Abstract
The study of plant physiological ecology has experienced an explosive development in the past decade. Work has centered primarily on those mechanisms by which plants acquire and utilize resources, particularly carbon and water and, to a much lesser degree, nutrients. Techniques have been developed for assessing costs and benefits of various organic compounds and plant structures; however, problems remain to be solved in this area. Various plant “strategy” groupings have been functionally characterized, although further refinements and extentions to tropical plants are needed. Methods for unraveling past performances of plants have been developed and are being used increasingly. The effects of biological interactions in structuring plant communities recently have received greater attention, particularly plant-herbivore and plant-pollinator interactions, and will be studied more in the coming years. However, further studies of the mechanistic basis of plant-plant interactions are needed.
In the years ahead, plant physiological ecology will be a strong contributor to many applied research areas extending from agroecology to ecosystem management. Further, physiological ecology will continue to serve as an interface between a variety of disciplines, ranging from molecular biology to ecosystem ecology.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Literature Cited
Balding, F.R., and G.L. Cunningham., 1976. A comparison of heat transfer characteristics of simple and pinnate leaf models. Bot. Gaz. 137: 65–74.
Bannister, P., 1976. Introduction to physiological plant ecology. Halsted Press, New York, NY USA.
Beardsell, M.F., P.G. Jarvis, and B. Davidson., 1972. A null-balance diffusion porometer suitable for use with leaves of many shapes. J. Appl. Ecol. 9: 677–690.
Berendse, F., 1982. Competition between plant populations with different rooting depths. III. Field experiments. Oecologia 53: 50–55.
Berry, J., and O. Björkman., 1980. Photosynthetic response and adaptation to temperature in higher plants. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 31: 491–543.
Brown, J.C., 1979. Genetic improvement and nutrient uptake in plants. Bioscíence 29: 289–292.
Carlquist, S., 1975. Ecological strategies of xylem evolution. Univ. of Calif. Press, Berkeley, CA USA.
Chapin, F.S., III. 1980. The mineral nutrition of wild plants. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 11: 233–260.
Chíariello, N., J.C. Hickman, and H.A. Mooney., 1982. Endomycorrhízal role for interspecific transfer of phosphorus in a community of annual plants. Science 217: 941–943.
Cowan, I., 1965. Transport of water in the soil-plant-atmosphere system. J. Appl. Ecol. 2: 221–239.
Cowan, I., and G. Farquhar., 1977. Stomatal function in relation to leaf metabolism and environment. Symp. Soc. Exp. Biol. 31: 471–505.
Daubenmíre, R.F., 1947. Plants and environment. Wiley, New York, NY USA.
Duncan, W.G., R.S. Loomis, W.A. Williams, and R. Hanan., 1967. A model for simulating photosynthesis in plant communities. Hílgardia 38: 181–205.
Ehlerínger, J., 1978. Implications of quantum yield differences on the distributions of C3 and C4 grasses. Oecologia 31: 255–267.
Ehlerínger, J., O. Björkman, and H.A. Mooney., 1976. Leaf pubescence: Effects on absorptance and photosynthesis in a desert shrub. Science 192: 376–377.
Ehleringer, J., and I. Foreseth., 1980. Solar tracking by plants. Science 210: 1094–1098.
Ehrlich, P., and P. Raven., 1965. Butterflies and plants: A study in coevolution. Evolution 18: 568–608.
Etheríngton, J.R., 1975. Environment and plant ecology. Wiley, New York, NY USA.
G.Farquhar, M. Ball, S. von Caemmerer, and Z. Roksandíc., 1982. Effect of salinity and humidity on 813C value of halophytes-evidence in diffusional isotope fractionation determined by the ratio of intercellular/atmospheric partial pressure of CO2 under different environmental conditions. Oecologia 52: 121–124.
Fick, G.W., W.A. Williams, and R.S. Loomis., 1973. Computer simula- tion of dry matter distribution during sugar beet growth. Crop Scí. 13: 413–417.
Field, C., 1983. Allocating leaf nitrogen for the maximization of carbon gain; leaf age as a control on the allocation program. Oecologia 56: 341–347.
