STUDIES on TREE RINGS, Growfh RATES and AGE-SIZE RELATIONSHIPS of TROPICAL TREE SPECIES in MISIONES, ARGENTINA
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IAWA Bulletin n.s., Vol. 10 (2),1989: 161-169 STUDIES ON TREE RINGS, GROWfH RATES AND AGE-SIZE RELATIONSHIPS OF TROPICAL TREE SPECIES IN MISIONES, ARGENTINA by J.A. Boninsegna*, R. Villalba*, L. Amarilla**, and J.Ocampo** Summary Wood samples of 13 tree species from Several studies have been carried out on three sites in the Selva Misionera (Misiones the wood anatomy of tropical trees in order to Province, Argentina) were analysed macro identify the growth layers and their temporal and microscopically for occurrence and for sequence and several methods have been mation of growth rings. Well-defined annual used to reach this objective (Mariaux 1967; tree rings were found in Cedrelafissilis VeIl., Catinot 1970; Tomlinson & Craighead 1972; Parapiptadenia rigida Benth., Cordia tricho Eckstein et al. 1981; Lieberman et al. 1985; toma VeIl. and Chorisia speciosa St. Hil. Villalba 1985; Worbes 1985, 1986). In 15 trees of Cedrela fissilis VeIl., the Growth rates of woody plants as indicated growth rate, the current and the mean annual by their annual ring widths are always to increment (CAl and MAl) and the diameter/ some degree a function of both natural and age relationship were estimated using incre anthropogenic conditions (Fritts 1976). Com ment borer samples. The estimated mean cul parisons of ring widths in the same species mination age of the basal MIA was 152 over time or in different places can provide years, while the same parameter measured on valuable information on how woody plant individual trees shows a wide range from 61 growth varies temporally or spatially as a to 180 years, probably representing different function of various environmental conditions. social positions of the trees. In addition, it is possible to evaluate the re The method proposed is discussed as a lative productivity of species and sites, or way to obtain a quick, reliable, and inexpen how a species' growth is affected by various sive estimation of parameters which are use management practices. ful in forest management. The Selva Misionera represents the south Key words: Tropical trees, growth rate, tree ernmost part of the Amazon pluvial forest, rings. extending over Misiones Province, Argen tina, from 25° to 27° L.S. (Fig. 1). Precipi Introduction tation is distributed throughout the year One of the most frequent uses of tree ring reaching a total average of more than 1700 information is in the determination of the age mm. Mean annual temperature ranges be of individual trees or stands of trees. Age de tween 19 to 20°C. Frosts occasionally occur, termination requires that a researcher is able mainly in June or July. Lateritic soils, in to recognise rings and also that the trees combination with high temperature and pre regularly produce one and only one ring each cipitation allow the growth of subtropical year. When a species is shown to have iden evergreen forest, called Selvas Mixtas (Ca tifiable annual rings, a ring count can nor brera 1976). The most important families are mally provide age estimates that are suffi Leguminosae, Lauraceae, Meliaceae, Boragi ciently accurate for many purposes (Duever naceae and Bignoniaceae (Takao Inoue et al. & McCollom 1987). 1984). * Laboratorio de Dendrocronologfa, Centro Regional de Investigaciones Cientfficas y T6cno l6gicas, CONICEf, Casilla de Correo 330, 5500 Mendoza, Argentina. ** Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de Nacional de Misiones, 3380 Eldorado, Misiones, Argentina. Downloaded from Brill.com09/29/2021 08:25:25PM via free access 162 IAWA Bulletin n.s., Vol. 10 (2),1989 ~ Sample site .uJJ Mesopotamico park· like forest C=:J Su btropical evergreen forest of Brasil _ Parana fluvial forest _ Araucaria angustifolia forest I " d Pampas grassland Fig. 1. Location map of northeastern Argentina and surrounding areas showing the sample site positions. In this report, 13 species of the Selva 1. Ring-porous or semi-ring-porous struc Misionera are analysed in order to determine ture: their dendrochronological characteristics. On a. The earlywood consists of large ves one of them, Cedrela fissilis VeIl., a prelim selsembedded in a mass of initial pa inary study of the age and growth rate was renchyma cells: undertaken on the basis of its growth ring Cedrelafissilis (Plate la-c) widths. b. The latewood is made up of small and medium-sized vessels and thick- walled fibres: Cordia triclwtoma (Plate 2a, b) Wood anatomy and tree rings 2. Boundaries with uni- or multi seriate mar Anatomical studies of wood samples of 13 ginal parenchyma bands. The parenchyma tree species from different places in Misiones cells at the boundaries are often filled with Province were carried out with special