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Pan Q, Xue C, Meng L, Gao Y, Yu M, Geng L, Guan P, Qu B. Flexible Resource Allocation-Efficient Water Use Strategies Facilitate Invasion of Invasive Vine Sicyos angulatus L. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:392. [PMID: 38927272 PMCID: PMC11200540 DOI: 10.3390/biology13060392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The invasive vine Sicyos angulatus L. destroys the natural ecosystem of invaded areas. Understanding the differences in growth and development between S. angulatus and other plants is necessary to explore the invasion mechanisms of S. angulatus and implement appropriate prevention and control measures. Thus, this study compared the growth, photosynthesis, and root characteristics of invasive liana S. angulatus and other three vine plants, Ipomoea nil (L.) Roth, Ipomoea purpurea (L.), and Thladiantha dubia Bunge, at different growth stages: seedling, flowering, and fruiting. The results showed that the total biomass of S. angulatus in the fruiting stage was 3-6 times that of the other three plants, and the root biomass ratio and root-shoot ratio decreased throughout the growth stage. Throughout the growth stage, the total leaf area of S. angulatus was significantly higher than that of the other three plant types, and the specific leaf area of S. angulatus at the seedling and flowering stages was 2.5-3 and 1.4-3 times that of the other three plants, respectively. The photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate of S. angulatus at the fruiting stage were significantly higher than those of the other three plants, and its water use efficiency was higher than that of the other three plants at the three growth stages, indicating its strong photosynthetic capacity. The root activity and root pressure of S. angulatus were also significantly higher than those of the other three plants at the seedling and flowering stages. These results show that S. angulatus flexibly allocates resources to its aboveground parts during the growth stage to ensure that the plant obtains the space necessary for its growth and development and that with the help of higher root pressure and root activity, S. angulatus can maintain higher photosynthesis and water use efficiency with fewer resources. Therefore, the prevention and control of S. angulatus requires a combination of aboveground and underground measures. Spraying conventional weedicide/herbicide and manually removing aboveground plants may lead to its resurgence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingmin Pan
- College of Biological Technology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Chenyang Xue
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Lin Meng
- Yixian Water Conservancy Affairs Service Center, Yixian 121100, China
| | - Ying Gao
- Yixian Water Conservancy Affairs Service Center, Yixian 121100, China
| | - Mengyang Yu
- Yixian Water Conservancy Affairs Service Center, Yixian 121100, China
| | - Lin Geng
- Yixian Water Conservancy Affairs Service Center, Yixian 121100, China
| | - Ping Guan
- College of Biological Technology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Bo Qu
- College of Biological Technology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110016, China
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Wefferling KM, Castro M, Castro S, Holmlund H, Loureiro J, Rothfels CJ, Schuettpelz E. Polyploid goldback and silverback ferns (Pentagramma) occupy a wider, colder, and wetter bioclimatic niche than diploid counterparts. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2024; 111:e16305. [PMID: 38517199 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
PREMISE The western North American fern genus Pentagramma (Pteridaceae) is characterized by complex patterns of ploidy variation, an understanding of which is critical to comprehending both the evolutionary processes within the genus and its current diversity. METHODS We undertook a cytogeographic study across the range of the genus, using a combination of chromosome counts and flow cytometry to infer ploidy level. Bioclimatic variables and elevation were used to compare niches. RESULTS We found that diploids and tetraploids are common and widespread, and triploids are rare and sporadic; in contrast with genome size inferences in earlier studies, no hexaploids were found. Diploids and tetraploids show different geographic ranges: only tetraploids were found in the northernmost portion of the range (Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia) and only diploids were found in the Sierra Nevada of California. Diploid, triploid, and tetraploid cytotypes were found to co-occur in relatively few localities: in the southern (San Diego County, California) and desert Southwest (Arizona) parts of the range, and along the Pacific Coast of California. CONCLUSIONS Tetraploids occupy a wider bioclimatic niche than diploids both within P. triangularis and at the genus-wide scale. It is unknown whether the wider niche of tetraploids is due to their expansion upon the diploid niche, if diploids have contracted their niche due to competition or changing abiotic conditions, or if this wider niche occupancy is due to multiple origins of tetraploids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keir M Wefferling
- Department of Biology, Gary A. Fewless Herbarium, Cofrin Center for Biodiversity, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Green Bay, 54311, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mariana Castro
- Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sílvia Castro
- Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Helen Holmlund
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, 90263, California, USA
| | - João Loureiro
- Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carl J Rothfels
