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Tree Physiology Advance Access published online on March 12, 2009
Tree Physiology, doi:10.1093/treephys/tpp013
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Leaf and twig {delta}13C during growth in relation to biochemical composition and respired CO2

Thomas Eglin1,2, Chantal Fresneau1, Caroline Lelarge-Trouverie3, Christophe Francois1 and Claire Damesin1

1 Université Paris XI, Laboratoire d’Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, UPRESA no. 8079, Bâtiment 362, F-91405 Orsay cedex, France
2 Corresponding author (thomas.eglin{at}u-psud.fr)
3 Université Paris XI, Institut de Biotechnologie des plantes, UPRESA no. 8079, Bâtiment 630, F-91405 Orsay cedex, France


  Abstract

In deciduous trees, the {delta}13C values of leaves are known to diverge during growth from those of woody organs. The main purpose of this study is to determine whether the divergence in {delta}13C between leaves and current-year twigs of Fagus sylvatica (L.) is influenced by changes (i) in the relative contents of organic matter fractions and (ii) in the {delta}13C of respired CO2. The {delta}13C values of bulk matter, extractive-free matter, lignin, holocellulose, starch, soluble sugars, water-soluble fraction and respired CO2, as well as their relative contents in bulk matter were determined. The {delta}13C values of biochemical fractions and respired CO2 showed very similar temporal variations for both leaves and twigs. Variations in bulk matter {delta}13C during growth were, therefore, poorly explained by changes in biochemical composition or in respiratory fractionation and were attributed to the transition from 13C-enriched reserves (mainly starch) to 13C-depleted new photoassimilates. The divergence between leaves and twigs was related to higher values of soluble sugar {delta}13C in twigs. However, the difference between lignin and holocellulose {delta}13C varied during growth. This phenomenon was attributed to the delay between holocellulose and lignin deposition. These results may have implications for analysis of organic matter {delta}13C in trees and forest ecosystems.

Keywords: current-year twigs, F. sylvatica

Received October 15, 2008; Accepted January 29, 2009


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