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The rapid light response of leaf hydraulic conductance: new evidence from two experimental methods
Author(s) -
SCOFFONI CHRISTINE,
POU ALÍCIA,
AASAMAA KRÕÕT,
SACK LAWREN
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2008.01884.x
Subject(s) - irradiance , conductance , evergreen , darkness , botany , horticulture , biology , environmental science , chemistry , atmospheric sciences , physics , optics , condensed matter physics
Previous studies have shown a rapid enhancement in leaf hydraulic conductance ( K leaf ) from low to high irradiance (from <10 to >1000 µ mol photons m −2 s −1 ), using the high‐pressure flow meter (HPFM), for 7 of 14 tested woody species. However, theoretical suggestions have been made that this response might arise as an artifact of the HPFM. We tested the K leaf light response for six evergreen species using refined versions of the rehydration kinetics method (RKM) and the evaporative flux method (EFM). We found new evidence for a rapid, 60% to 100% increase in K leaf from low to high irradiance for three species. In the RKM, the leaf rehydration time constant declined by up to 70% under high irradiance relative to darkness. In the EFM, under higher irradiance, the flow rate increased disproportionately to the water potential gradient. Combining our data with those of previous studies, we found that heterobaric species, i.e. those with bundle sheath extensions (BSEs) showed a twofold greater K leaf light response on average than homobaric species, i.e. those without BSEs. We suggest further research to characterize this substantial dynamic at the nexus of plant light‐ and water‐relations.