SpringerLink
Log in

Key-factors and key-stages that determine the leaf longevity of an evergreen broad-leaved tree, Neolitsea sericea (Lauraceae) at different growing sites in southern Japan

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Ecological Research

Abstract

Chronological distribution pattern of leaves is an important factor to determine plant productivity in relation to photosynthesis. Therefore, intensive studies of leaf longevity are essential in plant ecology. Leaf longevity of Neolitsea sericea (Lauraceae) was surveyed from 1972 to 1995. Mean leaf longevity varied from 5.6 to 53.8 months among different year classes of leaf emergence. To detect factors and stages determining the leaf longevity, we adopted the method of key-factor/key-stage analysis. We categorized N. sericea trees into four groups; short and tall trees in an evergreen broad-leaved forest, short trees along the forest edge, and short trees in a Moso bamboo forest, where N. sericea grows as an understory plant. This categorization enabled us to realize how the factors and stages differently influenced leaf longevity at different sites. Four groups of factors (growing site, cecidomyiid gall induction, stem boring by a cerambycid, typhoon) and eight stages (every 6 month after leaf emergence until a leaf age of 48 months) were distinguished in the analysis. Effects of annual precipitation and annual mean temperature were evaluated separately. In a bamboo forest, cerambycid negatively affected leaf survival in the first year. In an evergreen broad-leaved forest, cerambycid and typhoon affected leaf survival of short and tall trees but cerambycid damage was compensated in later stages. Short trees along the forest edge suffered severe leaf fall from typhoon but were positively affected by annual precipitation. This study gives suggestions for better understanding of chronological distribution patterns of leaves.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Casper BB, Forseth IN, Kempenich H, Seltzer S, Xavier K (2001) Drought prolongs leaf life span in the herbaceous desert perennial Cryptantha flava. Funct Ecol 15:740–747

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chabot BF, Hicks DJ (1982) The ecology of leaf life span. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 13:229–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coley PD (1980) Effects of leaf age and plant life history patterns on herbivory. Nature 284:545–546

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craine JM, Berin DM, Reich PB, Tilman DG, Knops JMH (1999) Measurement of leaf longevity of 14 species of grasses and forbs using a novel approach. New Phytol 142:475–481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diemr M, Korner CH, Prock S (1992) Leaf life spans in wild perennial herbaceous plants: a survey and attempt at a functional interpretation. Oecologia 89:10–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ewers FW, Schmid R (1981) Longevity of needle fascicles of Pinus longaeva (bristle cone pine) and other north American pines. Oecologia 51:107–115

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Faeth SH, Connor EF, Simberloff D (1981) Early leaf abscission: a neglected source of mortality for folivores. Am Nat 117:409–415

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kai K, Horiguchi T, Nomoto N (1991) Seasonal behavior of leaves of the semideciduous shrub Ligustrum obtusifolium. Jpn J Ecol 41:73–82 (In Japanese with English synopsis)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kikuzawa K (1978) Emergence, defoliation and longevity of alder (Alnus hirsute Turcz.) leaves in a deciduous hardwood forest stand. Jpn J Ecol 28:299–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Kikuzawa K (1983) Leaf survival of woody plants in deciduous broad-leaved forest. 1. Tall trees. Can J Bot 61:2133–2139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kikuzawa K (1988) Leaf survival of tree species in deciduous broad-leaved forests. Plant Species Biol 3:67–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kikuzawa K (1989) Ecology and evolution of phenological pattern, leaf longevity and leaf habit. Evol Trends Plants 3:105–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Kikuzawa K (1991) A cost-benefit analysis of leaf habit and leaf longevity of trees and their geographical patters. Am Nat 138:1250–1263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kikuzawa K (1995) The basis for variation in leaf longevity of plants. Vegetation 121:89–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kikuzawa K (2003) Phenological and morphological adaptations to the light environment in two woody and two herbaceous plant species. Func Ecol 17:29–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kikuzawa K (2005) Ecology of leaf longevity—from individual leaves to ecosystem. Kyôritu-shuppan, Tokyo (In Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kikuzawa K, Lechowicz MJ (2011) Ecology of leaf longevity. Springer, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kikuzawa K, Asai T, Higashiura Y (1979) Leaf production and the effect of defoliation by the larval population of the winter moth Operophtera brumata L. in an alder (Alnus inkumae Murai et Kusaka) stand. Jpn J Ecol 29:111–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Kikuzawa K, Suzuki S, Umeki K, Kitayama K (2002) Herbivorous impacts on tropical mountain forests implied by fecal pellet production. Sabah Parks Nat J 5:131–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Kikuzawa K, Onoda Y, Write IJ, Reich PB (2013) Mechanisms underlying global temperature-related patters in leaf longevity. Glob Ecol Biogeogr 22:982–993

