Variation in canopy structure, leaf area, light interception and light use efficiency among Eucalyptus clones

Differences in growth rates between Eucalyptus clones depend on differences in the acquisition of resources, and the efficiency of using resources to produce carbohydrates and grow wood. We examined differences in canopy structure, light interception, and light use efficiency for the 18 TECHS clones in a common garden experiment in Brazil. The degree of clumping within canopies varied substantially among clones, leading to large differences in both leaf area and light interception per unit of leaf area. Two methods of determining plot-level leaf area index (LP-80 and LAI-2000) were moderately well correlated (R2 = 0.4), but both methods underestimated actual leaf area index (determined by destructive sampling) by about one-third. Completely overcast sky conditions increased accuracy of leaf area estimates, reducing variation among measurements within plots and lowering the number of samples needed to obtain a given level of precision. Genotypes with high leaf area clumping also had higher leaf angle inclinations than genotypes with lower clumping. The apparent light interception coefficient (k) averaged 0.56 for the LP-80, and 0.47 for the LAI-2000. The range of k estimates differed by up to 2-fold among clones, underscoring the limited generality of light extinction coefficients. Light interception ranged from about 70 to 95% of incoming light, and leaf area index accounted for only 30% of the pattern in light interception among clones. Differences in stemwood production were influenced more strongly by clonal differences in efficiency of light use (stemwood production per unit of light intercepted) than by differences in leaf area or light interception. The efficiency of producing wood per unit of light intercepted spanned a two-fold range, with higher efficiencies for more productive clones. We suggest that production ecology studies focus more on measurements of light interception than on leaf area, avoiding issues about difficult-to-measure features of crown and canopy structures. The additional step of characterizing light use efficiency would also be very important.