Articles by Eero Väisänen

The structural matter production of selected plant species of a ground cover community was determined in relation to light available for photosynthesis. The resulting functions were applied in a situation where the light reaching the ground cover was controlled by the dynamics of the tree crown strata, and the occurrence of different plant species at different stages of succession was determined on the basis of their production of structural matter in actual light conditions. The possible strategies involved in adaptation to a successional environment have been discussed.

The PDF includes a summary in Finnish.

• Kellomäki, E-mail: sk@mm.unknown
• Hari, E-mail: ph@mm.unknown
• Kauppi, E-mail: pk@mm.unknown
• Väisänen, E-mail: ev@mm.unknown

A quantitative method for determining the annual growth level of plant species has been presented. In particular, attention was paid to the dependence of the growth level on the amount of light available for photosynthesis. A mathematical model for the dependence of structural matter production on photosynthetic production has been presented for some plant species.

The study is based on the assumption that the total amount of annual net photosynthesis plays a role of primary importance in determining the relationship between photosynthetic production and structural matter production. The basic environmental factors determining the photosynthetic rate are light and temperature, if the water and nutrient supply is adequate. The dependence of photosynthetic rate on light and temperature was determined by monitoring the CO₂ uptake rate of natural plant populations between the photosynthetic levels of different plant populations with an infrared gas analyser.

The PDF includes a summary in Finnish.

• Väisänen, E-mail: ev@mm.unknown
• Hari, E-mail: ph@mm.unknown
• Kellomäki, E-mail: sk@mm.unknown

The aim of the present paper was to study the annual production of Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt., Hylocomnium splendens (Hedw.) B.S.G and Dicranum polysetum Sw. as a function of light available for photosynthesis. The productivity of the above moss species is studied using the harvested quadrats method in Norway spruce (Picea abies) stands of the Myrtillus site type representing different stand density classes (basal area from 0 to 34 m2/ha) in Southern Finland.

The annual production of each species in different stands was correlated with the amount of light available for photosynthesis i.e. with the photosynthetic production. Functions for the dependence of productivity on light conditions were produced for each species. The individual functions and their ecological significance is discussed. The adaptation of each species to low light intensity is evident since no meaningful addition to production takes place when the photosynthetic light ratio reaches values greater than 0.3–0.4. In other words, the level of photosynthesis which is 30–40% of that possible in the open, provides sufficient supply of carbohydrates or the basic functions of the moss species studied. Pleurozium schreberi and Dicranum polysetum seem to have greater light requirements than Hylocomnium splendens.

The PDF includes a summary in Finnish.

• Kellomäki, E-mail: sk@mm.unknown
• Hari, E-mail: ph@mm.unknown
• Väisänen, E-mail: ev@mm.unknown

In the boreal zone, the environmental control of growth rate, i.e. the rate of irreversible change in shoot dimensions, is assumed to be dominated by temperature. Promnitz (1975) emphasises that in boreal and temperate zones storage of photosynthetic products is an essential part of the growth process, and thus direct interaction between growth rate and radiation is not evident. The aim of the present study was to investigate the control of daily structural matter production in populations of Avenella flexuosa (L.) Drejer. Special attention was paid to the role of temperature and radiation in addition to the self-regulation of the plants themselves.

Temperature and self-regulation were found to explain over 90% of the daily variation of growth rate. Introduction of radiation into the analysis did not increase the explanatory power of the growth model based on temperature and self-regulation.

The PDF includes a summary in Finnish.

• Lehtonen, E-mail: il@mm.unknown
• Hari, E-mail: ph@mm.unknown
• Kellomäki, E-mail: sk@mm.unknown
• Väisänen, E-mail: ev@mm.unknown