Effects of soil flooding on leaf gas exchange and growth of two neotropical pioneer tree species

Measurements of leaf gas exchange at different photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) levels were conducted in order to compare the photosynthetic traits of five neotropical rainforest tree species, with a special emphasis on empirical mathematical models to estimate the light response curve parameters incorporating the effects of leaf-to-air vapour pressure deficit (D) on the saturated photosynthetic rate (Amax). All empirical mathematical models seemed to provide a good estimation of the light response parameters. Comparisons of the leaf photosynthetic traits between different species needed to select an appropriate model and indicated the microenvironmental conditions when the data were collected. When the vapour pressure deficit inside the chamber was not controlled, the incorporation of linear or exponencial functions that explained the effects of D on leaf gas exchange, was a very good method to enhance the performance of the models.

Download Full-text

Spatial structure of genetic variation and primary succession in the pioneer tree species Antirhea borbonica on La Reunion

Molecular Ecology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-294x.2005.02502.x ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

pp. 1575-1584 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

I. LITRICO ◽

J. RONFORT ◽

R. VERLAQUE ◽

J. D. THOMPSON

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variation ◽

Spatial Structure ◽

Tree Species ◽

Primary Succession ◽

La Réunion ◽

Pioneer Tree Species ◽

Pioneer Tree

Download Full-text

Divergent phenological and leaf gas exchange strategies of two competing tree species drive contrasting responses to drought at their altitudinal boundary

Tree Physiology ◽

10.1093/treephys/tpy041 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 38 (8) ◽

pp. 1152-1165 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Laura Fernández-de-Uña ◽

Ismael Aranda ◽

Sergio Rossi ◽

Patrick Fonti ◽

Isabel Cañellas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gas Exchange ◽

Tree Species ◽

Leaf Gas Exchange

Download Full-text

Loss of desiccation tolerance during germination in neo-tropical pioneer seeds: implications for seed mortality and germination characteristics

Seed Science Research ◽

10.1017/s0960258507837755 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 273-281 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Matthew I. Daws ◽

Sheina Bolton ◽

David F.R.P. Burslem ◽

Nancy C. Garwood ◽

Christopher E. Mullins

Keyword(s):

Desiccation Tolerance ◽

Tree Species ◽

Pioneer Tree Species ◽

Pioneer Tree ◽

Seed Mortality ◽

Progress Curve ◽

Seed Population ◽

Germination Characteristics ◽

Fixed Proportion ◽

Number Of Seeds

AbstractOrthodox, desiccation-tolerant seeds lose desiccation tolerance during germination. Here, we quantify the timing of the loss of desiccation tolerance, and explore the implications of this event for seed mortality and the shape of germination progress curves for pioneer tree species. For the nine species studied, all seeds in a seedlot lost desiccation tolerance after the same fixed proportion of their time to germination, and this proportion was fairly constant across the species (0.63–0.70). The loss of desiccation tolerance after a fixed proportion of the time to germination has the implication that the maximum number of seeds in a seedlot that can be killed by a single drying event during germination (Mmax) increases with an increasing time to 50% germination (t50) and an increasing slope of the germination progress curve. Consequently, to prevent the seed population from becoming highly vulnerable to desiccation-induced mortality, species with a greater t50 would be expected to have a shallower germination progress curve. In conclusion, these data suggest that the loss of desiccation tolerance during germination may constitute a significant, but previously unexplored, source of mortality for seeds in seasonal environments with unpredictable rainfall.

Download Full-text