Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Differential growth and recovery rates following defoliation in related deciduous and evergreen trees

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Trees Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Deciduous larches,Larix spp., and evergreen pines,Pinus spp., are sympatric Pinaceae conifers. Adjacent monocultures of 10-year-oldLarix decidua Mill, andPinus resinosa Ait. were subjected to single-season artificial defoliation by clipping from 0% to 99% of each needle. Survival, above-ground productivity, and architecture were measured for 36 months.P. resinosa andL. decidua exhibited differential relationships with defoliation intensity and recovery time. Two months after treatment, defoliation reduced larch height growth but had no effect on radial growth. By contrast,P. resinosa stem radial growth was reduced immediately, but height growth was not decreased until the following year. Pine leader growth and above-ground biomass following 66% defoliation never recovered to control values or 33% defoliated pines. Conversely, defoliated larch quickly recovered from an initial growth loss to eliminate all treatment effects on biomass. The plasticity in architectural response found in larch, but not pine, might partially account for defoliation tolerance. BothP. resinosa andL. decidua exhibited non-linear responses to defoliation. These patterns may be caused partially by the uneven distribution of nutrients within needles, rather than a simple function of leaf area lost to defoliators. Concentrations of 13 nutrients inP. resinosa were highest either in the mid-(Ca, Mg, S, Zn, B, Mn, Fe, Al and Na) or basal-(N, P, K, and Cu) section. The relatively low nutrient content in needle tips may contribute to similar biomass productivity between trees defoliated 33% and controls. Removal of needle mid-sections significantly reduced whole-plant productivity. In contrast,L. decidua nutrients are concentrated in the distal sections. Nutrient concentrations were generally highest in larch. Our results agree with an emergent prediction of the carbon/ nutrient balance theory that defoliation more severely reduces growth of evergreen than deciduous species. These results are discussed within the physiological, ecological and evolutionary context of allocation theory, with implications for natural resource management and plant-insect interaction theory.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.

Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abacus Concepts, SuperANOVA. (Abacus Concepts, Berkeley, Calif, 1989)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bazzaz, FA, Chiariello NR, Coley PD, Pitelka LF (1987) Allocating resources to reproduction and defense. BioScience 37:58–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Belsky AJ (1986) Does herbivory benefit plants? A review of the evidence. Am Nat 127:870–892

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belsky AJ, Carson WP, Jensen CL, Gox GA (1993) Overcompensation by plants: herbivore optimization or red herring? Evol Ecol 7:109–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beyschlag W, Ryel R, Dietsch C (1994) Shedding of older needle age classes does not necessarily reduce photosynthetic primary production of Norway spruce. Trees 9:51–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunig EF (1976) Tree forms in relation to environmental conditions. In: Cannell MGR, Last FT (eds) Tree physiology and yield improvement. Academic Press, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryant JP, Chapin FS III, Klein DR (1983) Carbon/nutrient balance of boreal plants in realtion to vertebrate herbivory. Oikos 40:357–368

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bryant JP, Tuomi J, Niemlä P (1988) Environmental constraint of constitutive and long-term inducible defenses in woody plants. In: Spencer KS (ed) Chemical mediation of coevolution. San Diego, Academic Press, pp 367–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryant JP, Heitkonig I, Kuropat P, Owen-Smith N. (1991) Effects of severe defoliation on the long-term resistance to insect attack and on leaf chemistry in six woody species of the southern african savanna. Am Nat 137:50–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell BD, Grime JP (1992) An experimental test of plant strategy theory. Ecology 73:15–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapin FS III, Schulze ED, Mooney HA (1990) The ecology and economics of storage in plants. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 21:49–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coley PD, Bryant JP, Chapin FS (1985) Resource availability and plant antiherbivore defense. Science 230:895–899

    Google Scholar 

  • Craig TP, Price PW, Itami JK (1986) Resource regulation by a stem galling sawfly on the arroyo willow. Ecology 67:419–425

    Google Scholar 

  • Drooz AT (1985) Insects of eastern forests. USDA Mise Pub 1426

  • Geri C, Buratti L, Allais JP (1988). The role of resin acids in the relationship between scots piine and the sawfly,Diprion pini (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae). II. Correlations with the biology ofDirpion pini. In: Mattson WJ, Lévieux J, Bernard-Dagan C (eds) Mechanisms of woody plant defenses against insects: search for pattern. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 191–201

    Google Scholar 

  • Gower ST, Richards JH (1990) Larches: deciduous conifers in an evergreen world. BioScience 40:818–826

    Google Scholar 

  • Haack RA, Mattson WJ (1993) Life history patterns of North American tree-feeding sawflies. In: Wagner MR, Raffa KF (eds) Sawfly life history adaptations to woody plants. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 503–545

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanhimäki S (1989) Induced resistance in mountain birch: defence against leaf chewing insect guild and herbivore competition. Oecologia 81:242–248

    Google Scholar 

  • Haukioja E, Niemelä P (1979) Birch leaves as a resource for herbivores: Seasonal occurrence of increased resistance in foliage after mechanical damage of adjacent leaves. Oecologia 39:151–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hole FD (1976) Soils of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, Wise

    Google Scholar 

  • Ho LC, Grange RI, Shaw AF (1989) Source/sink regulation. In: Baker DA, Milburn JA (eds) Transport of photosynthates. Wiley, New York, pp 306–343

    Google Scholar 

  • Jahnke LS, Lawrence DB (1965) Influence of photosynthetic crown structure on potential productivity of vegetation based primarily on mathematical models. Ecology 46:319–326

