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Growth environment determines light sensitivity of shoot hydraulic conductance

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Ecological Research

Abstract

Acclimation of light sensitivity of hydraulic conductance of shoots of silver birch (Betula pendula) and hybrid aspen (Populus × wettsteinii) to growth environments with three different air humidities was studied. Hydraulic conductance of shoots kept for 1–2 h in darkness (D) or in light (L) was measured by the pressure chamber method, and light sensitivity was defined as a significant difference between D and L shoots. Light sensitivity of shoots grown in three different air humidities was found to vary. Amongst shoots grown in current natural air, only the hydraulic conductance of the whole shoot and that of the leaf blades of birch upper foliage were significantly light sensitive. Amongst shoots grown in decreased air humidity, hydraulic conductance of the whole shoot, the leaf blades, and the stem and petioles of birch upper foliage, the conductance of the whole shoot and the leaf blades of birch lower foliage, and the conductance of the whole shoot of aspen upper foliage were light sensitive. None of the shoots grown in increased air humidity were significantly light sensitive. We predict that light sensitivity will become more widespread among species in regions where air humidity decreases as a result of global climate change, and vice versa. Low white light always caused the same increase in hydraulic conductance as high white light, and blue and white light always caused an increase in conductance about two times greater than red light, indicating that growth environment did not markedly modify the mechanism of light sensitivity.

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Acknowledgments

The study was financed by the Estonian Ministry of Science and Education (target-financed themes no. 0170021s08, 0182734s06 and SF0180025s12), by the Estonian Science Foundation (Grants No. 6969, 7736, 8719 and 9186) and by the Academy of Finland (Project No. 1252548).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biosciences, Plant Biology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Krõõt Aasamaa

  2. Department of Silviculture, Institute of Forestry and Rural Engineering, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014, Tartu, Estonia

    Krõõt Aasamaa & Kristi Kõivik

  3. Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai 40, 51005, Tartu, Estonia

    Priit Kupper & Anu Sõber

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  1. Krõõt Aasamaa
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Aasamaa, K., Kõivik, K., Kupper, P. et al. Growth environment determines light sensitivity of shoot hydraulic conductance. Ecol Res 29, 143–151 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-013-1104-3

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