- Department of Biology, Ecology Center, and Intermountain Herbarium, Utah State University, Logan, 84322, Utah, USA
| | - Eric Schuettpelz
- Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, 20560, DC, USA
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Nadal M, Carriquí M, Badel E, Cochard H, Delzon S, King A, Lamarque LJ, Flexas J, Torres-Ruiz JM. Photosynthesis, leaf hydraulic conductance and embolism dynamics in the resurrection plant Barbacenia purpurea. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2023; 175:e14035. [PMID: 37882305 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.14035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
The main parameters determining photosynthesis are stomatal and mesophyll conductance and electron transport rate, and for hydraulic dynamics they are leaf hydraulic conductance and the spread of embolism. These parameters have scarcely been studied in desiccation-tolerant (resurrection) plants exposed to drought. Here, we characterized photosynthesis and hydraulics during desiccation and rehydration in a poikilochlorophyllous resurrection plant, Barbacenia purpurea (Velloziaceae). Gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and leaf water status were monitored along the whole dehydration-rehydration cycle. Simultaneously, embolism formation and hydraulic functioning recovery were measured at leaf level using micro-computed tomography imaging. Photosynthesis and leaf hydraulic conductance ceased at relatively high water potential (-1.28 and -1.54 MPa, respectively), whereas the onset of leaf embolism occurred after stomatal closure and photosynthesis cessation (<-1.61 MPa). This sequence of physiological processes during water stress may be associated with the need to delay dehydration, to prepare the molecular changes required in the desiccated state. Complete rehydration occurred rapidly in the mesophyll, whereas partial xylem refilling, and subsequent recovery of photosynthesis, occurred at later stages after rewatering. These results highlight the importance of stomata as safety valves to protect the vascular system from embolism, even in a plant able to fully recover after complete embolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miquel Nadal
- Departamento de Sistemas Agrícolas, Forestales y Medio Ambiente, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Zaragoza, Spain
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Institut d'Investigacions Agroambientals i d'Economia de l'Aigua (INAGEA), Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Marc Carriquí
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Institut d'Investigacions Agroambientals i d'Economia de l'Aigua (INAGEA), Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
- Instituto de Ciencias Forestales (ICIFOR-INIA), CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eric Badel
- Université Clermont-Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Hervé Cochard
- Université Clermont-Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | | | - Andrew King
- Synchrotron Source Optimisée de Lumière d'Energie Intermédiaire du LURE, L'Orme de Merisiers, France
| | | | - Jaume Flexas
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Institut d'Investigacions Agroambientals i d'Economia de l'Aigua (INAGEA), Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
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McAdam SAM. What stops stomata reopening after a drought? TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 43:879-882. [PMID: 36912493 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpad031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott A M McAdam
- Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, 915 Mitch Daniels Bvld, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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Pittermann J, Baer A, Campany C, Jansen S, Holmlund H, Schuettpelz E, Mehltreter K, Watkins JE. A reduced role for water transport during the Cenozoic evolution of epiphytic Eupolypod ferns. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 237:1745-1758. [PMID: 36484140 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The Cretaceous-Cenozoic expansion of tropical forests created canopy space that was subsequently occupied by diverse epiphytic communities including Eupolypod ferns. Eupolypods proliferated in this more stressful niche, where lower competition enabled the adaptive radiation of thousands of species. Here, we examine whether xylem traits helped shape the Cenozoic radiation of Eupolypod ferns. We characterized the petiole xylem anatomy of 39 species belonging to the Eupolypod I and Eupolypod II clades occupying the epiphytic, hemiepiphytic, and terrestrial niche, and we assessed vulnerability to embolism in a subset of species. The transition to the canopy was associated with reduced xylem content and smaller tracheid diameters, but no differences were found in species vulnerability to embolism and pit membrane thickness. Phylogenetic analyses support selection for traits associated with reduced water transport in Eupolypod 1 species. We posit that in Eupolypod epiphytes, selection favored water retention via thicker leaves and lower stomatal density over higher rates of water transport. Consequently, lower leaf water loss was coupled with smaller quantities of xylem and narrower tracheid diameters. Traits associated with water conservation were evident in terrestrial Eupolypod 1 ferns and may have predisposed this clade toward radiation in the canopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarmila Pittermann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Alex Baer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Courtney Campany
- Department of Biology, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, WV, 25443, USA
| | - Steven Jansen
