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Sierra, J., Daudin, D., Domenach, A. M., Nygren, P., & Desfontaines, L. (2007). Nitrogen transfer from a legume tree to the associated grass estimated by the isotopic signature of tree root exudates: A comparison of the N-15 leaf feeding and natural N-15 abundance methods. Eur. J. Agron., 27(2-4), 178–186.
Abstract: Nitrogen (N) transfer from legume trees to associated crops is a key factor for the N economy of low-input agroforestry systems. In this work, we presented a new approach to estimate N transfer based on the N-15 content of root exudates and N released by root turnover of the donor plant (Gliricidia sepium) and the temporal change of the N-15 content of the receiver plant (Dichanthium aristatum). The study was carried out in greenhouse using two isotopic methods: N-15 leaf feeding (LF) and the natural N-15 abundance (NA). Measurements of exudate N-15 were made at several dates before and after tree pruning. A time-dependent box model was devised to quantify N transfer in time and to make comparisons between the isotopic methods. In NA, although tree roots and exudates presented a similar N-15 signature before tree pruning, exudates were strongly depleted in N-15 after pruning. In LF, exudates were always depleted in N-15 in relation to tree roots. Hence, the current assumption used in N transfer studies concerning the equal N-15/N-14 distribution in tissues of the donor plant and in its excreted N was not confirmed in our study. Before pruning, N transfer functioned as a two-N-source system (soil N and exudates N) and both isotopic methods provided similar estimates: 11-12% for LF and 10-15% for NA. Calculations per-formed with the model indicated that N transfer occurred with small or nil fractionation of N-15 in exudates. After pruning, there was a third N source associated with N released from tree root turnover. During this period, the isotopic signature of the receiver plant showed a transient state due to the progressive decrease of N-15 content of that N source. The amount of N derived from the tree represented 65% of the total N content of the. grass at the end of the experiments. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: agroforestry; box model; gliricidia sepium; N-15 fractionation; root turnover; tree pruning
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Ollivier, M., Baraloto, C., & Marcon, E. (2007). A trait database for Guianan rain forest trees permits intra- and inter-specific contrasts. Ann. For. Sci., 64(7), 781–786.
Abstract: We present a plant trait database covering autecology for rain forest trees of French Guiana. The database comprises more than thirty traits including autecology (e. g., habitat associations and reproductive phenology), wood structure (e. g., density and tension characteristics) and physiology at the whole plant (e. g., carbon and nitrogen isotopes) and leaf level (e. g., specific leaf area, photosynthetic capacity). The current database describes traits for about nine hundred species from three hundred genera in one hundred families. For more than sixty species, data on twelve morphological and ecophysiological traits are provided for individual plants under different environmental conditions and at different ontogenetic stages. The database is thus unique in permitting intraspecific analyses, such as the effects of ontogenetic stages or environmental conditions on trait values and their relationships.
Keywords: plant traits; tropical forest; French Guiana; functional groups; plasticity; ontogeny
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Baraloto, C., & Forget, P. M. (2007). Seed size, seedling morphology, and response to deep shade and damage in neotropical rain forest trees. Am. J. Bot., 94(6), 901–911.
Abstract: To investigate the existence of coordinated sets of seedling traits adapted to contrasting establishment conditions, we examined evolutionary convergence in seedling traits for 299 French Guianan woody plant species and the stress response in a shadehouse of species representing seed size gradients within five major cotyledon morphology types. The French Guianan woody plant community has larger seeds than other tropical forest communities and the largest proportion of hypogeal cotyledon type (59.2%) reported for tropical forests. Yet the community includes many species with intermediate size seeds that produce seedlings with different cotyledonal morphologies. A split-plot factorial design with two light levels (0.8% and 16.1% PAR) and four damage treatments (control, seed damage, leaf damage, stem damage) was used in the shadehouse experiment. Although larger-seeded species had higher survival and slower growth, these patterns were better explained by cotyledon type than by seed mass. Even larger-seeded species with foliar cotyledons grew faster than species with reserve-type cotyledons, and survival after stem grazing was five times higher in seedlings with hypogeal cotyledons than with epigeal cotyledons. Thus, to predict seedling performance using seed size, seedling morphology must also be considered.
Keywords: cotyledons; French Guiana; functional morphology; herbivory; life history; phylogeny; regeneration strategy; shade tolerance
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Ruelle, J., Beauchene, J., Thibaut, A., & Thibaut, B. (2007). Comparison of physical and mechanical properties of tension and opposite wood from ten tropical rainforest trees from different species. Ann. For. Sci., 64(5), 503–510.
Abstract: On 10 trees from 10 species of French Guyana tropical rainforest in a clear active process of restoring verticality growth strains were measured in situ in order to determine the occurrence of tension wood within samples. Wood specimens were cut in the vicinity of the growth strains measurements in order to measure some mechanical and physical properties. As suspected, tensile growth strains was very much higher in tension wood zone, because longitudinal modulus of elasticity was slightly higher. Longitudinal shrinkage was also much higher in tension wood than in opposite wood.
