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Seasonal and inter-annual photosynthetic response of representative C4 species to soil water content and leaf nitrogen concentration across a tropical seasonal floodplain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2008

K. B. Mantlana ,
A. Arneth ,
E. M. Veenendaal ,
P. Wohland ,
P. Wolski ,
O. Kolle  and
J. Lloyd
K. B. Mantlana*
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Postfach 100164 07701 Jena, Germany Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Borne steeg 69, NL 6708 PD, Wageningen, The Netherlands Global Change Research Group, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Center; P/Bag X7, Claremont, 7735, Cape Town, South Africa
A. Arneth
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis, Lund University Sölvegatan 12, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
E. M. Veenendaal
Affiliation:
Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Borne steeg 69, NL 6708 PD, Wageningen, The Netherlands Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre (HOORC), University of Botswana, Private Bag 285, Maun, Botswana
P. Wohland
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
P. Wolski
Affiliation:
Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre (HOORC), University of Botswana, Private Bag 285, Maun, Botswana
O. Kolle
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Postfach 100164 07701 Jena, Germany
J. Lloyd
Affiliation:
Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
*
1Corresponding author, at Global Change Research Group address; Email: mantlana@sanbi.org
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Abstract

We examined the seasonal and inter-annual variation of leaf-level photosynthetic characteristics of three C4 perennial species, Cyperus articulatus, Panicum repens and Imperata cylindrica, and their response to environmental variables, to determine comparative physiological responses of plants representing particular microhabitats within a seasonal tropical floodplain in the Okavango River Delta, Botswana. Five measurement campaigns were carried out over a period of 2 y which covered two early rainy seasons, two late rainy seasons and one dry season. For all three species, light-saturated net photosynthetic rates (Asat) and stomatal conductance (gsat) decreased with decreasing soil water content with a seasonal range for Asat of approximately 5–45 μmol m−2 s−1, and for gsat of 0.03–0.35 mol m−2 s−1. The species representing the wettest microhabitat (Cyperus) had the highest gsat at low leaf-to-air vapour pressure deficits (Dl), the highest ratio of intercellular to ambient CO2 concentration (Ci/Ca), as well as the highest degree of variation in Ci/Ca from season to season. We interpret this as being indicative of its adaptation to a moist growth environment allowing for non-conservative water use strategies as soil moisture is usually abundant. For all three species there was significant variation in photosynthetic fluxes from one year to another that was related to variation in leaf nitrogen and phosphorus. This study shows that when assessing the role of savanna stands in large-scale carbon balance models, the remarkable inter-annual variation in leaf photosynthesis reported in this study should be taken into account.

Keywords

AfricaC4 photosynthesisCi/Ca ratiograsslandleaf nitrogenleaf phosphorusleaf-to-air vapour pressure deficitsavannastomatal conductance
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 24 , Issue 2 , March 2008 , pp. 201 - 213
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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