Growth and net production of Sphagnum at five fen sites, subarctic eastern Canada
Growth in length and net primary production (NPP) were measured by the cranked wire method at five sites near Schefferville, northern Quebec, representing lawns of Sphagnum angustifolium, Sphagnum warnstorfii, S. warnstorfii/S. angustifolium, and hummocks of Sphagnum fuscum and Sphagnum capillifoliu...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Botany |
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Main Author: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | French |
Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
1989
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b89-156 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b89-156 |
Summary: | Growth in length and net primary production (NPP) were measured by the cranked wire method at five sites near Schefferville, northern Quebec, representing lawns of Sphagnum angustifolium, Sphagnum warnstorfii, S. warnstorfii/S. angustifolium, and hummocks of Sphagnum fuscum and Sphagnum capillifolium. From June to September, growth and NPP ranged from 4 to 24 mm and 29 to 142 g m −2 , respectively. In an average rainfall year (1984), growth at the three lawn sites was higher than in the hummocks. In a dry year (1985, with half the average rainfall), growth in two of the three lawn sites was lower than in the hummocks. Growth of Sphagnum was weakly correlated with macroclimatic variables, such as air temperature, precipitation, and sunshine. The literature for Sphagnum production from arctic to temperate regions showed that hummock NPP was less than that of adjacent lawn/hollow sites and that a significant (r 2 = 0.307, P < 0.001) portion of the variation in NPP can be ascribed to mean annual temperature. |
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