Author:
Gerdol Renato,Bonora Angelo,Gualandri Rita,Pancaldi Simonetta
Abstract
Sphagnum mosses of three different species (S. capillifolium, S. magellanicum, and S. fallax) were allowed to dry in a controlled environment. The three species lost water at different rates, but after 11 days of exposure to drying atmosphere all were dry and unable to photosynthesize. The chlorophyllose cells of all three species showed signs of alteration, mainly membrane shrinkage. Upon rehydration, concentrations of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a to a greater extent than chlorophyll b) declined in tissues of S. magellanicum and especially in S. fallax. Sphagnum capillifolium and S. magellanicum resumed photosynthesis, although slowly, whereas S. fallax did not achieve a net carbon gain (most of its chlorophyllose cells were irreversibly damaged) after 7 days of rewetting. In the field, prolonged drought may alter the interspecific equilibria among coexisting Sphagnum species possessing different degrees of desiccation-tolerance and especially different water-holding abilities. Keywords: Sphagnum, photosynthesis, ultrastructure, photosynthetic pigments, dehydration, rehydration.
Publisher
Canadian Science Publishing
Cited by
65 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献