Effects of sudden exposure to high light levels on two tree fern species Dicksonia antarctica (Dicksoniaceae) and Cyathea australis (Cyatheaceae) acclimated to different light intensities
Liubov Volkova A , Lauren T. Bennett A and Michael Tausz A BA Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science, Melbourne School of Land and Environment, The University of Melbourne, Water Street, Creswick, Vic. 3363, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: michael.tausz@unimelb.edu.au
Australian Journal of Botany 57(7) 562-571 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT09153
Submitted: 4 September 2009 Accepted: 26 October 2009 Published: 21 December 2009
Abstract
We examined the responses of two tree fern species (Dicksonia antarctica and Cyathea australis) growing under shade or variable light (intermittent shade) to sudden exposure to high light levels. Steady-state gas exchange as well as dynamic responses of plants to artificial sunflecks indicated that difference in growth light environment had very little effect on the tree ferns’ capacities to utilise and acclimate to prevailing light conditions. Two weeks of exposure to high light levels (short-term acclimation) led to decreases in all photosynthetic parameters and more negative predawn frond water potentials, mostly irrespective of previous growth light environments. After 3 months in high light levels (long-term acclimation), D. antarctica fully recovered, while C. australis previously grown under variable light, recovered only partially, suggesting high light level stress effects under the variable light environments for this species.
Acknowledgement
The authors acknowledge Fedor Torgovnikov for building the experimental set-up and assistance with laboratory analyses; Dave Johnson, Li-Cor Biosciences, USA, for ongoing help with the Li-Cor; and two anonymous reviewers for constructive comments on the manuscript. Liubov Volkova acknowledges a Melbourne Research Scholarship (The University of Melbourne) and funding from the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE).
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