Intercellular CO2 Concentration (intercellular + co2_concentration)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Photosynthetic Responses of a Temperate Liana to Xylella fastidiosa Infection and Water Stress

JOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2004
A. J. McElrone
Abstract Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-limited bacterial plant pathogen that causes bacterial leaf scorch in its hosts. Our previous work showed that water stress enhances leaf scorch symptom severity and progression along the stem of a liana, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, infected by X. fastidiosa. This paper explores the photosynthetic gas exchange responses of P. quinquefolia, with the aim to elucidate mechanisms behind disease expression and its interaction with water stress. We used a 2 × 2-complete factorial design, repeated over two growing seasons, with high and low soil moisture levels and infected and non-infected plants. In both years, low soil moisture levels reduced leaf water potentials, net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance at all leaf positions, while X. fastidiosa -infection reduced these parameters at basally located leaves only. Intercellular CO2 concentrations were reduced in apical leaves, but increased at the most basal leaf location, implicating a non-stomatal reduction of photosynthesis in leaves showing the greatest disease development. This result was supported by measured reductions in photosynthetic rates of basal leaves at high CO2 concentrations, where stomatal limitation was eliminated. Repeated measurements over the summer of 2000 showed that the effects of water stress and infection were progressive over time, reaching their greatest extent in September. By reducing stomatal conductances at moderate levels of water stress, P. quinquefolia maintained relatively high leaf water potentials and delayed the onset of photosynthetic damage due to pathogen and drought-induced water stress. In addition, chlorophyll fluorescence measurements showed that P. quinquefolia has an efficient means of dissipating excess light energy that protects the photosynthetic machinery of leaves from irreversible photoinhibitory damage that may occur during stress-induced stomatal limitation of photosynthesis. However, severe stress induced by disease and drought eventually led to non-stomatal decreases in photosynthesis associated with leaf senescence. [source]


Last-century changes of alpine grassland water-use efficiency: a reconstruction through carbon isotope analysis of a time-series of Capra ibex horns

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2010
INÊS C. R. BARBOSA
Abstract The ecophysiological response of an alpine grassland to recent climate change and increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration was investigated with a new strategy to go back in time: using a time-series of Capra ibex horns as archives of the alpine grasslands' carbon isotope discrimination (13,). From the collection of the Natural History Museum of Bern, horns of 24 males from the population of the Augstmatthorn,Brienzer Rothorn mountains, Switzerland, were sampled covering the period from 1938 to 2006. Samples were taken from the beginning of each year-ring of the horns, representing the beginning of the horn growth period, the spring. The horns' carbon 13C content (,13C) declined together with that of atmospheric CO2 over the 69-year period, but 13, increased slightly (+0.4,), though significantly (P<0.05), over the observation period. Estimated intercellular CO2 concentration increased (+56 ,mol mol,1) less than the atmospheric CO2 concentration (+81 ,mol mol,1), so that intrinsic water-use efficiency increased by 17.8% during the 69-year period. However, the atmospheric evaporative demand at the site increased by approximately 0.1 kPa between 1955 and 2006, thus counteracting the improvement of intrinsic water-use efficiency. As a result, instantaneous water-use efficiency did not change. The observed changes in intrinsic water-use efficiency were in the same range as those of trees (as reported by others), indicating that leaf-level control of water-use efficiency of grassland and forests followed the same principles. This is the first reconstruction of the water-use efficiency response of a natural grassland ecosystem to last century CO2 and climatic changes. The results indicate that the alpine grassland community has responded to climate change by improving the physiological control of carbon gain to water loss, following the increases in atmospheric CO2 and evaporative demand. But, effective leaf-level water-use efficiency has remained unchanged. [source]