Keywords: tension wood; opposite wood; tropical rainforest; physical and mechanical properties
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Nasr, H., Domenach, A. M., Ghorbel, M. H., & Benson, D. R. (2007). Divergence in symbiotic interactions between same genotypic PCR-RFLP Frankia strains and different Casuarinaceae species under natural conditions. Physiol. Plant., 130(3), 400–408.
Abstract: The symbiotic interactions between Frankia strains and their associated plants from the Casuarinaceae under controlled conditions are well documented but little is known about these interactions under natural conditions. We explored the symbiotic interactions between eight genotypically characterized Frankia strains and five Casuarinaceae species in long-term field trials. Characterization of strains was performed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for the nifD-nifK intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) and 16S-23S ITS. Assessments of the symbiotic interactions were based on nodulation patterns using nodule dry weight and viability, and on actual N-2 fixation using the delta N-15 method. The PCR-RFLP patterns showed that the analyzed strains belonged to the same genotypic group (CeD group), regardless of the host species and environment of origin. The nodule viability index is introduced as a new tool to measure the viability of perennial nodules and to predict their effectiveness. The host Casuarinaceae species was a key factor influencing both the actual N-2-fixing activity of the associated Frankia strain and the viability of nodules within a location. This is the first study providing information on the symbiotic interactions between genotypically characterized Frankia strains and actinorhizal plants under natural conditions. The results revealed a way to improve a long-term management of the Casuarinaceae symbiosis.
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Coutand, C., Fournier, M., & Moulia, B. (2007). The gravitropic response of poplar trunks: Key roles of prestressed wood regulation and the relative kinetics of cambial growth versus wood maturation. Plant Physiol., 144(2), 1166–1180.
Abstract: In tree trunks, the motor of gravitropism involves radial growth and differentiation of reaction wood (Archer, 1986). The first aim of this study was to quantify the kinematics of gravitropic response in young poplar (Populus nigra x Populus deltoides, 'I4551') by measuring the kinematics of curvature fields along trunks. Three phases were identified, including latency, upward curving, and an anticipative autotropic decurving, which has been overlooked in research on trees. The biological and mechanical bases of these processes were investigated by assessing the biomechanical model of Fournier et al. (1994). Its application at two different time spans of integration made it possible to test hypotheses on maturation, separating the effects of radial growth and cross section size from those of wood prestressing. A significant correlation between trunk curvature and Fournier's model integrated over the growing season was found, but only explained 32% of the total variance. Moreover, over a week's time period, the model failed due to a clear out phasing of the kinetics of radial growth and curvature that the model does not take into account. This demonstrates a key role of the relative kinetics of radial growth and the maturation process during gravitropism. Moreover, the degree of maturation strains appears to differ in the tension woods produced during the upward curving and decurving phases. Cell wall maturation seems to be regulated to achieve control over the degree of prestressing of tension wood, providing effective control of trunk shape.
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Ruelle, J., Yoshida, M., Clair, B., & Thibaut, B. (2007). Peculiar tension wood structure in Laetia procera (Poepp.) Eichl. (Flacourtiaceae). Trees-Struct. Funct., 21(3), 345–355.
Abstract: Tension wood of Laetia procera (Poepp.) Eichl. (Flacourtiaceae), a neo-tropical forest species, shows a peculiar secondary wall structure, with an alternance of thick and thin layers, while opposite wood of this species has a typical secondary wall structure (S1 + S2 + S3). Samples for the study of microstructural properties were collected upon the estimation of growth stresses in the living tree, in order to analyze the correlation of the former with the latter. Investigation using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and UV microspectrophotometry allowed the description of the anatomy, ultra-structure and chemistry of this peculiar polylaminate secondary wall. In the thick layers, cellulose microfibril angle is very low (i.e., microfibril orientation is close to fibre axis) and cellulose microfibrils are well organized and parallel to each other. In the thin layers, microfibrils (only observable in the inner layer) are less organized and are oriented with a large angle relative to the axis of the cell. Thick layers are lightly lignified although thin layers show a higher content of lignin, close to that of opposite wood secondary wall. The more the wood was under tensile stress, the less the secondary wall was lignified, and lower the syringyl on guaiacyl lignin units' ratio was. The innermost layer of the secondary wall looks like a typical S3 layer with large microfibril angle and lignin occurrence. The interest of this kind of structure for the understanding of stress generation is discussed.
Keywords: tension wood; tropical rainforest species; UV microspectrophotometry; scanning electron microscopy; cellulose microfibril angle
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Bertani, S., Houel, E., Bourdy, G., Stien, D., Jullian, V., Landau, I., et al. (2007). Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae) leaf tea: Effect of the growing stage and desiccation status on the antimalarial activity of a traditional preparation. J. Ethnopharmacol., 111(1), 40–42.
