LEAF SURFACE WETNESS AND GAS EXCHANGE IN THE POND LILY NUPHAR POLYSEPALUM (NYMPHAEACEAE)

As part of a continuing study of the effects of leaf surface wetness on gas exchange, the occurrence of leaf surface wetting by dewfall and associated effects on photosynthesis were evaluated for floating and aerial leaves of the pond lily Nuphar polysepalum Engelm. Because of nighttime radiation exchange with a cold sky, high humidity, and the presence of adaxial stomata, we predicted that pond lily leaves would be particularly susceptible to wetting events such as dewfall. A substantial reduction in net photosynthesis (up to 20%) occurred for leaves that were experimentally misted to simulate leaf wetting by dewfall. Aerial leaves remained below dewpoint temperatures for long periods on clear nights. However, floating leaves rarely approached dewpoint temperatures at night because minimum nighttime temperatures of leaves were up to 10 C warmer than air temperature. Thus, floating leaves of N. polysepalum did not experience dew formation primarily because of strong thermal coupling to a substrate (water) that was much warmer than air temperature at night. This coupling to a warmer substrate prevented a potentially strong inhibition of photosynthetic CO₂ exchange the following morning.