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohyama T (1980) Growth pattern of Abies mariesii saplings under conditions of open-growth and suppression. Bot Mag 93:13–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kojima K, Nakamura S (1986) Food plants of cerambycid beetles (Cerambycidae, Coleoptera) in Japan. Hiba Society of Natural History, Hiroshima (In Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lajtha K, Whitford WG (1989) The effect of water and nitrogen amendments on photosynthesis, leaf demography, and resource-use efficiency in Larrea tridentata, a desert evergreen shrub. Oecologia 80:341–348

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mabry CM, Hamburg SP, Lin TC, Horng FW, King HB, Hsia YJ (1998) Typhoon disturbance and stand-level damage patterns at a subtropical forest in Taiwan. Biotropica 30:238–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maeda N, Sato S, Yukawa J (1982) Polymodal emergence pattern of the machilus leaf gall midge, Daphnephila machilicola Yukawa (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae). Kontyû 50:44–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Mediavilla S, Garcia-Ciudad A, Garcia-Criado B, Escudero A (2008) Testing the correlation between leaf life span and leaf structural reinforcement in 13 species of European Mediterranean woody plants. Funct Ecology 22:787–793

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miyaji K, Tagawa H (1979) Longevity and productivity of leaves of a cultivated annual Glycine max Merrill. I. Longevity of leaves in relation to density and sowing time. New Phytol 82:233–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miyashita A, Tateno M (2014) A novel index of leaf RGR predicts tree shade tolerance. Funct Ecol 28:1321–1329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Navas ML, Ducour B, Roumer C, Richarte J, Garnier J, Garnier E (2003) Leaf life span, dynamics and construction cost of species from Mediterranean old-fields differing in successional status. New Physiol 159:213–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nilsen ET, Shaeifi MR, Rundel PW (1987) Leaf dynamics in an evergreen and a deciduous species with even-aged leaf cohorts, from different environments. Am Midland Nat 118:46–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nitta I, Ohsawa M (1997) Leaf dynamics and shoot phenology of eleven warm-temperate evergreen broad-leaved trees near their northern limit in central Japan. Plant Ecol 130:71–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohbayashi N, Niisato T (2007) Longicorn beetles of Japan. Tokai Univ Press, Kanagawa (In Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohno K, Yukawa J (1984) Description of a new gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) causing leaf galls on Camellia japonica L., with notes on its bionomics. Kontyû 53:427–434

    Google Scholar 

  • Oishi M, Sato H (2007) Inhibition of premature leaf abscission by a leafminer and its adaptive significance. Environ Entomol 36:1504–1511

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Osada N, Takeda H, Kitajima K, Pearcy RW (2003) Functional correlates of leaf demographic response to gap release in saplings of a shade-tolerant tree, Elateriospermum tapos. Oecologia 137:181–187

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Piper FI, Fajardo A (2014) Foliar habit, tolerance to defoliation and their link to carbon and nitrogen storage. J Ecol 102:1101–1111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Redfern M (1975) The life history and morphology of the early stages of the yew gall midge Taxomyia taxi (Inchbald) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). J Nat Hist 9:513–533

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Redfern M, Hunter M (2005) Time tells: long-term patterns in the population dynamics of the yew gall midge, Taxomyia taxi (Cecidomyiidae), over 35 years. Ecol Entomol 30:86–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reich PB, Uhl C, Walters MB, Prugh L, Ellsworth D (2004) Leaf demography and phenology in Amazonian rain forest: a census of 40000 leaves of 23 tree species. Ecol Monogr 74:3–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ren H, Xu Z, Zhang W, Jiang L, Huang J, Chen S, Wang L, Han X (2013) Linking ethylene to nitrogen-dependent leaf longevity of grass species in a temperate steppe. Ann Bot 112:1879–1885

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Royama T (1996) A fundamental problem in key factor analysis. Ecol 77:87–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoettle AW (1990) The interaction between leaf longevity and shoot growth and foliar biomass per shoot in Pinus contorta. Tree Physiol 7:209–214

