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Linking leaf hydraulics with anatomy in Populus genotypes
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- Author / Creator
- Brocious, Caroline A
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Global increases in carbon dioxide have refocused attention on trees as a mechanism for carbon storage. Leaves are vital to this process, serving as both the site of carbon gain and water loss in trees. As transpiration and photosynthesis are inherently linked in leaves, water movement through trees effectively controls overall carbon uptake and biomass production.
Leaf hydraulic movement is limited in turn by hydraulic resistance in the xylem and leaf lamina. Consequently, this study focused on leaf anatomy to distinguish hydraulic differences across genetically similar Populus genotypes. Previous work has focused on leaf hydraulic conductance across species, yet few have isolated anatomical influences on leaf conductance within a genus.
In a greenhouse study, six Populus genotypes were grown under standardized conditions and measured for leaf hydraulic and stomatal conductance. Anatomical areas of resistance in leaves were preserved and measured using light microscopy. Petiole hydraulic structure emerged as a strong correlate of hydraulic performance, suggesting that xylem area in the petiole supports leaf area and conductance. Overall, my research suggests that scaling in hydraulic anatomy influences performance in Populus leaves, and that petiole hydraulic measurements are an important component to include in future leaf hydraulic measurements.
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- Subjects / Keywords
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- Graduation date
- Fall 2015
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- Type of Item
- Thesis
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- Degree
- Master of Science
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- License
- This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.