Functional Equilibrium Between Photosynthetic and Above-ground Nonphotosynthetic Structures of Plants: Evidence from a Pruning Experiment with Three Subtropical Tree Species

It is well known that plants have functional equilibrium between their above-ground parts (shoots) and below-ground parts (roots), but whether the above-ground parts of plants have functional equilibrium between their photosynthetic structures (leaves) and non-photosynthetic structures (branches and stem) is unknown. The purpose of this study is to test the hypotheses that: (1) the above-ground parts of plants have functional equilibriums between their photosynthetic structures and non-photosynthetic structures; (2) the maintenance of the equilibriums is guaranteed by the alteration of biomass partitioning to photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic structures. To test these hypotheses, a pruning experiment with four pruning intensities (0%, 20%, 50%, and 70%) were carried out with three subtropical Chinese tree species ( Ficus microcarpa, Ficus virens, Cinnamomum camphora). Pruning treatments were conducted in two successive years. The results were in conformity with the hypothesis, i.e. above-ground parts of trees had functional equilibriums between photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic structures. Pruning decreased instantaneously the mass ratios of photosynthetic structures to non-photosynthetic structures (P/NP) of all three tree species, the reduction in P/NP was strengthened with pruning intensity. However, one year after pruning, the P/NP of all pruned trees increased and were not smaller than those of unpruned trees. In agreement with the expectation, the biomass partitioning of pruned trees was altered, more newly produced above-ground biomass was partitioned to leaf growth and less to branch and stem growth, thus enabled the damaged trees to restore their functional equilibrium between photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic structures. It is clear that the maintenance of functional equilibrium between photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic structures guaranteed by the alteration of biomass partitioning provides plants a good strategy to resist external disturbance and damage.

Comparison of anatomical structure and photosynthetic characteristics between the two photosynthetic organs of the desert plant Hedysarum scoparium

The desert plant Hedysarum scoparium uses leaflets and rachises as its photosynthetic organs. The abundance of leaflets was lower under unfavorable environmental conditions and higher with improved water conditions. To examine the characteristics associated with the adaptation of H. scoparium to its environment, we selected plants with both compound leaves and rachis without leaflets to study the anatomical structures and gas exchange characteristics of the two organs. The results show that the water storage tissues in rachises were more developed compared with the leaflets. The diurnal courses of the net photosynthetic rate for the rachis and the leaflet were both in a bimodal pattern. Meanwhile, both two peak values of the rachis were significantly higher than those of the leaflet. The daily average transpiration rate was significantly higher in the rachis than in the leaflet in order to lower the temperature of the rachises. It was concluded that under desert drought conditions, the leaflets of H. scoparium were partially or completely degraded to reduce the transpiration area as an adaptive response to water deficit, and only the rachises were retained as photosynthetic organ. The rachises were found to be better suited to a desert habitat than the leaflets.