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shiodera S, Rahajoe JS, Kohyama T (2008) Variation in longevity and traits of leaves among co-occurring understorey plants in a tropical montane forest. J Trop Ecol 24:121–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sterck FJ (1999) Crown development in tropical rain forest trees in gaps and understorey. Plant Ecol 143:89–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suarez N (2003) Leaf longevity, construction, and maintenance costs of three mangrove species under field conditions. Photosynthetica 41:373–381

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sunose T, Yukawa J (1979) Interrelationship between the leaf longevity of the evergreen spindle tree, Euonymus japonicus Thunb. and the euonymus gall midge, Masakimyia pustulae Yukawa and Sunose (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) in different environments. Jpn J Ecol 29:29–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Takasu K, Yukawa J (1984) Two-year life history of the neolitsea leaf gall midge, Pseudasphondylia neolitseae Yukawa (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae). Kontyû 52:596–604

    Google Scholar 

  • Takenaka A (2000) Shoot growth responses to light microenvironment and correlative inhibition in tree seedlings under a forest canopy. Tree Physiol 20:987–991

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tanner V, Kapos V, Healey J (1991) Hurricane effects on forest ecosystems in the Caribbean. Biotropica 23:513–521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Terazawa K, Kikuzawa K (1994) Effects of flooding on leaf dynamics and other seedling responses in flood-tolerant Alnus japonica var. japonica. Tree Physiol 14:251–261

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Togashi K, Taga Y, Iguchi K, Aikawa T (2008) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) vectored by Monochamus alternatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Hokkaido, Japan. J For Res 13:127–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Ommen Kloeke AEE, Douma JC, Ordonez JC, Reich PB, van Bodegom PM (2011) Global qualification of contrasting leaf life span strategies for deciduous and evergreen species in response to environmental conditions. Glob Ecol Biogeogr 21:224–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varley GC, Gradwell GR (1960) Key factors in population studies. J Anim Ecol 29:399–401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vincent G (2006) Leaf life span plasticity in tropical seedlings grown under contrasting light regimes. Ann Bot 97:245–255

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wright IJ, Reich PB, Cornelissen JHC, Falster DS, Garnier E, Hikosaka K, Lamont BB, Lee W, Oleksyn J, Osada N, Poorter H, Villar R, Warton DI, Westoby M (2005) Assessing the generality of global leaf trait relationship. New Physiol 166:485–496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ** W, Chen SHV, Chu YC (2012) The synergistic effects of typhoon and earthquake disturbances on forest ecosystem: Lessons from Taiwan for ecological restoration and sustainable management. Tree and Forestry Science and Biotechnology. Global Science Books, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • **ao Y (2003) Variation in needle longevity of Pinus tabulaeformis forests at different geographic scales. Tree Physiol 23:463–471

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamura K (1999) Key-factor/key-stage analysis for life table data. Ecology 80:533–537

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamura K (2012) Extended key-factor/key-stage analysis for longitudinal data. J Biopharm Stat 22:1–15

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yamasaki M, Kikuzawa K (2003) Temporal and spatial variations in leaf herbivory within a canopy of Fagus crenata. Oecologia 137:226–232

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J (1974) Descriptions of new Japanese gall midges (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae, Asphondyliidi) causing leaf galls on Lauraceae. Kontyû 42:293–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J (1977) Life of Oberea hebescens and its relation to Pseudasphondylia neolitseae. Insectarium 14:152–155 (In Japanese with English explanations for figures and tables)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J (1983) Arthropod community centred upon the neolitsea leaf gall midge, Pseudasphondylia neolitseae Yukawa (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) and its host plant, Neolitsea sericea (Blume) Koidz. (Lauraceae). Mem Fac Agr Kagoshima Univ 19:89–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J (1987) Life history strategies of univoltine gall-making Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) in Japan. Phytophaga 1:121–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J (2014) Family Cecidomyiidae. In: The Editorial Committee of Catalogue of the Insects of Japan, The Entomological Society of Japan (ed) Catalogue of the insects of Japan, Volume 8 Diptera, Part 1 Nematocera–Brachycera Aschiza. Touka Shobo, Fukuoka, Japan, pp 126–160

