不同光合类型牧草对干旱-复水的光合生理响应及生长适应策略

基于干旱频率增加、强度增大这一全球降水变化背景, 探究干旱-复水条件下不同功能群(C₃和C₄)植物的光合生理响应及生长适应策略有助于预测降水格局变化条件下草地的植被组成和生态系统功能。该研究采用盆栽实验, 以松嫩草地生长的一年生C₃ (4种)和C₄ (3种)牧草为实验材料, 设置了对照、中度干旱和重度干旱3个水分处理水平, 在干旱末期及复水期对植物进行气体交换、生物量和比叶质量的测量。在干旱条件下, 各物种净光合速率和气孔导度均呈下降趋势, 水分利用效率呈上升趋势。干旱对不同植物光合指标的影响存在功能群差异, 随干旱程度的增加C₄植物逐渐丧失光合优势, 重度干旱对C₄植物净光合速率的影响较C₃植物更加明显。由于干旱条件下C₃植物光合固碳主要受气孔限制而C₄植物主要受代谢限制, 因此复水后C₄植物净光合速率恢复速度较C₃植物慢。干旱条件下, 各物种的生物量降低, 根冠比和比叶质量升高, 干旱对C₃植物各生长指标的影响均大于C₄植物; 复水处理后, C₃植物生物量随干旱强度增加呈下降趋势, 而C₄植物的生物量与对照相比无显著差异。     

植物叶肉导度的测定方法及其研究进展

叶肉导度(g_m)表征CO₂从植物气孔下腔到叶绿体内光合作用羧化位点的传输导度,是光合作用的重要限制因子,也是改良作物光合作用和资源利用效率的关键参数。¹³C分馏在线联测法是研究植物光合生理的重要手段,也是目前测定C3植物g_m的主流方法之一。但该方法对实验设备要求较高、难度较大,因此尚未被广泛采用。本文综述了当前测定g_m的主流方法的适用性和特点;介绍了¹³C分馏在线联测法的理论基础——光合¹³C分馏模型,¹³C分馏在线联测法的实测方法、计算公式和测定系统的搭建,以及C3植物叶肉导度的调控因素。最后对¹³C分馏在线联测法的改进、操作要点和未来应用场景进行了展望。     

砂仁光合作用的CO2扩散限制与气孔限制分析

目前常用从气体交换参数计算的胞间CO₂浓度(C_i)来计算气孔限制值(L_s),但由于胁迫情况下计算的C_i偏高常导致结果不准确。该文引入扩散限制分析概念,以砂仁为例介绍了一种不需 C_i的计算扩散限制值(L_d)的新方法。同时通过叶绿素荧光参数间接估算受干旱胁迫植株的C_i(用C_i'表示)计算气孔限制值(L_s')。采用这3种方法分析了生长在100%和40%土壤相对湿度(RSM)下的砂仁(Amomum villosum)净光合速率的限制因素。结果表明两种水分状况下砂仁午后净光合速率的限制因素不同。100%RSM下,午后砂仁L_s没有升高,说明光合作用气孔限制并未增强;午后其L_d升高表明光合作用的CO₂扩散限制增强,这主要是由叶肉阻力相对增大所致。40%RSM下,午后砂仁L_s'升高比L_d升高明显,说明气孔阻力在所有扩散阻力中占主导作用,是限制净光合速率的主要原因;而其 L_s午后并未升高,暗示传统的气孔限制分析会得出非气孔限制的错误结论。C_i'低于C_i,说明干旱胁迫时传统的气体交换方法高估了C_i。上述结果都证明水分胁迫情况下传统方法不可靠,该文介绍的两种新方法比较准确可靠,同时使用两种新方法还可定性推测叶肉阻力的变化方向。     

