Interactive effects of lateral shade and wind on stem allometry, biomass allocation, and mechanical stability in Abutilon theophrasti (Malvaceae)

The effects of lateral shade and wind on stem allometry, whole-plant biomass allocation, and mechanical stability were examined for Abutilon theophrasti in a fully factorial glasshouse experiment. Lateral shade from neighboring plants increased stem height by 33% relative to control plants grown individually, despite a decrease in plant dry mass. Intermittent wind decreased stem height by 18% in unshaded plants, but by only 3% in shaded plants. Surprisingly, both lateral shade and wind caused decreases in stem diameter, even with diameter controlled for height, resulting in low diameter?:?height ratios in wind-treated plants relative to untreated plants. Under shade, wind-treated plants had higher root allocation than untreated plants, which allowed wind-treated shade plants to compensate for a low diameter?:?height ratio. This did not occur in the absence of shade, where stem tissue density and root allocation of wind-treated plants did not exceed that of untreated plants. Nevertheless, wind-treated plants experienced low drag relative to untreated plants due to a lower leaf area. Consequently, stem deflections of wind-treated plants did not exceed those of untreated plants at any given windspeed. Our results document a complex interaction between shade and wind on plant morphology and suggest that the nature of this interaction is generally that lateral shade acts to reduce or eliminate thigmomorphogenic responses.     

风对黄花蒿水力学性状和生长的影响

吹风会影响到植物的水力学结构、光合作用、生物量分配以及植物的力学性状,研究风对植物的综合影响有助于深入了解植物应对风胁迫的响应机制。以黄花蒿为研究对象,每天吹风4h,风速为5m/s,吹风处理60d,测定了风吹条件下黄花蒿的水力学特征、光合作用、生物量分配和茎干力学特性。结果表明:在风吹条件下,黄花蒿正午水势显著低于对照,茎干导水损失率(PLC)增加了16%,最大光合速率仅为对照的62%,气孔导度为对照的55%。在试验结束时风吹植株株高仅为对照的68%,但基茎显著高于对照,同时风吹显著降低了黄花蒿的总生物量,但根冠比显著高于对照,风吹显著减小了茎导管直径和导管密度,风吹植物导管直径和导管密度分别为对照的77%和55%,同时,风吹植物茎干导水率显著低于对照,但茎干的抗弯刚度显著高于对照。以上结果表明风吹抑制了植物的水分输导能力,导致叶片水分匮缺,限制了植物的光合作用。风吹增加了茎干的力学稳定性,但同时降低了茎干的水分输导能力,这是植物茎在力学性状和水分输导之间的权衡。这种改变有利于在有风条件下维持植物的力学稳定性,但同时降低了水分输导能力。     

Effects of Wind and Wind- sand Current on the Physiological Status of Different Sand- fixing Plants

In the field wind tunnel, the physiological status gas exchange characteristics and water relationship of three kinds of sand-fixing plants (including crust and bryophyte) were studied under wind blowing and wind-sand current condition, respectively. The effects of wind and wind- sand current were different. Wind caused erosion and desiccation of crest and bryophyte. The effects of wind on grass and shrub included:inhibited photosynthesis by expanded stomata; decreased leaf temperature and intercellular CO2 concentrations;enhanced transpiration and decreased water use efficiency; aggravated desiccation by lowered leaf water potential and water capacity of soil. But the effects of wind-sand current on crest and bryophyte were denudation and cumulation, on grass and shrub were mainly mechanical injury and more did on photosynthesis and water usage. The result that different plants responsed differently in adaptation to wind and wind-sand current stress may provide scientific basis for selecting sand-fixing plants.     

