ISSN:
1365-3040
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Carbon isotope composition (δ13C) was measured in a glasshouse experiment with N2-fixing and NO3–- or NH4+-fed Casuarina equisetifolia Forst. & Forst plants, both under well-watered and drought conditions. The abundance of 13C was higher (more positive δ13C) for NH4+- than for NO3– -grown plants and was lowest for N2-fixing plants. NH4+-fed plants had more leaf area and dry weight and higher water use efficiency (on a biomass basis) than N2- and NO3–-grown plants and had lower water consumption than plants supplied with NO3–, either with high or low water supply. Specific leaf areas and leaf area ratios were higher with NH4+ than with NO3– or N2 as the N source. The difference observed in δ13C between plants grown with different N sources was higher than that predicted by theory and was not in the right direction (NH4+-grown plants with a more negative δ13C) to be explained by differences in plant composition and engagement of the various carboxylation reactions. The more positive δ13C in NH4+- than in NO3–-grown plants is probably due to a decreased ratio of stomatal to carboxylation conductances, which accounts for the lower water cost of C assimilation in NH4+-grown plants.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3040.1998.00302.x
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