Field, C., J. Berry, and H.A. Mooney., 1982. A portable system for measuring carbon dioxide and water vapour exchange of leaves: Technical report. Plant, Cell Environ. 5: 179–186.
Fitter, A.H., and R.K.M. Hay., 1981. Environment physiology of plants. Academic Press, London, England.
Gates, D.M., 1962. Energy exchange in the biosphere. Harper and Row, New York, NY USA.
Grime, P., 1979. Plant strategies and vegetation processes. Wiley, London, England.
Gulmon, S.L., N.R. Chiariello, H.A. Mooney, and C.C. Chu., 1983. Phenology and resource use in three co-occurring grassland annuals. Oecologia 58: 33–42.
Gutshick, V.P., 1981. Evolved strategies in nitrogen acquisition by plants. Am. Nat. 118: 607–637.
Hallé, F., R.A. Oldeman, and P.B. Tomlinson., 1978. Tropical trees and forests: An architectural analysis. Springer, Berlin, W. Germany.
Harper, J., 1977. Population biology of plants. Academic Press, London, England.
Herridge, D.F., and J.S. Pate., 1977. Utilization of net photosynthate for nitrogen fixation and protein production of an annual legume. Plant Physiol. 60: 759–764.
Hesketh, J.D., and J.W. Jones, eds. 1980. Predicting photosynthesis for ecosystem models. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL USA.
King, D., and J. Roughgarden., 1982. Graded allocation between vegetative and reproductive growth for annual plants in growing seasons of random length. Theor. Pop. Biol. 22: 1–16.
Lange, O., P. Nobel, C.B. Osmond, and H. Ziegler, eds. 1981. Encyclopedia of plant physiology, new series. Vol. 12A, Physiological plant ecology. Springer, Berlin, W. Germany.
Larcher, W., 1973. Okologie der Pflanzen. Ulmer, Stuttgart, W. Germany.
Lee, J.A., and G.R. Stewart., 1978. Ecological aspects of nitrogen assimilation. Adv. Bot. Res. 6: 1–43.
Livingston, B.E., and F. Shreve., 1921. The distribution of vegeta-tion in the United States, as related to climatic conditions. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Publ. 284.
McDermitt, D.K., and R.S. Loomis., 1981. Elemental composition of biomass and its relation to energy content, growth efficiency, and growth yield. Ann. Bot. 48: 245–290.
Medina, E., and P. Minchin., 1980. Stratification of S13C values of leaves in Amazonian rain forests. Oecologia 45: 377–378.
Meidner, H., and D. Sheriff., 1976. Water and plants. Blackie, Glasgow, Scotland.
Miller, P.C., 1967. Leaf orientation and energy exchange in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)and gambell’s oak (Quercus gambellii)in central Colorado. Oecol. Plant. 2: 241–270.
Miller, P.C., and L. Tieszen., 1972. A preliminary model of processes affecting primary production in the arctic tundra. Arctic Alpine Res. 4: 1–18.
Monsi, M., and T. Saiki., 1953. Uber den Lichtfaktor in den Pflanzen- gesellschaften und seine Bedeutung fur die Stoffproduktion
Jap. J. Bot. 14:22–52.
Mooney, H.A., 1972. Carbon dioxide exchange of plants in natural environments. Bot. Rev. 38: 455–469.
Mooney, H.A., J. Ehleringer, and O. Björkman., 1977. The energy balance of leaves of the evergreen desert shrub Atriplex hymenelgtra. Oecologia 29: 301–310.
Mooney, H.A., and M. Godron., 1983. Disturbance in ecosystems-components of response. Ecol. Stud. 44. Springer, Heidelberg, W. Germany.
Noble, I. 1981. Predicting successional change. Pages 278–300 in H.A. Mooney, T.M. Bonnicksen, N.L. Christensen, I.E. Lotan, and W.A. Reiners, eds. Fire regimes and ecosystem properties. U.S. Dep. of Agric. For. Serv. Gen. Tech. Rep. WO-26.
Nye, P.H., and P.B. Tinker. 1977. Solute movement in the soil-root system. Univ. of Calif. Press, Berkeley, CA USA.