樟子松幼苗生长及光合特性对强风沙流吹袭的响应

为了解樟子松幼苗对不同时间强风沙流吹袭的生理生态响应,2013年春季在内蒙古科尔沁沙地研究了8级大风风沙流(风速18m·s-1,风沙流强度173g·cm-1·min-1)吹袭10、20和30min下樟子松幼苗生长与光合特性的变化。结果显示:(1)随着风吹时间的增加,樟子松的株高生长量减少、茎粗生长加快,落叶数量增加,其中30min处理与CK相比的株高生长量下降52.63%,茎粗生长量增加233.30%,落叶指数增加466.70%。(2)风沙流吹袭没有改变樟子松幼苗的净光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度和胞间CO2浓度的日变化规律,但日光合峰值下降,日最大蒸腾速率增加;与CK相比,30min处理的日最大光合速率下降22.69%,日最大蒸腾速率增加11.89%。(3)随风吹时间增加,其叶片温度、叶片相对含水量、日均光合速率、水分利用效率下降,30min处理较CK依次下降0.60%、4.37%、28.57%和31.58%,且日均蒸腾速率、气孔导度和胞间CO2浓度增加,30min处理较CK依次增加6.25%、6.67%和12.60%。研究表明,在持续风沙流胁迫下,樟子松幼苗光合作用受到抑制,蒸腾耗水增加,水分利用效率降低;樟子松幼苗生长速率降低主要源于光合面积减少和光合作用受到抑制,而其光合速率下降主要因幼苗叶片叶温和叶片含水量下降所致,蒸腾速率的增加主要源于气孔导度的增加;为了适应风沙流持续吹袭的胁迫,樟子松幼苗采取了降低株高生长速率,加快茎粗生长速率的适应策略。     

Photosynthesis, water use efficiency and stable carbon isotope composition are associated with anatomical properties of leaf and xylem in six poplar species

Although fast‐growing Populus species consume a large amount of water for biomass production, there are considerable variations in water use efficiency (WUE) across different poplar species. To compare differences in growth, WUE and anatomical properties of leaf and xylem and to examine the relationship between photosynthesis/WUE and anatomical properties of leaf and xylem, cuttings of six poplar species were grown in a botanical garden. The growth performance, photosynthesis, intrinsic WUE (WUE_i), stable carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) and anatomical properties of leaf and xylem were analysed in these poplar plants. Significant differences were found in growth, photosynthesis, WUE_i and anatomical properties among the examined species. Populus cathayana was the clone with the fastest growth and the lowest WUE_i/δ¹³C, whereas P. × euramericana had a considerable growth increment and the highest WUE_i/δ¹³C. Among the analysed poplar species, the highest total stomatal density in P. cathayana was correlated with its highest stomatal conductance (g_s) and lowest WUE_i/δ¹³C. Moreover, significant correlations were observed between WUE_i and abaxial stomatal density and stem vessel lumen area. These data suggest that photosynthesis, WUE_i and δ¹³C are associated with leaf and xylem anatomy and there are tradeoffs between growth and WUE_i. It is anticipated that some poplar species, e.g. P. × euramericana, are better candidates for water‐limited regions and others, e.g. P. cathayana, may be better for water‐abundant areas.     

Stomatal factors and vulnerability of stem xylem to cavitation in poplars

The relationships between the vulnerability of stem xylem to cavitation, stomatal conductance, stomatal density, and leaf and stem water potential were examined in six hybrid poplar (P38P38, Walker, Okanese, Northwest, Assiniboine and Berlin) and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) clones. Stem xylem cavitation resistance was examined with the Cavitron technique in well-watered plants grown in the greenhouse. To investigate stomatal responses to drought, plants were subjected to drought stress by withholding watering for 5 (mild drought) and 7 (severe drought) days and to stress recovery by rewatering severely stressed plants for 30 min and 2 days. The clones varied in stomatal sensitivity to drought and vulnerability to stem xylem cavitation. P38P38 reduced stomatal conductance in response to mild stress while the balsam poplar clone maintained high leaf stomatal conductance under more severe drought stress conditions. Differences between the severely stressed clones were also observed in leaf water potentials with no or relatively small decreases in Assiniboine, P38P38, Okanese and Walker. Vulnerability to drought-induced stem xylem embolism revealed that balsam poplar and Northwest clones reached loss of conductivity at lower stem water potentials compared with the remaining clones. There was a strong link between stem xylem resistance to cavitation and stomatal responsiveness to drought stress in balsam poplar and P38P38. However, the differences in stomatal responsiveness to mild drought suggest that other drought-resistant strategies may also play a key role in some clones of poplars exposed to drought stress.     

