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Poorter H, Lambers H, Evans JR. Trait correlation networks: a whole-plant perspective on the recently criticized leaf economic spectrum. New Phytol 2014; 201:378-382. [PMID: 24117716 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- IBG-2 Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Hans Lambers
- School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - John R Evans
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia
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Sack L, Scoffoni C, John GP, Poorter H, Mason CM, Mendez-Alonzo R, Donovan LA. How do leaf veins influence the worldwide leaf economic spectrum? Review and synthesis. J Exp Bot 2013; 64:4053-80. [PMID: 24123455 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ert316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Leaf vein traits are implicated in the determination of gas exchange rates and plant performance. These traits are increasingly considered as causal factors affecting the 'leaf economic spectrum' (LES), which includes the light-saturated rate of photosynthesis, dark respiration, foliar nitrogen concentration, leaf dry mass per area (LMA) and leaf longevity. This article reviews the support for two contrasting hypotheses regarding a key vein trait, vein length per unit leaf area (VLA). Recently, Blonder et al. (2011, 2013) proposed that vein traits, including VLA, can be described as the 'origin' of the LES by structurally determining LMA and leaf thickness, and thereby vein traits would predict LES traits according to specific equations. Careful re-examination of leaf anatomy, published datasets, and a newly compiled global database for diverse species did not support the 'vein origin' hypothesis, and moreover showed that the apparent power of those equations to predict LES traits arose from circularity. This review provides a 'flux trait network' hypothesis for the effects of vein traits on the LES and on plant performance, based on a synthesis of the previous literature. According to this hypothesis, VLA, while virtually independent of LMA, strongly influences hydraulic conductance, and thus stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rate. We also review (i) the specific physiological roles of VLA; (ii) the role of leaf major veins in influencing LES traits; and (iii) the role of VLA in determining photosynthetic rate per leaf dry mass and plant relative growth rate. A clear understanding of leaf vein traits provides a new perspective on plant function independently of the LES and can enhance the ability to explain and predict whole plant performance under dynamic conditions, with applications towards breeding improved crop varieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawren Sack
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, 621 Charles E. Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Villar R, Ruiz-Robleto J, Ubera JL, Poorter H. Exploring variation in leaf mass per area (LMA) from leaf to cell: an anatomical analysis of 26 woody species. Am J Bot 2013; 100:1969-80. [PMID: 24107583 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1200562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Plant species differ widely in the leaf biomass invested per unit area (LMA). LMA can be explained by variation in leaf thickness and/or density, both of which are influenced by anatomical tissue composition. The aim of this study is to quantify the anatomical characteristics that underlie variation in LMA in a range of woody species. • METHODS Twenty-six woody species, forming 13 species pairs with a deciduous and evergreen species from the same genus or family, were grown in a glasshouse. The youngest full-grown leaves were analyzed for LMA and morpho-anatomical characteristics at leaf, tissue, and cell level. • KEY RESULTS Considered over all species studied, leaf thickness and density were equally important to explain the variation in LMA, but the class difference between deciduous and evergreen species was mainly determined by thickness, whereas variation within each group was largely due to density. Evergreens had thicker leaves, predominantly caused by a larger volume of mesophyll and air spaces, whereas the higher leaf density within each group was due to a lower proportion of epidermis and air spaces, and overall smaller cells. • CONCLUSIONS The anatomical basis for variation in LMA in woody species depends on the contrast made. Higher LMA in evergreens is mainly due to a greater leaf thickness, caused by a larger volume of mesophyll and air spaces. Within deciduous species and evergreens, higher LMA is caused by a higher density, due to higher volumetric fractions of mesophyll and lower fractions of air spaces and epidermis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Villar
- Area de Ecología, Dpto. de Botánica, Ecología y Fisiología Vegetal, Campus de Rabanales, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
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Poorter H, Anten NPR, Marcelis LFM. Physiological mechanisms in plant growth models: do we need a supra-cellular systems biology approach? Plant Cell Environ 2013; 36:1673-90. [PMID: 23611725 DOI: 10.1111/pce.12123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2012] [Revised: 04/03/2013] [Accepted: 04/14/2013] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
In the first part of this paper, we review the extent to which various types of plant growth models incorporate ecophysiological mechanisms. Many growth models have a central role for the process of photosynthesis; and often implicitly assume C-gain to be the rate-limiting step for biomass accumulation. We subsequently explore the extent to which this assumption actually holds and under what condition constraints on growth due to a limited sink strength are likely to occur. By using generalized dose-response curves for growth with respect to light and CO₂, models can be tested against a benchmark for their overall performance. In the final part, a call for a systems approach at the supra-cellular level is made. This will enable a better understanding of feedbacks and trade-offs acting on plant growth and its component processes. Mechanistic growth models form an indispensable element of such an approach and will, in the end, provide the link with the (sub-)cellular approaches that are yet developing. Improved insight will be gained if model output for the various physiological processes and morphological variables ('virtual profiling') is compared with measured correlation networks among these processes and variables. Two examples of these correlation networks are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- IBG-2 Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425 Jülich, Germany.
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Mulder C, Ahrestani FS, Bahn M, Bohan DA, Bonkowski M, Griffiths BS, Guicharnaud RA, Kattge J, Krogh PH, Lavorel S, Lewis OT, Mancinelli G, Naeem S, Peñuelas J, Poorter H, Reich PB, Rossi L, Rusch GM, Sardans J, Wright IJ. Connecting the Green and Brown Worlds. ADV ECOL RES 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-420002-9.00002-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Poorter H, Sack L. Pitfalls and possibilities in the analysis of biomass allocation patterns in plants. Front Plant Sci 2012; 3:259. [PMID: 23227027 PMCID: PMC3514511 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2012.00259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2012] [Accepted: 11/05/2012] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Plants can differentially allocate biomass to leaves, stems, roots, and reproduction, and follow ontogenetic trajectories that interact with the prevailing climate. Various methodological tools exist to analyze the resulting allocation patterns, based either on the calculation of biomass ratios or fractions of different organs at a given point in time, or on a so-called allometric analysis of biomass data sampled across species or over an experimental growth period. We discuss the weak and strong points of each of these methods. Although both approaches have useful features, we suggest that often a plot of biomass fractions against total plant size, either across species or in the comparison of treatment effects, combines the best of both worlds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum JülichJülich, Germany
| | - Lawren Sack
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA, USA
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Abstract
No matter how fascinating the discoveries in the field of molecular biology are, in the end it is the phenotype that matters. In this paper we pay attention to various aspects of plant phenotyping. The challenges to unravel the relationship between genotype and phenotype are discussed, as well as the case where 'plants do not have a phenotype'. More emphasis has to be placed on automation to match the increased output in the molecular sciences with analysis of relevant traits under laboratory, greenhouse and field conditions. Currently, non-destructive measurements with cameras are becoming widely used to assess plant structural properties, but a wider range of non-invasive approaches and evaluation tools has to be developed to combine physiologically meaningful data with structural information of plants. Another field requiring major progress is the handling and processing of data. A better e-infrastructure will enable easier establishment of links between phenotypic traits and genetic data. In the final part of this paper we briefly introduce the range of contributions that form the core of a special issue of this journal on plant phenotyping.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- IBG-2 Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425, Germany