Osmond, B., O. Björkman, and D.J. Anderson., 1980. Physiological processes in plant ecology. Springer, Berlin, W. Germany.
Paul, E.A., and R.M.N. Kucey. 1981. Carbon flow in plant microbial associations. Science 213: 473–474.
Penning de Vries, F.W.T., 1975. The cost of maintenance processes in plant cells. Ann. Bot. 39: 77–92.
Penning de Vries, F.W.T., A.H.M. Brunsting, and H.H. van Laar., 1974. Products, requirements and efficiency of biosynthesis: A quantitative approach. J. Theor. Biol. 45: 339–377.
Raunkiaer, C., 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant geography. Clarendon Press, Oxford, England.
Rice, E.L., 1974. Allelopathy. Academic Press, New York, NY USA.
Ritchie, G.A., and T.M. Hinckley., 1975. The pressure chamber as an instrument for ecological research. Adv. Ecol. Res. 9: 166–254.
Rosenthal, G., and D. Janzen, eds. 1979. Herbivores: Their interaction with secondary metabolites. Academic Press, New York, NY USA.
Schaffer, W.M., 1977. Some observations on the evolution of reproductive rate and competitive ability in flowering plants. Theor. Pop. Biol. 11: 90–104.
Schimpér, A.F.W., 1898. Pflanzengeographie auf physiologischer Grundlange. Fischer, Jena, Germany.
Scholander, P.F., H.T. Hammel, E.A. Hemmingsen, and E.D. Bradstreet., 1964. Hydrostatic pressure and osmotic potential in leaves of mangroves and some other plants. Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci. 52: 119–125.
Schulze, E-D., A.E. Hall, O.L. Lange, and H. Walz., 1982. A portable steady-state porometer for measuring the carbon dioxide and water vapour exchanges of leaves under natural conditions. Oecologia 53: 141–145.
Smith, W.K., 1978. Temperatures of desert plants: Another perspec- tive on the adaptability of leaf size. Science 201: 614–616.
Stewart, W.D.P., G.P. Fitzgerald, and R.H. Burris., 1967. In situ studies on N2 fixation using the acetylene reduction technique. Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci. 58: 2071–2078.
Teeri, J., and L.G. Stowe., 1976. Climatic patterns of C4 grasses in North America. Oecologia 23: 1–12.
Tracy, C.R., and J.S. Turner., 1982. What is physiological ecology ? Bull. Ecol. Soc. 63: 340–347.
Van der Merwe, N.J., 1982. Carbon isotopes, photosynthesis, and archeology. Am. Sci. 70: 596–606.
Walter, H., 1964. Die Vegetation der Erde in oko-physiologischer Betrachtung. Band I. Die tropischen und subtropischen zonen. Fischer, Jena.
Walter, H., 1968. Die Vegetation der Erde in oko-physiologischer Betrachtung. Band II. Die gemassigten und arkitschen Zonen. Fischer, Jena.
Waring, R.H., and S.W. Running., 1976.; Water uptake, storage and transpiration by conifers; a physiological model. Pages 189–202 in 0.L. Lange, L. Kappen and E.-D. Schulze, eds. Water and plant life. Springer, Berlin, W. Germany.
Watkinson, A.R., 1981. Interference in pure and mixed populations of Agrostemma githago. J. Appl. Ecol. 18: 967–976.
Wild, A., and V.G. Breeze., 1980. Nutrient uptake in relation to growth. Pages 331–344 in C.B. Johnson, ed. Physiological processes limiting plant productivity. Butterworth, London, England.
Wilson, B.F., and R.R. Archer., 1979. Tree design: Some biological solutions to mechanical problems. Bioscience 29: 293–298.
Wilson, P.W., E.B. Fred, and M.R. Salmon., 1933. Relations between carbon dioxide and elemental nitrogen assimilation in leguminous plants. Soil Sci. 35: 145–165.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1984 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mooney, H.A. (1984). Progress and Promise in Plant Physiological Ecology. In: Cooley, J.H., Golley, F.B. (eds) Trends in Ecological Research for the 1980s. NATO Conference Series, vol 7. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4898-6_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4898-6_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-4900-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-4898-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive