Field Water Relations of Sonoran Desert Annuals

Abstract

Field water relations were examined in winter and summer annuals of the Sonoran Desert. Both groups were characterized by low belowground biomass allocation. Winter annuals had large interspecific variation in water relations parameters, but their leaves generally had high conductances of water vapor and high water potentials during early growth periods. These high values were very short—lived and were reduced by peak flowering periods. Summer annuals were measured midway through the growing season; their leaves showed less interspecific variability in water vapor conductances and had values similar to the winter annuals for this stage of the growing season. Midday and diurnal courses of photosynthesis in the winter annuals exhibited lower rates than values previously reported for plants grown under unlimited water and nutrient regimes in glasshouses. This was probably due to the decreased leaf water potentials and increased vapor pressure deficits present in field situation. Both the winter and the summer annuals showed a dichotomy among species in leaf water potentials, associated with either variations in soil water availability or the ability of leaves to adjust osmotically to decreased soil water availability. Although winter and summer annuals are ephemeral, some species are capable of tolerating low leaf water potentials and therefore are not drought evading in the traditional sense.