Summary
Ulmus alata and Diospyros virginiana are components of the shrubearly tree communities of old-field succession in several areas in the deciduous forests of eastern North America. In these habitats, the plants experience high insolation, high temperatures, and low soil moisture during the summer. They exhibit pronounced daily changes in water potential and usually develop more negative water potentials as the season progresses. The species light saturate at ∼1,150 μE m-2 sec-1 with photosynthetic rates of 15 mg CO2 dm-2 h-1 for U. alata and 17 mg CO2 dm-2 h-1 for D. virginiana. The optimum temperatures for photosynthesis are ∼25°C. Ulmus alata maintains maximum photosynthesis to water potentials of-14 bars and recovers from-20 bars to ∼60% of maximum photosynthesis within 10 hrs after watering. When they are deprived of water, twigs of D. virginiana exhibit faster decline in photosynthesis and leaf conductance than twigs of U. alata. The two species have somewhat different response to the environmental of high insolation and low water supply. Unlike Ulmus, Diospyros virginiana has some adaptations which may explain the persistence of a few individuals in mature forests.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arnold, L.E., Boggess, W.R.: Effects of pine plantations on natural succession in southern Illinois. For. Res. Reports 71-1, 6 p. (1971)
Bazzaz, F.A.: Succession on abandoned fields in the Shawnee Hills, southern Illinois. Ecology 49, 924–936 (1968)
Bazzaz, F.A.: Ecophysiology of Ambrosia artemisiifolia: a successional dominant. Ecology 55, 112–119 (1974)
Bazzaz, F.A., Boyer, J.S.: A compensating method for mesuring CO2 exchange, transpiration, and diffusive resistances of plants under controlled environmental conditions. Ecology 53, 343–349 (1972)
Bazzaz, F.A., Mezga, D.M.: Primary productivity and microenvironment in an Ambrosia-dominated old field. Amer. Midl. Natur. 90, 70–79 (1973)
Bazzaz, F.A., Paape, V., Boggess, W.R.: Photosynthetic and respiratory rates of Sassafras albidum. Forest Sci. 18, 218–222 (1972)
Björkman, O., Holmgren, P.: Adaptability of the photosynthetic apparatus to light intensity in ecotypes from exposed and shaded habitats. Physiol. Plant. 16, 889–914 (1963)
Black, C.C., Chen, T.M., Brown, R.H.: Biochemical basis for plant competition. Weed Sci. 17, 338–344 (1969)
Boggess, W.R.: Weekly diameter growth of shortleaf pine and white oak as related to soil moisture. Proc. Soc. Amer. Foresters 83–89 (1956)
Bormann, F.H.: Factors determining the role of loblolly pine and sweetgum in early old-field succession in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Ecol. Monogr. 23, 339–358 (1953)
Bourdeau, P.F., Laverick, M.L.: Tolerance and photosynthetic adaptability to light intensity in white pine, red pine, hemlock, and Ailanthus seedlings. Forest Sci. 4, 196–207 (1958)
Boyer, J.S.: Measurement of the water status of plants. Ann. Rev. Plant. Physiol. 20, 351–364 (1969)
Boyer, J.S.: Recovery of photosynthesis in sunflower after a period of low leaf water potentials. Plant Physiol. 47, 816–820 (1971)
Brix, H.: The effect of water stress on the rates of photosynthesis and respiration in tomato plants and loblolly pine seedlings. Physiol. Plant. 15, 10–20 (1962)
El-Sharkawy, M.A., Loomis, R.S., Williams, W.A.: Photosynthetic and respiratory exchanges of carbon dioxide by leaves of the grain Amaranth. J. appl. Ecol. 5, 243–251 (1968)
Fowells, H.A.: Silvics of forest trees of the United States. Agriculture Handbook No. 271, U.S.D.A., Washington, D.C. (1965)
Gaastra, P.: Photosynthesis of crop plants as influenced by light, CO2, temperature, and stomatal diffusion resistance. Meded. Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen, Ned. 59 (13), 1–68 (1959)
Geis, J.W., Tortorelli, R.L., Boggess, W.R.: Carbon dioxide assimilation of hardwood seedlings in relation to community dynamics in central Illinois. Oecologia (Berl.) 7, 276–289 (1971)
Harlow, W.H., Harrar, E.S.: Textbook of dendrology. St. Louis: McGraw-Hill 1969
Harrison, A.T., Small, E., Mooney, H.A.: Drought relationships and distribution of two Mediterranean-climate California plant communities. Ecology 52, 869–875 (1971)
Jackson, W.A., Volk, R.J.: Photorespiration. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 21, 385–432 (1970)
Kanemasu, E.R., Thurtell, G.W., Tanner, C.B.: Design, calibration, and field use of a stomatal diffusion porometer. Plant Physiol. 44, 881–885 (1969)
Kozlowski, T.T.: Light and water in relation to growth and competition of Piedmont forest tree species. Ecol. Monogr. 19, 207–231 (1949)
Kramer, P.J., Decker, J.P.: Relation between light intensity and rate of photosynthesis of loblolly pine and certain hardwoods. Plant Physiol. 19, 350–358 (1944)
Larcher, W.: Transpiration and photosynthesis of detached leaves and shoots of Quercus pubescens and Quercus ilex during desiccation under standard conditions. Bull. Res. Council Israel D8, 213–224 (1960)
Larcher, W.: The effect of environmental and physiological variables on the carbon dioxide gas exchange of trees. Photosyn. 3, 167–198 (1969)
Loach, K.: Shade tolerance in tree seedlings. I. Leaf photosynthesis and respiration in plants raised under artificial shade. New Phytol. 66, 607–621 (1967)
Moss, D.N.: The limiting carbon dioxide concentration for photosynthesis. Nature (Lond.) 193, 587 (1962)
Pisek, A., Winkler, E.: Die Schließbewegung der Stomata bei ökologisch verschiedenen Pflanzentypen in Abhängigkeit vom Wassersättigungszustand der Blätter und vom Licht. Planta (Berl.) 42, 253–278 (1953)
Scholander, P.F., Hammel, H.T., Bradstreet, E.D., Hemmingsen, E.A.: Sap pressure in vacular plants. Science 148, 339–346 (1965)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bacone, J., Bazzaz, F.A. & Boggess, W.R. Correlated photosynthetic responses and habitat factors of two successional tree species. Oecologia 23, 63–74 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00351215
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00351215