Morphological, anatomical and physiological leaf traits of Q. ilex, P. latifolia, P. lentiscus, and M. communis and their response to Mediterranean climate stress factors

Botanical Studies
Loretta GrataniLaura Varone

Abstract

Limitations to plant growth imposed by the Mediterranean climate are mainly due to carbon balance in response to stress factors. In particular, water stress associated to high air temperature and irradiance in summer causes a marked decrease in CO2 assimilation. Air temperature sensitivity of photosynthesis (PN) differs from that of leaf respiration (RD). PN often decreases sharply at temperature above its optimum while RD increases exponentially over short term rises in temperature. Nevertheless, the impact of water deficit on RD is still far from clear with reports in literature including decreases, maintenance or increases in its rates. The ratio RD/PN can be considered a simple approach to leaf carbon balance because it indicates the percentage of photosynthates that is respired. The results underline different morphological, anatomical and physiological traits of the evergreen species co-occurring in the Mediterranean maquis which are indicative of their adaptive capability to Mediterranean stress factors. The ratio RD/PN varies from 0.15 ± 0.04 in autumn, 0.24 ± 0.05 in spring through 0.29 ± 0.15 in winter to 0.46 ± 0.11 in summer. The lower RD/PN in autumn and spring underlines the highest PN rates during the favorable p...Continue Reading

References

Jul 25, 2003·Trends in Plant Science·Owen K Atkin, Mark G Tjoelker
Jul 31, 2007·Plant, Cell & Environment·Rowan F Sage, David S Kubien
Jun 6, 2008·Plant, Cell & Environment·Danielle A Way, Rowan F Sage
Jun 17, 2008·Annals of Botany·Owen K Atkin, David Macherel
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May 1, 2005·American Journal of Botany·Gregory J JordanPeter H Weston
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