Published In
Plant, Cell & Environment
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-9-2023
Subjects
Capacitance, Clusia, Crassulacean acid metabolism, Succulence
Abstract
Succulence is found across the world as an adaptation to water-limited niches. The fleshy organs of succulent plants develop via enlarged photosynthetic chlorenchyma and/or achlorophyllous water storage hydrenchyma cells. The precise mechanism by which anatomical traits contribute to drought tolerance is unclear, as the effect of succulence is multifaceted. Large cells are believed to provide space for nocturnal storage of malic acid fixed by crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), whilst also buffering water potentials by elevating hydraulic capacitance (CFT). The effect of CAM and elevated CFT on growth and water conservation have not been compared, despite the assumption that these adaptations often occur together. We assessed the relationship between succulent anatomical adaptations, CAM, and CFT, across the genus Clusia. We also simulated the effects of CAM and CFT on growth and water conservation during drought using the Photo3 model. Within Clusia leaves, CAM and CFT are independent traits: CAM requires large palisade chlorenchyma cells, whereas hydrenchyma tissue governs interspecific differences in CFT. In addition, our model suggests that CAM supersedes CFT as a means to maximise CO2 assimilation and minimise transpiration during drought. Our study challenges the assumption that CAM and CFT are mutually dependent traits within succulent leaves.
Rights
Copyright (c) 2023 The Authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Locate the Document
DOI
10.1111/pce.14539
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/39665
Citation Details
Leverett, A., Hartzell, S., Winter, K., Garcia, M., Aranda, J., Virgo, A., ... & Borland, A. M. (2022). Dissecting succulence: Crassulacean acid metabolism and hydraulic capacitance are independent adaptations in clusia leaves. Plant, Cell & Environment.