- Institute for Systematic Botany and Ecology, University of Ulm, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Helen Holmlund
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, 90263, USA
| | - Eric Schuettpelz
- Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20560, USA
| | - Klaus Mehltreter
- Red de Ecologia Funcíonal, Instituto de Ecología A.C, Xalapa, Veracruz, 91073, Mexico
| | - James E Watkins
- Department of Biology, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, 13346, USA
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Mehltreter K, Wachter H, Trabi C, Testo W, Sundue M, Jansen S. Hydathodes in ferns: their phylogenetic distribution, structure and function. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2022; 130:331-344. [PMID: 35696156 PMCID: PMC9486916 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcac076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Ferns are the second largest group of vascular plants and are distributed nearly worldwide. Although ferns have been integrated into some comparative ecological studies focusing on hydathodes, there is a considerable gap in our understanding of the functional anatomy of these secretory tissues that are found on the vein endings of many fern leaves. In this study, we aimed to investigate the phylogenetic distribution, structure and function of fern hydathodes. METHODS We performed a global review on fern hydathodes and their phylogenetic distribution, carried out an ancestral character state reconstruction, and studied the structure, guttation and elemental composition of salt residues of eight species, and the diurnal patterns of xylem pressure of two species. KEY RESULTS Hydathodes are known from 1189 fern species, 92 genera and 19 families of 2 orders, Equisetales and Polypodiales. Stochastic character mapping indicated multiple gains and losses of hydathodes at the genus level, occurring especially during the last 50 million years of fern evolution. Hydathodes were located on the adaxial leaf surface and characterized by a cytoplasm-rich, pore-free epidermis, and became functional for several weeks after nearly complete leaf expansion. In two species, positive xylem pressure built up at night, potentially facilitating guttation. Guttation fluid was rich in Ca and often Si, but also contained P, Mg, Na and Al. CONCLUSIONS Stochastic character mapping and the structural and functional diversity of hydathodes indicate multiple origins, and their presence/absence in closely related taxa implies secondary losses during fern evolution. Positive xylem pressure and high air humidity play an important role as drivers of guttation. Hydathodes may contribute to the regulation of leaf nutrient stoichiometry by the release of excessive compounds and minerals other than waste products, but the presence of essential chemical elements in salt residues also indicates possible leakage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Mehltreter
- Red de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Xalapa 91073, Veracruz, México
- Institute of Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Hanna Wachter
- Institute of Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Christophe Trabi
- Institute of Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Weston Testo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Goteborg, Sweden
- Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | - Michael Sundue
- The Pringle Herbarium, Department of Plant Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Steven Jansen
- Institute of Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
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Fu PL, Zhang Y, Zhang YJ, Finnegan PM, Yang SJ, Fan ZX. Leaf gas exchange and water relations of the woody desiccation-tolerant Paraboea rufescens during dehydration and rehydration. AOB PLANTS 2022; 14:plac033. [PMID: 36035511 PMCID: PMC9403483 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plac033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Desiccation-tolerant (DT) plants can withstand dehydration to less than 0.1 g H2O g-1 dry weight. The mechanism for whole-plant recovery from severe dehydration is still not clear, especially for woody DT plants. In the present study, we evaluated the desiccation tolerance and mechanism of recovery for a potentially new woody resurrection plant Paraboea rufescens (Gesneriaceae). We monitored the leaf water status, leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and root pressure of potted P. rufescens during dehydration and rehydration, and we investigated the water content and chlorophyll fluorescence of P. rufescens leaves in the field during the dry season. After re-watering from a severely dehydrated state, leaf maximum quantum yield of photosystem II of P. rufescens quickly recovered to well-watered levels. Leaf water status and leaf hydraulic conductance quickly recovered to well-watered levels after re-watering, while leaf gas exchange traits also trended to recovery, but at a slower rate. The maximum root pressure in rehydrated P. rufescens was more than twice in well-watered plants. Our study identified P. rufescens as a new DT woody plant. The whole-plant recovery of P. rufescens from extreme dehydration is potentially associated with an increase of root pressure after rehydration. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms of recovery of DT plants from dehydration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Li Fu
- Corresponding authors’ e-mail addresses: ;
| | | | - Yong-Jiang Zhang
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Patrick M Finnegan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Shi-Jian Yang
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Ze-Xin Fan
- Corresponding authors’ e-mail addresses: ;
