THE EFFECT OF ALTITUDE ON THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF TROJAN FIR (Abies nordmanniana subsp. equi-trojani [Asch. & Sint. ex Boiss] Coode & Cullen) SAPLINGS

ABSTRACT The altitude is an important factor to affect the growth and development of saplings of the tree. However, the effect of altitude on the growth and properties of wood during their young stage it has been little studied. This study, therefore, aimed to evaluate the influence of two different altitude steps: 795 m (a.s.l. low-altitude) and 1350 m (a.s.l. high altitude) on the morphological, anatomical and wood density properties of saplings of Abies nordmanniana subsp. equi-trojani [Asch. & Sint. ex Boiss] Coode & Cullen (Trojan fir). Trojan fir is an endemic species in Turkey and its morphology and anatomy have less studied in the literature. The functional traits and wood density properties differed significantly between the two altitudes. The saplings grown at low-altitude showed greater taper degree, pith radius, pith proportion, and bark proportion than high-altitude. However, stem height, stem diameter, node number, and xylem proportion were found to be higher in saplings grown at high-altitude than low-altitude. Wood cell anatomy also varied significantly between two altitudes such that ring width, ray numbers, tracheid length, and tracheid width were higher at low-altitude, whereas ray height, ray width, tracheid lumen width, and tracheid wall thickness were greater at high-altitude. This study, therefore, suggested that the growth and development of fir saplings were better when they were grown at high-altitude than low-altitude.

摘要：海拔是影响树木幼龄树苗生长发育的重要因子，但目前针对海拔对幼龄阶段树木生长及木材性质的影响研究尚少。为此，本研究旨在评估两种海拔梯度——795米（海拔高度above sea level，简称a.s.l.，低海拔组）与1350米（a.s.l.，高海拔组）——对诺德曼冷杉特洛伊亚种（*Abies nordmanniana* subsp. *equi-trojani* [Asch. & Sint. ex Boiss] Coode & Cullen，俗称特洛伊冷杉）的形态学、解剖学及木材密度性质的影响。特洛伊冷杉是土耳其特有树种，其形态与解剖特征在现有文献中研究较少。

本研究发现，两种海拔梯度下的功能性状与木材密度性质均存在显著差异。低海拔组幼树的尖削度、髓心半径、髓心占比及树皮占比均高于高海拔组；而高海拔组幼树的株高、茎径、节数及木质部占比则显著高于低海拔组。木材细胞解剖特征同样随海拔差异呈现显著变化：低海拔组的年轮宽度、木射线（ray）数量、管胞（tracheid）长度及管胞宽度均更高，而高海拔组的木射线高度、木射线宽度、管胞腔宽度及管胞壁厚均更大。综上，本研究表明，特洛伊冷杉幼龄树苗在高海拔环境下的生长发育状况优于低海拔环境。