Changes in the delta 13C values of trees during a tropical rainy season: some effects in addition to diffusion and carboxylation by Rubisco?

The delta 13C values of deciduous and evergreen tree leaves were compared in open and closed- canopy environments throughout a rainy season in Panama. Newly emerging leaves had higher delta 13C values than older leaves of all seedlings and trees al all dates sampled. This was apparently not caused b...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of botany 1997-12, Vol.84 (12)
Main Author: Terwilliger, V.J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
AGE
ARBOLES
ARBRE
BIOMASA
BIOMASS
BIOMASSE
CANOPY
CARBON
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBONE
CARBONO
COUVERT
CUBIERTA DE COPAS
DECIDUOUS HABIT
DIOXIDO DE CARBONO
DIOXYDE DE CARBONE
EDAD
EFFICACITE
EFFICIENCY
EFICACIA
ESTACION HUMEDA
EVERGREEN HABIT
FEUILLE
FISIOLOGIA VEGETAL
FOTOSINTESIS
HABITOS DE CRECIMIENTO
HOJAS
ISOTOPE RADIOACTIF
LEAVES
MICROCLIMA
MICROCLIMAT
MICROCLIMATE
PANAMA
PHOTOSYNTHESE
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
PHYSIOLOGIE VEGETALE
PLANT HABIT
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
PLANTULAS
PLANTULE
PORT DE LA PLANTE
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPOS
RATIOS
RIBULOSE-BISPHOSPHATE CARBOXYLASE
RUBISCO
SAISON HUMIDE
SEASONAL VARIATION
SEEDLINGS
STABLE ISOTOPES
TRANSLOCATION
TREES
USO DEL AGUA
UTILISATION DE L'EAU
VARIACION ESTACIONAL
VARIATION SAISONNIERE
WATER USE
WET SEASON
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Summary:The delta 13C values of deciduous and evergreen tree leaves were compared in open and closed- canopy environments throughout a rainy season in Panama. Newly emerging leaves had higher delta 13C values than older leaves of all seedlings and trees al all dates sampled. This was apparently not caused by a decline in water use efficiency as leaves develop because instantaneous ci/ca was significantly higher in newly emerging than in expanded leaves on the same twigs of trees in the field as well as on seedlings growing in a controlled, unchanging environment. Higher delta 13C values in newly emerging leaves occurred across diverse environmental comparisons. For example, leaves emerging during the rainy season had higher delta 13C values than corresponding mature leaves that had emerged both during the dry season and when water was abundant. The early enrichment in 13C may thus reflect the translocation of carbon to initiate a new leaf. Furthermore, the lack of sensitivity of this enrichment to a microclimate suggests that it might be the result of processes that occur after carbon fixation by Rubisco. Other changes in delta 13C values as leaves developed may also have resulted from carbon translocation processes. Foliar delta 13C decreased significantly after most of the leaf biomass of the deciduous Apeiba membranacea had developed. The delta 13C values of the evergreen Cecropia insignia were lower in the open canopy than in closed-canopy forests at the end of the rainy season. These findings suggest that the delta 13C values of leaves can yield ecological information about the allocation of carbon within trees
ISSN:0002-9122
1537-2197