Authors: Laurent Bergès JeanLuc Dupouey Alain Franc
Publish Date: 2014/02/04
Volume: 14, Issue: 7, Pages: 398-408
Abstract
Longterm changes in sessile oak Quercus petraea Liebl growth and wood density were studied using cores collected from 99 evenaged high forest stands between 56 and 187 years old located in northeastern and northcentral France Growth and density trends were tested by analysis of variance and covariance Two models were applied to two samples sample A and sample B sample B being a subsample with limited cambial age and calendar date ranges Model 1 showed a significant increase in radial growth +35 +87 and +66 in earlywood width latewood width and ring width respectively from 1811 to 1993 for sample A Consequently there was a positive trend in latewood ratio +14 A slight decrease in wood density was found –33 and –54 for earlywood and latewood density respectively Despite an increase in latewood percentage mean ring density showed a –20 decrease Model 1 applied to a biomass indicator density×ring width showed a 62 increase from 104 to 168 kg m–3 between 1811 and 1993 for sample A Results for sample B were slightly different the increase in latewood ratio was not detected Model 2 showed a change with time in the positive hyperbolic relationship between mean density and ring width The results are discussed The decrease in wood density cannot be explained by N atmospheric deposition or by longterm changes in average temperature Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels cannot be invoked owing to the present lack of studies Finally hypotheses concerning longterm changes in wood anatomical characteristics are proposed
Keywords: