Rangeland Ecology & Management

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Estimating ashe juniper leaf area from tree and stem characteristics
Author
Hicks, R. A.
Dugas, W. A.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
1998-11-01
Body

Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei Buchh.) is increasing in density and areal coverage on the Edwards Plateau of Texas. This is causing changes in community leaf area that could impact the ecosystem water balance through increased transpiration and interception of precipitation. Our objective was to estimate leaf area of selected trees and shoots in a range of size and age classes using nondestructive methods. We harvested all leaf material from 9 trees ranging in height from 0.8 to 4.8 m and recorded tree height and canopy diameter. We divided each tree into 6 sections based on 3 horizontal strata and 2 vertical hemispheres. Projected leaf area of subsamples, collected from each section, was multiplied by pi to give full cylinder leaf area which was used to calculate specific leaf area (cm2 g-1). Dried leaf biomass for each stratum, hemisphere, and tree was multiplied by the specific leaf area to determine the leaf area. We harvested leaf biomass from shoots and measured in situ stem diameters, dried the leaf biomass, and multiplied it by the specfic leaf area to determine shoot leaf area. There was no significant effect of stratum or hemisphere on specific leaf area or of hemisphere on leaf area. The middle stratum had a significantly greater percentage of total leaf area (52%). Total tree leaf area was best predicted (r2 = 0.97) by canopy area. Shoot leaf area was best predicted (r2 = 0.93) by stem area. Canopy and stem area measurements are rapid, nondestructive means of accurately estimating Ashe juniper tree and shoot leaf area, respectively. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020

Language
en
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.2307/4003604
Additional Information
Hicks, R. A., & Dugas, W. A. (1998). Estimating ashe juniper leaf area from tree and stem characteristics. Journal of Range Management, 51(6), 633-637.
IISN
0022-409X
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/643939
Journal Volume
51
Journal Number
6
Journal Pages
633-637
Journal Name
Journal of Range Management
Keywords
area
Juniperus ashei
leaf area
leaves
water balance
stems
estimation
Texas
biomass
canopy
plant height