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Hydraulic efficiency of the leaf venation system in sun- and shade-adapted species

Hydraulic efficiency of the leaf venation system in sun- and shade-adapted species We tested the hypothesis that leaf hydraulics is correlated with the light adaptation of different plant species and specifically that the hydraulic resistance of the leaf venation ( R venation ) is lower in sun- than in shade-adapted species. R venation was measured in six sun- and six shade-adapted species with a high-pressure flow meter (HPFM). The number of conduits at the proximal third of the midrib was counted and the diameter of the widest conduits together with vein density were measured. R venation was higher in shade species than in sun species and it was negatively correlated with the mean diameter of the widest conduits. Maximum leaf conductance to water vapour recorded for the different species was negatively correlated with the corresponding R venation . Sun-adapted species coping with the high water demand typical of sunny habitats appeared to have developed a highly efficient conducting system to supply living mesophyll cells with water. In contrast, species adapted to shady habitats showed higher R venation values according to their lower need for investment of carbon into producing wide conduits in the leaf. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Functional Plant Biology CSIRO Publishing

Hydraulic efficiency of the leaf venation system in sun- and shade-adapted species

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References (39)

Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Copyright
CSIRO
ISSN
1445-4408
eISSN
1445-4416
DOI
10.1071/FP05100
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that leaf hydraulics is correlated with the light adaptation of different plant species and specifically that the hydraulic resistance of the leaf venation ( R venation ) is lower in sun- than in shade-adapted species. R venation was measured in six sun- and six shade-adapted species with a high-pressure flow meter (HPFM). The number of conduits at the proximal third of the midrib was counted and the diameter of the widest conduits together with vein density were measured. R venation was higher in shade species than in sun species and it was negatively correlated with the mean diameter of the widest conduits. Maximum leaf conductance to water vapour recorded for the different species was negatively correlated with the corresponding R venation . Sun-adapted species coping with the high water demand typical of sunny habitats appeared to have developed a highly efficient conducting system to supply living mesophyll cells with water. In contrast, species adapted to shady habitats showed higher R venation values according to their lower need for investment of carbon into producing wide conduits in the leaf.

Journal

Functional Plant BiologyCSIRO Publishing

Published: Oct 5, 2005

Keywords: conduit diameter, gas exchange, HPFM, hydraulic resistance, light adaptation.

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