Water uptake and transport in lianas and co-occurring trees of a seasonally dry tropical forest

Water uptake and transport were studied in eight liana species in a seasonally dry tropical forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Stable hydrogen isotope composition (D) of xylem and soil water, soil volumetric water content (_v), and basal sap flow were measured during the 1997 and 1998 dry seasons. Sap flow of several neighboring trees was measured to assess differences between lianas and trees in magnitudes and patterns of daily sap flow. Little seasonal change in _v was observed at 90–120 cm depth in both years. Mean soil water D during the dry season was –19 at 0–30 cm, –34 at 30–60 cm, and –50 at 90–120 cm. Average values of xylem D among the liana species ranged from –28 to –44 during the middle of the dry season, suggesting that water uptake was restricted to intermediate soil layers (30–60 cm). By the end of the dry season, all species exhibited more negative xylem D values (–41 to –62), suggesting that they shifted to deeper water sources. Maximum sap flux density in co-occurring lianas and trees were comparable at similar stem diameter (DBH). Furthermore, lianas and trees conformed to the same linear relationship between daily sap flow and DBH. Our observations that lianas tap shallow sources of soil water at the beginning of the dry season and that sap flow is similar in lianas and trees of equivalent stem diameter do not support the common assumptions that lianas rely primarily on deep soil water and that they have higher rates of sap flow than co-occurring trees of similar stem size.     

春、秋季节树干温度和液流速度对东北3树种树干表面CO2释放通量的影响

为探明温度与液流速度对树干表面CO2释放通量的影响,采用红外气体分析法(IRGA)原位连续测定白桦、兴安落叶松和水曲柳树干表面CO2释放通量,同时测定树干液流速度及树干温度。3树种树干CO2释放通量和液流速度在昼夜变化和季节变化上有一定规律,春、秋季节树干表面CO2释放通量昼夜动态均呈明显的单峰型曲线,但是峰值出现的时间有所区别: 6月份树干表面CO2释放通量峰值出现在夜间,温度峰值则在白天;9月份树干表面CO2 释放通量和液流速度及树干温度在昼夜间的变化规律总体上呈相同趋势,均为白天升高,晚上降低,呈单峰曲线,峰值基本在中午出现。3树种树干表面CO2释放通量有明显的季节性规律,即6月份的CO2释放通量明显高于9月份。9月份和6月份白桦、兴安落叶松和水曲柳的日平均树干表面CO2释放通量分别为0.82,3.32μmol m-2 s-1;0.74,3.78μmol m-2 s-1和1.98,4.98μmol m-2 s-1;6月份和9月份日平均液流速度分别为2.48,10.02g?cm-2?h-1;4.78,10.71g?cm-2?h-1和2.69-7.93g?cm-2?h-1。树干表面CO2释放通量与树干温度和液流速度相关关系显著,6月份和9月份树干表面CO2释放通量与树干温度均呈正相关;树干表面CO2释放通量与液流速度间的相关关系6月与9月不同,6月份液流速度与树干表面CO2释放通量呈负相关,而9月份呈正相关。实验发现,除落叶松外,同1株树24小时周期内水曲柳和白桦液流上升期和下降期液流速度对树干表面CO2 释放通量的影响不一致,可能是由于上下午之间温度不同,导致树干内部CO2溶解度不同,使上下午树干内部CO2与表面通量的平衡发生改变,这种改变存在种间差异,表明温度和液流的共同作用影响树干CO2释放通量。水曲柳月份间树干表面CO2释放通量的差异受液流速度影响较大,白桦和兴安落叶松树干表面CO2释放通量的月份间变化则是液流速度和温度的共同作用的结果。我们的结论是,温度是影响树干呼吸速率的关键因子,但树干呼吸产生的CO2向大气的释放也同时受树干液流速度的影响。温度与液流对春秋季节3树种树干表面CO2释放通量的影响有所不同。     

Carbon input from plant to soil through root exudation inDigitaria adscendens andAmbrosia artemisiifolia

