Differential coordination of stomatal conductance,mesophyll conductance,and leaf hydraulic conductance in response to changing light across species

Stomatal conductance (g_s) and mesophyll conductance (g_m) represent major constraints to photosynthetic rate (A), and these traits are expected to coordinate with leaf hydraulic conductance (K_leaf) across species, under both steady‐state and dynamic conditions. However, empirical information about their coordination is scarce. In this study, K_leaf, gas exchange, stomatal kinetics, and leaf anatomy in 10 species including ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms were investigated to elucidate the correlation of H₂O and CO₂ diffusion inside leaves under varying light conditions. Gas exchange, K_leaf, and anatomical traits varied widely across species. Under light‐saturated conditions, the A, g_s, g_m, and K_leaf were strongly correlated across species. However, the response patterns of A, g_s, g_m, and K_leaf to varying light intensities were highly species dependent. Moreover, stomatal opening upon light exposure of dark‐adapted leaves in the studied ferns and gymnosperms was generally faster than in the angiosperms; however, stomatal closing in light‐adapted leaves after darkening was faster in angiosperms. The present results show that there is a large variability in the coordination of leaf hydraulic and gas exchange parameters across terrestrial plant species, as well as in their responses to changing light.     

Midday stomatal conductance is more related to stem rather than leaf water status in subtropical deciduous and evergreen broadleaf trees

Midday depressions in stomatal conductance (g_s) and photosynthesis are common in plants. The aim of this study was to understand the hydraulic determinants of midday g_s, the coordination between leaf and stem hydraulics and whether regulation of midday g_s differed between deciduous and evergreen broadleaf tree species in a subtropical cloud forest of Southwest (SW) China. We investigated leaf and stem hydraulics, midday leaf and stem water potentials, as well as midday g_s of co‐occurring deciduous and evergreen tree species. Midday g_s was correlated positively with midday stem water potential across both groups of species, but not with midday leaf water potential. Species with higher stem hydraulic conductivity and greater daily reliance on stem hydraulic capacitance were able to maintain higher stem water potential and higher g_s at midday. Deciduous species exhibited significantly higher stem hydraulic conductivity, greater reliance on stem capacitance, higher stem water potential and g_s at midday than evergreen species. Our results suggest that midday g_s is more associated with midday stem than with leaf water status, and that the functional significance of stomatal regulation in these broadleaf tree species is probably for preventing stem xylem dysfunction.     

Effects of water stress and rewatering on leaf water relations of lemon plants

Potted two-year-old lemon plants (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. fil.) cv. Fino, growing under field conditions were subjected to drought by withholding irrigation for 13 d. After that, plants were re-irrigated and the recovery was studied for 5 d. Control plants were daily irrigated maintaining the soil matric potential at about -30 kPa. Young leaves of control plants presented higher leaf conductance (g1) and lower midday leaf water potential (Ψmd) than mature ones. Young leaves also showed higher leaf water potential at the turgor loss point (Ψtlp) than mature leaves. In both leaf types g1 decreased with increased vapour pressure deficit of the atmosphere. From day 1 of the withholding water, predawn and midday leaf water potentials (Ψpd and Ψmd) decreased, reaching in both cases minimum values of -5.5 MPa, with no significant differences between mature and young leaves. Water stress induced stomatal closure, leaf rolling and partial defoliation. No osmotic adjustment was found in response to water stress in either leaf type, but both were able to enhance the cell wall elasticity (elastic adjustment). After rewatering, leaf water potential recovered quickly (within 2 d) but g1 did not. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Water relations in grapevine micro-cuttings grownin vitro

Dry mater, water content, water, osmotic and pressure potentials, content of saccharides and potassium were measured duringin vitro cultivation ofVitis rootstocks. Three cases were compared: a) the micro-cuttings with normal growth; b) micro-cuttings which stop their growth after 15 d of culture, and c) micro-cuttings reactivated by 6 d of continuous darkness. Major differences were observed in water content and osmotic potential. The stopping of growth was not a specific property of buds, but was probably due to restriction of translocation of saccharides and water in the shoot.     