开放系统中农作物对空气CO2浓度增加的响应

FACE试验(free-air CO₂ enrichment)开展的10多年中,供试农作物主要有:C₃禾本科作物小麦(Triticum aestivum L.)、多年生黑麦草(Lolium perenne)和水稻(Oryza sativa L.),C₄禾本科类高粱(Sorghum bicolor(L.)Mench),C₃豆科植物白三叶草(Trifolium repens),C₃非禾本科块茎状作物马铃薯(Solanum tuberosum L.),以及多年生C₃类木本作物棉花(Gossypium hirsutumL.)和葡萄(Vitis viniferaL.).本文系统整理和分析了以下各项参数的结果:光合作用、气孔导度、冠层温度、水分利用、水势、叶面积指数、根茎生物量累积、作物产量、辐射利用率、比叶面积、N含量、N收益、碳水化合物含量、物候变化、土壤微生物、土壤呼吸、痕量气体交换以及土壤碳固定.CO₂浓度升高对农作物的影响作用主要表现在以下方面:(1)促进了植物光合作用、增加了其生物量累积;(2)显著提高C₃作物产量,但对C₄作物产量的影响很小;(3)降低了C₃和C₄作物气孔导度,非常显著地提高了所有作物的水分利用率;(4)对植物生长的促进作用在水分不足与水分充足时二者相当或前者大于后者;(5)对非豆科植物生长的促进作用要受到土壤低N水平限制,而对豆科植物则不受氮肥水平限制;(6)对根系生长的促进作用要大于地上部分;(7)对多年     

植被覆盖度和物候变化对典型黑沙蒿灌丛生态系统总初级生产力的影响

气候变化和人类活动是植被生产力年际尺度变化的重要驱动因素, 明晰二者对植被生产力的共同影响对于生态系统可持续管理至关重要。气候变化可能导致植被物候变化, 进而影响植被生产力。目前尚不清楚毛乌素沙地典型植被物候如何响应气候变化, 并因此影响生态系统总初级生产力(GPP)。此外, 植被恢复(覆盖度增加)和物候变化对GPP的共同影响有待明确。该研究选取典型黑沙蒿(Artemisia ordosica)灌丛生态系统, 结合MODIS遥感数据与涡度相关数据, 利用植被光合模型(VPM), 模拟并分析了2005-2018年间植被覆盖度和物候变化对GPP的影响。结果表明: (1) VPM模型能够较好地模拟涡度相关法观测的GPP动态(GPP_Flux), 而MODIS遥感产品(MOD17A2H)则显著低估GPP_Flux; (2)研究期内年均归一化差异植被指数(NDVI)、最大NDVI (NDVI_max)和年总GPP均显著增加, 表明植被恢复促进了植被生产力增加; (3)基于NDVI和GPP日序列估算的生长季开始日期显著提前(2.1 d·a^-1), 生长季结束日期显著推迟(1.5 d·a^-1), 二者共同促使生长季长度延长(3.6 d·a^-1); (4)物候期延长促进了GPP增加, 生长季长度每延长1天, 全年GPP显著增加6.44 g C·m^-2·a^-1; (5)植被覆盖度增加和生长季延长分别可以解释79%和57%的GPP增加; (6)尽管植被覆盖度和物候变化均促进GPP增加, 但前者是其增加的主要驱动因素。鉴于植被覆盖度增加和生长季延长也可能导致生态系统呼吸和蒸散发增加, 未来研究仍需探究生态系统碳汇能力、水分利用效率和水分承载力对气候变化和人类活动的响应。此外, 该研究主要探讨GPP在年际尺度的变化趋势及影响因素, 未来需要研究GPP的年际变异规律及驱动因素, 尤其是对降水年际变异和极端干旱事件的响应。     

CO2浓度倍增对红松幼苗根尖和叶解剖结构及生理功能的影响

大气CO₂浓度升高对植物的影响是目前植物生态学研究中普遍关注的问题。以往的研究主要关注植物地上部分叶解剖结构及生理功能的改变, 而对根解剖结构和生理功能变化以及根与叶变化之间潜在联系的研究较少。该文以三年生红松(Pinus koraiensis)幼苗为研究对象, 通过CO₂浓度倍增(从350 µmol·mol^-1增加到700 µmol·mol^-1)试验, 研究当年生针叶和根尖解剖结构及生理功能的变化。结果表明: (1) CO₂浓度倍增处理的红松幼苗, 气孔密度显著降低, 叶肉组织面积、木质部及韧皮部面积明显增加; (2) CO₂浓度倍增导致红松幼苗根尖直径增粗, 皮层厚度和层数显著增加, 管胞直径变小; (3)高CO₂浓度处理下, 叶气孔导度和蒸腾速率降低, 光合速率和水分利用效率提高, 同时根尖的导水率显著下降, 但管胞的抗栓塞能力显著提高。这些结果显示, 叶和根解剖结构及生理功能在CO₂浓度升高条件下具有一致的响应。未来研究中应该同时关注全球气候变化对植物地上和地下器官结构与功能的影响。     

土壤水分胁迫和大气CO2浓度对光合分馏及后光合分馏的影响

对植物光合和后光合分馏进行分析,有助于提升对植物生理和水分管理等的认识。本研究通过测定大气、侧柏叶片和枝条韧皮部可溶性化合物的δ¹³C,探讨了光合作用时大气和叶片间碳同位素的分馏(ΔC_a-leaf)和光合作用后叶片到枝条间的碳同位素分馏(ΔC_leaf-phlo)对土壤含水量(SWC)和大气CO₂浓度(C_a)的响应。结果表明: ΔC_a-leaf在SWC为田间持水量(FC)的95%～100%(95%～100%FC)且C_a为400 μmol·mol^-1时达到最大值(13.06‰),在SWC为35%～45%FC且C_a为800 μmol·mol^-1时达到最小值(8.63‰);气孔导度和叶肉细胞导度均与ΔC_a-leaf呈显著线性正相关,相关系数分别为0.43和0.44;而ΔC_leaf-phlo并未受到SWC和C_a的显著影响。本研究不仅可以提高对碳同位素的分馏机制的认识,而且可以为植物对未来气候变化的生存适应性提供理论依据。     

基于植被羰基硫通量估算陆地生态系统总初级生产力研究进展

羰基硫(COS)是大气中的长周期痕量气体，其分子结构、对流层大气混合比的昼夜和季节动态类似于二氧化碳(CO₂)。植物光合作用及其水解过程中，受扩散通路导度和酶活性影响，气孔的COS与CO₂吸收紧密相关，同时，植物自养呼吸并不释放COS。最新研究中，采用植被COS通量直接指示生态系统总初级生产力(GPP)。综述了植被COS通量与光合作用中碳固定过程的关联机制，以及采用涡度相关观测、整合大气COS监测和生态系统过程模型等方法开展植被COS通量与GPP研究的最新进展，探讨了关键生态过程和参数，发现方法存在以下瓶颈：(1)生理过程、尺度效应和解析效应影响了COS与CO₂的叶片相对吸收率，(2)观测与模拟手段有待进一步耦合，(3)全球COS观测密度限制了方法验证，(4)硫循环过程影响了多区域模拟精度。方法发展的前沿领域包括：(1)开展重点地区植被COS通量观测，(2)提高COS卫星柱浓度的覆盖范围，(3)完善生态系统过程模型的COS吸收机理。展望未来研究关注的科学问题是：对于亚热带等尚待开展COS连续观测的区域，采用植被COS通量...     

大气CO2浓度和温度升高对作物生理生态的影响

论述了大气CO₂浓度和温度升高下的植物生长、光合作用、产量以及水分养分利用效率等方面的研究进展.未来高CO₂浓度下,光合作用速率有不同程度的提高,生物量和产量增加;气孔导度降低,水分利用效率(WUE)提高;一般地上部分和根系尤其是细根生物量增加,凋落物量随之增加,C/N比率提高,植物残体的腐解速率降低.CO₂浓度升高后,会给根际微生物带来更多的底物,从而提高了微生物活性,加速养分的矿化过程,改善植物的养分状况.     

臭氧污染与陆地生态系统生产力

空气污染的严重性、普遍性和不断发展的趋势及其对陆地生态系统生产力造成的重大影响已引起科学工作者的高度重视,成为一个急需解决的重要课题。对流层臭氧(O₃)在空气污染现状与未来发展趋势中占据重要角色,该文重点探讨了O₃对陆地生态系统生产力的光合、分配、生长和产量形成等主要过程的影响及其对整个生态系统的长期效应,并评述了相关研究方法进展。主要结论包括:O₃在生产力形成过程中的每个环节中都有着不同程度的负面影响,通过影响光合作用和气孔导度,减少根冠比改变碳分配量,而最终导致粮食生产和森林生物量损失率高达30%;气候变化、CO₂和O₃协同作用对植物影响较为复杂,有促进也有抑制;生态系统模拟已成为研究O₃污染影响陆地生态系统生产力的主要方法之一,在区域评估和未来气候预测方面都具有重要作用。     

The importance of mesophyll conductance in regulating forest ecosystem productivity during drought periods

