Abstract
The combination of a chamber for CO2 gas exchange with a potometric measuring arrangement allowed concomitant investigations into CO2 gas exchange, transpiration and water uptake by the roots of whole plants of Senecio medley-woodii, a species which exhibits Crassulacean acid metabolism. The water-uptake rate showed the same daily pattern as malate concentration and osmotic potential. The accumulation of organic acids resulting from nocturnal CO2 fixation enhanced the water-uptake rate from dusk to dawn. During the day the water-uptake rates decreased with decreasing organic-acid concentration. With gradually increasing water stress, CO2 dark fixation of S. medley-woodii was increased as long as water could be taken up by the roots. It was also shown that a reestablished water supply after drought caused a similar increase which in both cases ameliorated the water uptake in order to conserve a positive water balance for as long as possible. This water-uptake pattern shows that Crassulacean acid metabolism is not only a water-saving adaptation but also enhances water uptake and is directly correlated with the amelioration of the plant water status.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Abbreviations
- CAM:
-
Crassulacean acid metabolism
References
Bartholomew, D.P. (1973) Drought response in the gas exchange of Dudleya farinosa (Crassulaceae) grown under natural conditions. Photosynthetica 7, 114–202
Benzing, D.H., Renfrow, A. (1971) Significance of the pattern of CO2 exchange to the ecology and phylogeny of the Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 98, 322–327
Bergmeyer, H.U. (1970) Methoden der enzymatischen Analyse. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim
Brunner, U. (1875) Wasserhaushalt und Energiebilanz. Juris Druck, Zürich
Brunner, U., Eller, B.M. (1974) Öffnen der Stomata bei hoher Temperatur im Dunkeln. Planta 121, 293–302
Brunner, U., Eller, B.M. (1975) Spontane Transpirationsänderungen unter konstanten Umgebungsbedingungen. Ber. Schweiz. Bot. Ges. 85, 289–297
Cowan, I.R. (1982) Regulation of water use in relation to carbon gain in higher plants. In: Encyclopedia of plant physiology, N.S., vol. 12B: Physiological plant ecology II, pp. 589–613, Lange, O.L., Nobel, P.S., Osmond, C.B., Ziegler, H.. eds. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Ehrler, W.L., van Bavel, C.H.M., Nakayama, F.S. (1966) Transpiration, water absorption, and internal water balance of cotton plants as affected by light and changes in saturation deficit. Plant Physiol. 41, 71–74
Eller, B.M., Koch, W. (1976) Datenverarbeitung bei ökophysiologischen Feldmessungen mit häufig wechselnden verschiedenartigen Messwertgebern. EDV in Med. Biol. 3, 81–86
Farquhar, G.D. (1978) Feedforward responses of stomata to humidity. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 5, 787–800
Hanscom, Z., Ting, I.P. (1977) Physiological responses to irrigation in Opuntia basilaris Engelm. & Bigel. Bot. Gaz. 139, 159–167
Hartsock, T.L., Nobel, P.S. (1976) Watering converts a CAM plant to day-time CO2 uptake. Nature 262, 574–576
Kausch, W. (1965) Beziehungen zwischen Wurzelwachstum, Transpiration und CO2-Gaswechsel bei einigen Kakteen. Planta 66, 229–238
Kluge, M. (1977) Is Sedum acre L. a CAM plant? Oecologia 29, 77–83
Kluge, M., Fischer K. (1967) Über Zusammenhänge zwischen dem CO2-Austausch und der Abgabe von Wasserdampf durch Bryophyllum daigremontianum Berg. Planta 77, 212–223
Kluge, M., Lange, O.L., von Eichmann, M., Schmidt, R. (1973) Diurnaler Säurerhythmus bei Tillandsia usneoides: Untersuchungen über den Weg des Kohlenstoffs sowie die Abhängigkeit des CO2-Gaswechsels von Lichtintensität, Temperatur und Wassergehalt der Pflanze. Planta 112, 357–372
Kluge, M., Ting, I.P., (1978) Crassulacean acid metabolism. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Koch, W., Klein, E., Walz, H. (1968) Neuartige Gaswechsel-Messanlage für Pflanzen in Laboratorium und Freiland. Siemens-Z. 42, 392–404
Kramer, P.J. (1949) Plant and soil relationships. McGraw Hill, New York
Lagerwerff, J.V., Ogata, G., Eagle, H.E. (1961) Control of osmotic pressure of culture solutions with polyethylene glycol. Science 133, 1486–1487
Lawlor, D.W. (1970) Absorption of polyethylene glycols by plants and their effects on plant growth. New Phytol. 69, 501–513