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Poorter H, Fiorani F, Stitt M, Schurr U, Finck A, Gibon Y, Usadel BR, Munns R, Atkin OK, Tardieu FO, Pons TL. The art of growing plants for experimental purposes: a practical guide for the plant biologist. Funct Plant Biol 2012; 39:821-838. [PMID: 32480833 DOI: 10.1071/fp12028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2012] [Accepted: 03/19/2012] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Every year thousands of experiments are conducted using plants grown under more-or-less controlled environmental conditions. The aim of many such experiments is to compare the phenotype of different species or genotypes in a specific environment, or to study plant performance under a range of suboptimal conditions. Our paper aims to bring together the minimum knowledge necessary for a plant biologist to set up such experiments and apply the environmental conditions that are appropriate to answer the questions of interest. We first focus on the basic choices that have to be made with regard to the experimental setup (e.g. where are the plants grown; what rooting medium; what pot size). Second, we present practical considerations concerning the number of plants that have to be analysed considering the variability in plant material and the required precision. Third, we discuss eight of the most important environmental factors for plant growth (light quantity, light quality, CO2, nutrients, air humidity, water, temperature and salinity); what critical issues should be taken into account to ensure proper growth conditions in controlled environments and which specific aspects need attention if plants are challenged with a certain a-biotic stress factor. Finally, we propose a simple checklist that could be used for tracking and reporting experimental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Mark Stitt
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Golm, Germany
| | - Uli Schurr
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Alex Finck
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Golm, Germany
| | - Yves Gibon
- INRA, Univ. Bordeaux, UMR1332 Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, 71 Avenue Edouard Bourlaux, F-33883 Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Bj Rn Usadel
- RWTH Aachen, Worringer Weg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Rana Munns
- CSIRO Plant Industry, GPO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Owen K Atkin
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
| | - Fran Ois Tardieu
- INRA, Laboratoire d'Ecophysiologie des Plantes sous Stress Environnementaux, 2 Place Viala, F-34820 Montpellier, France
| | - Thijs L Pons
- Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, PO Box 800.84, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Poorter H, B Hler J, van Dusschoten D, Climent J, Postma JA. Pot size matters: a meta-analysis of the effects of rooting volume on plant growth. Funct Plant Biol 2012; 39:839-850. [PMID: 32480834 DOI: 10.1071/fp12049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 244] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2012] [Accepted: 05/11/2012] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The majority of experiments in plant biology use plants grown in some kind of container or pot. We conducted a meta-analysis on 65 studies that analysed the effect of pot size on growth and underlying variables. On average, a doubling of the pot size increased biomass production by 43%. Further analysis of pot size effects on the underlying components of growth suggests that reduced growth in smaller pots is caused mainly by a reduction in photosynthesis per unit leaf area, rather than by changes in leaf morphology or biomass allocation. The appropriate pot size will logically depend on the size of the plants growing in them. Based on various lines of evidence we suggest that an appropriate pot size is one in which the plant biomass does not exceed 1gL-1. In current research practice ~65% of the experiments exceed that threshold. We suggest that researchers need to carefully consider the pot size in their experiments, as small pots may change experimental results and defy the purpose of the experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- IBG-2 Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425, Germany
| | - Jonas B Hler
- IBG-2 Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425, Germany
| | | | - Jos Climent
- INIA, Forest Research Centre, Department of Forest Ecology and Genetics, Avda A Coruña Km 7.5., 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Craine JM, Engelbrecht BMJ, Lusk CH, McDowell NG, Poorter H. Resource limitation, tolerance, and the future of ecological plant classification. Front Plant Sci 2012; 3:246. [PMID: 23115561 PMCID: PMC3483597 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2012.00246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2012] [Accepted: 10/15/2012] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Throughout the evolutionary history of plants, drought, shade, and scarcity of nutrients have structured ecosystems and communities globally. Humans have begun to drastically alter the prevalence of these environmental factors with untold consequences for plant communities and ecosystems worldwide. Given limitations in using organ-level traits to predict ecological performance of species, recent advances using tolerances of low resource availability as plant functional traits are revealing the often hidden roles these factors have in structuring communities and are becoming central to classifying plants ecologically. For example, measuring the physiological drought tolerance of plants has increased the predictability of differences among species in their ability to survive drought as well as the distribution of species within and among ecosystems. Quantifying the shade tolerance of species has improved our understanding of local and regional species diversity and how species have sorted within and among regions. As the stresses on ecosystems continue to shift, coordinated studies of whole-plant growth centered on tolerance of low resource availability will be central in predicting future ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. This will require efforts that quantify tolerances for large numbers of species and develop bioinformatic and other techniques for comparing large number of species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht
- Department of Plant Ecology, University of Bayreuth Bayreuth, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteBalboa, Ancon, Panama
| | - Christopher H. Lusk
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of WaikatoHamilton, New Zealand
| | - Nate G. McDowell
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos, NM, USA
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum JülichJülich, Germany
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Huber H, Chen X, Hendriks M, Keijsers D, Voesenek LACJ, Pierik R, Poorter H, de Kroon H, Visser EJW. Plasticity as a plastic response: how submergence-induced leaf elongation in Rumex palustris depends on light and nutrient availability in its early life stage. New Phytol 2012; 194:572-582. [PMID: 22335539 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2012.04075.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Plants may experience different environmental cues throughout their development which interact in determining their phenotype. This paper tests the hypothesis that environmental conditions experienced early during ontogeny affect the phenotypic response to subsequent environmental cues. This hypothesis was tested by exposing different accessions of Rumex palustris to different light and nutrient conditions, followed by subsequent complete submergence. Final leaf length and submergence-induced plasticity were affected by the environmental conditions experienced at early developmental stages. In developmentally older leaves, submergence-induced elongation was lower in plants previously subjected to high-light conditions. Submergence-induced elongation of developmentally younger leaves, however, was larger when pregrown in high light. High-light and low-nutrient conditions led to an increase of nonstructural carbohydrates in the plants. There was a positive correlation between submergence-induced leaf elongation and carbohydrate concentration and content in roots and shoots, but not with root and shoot biomass before submergence. These results show that conditions experienced by young plants modulate the responses to subsequent environmental conditions, in both magnitude and direction. Internal resource status interacts with cues perceived at different developmental stages in determining plastic responses to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidrun Huber
- Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Experimental Plant Ecology, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Xin Chen
- Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Experimental Plant Ecology, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Plant Ecophysiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marloes Hendriks
- Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Experimental Plant Ecology, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Danny Keijsers
- Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Experimental Plant Ecology, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Laurentius A C J Voesenek
- Plant Ecophysiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald Pierik
- Plant Ecophysiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Ecophysiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Hans de Kroon
- Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Experimental Plant Ecology, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Eric J W Visser
- Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Experimental Plant Ecology, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Poorter H, Niklas KJ, Reich PB, Oleksyn J, Poot P, Mommer L. Biomass allocation to leaves, stems and roots: meta-analyses of interspecific variation and environmental control. New Phytol 2012; 193:30-50. [PMID: 22085245 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03952.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 871] [Impact Index Per Article: 72.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
We quantified the biomass allocation patterns to leaves, stems and roots in vegetative plants, and how this is influenced by the growth environment, plant size, evolutionary history and competition. Dose-response curves of allocation were constructed by means of a meta-analysis from a wide array of experimental data. They show that the fraction of whole-plant mass represented by leaves (LMF) increases most strongly with nutrients and decreases most strongly with light. Correction for size-induced allocation patterns diminishes the LMF-response to light, but makes the effect of temperature on LMF more apparent. There is a clear phylogenetic effect on allocation, as eudicots invest relatively more than monocots in leaves, as do gymnosperms compared with woody angiosperms. Plants grown at high densities show a clear increase in the stem fraction. However, in most comparisons across species groups or environmental factors, the variation in LMF is smaller than the variation in one of the other components of the growth analysis equation: the leaf area : leaf mass ratio (SLA). In competitive situations, the stem mass fraction increases to a smaller extent than the specific stem length (stem length : stem mass). Thus, we conclude that plants generally are less able to adjust allocation than to alter organ morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Sciences (IBG2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | | | - Peter B Reich
