The functional ecology of shoot architecture in sun and shade plants of Heteromeles arbutifolia M. Roem., a Californian chaparral shrub

The understory shrub Lindera benzoin L. experiences lower rates of herbivory in sun environments than in shade environments. The production of secondary metabolites (e.g., phenolic compounds with known plant defense properties) is one likely contributor to these observed differences in herbivory. This work determined the total phenolic content as well as the concentrations of several individual phenolic acids in L. benzoin leaves found in sun and shade habitats. Total phenolic concentrations were determined to be higher in leaves from sun plants than in those from shade plants (47.5 ± 2.4 vs. 28.6 ± 1.3 gallic acid equivalents, respectively). High-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection was used to separate and quantify several individual phenolic acids, and specific compounds were identified based on their retention times and ultraviolet spectra. The concentrations of vanillic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric, and ferulic acids were shown to be statistically higher in leaves from sun plants than in those from shade plants (P < 0.05), whereas 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and caffeic acid were not significantly different in L. benzoin leaves from sun versus shade habitats.

Download Full-text

Interspecific covariation between stomatal density and other functional leaf traits in a local flora

Botany ◽

10.1139/b09-103 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 88 (1) ◽

pp. 30-38 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Jessy Loranger ◽

Bill Shipley

Keyword(s):

Chlorophyll Content ◽

Stomatal Density ◽

Leaf Traits ◽

Functional Ecology ◽

Leaf Trait ◽

Leaf Chlorophyll ◽

Sun And Shade Leaves ◽

Angiosperm Species ◽

Sun And Shade ◽

Shade Leaves

Despite the importance of stomata in leaf functioning, and despite the recent interest in interspecific leaf trait covariation in functional ecology, little is known about how stomatal density relates to other leaf traits in a broad interspecific context. This is especially important because stomatal density has been widely used to deduce temporal variation in atmospheric CO2 concentrations [CO2atm] from fossilized or herbarium leaves. We therefore measured stomatal density, specific leaf area (SLA) and its components, leaf thickness, and leaf chlorophyll content in both sun and shade leaves of 169 individuals from 52 angiosperm species in southwestern Quebec. Using mixed models, we show that stomatal density decreases allometrically with increasing SLA and chlorophyll content, and increases allometrically with increasing lamina thickness. The sun–shade contrast changes the intercepts, but not the slopes, of these relationships. It is important to take into consideration these relations when correlating stomatal density with [CO2], to avoid spurious interpretations.

Download Full-text

Mechanistic differences in photoinhibition of sun and shade plants

Planta ◽

10.1007/bf00192810 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 188 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 101

Author(s):

Gunnar �quist ◽

JanM. Anderson ◽

Stephanie McCaffery ◽

W.S. Chow

Keyword(s):

Sun And Shade ◽

Shade Plants

Download Full-text

Are sun- and shade-type anatomy required for the acclimation of Neoregelia cruenta?

Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências ◽

10.1590/s0001-37652013005000034 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 85 (2) ◽

pp. 561-574 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

FERNANDA REINERT ◽

MARCOS V. LEAL-COSTA ◽

NICIA E. JUNQUEIRA ◽

ELIANA S. TAVARES

Keyword(s):

Growth Conditions ◽

Sand Ridge ◽

Light Levels ◽

The Family ◽

Sun And Shade ◽

Shade Leaves ◽

Sun Leaves ◽

First Time ◽

Tank Bromeliads ◽

Shade Plants

Sun and shade plants are often discriminated by a number of sun- and shade-type anatomies. Nonetheless, we propose that among tank-bromeliads, changes in rosette architecture satisfy the requirements for coping with contrasting light levels. The tank-bromeliad Neoregelia cruenta naturally colonises sub-habitats ranging from full exposure to direct sunlight, to shaded environments in sand ridge plains. We quantified anatomical and morphological traits of leaves and rosettes of N. cruenta grown under sun and shade conditions. Cells with undulated lateral walls within the water parenchyma are for the first time described for the family. Under high light, leaf blades were wider, shorter, and yellowish. The rosette diameter of sun plants was less than half that of shade plants. Sun leaves overlapped with neighbouring leaves for most of their length, forming a cylindrical rosette where water accumulates. Shade leaves only overlapped in the centre of the rosette. Most anatomical traits were similar under both growth conditions. Stomata were absent from the base of sun leaves, which is probably explained by limited gas exchange at the base of the tight sun-type rosette. Data suggest that the ability of N. cruenta to acclimate to sun and shade is better explained by changes in rosette architecture than by leaf anatomy.

Download Full-text

Nitrogen Partitioning among Photosynthetic Components and its Consequence in Sun and Shade Plants

Functional Ecology ◽

10.2307/2390281 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 335 ◽

Cited By ~ 125

Author(s):

K. Hikosaka ◽

I. Terashima

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Partitioning ◽

Sun And Shade ◽

Shade Plants

Download Full-text