陕北沙地小叶杨“小老树”的水力适应性

以黄土高原"小老树"发生面积最大的树种-小叶杨为例,研究了不同水分生境下(水分相对好的沟道和干旱的梁坡片沙地,分别标记为生境A和生境B)小叶杨的生长、光合、水力学特性等,试图探讨小叶杨"小老树"对干旱生境的适应机制。结果表明:生境B小叶杨树高、地径、1 m树高处直径明显小于生境A,同时其主茎顶端枯枝长度大于生境A;生境B小叶杨叶净光合速率和气孔导度明显低于生境A。两种生境下小叶杨黎明前和正午叶水势无显著差异,生境B小叶杨正午时小枝枝干的比导水率明显低于生境A,但两种生境的比叶导水率则无显著差异,生境B小叶杨的Huber值明显大于生境A。生境B小叶杨枝干的P50(导水率损失50%时所对应的木质部水势)比生境A低约0.76 MPa左右,其气孔关闭的水势比生境A晚0.2 MPa左右,生境B小叶杨水分传输安全距离明显大于生境A。表明干旱生境下小叶杨高Huber值和低气孔导度有助于其叶水分关系维持相对稳定,低光合速率和维持大的水分传输安全距离所需的木质部碳投资增加是小叶杨形成"小老树"的重要原因。     

Effects of water stress on gas exchange and water relations of a succulent epiphyte,Kalanchoë uniflora

Summary Measurements of gas exchange, xylem tension and nocturnal malate synthesis were conducted with well-watered and droughted plants of Kalanchoë uniflora. Corresponding results were obtained with plants grown in 9 h and 12 h photoperiods. In well-watered plants, 50 to 90% of total CO₂-uptake occurred during the light period. Nocturnal CO₂-uptake and malate synthesis were higher and respiration rate was lower in old leaves (leaf pairs 6 to 10) compared to young leaves (leaf pairs 1 to 5). Within four days of drought distinct physiological changes occurred. Gas exchange during the light period decreased and CO₂-uptake during the dark period increased. Nocturnal malate synthesis significantly increased in young leaves.Respiration rate decreased during periods of drought, this decrease being more pronounced in young leaves compared to old leaves. Restriction of gas exchange during the light period resulted in a decrease of transpiration ratio from more than 100 to about 20. The difference between osmotic pressure and xylem tension decreased in young leaves, indicating a reduction in bulk leaf turgor-pressure.We conclude that both the CAM-enhancement in young leaves and the decrease of respiration rate are responsible for the increase of nocturnal CO₂-uptake during water stress. During short drought periods, which frequently occur in humid habitats, the observed physiological changes result in a marked reduction of water loss while net CO₂-uptake is maintained. This might be relevant for plant growth in the natural habitat.Abbreviations LP light period - DP dark period - CAM crassulacean acid metabolism     

Does night-time transpiration provide any benefit to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants which are exposed to salt stress?

The study aimed to test whether night-time transpiration provides any potential benefit to wheat plants which are subjected to salt stress. Hydroponically grown wheat plants were grown at four levels of salt stress (50, 100, 150, and 200 mM NaCl) for 5–8 days prior to harvest (day 14–18). Salt stress caused large decreases in transpiration and leaf elongation rates during day and night. The quantitative relation between the diurnal use of water for transpiration and leaf growth was comparatively little affected by salt. Night-time transpirational water loss occurred predominantly through stomata in support of respiration. Diurnal gas exchange and leaf growth were functionally linked to each other through the provision of resources (carbon, energy) and an increase in leaf surface area. Diurnal rates of water use associated with leaf cell expansive growth were highly correlated with the water potential of the xylem, which was dominated by the tension component. The tissue-specific expression level of nine candidate aquaporin genes in elongating and mature leaf tissue was little affected by salt stress or day/night changes. Growing plants under conditions of reduced night-time transpirational water loss by increasing the relative humidity (RH) during the night to 95% had little effect on the growth response to salt stress, nor was the accumulation of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ in shoot tissue altered. We conclude that night-time gas exchange supports the growth in leaf area over a 24 h day/night period. Night-time transpirational water loss neither decreases nor increases the tolerance to salt stress in wheat.     