Lüttge, U., Andrew, J., Smith, C., Matigo, G. (1982) Membrane transport, osmoregulation, and the control of CAM. In: Crassulacean acid metabolism, pp. 69–91, Ting, I.P., Gibbs, M., eds. Proc. 5th Ann. Symp. Bot., University of California, Riverside
Lüttge, U., Ball, E. (1977) Water relation parameters of the CAM plant Kalanchoe daigremontiana in relation to diurnal malate oscillation. Oecologia 31, 85–94
Lüttge, U., Kluge, M., Ball, E. (1975) Effects of osmotic gradients onvacuolar malic acid storage. A basic principle in oscillatory behavior of crassulacean acid metabolism. Plant Physiol. 56, 613–616
Medina, E. (1982) Temperature and humidity effects on dark CO2 fixation by Kalanchoe pinnata. Z. Pflanzenphysiol. 107, 251–258
Medina, E., Delgado, M. (1976) Photosynthesis and night CO2 fixation in Echeveria columbiana v. Poellnitz. Photosynthetica 10, 155–163
Medina, E., Delgado, M., Troughton, J.H., Medina, J.D. (1977) Physiolgoical ecology of CO2 fixation in Bromeliacea. Flora 166, 137–152
Medina, E., Osmond, C.B. (1981) Temperature dependence of dark CO2 fixation and acid accumulation in Kalanchoe daigremontiana. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 8, 641–648
Mingeau, M. (1969) Action de la nutrition minérale sur l'économie de l'eau de la plante. Ann. Agron. 20, 263–276
Nobel, P.S. (1976) Water relations and photosynthesis of a desert CAM plant Agave deserti. Plant Physiol. 58, 576–582
Nobel, P.S. (1977) Water relations and photosynthesis of a barrel cactus, Ferocactus acanthodes, in the Colorado desert. Oecologia 27, 117–133
Osmond, C.B. (1975) Environmental control of photosynthetic options in crassulacean plants. In: Environmental and biological control of photosynthesis, pp. 311–321, Marcelle, R., ed. Junk, The Hague
Osmond, C.B. (1978) Crassulacean acid metabolism: A curiosity in context. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 29, 379–414
Osmond, C.B., Nott, D.L., Firth, P.M. (1979) Carbon assimilation pattern and growth of the introduced CAM plant Opuntia inermis in Eastern Australia Oecologia 40, 331–350
Ruess, B.R. (1983) L'économie d'eau et le métabolisme acide des crassulacées chez Senecio medley-woodii. ADAG Druck, Zürich
Schulze, E.-D., Hall, A.E. (1982) Stomatal response, water loss and CO2 assimilation rates of plants in contrasting environments. In: Encyclopedia of plant physiology, N.S., vol. 12B: Physiological plant ecology II, pp. 181–230, Lange, O.L., Nobel, P.S., Osmond, C.B., Ziegler, H., eds. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Slatyer, R.O. (1961) Effects of several osmotic substances on the water relationships of tomato. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 14, 519–540
Slatyer, R.O. (1967) Plant water relationships. Academic Press, London New York
Szarek, S.R., Johnson, H.B., Ting, I.P. (1973) Drought adaptation of Opuntia basilaris. Significance of recycling carbon through crassulacean acid metabolism. Plant Physiol. 52, 539–541
Szarek, S.T., Ting, I.P. (1974) Scasonal patterns of acid metabolism and gas exchange in Opuntia basilaris. Plant Physiol. 54, 76–81
Szarek, S.R., Ting, I.P. (1975) Physiological responses in Opuntia basilaris. Am. J. Bot. 62, 602–609
Ting, I.P., Rayder, L. (1982) Regulation of C3 to CAM shifts. In: Crassulacean acid metabolism, pp. 193–207, Ting, I.P., Gibbs, M., eds. Proc. 5th Ann. Symp., University of California, Riverside
von Willert, D.J., Brinckmann, E., Scheitler, B., Eller, B.M. (1983a) Stress and crassulacean acid metabolism. In: Effects of stress on photosynthesis, pp. 155–163, Marcelle, R., van Poucke, M., eds. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague
von Willert, D.J., Brinckmann, E., Eller, B.M., Scheitler, B. (1983b) CO2 exchange of CAM exhibiting succulents in the southern Namib desert in relation to microclimate and water stress. Photosynth. Res. 4, 289–298
von Willert, D.J., Brinckmann, E., Scheitler, B., Eller, B.M. (1984) Availability of water controls CAM in succulents of the Richtersveld (Namib desert, South Africa) Planta 164, 44–55
Winter, K. (1974) Einfluß von Wasserstress auf die Aktivität der Phosphoenolpyruvat-Carboxylase bei Mesembryanthemum cristallinum L. Planta 121, 147–153
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ruess, B.R., Eller, B.M. The correlation between crassulacean acid metabolism and water uptake in Senecio medley-woodii . Planta 166, 57–66 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00397386
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00397386