- University of Minnesota, 1530 Cleveland Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55108 USA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Jacek Oleksyn
- University of Minnesota, 1530 Cleveland Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55108 USA
- Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Dendrology, Parkowa 5, 62-035 Kornik, Poland
| | - Pieter Poot
- School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia & Science Division, Department of Environment and Conservation, Perth, Crawley WA 6009, Australia
| | - Liesje Mommer
- Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Experimental Plant Ecology, Radboud University, PO Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Renton M, Poorter H. Using log-log scaling slope analysis for determining the contributions to variability in biological variables such as leaf mass per area: why it works, when it works and how it can be extended. New Phytol 2011; 190:5-8. [PMID: 21275994 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03629.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Renton
- School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Underwood Avenue, Floreat, WA 6014, Australia
- (Author for correspondence: tel +61 8 6488 1959; email )
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- IBG-2, Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
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Nieves M, Nieves-Cordones M, Poorter H, Simón MD. Leaf nitrogen productivity is the major factor behind the growth reduction induced by long-term salt stress. Tree Physiol 2011; 31:92-101. [PMID: 21389005 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpq106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Plant growth response to salinity on a scale of years has not been studied in terms of growth analysis. To gain insights into this topic, 2-year-old Mediterranean Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis L.) and Mexican Fan Palm (Washingtonia robusta H. Wendl) seedlings, each with its own distinct plant morphology, were grown for 2 years in a peat soil and irrigated with water of 2 dS m(-1) (control) or 8 dS m(-1) (saline). Plants were harvested on seven occasions and the time trends in relative growth rate (RGR, the rate of increase of biomass per unit of biomass already existing) and its components were analysed. In the long term, salinity produced a slight reduction in the mean RGR, values in both species. In the short term, salinity caused a reduction in RGR. However, during the second year, plants irrigated with 8 dS m(-1) grew somewhat more quickly than the control plants, probably as a result of delay in the growth kinetics due to salinity. Regarding RGR components, leaf nitrogen productivity (the rate of biomass gain per unit leaf N and time) was the major factor causing the differences in RGR resulting from salinity. Washingtonia robusta showed a relatively high plasticity in plant morphology by increasing root and decreasing stem biomass allocation in the presence of salinity. However, the long-term response of W. robusta to salinity, based to a great extent, on this morphological plasticity, was less effective than that of C. humilis, which is based mainly on the contribution of leaf N to RGR values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Nieves
- EPSO, Univ. Miguel Hernández, Ctra Beniel km 3.2, Orihuela, Alicante, Spain.
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Chen X, Pierik R, Peeters AJM, Poorter H, Visser EJW, Huber H, de Kroon H, Voesenek LACJ. Endogenous abscisic acid as a key switch for natural variation in flooding-induced shoot elongation. Plant Physiol 2010; 154:969-77. [PMID: 20699400 PMCID: PMC2949041 DOI: 10.1104/pp.110.162792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2010] [Accepted: 07/28/2010] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Elongation of leaves and stem is a key trait for survival of terrestrial plants during shallow but prolonged floods that completely submerge the shoot. However, natural floods at different locations vary strongly in duration and depth, and, therefore, populations from these locations are subjected to different selection pressure, leading to intraspecific variation. Here, we identified the signal transduction component that causes response variation in shoot elongation among two accessions of the wetland plant Rumex palustris. These accessions differed 2-fold in petiole elongation rates upon submergence, with fast elongation found in a population from a river floodplain and slow elongation in plants from a lake bank. Fast petiole elongation under water consumes carbohydrates and depends on the (inter)action of the plant hormones ethylene, abscisic acid, and gibberellic acid. We found that carbohydrate levels and dynamics in shoots did not differ between the fast and slow elongating plants, but that the level of ethylene-regulated abscisic acid in petioles, and hence gibberellic acid responsiveness of these petioles explained the difference in shoot elongation upon submergence. Since this is the exact signal transduction level that also explains the variation in flooding-induced shoot elongation among plant species (namely, R. palustris and Rumex acetosa), we suggest that natural selection results in similar modification of regulatory pathways within and between species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- Plant Ecophysiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Hogewoning SW, Trouwborst G, Maljaars H, Poorter H, van Ieperen W, Harbinson J. Blue light dose-responses of leaf photosynthesis, morphology, and chemical composition of Cucumis sativus grown under different combinations of red and blue light. J Exp Bot 2010; 61:3107-17. [PMID: 20504875 PMCID: PMC2892149 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erq132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 258] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2010] [Revised: 04/27/2010] [Accepted: 04/27/2010] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The blue part of the light spectrum has been associated with leaf characteristics which also develop under high irradiances. In this study blue light dose-response curves were made for the photosynthetic properties and related developmental characteristics of cucumber leaves that were grown at an equal irradiance under seven different combinations of red and blue light provided by light-emitting diodes. Only the leaves developed under red light alone (0% blue) displayed dysfunctional photosynthetic operation, characterized by a suboptimal and heterogeneously distributed dark-adapted F(v)/F(m), a stomatal conductance unresponsive to irradiance, and a relatively low light-limited quantum yield for CO(2) fixation. Only 7% blue light was sufficient to prevent any overt dysfunctional photosynthesis, which can be considered a qualitatively blue light effect. The photosynthetic capacity (A(max)) was twice as high for leaves grown at 7% blue compared with 0% blue, and continued to increase with increasing blue percentage during growth measured up to 50% blue. At 100% blue, A(max) was lower but photosynthetic functioning was normal. The increase in A(max) with blue percentage (0-50%) was associated with an increase in leaf mass per unit leaf area (LMA), nitrogen (N) content per area, chlorophyll (Chl) content per area, and stomatal conductance. Above 15% blue, the parameters A(max), LMA, Chl content, photosynthetic N use efficiency, and the Chl:N ratio had a comparable relationship as reported for leaf responses to irradiance intensity. It is concluded that blue light during growth is qualitatively required for normal photosynthetic functioning and quantitatively mediates leaf responses resembling those to irradiance intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander W Hogewoning
- Wageningen University, Department of Plant Sciences, Horticultural Supply Chains Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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Poorter H, Niinemets U, Walter A, Fiorani F, Schurr U. A method to construct dose-response curves for a wide range of environmental factors and plant traits by means of a meta-analysis of phenotypic data. J Exp Bot 2010; 61:2043-55. [PMID: 20048331 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erp358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
In the past, biologists have characterized the responses of a wide range of plant species to their environment. As a result, phenotypic data from hundreds of experiments are publicly available now. Unfortunately, this information is not structured in a way that enables quantitative and comparative analyses. We aim to fill this gap by building a large database which currently contains data on 1000 experiments and 800 species. This paper presents methodology to generalize across different experiments and species, taking the response of specific leaf area (SLA; leaf area:leaf mass ratio) to irradiance as an example. We show how to construct and quantify a normalized mean light-response curve, and subsequently test whether there are systematic differences in the form of the curve between contrasting subgroups of species. This meta-analysis is then extended to a range of other environmental factors important for plant growth as well as other phenotypic traits, using >5300 mean values. The present approach, which we refer to as 'meta-phenomics', represents a valuable tool in understanding the integrated response of plants to their environment and could serve as a benchmark for future phenotyping efforts as well as for modelling global change effects on both wild species and crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- ICG-3 (Phytosphäre), Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany.
