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Shifts in the optimal temperature for nocturnal CO 2 uptake caused by changes in growth temperature for cacti and agaves
Author(s) -
Nobel Park S.,
Hartsock Terry L.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1981.tb02744.x
Subject(s) - nocturnal , cactus , crassulacean acid metabolism , agave , botany , air temperature , chemistry , horticulture , biology , ecology , photosynthesis , atmospheric sciences , physics
When the day/night air temperatures were raised from 10°C/10°C to 30°C/30°C, the optimal tempearture for nocturnal CO 2 uptake by six species of cacti and three species of agave shifted from an average of 12°C to an average of 20°C. The maximum rate of CO 2 uptake was higher for Agave americana at the higher ambient temperature, lower for A. deserti , and much lower for A. utahensis , consistent with the relative mean temperatures of their native habitats. For the cactus Coryphantha vivipara , which had the greatest temperature shift observed (13°C), the halftime was 8 days for the upward shift and 4 days for the downward shift. The halftimes for the comparable shifts averaged 1.6 days for three other species of cacti and less than 1 day for two agave species. The shifts in the optimal temperature for nocturnal CO 2 uptake were in response to changes in nighttime temperature, at least for C. vivipara , and reflected temperature responses of both the stomates and the chlorenchyma.