Temperature responses of photosynthesis and leaf hydraulic conductance in rice and wheat

Studies on the temperature (T) responses of photosynthesis and leaf hydraulic conductance (K_leaf) are important to plant gas exchange. In this study, the temperature responses of photosynthesis and K_leaf were studied in Shanyou 63 (Oryza sativa) and Yannong 19 (Triticum aestivum). Leaf water potential (Ψ_leaf) was insensitive to T in Shanyou 63, while it significantly decreased with T in Yannong 19. The differential Ψ_leaf − T relationship partially accounted for the differing g_m–T relationships, where g_m was less sensitive to T in Yannong 19 than in Shanyou 63. With different g_m–T and Ψ_leaf–T relationships, the temperature responses of photosynthetic limitations were surprisingly similar between the two lines, and the photosynthetic rate was highly correlated with g_m. With the increasing T, K_leaf increased in Shanyou 63 while it decreased in Yannong 19. The different K_leaf–T relationships were related to different Ψ_leaf–T relationships. When excluding the effects of water viscosity and Ψ_leaf, K_leaf was insensitive to T in both lines. g_m and K_leaf were generally not coordinated across different temperatures. This study highlights the importance of Ψ_leaf on leaf carbon and water exchanges, and the mechanisms for the g_m–T and K_leaf–T relationships were discussed.     

Photosynthetic activity and water relations of sprouts ofPasania edulis

In order to investigate the factors causing fast growth of sprouts ofPasania edulis, photosynthetic activity and water relation characteristics of lower (mature) leaves and upper (expanding) leaves of the sprouts were compared with those of seedlings and adult trees ofP. edulis. Apparent quantum yield was generally low. Maximum photosynthetic rate was highest in the lower leaves of sprouts. Stomatal frequency was higher in sprout leaves than in seedling leaves. Osmotic potential at the water saturation point and water potential at the turgor loss point, in leaves, were higher in sprouts than in seedlings and adult trees. Symplasmic water content per unit leaf area was higher in sprouts than in seedlings. These water relation parameters in leaves indicated that sprout leaves are superior in maintaining cell turgor against water loss, but are not tolerant to water stress. In field measurements, sprout leaves showed higher stomatal conductance and transpiration rates. These results indicated that sprout leaves fully realized their high potential productivity even under field conditions. The leaf specific conductance, from the soil to the leaf, was higher in sprouts than in seedlings. Large and deep root systems of the original stumps of the sprouts may be attributed to the high leaf specific conductance.     

Integration of hydraulic and chemical signalling in the control of stomatal conductance and water status of droughted plants

We describe here an integration of hydraulic and chemical signals which control stomatal conductance of plants in drying soil, and suggest that such a system is more likely than control based on chemical signals or water relations alone. The determination of xylem [ABA] and the stomatal response to xylem [ABA] are likely to involve the water flux through the plant. (1) If, as seems likely, the production of a chemical message depends on the root water status (Ψ_r), it will not depend solely on the soil water potential (Ψ_s) but also on the flux of water through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, to which are linked the difference between Ψ_r and Ψ_s. (2) The water flux will also dilute the concentration of the message in the xylem sap. (3) The stomatal sensitivity to the message is increased as leaf water potential falls. Stomatal conductance, which controls the water flux, therefore would be controlled by a water-flux-dependent message, with a water-flux-dependent sensitivity. In such a system, we have to consider a common regulation for stomatal conductance, leaf and root water potentials, water flux and concentration of ABA in the xylem. In order to test this possibility, we have combined equations which describe the generation and effects of chemical signals and classical equations of water flux. When the simulation was run for a variety of conditions, the solution suggested that such common regulation can operate. Simulations suggest that, as well as providing control of stomatal conductance, integration of chemical and hydraulic signalling may also provide a control of leaf water potential and of xylem [ABA], features which are apparent from our experimental data. We conclude that the root message would provide the plant with a means to sense the conditions of water extraction (soil water status and resisance to water flux) on a daily timescale, while the short-term plant response to this message would depend on the evaporative demand.     

Leaf age and salinity influence water relations of pepper leaves

Plant growth is reduced under saline conditions even when turgor in mature leaves is maintained by osmotic adjustment. The objective of this study was to determine if young leaves from salt-affected plants were also osmotically adjusted. Pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L. cv. California Wonder) were grown in several levels of solution osmotic potential and various components of the plants' water relations were measured to determine if young, rapidly growing leaves could accumulate solutes rapidly enough to maintain turgor for normal cell enlargement. Psychrometric measurements indicated that osmotic adjustment is similar for both young and mature leaves although osmotic potential is slightly lower for young leaves. Total water potential is also lower for young leaves, particularly at dawn for the saline treatments. The result is reduced turgor under saline conditions at dawn for young but not mature leaves. This reduced turgor at dawn, and presumably low night value, is possibly a cause of reduced growth under saline conditions. No differences in leaf turgor occur at midday. Porometer measurements indicated that young leaves at a given salinity level have a higher stomatal conductance than mature leaves, regardless of the time of day. The result of stomatal closure is a linear reduction of transpiration.     