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Chen X, Huber H, de Kroon H, Peeters AJM, Poorter H, Voesenek LACJ, Visser EJW. Intraspecific variation in the magnitude and pattern of flooding-induced shoot elongation in Rumex palustris. Ann Bot 2009; 104:1057-67. [PMID: 19687030 PMCID: PMC2766193 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcp198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2009] [Revised: 05/18/2009] [Accepted: 07/13/2009] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Intraspecific variation in flooding tolerance is the basic pre-condition for adaptive flooding tolerance to evolve, and flooding-induced shoot elongation is an important trait that enables plants to survive shallow, prolonged flooding. Here an investigation was conducted to determine to what extent variation in flooding-induced leaf elongation exists among and within populations of the wetland species Rumex palustris, and whether the magnitude of elongation can be linked to habitat characteristics. METHODS Offspring of eight genotypes collected in each of 12 populations from different sites (ranging from river mudflats with dynamic flooding regimes to areas with stagnant water) were submerged, and petioles, laminas and roots were harvested separately to measure traits related to elongation and plant growth. KEY RESULTS We found strong elongation of petioles upon submergence, and both among- and within-population variation in this trait, not only in final length, but also in the timing of the elongation response. However, the variation in elongation responses could not be linked to habitat type. CONCLUSIONS Spatio-temporal variation in the duration and depth of flooding in combination with a presumably weak selection against flooding-induced elongation may have contributed to the maintenance of large genetic variation in flooding-related traits among and within populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- Department of Experimental Plant Ecology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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69
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Hannemann J, Poorter H, Usadel B, Bläsing OE, Finck A, Tardieu F, Atkin OK, Pons T, Stitt M, Gibon Y. Xeml Lab: a tool that supports the design of experiments at a graphical interface and generates computer-readable metadata files, which capture information about genotypes, growth conditions, environmental perturbations and sampling strategy. Plant Cell Environ 2009; 32:1185-1200. [PMID: 19236607 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2009.01964.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Data mining depends on the ability to access machine-readable metadata that describe genotypes, environmental conditions, and sampling times and strategy. This article presents Xeml Lab. The Xeml Interactive Designer provides an interactive graphical interface at which complex experiments can be designed, and concomitantly generates machine-readable metadata files. It uses a new eXtensible Mark-up Language (XML)-derived dialect termed XEML. Xeml Lab includes a new ontology for environmental conditions, called Xeml Environment Ontology. However, to provide versatility, it is designed to be generic and also accepts other commonly used ontology formats, including OBO and OWL. A review summarizing important environmental conditions that need to be controlled, monitored and captured as metadata is posted in a Wiki (http://www.codeplex.com/XeO) to promote community discussion. The usefulness of Xeml Lab is illustrated by two meta-analyses of a large set of experiments that were performed with Arabidopsis thaliana during 5 years. The first reveals sources of noise that affect measurements of metabolite levels and enzyme activities. The second shows that Arabidopsis maintains remarkably stable levels of sugars and amino acids across a wide range of photoperiod treatments, and that adjustment of starch turnover and the leaf protein content contribute to this metabolic homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Hannemann
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, Golm D-14476, Germany.
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70
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Poorter H, Walter A, Fiorani F, Schurr U, Niinemets Ü. Meta-phenomics: Building a unified framework for interpreting plant growth responses to diverse environmental variables. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2009.04.556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Ecophysiology Group, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 800.84, 3508 TB, the Netherlands
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Abstract
Here, we analysed a wide range of literature data on the leaf dry mass per unit area (LMA). In nature, LMA varies more than 100-fold among species. Part of this variation (c. 35%) can be ascribed to differences between functional groups, with evergreen species having the highest LMA, but most of the variation is within groups or biomes. When grown in the same controlled environment, leaf succulents and woody evergreen, perennial or slow-growing species have inherently high LMA. Within most of the functional groups studied, high-LMA species show higher leaf tissue densities. However, differences between evergreen and deciduous species result from larger volumes per area (thickness). Response curves constructed from experiments under controlled conditions showed that LMA varied strongly with light, temperature and submergence, moderately with CO2 concentration and nutrient and water stress, and marginally under most other conditions. Functional groups differed in the plasticity of LMA to these gradients. The physiological regulation is still unclear, but the consequences of variation in LMA and the suite of traits interconnected with it are strong. This trait complex is an important factor determining the fitness of species in their environment and affects various ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- Ecophysiology of Plants, Institute of Environmental Biology, PO Box 800.84, NL-3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ülo Niinemets
- Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 1, Tartu EE-51014, Estonia
| | - Lourens Poorter
- Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group and Resource Ecology Group, Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ian J Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Rafael Villar
- Área de Ecología, Campus de Rabanales, Universidad de Córdoba, ES-14071 Córdoba, Spain
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73
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Verhoeven KJF, Poorter H, Nevo E, Biere A. Habitat-specific natural selection at a flowering-time QTL is a main driver of local adaptation in two wild barley populations. Mol Ecol 2008; 17:3416-24. [PMID: 18573164 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2008.03847.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the genetic basis of local adaptation requires insight in the fitness effects of individual loci under natural field conditions. While rapid progress is made in the search for genes that control differences between plant populations, it is typically unknown whether the genes under study are in fact key targets of habitat-specific natural selection. Using a quantitative trait loci (QTL) approach, we show that a QTL associated with flowering-time variation between two locally adapted wild barley populations is an important determinant of fitness in one, but not in the other population's native habitat. The QTL mapped to the same position as a habitat-specific QTL for field fitness that affected plant reproductive output in only one of the parental habitats, indicating that the genomic region is under differential selection between the native habitats. Consistent with the QTL results, phenotypic selection of flowering time differed between the two environments, whereas other traits (growth rate and seed weight) were under selection but experienced no habitat-specific differential selection. This implies the flowering-time QTL as a driver of adaptive population divergence. Our results from phenotypic selection and QTL analysis are consistent with local adaptation without genetic trade-offs in performance across environments, i.e. without alleles or traits having opposing fitness effects in contrasting environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- K J F Verhoeven
- Center for Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology NIOO-KNAW, PO Box 40, 6666 ZG Heteren, The Netherlands.
