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Structural and ecophysiological adaptations to forest gaps

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Abstract

To survive new microclimatic conditions of a forest gap environment, plant species must physiologically and structurally adjust. A morpho-anatomical, ultrastructural and ecophysiological study was performed at three different times in a forest gap that was created by illegal selective logging. The study followed the early successional Actinostemon verticillatus and the late-successional Metrodorea brevifolia, to elucidate the adaptive strategies of acclimation to gaps. Additionally, Schinus terebinthifolius was included in the study in order to test the plasticity of a pioneer species that grows on forest edges, where this species had higher values of leaf thickness, leaf mass area and succulence. M. brevifolia had succulent leaves, high leaf area and a thin cuticle. A. verticillatus presented the densest leaves and was the only species to show leaf morpho-anatomical plasticity. Ultrastructural and physiological differences were observed only in A. verticillatus and M. brevifolia leaves from the gap: increase in the stroma volume, oil droplets, plastoglobuli, photochemical and non-photochemical quenching. Photosynthetic efficiency showed that the early stages of gap formation are the most critical. Acclimation strategies of A. verticillatus suggest this species invests in the efficiency of photosynthesis by increasing its leaf thickness, leaf mass area and in water content maintenance by increasing the density of its leaves, at the expense of gas exchange, was compensated by a high density of stomata. M. brevifolia compensates for the higher cost of leaves and lower leaf plasticity with ultrastructural changes that are used to adjust the photosynthetic process, which promotes a shorter leaf payback time.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoando de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for their financial support. We thank the technicians Beatriz Ferreira Ribeiro and Giovanna Alves de Moraes of Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual da Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense (LBCT/UENF) for helping with laboratory tasks, and the Instituto Estadual do Ambiente (INEA) to the plant collecting license. This study was part of the PhD thesis of the first author, presented to the Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências e Biotecnologia da Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense (UENF).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Setor de Biologia Vegetal, Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual/CBB/UENF, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, CEP: 28013-602, Brazil

    Guilherme R. Rabelo, Marcos V. A. da Silva, Ricardo A. Cruz & Maura Da Cunha

  2. Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais/CBB/UENF, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil

    Ângela P. Vitória, Elis I. B. Pinho, Douglas R. Ribeiro & Anita V. Freitas

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  1. Guilherme R. Rabelo
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  2. Ângela P. Vitória
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  3. Marcos V. A. da Silva
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  4. Ricardo A. Cruz
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  5. Elis I. B. Pinho
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  6. Douglas R. Ribeiro
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  7. Anita V. Freitas
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  8. Maura Da Cunha
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maura Da Cunha.

Additional information

Communicated by M. Shane.

In Memoriam: Ricardo A. Cruz.

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Rabelo, G.R., Vitória, Â.P., da Silva, M.V.A. et al. Structural and ecophysiological adaptations to forest gaps. Trees 27, 259–272 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-012-0796-2

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