Photosynthetica

, Volume 55, Issue 2, pp 368–377 | Cite as

Response of stem sap flow and leaf photosynthesis in Tamarix chinensis to soil moisture in the Yellow River Delta, China

  • J. B. Xia
  • Z. G. Zhao
  • J. K. Sun
  • J. T. Liu
  • Y. Y. Zhao
Original Paper
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Accepted:
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Abstract

Soil moisture is the main limiting factor for vegetation growth at shell ridges in the Yellow River Delta of China. The objective of this study was to explore the soil moisture response of photosynthetic parameters and transpiration in Tamarix chinensis Lour., a dominant species of shell ridges. Leaf photosynthetic light-response parameters and sap flow were measured across a gradient of relative soil water content (RWC), from drought (23%) to waterlogging (92%) conditions. Leaf photosynthetic efficiency and stem sap flow of T. chinensis showed a clear threshold response to soil moisture changes. Leaf net photosynthetic rate, water-use efficiency (WUE), light-saturation point, apparent quantum yield, maximum net photosynthetic rate, and dark respiration rate peaked at moderately high RWC, decreasing towards high and low values of RWC. However, peak or bottom RWC values substantially differed for various parameters. Excessively high or low RWC caused a significant reduction in the leaf photosynthetic capacity and WUE, while the high photosynthetic capacity and high WUE was obtained at RWC of 73%. With increasing waterlogging or drought stress, T. chinensis delayed the starting time for stem sap flow in the early morning and ended sap flow activity earlier during the day time in order to shorten a daily transpiration period and reduce the daily water consumption. The leaf photosynthetic capacity and WUE of T. chinensis were higher under drought stress than under waterlogging stress. Nevertheless, drought stress caused a larger reduction of daily water consumption compared to waterlogging, which was consistent with a higher drought tolerance and a poor tolerance to waterlogging in this species. This species was characterized by the low photosynthetic capacity and low WUE in the range of RWC between 44 and 92%. The RWC of 49–63% was the appropriate range of soil moisture for plant growth and efficient physiological water use of T. chinensis seedlings.

Additional key words

drought gas exchange light-use efficiency water consumption waterlogging 

Abbreviations

AQY

apparent quantum yield

DSF

daily cumulative sap flow

E

transpiration rate

LCP

light-compensation point

LSP

light-saturation point

PN

net photosynthetic rate

PNmax

light-saturated net photosynthetic rate

RD

dark respiration rate

RWC

relative soil water content

SWC

soil water content

WUE

water-use efficiency

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Copyright information

© The Institute of Experimental Botany 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  • J. B. Xia
    • 1
  • Z. G. Zhao
    • 1
  • J. K. Sun
    • 1
  • J. T. Liu
    • 1
  • Y. Y. Zhao
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Life ScienceBinzhou University, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Eco-Environmental Science for Yellow River DeltaBinzhouChina

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