Are Leaf Decomposition and Morphology of Hybrid Chestnuts Functionally More Similar to American or Chinese Chestnuts?
Disciplines
Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Ecology | Forest Biology | Plant Biology | Plant Breeding and Genetics
Abstract (300 words maximum)
American chestnut trees were once prevalent in the Eastern U.S. forests, but the species went functionally extinct due to a pathogen that was introduced via trade of Chinese chestnut trees. In order to reintroduce the American chestnut to its native habitat, American and Chinese chestnut trees have been cross bred over the last few decades to create hybrids that maintain the characteristics of American chestnuts but have the pathogen resistance of the Chinese chestnut. The goal of our study was to compare leaf morphology and decomposition rates of American, Chinese, and hybrid chestnuts in order to test whether hybrids function similar to American chestnuts.
We measured average leaf decomposition rates via cellular respiration of leaf samples from American, Chinese, and hybrid chestnut trees over a 6-week period. In addition, we measured average stomatal density and leaf area from the same set of trees. We hypothesized that higher stomatal density would increase the rate of decomposition. We also hypothesized that average decomposition rates, leaf mass area, and stomatal density would differ based on tree genotype, with leaves from hybrid chestnut trees falling in between American and Chinese.
The results of our analysis suggest that stomatal density does not have a significant impact on decomposition of the leaves. We also found that the Chinese chestnut leaves have a significantly higher average stomatal density compared to American and hybrid chestnuts. From our data, we conclude that hybrid chestnuts appear morphologically similar to American chestnuts but differ from Chinese chestnuts. However, the implications on decomposition were inconclusive and require further study.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CSM - Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Mario Bretfeld
Are Leaf Decomposition and Morphology of Hybrid Chestnuts Functionally More Similar to American or Chinese Chestnuts?
American chestnut trees were once prevalent in the Eastern U.S. forests, but the species went functionally extinct due to a pathogen that was introduced via trade of Chinese chestnut trees. In order to reintroduce the American chestnut to its native habitat, American and Chinese chestnut trees have been cross bred over the last few decades to create hybrids that maintain the characteristics of American chestnuts but have the pathogen resistance of the Chinese chestnut. The goal of our study was to compare leaf morphology and decomposition rates of American, Chinese, and hybrid chestnuts in order to test whether hybrids function similar to American chestnuts.
We measured average leaf decomposition rates via cellular respiration of leaf samples from American, Chinese, and hybrid chestnut trees over a 6-week period. In addition, we measured average stomatal density and leaf area from the same set of trees. We hypothesized that higher stomatal density would increase the rate of decomposition. We also hypothesized that average decomposition rates, leaf mass area, and stomatal density would differ based on tree genotype, with leaves from hybrid chestnut trees falling in between American and Chinese.
The results of our analysis suggest that stomatal density does not have a significant impact on decomposition of the leaves. We also found that the Chinese chestnut leaves have a significantly higher average stomatal density compared to American and hybrid chestnuts. From our data, we conclude that hybrid chestnuts appear morphologically similar to American chestnuts but differ from Chinese chestnuts. However, the implications on decomposition were inconclusive and require further study.