TY - JOUR

T1 - Winter warming response of gas-exchange and growth of Abies alba and Picea abies seedlings

AU - Petrík, Peter

AU - Scapucci, Liliana

AU - Petek-Petrik, Anja

AU - Bosela, Michal

AU - Huang, Weiwei

AU - Kurjak, Daniel

AU - Ræbild, Anders

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Key message: The study found that higher winter temperatures lead to an increase in respiratory carbon loss in Norway spruce and silver fir seedlings. The growth of Norway spruce negatively correlated with winter temperature, but we observed no effect for silver fir. Abstract: Climate change is significantly altering the carbon sequestration potential of European forest ecosystems. Elevated winter temperatures at high latitudes can have a negative impact on the carbon balance and subsequent growth of evergreen trees. This study aimed to test the hypothesis of a negative impact of elevated winter temperature on winter respiration, carbon balance and growth of evergreen coniferous trees in Denmark. Seedlings of Abies alba and Picea abies were exposed to elevated temperatures (2–8 °C increase) for one month during the winter of 2020 using outdoor infrared heaters and greenhouses. Both species showed a significant increase in respiration under higher temperatures, possibly negatively affecting their total leaf carbon balance. Dark respiration increased by 15–16% per 1 °C increase in the monthly average temperature for both species. Neither Abies alba nor Picea abies showed downregulation of dark respiration under prolonged elevated temperatures. Radial and height growth in the following season was negatively correlated with winter temperature treatment for Picea abies, but not for Abies alba. Unfortunately, the Picea abies seedlings were attacked by aphids which could affect the growth as well. Further research focused on the impact of winter warming on carbohydrate reserves is needed to fully understand why warming winters negatively affect the growth of some evergreen conifers, but not others.

AB - Key message: The study found that higher winter temperatures lead to an increase in respiratory carbon loss in Norway spruce and silver fir seedlings. The growth of Norway spruce negatively correlated with winter temperature, but we observed no effect for silver fir. Abstract: Climate change is significantly altering the carbon sequestration potential of European forest ecosystems. Elevated winter temperatures at high latitudes can have a negative impact on the carbon balance and subsequent growth of evergreen trees. This study aimed to test the hypothesis of a negative impact of elevated winter temperature on winter respiration, carbon balance and growth of evergreen coniferous trees in Denmark. Seedlings of Abies alba and Picea abies were exposed to elevated temperatures (2–8 °C increase) for one month during the winter of 2020 using outdoor infrared heaters and greenhouses. Both species showed a significant increase in respiration under higher temperatures, possibly negatively affecting their total leaf carbon balance. Dark respiration increased by 15–16% per 1 °C increase in the monthly average temperature for both species. Neither Abies alba nor Picea abies showed downregulation of dark respiration under prolonged elevated temperatures. Radial and height growth in the following season was negatively correlated with winter temperature treatment for Picea abies, but not for Abies alba. Unfortunately, the Picea abies seedlings were attacked by aphids which could affect the growth as well. Further research focused on the impact of winter warming on carbohydrate reserves is needed to fully understand why warming winters negatively affect the growth of some evergreen conifers, but not others.

KW - Conifers

KW - Evergreen

KW - Increment

KW - Norway spruce

KW - Respiration

KW - Silver fir

U2 - 10.1007/s00468-023-02473-7

DO - 10.1007/s00468-023-02473-7

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85179345805

VL - 38

SP - 151

EP - 167

JO - Trees

JF - Trees

SN - 0931-1890

ER -