Browsing by Author "Chang, Jeffrey L."
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Item Neutral sugar composition of stemflow among four co-occurring tree species in northeastern Maryland, U.S.A.(University of Delaware, 2022) Chang, Jeffrey L.Soluble carbohydrates have been found in the stemflow of trees across species and phenophases. In particular, neutral sugars provide various functions for trees including structural support, transport of energy, and storage. Neutral sugars in stemflow may also affect the soil chemistry and microbial activity at the base of the trees. However, there exists a knowledge gap in the quantification of specific neutral sugars in stemflow. ☐ This study measured concentrations of L-rhamnose, D-glucose, D-mannose, D-galactose, L-arabinose, and D-xylose in order to analyze them by species (Betula lenta L. [sweet birch], Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. [American beech], Liriodendron tulipifera L. [yellow poplar], Pinus rigida Mill. [pitch pine]) and by phenophase (emergence, leafed, senescence, leafless). It is the first study known to the authors to quantify the concentrations of particular neutral sugars in stemflow of these species. By species, median concentrations for all sugars were higher for yellow poplar and pitch pine, and by phenophase, the leafless phenophase had the highest (galactose, arabinose/xylose) or second highest (rhamnose, glucose, mannose) median concentrations for all sugars. Nonparametric ANOVA of sugar concentrations by species showed significant differences between the rougher barked species of yellow poplar and pitch pine from smoother barked species like sweet birch and American beech. For phenophases, nonparametric ANOVA of sugar concentrations showed the most frequent significant differences for the leafed and leafless phenophases against other phenophases. When combined, significant differences still existed but for fewer instances. Inclusion of neutral sugars in the framing and quantification of canopy-derived solute fluxes can lead to a more holistic understanding of the biogeochemistry of forests.