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74
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Usadel B, Bläsing OE, Gibon Y, Poree F, Höhne M, Günter M, Trethewey R, Kamlage B, Poorter H, Stitt M. Multilevel genomic analysis of the response of transcripts, enzyme activities and metabolites in Arabidopsis rosettes to a progressive decrease of temperature in the non-freezing range. Plant Cell Environ 2008; 31:518-47. [PMID: 18088337 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2007.01763.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
This paper characterizes the transcriptional and metabolic response of a chilling-tolerant species to an increasingly large decrease of the temperature. Arabidopsis Col-0 was grown at 20 degrees C and transferred to 17, 14, 12, 10 or 8 degrees C for 6 and 78 h, before harvesting the rosette and profiling >22 000 transcripts, >20 enzyme activities and >80 metabolites. Most parameters showed a qualitatively similar response across the entire temperature range, with the amplitude increasing as the temperature decreased. Transcripts typically showed large changes after 6 h, which were often damped by 78 h. Genes were induced for sucrose, proline, raffinose, tocopherol and polyamine synthesis, phenylpropanoid and flavonoid metabolism, fermentation, non-phosphorylating mitochondrial electron transport, RNA processing, and protein synthesis, targeting and folding. Genes were repressed for carbonic anhydrases, vacuolar invertase, and ethylene and jasmonic acid signalling. While some enzyme activities and metabolites changed rapidly, most changed slowly. After 6 h, there was an accumulation of phosphorylated intermediates, a shift of partitioning towards sucrose, and a perturbation of glycine decarboxylation and nitrogen metabolism. By 78 h, there was an increase of the overall protein content and many enzyme activities, a general increase of carbohydrates, organic and amino acids, and an increase of many stress-responsive metabolites including raffinose, proline, tocopherol and polyamines. When the responses of transcripts and metabolism were compared, there was little agreement after 6 h, but considerable agreement after 78 h. Comparison with the published studies indicated that much, but not all, of the response was orchestrated by the CBF programme. Overall, our results showed that transcription and metabolism responded in a continuous manner across a wide range of temperatures. The general increase of enzyme activities and metabolites emphasized the positive and compensatory nature of this response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn Usadel
- Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Golm, Germany
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75
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Tholen D, Pons TL, Voesenek LACJ, Poorter H. The role of ethylene perception in the control of photosynthesis. Plant Signal Behav 2008; 3:108-9. [PMID: 19704724 PMCID: PMC2633994 DOI: 10.4161/psb.3.2.4968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2007] [Accepted: 09/04/2007] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The process of photosynthesis is under the control by several internal factors. Apart from the effect of abscisic acid on stomatal conductance, little is known about the interaction between hormonal signals and photosynthesis in fully-developed, nonsenescing leaves. Recently, we found that the ethylene transduction pathway is involved in the regulation of photosynthesis. Using an ethylene-insensitive tobacco genotype we showed that the absence of a functional ethylene receptor leads to a reduction in Rubisco content and photosynthetic capacity. In this addendum, we present some additional data indicating that photosynthetic capacity is also reduced in ethylene-insensitive Arabidopsis mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Tholen
- Plant Ecophysiology; Institute of Environmental Biology; Utrecht University; Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Biological Science; Graduate School of Science; University of Tokyo; Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Thijs L Pons
- Plant Ecophysiology; Institute of Environmental Biology; Utrecht University; Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Laurentius ACJ Voesenek
- Plant Ecophysiology; Institute of Environmental Biology; Utrecht University; Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Ecophysiology; Institute of Environmental Biology; Utrecht University; Utrecht, The Netherlands
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76
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Tholen D, Pons TL, Voesenek LACJ, Poorter H. Ethylene insensitivity results in down-regulation of rubisco expression and photosynthetic capacity in tobacco. Plant Physiol 2007; 144:1305-15. [PMID: 17535822 PMCID: PMC1914117 DOI: 10.1104/pp.107.099762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2007] [Accepted: 04/29/2007] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about the effect of hormones on the photosynthetic process. Therefore, we studied Rubisco content and expression along with gas exchange parameters in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants that are not able to sense ethylene. We also tested for a possible interaction between ethylene insensitivity, abscisic acid (ABA), and sugar feedback on photosynthesis. We measured Rubisco content in seedlings grown in agar with or without added sugar and fluridone, and Rubisco expression in hydroponically grown vegetative plants grown at low and high CO(2). Furthermore, we analyzed gas exchange and the photosynthetic machinery of transformants and wild-type plants grown under standard conditions. In the presence of exogenous glucose (Glc), agar-grown seedlings of the ethylene-insensitive genotype had lower amounts of Rubisco per unit leaf area than the wild type. No differences in Rubisco content were found between ethylene-insensitive and wild-type seedlings treated with fluridone, suggesting that inhibition of ABA production nullified the effect of Glc application. When larger, vegetative plants were grown at different atmospheric CO(2) concentrations, a negative correlation was found between Glc concentration in the leaves and Rubisco gene expression, with stronger repression by high Glc concentrations in ethylene-insensitive plants. Ethylene insensitivity resulted in plants with comparable fractions of nitrogen invested in light harvesting, but lower amounts in electron transport and Rubisco. Consequently, photosynthetic capacity of the insensitive genotype was clearly lower compared with the wild type. We conclude that the inability to perceive ethylene results in increased sensitivity to Glc, which may be mediated by a higher ABA concentration. This increased sensitivity to endogenous Glc has negative consequences for Rubisco content and photosynthetic capacity of these plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Tholen
- Plant Ecophysiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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77
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Garnier E, Poorter H. Ecological Significance of Inherent Variation in Relative Growth Rate and Its Components. Functional Plant Ecology, Second Edition 2007. [DOI: 10.1201/9781420007626.ch3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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78
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Dueck TA, De Visser R, Poorter H, Persijn S, Gorissen A, De Visser W, Schapendonk A, Verhagen J, Snel J, Harren FJM, Ngai AKY, Verstappen F, Bouwmeester H, Voesenek LACJ, Van Der Werf A. No evidence for substantial aerobic methane emission by terrestrial plants: a 13C-labelling approach. New Phytol 2007; 175:29-35. [PMID: 17547664 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02103.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
* The results of a single publication stating that terrestrial plants emit methane has sparked a discussion in several scientific journals, but an independent test has not yet been performed. * Here it is shown, with the use of the stable isotope (13)C and a laser-based measuring technique, that there is no evidence for substantial aerobic methane emission by terrestrial plants, maximally 0.3% (0.4 ng g(-1) h(-1)) of the previously published values. * Data presented here indicate that the contribution of terrestrial plants to global methane emission is very small at best. * Therefore, a revision of carbon sequestration accounting practices based on the earlier reported contribution of methane from terrestrial vegetation is redundant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom A Dueck
- Plant Research International, PO Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ries De Visser
- IsoLife, PO Box 349, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Ecophysiology, Utrecht University, PO Box 800.84, 3508 TB, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Stefan Persijn
- Molecular & Laser Physics, Radboud University, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Willem De Visser
- Plant Research International, PO Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ad Schapendonk
- Plant Dynamics, Englaan 8, 6703 EW, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jan Verhagen
- Plant Research International, PO Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jan Snel
- Plant Research International, PO Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Frans J M Harren
- Molecular & Laser Physics, Radboud University, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Anthony K Y Ngai
- Molecular & Laser Physics, Radboud University, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Francel Verstappen
- Plant Research International, PO Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Harro Bouwmeester
- Plant Research International, PO Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Adrie Van Der Werf
- Plant Research International, PO Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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79
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Villar R, Robleto JR, De Jong Y, Poorter H. Differences in construction costs and chemical composition between deciduous and evergreen woody species are small as compared to differences among families. Plant Cell Environ 2006; 29:1629-43. [PMID: 16898023 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2006.01540.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
We tested to what extent differences in construction costs (CC) and chemical composition of woody species are attributed to leaf habit. Eight evergreen and eight deciduous species belonging to six families were selected to form eight phylogenetic independent contrasts (PICs). The plants were grown from seed in a glasshouse. Differences in leaf, stem and root CC between evergreen and deciduous species were minor, the proportion of variance explained by leaf habit generally being less than 6%. Surprisingly, differences in leaf chemical composition between deciduous and evergreen species were small as well. Variation in CC and chemical composition among families was substantial, the factor 'family' explaining 50-85% of variance. We therefore conclude that in this case, phylogeny is a more important factor than functional group. Leaves of the fast-growing species in this experiment showed high levels of minerals, organic acids, proteins and lipids, whereas leaves of the slow-growing species had higher concentrations of soluble phenolics, lignin as well as higher carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio. These relationships suggest a trade-off between growth and defence. In contrast, CC of leaves, stems, roots or whole plants showed no or only a weak correlation with relative growth rate (RGR). The C/N ratio of the leaves is an easily measured parameter that correlated strongly in a negative way with the RGR of the plants and reflected better the balance between investment in structure and physiological functioning than CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Villar
- Area de Ecología, Dpto de Botánica, Ecologia y Fisiologia Vegetal, Universidad de Córdoba, Spain.
