Abstract
Miconia albicans, a common evergreen cerrado species, was studied under field conditions. Leaf gas exchange and pre-dawn leaf water potential (Ψpd) were determined during wet and dry seasons. The potential photosynthetic capacity (PNpmax) and the apparent carboxylation efficiency (ε) dropped in the dry season to 28.0 and 0.7 %, respectively, of the maximum values in the wet season. The relative mesophyll (Lm) and stomatal (Ls) limitations of photosynthesis increased, respectively, from 24 and 44 % in the wet season to 79 and 57 % at the peak of the dry season when mean Ψpd reached −5.2 MPa. After first rains, the PNpmax, ε, and Lm recovered reaching the wet season values, but Ls was maintained high (63 %). The shallow root system growing on stonemason limited by lateral concrete wall to a depth of 0.33 m explained why extreme Ψpd was brought about. Thus M. albicans is able to overcome quickly the strains imposed by severe water stress.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bota, J., Medrano, H., Flexas, J.: Is photosynthesis limited by decreased Rubisco activity and RuBP content under progressive water stress? — New Phytol. 162: 671–681, 2004.
Caemmerer, S. von: Biochemical Models of Leaf Photosynthesis. — CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood 2000.
Caemmerer, S. von, Farquhar, G.D.: Some relationships between the biochemistry of photosynthesis and the gas exchange of leaves. — Planta 153: 376–387, 1981.
Castro, A.A.J.F., Martins, F.R., Tomashiro, J.Y., Shepherd, G.J.: How rich is the flora of Brazilian cerrados? — Ann. Missouri bot. Garden 86: 192–224, 1999.
Eamus, D.: Ecophysiological traits of deciduous and evergreen woody species in the seasonally dry tropics. — Tree 14: 11–16, 1999.
Farquhar, G.D., Sharkey, T.D.: Stomatal conductance and photosynthesis. — Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 33: 317–345, 1982.
Fischer, R.A., Hsiao, T.C., Hagan, R.M.: After-effect of water stress on stomatal opening potential. — J. exp. Bot. 21: 371–385, 1970.
Franco, A.C.: Seasonal patterns of gas exchange, water relations and growth of Roupala montana, an evergreen savanna species. — Plant Ecol. 136: 69–76, 1998.
Franco, A.C.: Ecophysiology of woody plants. — In: Oliveira, P.S., Marquis, R.J. (ed.): The Cerrados of Brazil: Ecology and Natural History of a Neo-Tropical Savanna. Pp. 178–197. Columbia University Press, Irvington 2002.
Franco, A.C., Nardoto, G.N., Souza, M.: Patterns of soil water potential and seedling survival in cerrado of central Brazil. — In: Pereira, C.P., Nasser, L.C.B. (ed.): VIII Simposio sobre o Cerrado. Pp. 227–280. EMBRAPA, Planaltina 1996.
Jackson, P.C., Meinzer, F.C., Bustamante, M., Goldstein, G., Franco, A., Rundel, P.W., Caldas, L., Igler, E., Causin, F.: Partitioning of soil water among tree species in a Brazilian Cerrado ecosystem. — Tree Physiol. 19: 717–724, 1999.
Jacob, J., Lawlor, D.W.: Stomatal and mesophyll limitations of photosynthesis in phosphate deficient sunflower, maize and wheat plants. — J. exp. Bot. 42: 1003–1011, 1991.
Larcher, W.: Physiological Plant Ecology. — Springer-Verlag, New York 2003.
Losch, R., Schulze, E.-D.: Internal coordination of plant responses to drought and evaporational demand. — In: Schulze, E.-D., Caldwell, M.M. (ed.): Ecophysiology of Photosynthesis. Pp. 185–204. Springer-Verlag, Berlin — Heidelberg — New York 1995.
Mattos, E.A., Lobo, P.C., Joly, C.A.: Overnight rainfall inducing rapid changes in photosynthetic behaviour in a Cerrado woody species during a dry spell amidst the rainy season. — Aust. J. Bot. 50: 241–246, 2002.
Mattos, E.A., Reinert, F., Moraes, J.A.P.V.: Comparison of carbon isotope discrimination and CO2 and H2O gas exchange between the dry and the wet seasons in leaves of several Cerrado woody species. — Rev. brasil. Fisiol. veg. 9: 77–82, 1997.
Moraes, J.A.P.V., Perez, S.C.J.G., Carvalho, L.F.: [Daily and seasonal courses of leaf water potential and stomatal resistance in cerradao species.] — Ann. Missouri Bot. Garden 27: 13–23, 1989. [In Port.]
