Net primary production and phenology on a southern Appalachian watershed
Net primary production (NPP) is an important function of plant communities which has not often been examined seasonally in a forested ecosystem. The major objective of the study was to measure above-ground NPP seasonally and relate it to phenological activity on a hardwood forest watershed at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, North Carolina. NPP was estimated as the increase in biomass, estimated from regression equations on diameter. Diameter increases were measured by venier tree bands. Phenological observations were made on bud break, leaf emergence, flowering, mature fruit, leaf senescence, and leaf fall. The species studied intensively were Acer rubrum, Quercus prinus, Carya glabra, Cornus florida, and Liriodendron tulipifera. Liriodendron was found to be the most productive species per individual, but Quercus prinus was the most productive per unit ground area. The total watershed estimate of aboveground NPP was 8,754 kg ha/sup -1/yr/sup -1/ and included 47.9 percent leaves, 33.2 percent wood, 7.8 percent bark, 4.8 percent reproductive tissues, 4.2 percent loss to consumers, and 2.1 percent twigs. Increases in leaf biomass were most rapid in the spring, but woody tissue production peaked in June and continued through August. Since leaf production peaked in the spring, the plants' photosynthetic machinery was activated early in the growing season to support woody tissue production, which followed the period of rapid leaf growth, and reproductive activity. Flowering occurred during the leaf expansion period except for Acer rubrum, which flowered before leaf emergence. Fruit maturation occurred during late summer to early fall, when there were no additional biomass increases. Acer rubrum was an exception as its fruit matured during the period of leaf expansion.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Georgia, Athens
- OSTI ID:
- 5168647
- Journal Information:
- Am. J. Bot.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Bot.; (United States) Vol. 64:9; ISSN AJBOA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
553000 -- Agriculture & Food Technology
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
APPALACHIA
BIOMASS
CLIMATES
COMMUNITIES
ECOSYSTEMS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLOWERS
FORESTS
GROWTH
LEAVES
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH CAROLINA
PLANT GROWTH
PLANT TISSUES
PLANTS
PRODUCTIVITY
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SEEDS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
USA
VARIATIONS
WATERSHEDS