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Pierik R, Tholen D, Poorter H, Visser EJW, Voesenek LACJ. The Janus face of ethylene: growth inhibition and stimulation. Trends Plant Sci 2006; 11:176-83. [PMID: 16531097 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2006.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2005] [Revised: 02/03/2006] [Accepted: 02/27/2006] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The gaseous plant hormone ethylene modulates many internal processes and growth responses to environmental stimuli. Ethylene has long been recognized as a growth inhibitor, but evidence is accumulating that ethylene can also promote growth. Therefore, the concept of ethylene as a general growth inhibitor needs reconsideration: a close examination of recent literature can help to understand the two contrasting faces of growth control by ethylene. Here, we propose a hypothesis that integrates growth inhibition and growth stimulation into one biphasic ethylene response model. Focusing on photosynthesis and cell expansion, we highlight several mechanisms through which ethylene affects plant growth, thereby interacting with various other signal transduction routes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Pierik
- Plant Ecophysiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Sorbonnelaan 16, 3584 CA Utrecht, The Netherlands
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81
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Poorter H, Pepin S, Rijkers T, de Jong Y, Evans JR, Körner C. Construction costs, chemical composition and payback time of high- and low-irradiance leaves. J Exp Bot 2006; 57:355-71. [PMID: 16303828 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erj002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The effect of irradiance on leaf construction costs, chemical composition, and on the payback time of leaves was investigated. To enable more generalized conclusions, three different systems were studied: top and the most-shaded leaves of 10 adult tree species in a European mixed forest, top leaves of sub-dominant trees of two evergreen species growing in small gaps or below the canopy in an Amazonian rainforest, and plants of six herbaceous and four woody species grown hydroponically at low or high irradiance in growth cabinets. Daily photon irradiance varied 3-6-fold between low- and high-light leaves. Specific leaf area (SLA) was 30-130% higher at low light. Construction costs, on the other hand, were 1-5% lower for low-irradiance leaves, mainly because low-irradiance leaves had lower concentrations of soluble phenolics. Photosynthetic capacity and respiration, expressed per unit leaf mass, were hardly different for the low- and high-light leaves. Estimates of payback times of the high-irradiance leaves ranged from 2-4 d in the growth cabinets, to 15-20 d for the adult tree species in the European forest. Low-irradiance leaves had payback times that were 2-3 times larger, ranging from 4 d in the growth cabinets to 20-80 d at the most shaded part of the canopy of the mixed forest. In all cases, estimated payback times were less than half the life span of the leaves, suggesting that even at time-integrated irradiances lower than 5% of the total seasonal value, investment in leaves is still fruitful from a carbon-economy point of view. A sensitivity analysis showed that increased SLA of low-irradiance leaves was the main factor constraining payback times. Acclimation in the other five factors determining payback time, namely construction costs, photosynthetic capacity per unit leaf mass, respiration per unit leaf mass, apparent quantum yield, and curvature of the photosynthetic light-response-curve, were unimportant when the observed variation in each factor was examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Ecophysiology, Utrecht University, PO Box 800.84, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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82
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Vile D, Garnier E, Shipley B, Laurent G, Navas ML, Roumet C, Lavorel S, Díaz S, Hodgson JG, Lloret F, Midgley GF, Poorter H, Rutherford MC, Wilson PJ, Wright IJ. Specific leaf area and dry matter content estimate thickness in laminar leaves. Ann Bot 2005; 96:1129-36. [PMID: 16159941 PMCID: PMC4247101 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mci264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2005] [Revised: 06/06/2005] [Accepted: 07/29/2005] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Leaf thickness plays an important role in leaf and plant functioning, and relates to a species' strategy of resource acquisition and use. As such, it has been widely used for screening purposes in crop science and community ecology. However, since its measurement is not straightforward, a number of estimates have been proposed. Here, the validity of the (SLA x LDMC)(-1) product is tested to estimate leaf thickness, where SLA is the specific leaf area (leaf area/dry mass) and LDMC is the leaf dry matter content (leaf dry mass/fresh mass). SLA and LDMC are two leaf traits that are both more easily measurable and often reported in the literature. METHODS The relationship between leaf thickness (LT) and (SLA x LDMC)(-1) was tested in two analyses of covariance using 11 datasets (three original and eight published) for a total number of 1039 data points, corresponding to a wide range of growth forms growing in contrasted environments in four continents. KEY RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The overall slope and intercept of the relationship were not significantly different from one and zero, respectively, and the residual standard error was 0.11. Only two of the eight datasets displayed a significant difference in the intercepts, and the only significant difference among the most represented growth forms was for trees. LT can therefore be estimated by (SLA x LDMC)(-1), allowing leaf thickness to be derived from easily and widely measured leaf traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Vile
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CNRS, UMR 5175, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
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83
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Wright IJ, Reich PB, Cornelissen JHC, Falster DS, Groom PK, Hikosaka K, Lee W, Lusk CH, Niinemets Ü, Oleksyn J, Osada N, Poorter H, Warton DI, Westoby M. Modulation of leaf economic traits and trait relationships by climate. Global Ecology and Biogeography 2005; 14:411-421. [PMID: 0 DOI: 10.1111/j.1466-822x.2005.00172.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 354] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
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84
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Wright IJ, Reich PB, Cornelissen JHC, Falster DS, Garnier E, Hikosaka K, Lamont BB, Lee W, Oleksyn J, Osada N, Poorter H, Villar R, Warton DI, Westoby M. Assessing the generality of global leaf trait relationships. New Phytol 2005. [PMID: 15819912 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2005.01349x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Global-scale quantification of relationships between plant traits gives insight into the evolution of the world's vegetation, and is crucial for parameterizing vegetation-climate models. A database was compiled, comprising data for hundreds to thousands of species for the core 'leaf economics' traits leaf lifespan, leaf mass per area, photosynthetic capacity, dark respiration, and leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, as well as leaf potassium, photosynthetic N-use efficiency (PNUE), and leaf N : P ratio. While mean trait values differed between plant functional types, the range found within groups was often larger than differences among them. Future vegetation-climate models could incorporate this knowledge. The core leaf traits were intercorrelated, both globally and within plant functional types, forming a 'leaf economics spectrum'. While these relationships are very general, they are not universal, as significant heterogeneity exists between relationships fitted to individual sites. Much, but not all, heterogeneity can be explained by variation in sample size alone. PNUE can also be considered as part of this trait spectrum, whereas leaf K and N : P ratios are only loosely related.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia.
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85
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Wright IJ, Reich PB, Cornelissen JHC, Falster DS, Garnier E, Hikosaka K, Lamont BB, Lee W, Oleksyn J, Osada N, Poorter H, Villar R, Warton DI, Westoby M. Assessing the generality of global leaf trait relationships. New Phytol 2005; 166:485-96. [PMID: 15819912 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2005.01349.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1077] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Global-scale quantification of relationships between plant traits gives insight into the evolution of the world's vegetation, and is crucial for parameterizing vegetation-climate models. A database was compiled, comprising data for hundreds to thousands of species for the core 'leaf economics' traits leaf lifespan, leaf mass per area, photosynthetic capacity, dark respiration, and leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, as well as leaf potassium, photosynthetic N-use efficiency (PNUE), and leaf N : P ratio. While mean trait values differed between plant functional types, the range found within groups was often larger than differences among them. Future vegetation-climate models could incorporate this knowledge. The core leaf traits were intercorrelated, both globally and within plant functional types, forming a 'leaf economics spectrum'. While these relationships are very general, they are not universal, as significant heterogeneity exists between relationships fitted to individual sites. Much, but not all, heterogeneity can be explained by variation in sample size alone. PNUE can also be considered as part of this trait spectrum, whereas leaf K and N : P ratios are only loosely related.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia.