Moraes, J.A.P.V., Prado, C.H.B.A.: Photosynthesis and water relations in Cerrado vegetation. — Oecol. brasil. 4: 45–63, 1998.
Myers, B.A., Duff, G.A., Eamus, D., Fordyce, I.R., O'Grady, A., Williams, R.J.: Seasonal variation in water relations of trees of differing leaf phenology in a wet-dry tropical savanna near Darwin, Northern Australia. — Aust. J. Bot. 45: 225–240, 1997.
Naves-Barbiero, C.C., Franco, A.C., Bucci, S.J., Goldstein, G.: [Sap flow and stomatal conductance in two evergreen species in “campo sujo” and in “cerradao”.] — Rev. brasil. Fisiol. veg. 12: 119–134, 2000. [In Port.]
Nix, H.A.: Climate in tropical savanna. — In: Bourliere, F. (ed.): Ecosystems of the World, Tropical Savanna. Pp. 37–62. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Co., Amsterdam 1983.
Paula, N.F.: [Photosynthetic Capacity, Deciduousness, and Nitrogen and Phosphorus Contents in Leaves of Cerrado Woody Species.] — DSc. Thesis. Univ. Federal de Sao Carlos, Sao Carlos 2002. [In Port.]
Prado, C.H.B.A., de Moraes, J.A.P.V.: Photosynthetic capacity and specific leaf mass in twenty woody species of Cerrado vegetation under field conditions. — Photosynthetica 33: 103–112, 1997.
Prado, C.H.B.A., Ronquim, C.C., Peron, M.C.C.: [Carbon balance in two young cerrado woody species cultivated under full irradiance and under canopy.] — In: Scariot, A., Sousa-Silva, J.C., Felfili, J.M. (ed.): [Biodiversity, Ecology and conservation of Cerrado.] In press. EMBRAPA, Brasilia 2005. [In Port.]
Prado, C.H.B.A., Wenhui, Z., Rojas, M.H.C., Souza, G.M.: Seasonal leaf gas exchange and water potential in a woody cerrado species community. — Braz. J. Plant Physiol. 16: 7–16, 2004.
Prior, L.D., Eamus, D., Duff, G.A.: Seasonal and diurnal patterns of carbon assimilation, stomatal conductance and leaf water potentials in Eucalyptus tetrodonta saplings in a wet-dry savanna in Northern Australia. — Aust. J. Bot. 45: 241–258, 1997.
Ratter, J.A., Bridgewater, S., Atkinson, R., Ribeiro, J.F.: Analysis of the floristic composition of the Brazilian cerrado vegetation II: comparison of the woody vegetation of 98 areas. — Edinburgh J. Bot. 53: 153–180, 1996.
Reich, P.B., Borchert, R.: Water stress and tree phenology in a tropical dry forest in the Lowlands of Costa Rica. — J. Ecol. 72: 61–74, 1984.
Ribeiro, J.F., Walter, B.M.T.: [Physiognomies of Cerrado Biome.] — In: Sano, S.M., Almeida, S.P. (ed.): [Cerrado: Ambient and Flora.] Pp. 89–152. EMBRAPA, Planaltina 1998. [In Port.]
Sarmiento, G., Monasterio, M.: Life forms and phenology. — In: Bourliere, F. (ed.): Tropical Savannas. Pp. 79–108. Elsevier, Amsterdam 1983.
Scholz, F.G., Bucci, S.J., Goldstein, G., Meinzer, F.C., Franco, A.C.: Hydraulic redistribution of soil water by neotropical savanna trees. — Tree Physiol. 22: 603–612, 2002.
Tezara, W., Fernandez, M.D., Donoso, C., Herrera, A.: Seasonal changes in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance of five species from a semiarid ecosystem. — Photosynthetica 35: 399–410, 1998.
Warren, C.R., Adams, A.M.: Evergreen trees do not maximize instantaneous photosynthesis. — Trends Plant Sci. 9: 270–274, 2004.
Williams, R.J., Myers, B.A., Muller, W.J., Duff, G.A., Eamus, D.: Leaf phenology of woody species in a north Australian tropical savanna. — Ecology 78: 2542–2558, 1997.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Monteiro, J.A.F., Prado, C.H.B.A. Apparent carboxylation efficiency and relative stomatal and mesophyll limitations of photosynthesis in an evergreen cerrado species during water stress. Photosynthetica 44, 39–45 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-005-0156-1
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-005-0156-1