Seasonal variability in foliar characteristics and physiology for boreal forest species at the five Saskatchewan tower sites during the 1994 Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study

Leaf-level measurements of gas exchange, chemistry, morphology, and spectral optical properties were acquired at the five instrumented tower sites during the three 1994 growing season intensive field campaigns (IFCs) conducted near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, as part of the Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS). Stands included old and young aspen (OA, YA) associated with the hazelnut shrub, old and young jack pine (OJP, YJP) stands, and an old black spruce (OBS) stand; white spruce (at YA) and an understory herb (dogbane, at OJP) were also examined. Midsummer peak photosynthesis for aspen leaves in the field (A, light saturated) and laboratory (A(max) light and CO2 saturated) was similar to 12.6 and 33-41 mu mol CO2 m(-2) s(-1). Black spruce exhibited the lowest A, 3 mu mol CO2 m(-2) s(-1). Jack pine and black spruce attained their highest A(max) (17-20 mu mol CO2 m(-2) s(-1)) in late summer/early fall. Gas exchange by white spruce was significantly higher and stomatal limitation lower than for other conifers, at levels comparable to broadleaf responses. White spruce foliage had the highest chlorophyll content in fall (similar to 41 mu g cm(-2)), followed by aspen (OA) and hazelnut (YA) in midsummer (similar to 31 mu g cm(-2)). Specific leaf mass of aspen, hazelnut, and conifer foliage was 86, similar to 47, and similar to 174 g m(-2), respectively. Leaf nitrogen content of broadleaves (18-40 g N g(-1) dry wt) was 2-3 times greater than conifer needles (8-12 g N g(-1)). Significantly larger needles were produced at OJP versus YJP, but needle number per age class was greater at YJP. The absorbed photosynthetically active radiation fraction (fAPAR) in June/July averaged similar to 80% for broadleaves and similar to 83% in conifer needles. The simple ratio (SR, near-infrared/red ratio) calculated from foliar transmittances was more strongly related to fAPAR than SR calculated from reflectances, with stronger correlation for broadleaves (r = 0.92) than for conifers (r = 0.78).