Leaf and stem maximum water storage capacity of herbaceous plants in a mountain meadow

Abstract

Leaf and stem maximum water storage capacities of nine dominant species (three graminoids and six herbs) from a mountain meadow were investigated employing two different methods—submersing of and spraying at phytoelements, respectively. The resulting maximum water storage capacities were in overall good agreement with literature. The submersing method yielded significantly lower values as compared to the spraying method, but, using in situ dew measurements, it could not be conclusively determined which method is to be preferred. Significant correlations between maximum water storage capacity and several morphological parameters could be found both across species and within species, yet these relationships usually possessed relatively little predictive power and were not consistent across species. It is concluded that other plant characteristics than those investigated in the present study are responsible for determining differences between species and that the dependence of the maximum water storage capacities on morphological factors is highly species-specific.