Physiological Ecology of Male and Female Trees of Austrocedrus Chilensis Along a Moisture Gradient in Patagonia Argentina
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University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 2005 Physiological ecology of male and female trees of Austrocedrus chilensis along a moisture gradient in Patagonia Argentina Cecilia IneÌ?s Nuñez The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Nuñez, Cecilia IneÌ?s, "Physiological ecology of male and female trees of Austrocedrus chilensis along a moisture gradient in Patagonia Argentina" (2005). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 9530. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/9530 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Maureen and Mike MANSFIELD LIBRARY The University of Montana Permission is granted by the author to reproduce this material in its entirety, provided that this material is used for scholarly purposes and is properly cited in published works and reports. **Please check "Yes" or "No" and provide signature** Yes, I grant permission No, I do not grant permission Author's Signature: Date: Any copying for commercial purposes or financial gain may be undertaken only with the author's explicit consent. 8/98 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY OF MALE AND FEMALE TREES OF AUSTROCEDRUS CHILENSIS ALONG A MOISTURE GRADIENT IN PATAGONIA ARGENTINA by Cecilia Ines Nunez Profesora en Ciencias Biologicas Univ. Nac. del Comahue, Argentina, 1996 Licenciada en Ciencias Biologicas, Univ. Nac. del Comahue, Argentina, 1997 presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Montana May 2005 Approved by Chairpersoi Dean of the Graduate School 4 - xx-o5 Date Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 3175781 Copyright 2005 by Nunez, Cecilia Ines All rights reserved. INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. ® UMI UMI Microform 3175781 Copyright 2005 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Nunez, Cecilia I., Ph.D., May 2005 Organismal Biology and Ecology Physiological ecology of male and female trees of Austrocedrus chilensis along a moisture gradient in Patagonia, Argentina. (173 pp.) Chairperson: Carol A. Brewer, Ph.D. Abstract Dioecious species occurring along environmental gradients provide the opportunity to study the functional significance of sexual dimorphism. Males and females may have differential characteristics related their distinct reproductive roles. Female plants tend show higher reproductive effort than males due to fruit production, though females may compensate for this through gender-specific physiology, photosynthesizing reproductive structures, or spatial segregation of sexes (SSS). If compensation is inadequate, growth rates and other activities may be negatively affected. This study explored aspects of the physiological ecology of male and female trees of Austrocedrus chilensis, a dioecious endemic conifer of Patagonia, Argentina. Physiology at the leaf level was similar for male and female Austrocedrus trees, suggesting that female trees did not compensate for higher reproductive effort through higher rates of leaf C acquisition. Overall, Austrocedrus seemed to be tolerant to water stress, increasing its water-use efficiency when less was water available. Green cones of female Austrocedrus are photosynthetic but at lower rates than leaves (A cones, 1.05 ± 0.09 pmol CO 2 m'2; A leaves, 3.89 ± 0.31 pmol CO2 m'2 s'1) and at higher water loss (g cones, 0.080 ± 0.005 mol H20 m'2 s'1; g leaves, 0.060 ± 0.043 mol H2 O m'2 s'1). Green cones can compensate for their C cost over the growing season, being a C source; nevertheless, they may become a C sink if environmental conditions are unfavorable. Austrocedrus showed SSS. More males were found on slopes with high solar radiation (N-NW; M:F ~1.7), and females were more abundant on S-SE exposures (M:F -0.6). The overall sex ratio across the region was even. The SSS pattern was equally strong in both moist and xeric sites along the rainfall gradient; therefore, it could not be solely attributed to moisture availability. Male radial growth was -100% higher on N-NW slopes and female growth was similar among exposures. Therefore, sexes in this species are not necessarily similar as higher reproductive effort for females can became evident depending on environmental conditions. To ensure the future of Austrocedrus, studies and management plans must take SSS into account and consider differences in their growth, reproduction and ideal habitat requirements. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Acknowledgements This dissertation would not have been possible without the support and assistant of many people in Missoula, Montana and, in Bariloche, Argentina. Foremost, I am grateful to my advisor, Dr. Carol Brewer. She helped me come to the University of Montana from far away Patagonia, and then helped by guiding and supporting me including discussing, correcting and editing the contents of this work. I am also grateful for the time and invaluable feedback from past and present committee members, Dr. Anna Sala (it was great to have advice in Spanish), Dr. Paul Alaback, Dr. Tom DeLuca, Dr. Collin Henderson and Dr. Lila Fishman. Also many thanks to Dr. Thomas Kitzberger, who was my local advisor, for his support in Patagonia. This research was carried out in Argentina, and I would like sincerely thank colleagues at Laboratorio Ecotono at Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Special acknowledgement goes to Dra. Estela Raffaele and Dra. Adriana Rovere; their friendly support and collaboration encouraged me to continue despite the difficulties. Dr. Gemot Vobis was of great help for stomatal studies. Daniel Quattrini and Diego Pentke at Centro Atorhico Bariloche collaborated in making gas mixes (otherwise extremely difficult to get in Argentina) to calibrate the gas analyzer. Martin A. Nunez, besides being a great bother, was a terrific and fun colleague, field assistant and collaborator. Guillermo A. Amico, my dear cousin, was a great and generous colleague and collaborator. Paula G. Nunez, my sister, was a great help making her contributions from the field of philosophy of science. This research was also possible because of the help of enthusiastic field assistants Ruben Escalante, Mariano Rodriguez Cabal, Juan Karlakian, and Marcelo Saldivia, who provided great help and company during those long fieldwork hours. I made great friends in Montana. I am particularly and deeply grateful to Kim Olson and Thomas Thompson. Their generosity, collaboration, company and friendship were of key support. Dalit Ucitel came all the way from Israel to Argentina just to share part of the fieldwork. In Missoula, Carol Snetsinger, Nancy Siegel, Arn'bal Pauchard, Paula Diaz, Valeria Rios, Tomasz Giermakowski, Tochi Bustos-Femandez, Carlos Baied iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. and Jose Hierro generously opened their hearts and offered their help. They all are great examples of what friends are for. The company and generous help of great lab mates eased the craziness of my last semester at UM; I am particularly thankful to Alison Perkins and to Josh Burnham. This study was supported by fellowships from YPF Foundation (Beca JoseA. Estensoro) and Universidad del Comahue (Beca Graduado de Perfeccionamiento), by grants from University of Montana Graduate School, Altrusa Missoula Inc., and by a teaching assistantship at UM. This support gave me the flexibility to pursue my own scientific interests and provided key financial support for which I am very grateful. I am grateful beyond words to my husband, Julio E. Amoedo, who has been a solid support and source of encouragement and funding, particularly in difficult times. He and our son Manuel Desiderio helped me to keep my perspective of life in balance. Aunt Lucy Roselli and Uncle Carlos Lopez always were there when I need them academically, but particularly as beloved babysitters. I am particularly grateful to my parents Olga Roselli and Mario Nunez for teaching me early on a