Water relations for sun and shade leaves of four Mediterranean evergreen sclerophylls

The water relations, stomatal conductance, size, chlorophyll and proline content have been measured in sun and shade leaves of four evergreen sclerophyll species, throughout the year. It was found that there were no major differences in water status of the two leaf types. However, in young expanding...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of experimental botany 1991-05, Vol.42 (238), p.627-635
Main Authors: Rhizopoulou, S, Meletiou-Christou, M.S, Diamantoglou, S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Arbutus unedo
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
chlorophyll
chlorophyll a
chlorophyll b
Chlorophylls
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
growth rate
Leaf area
leaf conductance
leaf water potential
Leaves
light
light relations
Olea europaea
olea europaea subsp. oleaster
Pistacia lentiscus
plant morphology
Plant physiology
Plants
Plants and fungi
proline
Quercus coccifera
seasonal variation
Seasons
shade
Solutes
Stomatal conductance
Sunlight
turgor
Turgor pressure
water content
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Summary:The water relations, stomatal conductance, size, chlorophyll and proline content have been measured in sun and shade leaves of four evergreen sclerophyll species, throughout the year. It was found that there were no major differences in water status of the two leaf types. However, in young expanding shade leaves, higher stomatal conductance, turgor, chlorophyll and proline content were observed in comparison to sun leaves; such differences tended to disappear in fully expanded leaves. Also, the size of shade leaves was significantly larger. Plastochron ratios of the two leaf types in the four species were similar, indicating a synchronized growth rate related to seasonal rhythmicity. It is suggested that different mechanisms have been operating in the response of the two leaf-types to microclimatic conditions: an avoidance by sun leaves and tolerance by shade leaves.
ISSN:0022-0957
1460-2431