This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Web of Science (103) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mooney, H. A. Articles by Collatz, G. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mooney, H. A. Articles by Collatz, G. J. Agricola Articles by Mooney, H. A. Articles by Collatz, G. J.

Articles

Photosynthetic Acclimation to Temperature in the Desert Shrub, Larrea divaricata

I. Carbon Dioxide Exchange Characteristics of Intact Leaves ¹

Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Stanford, California 94305, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305

Larrea divaricata, a desert evergreen shrub, has a remarkable ability to adjust its photosynthetic temperature response characteristics to changing temperature conditions. In its native habitat on the floor of Death Valley, California, plants of this C₃ species when provided with adequate water are able to maintain a relatively high and constant photosynthetic activity throughout the year even though the mean daily maximum temperature varies by nearly 30 C from winter to summer. The temperature dependence of light-saturated net photosynthesis varies in concert with these seasonal temperature changes whereas the photosynthetic rate at the respective optimum temperatures shows little change.

Experiments on plants of the same age, grown at day/night temperatures of 20/15, 35/25, and 45/33 C with the same conditions of day length and other environmental factors, showed a similar photosynthetic acclimation response as observed in nature. An analysis was made of a number of factors that potentially can contribute to the observed changes in the temperature dependence of net CO₂ uptake at normal CO₂ and O₂ levels. These included stomatal conductance, respiration, O₂ inhibition of photosynthesis, and nonstomatal limitations of CO₂ diffusive transport. None of these factors, separately or taken together, can account for the observed acclimation responses. Measurements under high saturating CO₂ concentrations provide additional evidence that the observed adaptive responses are primarily the result of changes in intrinsic characteristics of the photosynthetic machinery at the cellular or subcellular levels. Two apparently separate effects of the growth temperature regime can be distinguished: one involves an increased capacity for photosynthesis at low, rate-limiting temperatures with decreased growth temperature, and the other an increased thermal stability of key components of the photosynthetic apparatus with increased growth temperature.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W. Yamori, K. Noguchi, K. Hikosaka, and I. Terashima Cold-Tolerant Crop Species Have Greater Temperature Homeostasis of Leaf Respiration and Photosynthesis Than Cold-Sensitive Species Plant Cell Physiol., February 1, 2009; 50(2): 203 - 215. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Yamori, K. Noguchi, Y. Kashino, and I. Terashima The Role of Electron Transport in Determining the Temperature Dependence of the Photosynthetic Rate in Spinach Leaves Grown at Contrasting Temperatures Plant Cell Physiol., April 1, 2008; 49(4): 583 - 591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Hikosaka, K. Ishikawa, A. Borjigidai, O. Muller, and Y. Onoda Temperature acclimation of photosynthesis: mechanisms involved in the changes in temperature dependence of photosynthetic rate J. Exp. Bot., January 1, 2006; 57(2): 291 - 302. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. E. Salvucci and S. J. Crafts-Brandner Relationship between the Heat Tolerance of Photosynthesis and the Thermal Stability of Rubisco Activase in Plants from Contrasting Thermal Environments Plant Physiology, April 1, 2004; 134(4): 1460 - 1470. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. S. Xiong, E. C. Mueller, and T. A. Day Photosynthetic and respiratory acclimation and growth response of Antarctic vascular plants to contrasting temperature regimes Am. J. Botany, May 1, 2000; 87(5): 700 - 710. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T. Yamasaki, T. Yamakawa, Y. Yamane, H. Koike, K. Satoh, and S. Katoh Temperature Acclimation of Photosynthesis and Related Changes in Photosystem II Electron Transport in Winter Wheat Plant Physiology, March 1, 2002; 128(3): 1087 - 1097. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]