Summary
The diurnal change in titrable acidity in two aquatic CAM plants, Littorella uniflora var. americana (Fern.) Gl. and Isoetes macrospora Duriev., growing at two sites, was monitored at biweekly intervals for two years during the ice-free period. Both plants exhibited the classic pattern of CAM acitivity, with deacidification 60 to 90% complete by noon. The maximum diurnal acid rhythms observed were 169±7, and 154±20 μeq·g-1 fresh weight for the two Littorella populations, and 182±9 and 133±16 μeq·g-1 fresh weight for the two Isoetes populations. The seasonal pattern of the diurnal acid rhythm was correlated with temperature and light. The maximum activity occurred in midsummer, with negligible activity under ice cover. This pattern was similar to that of terrestrial CAM plants from non-arid environments. Comparison of CAM activity for populations of the same species indicates that the magnitude of CAM activity is closely related to plant productivity, and appears to be related to light and perhaps CO2 availability. In these plants, CAM extends the diel period of carbon accumulation and contributes 40 to 50% of the annual carbon gain. The prolonged period of carbon acquisition and effective conservation of respired CO2 via CAM is of paramount importance in the growth and productivity of these plants in oligotrophic environments.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aulio K, Salin M (1983) Crassulacean acid metabolism-like photosynthesis found in the submerged but not in the terrestrial life form of Littorella uniflora. Plant Physiol 72 (Suppl. 1):9
Barrow SR, Cockburn W (1982) Effects of light quantity and quality on the decarboxylation of malic acid in Crassulacean Acid Metabolism photosynthesis. Plant Physiol 69:568–571
Black MA, Maberly SC, Spence DHN (1981) Resistances to carbon dioxide fixation in four submerged freshwater macrophytes. New Phytol 89:557–568
Boston HL, Adams MS (1983) Evidence of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism in two North American Isoetids. Aquat Bot 15:381–386
Boylen CW, Sheldon RB (1976) Submergent macrophytes: growth under winter ice cover. Science 192:841–842
Fu CF, Hew CS (1982) Crassulacean Acid Metabolism in orchids under water stress. Bot Gaz 143:294–297
Hesslein RH (1976) An in situ sampler for close interval pore water studies. Limnol Oceanogr 21:912–914
Keeley JE (1982) Distribution of diurnal acid metabolism in the genus Isoetes. Am J Bot 69:254–257
Keeley JE (1983) Crassulacean Acid Metabolism in the seasonally submerged aquatic Isoetes howellii. Oecologia (Berlin) 58:57–62
Keeley JE, Bowes G (1982) Gas exchange characteristics of the submerged aquatic Crassulacean Acid Metabolism plant, Isoetes howellii. Plant Physiol 70:1455–1458
Keeley JE, Morton BA (1982) Distribution of diurnal acid metabolism in submerged aquatic plants outside the genus Isoetes. Photosynthetica 16:546–553
Keeley JE, Mathews RP, Walker CM (1983a) Diurnal acid metabolism in Isoetes howellii from a temporary pool and a permanent lake. Am J Bot 70:854–857
Keeley JE, Walker CM, Matthews RP (1983b) Crassulacean Acid Metabolism in Isoetes bolanderi in high elevation oligotrophic lakes. Oecologia (Berlin) 58:63–69
Kluge M, Ting IP (1978) Crassulacean Acid Metabolism. Springer, Berlin
Koch KE, Kennedy RA (1980) Effects of seasonal changes in the midwest on Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) in Opuntia humifusa Raf. Oecologia (Berlin) 45:390–395
Littlejohn RO Jr, Williams G (1983) Diurnal and seasonal variations in activity of crassulacean acid metabolism and plant water status in a northern latitude population of Opuntia erinacea. Oecologia (Berlin) 59:83–87