The amount of carbon released into soil through root exudation byDigitaria adscendens Herrm. andAmbrosia artemisiifolia L. var.elatior Desc., which often predominate at the early stages of secondary succession, was evaluated in a laboratory experiment conducted over a 60-day period. Differences in the amount of exuded carbon between these species and between the developmental stages were examined. The amount of carbon exuded increased with growth in both species. The percentage of exuded carbon to photosynthetically net fixed carbon, which was higher at younger stages (13%) inD. adscendens, decreased to 3.1% with time. On the other hand, no reduction in the amount of carbon exuded was observed inA. artemisiifolia (4.7–8.1% range). The total amount of carbon released through root exudation inD. adscendens andA. artemisiifolia was estimated at 3.1% and 6.9% of photosynthetically net fixed carbon, respectively. These results suggest the possibility that wild plants exude a considerable amount of carbon from their roots to the soil, and emphasizes the necessity for considering root exudation in the carbon cycle.     

Excess cation uptake, and extrusion of protons and organic acid anions by Lupinus albus under phosphorus deficiency

In symbiotically-grown legumes, rhizosphere acidification may be caused by a high cation/anion uptake ratio and the excretion of organic acids, the relative importance of the two processes depending on the phosphorus nutritional status of the plants. The present study examined the effect of P deficiency on extrusions of H⁺ and organic acid anions (OA⁻) in relation to uptake of excess cations in N₂-fixing white lupin (cv. Kiev Mutant). Plants were grown for 49 days in nutrient solutions treated with 1, 5 or 25 mmol P m⁻³ Na₂HPO₄ in a phytotron room. The increased formation of cluster roots occurred prior to a decrease in plant growth in response to P deficiency. The number of cluster roots was negatively correlated with tissue P concentrations below 2.0 g kg⁻¹ in shoots and 3 g kg⁻¹ in roots. Cluster roots generally had higher concentrations of Mg, Ca, N, Cu, Fe, and Mn but lower concentrations of K than non-cluster roots. Extrusion of protons and OA⁻ (90% citrate and 10% malate) from roots was highly dependent on P supply. The amounts of H⁺ extruded per unit root biomass decreased with time during the experiment. On the equimolar basis, H⁺ extrusion by P-deficient plants (grown at 1 and 5 mmol P m⁻³) were, on average, 2–3-fold greater than OA⁻ exudation. The excess cation content in plants was generally the highest at 1 mmol P m⁻³ and decreased with increasing P supply. The ratio of H⁺ release to excess cation uptake increased with decreasing P supply. The results suggest that increased exudation of OA⁻ due to P deficiency is associated with H⁺ extrusion but contributes only a part of total acidification.     

Effects of xylem sap flow on carbon dioxide efflux from stems of birch (Betula pendula Roth)

The effect of xylem sap flow in stems of mature Betula pendula Roth on radial CO₂ efflux was studied from April to October 2001. Temperature-controlled respiration cuvettes allowed measurements of CO₂ efflux without interference from temperature gradients between stem surface and sapwood. Variations of sap flow in different stem sectors, and in a given sector at different heights were analysed. Daytime reduction of CO₂ efflux caused by sap flow was expressed as the difference between gross and apparent CO₂ release. Gross CO₂ release was calculated from Arrhenius-equations derived from night-time data records of the same day, which were free from interference by sap flow. In mid-July, daytime reductions of CO₂ efflux reached 1.8–3.9 μmol CO₂ m⁻² g⁻¹ xylem sap transpired. Assuming tree-specific maximum transpiration rates of 30 kg H₂O d⁻¹ this is up to 40% of gross CO₂ release. In relation to photosynthetic CO₂ fixation the endogenous supply of dissolved CO₂ to the leaves acccounted for 0.5–3.7%. This study indicates a negative correlation between sap flow velocity and radial CO₂ efflux from B. pendula stems. Periods of unbalanced CO₂ partial pressures between aqueous and gaseous pathways during increase and decrease of sap flow seem to affect gaseous CO₂ release through lenticels. It is concluded that CO₂ efflux rates are not simply equivalent to respiration rates because of the interference of aqueous CO₂ transport by xylem sap flow in the wood-body of trees.     