Nighttime evaporative demand induces plasticity in leaf and root hydraulic traits

Increasing evidence suggests that nocturnal transpiration rate (TR_N) is a non‐negligible contributor to global water cycles. Short‐term variation in nocturnal vapor pressure deficit (VPD_N) has been suggested to be a key environmental variable influencing TR_N. However, the long‐term effects of VPD_N on plant growth and development remain unknown, despite recent evidence documenting long‐term effects of daytime VPD on plant anatomy, growth and productivity. Here we hypothesized that plant anatomical and functional traits influencing leaf and root hydraulics could be influenced by long‐term exposure to VPD_N. A total of 23 leaf and root traits were examined on four wheat (Triticum aestivum) genotypes, which were subjected to two long‐term (30 day long) growth experiments where daytime VPD and daytime/nighttime temperature regimes were kept identical, with variation only stemming from VPD_N, imposed at two levels (0.4 and 1.4 kPa). The VPD_N treatment did not influence phenology, leaf areas, dry weights, number of tillers or their dry weights, consistently with a drought and temperature‐independent treatment. In contrast, vein densities, adaxial stomata densities, TR_N and cuticular TR, were strongly increased following exposure to high VPD_N. Simultaneously, whole‐root system xylem sap exudation and seminal root endodermis thickness were decreased, hypothetically indicating a change in root hydraulic properties. Overall these results suggest that plants ‘sense’ and adapt to variations in VPD_N conditions over developmental scales by optimizing both leaf and root hydraulics.     

植物夜间液流的发生、生理意义及影响因素研究进展

植物夜间液流是指在夜间通过植物根、茎、叶的液流量。通过对不同物种、生境条件和生态系统的野外观测,发现植物普遍存在夜间液流现象。阐述了夜间液流的大小和组成,并从夜间液流的生理意义、影响因素以及生态水文效应方面对已有的研究进展进行了综述和分析。夜间液流占到全天液流量的比例一般为5%—20%。夜间液流包括夜间的茎干补水和夜间的蒸腾作用两个过程,但是目前没有确切的研究或技术将两个过程区分开来。虽然总体上夜间液流占全天液流量的比例较少,但是夜间液流的储水作用和蒸腾作用对植物生长有重要的生理意义:夜间储水作用提高了夜间茎干水势,减少了木质部栓塞化的形成,加强了植物对干旱环境的适应;而蒸腾作用在营养物质和氧气的运输,以及水力提升等方面有重要的作用。影响夜间液流的因素较多,气象因素是主要的环境驱动因子,而土壤水分对夜间液流的影响与生境有关;夜间液流还受到物种和生境条件的影响。由于夜间液流的发生,对不同尺度的生态水文过程产生了影响。未来的研究可进一步探索在全球气候变化条件下,夜间液流与植物生理过程的关系,定量评估夜间液流对生态水文过程的影响,深入研究夜间液流对环境变化的响应。     

Short communication. Comparative measurements of xylem pressure in transpiring and non-transpiring leaves by means of the pressure chamber and the xylem pressure probe

Simultaneous measurements were made with the xylem pressure probe on exposed, transpiring leaves and with the Scholander pressure chamber on both transpiring and covered, non-transpiring leaves of sugarcane and maize plants. Xylem tensions inferred from pressure chamber balancing pressures on non-transpiring leaves were similar to those measured directly with the xylem pressure probe in transpiring leaves. However, tensions inferred with the pressure chamber on transpiring leaves that were placed in plastics bags just prior to excision were up to 0.6 MPa greater than those measured concurrently with the xylem pressure probe. These findings suggest that relatively large differences in water potential between the xylem and bulk leaf tissue can exist during periods of rapid transpiration, and they confirm that the balance pressure of an excised, previously transpiring leaf is only a measure of the bulk average equilibrium leaf water potential and not of the true xylem pressure that existed prior to excision.Key words: Cohesion-Tension theory, xylem pressure probe, pressure chamber, xylem tension.      