Limitations to CO2 assimilation in ozone-exposed leaves of Plantago major

NEW PHYTOLOGIST, Issue 1 2002
Y. Zheng
Summary ,,The potential limitations on net leaf carbon assimilation imposed by stomatal conductance, carboxylation velocity, capacity for ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate regeneration and triose phosphate ultilization rate were derived from steady-state gas exchange measurements made over the life-span of two leaves on plants of an ,O3 -sensitive' population of Plantago major grown at contrasting atmospheric O3 concentrations. ,,Parallel measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence were used to monitor changes in the quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry, and in vitro measurements of Rubisco activity were made to corroborate modelled gas exchange data. ,,Data indicated that a loss of Rubisco was predominantly responsible for the decline in CO2 assimilation observed in O3 -treated leaves. The quantum efficiency of PSII was unchanged by O3 exposure. ,,Stomatal aperture declined in parallel with CO2 assimilation in O3 -treated plants, but this did not account for the observed decline in photosynthesis. Findings suggested that O3 -induced shifts in stomatal conductance result from ,direct' effects on the stomatal complex as well as ,indirect effects' mediated through changes in intercellular CO2 concentration. Leaves on the same plant exposed to equivalent levels of O3 showed striking differences in their response to the pollutant. [source]


Phosphorus alleviates aluminum-induced inhibition of growth and photosynthesis in Citrus grandis seedlings

PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM, Issue 3 2009
Huan-Xin Jiang
Limited data are available on the effects of phosphorus (P) and aluminum (Al) interactions on Citrus spp. growth and photosynthesis. Sour pummelo (Citrus grandis) seedlings were irrigated for 18 weeks with nutrient solution containing 50, 100, 250 and 500 ,M KH2PO4× 0 and 1.2 mM AlCl3· 6H2O. Thereafter, P and Al in roots, stems and leaves, and leaf chlorophyll (Chl), CO2 assimilation, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and Chl a fluorescence (OJIP) transients were measured. Under Al stress, P increased root Al, but decreased stem and leaf Al. Shoot growth is more sensitive to Al than root growth, CO2 assimilation and OJIP transients. Al decreased CO2 assimilation, Rubisco activity and Chl content, whereas it increased or did not affect intercellular CO2 concentration. Al affected CO2 assimilation more than Rubisco and Chl under 250 and 500 ,M P. Al decreased root, stem and leaf P, leaf maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry (Fv/Fm) and total performance index (PItot,abs), but increased leaf minimum fluorescence (Fo), relative variable fluorescence at K- and I-steps. P could alleviate Al-induced increase or decrease for all these parameters. We conclude that P alleviated Al-induced inhibition of growth and impairment of the whole photosynthetic electron transport chain from photosystem II (PSII) donor side up to the reduction of end acceptors of photosystem I (PSI), thus preventing photosynthesis inhibition through increasing Al immobilization in roots and P level in roots and shoots. Al-induced impairment of the whole photosynthetic electron transport chain may be associated with growth inhibition. [source]


Effects of prolonged restriction in water supply on photosynthesis, shoot development and storage root yield in sweet potato

PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM, Issue 1 2008
Philippus Daniel Riekert Van Heerden
Besides the paucity of information on the effects of drought stress on photosynthesis and yield in sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.], available reports are also contradictory. The aim of this study was to shed light on the effects of long-term restricted water supply on shoot development, photosynthesis and storage root yield in field-grown sweet potato. Experiments were conducted under a rainout shelter where effects of restricted water supply were assessed in two varieties (Resisto and A15). Large decreases in stomatal conductance occurred in both varieties after 5 weeks of treatment. However, continued measurements revealed a large varietal difference in persistence of this response and effects on CO2 assimilation. Although restricted water supply decreased leaf relative water content similarly in both varieties, the negative effects on stomatal conductance disappeared with time in A15 (indicating high drought acclimation capacity) but not in Resisto, thus leading to inhibition of CO2 assimilation in Resisto. Chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements, and the relationship between stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration and CO2 assimilation rate, indicated that drought stress inhibited photosynthesis primarily through stomatal closure. Although yield loss was considerably larger in Resisto, it was also reduced by up to 60% in A15, even though photosynthesis, expressed on a leaf area basis, was not inhibited in this variety. In A15 yield loss appears to be closely associated with decreased aboveground biomass accumulation, whereas in Resisto, combined effects on biomass accumulation and photosynthesis per unit leaf area are indicated, suggesting that research aimed at improving drought tolerance in sweet potato should consider both these factors. [source]


