Photosynthetic Performance in Pinus canariensis at Semiarid Treeline: Phenotype Variability to Cope with Stressful Environment
| Autor: | Patricia Brito, A. M. Gonzalez-Rodriguez, María Soledad Jiménez, José R. Lorenzo |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
Mediterranean climate Photoinhibition 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences biology photoinhibition Forestry Carbon gain Ecotone lcsh:QK900-989 drought biology.organism_classification Photosynthesis tocopherol 01 natural sciences Altitude Agronomy Pinus canariensis lcsh:Plant ecology Environmental science photosynthetic pigments Chlorophyll fluorescence 010606 plant biology & botany 0105 earth and related environmental sciences |
| Zdroj: | Forests Volume 10 Issue 10 Forests, Vol 10, Iss 10, p 845 (2019) |
| ISSN: | 1999-4907 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/f10100845 |
| Popis: | Low temperatures represent the most important environmental stress for plants at the treeline ecotone however, drought periods at the semiarid treeline could modify photosynthetic performance patterns. Gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic pigments, and α-tocopherol were measured in a Pinus canariensis forest located at a semiarid treeline forest at 2070 m altitude over a whole year. The level of summer drought, caused by an extended period without rain and very low previous rainfall, was remarkable during the study. Furthermore, the cold season showed extraordinarily low temperatures, which persisted for five months. All of these factors combined made the study period an extraordinary opportunity to improve our understanding of photosynthetic performance in a drought-affected treeline ecotone. A high dynamism in all the measured parameters was detected, showing robust changes over the year. Maximum photosynthesis and optimal values were concentrated over a short period in spring. Beyond that, fine regulation in stomatal closure, high WUEi with a great plasticity, and changes in pigments and antioxidative components prevented dehydration during drought. In winter, a strong chronic photoinhibition was detected, and α-tocopherol and β-carotene acquired a main role as protective molecules, accompanied by morphological variations as changes in specific leaf areas to avoid freezing. The recovery in the next spring, i.e., after these extreme environmental conditions returned to normal, showed a strategy based on the breakdown of pigments and lower photosynthetic functions during the winter, and rebuilding and regreening. So, a high level of plasticity, together with some structural and physiological adaptations, make P. canariensis able to cope with stresses at the treeline. Nevertheless, the carbon gain was more limited by drought than by low temperatures and more extended droughts predicted in future climate change scenarios may strongly affect this forest. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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