2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Effects of mechanical-stress induced changes in plant body size on photosynthetic function: mechanisms and biological significance
Project/Area Number |
24570049
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
Section | 一般 |
Research Field |
Plant molecular biology/Plant physiology
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Research Institution | Nara Women's University |
Principal Investigator |
SAKAI Atsushi 奈良女子大学, 自然科学系, 教授 (30235098)
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Project Period (FY) |
2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
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Keywords | 接触形態形成 / 光合成 / 窒素 / 物理的ストレス / 踏圧 / 食害回避 / 補償光合成 |
Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Plants change their body sizes in response to mechanical stress (MS) such as trampling. During the process of decrease/increase of plant body size in response to the application/elimination of MS, nitrogen within the plant body might be concentrated/diluted accordingly, which, in turn, result in lower/higher photosynthetic potentials. Such a “chain reaction” appeared to be more popular among perennial clonal plants and relatively rare among plants with high MS sensitivity. Under MS, photosynthetic production of a plant/stand as a whole declines as a result of miniaturization. However, increase in photosynthetic potential per area resulting from nitrogen enrichment should partly compensate for the reductions in the total photosynthetic productivity. Moreover, the MS-induced miniaturization was found to increase survivability of plants dramatically under certain circumstances.
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Free Research Field |
植物生理学
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