Abstract
A new macroscopic marker of decline and recovery processes in Norway spruce ( Picea abies ) based on proportions of bud development types was evaluated in 315 mature trees in two mountainous regions of the Czech Republic. This study was conducted in 1998 at 63 sites located in the Krusne hory Mts, which exhibited a wide range of damage corresponding to a gradient of increasing air pollution load (mainly SO 2 and NO x ) and the Sumava Mts, a relatively unpolluted area. Proportions of bud development types (regular buds, buds with growth potential and aborted buds) were found to refl ect the current intensity of primary shoot formation in crowns as well as a capability to replace needle loss by formation of secondary shoots via differentiation of buds with growth potential. Using cluster analysis, the trees were classifi ed according to the proportion of individual bud development types into one of three shoot growth categories: accelerated, stabilized or decreased shoot growth. Trees with accelerated shoot growth are characterized by intense production of assimilative organs and a small pool of viable buds with growth potential. Trees with stabilized shoot growth have high potential for crown recovery via activation of abundant buds with growth potential, and trees with decreased shoot growth have high rates of aborted buds, slow primary shoot formation and small pools of buds with growth potential. This new marker refl ects well the forest recovery observed in areas with recent decreases in pollution loads. The results indicate that traditional macroscopic markers such as crown defoliation are less sensitive to the current status of tree crowns when compared with the proportion of individual bud development types. The potential of this new marker for forestry practice and tree physiology is discussed.
Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record, shown for indexing and research. Copyright remains with the authors or the publisher. Read at the source ↗
The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.
Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Bud type proportions reflected primary shoot formation and capacity to replace lost needles through secondary shoots.
- Outcome
- current intensity of primary shoot formation in crownse0
- Comparator
- buds with growth potentiale0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Proportions of bud development types (regular buds, buds with growth potential and aborted buds) were found to refl ect the current intensity of primary shoot formation in crowns as well as a capability to replace needle loss by formation of secondary shoots via differentiation of buds with growth potential.”
Claim · model-written summary
Cluster analysis classified trees into accelerated, stabilized, and decreased shoot growth categories.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Using cluster analysis, the trees were classifi ed according to the proportion of individual bud development types into one of three shoot growth categories: accelerated, stabilized or decreased shoot growth.”
Claim · model-written summary
Accelerated shoot growth trees had intense assimilative organ production and a small viable bud pool.
- Outcome
- intense production of assimilative organs and a small pool of viable buds with growth potentiale0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Trees with accelerated shoot growth are characterized by intense production of assimilative organs and a small pool of viable buds with growth potential.”
Claim · model-written summary
Stabilized shoot growth trees had high crown recovery potential via abundant buds with growth potential.
- Outcome
- high potential for crown recovery via activation of abundant buds with growth potentiale0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Trees with stabilized shoot growth have high potential for crown recovery via activation of abundant buds with growth potential”
Claim · model-written summary
Decreased shoot growth trees had high aborted bud rates, slow primary shoots, and small bud pools.
- Outcome
- high rates of aborted buds, slow primary shoot formation and small pools of buds with growth potentiale0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“trees with decreased shoot growth have high rates of aborted buds, slow primary shoot formation and small pools of buds with growth potential.”
Claim · model-written summary
The bud type marker reflected forest recovery after pollution decreased.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“This new marker refl ects well the forest recovery observed in areas with recent decreases in pollution loads.”
Claim · model-written summary
Bud type proportions were more sensitive than crown defoliation for current crown status.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“traditional macroscopic markers such as crown defoliation are less sensitive to the current status of tree crowns when compared with the proportion of individual bud development types.”