Photosynthetica 2003, 41(1):105-109 | DOI: 10.1023/A:1025872815480

Gas Exchange, Leaf Structure, and Hydraulic Features in Relation to Sex, Shoot Form, and Leaf Form in An Evergreen Shrub Sabina vulgaris in the Semi-Arid Mu Us Sandland in China

W. M. He1, X. S. Zhang1, M. Dong1
1 Laboratory of Quantitative Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China

We examined differences in net photosynthetic rate (PN), transpiration rate (E), water use efficiency (WUE), ratio of substomatal to atmospheric CO2 concentration (Ci/Ca), cuticle thickness (CT), epidermis cell size (ECS), mesophyll cell size (MCS), vascular bundle size (VBS), tissue density (TD), and coefficient of water loss (k) in Sabina vulgaris as related to sex, shoot form, and leaf form. PN, E, WUE, Ci/Ca, MCS, VBS, and k varied with sex, whereas CT, ECS, and TD did not. These differences in physiology and anatomy between the female and male plants may be closely related with their reproduction behaviour. PN, E, Ci/Ca, CT, ECS, MCS, and VBS were significantly smaller in the erect shoots than in the prostrate shoots, WUE was just opposite; TD and k did not vary with shoot form. These changes in physiology with shoot form indicate that erect shoots may be more tolerant of water stress than prostrate shoots. PN, E, Ci/Ca, TD, and k were significantly greater in the spine leaves than in the scale leaves, whereas WUE, CT, ECS, MCS, and VBS followed the opposite trends. The changes in physiology and anatomy with leaf form suggest that scale leaves have higher drought-resistant and water-holding capacities than spine leaves. Measurements of field gas exchange showed that three-year-old seedlings had lower drought-resistance and higher water loss than five-year-old seedlings, which provides some evidence that seedling survival decreases with decreasing plant age.

Additional key words: coefficient of water loss; leaf anatomy; photosynthesis; Sabina vulgaris; tissue density; transpiration; water use efficiency

