Summary
Gas exchange measurements of two arctic tundra plants, Dupontia fischeri and Carex aquatilis, and two alpine tundra species, Deschampsia caespitosa and Geum rossii, were conducted under a range of atmospheric and soil moisture stress conditions to determine if photosynthetic adaptations to water stress may play a role in the local distributions of these species. Under low soil moisture stress, the species which are normally restricted to wet sites, Dupontia and Deschampsia, exhibited higher net photosynthetic rates than Carex and Geum which are more widely distributed. However, photosynthetic of the wider ranging species was not so abruptly curtailed as that of the wet site species when the plants were exposed to increasing atmospheric or soil moisure stress. Although the depression of photosynthesis with water stress in these tundra species could be partially attributed to reduced stomatal aperture, with decreased soil water potential most of the decline of photosynthesis was due to a greater non-stomatal or residual resistance, indicating a direct impact of water stress on the photosynthetic apparatus. Dark respiration did not increase with enhanced water stress. Stomata of the wet site species did not appear to undergo a closing response until the bulk leaf water potential decreased. However, at high soil water potential reduced stomatal aperture of the more widely distributed species was noted before leaf water potential dropped. Therefore, stomata of these species may respond directly to the vapor pressure gradient between the leaf and the atmosphere when soil moisture potential is high. The wet site species typically exhibited higher photosynthesis/transpiration ratios at low soil moisture stress; however, as soil moisture stress increased, the photosynthesis/transpiration ratios of the wider ranging species generally exceeded those of the wet site species.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bliss, L. C.: A comparison of plant development in microenvironments of arctic and alpine tundras. Ecol. Monographs 26, 303–337 (1956)
Boyer, J. S.: Nonstomatal inhibition of photosynthesis in sunflower at low leaf water potentials and high light intensities. Plant Physiol. 48, 532–536 (1971)
Boyer, J. S., Bowen, B. L.: Inhibition of oxygen evolution in chloroplasts isolated from leaves with low water potentials. Plant Physiol. 45, 612–615 (1970)
Brown, J.: Environmental setting, Barrow, Alaska. In: Productivity and conservation in northern circumpolar lands, W. A. Fuller, P. G. Kevan, eds., p. 50–64. Morges, Switzerland: IUCN 1970
Camacho-B, S. E., Hall, A. E., Kaufmann, M. R.: Efficiency and regulation of water transport in some woody and herbaceous species. Plant Physiol. 54, 169–172 (1974)
Duniway, J. M., Durbin, R. D.: Detrimental effect of rust infection on the water relations of bean. Plant Physiol. 48, 69–72 (1971)
Ehleringer, J. R., Miller, P. C.: Water relations of selected plant species in the alpine tundra, Colorado. Ecology 56, 370–380 (1975)
Fareed, M., Caldwell, M. M.: Phenological patterns of two alpine tundra plant populations on Niwot Ridge Colorado. Northwest Sci. 49, 17–23 (1975)
Gaastra, P.: Photosynthesis of crop plants as influenced by light carbon dioxide, temperature, and stomatal diffusion resistance. Med. Landb. Wageningen 59, 1–68 (1959)
Gale, J., Kohl, H. C., Hagan, R. M.: Mesophyll and stomatal resistances affecting photosynthesis under varying conditions of soil, water, and evaporation demand. Israel J. Botany 15, 64–71 (1966)
Gates, D. M., Papian, L. E.: Atlas of energy budgets of plant leaves. New York: Academic Press 1971
Gifford, R. M., Musgrave, R. B.: Activation energy analysis and limiting factors in photosynthesis. Australian J. Biol. Sci. 25, 419–423 (1972)
Greenway, H., Hiller, R. G.: Effects of low water potentials on respiration and on glucose and acetate uptake by Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Planta 75, 253–274 (1967)
Hall, A. E., Kaufmann, M. R.: Stomatal response to environment with Sesamum indicum L. Plant Physiol. 55, 455–459 (1975)
Hsaio, T. C.: Plant responses to water stress. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 24, 519–570 (1973)
Jackson, W. A., Volk, R. J.: Photorespiration. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 21, 385–432 (1970)
Johnson, D. A., Caldwell, M. M.: Field measurements of photosynthesis and leaf growth rates of three alpine plant species. Arctic and Alpine Res. 6, 245–251 (1974)