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86
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Poorter H, van Rijn CPE, Vanhala TK, Verhoeven KJF, de Jong YEM, Stam P, Lambers H. A genetic analysis of relative growth rate and underlying components in Hordeum spontaneum. Oecologia 2004; 142:360-77. [PMID: 15655691 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-004-1705-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2004] [Accepted: 08/04/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Species from productive and unproductive habitats differ inherently in their relative growth rate (RGR) and a wide range of correlated quantitative traits. We investigated the genetic basis of this trait complex, and specifically assessed whether it is under the control of just one or a few genes that can act as 'master switches' by simultaneously affecting a range of traits in the complex. To address this problem, we crossed two Hordeum spontaneum lines originating from two habitats that differ in productivity. The F3 offspring, in which parental alleles are present in different combinations due to recombination and segregation, was analysed for RGR and its underlying components (leaf area ratio, unit leaf rate, photosynthesis, respiration), as well as a number of other physiological and morphological parameters. For this intra-specific comparison, we found a complex of positively and negatively correlated traits, which was quite similar to what is generally observed across species. A quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis showed three major and one minor QTL for RGR. Most other variables of the growth-trait complex showed fewer QTLs that were typically scattered over various locations on the genome. Thus, at least in H. spontaneum, we found no evidence for regulation of the trait complex by one or two master switches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Ecophysiology, Utrecht University, PO Box 800.84, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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87
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Wright IJ, Reich PB, Westoby M, Ackerly DD, Baruch Z, Bongers F, Cavender-Bares J, Chapin T, Cornelissen JHC, Diemer M, Flexas J, Garnier E, Groom PK, Gulias J, Hikosaka K, Lamont BB, Lee T, Lee W, Lusk C, Midgley JJ, Navas ML, Niinemets U, Oleksyn J, Osada N, Poorter H, Poot P, Prior L, Pyankov VI, Roumet C, Thomas SC, Tjoelker MG, Veneklaas EJ, Villar R. The worldwide leaf economics spectrum. Nature 2004; 428:821-7. [PMID: 15103368 DOI: 10.1038/nature02403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2680] [Impact Index Per Article: 134.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2003] [Accepted: 02/10/2004] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Bringing together leaf trait data spanning 2,548 species and 175 sites we describe, for the first time at global scale, a universal spectrum of leaf economics consisting of key chemical, structural and physiological properties. The spectrum runs from quick to slow return on investments of nutrients and dry mass in leaves, and operates largely independently of growth form, plant functional type or biome. Categories along the spectrum would, in general, describe leaf economic variation at the global scale better than plant functional types, because functional types overlap substantially in their leaf traits. Overall, modulation of leaf traits and trait relationships by climate is surprisingly modest, although some striking and significant patterns can be seen. Reliable quantification of the leaf economics spectrum and its interaction with climate will prove valuable for modelling nutrient fluxes and vegetation boundaries under changing land-use and climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
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88
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Wright IJ, Reich PB, Westoby M, Ackerly DD, Baruch Z, Bongers F, Cavender-Bares J, Chapin T, Cornelissen JHC, Diemer M, Flexas J, Garnier E, Groom PK, Gulias J, Hikosaka K, Lamont BB, Lee T, Lee W, Lusk C, Midgley JJ, Navas ML, Niinemets U, Oleksyn J, Osada N, Poorter H, Poot P, Prior L, Pyankov VI, Roumet C, Thomas SC, Tjoelker MG, Veneklaas EJ, Villar R. The worldwide leaf economics spectrum. Nature 2004. [PMID: 15103368 DOI: 10.1038/nature02403n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Bringing together leaf trait data spanning 2,548 species and 175 sites we describe, for the first time at global scale, a universal spectrum of leaf economics consisting of key chemical, structural and physiological properties. The spectrum runs from quick to slow return on investments of nutrients and dry mass in leaves, and operates largely independently of growth form, plant functional type or biome. Categories along the spectrum would, in general, describe leaf economic variation at the global scale better than plant functional types, because functional types overlap substantially in their leaf traits. Overall, modulation of leaf traits and trait relationships by climate is surprisingly modest, although some striking and significant patterns can be seen. Reliable quantification of the leaf economics spectrum and its interaction with climate will prove valuable for modelling nutrient fluxes and vegetation boundaries under changing land-use and climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
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89
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Tholen D, Voesenek LACJ, Poorter H. Ethylene insensitivity does not increase leaf area or relative growth rate in Arabidopsis, Nicotiana tabacum, and Petunia x hybrida. Plant Physiol 2004; 134:1803-12. [PMID: 15064382 PMCID: PMC419903 DOI: 10.1104/pp.103.034389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2003] [Revised: 01/14/2004] [Accepted: 01/14/2004] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The plant hormone ethylene plays a role in various growth related processes. In this detailed study of the vegetative growth of Arabidopsis, Nicotiana tabacum, and Petunia x hybrida plants, we show that ethylene insensitivity does not result in an increased total leaf area or relative growth rate (RGR) under optimal growth conditions. When grown in semiclosed containers, leaf area of ethylene-insensitive plants was larger compared to the wild type. This effect was caused by a buildup of ethylene inside these containers, which inhibited the growth of wild-type plants. Ethylene-insensitive Arabidopsis and N. tabacum plants had a lower biomass, which was mainly the result of a smaller seed mass. RGR of vegetative plants was not affected by ethylene insensitivity, but the underlying components of RGR differed; specific leaf area (leaf area per unit leaf mass) was higher, and unit leaf rate (growth rate per unit leaf area) was lower. The latter was a result of a slower rate of photosynthesis per unit leaf area in the ethylene-insensitive plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Tholen
- Plant Ecophysiology, Utrecht University, 3584 CA Utrecht, The Netherlands
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90
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Abstract
The effects of increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations on vegetative growth and competitive performance were evaluated, using five meta-analyses. Paying special attention to functional groups, we analysed responses at three integration levels: carbon economy parameters, vegetative biomass of isolated plants, and growth in competition. CO2 effects on seed biomass and plant-to-plant variability were also studied. Underlying the growth stimulation is an increased unit leaf rate (ULR), especially for herbaceous dicots. This is mainly caused by an increase in the whole-plant rate of photosynthesis. The increased ULR is accompanied by a decrease in specific leaf area. The net result of these and other changes is that relative growth rate is only marginally stimulated. The biomass enhancement ratio (BER) of individually grown plants varies substantially across experiments/species, and size variability in the experimental populations is a vital factor in this. Fast-growing herbaceous C3 species respond more strongly than slow-growing C3 herbs or C4 plants. CAM species and woody plants show intermediate responses. When grown in competition, C4 species show lowest responses to elevated CO2 at high nutrient conditions, whereas at low nutrient levels N2 -fixing dicots respond relatively strongly. No systematic differences were found between slow- and fast-growing species. BER values obtained for isolated plants cannot be used to estimate BER of the same species grown in interspecific competition - the CO2 response of monocultures may be a better predictor. Contents Summary 175 I. Introduction 176 II. Materials and Methods 177 III. Factors underlying the growth response 178 IV. Variation in biomass enhancement ratio 181 V. Functional groups of species 184 VI. The response in a more natural environment 188 VII. An outlook 192 VIII. Conclusions 193 Acknowledgements 193 References 193 Appendices 196.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Ecophysiology, Utrecht University, PO Box 800.84, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marie-Laure Navas
- Department 'Science for the Protection of Plants and Ecology', Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Montpellier, 2 Place Viala, 34060 Montpellier Cedex 1, France
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CNRS, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
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91
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Abstract
In classical growth analysis, relative growth rate (RGR) is calculated as RGR = (ln W2 - ln W1)/(t2 - t1), where W1 and W2 are plant dry weights at times t1 and t2. Since RGR is usually calculated using destructive harvests of several individuals, an obvious approach is to substitute W1 and W2 with sample means W1 and W2. Here we demonstrate that this approach yields a biased estimate of RGR whenever the variance of the natural logarithm-transformed plant weight changes through time. This bias increases with an increase in the variance in RGR, in the length of the interval between harvests, or in sample size. The bias can be avoided by using the formula RGR = (ln W2 - ln W1)/(t2 - t1),where ln W1 and ln W2 are the means of the natural logarithm-transformed plant weights.