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Exploring the High Variability of Vegetative Desiccation Tolerance in Pteridophytes. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11091222. [PMID: 35567223 PMCID: PMC9103120 DOI: 10.3390/plants11091222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In the context of plant evolution, pteridophytes, which is comprised of lycophytes and ferns, occupy an intermediate position between bryophytes and seed plants, sharing characteristics with both groups. Pteridophytes is a highly diverse group of plant species that occupy a wide range of habitats including ecosystems with extreme climatic conditions. There is a significant number of pteridophytes that can tolerate desiccation by temporarily arresting their metabolism in the dry state and reactivating it upon rehydration. Desiccation-tolerant pteridophytes exhibit a strategy that appears to be intermediate between the constitutive and inducible desiccation tolerance (DT) mechanisms observed in bryophytes and angiosperms, respectively. In this review, we first describe the incidence and anatomical diversity of desiccation-tolerant pteridophytes and discuss recent advances on the origin of DT in vascular plants. Then, we summarize the highly diverse adaptations and mechanisms exhibited by this group and describe how some of these plants could exhibit tolerance to multiple types of abiotic stress. Research on the evolution and regulation of DT in different lineages is crucial to understand how plants have adapted to extreme environments. Thus, in the current scenario of climate change, the knowledge of the whole landscape of DT strategies is of vital importance as a potential basis to improve plant abiotic stress tolerance.
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Suissa JS, Friedman WE. From cells to stems: the effects of primary vascular construction on drought-induced embolism in fern rhizomes. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 232:2238-2253. [PMID: 34273190 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
While a considerable amount of data exists on the link between xylem construction and hydraulic function, few studies have focused on resistance to drought-induced embolism of primary vasculature in herbaceous plants. Ferns rely entirely on primary xylem and display a remarkable diversity of vascular construction in their rhizomes, making them an ideal group in which to examine hydraulic structure-function relationships. New optical methods allowed us to measure vulnerability to embolism in rhizomes, which are notoriously difficult to work with. We investigated five fern species based on their diverse xylem traits at the cellular, histological, and architectural levels. To link below- and above-ground hydraulics, we then measured leaf-stem vulnerability segmentation. Overall, rhizome vulnerability to embolism was correlated most strongly with cellular but not histological or architectural traits. Interestingly, at P6-12 , species with increased architectural dissection were actually more vulnerable to embolism, suggesting different hydraulic dynamics at low compared to high percent embolism. Importantly, leaves fully embolize before stems reach P88 , suggesting strong vulnerability segmentation. This is the first study to explore the functional implications of primary vascular construction in fern rhizomes and leaf-stem vulnerability segmentation. Strong segmentation suggests that leaves protect perennial rhizomes against severe drought stress and hydraulically induced mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S Suissa
- The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02131, USA
| | - William E Friedman
- The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02131, USA
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Prats KA, Brodersen CR. Desiccation and rehydration dynamics in the epiphytic resurrection fern Pleopeltis polypodioides. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 187:1501-1518. [PMID: 34618062 PMCID: PMC8566288 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The epiphytic resurrection-or desiccation-tolerant (DT)-fern Pleopeltis polypodioides can survive extreme desiccation and recover physiological activity within hours of rehydration. Yet, how epiphytic DT ferns coordinate between deterioration and recovery of their hydraulic and photosynthetic systems remains poorly understood. We examined the functional status of the leaf vascular system, chlorophyll fluorescence, and photosynthetic rate during desiccation and rehydration of P. polypodioides. Xylem tracheids in the stipe embolized within 3-4 h during dehydration. When the leaf and rhizome received water, tracheids refilled after ∼24 h, which occurred along with dramatic structural changes in the stele. Photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll fluorescence recovered to predesiccation values within 12 h of rehydration, regardless of whether fronds were connected to their rhizome. Our data show that the epiphytic DT fern P. polypodioides can utilize foliar water uptake to rehydrate the leaf mesophyll and recover photosynthesis despite a broken hydraulic connection to the rhizome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyra A Prats
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Author for communication:
| | - Craig R Brodersen