Maberly SC, Spence DHN (1983) Photosynthetic inorganic carbon use by freshwater plants. J Ecol 71:705–724
Martin CE, Christen NL, Boyd SR (1981) Seasonal patterns of growth, tissue acid fluctuation and 14CO2 uptake in the Crassulacean Acid Metabolism epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides L. (Spanish Moss). Oecologia (Berlin) 49:322–328
Martin CE, Lubers AE, Teeri JA (1982) Variability in Crassulacean Acid Metabolism: a survey of North Carolina succulent species. Bot Gaz 143:491–497
Moradshahi A, Vines HM, Black CC (1977) CO2 exchange and acidity levels in detached pineapple Ananas comosus (L.) Merr., leaves during the day at various temperatures, O2 and CO2 concentrations. Plant Physiol 59:274–278
Neales TF (1975) The gas exchange patterns of CAM plants. In: Marcelle R (ed.) Environmental and biological control of photosynthesis. Junk, The Hague pp 299–310
Neales TF, Sale PJM, Meyer CP (1980) Carbon dioxide assimilation by pineapple plants Ananas comosus L. Merr. II. Effects of variation of the day/night temperature regime. Aust J Plant Physiol 7:375–385
Nobel PS, Hartsock TL (1983) Relationships between photosynthetically active radiation, nocturnal acid accumulation and CO2 uptake for a Crassulacean Acid Metabolism plant, Opuntia ficus-indica. Plant Physiol 71:71–75
Nobel PS, Hartsock TL (1984) Physiological responses of Opuntia ficus-indica to growth temperature. Physiol Plant 60:98–105
Osmond CB (1978) Crassulacean Acid Metabolism: A curiosity in context. Ann Rev Plant Physiol 29:379–414
Osmond CB, Nott DL, Firth PM (1979) Carbon assimilation patterns and growth of the introduced CAM plant Opuntia inermis in Eastern Australia. Oecologia (Berlin) 40:331–350
Osmond CB, Winter K, Ziegler H (1982) Functional significance of different pathways of CO2 fixation in photosynthesis. In: Lange OL, Nobel PS, Osmond CB, Ziegler H (eds) Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology v 12B. Physiological Plant Ecology II, Springer, Berlin, pp 479–547
Richardson K, Griffiths H, Reed ML, Raven JA, Griffiths NM (1984) Inorganic carbon assimilation in the isoetids, Isoetes lacustris L. and Lobelia dortmanna L. Oecologia (Berlin) 61:115–121
Sale PJM, Neales TF (1980) Carbon dioxide assimilation by pineapple plants, Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. I: Effects of daily irradiance. Aust J Plant Physiol 7:363–373
Smith FA, Walker NA (1980) Photosynthesis by aquatic plants: effects of unstirred layers in relation to assimilation of CO2 and HCO -3 and to carbon isotope discrimination. New Phytol 86:245–259
Søndergaard M (1979) Light and dark respiration and the effect of the lacunal system on refixation of CO2 in submerged aquatic plants. Aquat Bot 6:269–283
Søndergaard M, Sand-Jensen K (1979) Carbon uptake by leaves and roots of Littorella uniflora (L.) Aschers. Aquat Bot 6:1–12
Szarek SR, Ting IP (1974) Seasonal patterns of acid metabolism and gas exchange in Opuntia basilaris. Plant Physiol 54:76–81
Szarek SR, Ting IP (1975) Photosynthetic efficiency of CAM plants in relation to C3 and C4 plants. In: Marcelle R (ed.) Environmental and Biological Control of Photosynthesis. Junk, The Hague
Winter K, Wallace BJ, Stocker GC, Roksandic Z (1983) Crassulacean acid metabolism in Australian vascular epiphytes and some related species. Oecologia (Berlin) 57:129–141
Wium-Andersen S (1971) Photosynthetic uptake of free CO2 by the roots of Lobelia dortmanna. Physiol Plant 25:245–248
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Boston, H.L., Adams, M.S. Seasonal diurnal acid rhythms in two aquatic crassulacean acid metabolism plants. Oecologia 65, 573–579 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00379675
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00379675