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Reaction of savanna plants from Botswana on UV-B radiation

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UV-B and Biosphere

Part of the book series: Advances in vegetation science ((AIVS,volume 17))

Abstract

The annual savanna grasses Chloris virgata (C4) and Tragus berteronianus (C3) and the tree Acacia tortilis were exposed in a greenhouse to elevated UV-B radiation (16.8 kJ m-2 d-1 UV-BBe) and to no UV-B and grown on a poor and a rich soil for one life-cycle (grasses) and one growing season (Acacia). UV-B radiation had no effect on biomass production and caryopses mass of both annual grasses. The longevity of the cotyledons of A. tortilis was shortened by 4 to 10 days under enhanced UV-B radiation, which also hampered the translocation of Fe, Mg and Mn from the cotyledons to the seedling and the retranslocation of Mn on both soil types and that of P on fertile soil out of senescent leaves. At the end of the growth period (190 days after germination), photosynthesis of UV-B radiated leaves of A. tortilis was significantly decreased and supported the tendency of decreased biomass of UV-B radiated plants. It is concluded that from the investigated savanna species the grasses are relatively well adapted to increased UV-B due to their actual exposure to high UV-B radiation under Botswana conditions, whereas saplings of A. tortilis are more sensitive to UV-B radiation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Wilfried H. O. Ernst, Jos W. M. van de Staaij & Hans J. M. Nelissen

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  1. Wilfried H. O. Ernst
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  2. Jos W. M. van de Staaij
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  3. Hans J. M. Nelissen
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    J. Rozema

  2. State University of Groningen, The Netherlands

    W. W. C. Gieskes

  3. Research Institute of Agrobiology and Soil Fertility (AB-DLO), Wageningen, The Netherlands

    S. C. Van De Geijn

  4. European Commission — DGXII-E-1, Science & Technology for Environm. Protection, Brussels, Belgium

    C. Nolan

  5. Netherlands Research Organisation, The Hague, The Netherlands

    H. De Boois

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© 1997 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Ernst, W.H.O., van de Staaij, J.W.M., Nelissen, H.J.M. (1997). Reaction of savanna plants from Botswana on UV-B radiation. In: Rozema, J., Gieskes, W.W.C., Van De Geijn, S.C., Nolan, C., De Boois, H. (eds) UV-B and Biosphere. Advances in vegetation science, vol 17. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5718-6_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5718-6_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6411-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-5718-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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