Water availability is the most limiting factor to global plant productivity, yet photosynthetic responses to seasonal drought cycles are poorly understood, with conflicting reports on which limiting process is the most important during drought. We address the problem using a model‐data synthesis approach to look at canopy level fluxes, integrating twenty years of half hour data gathered by the FLUXNET network across six Mediterranean sites. The measured canopy level, water and carbon fluxes were used, together with an inverse canopy ecophysiological model, to estimate the bulk canopy conductance, bulk mesophyll conductance, and the canopy scale carbon pools in both the intercellular spaces and at the site of carboxylation in the chloroplasts. Thus the roles of stomatal and mesophyll conductance in the regulation of internal carbon pools and photosynthesis could be separated. A quantitative limitation analysis allowed for the relative seasonal responses of stomatal, mesophyll, and biochemical limitations to be gauged. The concentration of carbon in the chloroplast was shown to be a potentially more reliable estimator of assimilation rates than the intercellular carbon concentration. Both stomatal conductance limitations and mesophyll conductance limitations were observed to regulate the response of photosynthesis to water stress in each of the six species studied. The results suggest that mesophyll conductance could bridge the gap between conflicting reports on plant responses to soil water stress, and that the inclusion of mesophyll conductance in biosphere–atmosphere transfer models may improve their performance, in particular their ability to accurately capture the response of terrestrial vegetation productivity to drought.     

Stomatal and non-stomatal limitations to carbon assimilation: an evaluation of the path-dependent method

Abstract Environmental stresses can decrease photosynthesis by a direct effect on photosynthetic capacity of the mesophyll or by a CO₂ limitation resulting from stomatal closure. In the present study, a ‘path-dependent method’ (Jones, 1985) for the partitioning of a stress-related decline in assimilation rate between non-stomatal and stomatal factors was evaluated, using light quality as a ‘stress’. Kinetic data on assimilation rate and conductance of Phragmipedium longifolium following a change in light quality from 95 μmol m^?2s^?1 white light to 95 μmol m^?2s^?1 red light failed to generate a smooth response curve for conductance. Partitioning of limitations on assimilation by a path-dependent method that utilizes the actual trajectories of conductance and assimilation was therefore not feasible. A simplified path-dependent method (Jones, 1985) which assumes that either mesophyll cells or guard cells respond first to a stress was applied to steady-state measurements of assimilation and conductance under red and white illumination. Either 5% or 23% of the observed reduction in assimilation rate under white light was attributable to stomatal factors, depending on whether the ‘stomatal first’ or the ‘mesophyll first’ path was assumed. In the absence of additional information indicating the appropriate choice of path, arbitrary choice may therefore lead to widely divergent estimates, and potentially erroneous conclusions. An alternative approach to the evaluation of the importance to carbon assimilation of stomatal and non-stomatal factors is suggested.     

Stomatal and nonstomatal limitations of photosynthesis in 19 temperate tree species on contrasting sites during wet and dry years

A unique approach was used to evaluate stomatal and nonstomatal constraints to photosynthesis in 19 naturally occurring, deciduous tree species on xeric, mesic and wetmesic sites in central Pennsylvania, USA, during relatively wet (1990) and dry (1991) growing seasons. All species exhibited significantly decreased stomatal conductance to CO₂ (g_c) in 1991 compared to 1990. The mesic species had drought related decreases in photosynthesis (A) attributed primarily to increased absolute stomatal limitation to A (L_g), whereas in the wet-mesic species, the absolute mesophyll limitation (Lm) was at least as important as L_g in limiting A during drought. The xeric species maintained relatively high A during drought despite decreased g_c. In the xeric and mesic species, L_m decreased and L_g increased during drought due to stomatal closure. From xeric to mesic to wet-mesic, the relative stomatal limitation (I_g) generally decreased faster, and relative mesophyll limitations to A increased faster, with increasing g_c suggesting greater photosynthetic capacity (i.e. greater potential maximum A) with increasing drought tolerance rank of species. Few species exhibited a significant drought-related decrease in photosynthetic capacity. The results of this landscape-based study indicate that the interaction of stomatal and nonstomatal limitations of A vary in a manner consistent with species' drought tolerance and site conditions, and that nonstomatal constraints to A in field plants during a moderate, season-long drought were generally not as severe as reported in controlled studies.     

