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Epiphytes and hemiepiphytes have slower photosynthetic response to lightflecks than terrestrial plants: evidence from ferns and figs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2009

Qiang Zhang ,
Jun-Wen Chen ,
Bao-Gui Li  and
Kun-Fang Cao
Qiang Zhang*
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China College of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
Jun-Wen Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Crop Science, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
Bao-Gui Li
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
Kun-Fang Cao*
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
*
1Corresponding authors. Emails: zhangq2008@msn.com; caokf@xtbg.ac.cn
1Corresponding authors. Emails: zhangq2008@msn.com; caokf@xtbg.ac.cn
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Abstract:

Photosynthetic responses of 12 species including six fern species (Neottopteris nidus, Microsorum punctatum, Pseudodrynaria coronans, Asplenium finlaysonianum, Paraleptochilus decurrens and Tectaria fauriei) and seedlings of six fig species (Ficus curtipes, F. gibbosa, F. altissima, F. auriculata, F. oligodon and F. hookeriana) in different life forms to lightfleck were investigated, to test whether epiphytes and hemiepiphytes display a slower response to lightfleck and fast induction loss after a lightfleck compared with their terrestrial counterparts, and whether ferns display a slower response to lightfleck and slower induction loss compared to figs. The measurements of functional traits and physiological parameters were determined in a screenhouse of 4% full sunlight. Epiphytic ferns and hemiepiphytic figs had thicker leaves compared with their terrestrial counterparts. Compared with figs, ferns had thicker fronds, larger stomata with a low density, and lower stomatal conductance and photosynthetic capacity; ferns had lower light compensation point and dark respiration rate, conferring a positive carbon gain under low diffuse light beneath the canopy. The induction time to reach 90% maximum net photosynthetic rate (T90) upon the exposure to a saturated light varied strongly among life forms. Epiphytic ferns had slower T90 than terrestrial ferns (19.9–26.3 vs 5.9–16.3 min, respectively), and hemiepiphytic figs had slower T90 than terrestrial figs (13.1–20.4 vs 5.2–7.8 min, respectively). Compared with figs, ferns showed a slower response to lightfleck. Across ferns and figs, the induction time was negatively correlated with initial stomatal conductance. No significant difference in induction loss was found between two life forms within ferns or figs, whereas ferns had a significantly slower induction loss compared with figs. These results showed that the inherent conservative water use strategy of the epiphytes and hemiepiphytes constrain their lightfleck utilization.

Keywords

AspleniumepiphytesFicushemiepiphyteslightflecksMicrosorumNeottopterisParaleptochilusphotosynthetic inductionPseudodrynariaTectariaterrestrial life form
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 25 , Issue 5 , September 2009 , pp. 465 - 472
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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