RESUMO
Cork oak woodlands (montado) are agroforestry systems distributed all over the Mediterranean basin with a very important social, economic and ecological value. A generalized cork oak decline has been occurring in the last decades jeopardizing its future sustainability. It is unknown how loss of tree cover affects microbial processes that are consuming greenhouse gases in the montado ecosystem. The study was conducted under two different conditions in the natural understory of a cork oak woodland in center Portugal: under tree canopy (UC) and open areas without trees (OA). Fluxes of methane and nitrous oxide were measured with a static chamber technique. In order to quantify methanotrophs and bacteria capable of nitrous oxide consumption, we used quantitative real-time PCR targeting the pmoA and nosZ genes encoding the subunit of particulate methane mono-oxygenase and catalytic subunit of the nitrous oxide reductase, respectively. A significant seasonal effect was found on CH4 and N2O fluxes and pmoA and nosZ gene abundance. Tree cover had no effect on methane fluxes; conversely, whereas the UC plots were net emitters of nitrous oxide, the loss of tree cover resulted in a shift in the emission pattern such that the OA plots were a net sink for nitrous oxide. In a seasonal time scale, the UC had higher gene abundance of Type I methanotrophs. Methane flux correlated negatively with abundance of Type I methanotrophs in the UC plots. Nitrous oxide flux correlated negatively with nosZ gene abundance at the OA plots in contrast to that at the UC plots. In the UC soil, soil organic matter had a positive effect on soil extracellular enzyme activities, which correlated positively with the N2O flux. Our results demonstrated that tree cover affects soil properties, key enzyme activities and abundance of microorganisms and, consequently net CH4 and N2O exchange.
RESUMO
The effect of chilling on growth and plant hydraulic properties in a drought-resistant clone (CN5) and a drought-sensitive clone (ST51) of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. was evaluated. Chilling (10/5°C, day/night) led to a general decrease in growth of both clones and significant reductions in root hydraulic conductivity, rate of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance in comparison to plants grown at control temperature (24/16°C). The drought-resistant CN5 clone maintained higher root growth and lower leaf-to-root-area ratio than the drought-sensitive ST51 clone, in both temperature treatments. Conversely, ST51 exhibited greater carbon allocation to the foliage and higher hydraulic conductance than clone CN5 at both temperatures. Plants of both clones, when acclimated to chilling, maintained a higher hydraulic conductivity than control plants exposed to chilling temperatures without acclimation. Under chilling, the main differences between clones were a higher water status and anthocyanin concentration in CN5 plants, and a stronger inhibition of root growth in ST51 plants. Except for roots, the hypothesis of a lower depression of growth rate in the drought-resistant clone under chilling was not verified. However, higher root growth under low temperatures, as observed in CN5, can be an advantageous trait in Mediterranean-type environments, protecting trees against summer water-stress.