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Nadal M, Brodribb TJ, Fernández-Marín B, García-Plazaola JI, Arzac MI, López-Pozo M, Perera-Castro AV, Gulías J, Flexas J, Farrant JM. Differences in biochemical, gas exchange and hydraulic response to water stress in desiccation tolerant and sensitive fronds of the fern Anemia caffrorum. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 231:1415-1430. [PMID: 33959976 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Desiccation tolerant plants can survive extreme water loss in their vegetative tissues. The fern Anemia caffrorum produces desiccation tolerant (DT) fronds in the dry season and desiccation sensitive (DS) fronds in the wet season, providing a unique opportunity to explore the physiological mechanisms associated with desiccation tolerance. Anemia caffrorum plants with either DT or DS fronds were acclimated in growth chambers. Photosynthesis, frond structure and anatomy, water relations and minimum conductance to water vapour were measured under well-watered conditions. Photosynthesis, hydraulics, frond pigments, antioxidants and abscisic acid contents were monitored under water deficit. A comparison between DT and DS fronds under well-watered conditions showed that the former presented higher leaf mass per area, minimum conductance, tissue elasticity and lower CO2 assimilation. Water deficit resulted in a similar induction of abscisic acid in both frond types, but DT fronds maintained higher stomatal conductance and upregulated more prominently lipophilic antioxidants. The seasonal alternation in production of DT and DS fronds in A. caffrorum represents a mechanism by which carbon gain can be maximized during the rainy season, and a greater investment in protective mechanisms occurs during the hot dry season, enabling the exploitation of episodic water availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miquel Nadal
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Departament de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), INAGEA, Carretera de Valldemossa Km 7.5, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, 07122, Spain
| | - Tim J Brodribb
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas., 7001, Australia
| | - Beatriz Fernández-Marín
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of La Laguna (ULL), Tenerife, 38200, Spain
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, Leioa, 48940, Spain
| | - José I García-Plazaola
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, Leioa, 48940, Spain
| | - Miren I Arzac
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, Leioa, 48940, Spain
| | - Marina López-Pozo
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, Leioa, 48940, Spain
| | - Alicia V Perera-Castro
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Departament de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), INAGEA, Carretera de Valldemossa Km 7.5, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, 07122, Spain
| | - Javier Gulías
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Departament de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), INAGEA, Carretera de Valldemossa Km 7.5, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, 07122, Spain
| | - Jaume Flexas
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Departament de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), INAGEA, Carretera de Valldemossa Km 7.5, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, 07122, Spain
- King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 80200, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jill M Farrant
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
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Pittermann J, Baer A, Sang Y. Primary tissues may affect estimates of cavitation resistance in ferns. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 231:285-296. [PMID: 33786827 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Different methods of measuring cavitation resistance in fern petioles lead to variable results, particularly with respect to the P50 metric. We hypothesised that the fern dictyostele structure affects air entry into the xylem, and therefore impacts the shape of the vulnerability curve. Our study examined this variation by comparing vulnerability curves constructed on petioles collected from evergreen and deciduous ferns in the field, with curves generated using the standard centrifuge, air-injection and bench-top dehydration methods. Additional experiments complemented the vulnerability curves to better understand how anatomy shapes estimates of cavitation resistance. Centrifugation and radial air injection generated acceptable vulnerability curves for the deciduous species, but overestimated drought resistance in the two evergreen ferns. In these hardy plants, axial air injection and bench-top dehydration produced results that most closely aligned with observations in nature. Additional experiments revealed that the dictyostele anatomy impedes air entry into the xylem during spinning and radial air injection. Each method produced acceptable vulnerability curves, depending on the species being tested. Therefore, we stress the importance of validating the curves with in situ measures of water potential and, if possible, hydraulic data to generate realistic results with any of the methods currently available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarmila Pittermann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Alex Baer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Ying Sang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
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Fernández-Marín B, Arzac MI, López-Pozo M, Laza JM, Roach T, Stegner M, Neuner G, García-Plazaola JI. Frozen in the dark: interplay of night-time activity of xanthophyll cycle, xylem attributes, and desiccation tolerance in fern resistance to winter. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:3168-3184. [PMID: 33617637 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
