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Photosynthetic light and carbon dioxide response of the invasive tree, Vochysia divergens Pohl, to experimental flooding and shading

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

Vochysia divergens Pohl is considered to be a flood-adapted, light-demanding pioneer species that has been invading grasslands of the Brazilian Pantanal. In these areas, a successful invasion requires an ability to tolerate physiologically wide fluctuations in surface hydrology and shading induced by a dense cover of grasses and other vegetation. We evaluated how flooding and shading affected the photosynthetic performance of V. divergens saplings by measuring light-saturated gas exchange (net photosynthetic rate, P N; stomatal conductance, g s), and intercellular CO2 (P N/C i) and photosynthetic photon flux density (P N/PPFD) response curves over a 61-d field experiment. Shading and flooding reduced significantly light-saturated P N and g s and affected multiple aspects of the leaf gas exchange response of V. divergens to variations in PPFD and CO2. Flooding influenced the physiology of this species more than shading. Given the success of V. divergens at invading and expanding in seasonally flooded areas of the Pantanal, the results were surprising and highlighted the physiological ability of this species to tolerate suboptimal conditions. However, the consistently higher light-saturated P N and g s under nonflooded conditions suggested that the invasive success of V. divergens might not be related to its physiological potential during flooding, but to situations, when flooding recedes during the dry season and soil water availability is adequate.

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Abbreviations

C i :

intercellular CO2 concentration

C i/C a :

ratio between CO2 in the intercellular mesophyll spaces and atmospheric CO2

Chl:

chlorophyll

DOY:

day of year

FS-F:

flooded with full sunlight

FS-NF:

nonflooded with full sunlight

g s :

stomatal conductance

Jmax :

light-saturated rate of electron transport

L:

light

LCP:

light compensation point

P max :

photosynthetic rate at light saturation

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

P N/C i :

photosynthetic response curves to variations in intercellular CO2 concentration

P N/PPFD:

photosynthetic response curves to variations in PPFD

PPFD:

photosynthetic photon flux density

P sat :

photosynthetic rate at CO2 saturation

R D :

dark respiration rate

Rubisco:

ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

S-F:

flooded in shade

S-NF:

nonflooded in shade

T1 :

first day of experiment

T61 :

last day of experiment

TPU:

triose-phosphate utilization

Vcmax :

maximum rate of Rubisco activity

W:

water

Φ:

apparent quantum yield

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Física Ambiental, IF/UFMT, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, s/n, Coxipó, Bloco de Física Ambiental, Cep: 78060-900, Cuiabá/MT, Brazil

    A. C. Dalmolin, H. J. Dalmagro & F. de A. Lobo

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agricultura Tropical, FAMEV/UFMT, 78060-900, Cuiabá/MT, Brazil

    M. Z. Antunes Jr.

  3. Instituto de Biologia — IB/UFMT, 78060-900, Cuiabá/MT, Brazil

    C. E. R. Ortíz

  4. Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, 92096, San Marcos, USA

    G. L. Vourlitis

Authors
  1. A. C. Dalmolin
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  2. H. J. Dalmagro
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  3. F. de A. Lobo
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  4. M. Z. Antunes Jr.
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  5. C. E. R. Ortíz
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  6. G. L. Vourlitis
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Correspondence to G. L. Vourlitis.

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Acknowledgements: The authors acknowledge the Graduate Program in Environmental Physics, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso for equipment and laboratory support. Financial support was provided by National Institute for Science and Technology in Wetlands (INAU), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development and Ministry of Science and Technology (CNPq/MCT), and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), which provided scholarships to Dalmolin, Dalmagro, and Antunes Jr., and the U.S. National Science Foundation-Office of International Science and Engineering grant to Vourlitis.

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Dalmolin, A.C., Dalmagro, H.J., Lobo, F. et al. Photosynthetic light and carbon dioxide response of the invasive tree, Vochysia divergens Pohl, to experimental flooding and shading. Photosynthetica 51, 379–386 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-013-0034-1

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