biologia plantarum

International journal on Plant Life established by Bohumil Němec in 1959

Biologia plantarum 49:551-559, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-0049-y

Contribution of physiological and morphological adjustments to drought resistance in two Mediterranean tree species

L. Serrano1,*, J. Penuelas2
1 Departament d'Enginyeria Agroalimentaria i Biotecnologia, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
2 Unitat d'Ecofisiologia CSIC-CEAB-CREAF, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain

Plant water potential (ψ), its components, and gas exchange data of two Mediterranean co-occurring woody species (Quercus ilex L. and Phillyrea latifolia L.) were measured in response to seasonal changes in water availability over two consecutive years. The relative contribution of physiological and morphological adjustments to drought resistance was assessed through Principal Component Analyses. There were large adjustments in stomatal conductance (∼36 % of accounted variance). Net photosynthetic rate and water use efficiency were closely tuned to water availability and accounted for ∼17 % of variance. The slope of the water potential vs. relative water content (dψ/dRWC0) below zero pressure potential increased as a result of seasonal and ontogenic increases in apoplastic water fraction and accounted for ∼20 % variance. This tolerance mechanism was accompanied by an increased range of positive pressure potential, suggesting a functional role of sclerophylly in these Mediterranean evergreens. Similarly, changes in the slope of dψ/dRWC in the range of positive pressure potential (∼13 % of accounted variance) were associated to variations in cell wall elasticity and resulted in lower RWC at zero pressure potential. When considering the species studied separately, the results indicated the primary role of stomatal regulation in the drought resistance of Qilex, while increased apoplastic water fraction had a major contribution in the drought resistance of P. latifolia.

Keywords: drought stress; Phillyrea latifolia; net photosynthetic rate; plant and tissue-water relations; Quercus ilex; stomatal conductance; water potential
Subjects: drought resistance, gas exchange, water potential; gas exchange, drought resistance; hydraulic conductance; Phillyrea latifolia; pressure potential; Quercus ilex; relative water content; stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll; water potential; water relations; water use efficiency

Received: February 6, 2004; Accepted: March 1, 2005; Published: December 1, 2005  Show citation

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Serrano, L., & Penuelas, J. (2005). Contribution of physiological and morphological adjustments to drought resistance in two Mediterranean tree species. Biologia plantarum, 49(4), 551-559. doi: 10.1007/s10535-005-0049-y
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