Stomatal responses to humidity and temperature in darkness

PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 7 2010
KEITH A. MOTT
ABSTRACT Stomatal responses to leaf temperature (Tl) and to the mole fractions of water vapour in the ambient air (wa) and the leaf intercellular air spaces (wi) were determined in darkness to remove the potential effects of changes in photosynthesis and intercellular CO2 concentration. Both the steady-state and kinetic responses of stomatal conductance (gs) to wa in darkness were found to be indistinguishable from those in the light. gs showed a steep response to the difference (,w) between wa and wi when wa was varied. The response was much less steep when wi was varied. Although stomatal apertures responded steeply to Tl when ,w was held constant at 17 mmol mol,1, the response was much less steep when ,w was held constant at about zero. Similar results were obtained in the light for ,w = 15 mmol mol,1 and ,w , 0 mmol mol,1. These results are discussed in the context of mechanisms for the stomatal response to humidity. [source]


Sex-specific responses of Populus cathayana to drought and elevated temperatures

PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 6 2008
XIAO XU
ABSTRACT Dioecious plant species represent an important component of terrestrial ecosystems. Yet, little is known about sex-specific responses to drought and elevated temperatures. Populus cathayana Rehd, which is a dioecious, deciduous tree species, widely distributed in the northern, central and southwestern regions of China, was employed as a model species in our study. In closed-top chamber experiments, sex-specific morphological, physiological and biochemical responses of P. cathayana to drought and different elevated temperatures were investigated. Compared with the controls, drought significantly decreased the growth and the net photosynthesis rate (A), and increased the intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi), carbon isotope composition (,13C), and the malondialdehyde (MDA) and abscisic acid (ABA) contents in droughted plants. In contrast, elevated temperatures significantly promoted the growth and the A, but decreased the WUEi, ,13C, MDA and ABA contents in well-watered individuals. When compared with males, elevated temperatures induced well-watered females to express a greater increase in the height growth (HG), basal diameter (BD), leaf area (LA), total number of leaves (TNL), dry matter accumulation (DMA) and specific leaf area (SLA), and a lower decrease in the A value, transpiration (E), stomatal conductance (gs), MDA and ABA contents, while elevated temperatures induced drought-stressed females to exhibit lower values of HG, BD, LA, TNL, DMA, A, E, gs and the intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), and higher levels of SLA, WUEi, ,13C, MDA and ABA contents. Our results indicated that the female individuals of P. cathayana are more responsive and suffer from greater negative effects than do males when grown under environments with increased drought stress and elevated temperature. [source]


Temperature acclimation of photosynthesis in spinach leaves: analyses of photosynthetic components and temperature dependencies of photosynthetic partial reactions

PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 4 2005
WATARU YAMORI
ABSTRACT Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) plants were grown under the day/night temperature regime of 15/10 °C (LT) or 30/25 °C (HT). The plants were also transferred from HT to LT when the sample leaves were at particular developmental stages (HL-transfer). With fully mature leaves, the light-saturated photosynthetic rate (A) at the ambient CO2 concentration (Ca) of 1500 µL L,1 (A1500) and the initial slope of A versus intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) at low Ci region (IS) were obtained to assess capacities of RuBP regeneration and carboxylation. Photosynthetic components including Rubisco and cytochrome f (Cyt f) were also determined. The optimum temperatures for A at Ca of 360 µL L,1 (A360), A1500 and IS in HT leaves were 27, 36 and 24 °C, whereas those in LT leaves were 18, 30 and 18 °C. The optimum temperatures in HL-transfer leaves approached those of LT leaves with the increase in the duration at LT. The shift in the optimum temperature was greater and quicker for IS than A1500. By the HL-transfer, the maximum values of A1500 and IS also increased. The maximum A1500 and Cyt f content increased more promptly than IS and Rubisco content. Changes in the Cyt f/Rubisco ratio were reflected to those in the A1500/IS ratio. Taken together, photosynthetic acclimation to low temperature in spinach leaves was due not only to the change in the balance of the absolute rates of RuBP regeneration and carboxylation but also to the large change in the optimum temperature of RuBP carboxylation. [source]


On the need to incorporate sensitivity to CO2 transfer conductance into the Farquhar,von Caemmerer,Berry leaf photosynthesis model

PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 2 2004
G. J. ETHIER
ABSTRACT Virtually all current estimates of the maximum carboxylation rate (Vcmax) of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and the maximum electron transport rate (Jmax) for C3 species implicitly assume an infinite CO2 transfer conductance (gi). And yet, most measurements in perennial plant species or in ageing or stressed leaves show that gi imposes a significant limitation on photosynthesis. Herein, we demonstrate that many current parameterizations of the photosynthesis model of Farquhar, von Caemmerer & Berry (Planta 149, 78,90, 1980) based on the leaf intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) are incorrect for leaves where gi limits photosynthesis. We show how conventional A,Ci curve (net CO2 assimilation rate of a leaf ,An, as a function of Ci) fitting methods which rely on a rectangular hyperbola model under the assumption of infinite gi can significantly underestimate Vcmax for such leaves. Alternative parameterizations of the conventional method based on a single, apparent Michaelis,Menten constant for CO2 evaluated at Ci[Km(CO2)i] used for all C3 plants are also not acceptable since the relationship between Vcmax and gi is not conserved among species. We present an alternative A,Ci curve fitting method that accounts for gi through a non-rectangular hyperbola version of the model of Farquhar et al. (1980). Simulated and real examples are used to demonstrate how this new approach eliminates the errors of the conventional A,Ci curve fitting method and provides Vcmax estimates that are virtually insensitive to gi. Finally, we show how the new A,Ci curve fitting method can be used to estimate the value of the kinetic constants of Rubisco in vivo is presented [source]


A coupled model of stomatal conductance, photosynthesis and transpiration

PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 7 2003
A. TUZET
ABSTRACT A model that couples stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, leaf energy balance and transport of water through the soil,plant,atmosphere continuum is presented. Stomatal conductance in the model depends on light, temperature and intercellular CO2 concentration via photosynthesis and on leaf water potential, which in turn is a function of soil water potential, the rate of water flow through the soil and plant, and on xylem hydraulic resistance. Water transport from soil to roots is simulated through solution of Richards' equation. The model captures the observed hysteresis in diurnal variations in stomatal conductance, assimilation rate and transpiration for plant canopies. Hysteresis arises because atmospheric demand for water from the leaves typically peaks in mid-afternoon and because of uneven distribution of soil matric potentials with distance from the roots. Potentials at the root surfaces are lower than in the bulk soil, and once soil water supply starts to limit transpiration, root potentials are substantially less negative in the morning than in the afternoon. This leads to higher stomatal conductances, CO2 assimilation and transpiration in the morning compared to later in the day. Stomatal conductance is sensitive to soil and plant hydraulic properties and to root length density only after approximately 10 d of soil drying, when supply of water by the soil to the roots becomes limiting. High atmospheric demand causes transpiration rates, LE, to decline at a slightly higher soil water content, ,s, than at low atmospheric demand, but all curves of LE versus ,s fall on the same line when soil water supply limits transpiration. Stomatal conductance cannot be modelled in isolation, but must be fully coupled with models of photosynthesis/respiration and the transport of water from soil, through roots, stems and leaves to the atmosphere. [source]


Relationship between plant hydraulic and biochemical properties derived from a steady-state coupled water and carbon transport model

PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 3 2003
G. KATUL
ABSTRACT There is growing evidence that plant stomata have evolved physiological controls to satisfy the demand for CO2 by photosynthesis while regulating water losses by leaves in a manner that does not cause cavitation in the soil,root,xylem hydraulic system. Whether the hydraulic and biochemical properties of plants evolve independently or whether they are linked at a time scale relevant to plant stand development remains uncertain. To address this question, a steady-state analytical model was developed in which supply of CO2 via the stomata and biochemical demand for CO2 are constrained by the balance between loss of water vapour from the leaf to the atmosphere and supply of water from the soil to the leaf. The model predicts the intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) for which the maximum demand for CO2 is in equilibrium with the maximum hydraulically permissible supply of water through the soil,root,xylem system. The model was then tested at two forest stands in which simultaneous hydraulic, ecophysiological, and long-term carbon isotope discrimination measurements were available. The model formulation reproduces analytically recent findings on the sensitivity of bulk stomatal conductance (gs) to vapour pressure deficit (D); namely, gs = gref(1 , m × lnD), where m is a sensitivity parameter and gref is a reference conductance defined at D = 1 kPa. An immediate outcome of the model is an explicit relationship between maximum carboxylation capacity (Vcmax) and soil,plant hydraulic properties. It is shown that this relationship is consistent with measurements reported for conifer and rain forest angiosperm species. The analytical model predicts a decline in Vcmax as the hydraulic capacity of the soil,root,xylem decreases with stand development or age. [source]