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SEASONAL AND INDIVIDUAL VARIATION IN LEAF QUALITY OF TWO NORTHERN HARDWOODS TREE SPECIES
Author(s) -
Schultz Jack C.,
Nothnagle Philip J.,
Baldwin Ian T.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1982.tb13315.x
Subject(s) - yellow birch , biology , maple , sugar , aceraceae , botany , growing season , betulaceae , seasonality , horticulture , herbivore , agronomy , ecology , food science
Seasonal trends in five traits of sugar maple ( Acer saccharum Marsh.) and yellow birch ( Betula allegheniensis Britt.) leaves thought to influence feeding by herbivores were measured from 17 May through 19 September, 1979. Total nitrogen and water contents declined and toughness increased through the growth season. These seasonal changes were more pronounced in sugar maple than in yellow birch. Total polyphenol contents and tanning coefficients of leaf extracts from both species reached a season high by the end of May and changed very little after that date; these patterns differ from those reported by several other investigators. Sugar maple leaf extracts exhibited much higher tanning coefficients than did those of yellow birch, a finding which is consistent with current plant defense theory. Significant differences in total polyphenol content and tanning coefficients were found between individual trees in yellow birch, but not sugar maple. The relationship between successional status, leaf quality traits, and variability in these traits in forest trees is discussed.