Phosotynthesis in hemiepiphytic species of Clusia and Ficus

Ting, Irwin P.; Hann, J.; Holbrook, N. Michèle; Putz, Francis E.; Sternberg, Leonel da Silveira Lobo; Price, David T.; Goldstein, G.

doi:10.1007/bf00378927

Cited by 56 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…A phase of net uptake of CO2, albeit at relatively low rates, followed at the end of the light period (phase IV). (For further information on the physiology and ecology of CAM in Clusia see: Tinoco Ojanguren and VazquezYanes 1983; Ting et al 1985Ting et al , 1987Poppet al 1987;Schmitt et al 1988;Lee et al 1989. )…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Changes in xanthophyll-cycle components and in fluorescence yield in leaves of a crassulacean-acid-metabolism plant, Clusia rosea Jacq., throughout a 12-hour photoperiod of constant irradiance

Winter

Lesch

Dı́az

1990

Planta

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The content of the xanthophylls violaxanthin, antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin, which are interconvertible in the so-called xanthophyll cycle in the chloroplasts, was determined in leaves of the crassulacean-acid-metabolism plant, Clusia rosea, at the end of a 12-h dark period and at three times during a 12-h photoperiod of constant illumination (200 μmol photons·m(-2)·s(-1)). Whereas the level of violaxanthin was high at the end of the dark period and that of zeaxanthin low, zeaxanthin increased and violaxanthin decreased during the early light period, when atmospheric CO2 was taken up rapidly by the leaves. In the middle of the light period, when net uptake of atmospheric CO2 was not observed, yet when decarboxylation of malic acid allowed for high rates of CO2 reduction in the chloroplasts, zeaxanthin was low and violaxanthin was high. At the end of the light period, when uptake of atmospheric CO2 re-occurred, zeaxanthin increased again and violaxanthin decreased. Measurements of chlorophyll-a fluorescence with a modulated fluorometer showed that the increases in the level of zeaxanthin during the early and late light period were paralleled by decreased rates of electron transport and by increased rates of nonradiative dissipation of excitation energy.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Changes in xanthophyll-cycle components and in fluorescence yield in leaves of a crassulacean-acid-metabolism plant, Clusia rosea Jacq., throughout a 12-hour photoperiod of constant irradiance

Winter

Lesch

Dı́az

1990

Planta

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“…How do strangler figs cope with the rigours of the epiphytic environment, yet maintain the capacity for vigorous growth to the extent that in their later life phases they can compete with other trees for resources and eventually supplant them in the canopy? Well-studied stranglers in the genus Clusia exhibit a high degree of photosynthetic plasticity and are able to shift between the water conservative CAM pathway and the more water-use-intensive C 3 pathway of photosynthesis (Popp et al 1987;Wanek et al 2002b), yet strangler figs are obligate C 3 plants (Ting et al 1987).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptations of strangler figs to life in the rainforest canopy

Schmidt

Tracey²

2006

Functional Plant Biol.

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Figs are rainforest keystone species. Non-strangler figs establish on the forest floor; strangler figs establish epiphytically, followed by a dramatic transition from epiphyte to free-standing tree that kills its hosts. Free-standing figs display vigorous growth and resource demand suggesting that epiphytic strangler figs require special adaptations to deal with resource limitations imposed by the epiphytic environment. We studied epiphytic and free-standing strangler figs, and non-strangler figs in tropical rainforest and in cultivation, as well as strangler figs in controlled conditions. We investigated whether the transition from epiphyte to free-standing tree is characterised by morphological and physiological plasticity. Epiphyte substrate had higher levels of plant-available ammonium and phosphate, and similar levels of nitrate compared with rainforest soil, suggesting that N and P are initially not limiting resources. A relationship was found between taxonomic groups and plant N physiology; strangler figs, all members of subgenus Urostigma, had mostly low foliar nitrate assimilation rates whereas non-strangler figs, in subgenera Pharmacocycea, Sycidium, Sycomorus or Synoecia, had moderate to high rates. Nitrate is an energetically expensive N source, and low nitrate use may be an adaptation of strangler figs for conserving energy during epiphytic growth. Interestingly, significant amounts of nitrate were stored in fleshy taproot tubers of epiphytic stranglers. Supporting the concept of plasticity, leaves of epiphytic Ficus benjamina L. had lower N and C content per unit leaf area, lower stomatal density and 80% greater specific leaf area than leaves of conspecific free-standing trees. Similarly, glasshouse-grown stranglers strongly increased biomass allocation to roots under water limitation. Epiphytic and free-standing F. benjamina had similar average foliar δ 13 C, but epiphytes had more extreme values; this indicates that both groups of plants use the C 3 pathway of CO 2 fixation but that water availability is highly variable for epiphytes. We hypothesise that epiphytic figs use fleshy stem tubers to avoid water stress, and that nitrate acts as an osmotic compound in tubers. We conclude that strangler figs are a unique experimental system for studying the transition from rainforest epiphyte to tree, and the genetic and environmental triggers involved.