While most ferns avoid freezing as they have a tropical distribution or shed their fronds, wintergreen species in temperate and boreoalpine ecosystems have to deal with sub-zero temperatures. Increasing evidence has revealed overlapping mechanisms of desiccation and freezing tolerance in angiosperms, but the physiological mechanisms behind freezing tolerance in ferns are far from clear. We evaluated photochemical and hydraulic parameters in five wintergreen fern species differing in their ability to tolerate desiccation. We assessed frond freezing tolerance, ice nucleation temperature and propagation pattern, and xylem anatomical traits. Dynamics of photochemical performance and xanthophyll cycle were evaluated during freeze-thaw events under controlled conditions and, in selected species, in the field. Only desiccation-tolerant species, which possessed a greater fraction of narrow tracheids (<18 μm) than sensitive species, tolerated freezing. Frond freezing occurred in the field at -3.4 ± 0.9 °C (SD) irrespective of freezing tolerance, freezable water content, or tracheid properties. Even in complete darkness, maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II was down-regulated concomitantly with zeaxanthin accumulation in response to freezing. This was reversible upon re-warming only in tolerant species. Our results suggest that adaptation for freezing tolerance is associated with desiccation tolerance through complementary xylem properties (which may prevent risk of irreversible cavitation) and effective photoprotection mechanisms. The latter includes de-epoxidation of xanthophylls in darkness, a process evidenced for the first time directly in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Fernández-Marín
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of La Laguna (ULL), Tenerife 38200, Spain
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Miren Irati Arzac
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Marina López-Pozo
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - José Manuel Laza
- Laboratory of Macromolecular Chemistry (Labquimac), Department of Physical Chemistry, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Thomas Roach
- Department of Botany and Centre for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Matthias Stegner
- Department of Botany and Centre for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gilbert Neuner
- Department of Botany and Centre for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - José I García-Plazaola
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain
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14
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Holmlund HI. Synergistic adaptations: freezing tolerance is associated with desiccation tolerance and activation of violaxanthin de-epoxidase in wintergreen ferns. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:2814-2817. [PMID: 33822176 PMCID: PMC8023176 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This article comments on: Fernández-Marín B, Arzac MI, López-Pozo M, Laza JM, Roach T, Stegner M, Neuner G, García-Plazaola JI. 2021. Frozen in the dark: interplay of night-time activity of xanthophyll cycle, xylem attributes, and desiccation tolerance in fern resistance to winter. Journal of Experimental Botany 72, 3168–3184.
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15
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Drobnitch ST, Comas LH, Flynn N, Ibarra Caballero J, Barton RW, Wenz J, Person T, Bushey J, Jahn CE, Gleason SM. Drought-Induced Root Pressure in Sorghum bicolor. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:571072. [PMID: 33613594 PMCID: PMC7886691 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.571072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Root pressure, also manifested as profusive sap flowing from cut stems, is a phenomenon in some species that has perplexed biologists for much of the last century. It is associated with increased crop production under drought, but its function and regulation remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the initiation, mechanisms, and possible adaptive function of root pressure in six genotypes of Sorghum bicolor during a drought experiment in the greenhouse. We observed that root pressure was induced in plants exposed to drought followed by re-watering but possibly inhibited by 100% re-watering in some genotypes. We found that root pressure in drought stressed and re-watered plants was associated with greater ratio of fine: coarse root length and shoot biomass production, indicating a possible role of root allocation in creating root pressure and adaptive benefit of root pressure for shoot biomass production. Using RNA-Seq, we identified gene transcripts that were up- and down-regulated in plants with root pressure expression, focusing on genes for aquaporins, membrane transporters, and ATPases that could regulate inter- and intra-cellular transport of water and ions to generate positive xylem pressure in root tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Tepler Drobnitch
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Louise H. Comas
- Water Management Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Ft. Collins, CO, United States
| | - Nora Flynn
- Water Management Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Ft. Collins, CO, United States
| | - Jorge Ibarra Caballero
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Ryan W. Barton
- Water Management Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Ft. Collins, CO, United States
| | - Joshua Wenz
- Water Management Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Ft. Collins, CO, United States
| | - Taylor Person
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Julie Bushey
- Water Management Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Ft. Collins, CO, United States
| | - Courtney E. Jahn
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Sean M. Gleason
- Water Management Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Ft. Collins, CO, United States
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