High light decreases xylem contribution to fruit growth in tomato

Recently, contradicting evidence has been reported on the contribution of xylem and phloem influx into tomato fruits, urging the need for a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in fruit growth. So far, little research has been performed on quantifying the effect of light intensity on the different contributors to the fruit water balance. However, as light intensity affects both transpiration and photosynthesis, it might be expected to induce important changes in the fruit water balance. In this study, tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) were grown in light and shade conditions and the fruit water balance was studied by measuring fruit growth of girdled and intact fruits with linear variable displacement transducers combined with a model‐based approach. Results indicated that the relative xylem contribution significantly increased when shading lowered light intensity. This resulted from both a higher xylem influx and a lower phloem influx during the daytime. Plants from the shade treatment were able to maintain a stronger gradient in total water potential between stem and fruits during daytime, thereby promoting xylem influx. It appeared that the xylem pathway was still functional at 35 days after anthesis and that relative xylem contribution was strongly affected by environmental conditions.     

Daytime and nighttime carbon balance and assimilate export in soybean leaves at different photon flux densities

To evaluate daytime and nighttime carbon balance and assimilate export in soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill) leaves at different photon flux densities, rates of CO₂ exchange, specific leaf weights, and concentrations of sucrose and starch were measured at intervals in leaves of pod-bearing `Amsoy 71' and `Wells II' plants grown in a controlled environment room. Assimilate export was estimated from CO₂ exchange and change in specific leaf weight. Total diurnal assimilate export was similar for both cultivars. Large cultivar differences existed, however, in the partitioning of carbon into starch reserves and the relative amounts of assimilate exported during the day and the night. Total amounts of both daytime and nighttime export increased with increasing photon flux density, as did sucrose and starch concentrations, specific leaf weight, and rate of respiratory carbohydrate loss at night. Cultivar differences in nighttime rate of export were more closely related to the differences in amount of assimilate available at the end of the day than to differences in daytime rate of net CO₂ assimilation. Daytime rates of export, however, were closely related to daytime rates of net CO₂ assimilation within each cultivar. The total amount of starch depleted during the 10-hour night increased as starch concentration at the beginning of the night increased.     

Plants in a crowded stand regulate their height growth so as to maintain similar heights to neighbours even when they have potential advantages in height growth

Background and Aims

Although being tall is advantageous in light competition, plant height growth is often similar among dominant plants in crowded stands (height convergence). Previous theoretical studies have suggested that plants should not overtop neighbours because greater allocation to supporting tissues is necessary in taller plants, which in turn lowers leaf mass fraction and thus carbon gain. However, this model assumes that a competitor has the same potential of height growth as their neighbours, which does not necessarily account for the fact that height convergence occurs even among individuals with various biomass.

Methods

Stands of individually potted plants of Chenopodium album were established, where target plants were lifted to overtop neighbours or lowered to be overtopped. Lifted plants were expected to keep overtopping because they intercept more light without increased allocation to stems, or to regulate their height to similar levels of neighbours, saving biomass allocation to the supporting organ. Lowered plants were expected to be suppressed due to the low light availability or to increase height growth so as to have similar height to the neighbours.

Key Results

Lifted plants reduced height growth in spite of the fact that they received higher irradiance than others. Lowered plants, on the other hand, increased the rate of stem elongation despite the reduced irradiance. Consequently, lifted and lowered plants converged to the same height. In contrast to the expectation, lifted plants did not increase allocation to leaf mass despite the decreased stem length. Rather, they allocated more biomass to roots, which might contribute to improvement of mechanical stability or water status. It is suggested that decreased leaf mass fraction is not the sole cost of overtopping neighbours. Wind blowing, which may enhance transpiration and drag force, might constrain growth of overtopping plants.

Conclusions

The results show that plants in crowded stands regulate their height growth to maintain similar height to neighbours even when they have potential advantages in height growth. This might contribute to avoidance of stresses caused by wind blowing.     

