe, iglavci
• Work type: Scientific work
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Year: 2013
• Number of pages: Str. 1911-1920
• Numbering: Vol. 112, issue 9
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-69319
• UDC: 630*81:630*11
• ISSN on article: 0305-7364
• COBISS.SI-ID: 3728806
• Publication date in RUL: 10.07.2015

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Annals of Botany
• Shortened title: Ann. bot.
• Publisher: Academic press
• ISSN: 0305-7364
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8165386