Ecophysiology and plant size in a tropical epiphytic fern, Asplenium nidus, in Taiwan

Recent studies indicate that, especially in epiphytes, plant size has a strong influence on the ecophysiology of individual leaves of a plant. Extensive data sets that address this phenomenon, however, are limited to a few taxa of flowering plants. It was the purpose of this study to examine numerou...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of plant sciences 2004-01, Vol.165 (1), p.65-72
Main Authors: Martin, C.E, Lin, T.C, Hsu, C.C, Lin, S.H, Lin, K.C, Hsia, Y.J, Chiou, W.L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anatomy & physiology
Asplenium nidus
Chlorophylls
Epiphytes
Ferns
ferns and fern allies
Forest canopy
gas exchange
Leaves
Nutrients
Photosynthesis
Physiology
plant ecology
Plant morphology
plant physiology
Plant reproduction
plant-water relations
Plants
rain forests
Regression analysis
Size
stomatal conductance
Water loss
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Summary:Recent studies indicate that, especially in epiphytes, plant size has a strong influence on the ecophysiology of individual leaves of a plant. Extensive data sets that address this phenomenon, however, are limited to a few taxa of flowering plants. It was the purpose of this study to examine numerous physiological parameters in individuals of varying sizes ofAsplenium nidus, a widespread epiphytic tropical fern, in a rain forest in northeastern Taiwan. Although stomatal dimensions and frond thickness did not vary with plant size, frond stomatal densities were higher in larger plants. Frond elemental concentration did not vary with plant size for nitrogen, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium, while the concentrations of carbon, calcium, and potassium changed with plant size, though in different ways. The osmotic concentration of liquid expressed from the fronds did not change with plant size, nor did chlorophyll concentrations and chlorophylla/bratio. Fronds excised from smaller plants contained more water yet lost water at lower rates in laboratory drying experiments. Although rates of net CO2exchange of the fronds measuredin situin the field appeared to increase with plant size, this increase and other size‐related differences in gas exchange parameters were not significant. Although some aspects of the ecophysiology of this epiphytic fern varied with changes in plant size, most physiological parameters did not. Thus, the results of this study lend only little support to past findings that plant size is an important consideration in ecophysiological studies of plants.
ISSN:1058-5893
1537-5315
DOI:10.1086/380982