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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Urbana, Illinois » Global Change and Photosynthesis Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #253045
Title: Response of Leaf Hydraulic Conductance to Changes in Atmospheric CO2 and Temperature

Author
item LOCKE, ANNA - University Of Illinois
item SACK, LAWREN - University Of California
item Ort, Donald

Submitted to: American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2010
Publication Date: 6/1/2010
Citation: Locke, A.M., Sack, L., Ort, D.R. 2010. Response of Leaf Hydraulic Conductance to Changes in Atmospheric CO2 and Temperature. American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting. Available: http://abstracts.aspb.org/pb2010/public/P15/P15018.html.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Because plants play a central role in the terrestrial hydrologic cycle, it is critical to understand the impact of global change factors on the flux of water through plants. Leaves account for a large portion of the resistance to water flow through the whole plant. Leaf hydraulic conductance (K-leaf), is an important indicator of how a plant supplies water to photosynthetic tissues and controls water use. Atmospheric CO2 concentrations and temperature affect parameters such as photosynthetic rate and water use efficiency that are closely linked to K-leaf; however, the direct effects of these variables on K-leaf is unclear. We examined how K-leaf changes with CO2 concentration and temperature using soybean plants grown in transparent, enclosed chambers in a factorial treatment design with CO2 concentrations of 385 ppm and 700 ppm, and daytime/nighttime temperatures of 27/22 C and 31/26 C. Leaf hydraulic conductance was measured using the evaporative flux method, in conjunction with leaf gas exchange and aquaporin gene expression in the mesophyll.