Light availability and soil flooding regulate photosynthesis of an imperiled shrub in lowland forests of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA

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Abstract

Physiological responses to light availability and soil flooding on Lindera melissifolia (Walt.) Blume were studied. Shrubs
were grown under 70, 37 or 5% of full sunlight with either 0, 45, or 90 d of soil flooding. We measured leaf photosynthetic
rate (PN) to test the hypothesis that soil flooding reduces PN in L. melissifolia following shrub acclimation to low light
availability. Results showed that light availability and soil flooding interacted to affect PN. In the 0 d and 45 d flooding
regimes (flood water removed 36–39 d prior to measurement), PN was similar between shrubs receiving 70% or 37% light,
and these shrubs had 147% greater PN than shrubs receiving 5% light. Shrubs receiving 90 d of soil flooding had similar
low rates of area-based PN regardless of light level. Similar PN between 0 d and 45 d flooded shrubs indicated physiological
recovery following removal of flood water.

  • Citation: Lockhart, B. R.; Gardiner, E. S.; Leininger, T. D.; Devall, M. S.; Wilson, A. D.; Connor, K. F.; Hamel, P. B.; Schiff, N. M. 2017.Light availability and soil flooding regulate photosynthesis of an imperiled shrub in lowland forests of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA. Photosynthetica. 55(3): 411-420. 10 p https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-016-0655-2.
  • Keywords: blade area, blade mass, interaction, plasticity, pondberry
  • Posted Date: April 28, 2017
  • Modified Date: May 4, 2017

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