Stomata are the pores on a leaf surface through which plants regulate the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) for photosynthesis against the loss of water via transpiration. Turgor changes in the guard cells determine the area of stomatal pore through which gaseous diffusion can occur, thus maintaining a constant internal environment within the leaf (Gregory et al., 1950). Stomata first occurred in ...

[1] Using a simple dynamic vegetation model coupled to an intermediate complexity climate model Kleidon [2004] suggests that an optimum stomatal conductance exists at which vegetation productivity is maximized. It is suggested that this maximum is the result of two competing processes: 1) the increased supply of CO2 with increased stomatal conductance and 2) increased cloud cover, associated wi...

Reseeding with native plants to rebuild alpine meadow has become a popular way of ecological restoration. However, the harsh environment poses great challenge establishment due poor management water and nutrients. How water–fertilizer interaction influences dominant grass species is still unclear, reasonable fertilizer conditions are not determined. Our results showed that addition nitrogen cou...

Mesophyll conductance (gm) has been shown to impose significant limitations to net CO2 assimilation (A) in various species during water stress. Net CO2 assimilation is also limited by stomatal conductance to water (gsw), both having been shown to co-vary with leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf). Lately, several studies have suggested a close functional link between Kleaf, gsw, and gm. However, s...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Calotropis procera and Calotropis gigantea, originally from warm parts of Africa and Asia, are now pan-tropical and in ecological terms considered an indicator of overgrazed, disturbed lands; they grow successfully in dry areas. Variations in water relations, morphology and photosynthesis of the two species growing in the same habitat were studied to assess possible mechanis...

Sap flow, and atmospheric and soil water data were collected in closed-top chambers under conditions of high soil water potential for saplings of Liquidambar styraciflua L., Quercus phellos L. and Pinus taeda L., three co-occurring species in the southeastern USA. Responses of canopy stomatal conductance (g(t)) to water stress induced by high atmospheric water vapor demand or transpiration rate...

The terrestrial hydrological cycle is strongly influenced by transpiration--water loss through the stomatal pores of leaves. In this report we present studies showing that the energy content of radiation absorbed by the leaf influences stomatal control of transpiration. This observation is at odds with current concepts of how stomata sense and control transpiration, and we suggest an alternativ...