  • Yukawa J, Akimoto K (2006) Influence of synchronization between adult emergence and host plant phenology on the population density of Pseudasphondylia neolitseae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) inducing leaf galls on Neolitseae sericea (Lauraceae). Popul Ecol 48:13–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J, Masuda H (1996) Insect and mite galls of Japan in colors. Zenkoku Nôson Kyôiku Kyôkai, Tokyo (In Japanese with English explanations for color plates)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J, Miyamoto K (1979) Redescription of Asphondylia sphaera Monzen (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae), with notes on its bionomics. Mem Fac Agric Kagoshima Univ 15:99–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J, Ohsaki N (1988) Separation of the aucuba fruit midge, Asphondylia aucubae sp. nov. from the ampelopsis fruit midge, Asphondylia baca Monzen (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae). Kontyû 56:365–376

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J, Rohfritsch O (2005) Biology and ecology of gall-inducing Cecidomyiidae (Diptera). In: Raman A, Schaefer CW, Withers TM (eds) Biology, ecology, and evolution of gall-inducing arthropods. Science Publishers, Inc., Enfield, pp 273–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J, Tsuda K (1986) Leaf longevity of Quercus glauca Thunb., with reference to the influence of gall formation by Contarinia sp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on the early mortality of fresh leaves. Mem Fac Agric Kagoshima Univ 22:73–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J, Takahashi K, Ohsaki N (1976) Population behaviour of the neolitsea leaf gall midge, Pseudasphondylia neolitseae Yukawa (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae). Kontyû 44:358–365

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J, Nakagawa K, Saigou T, Awa T, Fukuda T, Higashi M (2013) Adult behavior of an ambrosia gall midge Illiciomyia yukawai (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and synchronization between its emergence and host plant phenology. Entomol Sci 16:400–412

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J, Miyamoto K, Yamaguchi T, Takesaki K, Uechi N, Matsuo K (2016a) Key-factor/key-stage analysis of long-term life table data for Asphondylia sphaera (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) that induces fruit galls on Ligustrum japonicum (Oleaceae). Ecol Entomol 41:516–526

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yukawa J, Nakagawa K, Kohno A, Tokuda M, Kiritani K, Matsuo K, Mitsui H, Fujii T (2016b) Geographical and annual variations in the proportion of extended diapausing individuals of Illiciomyia yukawai (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) with reference to an adaptive significance of its bimodal emergence pattern. Entomol Sci 19:275–289

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Kihachiro Kikuzawa (Emeritus Professor of Kyoto University, Japan), Keizi Kiritani (Emeritus Researcher, NARO Institute for Agro-environmental Sciences, Japan), and Keith M Harris (former Director of the International Institute of Entomology, UK) for their critical reading of an early draft. Many former students of the Entomological Laboratory, Kagoshima University, and some current students of the Laboratory of Systems Ecology, Saga University, helped in the field surveys, and we are indebted to them. We thank persons in charge of Shiroyama Park (Kagoshima City Office) for their arrangements for the field surveys. Our thanks also go to Takashi Kohyama (Hokkaido University) for providing important references. This study was supported in part by grants-in-aid (No. 02660052) to JY from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Entomological Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8581, Japan

    Junichi Yukawa

  2. Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, NARO, Tsukuba, 305-8604, Japan

    Kohji Yamamura

  3. Softstudio, Shôei Building 2F, Sômuta, Kagoshima, 890-0014, Japan

    Kenji Fujimoto

  4. Laboratory of Systems Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture, Saga University, Saga, 840-8502, Japan

    Makoto Tokuda

  5. Kôtokuji, Kagoshima, 891-0103, Japan

    Shunichiro Muroya

  6. Sankei Chemical Co., Ltd, Taitô-ku, Tokyo, 110-0015, Japan

    Tsukasa Maki

  7. Fukuoka Branch of Moji Plant Protection Station, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, Fukuoka, 812-0031, Japan

    Toshiaki Sadoshima

  8. Agriculture Department, Kagoshima Prefectural Government, Minami-satsuma, 899-3401, Japan

    Takeshi Fukuda

Authors
  1. Junichi Yukawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kohji Yamamura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kenji Fujimoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Makoto Tokuda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Shunichiro Muroya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Tsukasa Maki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Toshiaki Sadoshima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Takeshi Fukuda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Junichi Yukawa.

Electronic supplementary material

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yukawa, J., Yamamura, K., Fujimoto, K. et al. Key-factors and key-stages that determine the leaf longevity of an evergreen broad-leaved tree, Neolitsea sericea (Lauraceae) at different growing sites in southern Japan. Ecol Res 33, 175–190 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-017-1525-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-017-1525-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation