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First published online September 2, 2009; 10.1104/pp.109.145870

Plant Physiology 151:1667-1676 (2009)
© 2009 American Society of Plant Biologists

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WHOLE PLANT AND ECOPHYSIOLOGY

Plant {delta}15N Correlates with the Transpiration Efficiency of Nitrogen Acquisition in Tropical Trees1,[OA]

Lucas A. Cernusak2,*, Klaus Winter and Benjamin L. Turner

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama

Based upon considerations of a theoretical model of 15N/14N fractionation during steady-state nitrate uptake from soil, we hypothesized that, for plants grown in a common soil environment, whole-plant {delta}15N ({delta}P) should vary as a function of the transpiration efficiency of nitrogen acquisition (FN/v) and the difference between {delta}P and root {delta}15N ({delta}P – {delta}R). We tested these hypotheses with measurements of several tropical tree and liana species. Consistent with theoretical expectations, both FN/v and {delta}P – {delta}R were significant sources of variation in {delta}P, and the relationship between {delta}P and FN/v differed between non-N2-fixing and N2-fixing species. We interpret the correlation between {delta}P and FN/v as resulting from variation in mineral nitrogen efflux-to-influx ratios across plasma membranes of root cells. These results provide a simple explanation of variation in {delta}15N of terrestrial plants and have implications for understanding nitrogen cycling in ecosystems.

1 This work was supported by a Tupper Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and by an Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Australian Research Council, both to L.A.C.

2 Present address: School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory 0909, Australia.

The author responsible for distribution of materials integral to the findings presented in this article in accordance with the policy described in the Instructions for Authors (www.plantphysiol.org) is: Lucas A. Cernusak (lucas.cernusak{at}cdu.edu.au).

[OA] Open Access articles can be viewed online without a subscription.

www.plantphysiol.org/cgi/doi/10.1104/pp.109.145870

* Corresponding author; e-mail lucas.cernusak{at}cdu.edu.au.

Received August 6, 2009; accepted August 30, 2009; published September 2, 2009.

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