Stomatal and non-stomatal limitation to photosynthesis in two trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) clones exposed to elevated CO2 and/or O3

Leaf gas exchange parameters and the content of ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) in the leaves of two 2‐year‐old aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) clones (no. 216, ozone tolerant and no. 259, ozone sensitive) were determined to estimate the relative stomatal and mesophyll limitations to photosynthesis and to determine how these limitations were altered by exposure to elevated CO₂ and/or O₃. The plants were exposed either to ambient air (control), elevated CO₂ (560 p.p.m.) elevated O₃ (55 p.p.b.) or a mixture of elevated CO₂ and O₃ in a free air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) facility located near Rhinelander, Wisconsin, USA. Light‐saturated photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were measured in all leaves of the current terminal and of two lateral branches (one from the upper and one from the lower canopy) to detect possible age‐related variation in relative stomatal limitation (leaf age is described as a function of leaf plastochron index). Photosynthesis was increased by elevated CO₂ and decreased by O₃ at both control and elevated CO₂. The relative stomatal limitation to photosynthesis (l_s) was in both clones about 10% under control and elevated O₃. Exposure to elevated CO₂ + O₃ in both clones and to elevated CO₂ in clone 259, decreased l_s even further – to about 5%. The corresponding changes in Rubisco content and the stability of C_i/C_a ratio suggest that the changes in photosynthesis in response to elevated CO₂ and O₃ were primarily triggered by altered mesophyll processes in the two aspen clones of contrasting O₃ tolerance. The changes in stomatal conductance seem to be a secondary response, maintaining stable C_i under the given treatment, that indicates close coupling between stomatal and mesophyll processes.     

Photosynthesis research under climate change

Increasing global population and climate change uncertainties have compelled increased photosynthetic efficiency and yields to ensure food security over the coming decades. Potentially, genetic manipulation and minimization of carbon or energy losses can be ideal to boost photosynthetic efficiency or crop productivity. Despite significant efforts, limited success has been achieved. There is a need for thorough improvement in key photosynthetic limiting factors, such as stomatal conductance, mesophyll conductance, biochemical capacity combined with Rubisco, the Calvin–Benson cycle, thylakoid membrane electron transport, nonphotochemical quenching, and carbon metabolism or fixation pathways. In addition, the mechanistic basis for the enhancement in photosynthetic adaptation to environmental variables such as light intensity, temperature and elevated CO₂ requires further investigation. This review sheds light on strategies to improve plant photosynthesis by targeting these intrinsic photosynthetic limitations and external environmental factors.

     

Do photosynthetic limitations of evergreen Quercus ilex leaves change with long‐term increased drought severity?

Seasonal drought can severely impact leaf photosynthetic capacity. This is particularly important for Mediterranean forests, where precipitation is expected to decrease as a consequence of climate change. Impacts of increased drought on the photosynthetic capacity of the evergreen Quercus ilex were studied for two years in a mature forest submitted to long‐term throughfall exclusion. Gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence were measured on two successive leaf cohorts in a control and a dry plot. Exclusion significantly reduced leaf water potential in the dry treatment. In both treatments, light‐saturated net assimilation rate (A_max), stomatal conductance (g_s), maximum carboxylation rate (V_cmax), maximum rate of electron transport (J_max), mesophyll conductance to CO₂ (g_m) and nitrogen investment in photosynthesis decreased markedly with soil water limitation during summer. The relationships between leaf photosynthetic parameters and leaf water potential remained identical in the two treatments. Leaf and canopy acclimation to progressive, long‐term drought occurred through changes in leaf area index, leaf mass per area and leaf chemical composition, but not through modifications of physiological parameters.     

During photosynthetic induction,biochemical and stomatal limitations differ between Brassica crops

Interventions to increase crop radiation use efficiency rely on understanding of how biochemical and stomatal limitations affect photosynthesis. When leaves transition from shade to high light, slow increases in maximum Rubisco carboxylation rate and stomatal conductance limit net CO₂ assimilation for several minutes. However, as stomata open intercellular [CO₂] increases, so electron transport rate could also become limiting. Photosynthetic limitations were evaluated in three important Brassica crops: Brassica rapa, Brassica oleracea and Brassica napus. Measurements of induction after a period of shade showed that net CO₂ assimilation by B. rapa and B. napus saturated by 10 min. A new method of analyzing limitations to induction by varying intercellular [CO₂] showed this was due to co-limitation by Rubisco and electron transport. By contrast, in B. oleracea persistent Rubisco limitation meant that CO₂ assimilation was still recovering 15 min after induction. Correspondingly, B. oleracea had the lowest Rubisco total activity. The methodology developed, and its application here, shows a means to identify the basis of variation in photosynthetic efficiency in fluctuating light, which could be exploited in breeding and bioengineering to improve crop productivity.     