Comparative ecophysiology of CAM and C3 bromeliads. IV. Plant water relations

Abstract An investigation was carried out into the water relations of CAM and C₃ bromeliads in their natural habitat during the dry season in Trinidad. Measurements were made of xylem tension with the pressure chamber and of cell-sap osmotic pressure and titratable acidity on crushed leaf samples. A steady-state CO₂ and H₂O-vapour porometer was also used so that changes in leaf water relations during individual day-night cycles could be directly related to gas-exchange patterns in situ. Xylem tension changed in parallel with transpiration rate and in general reached its maximum value in CAM bromeliads at night and in C₃ bromeliads during the day. In addition, large nocturnal increases in cell-sap osmotic pressure and titratable acidity (ΔH⁺) typically occurred in the CAM bromeliads. The C₃-CAM intermediate Guzmania monostachia showed slight nocturnal acidification, but had higher values of xylem tension during the day. Very high values of AH+ were observed in the CAM species when the tanks of the epiphytic bromeliads contained water: Aechmea nudicaulis showed a mean maximum ΔH⁺ of 474 mol m^?3, the highest value so far observed for CAM plants. On some nights dew formed on the leaf surfaces of the epiphytes, partially curtailing gas exchange and leading to a marked decrease in xylem tension in both C₃ and CAM species. Between-site comparisons were also made for a wide range of habitats from arid coastal scrub to montane rain forest. Compared with values characteristic of other life-forms, xylem tension and cell-sap osmotic pressure were low for all bromeliads, and did not differ significantly in co-occurring CAM and C₃ bromeliads. Mean maximum xylem tension (10 species in total) ranged from 0.29 M Pa at the montane sites to 0.67 MPa at the most arid site, and mean minimum osmotic pressure (17 species) from 0.51 to 0.97 MPa. At the arid sites the bromeliads were exclusively CAM species, two of which (Aechmea aquilega and Bromelia plumieri) grew terrestrially in the undergrowth of the coastal scrub. Xylem tension in these species was low enough to indicate that they must be functionally independent of the substratum during the dry season. In the wetter part of Trinidad, no between-site differences in leaf water relations were found along an altitudinal gradient in the Northern Mountain Range; seasonal differences in this area were also small. Overall, leaf water relations and gas exchange in the bromeliads were strongly affected both by short-term changes in water availability and by longer-term climatic differences in the various regions of the island.     

The influences of increased CO2 and water supply on growth,biomass allocation and water use efficiency of Sinapis alba L. grown under different wind speeds

We examined how independent and interactive effects of CO₂ concentrations, water supply and wind speed affect growth rates, biomass partitioning, water use efficiency, diffusive conductance and stomatal density of plants. To test the prediction that wind stress will be ameliorated by increased CO₂ and/or by unrestricted water supply we grew Sinapis alba L. plants in controlled chambers under combinations of two levels of CO₂ (350 ppmv, 700 ppmv), two water regimes and two wind speeds (0.3 ms^–1, 3.7 ms^–1). We harvested at ten different dates over a period of 60 days. A growth analysis was carried out to evaluate treatment effects on plant responses. Plants grown both in increased CO₂ and in low wind conditions had significantly greater stem length, leaf area and dry weights of plant parts. Water supply significantly affected stem diameter, root weight and leaf area. CO₂ enrichment significantly increased the rate of biomass accumulation and the relative ratio of biomass increase to leaf area expansion. High wind speed significantly reduced plant growth rates and the rate of leaf area expansion was reduced more than the rate of biomass accumulation. Regression analysis showed significant CO₂ effects on the proportion of leaf and stem dry weight to total dry weight. A marked plant-age effect was dependent on water supply, wind speed and CO₂ concentration. A reduced water supply significantly decreased the stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency significantly increased with a limited water supply, low wind and increased CO₂. We found significant CO₂ x wind effects for water diffusion resistance, adaxial number of stomata and water use efficiencies and significant wind x water effect for water use efficiency. In conclusion, wind stress was ameliorated by growing in unrestricted water but not by growing in increased CO₂.     

