Variation in δ¹³C among species and sexes in the family Restionaceae along a fine-scale hydrological gradient

Araya, Yoseph; Silvertown, Jonathan; Gowing, David; McConway, Kevin; Linder, Peter and Midgley, Guy (2010). Variation in δ¹³C among species and sexes in the family Restionaceae along a fine-scale hydrological gradient. Austral Ecology, 35(7) pp. 818–824.

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DOI (Digital Object Identifier) Link:	http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.2009.02089.x
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Abstract

Consistent, repeatable segregation of plant species along hydrological gradients is an established phenomenon that must in some way reflect a trade-off between plants' abilities to tolerate the opposing constraints of drought and waterlogging. In C₃ species tissue carbon isotope discrimination (δ¹³C) is known to vary sensitively in response to stomatal behaviour, reflecting stomatal limitation of photosynthesis during the period of active growth. However, this has not been studied at fine-spatial scale in natural communities. We tested how δ¹³C varied between species and sexes of individuals in the family Restionaceae growing along a monitored hydrological gradient. Twenty Restionaceae species were investigated using species-level phylogeny at two sites in the Cape Floristic Region, a biodiversity hotspot. A spatial overlap analysis showed the Restionaceae species segregated significantly (P < 0.001) at both sites. Moreover, there were significant differences in δ¹³C values among the Restionaceae species (P < 0.001) and between male and female individuals of each species (P < 0.01). However, after accounting for phylogeny, species δ¹³C values did not show any significant correlation with the hydrological gradient. We suggest that some other variable (e.g. plant phenology) could be responsible for masking a simple response to water availability.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Copyright Holders:	2010 The Authors
ISSN:	1442-9985
Keywords:	cape floristic region; carbon isotope discrimination; hydrological gradient; plant gender; restionaceae; soil water regime trade-off; water-use efficiency
Academic Unit/Department:	Science > Environment, Earth and Ecosystems Mathematics, Computing and Technology > Mathematics and Statistics
Interdisciplinary Research Centre:	OpenSpace Research Centre (OSRC) Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research (CEPSAR)
Item ID:	21241
Depositing User:	Yoseph Araya
Date Deposited:	27 Apr 2010 11:23
Last Modified:	16 Nov 2012 17:17
URI:	http://oro.open.ac.uk/id/eprint/21241

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