Abstract: In French Guiana, Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae) leaf tea is a well-known widely used traditional antimalarial remedy. Impact of the vegetal sampling condition on in vivo and in vitro antimalarial activity was assessed. Traditional infusions were prepared with juvenile or mature leaves, both either fresh or dried. Results showed that growing stage and freshness of vegetal material exert a striking effect on antimalarial activity, both in vitro and in vivo. By far, leaf tea made from fresh juvenile (FJ) Quassia amara leaves was the most active. In vitro, active component (simalikalactone D) concentration correlates biological activities, although unexplained subtle variations were observed. In vivo, tea made with dried juvenile (DJ) leaves displays a peculiar behavior, meaning that some components may help simalikalactone D delivery or may be active in vivo only, therefore enhancing the expected curative effect of the traditional preparation. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: antimalarial; Quassia amara; quassinoids; simalikalactone D; traditional medicine
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Baraloto, C., Morneau, F., Bonal, D., Blanc, L., & Ferry, B. (2007). Seasonal water stress tolerance and habitat associations within four neotropical tree genera. Ecology, 88(2), 478–489.
Abstract: We investigated the relationship between habitat association and physiological performance in four congeneric species pairs exhibiting contrasting distributions between seasonally flooded and terra firme habitats in lowland tropical rain forests of French Guiana, including Virola and Iryanthera ( Myristicaceae), Symphonia ( Clusiaceae), and Eperua (Caesalpiniaceae). We analyzed 10-year data sets of mapped and measured saplings ( stems >= 150 cm in height and < 10 cm diameter at breast height [dbh]) and trees ( stems >= 10 cm dbh) across 37.5 ha of permanent plots covering a 300-ha zone, within which seasonally flooded areas ( where the water table never descends below 1 m) have been mapped. Additionally, we tested the response of growth, survival, and leaf functional traits of these species to drought and flood stress in a controlled experiment. We tested for habitat preference using a modi. cation of the torus translation method. Strong contrasting associations of the species pairs of Iryanthera, Virola, and Symphonia were observed at the sapling stage, and these associations strengthened for the tree stage. Neither species of Eperua was significantly associated with flooded habitats at the sapling stage, but E. falcata was significantly and positively associated with flooded forests at the tree stage, and trees of E. grandiflora were found almost exclusively in nonflooded habitats. Differential performance provided limited explanatory support for the observed habitat associations, with only congeners of Iryanthera exhibiting divergent sapling survival and tree growth. Seedlings of species associated with flooded forest tended to have higher photosynthetic capacity than their congeners at field capacity. In addition, they tended to have the largest reductions in leaf gas exchange and growth rate in response to experimental drought stress and the least reductions in response to experimental inundation. The corroboration of habitat association with differences in functional traits and, to a lesser extent, measures of performance provides an explanation for the regional coexistence of these species pairs. We suggest that specialization to seasonally flooded habitats may explain patterns of adaptive radiation in many tropical tree genera and thereby provide a substantial contribution to regional tree diversity.
Keywords: drought tolerance; French Guiana; photosynthetic capacity; phylogenetically independent contrast; relative growth rate; seasonally flooded forest; specific leaf area; torus translation method; tropical forest
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Odonne, G., Bourdy, G., Beauchene, J., Houel, E., Stien, D., Chevolot, L., et al. (2007). From Tonic-cups to Bitter-cups: Kwasi bita beker from Suriname Determination, past and present use of an ancient galenic artefact. J. Ethnopharmacol., 110(2), 318–322.
Abstract: In the main markets of Paramaribo (Suriname), many stands offer what is locally called “Bitter-cups”, or “Kwasi bita beker”, small footed-cups, roughly carved from a whitish wood. The use of these cups is strictly medicinal and it seems to be restricted to Suriname, as they are not found in neighbouring countries (Guyana, French Guiana). The aim of this study was to identify the botanical origin of Bitter-cups still in use in the Saramaka traditional medicine (as information from field people was controversial), and document the ethnopharmacology of this original galenical artefact. Microscopic and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses were carried out on Bitter-cup, and anatomical criteria (marginal parenchyma band, size of intervessel and vessel-ray pits, rays width and rays composition, vessels clustering, frequency and size of parenchyma pits) together with HPLC profiles of the macerates showed that the wood cup was similar to Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae) wood. Ethnopharmacological investigation indicates that the use of these cups is simply due to the pharmacological properties attributed to “bitters”, and is strongly linked to tradition and cultural attitudes. This study also emphasizes the long lasting use of these cups, now restricted to Suriname only, with almost no variation over one century. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Tonic-cup; Bitter-cup; Quassia amara; Suriname; traditional remedy
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