Published: March 1, 2003  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
He, W.M., Zhang, X.S., & Dong, M. (2003). Gas Exchange, Leaf Structure, and Hydraulic Features in Relation to Sex, Shoot Form, and Leaf Form in An Evergreen Shrub Sabina vulgaris in the Semi-Arid Mu Us Sandland in China. Photosynthetica, 41(1), 105-109. doi: 10.1023/A:1025872815480
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Anderson, J.E., Nowak, R.S., Rasmuson, K.E, Toft, N.L.: Gas exchange and resource-use efficiency of Leymus cinereus (Poaceae): diurnal and seasonal responses to naturally declining soil moisture.-Amer. J. Bot. 82: 699-708, 1995. Go to original source...
    2. Antos, J.A., Allen, G.A.: Patterns of reproductive effort in male and female shrubs of Oemleria cerasiformis: a 6-year study.-J. Ecol. 87: 77-84, 1999. Go to original source...
    3. Bazzaz, F.A., Chiarello, N.R., Coley, P.D.: Allocating responses to reproduction and defense.-BioScience 37: 58-67, 1987. Go to original source...
    4. Chen, Z., Zhang, X.: [Classification and ordination of landscapes in the Mu Us sandland.]-Acta phytoecol. sin. 20: 423-437, 1996. [In Chin.]
    5. Chi, L.: [The impact of global change on the desertification in China.]-J. nat. Res. 9: 289-303, 1994. [In Chin.]
    6. Davis, S.J.: Photosynthesis of nine pioneer Macaranga species from borneo in relation to life history.-Ecology 79: 2292-2308, 1998. Go to original source...
    7. Dong, X., Zhang, X.: Special stomatal distribution in Sabina vulgaris in relation to its survival in a desert environment.-Trees 14: 369-375, 2000. Go to original source...
    8. Eamus, D.: Ecophysiological traits of deciduous and evergreen woody species in the seasonally dry tropics.-Trends Ecol. Evol. 14: 11-16, 1999. Go to original source...
    9. EBFC (Editorial Board for Flora of China): [Flora of China. Vol. 7.]-Pp. 359-360. Science Press, Beijing 1978. [In Chin.]
    10. Garnier, E., Farrar, J., Poorter, H., Dale, J.: Editorial.-New Phytol. 143: 1-2, 1999.
    11. He, W.-M.: [The effects of severing prostrate stems on growth and resource use efficiency of Sabina vulgaris.]-Acta phytoecol. sin. 24: 391-396, 2000. [In Chin.]
    12. He, W.-M., Zhang, X.-S.: Responses of an evergreen shrub Sabina vulgaris to soil water and nutrient shortages in the semi-arid Mu Us Sandland in China.-J. Arid Environ. 53: 307-316, 2003. Go to original source...
    13. Herppich, W.B., Herppich, M., Tüffers, A., Willert, D.J. von, Midgley, G.F., Veste, M.: Photosynthetic responses to CO2 concentration and photon fluence rates in the CAM-cycling plant Delosperma tradescantioides (Mesembryanthemaceae).-New Phytol. 138: 433-440, 1998. Go to original source...
    14. Hu, X., Wang, S.: [A review of water stress and drought tolerance in tree species.]-Sci. Silv. sin. 34: 77-89, 1998. [In Chin.]
    15. Jiang, G.-M., He, W.-M.: Variation in photosynthesis, transpiration and water use efficiency of inter-species and inter-habitat in the Mu Us Sandland.-Acta bot. sin. 41: 1114-1124, 1999.
    16. Jones, M.J., Macdonald, E., Henry, G.H.R.: Sex-and habitat-specific responses of a high arctic willow, Salix arctica, to experimental climate change.-Oikos 87: 129-138, 1999. Go to original source...
    17. Li, B.: [A Survey on the Natural Resources and Environment on Ordos Plateau in Inner Mongolia.]-Pp. 72-125. Science Press, Beijing 1990. [In Chin.]
    18. Murray, D.R.: Carbon Dioxide and Plant Responses.-Pp. 129-156. Research Studies Press, Taunton 1997.
    19. Roberts, A., Griffiths, H., Borland, A.M., Reinert, F.: Is crassulacean acid metabolism activity in sympatric species of hemiepiphytic stranglers such as Clusia related to carbon cycling as a photoprotective process?-Oecologia 106: 28-38, 1996. Go to original source...
    20. Rocas, G., Barros, C.E, Scarano, F.R.: Leaf anatomy plasticity of Alchornea triponervia (Euphorbiaceae) under distinct light regimes in a Brazilian montane rain forests.-Trees 11: 469-473, 1997. Go to original source...
    21. Sims, D.A., Seemann, J.R., Lou, Y.: The significance of differences in the mechanisms of photosynthetic acclimation to light, nitrogen and CO2 for return on investment in leaves.-Funct. Ecol. 12: 185-194, 1998. Go to original source...
    22. Smith, W.K., Vogelmann, T.C., DeLucia, E.H., Bell, D.T., Shepherd, K.A.: Leaf form and photosynthesis.-BioScience 47: 785-793, 1997. Go to original source...
    23. Strauss-Benedetti, S., Berlyn, G.P.: Leaf anatomical responses to light in five tropical Moraceae of different succession status.-Amer. J. Bot. 81: 1582-1591, 1994. Go to original source...
    24. Wright, I.J. Westoby, M.: Differences in seedling growth behaviour among species trait correlations across species, and trait shifts along nutrient compared to rainfall gradients.-J. Ecol. 87: 85-97, 1999. Go to original source...
    25. Zhang, X.: [The ecological background of the Mu Us sandland and the principles and optimal models for grassland management.]-Acta phytoecol. sin. 18: 1-16, 1994. [In Chin.]

    Return to the content