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“…Despite continued studies on the ecology and physiology of strangling hemiepiphytes (Sternberg et al ., ; Ting et al ., ; Laman, ; Harrison et al ., ; Hao et al ., , ), there is little quantitative information about the variations in source‐water acquisition by these species under different growth phases (but see Holbrook and Putz, ; Zotz et al ., ; Feild and Dawson, ; Wang et al ., ). In this study, the water acquisition patterns of a strangler fig, Ficus tinctoria , growing in a common garden is investigated in relation to growth phase (epiphytic, transitional and terrestrial) and season (foggy, hot‐dry and rainy).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasticity of source‐water acquisition in epiphytic, transitional and terrestrial growth phases of Ficus tinctoria

Liu

Wang

et al. 2014

Ecohydrology

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Despite continued studies on the ecology and physiology of strangling hemiepiphytes, there is little quantitative information about the variations in source‐water uptake by these species under different growth phases. In this study, the water acquisition patterns of a hemiepiphyte, Ficus tinctoria, is investigated in relation to growth phase (epiphytic, transitional and terrestrial) and season (foggy, hot‐dry and rainy). Stable isotope compositions of water in xylem, soil, canopy humus, fog and rainfall were sampled on seasonally distinct dates, and soil water content and leaf carbon isotope composition were measured in order to determine the proportion of different water sources. Results indicated that F. tinctoria displayed a high degree of plasticity in source‐water acquisition associated with the growth‐phase transition from purely canopy‐rooted epiphyte to transitional plant to terrestrial tree. During the foggy season and the hot‐dry season, epiphytes utilized a combination of recently received rainwater (82–89%) and fog water (11–18%) present in canopy humus soil, whereas terrestrial trees exclusively depended on shallow and deep terrestrial soil water and exhibited marked flexibility in depth of soil water uptake. Transitional‐phase plants relied predominantly on shallow soil water (79–86%) and extracted only a small fraction of canopy humus water (14–21%). During the rainy season, epiphytes relied almost exclusively on recent rainwater (96%) and had a negligible water uptake from fog, whereas trees extracted their water primarily from the shallow soil and less from the deep soil. Plants in transitional‐phase drew a considerable fraction of water from canopy humus soil. This plasticity of source‐water uptake to cope with radical changes in rooting environment is likely the key feature enabling hemiepiphytic species to thrive and successfully establish in the tropical rainforests. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Phosotynthesis in hemiepiphytic species of Clusia and Ficus

Cited by 56 publications

References 22 publications

Changes in xanthophyll-cycle components and in fluorescence yield in leaves of a crassulacean-acid-metabolism plant, Clusia rosea Jacq., throughout a 12-hour photoperiod of constant irradiance

Changes in xanthophyll-cycle components and in fluorescence yield in leaves of a crassulacean-acid-metabolism plant, Clusia rosea Jacq., throughout a 12-hour photoperiod of constant irradiance

Adaptations of strangler figs to life in the rainforest canopy

Plasticity of source‐water acquisition in epiphytic, transitional and terrestrial growth phases of Ficus tinctoria

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