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause SC, Raffa KF (1995) Defoliation intensity and larval age interact to affect sawfly performance on previously injuredPinus resinosa. Oecologia 102:24–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause SC, Raffa KF (1992) Comparison of insect, fungal, and mechanically induced defoliation of larch: effects on plant productivity and subsequent host susceptibility. Oecologia 90:411–416

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krause SC, Raffa KF, Wagner MR (1993) Tree response to stress: a role in sawfly outbreaks? In: Wagner MR, Raffa KF (eds) Sawfly life history adaptations to woody plants. Academic Press, New York, pp 211–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulman HM (1965) Effects of artificial defoliation of pine on subsequent shoot and needle growth. For Sci 11:90–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulman H M (1971) Effects of insect defoliation on growth and mortality of trees. Annu Rev Entomol 16:289–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuuluvainen T, Kanninen M (1992) Patterns in above-ground carbon allocation and tree architecture that favor stem growth in young Scots pine from high latitudes. Tree Physiol 10:69–80

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kuuluvainen T, Kanninen M, Salmi JP (1988) Tree architecture in young scots pine: properties, spatial distribuiton and relationships of components of tree architecture. Silva Fenn 22:147–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyytikäinen P (1992) Comparisons of artifiical and natural defoliation on the growth of diprionid sawflies on Scots pine foliage. J Appl Entomol 114:57–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Marquis RJ (1984) Leaf herbivores decrease fitness of a tropical plant. Science 226:537–539

    Google Scholar 

  • Matyssek R (1986) Carbon, water and nitrogen relations in evergreen and deciduous conifers. Tree Physiol 1:177–187

    Google Scholar 

  • McNaughton SJ (1979) Grazing as an optimization process: grassungulate reltionships in the Serengeti. Am Nat 113:691–703

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meijden van der E, Wijn M, Verkaar HJ (1988) Defense and regrowth, alternative plant strategies in the struggle against herbivorers. Oikos 51:355–363

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrow PA, LaMarche VC (1978) Tree ring evidence for chronic insect suppression of productivity in subalpineEucalyptus. Science 201:1224–1226

    Google Scholar 

  • Niemelä P, Tuomi J, Mannila R, Ojala P (1984) The effect of previous damage on the quality of Scots pine foliage as food for diprionid sawflies. Z Angew Entomol 98:33–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Owen DF, Wiegert RG (1981) Mutualism between grasses and grazers: an evolutionary hypothesis. Oikos 36:376–378

    Google Scholar 

  • Paige KN, Whitham TG (1987) Overcompensation in response to mammalian herbivory: the advantage of being eaten. Am Nat 129:407–416

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piene H, Percy KE (1983) Changes in needle morphoogy, anatomy, and mineral content during the recovery of protected balsam fir trees initially defoliated by the spruce budworm. Can J For Res 14:238–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Prins AH, Verkaar HJ, van den Herik M (1989) Responses ofCynoglossum officinale L. andSenecio jacobaea L. to various degrees of defoliation. New Phytol 111:725–731

    Google Scholar 

  • Reich PB, Schoettle AW (1988) Role of phosphorus and nitrogen in photosynthetic and whole plant carbon gain and nutrient use efficiency in eastern white pine. Oecologia 77:25–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reich PB, Walters MB, Ellsworth DS (1992) Leaf life-span in relation to leaf, plant and stand characteristics among diverse ecosystems. Ecol Monogr 62:365–392

    Google Scholar 

  • Reich PB, Walters MB, Krause SC, Vanderklein DW, Raffa KF, Tabone T (1993) Growth, nutrition and gas exchange ofPinus resinosa following artificial defoliation. Trees 7: 67–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Remphrey WR, Powell GR (1988) Crown architecture ofLarix laricinia saplings: production and disposition of foliage and their simulation. Can J Bot 66:2234–2246

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (1985) SAS users guide. Cary, North Carolina, USA

  • Schneider A, Schmitz K (1987) Seasonal course of translocation and distribution of14C-labelled photoassimilate in young trees ofLarix decidua Mill. Trees 4:185–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulte EE, Peters JB, Hodgson PR (1987) Wisconsin procedures for soil testing, plant analysis and feed and forage analysis. University of Wisconsin-Extension-Madison, No. 6 Soil Fertility Series

  • Shainsky LJ, Radosevich SR (1992) Mechanisms of competition between douglas-fir and red alder seedlings. Ecology 73:30–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Shultz JC, Baldwin IT (1982) Oak leaf quality declines in response to defoliation by gypsy moth larvae. Science 217:149–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Strauss SY (1991) Direct, indirect and cumulative effects of three native herbivores on a shared host plant. Ecology 72:543–558

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuomi J, Niemelä P, Haukioja E, Sirén S (1984) Nutrient stress: an explanation for plant antiherbivore responses to defoliation. Oceologia 61:208–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Veiling P, Tigerstedt PMA (1984) Harvest index in a progeny test of Scots pine with preference to the model of selection. Silva Fenn 18:21–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner MR (1988) Induced defenses in ponderosa pine against defoliating insects. In: Mattson W, Levieux J, Bernard-Dagen C (eds) Mechanisms of woody plant defenses against insects. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 141–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner MR, Evans PD (1985) Defoliation increases nutritional quality and allelochemics of pine seedlings. Oecologia 67:235–237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner MR, Raffa KF (1993) Sawfly life history adaptations to woody plants. Academic Press, San Diego, Calif

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, 53706, Madison, WI, USA

    Steven C. Krause & Kenneth F. Raffa

Authors
  1. Steven C. Krause
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kenneth F. Raffa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Krause, S.C., Raffa, K.F. Differential growth and recovery rates following defoliation in related deciduous and evergreen trees. Trees 10, 308–316 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02340777

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02340777

Key words

Search

Navigation