Physiological Responses of Intsia bijuga Trees to Drought Stress

Abstract

Intsia bijuga is an important native tree on Guam, and is being promoted as an urban forestry tree. Container-grown I. bijuga trees were subjected to a drying cycle (50% of mean water loss replaced daily) to determine physiological responses to drought. Early to mid-morning gas exchange began to decline compared to well-watered plants on day 12, and quickly declined thereafter. Net CO2 assimilation (A) was close to zero by day 29 and became negative by day 36. Chlorophyll fluorescence of drought-stressed trees was not different from that of well-watered trees on numerous days of measurement throughout the drying cycle. Unlike leaflets of well-watered trees, leaflets of the stressed trees exhibited heliotropic movement to avoid direct exposure to the sun. The stressed trees did not respond with any change in osmotic potential of leaflets following rehydration. Carbon dioxide-use efficiency of stressed trees was reduced to 66% of well-watered trees. The most profound response following rewatering (day 37) was leaf shedding. All trees shed some leaves, and 33% of the trees shed the entire canopy. On the trees that retained some leaves, A returned to that of the control trees by day 13 of recovery.