Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2009, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (1): 125-133.DOI: 10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2009.01.014

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

PHOTOSYNTHETIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THREE ANGIOSPERMS OF DIFFERENT EVOLUTIONARY AGES UNDER ACID RAIN STRESS

JIANG Fu-Wei1, JIANG Hong1,2,3,*(), LI Wei4, YU Shu-Quan3, ZENG Bo1, WANG Yan-Hong3   

  1. 1Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
    2International Institute for Earth System Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
    3International Ecological Center of Zhejiang Forestry College, Hangzhou 311300, China
    4College of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
  • Received:2008-06-25 Accepted:2008-09-07 Online:2009-06-25 Published:2009-01-30
  • Contact: JIANG Hong
  • About author:*E-mail: hongjiang.china@gmail.com

Abstract:

Aims Our aims were to reveal the effects of acid rain stress on photosynthesis of three angiosperms (Parakmeria lotungensi, Lithocarpus glaber and Carya cathayensis) of different evolutionary ages, test the hypothesis that species with longer evolutionary time have higher adaptability and interpret results in terms of vegetation reconstruction in regions with severe acid rain.
Methods Three simulated acid rain treatments were randomly applied to the species: severe acid rain (pH 2.5), moderate acid rain (pH 4.0) and control (pH 5.6). The light response curves were determined in April 2007.
Important findings Under different acid rain treatments, maximum net photosynthetic rate (Pnmax) of P. lotungensi was in the order of pH 2.5 > pH 4.0 > pH 5.6, while that of L. glaber was pH 5.6 > pH 4.0 > pH 2.5 and there were no significant differences for C. cathayensis. In the control, the order of Pnmax was L. glaber > P. lotungensi > C. cathayensis. However, in the treatments with pH ≤ 4.0, the order was P. lotungensi > L. glaber > C. cathayensis. Therefore, P. lotungensi has higher photosynthetic capacity and higher adaptability than the other two species under acid rain stress. Compared with the other two species, P. lotungensi is a more favorable species for vegetation reconstruction in regions with severe acid rain.

Key words: evolution, convergent adaptation, vegetation construction, Chinese subtropical, Parakmeria lotungensi, Lithocarpus glaber, Carya cathayensis