Leaf acclimation strategies to contrasting light conditions in saplings of different shade tolerance in a tropical cloud forest
Ana Quevedo-Rojas A F , Carlos García-Núñez B , Mauricio Jerez-Rico C , Ramón Jaimez D E and Teresa Schwarzkopf B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Ambientales. Escuela Técnica Superior Forestal, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela.
B Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Ecológicas, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela.
C Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Ambientales, Centro de Estudios Forestales and Ambientales de Postgrado, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela.
D Facultad de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo, 130105, Ecuador.
E Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Ambientales, Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela.
F Corresponding author. Email: anamer2@gmail.com
Functional Plant Biology 45(9) 968-982 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP17308
Submitted: 3 November 2017 Accepted: 20 March 2018 Published: 9 May 2018
Abstract
To study the acclimation responses of the leaves of saplings of six tree species when changed to low or high levels of irradiance, we carried out a light exposure experiment. Species representative of contrasting shade tolerance groups were identified across a light gradient in the understorey of a Venezuelan Andean cloud forest. Measured traits included gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and morphoanatomical, biochemical and optical properties. Saplings were grown for 6 months in a shade-house receiving 20% photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) of full sunlight. Plant samples were then moved to shade-houses receiving low PPF (4%) or high PPF (65%). A factorial model (species × PPF), with repeated measurements (0, 15 and 120 days) was designed. Our results showed that morphological and anatomical traits were more plastic to PPF changes than photosynthetic traits. All species were susceptible to photoinhibition (15 days): shade-intolerant species showed dynamic photoinhibition (120 days), whereas shade-tolerant species presented chronic photoinhibition and the consequent inability to increase C assimilation rates under high PPF. The partially shade-tolerant species showed mixed responses; nonetheless, they exhibited larger adjustments in morphoanatomical and optical properties. Thus the acclimation responses of these species when subject to contrasting light conditions could help to explain their distribution along the light gradient in the understorey.
Additional keywords: chlorophyll fluorescence, gas exchange, leaf morphoanatomical properties, leaf optical properties, photoinhibition.
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