Seasonal variation of leaf ecophysiological traits of Iris variegata observed in two consecutive years in natural habitats with contrasting light conditions
2015
The amount and pattern of individual phenotypic responses to seasonal changes
in environmental conditions were determined in clones of Iris variegata
growing in differing light habitats. For the purpose of the study, 97 clonal
plants of the rhizomatous herb I. variegata that experienced different light
conditions in their two native habitats were selected: one along the top and
slope of sand dunes and one in woodland understories. Two fully expanded
leaves that had developed during spring, summer and fall in two consecutive
years were sampled from each of these clones. Six leaf traits affecting the
photosynthetic rate of a plant − morphological (specific leaf area),
anatomical (stomatal density) and physiological (total chlorophyll
concentration, chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio, carotenoid concentration,
chlorophyll a/carotenoid ratio) exhibited significant plastic responses in
the two different light habitats. To test whether these traits differ between
exposed and shaded habitats as well as during different vegetation periods,
we used the repeated model analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results of the
repeated ANOVA revealed statistically significant effects of year, habitat
and period of vegetation season. Patterns of changes during growing seasons
were year-specific for almost all analyzed traits. [Projekat Ministarstva
nauke Republike Srbije, br. OI 173025: Evolution in heterogeneous
environments: mechanisms of adaptation, biomonitoring and conservation of
biodiversity]
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