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Variability of photosynthetic capacity and water relations of Pinus sylvestris L. in the field

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Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

Measurements of dependence of photosynthetic electron transport on irradiance and analyses of stable isotope ratios (δ18O, δ13C, δ15N) were performed on 4 to 6-year-old pine trees (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the primeval forest reserve of Białowieża and on 21-year-old pine trees of a plantation of different provenances at the Sękocin Forest Station near Warsaw, Poland. Small differences in maximum photosynthetic electron transport rates, ETRmax were related to growth. Stable isotope analyses suggest that water relations play an important role for the performance of P. sylvestris at the sites studied. The intraspecific comparisons showed a very high variability of photosynthetic capacity between needles of given trees and between individual trees under similar conditions. Differences between specific provenances were also observed. This is relevant for ecological niche occupation in a wide geographical growth range, where P. sylvestris is actually occurring. The high physiological plasticity demonstrated reveals a conspicuous trait of this tree species.

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Abbreviations

δ13C:

carbon isotope ratio

δ18O:

oxygen isotope ratio

δ15N:

nitrogen isotope ratio

ETR:

apparent photosynthetic electron transport rate

ETRmax :

ETR at saturation with PAR

F0 :

basic fluorescence of dark adapted needles

F0’:

basic fluorescence of light adapted needles

Fm :

maximum fluorescence of dark adapted needles

Fm’:

maximal fluorescence of light adapted needles

ΔF = Fm’ — F0’; ΔF/Fm’:

effective quantum yield of PS 2

ΔF/Fm’50 :

ΔF/Fm’ at half saturation

ΔF/Fm’sat :

ΔF/Fm’ at saturation Fv = Fm — F0

Fv/Fm :

potential quantum use efficiency

gs :

stomatal conductance

PAR:

photosynthetically active radiation

PAR50 :

half saturating PAR

PARsat :

saturating PAR

PS:

photosystem

RAPD:

random amplified polymorphic DNA

WUE:

water use efficiency

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Acknowledgements

We thank the administrations of the Primeval Forest Białowieża National Park and the Forest Research Institute Sękocin of the Instytut Badawczy Leśnictwa, Warsaw, for the permissions to work in the forests and for support on site. The editor-in-chief of Biologia Plantarum and an anonymous reviewer are thanked for very useful comments on the manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. K. Rakowski

    Present address: , Pawlaczyka 1/7, PL-02-790, Warszawa, Poland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Botany, Darmstadt University of Technology, Schnittspahnstr. 3 - 5, D-64287, Darmstadt, Germany

    U. Lüttge

  2. Institute of Forest Botany and Tree Physiology, University of Freiburg, D-79110, Freiburg, Germany

    P. Escher & H. Rennenberg

  3. Department of Natural Forest, Forest Research Institute, PL-17-230, Białowieża, Poland

    R. Paluch

  4. Institute of Applied Botany, University of Duisburg-Essen, Campus Essen, D-45117, Essen, Germany

    H. Pfanz & C. Wittmann

  5. Forest Research Institute, PL-05-230, Raszyn, Poland

    K. Rakowski

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  1. U. Lüttge
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Correspondence to U. Lüttge.

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Lüttge, U., Escher, P., Paluch, R. et al. Variability of photosynthetic capacity and water relations of Pinus sylvestris L. in the field. Biol Plant 55, 90–98 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-011-0012-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-011-0012-z

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