Stomatal response to leaf water potential in almond trees under drip irrigated and non irrigated conditions

Almond plants (Amygdalus communis L. cv. Garrigues) were grown in the field under drip irrigated and non irrigated conditions. Leaf water potential () and leaf conductance (g₁) were determined at three different times of the growing season (spring, summer and autumn). The relationships between and g₁ in both treatments showed a continuous decrease of g₁ as decreased in spring and summer. Data from the autumn presented a threshold value of (approx. –2.7 MPa in dry treatment, and approx. –1.4 MPa in wet treatment) below which leaf conductance remained constant.     

Photosynthesis and root growth in Spartina alterniflora in relation to root zone aeration

Spartina alterniflora Lois. is a dominant species growing in intermediate and saline marshes of the US Gulf coast and Atlantic coastal marshes. S. alterniflora plants were subjected to a range of soil redox potential (Eh) conditions representing a well aerated to reduced conditions in a rhizotron system under controlled environmental conditions. The low soil Eh resulted in inhibition of root elongation shortly after treatment initiation. Root elongation was reduced as soil Eh approached values below ca. +350 mV. Substantial decrease in root elongation was noted when soil Eh fell below +200 mV. Generally, net photosynthetic rate (PN) decreased as soil Eh was reduced, with substantial reductions in PN found when Eh approached negative values. Average PN was reduced to 87, 64, and 44% of control under +340, +245, and -180 mV treatments, respectively. The reductions in root elongation and PN in response to low soil Eh indicated the adverse effects of low soil Eh on plant functioning and the need for periods of soil aeration that allow plants to resume normal functioning. Thus periods of drainage allowing soil aeration during the growing season appear to be critical to S. alterniflora by providing favorable conditions for root growth and gas exchange with important implications for plant carbon fixation. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Leaf conductance and transpiration, and water relations of evergreen and deciduous perennials co-occurring in a moist chaparral site

Abstract. Diurnal courses of leaf conductance, water potential and environmental parameters were measured through the year. The seasonal decreases in plant water potentials were greatest in evergreen H. arbutifolia , intermediate in winter deciduous C. occidentalis and least in drought deciduous A. californica. The seasonal patterns of water use were very similar. Estimates of soil root-stem conductances to liquid water flux indicate that during the spring, conductances are high, that during the early summer there is a daily shift from high morning conductances to lower afternoon conductances, and that late summer conductances are low.     

Water movement through Quercus rubra I. Leaf water potential and conductance during polycyclic growth

Two experiments examined simultaneous changes in leaf area (A_L), root length (L_r), stomatal conductance (g_s), leaf water potential (Ψ_L), transpiration and hydraulic plant conductance per unit leaf area (G) during the first three shoot cycles of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) grown under favourable and controlled conditions. Each shoot cycle consisted of bud swell, stem elongation, leaf expansion and rest; roots grew almost continuously. The g_s of all leaves decreased substantially while leaves of the newest flush were expanding and increased modestly when seedling leaf area remained constant. Overall, g_s decreased. The Ψ_L of mature leaves decreased during leaf expansion and increased by an equivalent amount during intervening periods. Possible explanations for the paired changes in g_s and Ψ_L are considered. Changes in G closely paralleled those of canopy g_s. These parallel changes during polycyclic seedling growth should act to keep seedling Ψ_L relatively constant as plant size increases and thereby help prevent Ψ_L from dropping to levels that would cause runaway embolism.     