Contribution of diffusional and non-diffusional limitations to midday depression of photosynthesis in Arbutus unedo L.

It is still unknown whether the midday depression of photosynthesis under severe water stress, frequently observed in plants growing in a Mediterranean-type climate, is primarily a consequence of diffusional or non-diffusional limitations. We carried out combined measurements of gas exchanges and chlorophyll fluorescence in field-grown Arbutus unedo L. trees during late spring and mid summer, and a quantitative limitation analysis was performed to distinguish between the different limitations to photosynthesis, i.e., diffusional [D _L = stomatal (S _L) + mesophyll (MC_L)] and non-diffusional (carboxylation capacity and electron transport, B _L) limitations. Light-saturated assimilation at ambient CO₂ (A _max), stomatal conductance to water vapour (g _sw) and maximum carboxylation rate (V _cmax C _i) showed a marked midday depression during both periods. The total limitations tended to increase during the day and were remarkably similar in June and July (50 and 48%, respectively); on a daily basis, D _L was similar to B _L (about 23%) in June; whereas, in July the former was predominant (38 and 4%, respectively). We concluded that the midday depression in photosynthesis was largely caused by diffusional limitations, with non-diffusional limitations playing a smaller role. Although stomatal closure was the main diffusional limitation, the decline in mesophyll conductance was not negligible during the hottest and driest period.     

Stomatal function,density and pattern,and CO2 assimilation in Arabidopsis thaliana tmm1 and sdd1‐1 mutants

• Stomata modulate the exchange of water and CO₂ between plant and atmosphere. Although stomatal density is known to affect CO₂ diffusion into the leaf and thus photosynthetic rate, the effect of stomatal density and patterning on CO₂ assimilation is not fully understood.
• We used wild types Col‐0 and C24 and stomatal mutants sdd1‐1 and tmm1 of Arabidopsis thaliana, differing in stomatal density and pattern, to study the effects of these variations on both stomatal and mesophyll conductance and CO₂ assimilation rate. Anatomical parameters of stomata, leaf temperature and carbon isotope discrimination were also assessed.
• Our results indicate that increased stomatal density enhanced stomatal conductance in sdd1‐1 plants, with no effect on photosynthesis, due to both unchanged photosynthetic capacity and decreased mesophyll conductance. Clustering (abnormal patterning formed by clusters of two or more stomata) and a highly unequal distribution of stomata between the adaxial and abaxial leaf sides in tmm1 mutants also had no effect on photosynthesis.
• Except at very high stomatal densities, stomatal conductance and water loss were proportional to stomatal density. Stomatal formation in clusters reduced stomatal dynamics and their operational range as well as the efficiency of CO₂ transport.

     

Photosynthetic limitation of several representative subalpine species in the Catalan Pyrenees in summer

Information on the photosynthetic process and its limitations is essential in order to predict both the capacity of species to adapt to conditions associated with climate change and the likely changes in plant communities. Considering that high‐mountain species are especially sensitive, three species representative of subalpine forests of the Central Catalan Pyrenees: mountain pine (Pinus uncinata Mill.), birch (Betula pendula Roth) and rhododendron (Rhododendron ferrugineum L.) were studied under conditions associated with climate change, such as low precipitation, elevated atmospheric [CO₂] and high solar irradiation incident at Earth's surface, in order to detect any photosynthetic limitations. Short‐term high [CO₂] increased photosynthesis rates (A) and water use efficiency (WUE), especially in birch and mountain pine, whereas stomatal conductance (g_s) was not altered in either species. Birch showed photosynthesis limitation through stomatal closure related to low rainfall, which induced photoinhibition and early foliar senescence. Rhododendron was especially affected by high irradiance, showing early photosynthetic saturation in low light, highest chlorophyll content, lowest gas exchange rates and least photoprotection. Mountain pine had the highest A, photosynthetic capacity (A_max) and light‐saturated rates of net CO₂ assimilation (A_sat), which were maintained under reduced precipitation. Furthermore, maximum quantum yield (F_v/F_m), thermal energy dissipation, PRI and SIPI radiometric index, and ascorbate content indicated improved photoprotection with respect to the other two species. However, maximum velocity of carboxylation of RuBisco (V_cmax) indicated that N availability would be the main photosynthetic limitation in this species.