atten crystalline substances: tion to the growth zones. The main anatomi Parapiptadenia rigida (Plate Id-t) cal structures responsible for the visibility of Peltoplwrum dubium (Plate 2d) growth rings are: Myrocarpus frondosus (Plate 2e, t) Downloaded from Brill.com09/29/2021 08:25:25PM via free access Boninsegna, Villalba, Amarilla & Ocampo - Tree rings in species in Misiones, Argentina 163 Plate 1. Woods with annual growth rings. - a-c: Cedrelafissilis. a: Transverse section show ing growth ring boundaries marked by continuous paratracheal parenchyma bands in combina tion with semi-ring-porosity. - b: Enlargement of the initial parenchyma band. - c: Details of the growth ring boundary showing thick-walled fibres in the latewood (lower part) and thin-walled parenchyma cells in the earlywood (upper part). - d-f: Parapiptadenia rigida. d: Cross section showing a marginal parenchyma band filled with amorphous substances at the growth ring boundary. - e: Details of the parenchyma band without cell contents. - f: Transverse section of secondary xylem with three complete zones. Annual rings are indicated by arrows. Downloaded from Brill.com09/29/2021 08:25:25PM via free access 164 IAWA Bulletin n.s., Vol. 10 (2),1989 Plate 2. Woods with annual growth rings (continued). - a, b: Cordia trichotomfl. a: Tree rings defined by a narrow initial parenchyma band. In b, the parenchyma band is associated with semi-ring-porosity (arrows). - c: Chorisia speciosa showing an annual ring consisting almost solely of fibres in the earlywood. - d-f: Species with growth rings, not necessarily aTlnual. - d: Peitophorum dubium with irregular zonate bands of apotracheal parenchyma (arrows). - e, f: Myrocarpusfrondosus. e: Narrow parenchyma bands completely surrounding the trunk. f: Details of the 1-4-seriate parenchyma band. ---+ Plate 3. Species with less distinct, ± irregular growth increments. - a: Aspidosperma poiyneu ron, annual ring defined by a narrow band of fibres representing the first formed earlywood. - Nectandra sa/igna (b) and Ocotea puberuia (c) showing both gradual and abrupt changes in radial diameter and wall thickness of the fibres. - d-f: Enteroiobium contortisiliquum. Downloaded from Brill.com09/29/2021 08:25:25PM via free access Boninsegna, Villalba, Amarilla & Ocampo - Tree rings in species in Misiones, Argentina 165 d: Two interannual parenchyma bands (indicated by arrows) formed during the same year of growth. Growth rings defined by a reduction in radial diameter of the last formed fibres (e) or by a parenchyma band (t). - Species with indistinct growth rings, g: Balfourodendron riedelia num, and h: Cabralea oblongifolia. Downloaded from Brill.com09/29/2021 08:25:25PM via free access 166 IAWA Bulletin n.s., Vol. 10 (2),1989 3. Growth zone boundaries conslsttng of The patterns described here may occur in several rows of fibre cells with a short various combinations within the growth layer radial diameter and thick walls. of some species. Thus, thin bands of paren a. Zones of thicker-walled fibres are pres chyma beside flattened fibre cells occur in the ent at the beginning of growth layers: same growth layers of Enterolobium contorti Chorisia speciosa (Plate 2c) siliquum (plate 3d-f). Aspidosperma polyneuron (plate 3a) The abrupt change from the late- to the Dendrochronological studies on the end earlywood with relatively low and high grains of disks and increment borer samples fibre percentages respectively, marks of the same material analysed microscopi the tree ring limit. Moreover, the tissue cally, have allowed to establish a prelimi percentage taken up by fibres gradually nary classification in relation to visibility of diminishes along the annual ring. growth layers, continuity along the cross sec b. Thicker fibre zones are found at the tion, and annual nature of growth zones. The end of growth layers. In this case, the annual nature was established taking into ac transition of growth zones can be grad count the studies performed on other species ual or abrupt in the same tree: of the same genus (Villalba et al. 1985) and Ocotea puberula (plate 3b) the local rate of tree growth according to Ma Nectandra saligna (plate 3c) radei (1982), Maradei et al. (1982), Gartland 4. Periodical recurring patterns of parenchy et al. (1969), Fernandez Rodriguez (1963), ma along the growth layers: and Mangieri (1957). These observations Cabralea oblongifolia (plate 3h) have been summarised in Table 1. Table 1. Dendrochronological characteristics of some tropical trees growing in Misiones Province, Argentina. Growth layers well defined Continuous over the entire cross section Representing one year of growth (plates 1a-f, 2a-c) Cedrelafissilis Vell. (Meliaceae) Parapiptadenia rigida Benth. (Legum.-Mimosoideae) Cordia trichotoma Vell. (Boraginaceae) Chorisia speciosa St. Hil. (Bombacaceae)