Light availability and soil flooding regulate photosynthesis of an imperiled shrub in lowland forests of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA

Abstract

Physiological responses to light availability and soil flooding on Lindera melissifolia (Walt.) Blume were studied. Shrubs were grown under 70, 37 or 5% of full sunlight with either 0, 45, or 90 d of soil flooding. We measured leaf photosynthetic rate (PN) to test the hypothesis that soil flooding reduces P N in L. melissifolia following shrub acclimation to low light availability. Results showed that light availability and soil flooding interacted to affect P N. In the 0 d and 45 d flooding regimes (flood water removed 36–39 d prior to measurement), P N was similar between shrubs receiving 70% or 37% light, and these shrubs had 147% greater P N than shrubs receiving 5% light. Shrubs receiving 90 d of soil flooding had similar low rates of area-based P N regardless of light level. Similar P N between 0 d and 45 d flooded shrubs indicated physiological recovery following removal of flood water.