Summary
Atriplex hymenelytra is an evergreen shrub distributed in the hot deserts of parts of Mexico and the southwestern United States. The leaves of the species have a number of characteristics that are adaptive in a hot, dry environment, some of which change seasonally. Steeply angled leaves reduce midday solar interception, yet result in relatively high interception when solar angles are low and vapor pressure deficits are at a minimum. The leaves substantially reduce their absorptance of incident radiation during the hot periods of the year by changing their moisture and hence dissolved salt contents. At these times the light intensity required for saturation of photosynthesis is low and a reduction in the radiation absorbed by the leaves therefore results in a greater water-use efficiency.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Billings, W.D., Morris, R.J.: Reflection of visible and infrared radiation from leaves of different ecological groups. Am. J. Bot. 28, 327–331 (1951)
Björkman, O., Nobs, M., Berry, J., Mooney, H., Nicholson, F., Catanzaro, B.: Physiological adaptation to diverse environments; approaches and facilities to study plant response in contrasting thermal and water regimes. Carnegic Institution Year Book 72, 393–403 (1973)
Gates, D.M.: Energy, plants, and ecology. Ecology 46, 1–13 (1965)
Gates, D.M., Aldefelder, R., Taylor, E.: Leaf temperatures of desert plants. Science 159, 994–995 (1968)
Gulmon, S., Mooney, H.: Spatial and temporal relationships between two desert shrubs, Atriplex hymenelytra and Tidestromia oblongifolia in Death Valley, California. J. Ecology (1977, in press)
Hunt, C.B.: Plant ecology of Death Valley, California. U.S. Geological Survey. Professional Paper 509, 68 p. (1966)
La Croix, R., Keeney, D., Walsh, L.: Potentiometric titration of chloride in plant tissue extracts using the chloride ion electrode. Soil Science and Plant Analysis 1, 1–6 (1970)
Mooney, H., Björkman, O., Troughton, J.: Seasonal changes in the leaf characteristics of desert shrub Atriplex hymenelytra. Carnegic Inst. Wash. Year Book 73, 846–852 (1974)
Mooney, H., Björkman, O., Ehleringer, J., Berry, J.: Photosynthetic capacity of in situ Death Valley plants. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Year Book 75, 410–413 (1976)
Rabideau, G.S., French, C.S., Holt, A.S.: The absorption and reflection spectra of leaves, chloroplast suspensions, and chloroplast fragments as measured in an Ulbricht sphere. Am. J. Bot. 33, 769–777 (1946)
Scholander, P., Hammel, H., Bradstreet, E., Hemmingsen, E.: Sap pressure in vascular plants. Science 148, 339–345 (1965)
Shreve, F., Wiggins, I.: Vegetation and flora of the Sonoran Desert, 1740 p. (1964)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mooney, H.A., Ehleringer, J. & Björkman, O. The energy balance of leaves of the evergreen desert shrub Atriplex hymenelytra . Oecologia 29, 301–310 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345804
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345804