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Photosynthetic response of a wetland- and an upland-adapted tree species to seasonal variations in hydrology in the Brazilian Cerrado and Pantanal

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Abstract

Savanna (Cerrado) of the Brazilian Pantanal exhibits large variations in hydrology, ranging from well drained to intermittently flooded. Climate and land use change has led to the expansion of “super-dominant” tree species in both habitats, including Vochysia divergens, which is adapted to flooding, and Curatella americana, which is adapted to upland Cerrado. There is both theoretical and practical interest in evaluating the potential net photosynthesis rate of these species to help explain their success in invading new areas with widely differing hydrological regimes. We hypothesized that these species have physical or biochemical adjustments their photosynthetic characteristics that allow them to thrive in their native and invaded environments. To test these hypotheses, we measured chloroplast CO2 concentration response curves, leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, and specific leaf area of both species over a year in the Pantanal and Cerrado. Neither species displayed a significant decline in potential net photosynthesis in their invaded habitats compared to their native habitats. The relatively constant rate of leaf gas exchange may be important for their success at invading novel habitats, however, there were statistically significant interactions between species, ecosystem, and season that were due in part to complex interactions between biophysical, biochemical, and phenological variables. The specific leaf area (SLA) for both species was higher in their invaded habitats; however, V. divergens exhibited a significant decline in stomatal conductance and an increase in intrinsic water use efficiency in the Cerrado, especially during the dry season. High physiological flexibility, and the ability to maintain a relatively constant value of A, may allow these species to cope with large seasonal variations in soil hydrology and expand into habitats with completely different hydrological conditions.

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Abbreviations

C i :

Intercellular CO2 concentration

C a :

Environmental CO2 concentration

C i/C a :

Relationship between partial pressure intercellular and environmental CO2

g s :

Stomatal conductance

SLA:

Specific leaf area

N:

Mass-based leaf nitrogen concentration

P:

Mass-based leaf phosphorus concentration

A:

Potential net photosynthesis rate

VPD :

Atmospheric vapor pressure deficit

PPT :

Accumulated monthly rainfall

WL :

Water level

V cmax :

Capacity of RuBP carboxylation (expressed as the maximum rate of Rubisco carboxylation)

J max :

Rate of regeneration of RuBP (expressed as the maximum rate of electron transport)

TPU :

Triose phosphate utilization

R d :

Rate of mitochondrial respiration

Rp :

Photorespiration rate

WUE :

Intrinsic water use efficiency

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Graduate Program in Environmental Physics, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso for laboratory support, the SESC reserve – RPPN, particularly to the park-rangers for the support field and Dr. Y. Su, for his help with curve A/Cc analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade de Cuiabá, UNIC, Av. Manoel José de Arruda, 3.100, 78070-305, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil

    Higo J. Dalmagro

  2. Departamento de Solos, Engenharia Rural e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, UFMT, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil

    Francisco de A. Lobo

  3. Biological Sciences Department, California State University, San Marcos, CA, USA

    George L. Vourlitis

  4. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, UESC, Rodovia Jorge Amado, km 16, 45662-900, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil

    Ândrea C. Dalmolin

  5. Centro Universitário de Várzea Grande, UNIVAG, Av. Dom Orlando Chaves, 2655, 78118-000, Várzea Grande, MT, Brazil

    Mario Z. Antunes Jr.

  6. Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, UFMT, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil

    Carmen E. R. Ortíz

  7. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Física Ambiental, Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, UFMT, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil

    José de S. Nogueira

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  1. Higo J. Dalmagro
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  2. Francisco de A. Lobo
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  3. George L. Vourlitis
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  4. Ândrea C. Dalmolin
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  5. Mario Z. Antunes Jr.
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  6. Carmen E. R. Ortíz
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  7. José de S. Nogueira
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to George L. Vourlitis.

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Funding

This research was supported by the National Institute for Science and Technology in Wetlands (INAU), National Science Foundation-Office of International Science and Engineering (NSF-OISE) Grant to GLV, We acknowledge project support 457824/2013-1 of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development and Ministry of Science and Technology (CNPq), the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Mato Grosso (FAPEMAT-PRONEX) and Coordination of improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), which provided scholarships to HJD, ACD and MZAJ.

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Dalmagro, H.J., de A. Lobo, F., Vourlitis, G.L. et al. Photosynthetic response of a wetland- and an upland-adapted tree species to seasonal variations in hydrology in the Brazilian Cerrado and Pantanal. Acta Physiol Plant 38, 107 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-016-2125-7

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