INSTYTUT DENDROLOGII

Marko Stojanović, Matjaž Čater, Radek Pokorný
Responses in young Quercus petraea: coppices and standards under favourable and drought conditions

Dendrobiology 2016, vol. 76: 127-135

http://dx.doi.org/10.12657/denbio.076.012

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Abstract: 

Assimilation and photosynthetic efficiency (maximal quantum yield) of young oaks were compared in coppice and standard sessile oak stands of comparable age (100 years) under different light intensity categories: under minimum light – ISF < 20%, low light – 20%<ISF<25%, medium light – 25%<ISF<30% and in the open, without mature canopy cover – ISF >30% during favourable and drought conditions. Measurements of maximal assimilation rates were performed at a constant temperature of the measurement block (20°C), a CO₂ concentration of 400 μmol/l, flow 500 μmol/s and different light intensities: 0, 50, 250, 600, 1200 and 1800 μmol/m²s during three consecutive growing seasons (2012, 2013 and 2014). In every category at least 8 young naturally regenerated seedlings and sprouts of different coppice stools were measured. The quantum yield in optimal conditions in standards was highest in the category of closed canopy, while in coppices in medium light category. During severe drought in 2013 the drop in efficiency of standards was evident in all categories, while in coppices no differences in efficiency were observed between favourable 2012 and 2013 with expressed drought stress, proving the advantage of young coppices over standards in this particular light category. However, the beneficial effects of restoration coppicing are not guaranteed. It is our belief that in time such advantage might decrease; it would be therefore interesting to compare responses in time and define, when response abilities of both studied systems become equal.

Keywords: coppice, standards, comparison, photosynthetic response, quantum yield, light conditions, drought response