Unexpected Vulnerability to High Temperature in the Mediterranean Alpine Shrub Erysimum scoparium (Brouss. ex Willd.) Wettst

Plants

EvaMaría Pérez-Martín¹  Beatriz Fernández-Marín¹  ÁguedaMaría González-Rodríguez¹  Patricia Brito¹ 

[1] Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of La Laguna (ULL), 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain;

关键词: acclimation;    alpine;    cold;    freezing;    high mountain;    hot;   

DOI  :  10.3390/plants10020379

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Current understanding of the effects of extreme temperature on alpine evergreens is very limited for ecosystems under Mediterranean climate (characterised by a drought period in summer), despite being exceptionally biodiverse systems and highly vulnerable under a global change scenario. We thus assessed (i) seasonal change and (ii) effect of ontogeny (young vs. mature leaves) on thermal sensitivity of Erysimum scoparium, a keystone evergreen of Teide mountain (Canary Islands). Mature leaves were comparatively much more vulnerable to moderately high leaf-temperature (≥+40 and <+50 °C) than other alpine species. Lowest LT₅₀ occurred in autumn (−9.0 ± 1.6 °C as estimated with R_fd, and −12.9 ± 1.5 °C with F_v/F_m). Remarkably, young leaves showed stronger freezing tolerance than mature leaves in spring (LT₅₀ −10.3 ± 2.1 °C vs. −5.6 ± 0.9 °C in mature leaves, as estimated with R_fd). Our data support the use of R_fd as a sensitive parameter to diagnose temperature-related damage in the leaves of mountain plants. On a global change scenario, E. scoparium appears as a well-prepared species for late-frost events, however rather vulnerable to moderately high temperatures.

【 授权许可】

Unknown