Stomatal conductance and photosynthesis vary linearly with plant hydraulic conductance in ponderosa pine

Recent work has shown that stomatal conductance (g_s) and assimilation (A) are responsive to changes in the hydraulic conductance of the soil to leaf pathway (K_L), but no study has quantitatively described this relationship under controlled conditions where steady‐state flow is promoted. Under steady‐state conditions, the relationship between g_s, water potential (Ψ) and K_L can be assumed to follow the Ohm's law analogy for fluid flow. When boundary layer conductance is large relative to g_s, the Ohm's law analogy leads to g_s = K_L (Ψ_soil?Ψ_leaf)/D, where D is the vapour pressure deficit. Consequently, if stomata regulate Ψ_leaf and limit A, a reduction in K_L will cause g_s and A to decline. We evaluated the regulation of Ψ_leaf and A in response to changes in K_L in well‐watered ponderosa pine seedlings (Pinus ponderosa). To vary K_L, we systematically reduced stem hydraulic conductivity (k) using an air injection technique to induce cavitation while simultaneously measuring Ψ_leaf and canopy gas exchange in the laboratory under constant light and D. Short‐statured seedlings (< 1 m tall) and hour‐long equilibration times promoted steady‐state flow conditions. We found that Ψ_leaf remained constant near ? 1·5 MPa except at the extreme 99% reduction of k when Ψ_leaf fell to ? 2·1 MPa. Transpiration, g_s, A and K_L all declined with decreasing k (P < 0·001). As a result of the near homeostasis in bulk Ψ_leaf, g_s and A were directly proportional to K_L (R² > 0·90), indicating that changes in K_L may affect plant carbon gain.     

Roles of leaf water potential and soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductance in water use by understorey woody plants

Diurnal changes of leaf water potential and stomatal conductance were measured for 12 deciduous shrubs and tree saplings in the understorey of a temperate forest. Sunflecks raised the leaf temperature by 4°C, and vapor pressure deficit to 2 kPa. Although the duration of the sunflecks was only 17% of daytime, the photon flux density (PFD) of sunflecks was 52% of total PFD on a sunny summer day. Leaf osmotic potential at full turgor decreased in summer, except in some species that have low osmotic potential in the spring. Plants that endured low leaf water potential had rigid cell walls and low osmotic potential at full turgor. These plants did not have lower relative water content and turgor potential than plants with higher leaf water potential. There were three different responses to an increase in transpiration rate: (i) plants had low leaf water potential and slightly increased soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductance; (ii) plants decreased leaf water potential and increased the hydraulic conductance; and (iii) plants had high leaf water potential and largely increased the hydraulic conductance.     

Daily variations in water relations of apricot trees under different irrigation regimes

Mature apricot (Prunus armeniaca L. cv. Búlida) trees, growing under field conditions, were submitted to two drip irrigation treatments: a control (T1), irrigated to 100 % of seasonal crop evapotranspiration (ETc), and a continuous deficit (T2), irrigated to 50 % of the control throughout the year. The behaviour of leaf water potential and its components, leaf conductance and net photosynthesis were studied at three different times during the growing season, when they revealed a diurnal and seasonal pattern in response to water stress, evaporative demand of the atmosphere and leaf age. The deficit-irrigated trees showed, among other effects, a pronounced decrease in leaf water potential (ψ_w), decreased in leaf conductance (g_s) and no osmotic adjustment. For this reason, g_l and ψ_w can be considered good indicators of mature apricot tree water status and can therefore be used for irrigation scheduling.     

Use of the root contact concept,an empirical leaf conductance model and pressure-volume curves in simulating crop water relations

A simulation model “DanStress” was developed for studying the integrated effects of soil, crop and climatic conditions on water relations and water use of field grown cereal crops. The root zone was separated into 0.1 m deep layers of topsoil and subsoil. For each layer the water potential at the root surface was calculated by a single root model, and the uptake of water across the root was calculated by a root contact model. Crop transpiration was calculated by Monteith's combination equation for vapour flow. Crop conductance to water vapour transfer for use in Monteith's combination equation was scaled up from an empirical stomatal conductance model used on sunlit and shaded crop surfaces of different crop layers. In the model, transpirational water loss originates from root water uptake and changes in crop water storage. Crop water capacitance, used for describing the water storage, was derived from the slope of pressure-volume (PV) curves of the leaves. PV curves were also used for deriving crop water potential, osmotic potential, and turgor pressure. The model could simulate detailed diurnal soil-crop water relations during a 23-day-drying cycle with time steps of one hour. During the grain filling period in spring barley (Hordeum distichum L.), grown in a sandy soil in the field, measured and predicted values of leaf water and osmotic potential, RWC, and leaf stomatal conductance were compared. Good agreement was obtained between measured and predicted values at different soil water deficits and climatic conditions. In the field, measured and predicted volumetric soil water contents (θ) of topsoil and subsoil layers were also compared during a drying cycle. Predicted and measured θ-values as a function of soil water deficits were similar suggesting that the root contact model approach was valid. From the investigation we concluded: (I) a model, which takes the degree of contact between root surface and soil water into account, can be used in sandy soil for calculation of root water uptake, so that the root conductance during soil water depletion only varies by the degree of contact; (II) crop conductance, used for calculation of crop transpiration, can be scaled up from an empirical single leaf stomatal conductance model controlled by the level of leaf water potential and micrometeorological conditions; (III) PV curves are usable for describing crop water status including crop water storage.     

