Comparison of stomatal characteristics and photosynthesis of polymorphic Populus euphratica leaves

Abstract

The leaf shapes of adult Populus euphratica vary from lanceolate to dentate broad-ovate. In order to find the mechanism regarding the ecological adaptation of the polymorphic leaves, the dentate broad-ovate, broad-ovate, and lanceolate leaves were chosen to study their stomatal and photosynthetic characteristics. It is observed that the stomas on the adaxial and abaxial epidermis of the same leaves open non-uniformly with similar densities. The stomatal densities are different among the three typical leaves, which decrease from broad-ovate to lanceolate leaves. Their stomatal sunken degree varied obviously, decreasing from broad-ovate to lanceolate leaves. The changes of the diurnal photosynthetic rate of the three typical leaves follow a single peak curve. The mean diurnal photosynthetic rates of these leaves rank from high to low as broad-ovate > dentate broad-ovate > lanceolate leaves. The light compensation points are similar in the three typical leaves, while the light saturation points vary obviously. The efficiency of solar energy conversion and potential activity of the PSII in the leaves differ significantly, with the dentate broad-ovate leaves the highest. The results suggest that their leaf shapes, anatomic structures, and photosynthetic characteristics change during the leaf development.