Studies of soil moisture stress in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Summary The objective was to find the optimum range of water contents for inducing better growth, physiological efficiency and yield potential of barley plants (Hordeum vulgare L. var. K18). A pot culture experiment was conducted in the Division of Crop Physiology and Biochemistry Kanpur-2. The plants were subjected to various soil moisture stresses,i.e., 0.15, 0.30, 0.45, 0.60 and 0.75 atm tension throughout the crop growth period measured by irrometers.Plants maintained at 0.45 soil moisture tension required 19.07 litre of water and had the best water use efficiency (1765 mg dm/litre of water) which favourably influenced the leaf water balance (85.9%), plant growth as measured by plant height (85.4 cm) and tiller production (35.6) per hill, photosynthetic efficiency (2.185 mg CO₂/g dm/h), grain number (722) and grain yield (33.7 g) per hill while plants irrigated at a tension greater than 0.45 SMT did not develop as well. However, protein and gluten percentage increased gradually with the subsequent increase in soil moisture tension. On the other hand respiration rate (2.090 mg CO₂/g dm/hr) and leaf area (4375 cm²) were recorded to be the highest at 0.60 and 0.30 atm SMT respectively.Thus it is suggested that for reaping high harvest of barley crop, the physiological need of water (19.07 litre) in total of plant life should be made available through scheduled irrigation based on maintenance of plant at 0.45 SMT from seeding to maturity.     

三种锦鸡儿属植物水力结构特征及其干旱适应策略

水分胁迫是干旱半干旱区限制植物生长的主要因素。以干旱半干旱区的3种锦鸡儿属植物为研究对象,从生态适应策略角度来分析3种锦鸡儿植物产生生态分离的原因。对三种锦鸡儿属植物茎干叶片的显微结构、生理功能(导水率、光合速率以及水分利用效率)进行测定,并统计了3种锦鸡儿植株的形态特征,如一、二级枝的直径、长度、末端叶面积。结果表明:三种锦鸡儿属植物都能形成较小的导管直径来适应旱生环境,但是在导水结构上又表现出一定的差异性。中间锦鸡儿的导管直径最小,次脉密度和最大净光合速率最大;柠条锦鸡儿的导管直径、叶片厚度和比叶重(LMA)最大。小叶锦鸡儿在导水率下降50%时的水势(P_(50))最大,水分胁迫时极易发生栓塞,但正是由于导管的栓塞降低了水分运输效率,使其在旱生环境中能够通过减少水分的供应来降低水分的丧失,从而保证自身生长的水分需求;而中间锦鸡儿则主要通过减小导管直径来适应旱生环境;柠条锦鸡儿的水分利用效率最高,抗栓塞能力最强,抗旱性最好,同时柠条锦鸡儿可以通过减少蒸腾面积来减少水分的丧失。植物的导管直径大小、叶片厚度、LMA、叶脉密度对植物导水速率、光合速率等生理功能都有一定的影响。     

Phylogenetic and ecological patterns in nighttime transpiration among five members of the genus Rubus co‐occurring in western Oregon

Nighttime transpiration is a substantial portion of ecosystem water budgets, but few studies compare water use of closely related co‐occurring species in a phylogenetic context. Nighttime transpiration can range up to 69% of daytime rates and vary between species, ecosystem, and functional type. We examined leaf‐level daytime and nighttime gas exchange of five species of the genus Rubus co‐occurring in the Pacific Northwest of western North America in a greenhouse common garden. Contrary to expectations, nighttime transpiration was not correlated to daytime water use. Nighttime transpiration showed pronounced phylogenetic signals, but the proportion of variation explained by different phylogenetic groupings varied across datasets. Leaf osmotic water potential, water potential at turgor loss point, stomatal size, and specific leaf area were correlated with phylogeny but did not readily explain variation in nighttime transpiration. Patterns in interspecific variation as well as a disconnect between rates of daytime and nighttime transpiration suggest that variation in nighttime water use may be at least partly driven by genetic factors independent of those that control daytime water use. Future work with co‐occurring congeneric systems is needed to establish the generality of these results and may help determine the mechanism driving interspecific variation in nighttime water use.