基于树干液流测定值进行尺度扩展的马占相思林段蒸腾和冠层气孔导度

应用Granier热消散探针,长期监测华南丘陵地马占相思(Acacia mangium)林14棵样树的树干液流(Sap flow),由此计算整树和林段的蒸腾速率,结合同步记录的环境因子,求算冠层平均气孔导度(G_c)。Granier探针的灵敏度较高,能精确测定即使是微弱的液流活动。观测结果显示,树木个体之间的液流密度(J_s)和整树蒸腾(E_t)受树形特征影响较大。马占相思林径级大的树木个体数较少,但占据林段边材总面积和林段蒸腾的比例较大。J_s和E_t的日变化主要受光合有效辐射(Q_o)和空气水蒸气压亏缺(D)的控制,土壤含水量(θ)对较大胸径树木E_t的影响大于胸径较小的树木,个体之间J_s和E_t的差异随θ的下降而缩小。一年中,林段蒸腾(E)在光照和水热条件较好的7月最高,9~12月,由于土壤水分供应的减少致使E值降低,E对D的敏感性下降。G_c与主要环境因子的关系与E相似,如果θ长期偏低,G_c会明显下降,是造成E降低的主要原因。成熟马占相思林在光照充足、水热条件较好的情况下的蒸腾活动旺盛,但对土壤水分胁迫的忍受力较低。     

Autotoxic potential of cucurbit crops

Soil sickness is often observed in cucurbit crops such as Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus, but not in cucurbit crops such as Cucurbita moschata, Lagenaria leucantha and Luffa cylindrica. Results showed that root aqueous extracts of Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus were autotoxic, but those of Cucurbita moschata, Momordica charantia and Luffa cylindrica were less autotoxic to the radicle elongation of respective species. Plant growth of Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus were greatly inhibited by autotoxic substances released from powered root tissue at a rate of 1 g per seedling. Root exudates of Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus were autotoxic to radicle elongation and seedling growth of respective species. However, root exudates of Citrullus lanatus did not inhibit radicle elongation of Cucurbita ficifolia, which is commonly used as rootstock for the grafting of Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus to decrease soil-borne diseases in commercial production. It seems possible to overcome autotoxicity in cucurbit crops by grafting on Cucurbita ficifolia. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Manganese reduction in the rhizosphere of mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal maize

The influence of rhizosphere microorganisms and vesicular-arbuscular (VA) mycorrhiza on manganese (Mn) uptake in maize (Zea mays L. cv. Tau) plants was studied in pot experiments under controlled environmental conditions. The plants were grown for 7 weeks in sterilized calcareous soil in pots having separate compartments for growth of roots and of VA mycorrhizal fungal hyphae. The soil was left either uninoculated (control) or prior to planting was inoculated with rhizosphere microorganisms only (MO-VA) or with rhizosphere microorganisms together with a VA mycorrhizal fungus [Glomus mosseae (Nicol and Gerd.) Gerdemann and Trappe] (MO+VA). Mycorrhiza treatment did not affect shoot dry weight, but root dry weight was slightly inhibited in the MO+VA and MO-VA treatments compared with the uninoculated control. Concentrations of Mn in shoots decreased in the order MO-VA > MO+VA > control. In the rhizosphere soil, the total microbial population was higher in mycorrhizal (MO+VA) than nonmycorrhizal (MO-VA) treatments, but the proportion of Mn-reducing microbial populations was fivefold higher in the nonmycorrhizal treatment, suggesting substantial qualitative changes in rhizosphere microbial populations upon root infection with the mycorrhizal fungi. The most important microbial group taking part in the reduction of Mn was fluorescent Pseudomonas. Mycorrhizal treatment decreased not only the number of Mn reducers but also the release of Mn-solubilizing root exudates, which were collected by percolation from maize plants cultivated in plastic tubes filled with gravel quartz sand. Compared with mycorrhizal plants, the root exudates of nonmycorrhizal plants had two fold higher capacity for reduction of Mn. Therefore, changes in both rhizosphere microbial population and root exudation are probably responsible for the lower acquisition of Mn in mycorrhizal plants.     