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92
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Poorter H, Pérez-Soba M. The growth response of plants to elevated CO 2 under non-optimal environmental conditions. Oecologia 2001; 129:1-20. [PMID: 28547056 DOI: 10.1007/s004420100736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2000] [Accepted: 04/19/2001] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Under benign environmental conditions, plant growth is generally stimulated by elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations. When environmental conditions become sub- or supra-optimal for growth, changes in the biomass enhancement ratio (BER; total plant biomass at elevated CO2 divided by plant biomass at the current CO2 level) may occur. We analysed literature sources that studied CO2×environment interactions on the growth of herbaceous species and tree seedlings during the vegetative phase. For each experiment we calculated the difference in BER for plants that were grown under 'optimal' and 'non-optimal' conditions. Assuming that interactions would be most apparent if the environmental stress strongly diminished growth, we scaled the difference in the BER values by the growth reduction due to the stress factor. In our compilation we found a large variability in CO2×environment interactions between experiments. To test the impact of experimental design, we simulated a range of analyses with a plant-to-plant variation in size common in experimental plant populations, in combination with a number of replicates generally used in CO2×environment studies. A similar variation in results was found as in the compilation of real experiments, showing the strong impact of stochasticity. We therefore caution against strong inferences derived from single experiments and suggest rather a reliance on average interactions across a range of experiments. Averaged over the literature data available, low soil nutrient supply or sub-optimal temperatures were found to reduce the proportional growth stimulation of elevated CO2. In contrast, BER increased when plants were grown at low water supply, albeit relatively modestly. Reduced irradiance or high salinity caused BER to increase in some cases and decrease in others, resulting in an average interaction with elevated CO2 that was not significant. Under high ozone concentrations, the relative growth enhancement by elevated CO2 was strongly increased, to the extent that high CO2 even compensated in an absolute way for the harmful effect of ozone on growth. No systematic difference in response was found between herbaceous and woody species for any of the environmental variables considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Ecophysiology, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 800.84, 3508 TB, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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93
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Poorter H, Nagel O. The role of biomass allocation in the growth response of plants to different levels of light, CO2, nutrients and water: a quantitative review. Functional Plant Biol 2000; 27:1191. [PMID: 0 DOI: 10.1071/pp99173_co] [Citation(s) in RCA: 246] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The allocation of biomass to different plant
organs depends on species, ontogeny and on the environment experienced by the
plant. In this paper we first discuss some methodological tools to describe
and analyse the allocation of biomass. Rather than the use of shoot:root
ratios, we plead strongly for a subdivision of biomass into at least three
compartments: leaves, stems and roots. Attention is drawn to some of the
disadvantages of allometry as a tool to correct for size differences between
plants. Second, we tested the extent to which biomass allocation of plants
follows the model of a ‘functional equilibrium’. According to this
model, plants respond to a decrease in above-ground resources with increased
allocation to shoots (leaves), whereas they respond to a decrease in
below-ground resources with increased allocation to roots. We carried out a
meta-analysis of the literature, analysing the effect of various environmental
variables on the fraction of total plant biomass allocated to leaves (leaf
mass fraction), stem (stem mass fraction) and roots (root mass fraction). The
responses to light, nutrients and water agreed with the (qualitative)
prediction of the ‘functional equilibrium’ theory. The notable
exception was atmospheric CO2, which did not affect
allocation when the concentration was doubled. Third, we analysed the
quantitative importance of the changes in allocation compared to changes in
other growth parameters, such as unit leaf rate (the net difference between
carbon gain and carbon losses per unit time and leaf area), and specific leaf
area (leaf area: leaf biomass). The effects of light,
CO2 and water on leaf mass fractions were small compared
to their effects on relative growth rate. The effects of nutrients, however,
were large, suggesting that only in the case of nutrients, biomass allocation
is a major factor in the response of plants to limiting resource supply.
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94
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95
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Van de Vijver CADM, Boot RGA, Poorter H, Lambers H. Phenotypic plasticity in response to nitrate supply of an inherently fast-growing species from a fertile habitat and an inherently slow-growing species from an infertile habitat. Oecologia 1993; 96:548-554. [PMID: 28312461 DOI: 10.1007/bf00320512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/1993] [Accepted: 09/30/1993] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C A D M Van de Vijver
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Utrecht University, Sorbonnclaan 16, 3584 CA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - R G A Boot
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Utrecht University, Sorbonnclaan 16, 3584 CA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - H Poorter
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Utrecht University, Sorbonnclaan 16, 3584 CA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - H Lambers
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Utrecht University, Sorbonnclaan 16, 3584 CA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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96
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97
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Niemann GJ, Pureveen JBM, Eijkel GB, Poorter H, Boon JJ. Differences in relative growth rate in 11 grasses correlate with differences in chemical composition as determined by pyrolysis mass spectrometry. Oecologia 1992; 89:567-573. [PMID: 28311889 DOI: 10.1007/bf00317165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/1991] [Accepted: 11/06/1991] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Eleven grass species varying in potential relative growth rate (RGR) were investigated for differences in chemical composition by pyrolysis mass spectrometry. The spectral data revealed correlations between RGR and the relative composition of several biopolymers. Species with a low potential RGR contained relatively more cell wall material such as lignin, hemicellulose, cellulose, polysaccharide-bound ferulic acid and hydroxyproline-rich protein, whereas species with a high potential RGR showed relatively more cytoplasmic elements such as protein (other than those incorporated in cell walls) and sterols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard J Niemann
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Utrecht, P.O. Box 800.84, 3508. TB, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics, Kruislaan 407, 1098 SJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jos B M Pureveen
- FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics, Kruislaan 407, 1098 SJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gert B Eijkel
- FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics, Kruislaan 407, 1098 SJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Utrecht, P.O. Box 800.84, 3508. TB, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap J Boon
- FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics, Kruislaan 407, 1098 SJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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98
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Lambers H, Poorter H. Inherent Variation in Growth Rate Between Higher Plants: A Search for Physiological Causes and Ecological Consequences. ADV ECOL RES 1992. [DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2504(08)60148-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 870] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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99
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Poorter H, Lambers H. Is Interspecific Variation in Relative Growth Rate Positively Correlated with Biomass Allocation to the Leaves? Am Nat 1991. [DOI: 10.1086/285282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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100
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Abstract
The relation between interspecific variation in relative growth rate and carbon and nitrogen economy was investigated. Twentyfour wild species were grown in a growth chamber with a nonlimiting nutrient supply and growth, whole plant photosynthesis, shoot respiration, and root respiration were determined. No correlation was found between the relative growth rate of these species and their rate of photosynthesis expressed on a leaf area basis. There was a positive correlation, however, with the rate of photosynthesis expressed per unit leaf dry weight. Also the rates of shoot and root respiration per unit dry weight correlated positively with relative growth rate. Due to a higher ratio between leaf area and plant weight (leaf area ratio) fast growing species were able to fix relatively more carbon per unit plant weight and used proportionally less of the total amount of assimilates in respiration. Fast growing species had a higher total organic nitrogen concentration per unit plant weight, allocated more nitrogen to the leaves and had a higher photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency, i.e. a higher rate of photosynthesis per unit organic nitrogen in the leaves. Consequently, their nitrogen productivity, the growth rate per unit organic nitrogen in the plant and per day, was higher compared with that of slow growing species.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Poorter
- Department Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Lange Nieuwstraat 106, 3512 PN Utrecht, The Netherlands
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