High-Temperature Preconditioning and Thermal Shock Imposition Affects Water Relations,Gas Exchange and Root Hydraulic Conductivity in Tomato

Potted tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Amalia) were submitted to three different treatments: control (C) plants were maintained at day/night temperature of 25/18 °C; preconditioned plants (PS) were submitted to two consecutive periods of 4 d each, of 30/23 and 35/28 °C before being exposed to a heat stress (40/33 °C lasting 4 d) and non-preconditioned (S) plants were maintained in the same conditions as the C plants and exposed to the heat stress. The inhibition of plant growth was observed only in PS plants. Heat stress decreased chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance in both PS and S plants. However, PS plants showed good osmotic adjustment, which enabled them to maintain leaf pressure potential higher than in S plants. Furthermore, at the end of the recovery period PS plants had higher pressure potential and stomatal conductance than in S plants. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

基于叶片水势的内蒙古典型草原植物水分适应特征研究

水分是限制草原生态系统植物生存、繁殖和扩散最重要的生态因子,植物通过多样的水分适应策略适应干旱环境。为了解典型草原植物水势特征及其影响因素,在2017年和2018年的生长季对内蒙古典型草原71种植物的叶片黎明水势、午后水势、叶片和根系功能性状进行了测定与分析。结果表明:测定的71种植物叶片的黎明水势分布于-2.67—-0.63 MPa,午后水势分布于-4.67—-1.01 MPa;一年生植物的叶片具有最高的黎明水势、午后水势和最小的水势日差值(叶片的黎明水势与午后水势的差值),多年生禾草的叶片具有最低的黎明水势、午后水势和最大的水势日差值;71种植物对水分的适应策略可分为高水势保持型、低水势忍耐型和变水势波动型;叶片午后水势与叶片干物质含量和根系深度呈极显著的负相关关系(P<0.01),但与比叶面积呈极显著的正相关关系(P<0.01)。本研究有助于从植物生理学的角度上准确认识典型草原植物的水分适应性及水分生态特征。     

Functional coordination between leaf gas exchange and vulnerability to xylem cavitation in temperate forest trees

We examined functional coordination among stem and root vulnerability to xylem cavitation, plant water transport characteristics and leaf traits in 14 co-occurring temperate tree species. Relationships were evaluated using both traditional cross-species correlations and phylogenetically independent contrast (PIC) correlations. For stems, the xylem tension at which 50% of hydraulic conductivity was lost (psi50) was positively associated (P < 0.001) with specific conductivity (K(S)) and with mean hydraulically weighted xylem conduit diameter (D(h-w)), but was only marginally (P = 0.06) associated with leaf specific conductivity (K(L)). The PIC correlation for each of these relationships, however, was not statistically significant. There was also no relationship between root psi50 and root K(S) in either cross-species or PIC analysis. Photosynthetic rate (A) and stomatal conductance (g(s)) were strongly and positively correlated with root psi50 in the cross-species analysis (P < 0.001), a relationship that was robust to phylogenetic correction (P < 0.01). A and g(s) were also positively correlated with stem psi50 in the cross-species analysis (P = 0.02 and 0.10, respectively). However, only A was associated with stem psi50 in the PIC analysis (P = 0.04). Although the relationship between vulnerability to cavitation and xylem conductivity traits within specific organs (i.e. stems and roots) was weak, the strong correlation between g(s) and root psi50 across species suggests that there is a trade-off between vulnerability to cavitation and water transport capacity at the whole-plant level. Our results were therefore consistent with the expectation of coordination between vulnerability to xylem cavitation and the regulation of stomatal conductance, and highlight the potential physiological and evolutionary significance of root hydraulic properties in controlling interspecific variation in leaf function.