Photosynthesis and carbon allocation of six boreal tree species grown in understory and open conditions

One-year-old seedlings of Abies balsamea (L.) Mill, Picea glauca (Moench) Voss, Pinus contorta London, Betula papyrifera Marsh., Populus tremuloides Michx. and Populus balsamifera L. were transplanted in the spring, in pots, to the understory of a mixed P. tremuloides-P. balsamifera stand or to an adjacent open site. Growth and leaf characteristics were measured and photosynthetic light response curves determined in mid-August. Overall, the coniferous seedlings showed less photosynthetic plasticity in response to growth conditions than the deciduous species. Abies balsamea, P, glauca and B. papyrifera responded to the understory environment with higher leaf area ratios, and lower photosynthetic light saturation points and area-based leaf respiration relative to values for open-grown seedlings, while they matched or exceeded the height growth of open-grown seedlings. In contrast, seedlings of Pinus contorta, P, tremuloides and P. balsamifera displayed characteristics that were not conducive to survival in the understory. These characteristics included a high light saturation point acid leaf dark respiration rate in P. contorta, and lower led area variables combined with higher carbon allocation to roots in P. tremuloides and P. balsamifera. By the second growing season, all seedlings of P. tremuloides and P. balsamifera growing in the understory had died.