Johnson, D. A., Caldwell, M. M., Tieszen, L. L.: Photosynthesis in relation to leaf water potential in three alpine plant species. In: Proc. primary prod. and prod. processes, Tundra Biome, Dublin, Ireland, April, 1973, L. C. Bliss, F. E. Wielgolaski, eds., p. 205–210. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Univ. Alberta 1974
Jones, H. G., Slatyer, R. O.: Estimation of the transport and carboxylation components of the intracellular limitation to leaf photosynthesis. Plant Physiol. 50, 283–288 (1972)
Kanemasu, E. T., Tanner, C. B.: Stomatal diffusion resistance of snap beans. I. Influence of leaf water potential. Plant Physiol. 44, 1547–1552 (1969)
Klikoff, L.: Photosynthetic response to temperature and moisture stress of three timberline meadow species. Ecology 46, 516–517 (1965)
Koch, W., Lange, O. L., Schulze, E. D.: Ecophysiological investigations on wild and cultivated plants in the Negev Desert. I. Methods: a mobile laboratory for measuring carbon dioxide and water vapor exchange. Oecologia (Berl.) 8, 296–309 (1971)
Kozlowski, T. T.: Water deficits and plant growth, vol. 3, Plant responses and control of water balance. New York: Academic Press 1972
Kramer, P. J.: Plant and soil water relationships: A modern synthesis. New York: McGraw-Hill 1969
Lange, O. L., Lösch, R., Schulze, E. D., Kappen, L.: Responses of stomata to changes in humidity. Planta (Berl.) 100, 76–86 (1971)
Ludwig, L. J., Canvin, D. T.: The rate of photorespiration during photosynthesis and the relationship of the substrate of light respiration to the products of photosynthesis in sunflower leaves. Plant Physiol. 48, 712–719 (1971)
Marr, J. W.: Ecosystems of the East Slope of the Front Range in Colorado, Univ. Colorado Studies, Series in Biology No. 8. Boulder, Colorado: Univ. Colorado Press 1967
Mayo, J. M., Despain, D. G., Van Zinderen Bakker, Jr., E. M.: CO2 assimilation by Dryas integrifolia on Devon Island, Northwest Territories. Can. J. Botany 51, 581–588 (1973)
McPherson, H. G., Slatyer, R. O.: Mechanisms regulating photosynthesis in Pennisetum typhoides. Australian J. Biol. Sci. 26, 329–339 (1973)
Mooney, H. A.: Dark respiration of related evergreen and deciduous Mediterranean plants during induced drought. Bull. Torrey Botan. Club 96, 550–555 (1969)
Moore, R. T., Ehleringer, J. R., Miller, P. C., Caldwell, M. M., Tieszen, L. L.: Gas exchange studies of four alpine tundra species at Niwot Ridge, Colorado. In: Proc. primary prod. and prod. processes, Tundra Biome, Dublin, Ireland, April 1973, L. C. Bliss, F. E. Wiegolaski, eds., p. 211–217. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Univ. Alberta, Dept. of Botany 1974
Parker, J.: Protoplasmic resistance to water deficits. In: Water deficits and plant growth, vol. III. Plant responses and control of water balance, T. T. Kozlowski, ed., p. 125–176. New York: Academic Press 1972
Pasternak, D., Wilson, G. L.: Illuminence, stomatal opening, and photosynthesis in sorghum and cotton. Australian J. Agric. Res. 24, 527–532 (1973)
DePuit, E. J., Caldwell, M. M.: Gas exchange of three cool semidesert species in relation to temperature and water stress. J. Ecol. (in press, 1975)
Redshaw, A. J., Meidner, H.: Effects of water on the resistance to uptake of carbon dioxide in tobacco. J. Exp. Botany 23, 229–240 (1972)
Salisbury, F. B., Spomer, G. G.: Leaf temperatures of alpine plants in the field. Planta (Berl.) 60, 497–505 (1964)
Schulze, E. D., Lange, O. L., Buschbom, U., Kappen, L., Evenari, M.: Stomatal responses to changes in humidity in plants growing in the desert. Planta (Berl.) 108, 259–270 (1972)
Statyer, R. O.: Plant-water relationships. New York: Academic Press 1967
Teeri, J. A.: Polar desert adaptations of a high arctic plant species. Science 179, 496–497 (1973)
Tieszen, L. L.: Photosynthesis and respiration in arctic tundra grasses: Field light intensity and temperature responses. Arctic and Alpine Res. 5, 239–252 (1973)
Troughton, J. H.: Plant water status and carbon dioxide exchange of cotton leaves. Australian J. Biol. Sci. 22, 289–302 (1969)
Waring, R. H., Cleary, B. D.: Plant moisture stress: Evaluation by pressure bomb. Science 155, 1248–1254 (1967)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Johnson, D.A., Caldwell, M.M. Gas exchange of four arctic and alpine tundra plant species in relation to atmospheric and soil moisture stress. Oecologia 21, 93–108 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345552
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345552