Structural changes in a binary mixed phospholipid bilayer of DOPG and DOPS upon saposin C interaction at acidic pH utilizing P and H solid-state NMR spectroscopy

Saposin C (Sap C) is known to stimulate the catalytic activity of the lysosomal enzyme glucosylceramidase (GCase) that facilitates the hydrolysis of glucosylceramide to ceramide and glucose. Both Sap C and acidic phospholipids are required for full activity of GCase. In order to better understand this interaction, mixed bilayer samples prepared from dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol (DOPG) and dioleoylphosphatidylserine (DOPS) (5:3 ratio) and Sap C were investigated using ²H and ³¹P solid-state NMR spectroscopy at temperatures ranging from 25 to 50 °C at pH 4.7. The Sap C concentrations used to carry out these experiments were 0 mol%, 1 mol% and 3 mol% with respect to the phospholipids. The molecular order parameters (S_CD) were calculated from the dePaked ²H solid-state NMR spectra of Distearoyl-d70-phosphatidylglycerol (DSPG-d70) incorporated with DOPG and DOPS binary mixed bilayers. The S_CD profiles indicate that the addition of Sap C to the negatively charged phospholipids is concentration dependent. S_CD profiles of 1 mol% of the Sap C protein show only a very slight decrease in the acyl chain order. However, the S_CD profiles of the 3 mol% of Sap C protein indicate that the interaction is predominantly increasing the disorder in the first half of the acyl chain near the head group (C1-C8) indicating that the amino and the carboxyl termini of Sap C are not inserting deep into the DOPG and DOPS mixed bilayers. The ³¹P solid-state NMR spectra show that the chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) for both phospholipids decrease and the spectral broadening increases upon addition of Sap C to the mixed bilayers. The data indicate that Sap C interacts similarly with the head groups of both acidic phospholipids and that Sap C has no preference to DOPS over DOPG. Moreover, our solid-state NMR spectroscopic data agree with the structural model previously proposed in the literature [X. Qi, G.A. Grabowski, Differential membrane interactions of saposins A and C. Implication for the functional specificity, J. Biol. Chem. 276 (2001) 27010-27017] [1].     

Does hydraulic lift exist in shallow-rooted species? A quantitative examination with a half-shrub Gutierrezia sarothrae

Hydraulic lift occurs in some deep-rooted shrub and herbaceous species. In this process, water taken up by deep roots from the moist subsoil is delivered to the drier topsoil where it is later reabsorbed by shallow roots. However, little is known about the existence of hydraulic lift in shallow-rooted xeric species. The objectives of this study were 1) to ascertain whether hydraulic lift exists in Gutierrezia sarothrae (broom snakeweed), a widespread North American desert species with a shallow root system, grown in pot and field conditions and 2) if it does, how much water can be transferred from the subsoil to the 30 cm topsoil during the night. Snakeweed seedlings were transplanted in buried pots allowing the deeper roots to grow into the subsoil 30 cm below the surface. Soil water content inside and outside of the pot was measured seasonally and diurnally with time domain reflectometry technique (TDR). An increase in water content was detected in the pot after the plant was covered for 3 h by an opaque plastic bag during the day, suggesting hydraulic lift from deeper depths and exudation of water into the drier topsoil. Root exudation was also observed on native range sites dominated by snakeweed. Water efflux in the pot was 271 g per plant per night. which was equivalent to 15.3% of the extrapolated, porometer-derived whole-plant daily transpiration. Hydraulic lift observed in Gutierrezia improved water uptake during the day when evaporative demand is high and less water is available in the topsoil. We concluded that hydraulic lift might help snakeweed to alleviate the effect of water stress.