Leaf acclimation to soil flooding and light availability underlies photosynthetic capacity of Lindera melissifolia, an endangered shrub of bottomland forests in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA.

Lindera melissifolia is an endangered shrub indigenous to the broadleaf forest of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). In this region, extant colonies of the species are found in periodically ponded habitats where a diversity of broadleaf trees can form well-developed overstory and sub-canopies-these habitat characteristics suggest that soil flooding and light availability are primary drivers of L. melissifolia ecophysiology. To understand how these two factors affect its photosynthetic capacity, we quantified leaf characteristics and photosynthetic response of plants grown in a large-scaled, field setting of three distinct soil flooding levels (no flood, 0 day; short-term flood, 45 days; and extended flood, 90 days) each containing three distinct light availability levels (high light, 30% shade cloth; intermediate light, 63% shade cloth; and low light, 95% shade cloth). Lindera melissifolia leaves showed marked plasticity to interacting effects of flooding and light with lamina mass per unit area (Lm/a) varying 78% and total nitrogen content per unit area (Na) varying 63% from the maximum. Photosynthetic capacity (A1800-a) ranged 123% increasing linearly with Na from low to high light. Extended flooding decreased the slope of this relationship 99% through a reduction in N availability and metabolic depression of A1800-a relative to Na. However, neither soil flooding nor light imposed an additive limitation on photosynthetic capacity when the other factor was at its most stressful level, and the A1800-a-Na relationship for plants that experienced short-term flooding suggested post-flood acclimation in photosynthetic capacity was approaching the maximal level under respective light environments. Our findings provide evidence for wide plasticity and acclimation potential of L. melissifolia photosynthetic capacity, which supports active habitat management, such as manipulation of stand structure for improved understory light environments, to benefit long-term conservation of the species in the MAV.

Intensity and mode of Lindera melissifolia reproduction are affected by flooding and light availability.

We studied the impact of flooding and light availability gradients on sexual and asexual reproduction in Lindera melissifolia (Walt.) Blume, an endangered shrub found in floodplain forests of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV), USA. A water impoundment facility was used to control the duration of soil flooding (0, 45, or 90 days), and shade houses were used to control light availability (high = 72%, intermediate = 33%, or low = 2% of ambient light) received by L. melissifolia established on native soil of the MAV. Sexual reproductive intensity, as measured by inflorescence bud count, fruit set, and drupe production, was greatest in the absence of soil flooding. Ninety days of soil flooding in the year prior to anthesis decreased inflorescence bud counts, and 45 days of soil flooding in the year of anthesis lessened fruit set and drupe production. Inflorescence bud development was the greatest in environments of intermediate light, decreased in high-light environments, and was absent in low light environments. But low fruit set diminished drupe production in intermediate light environments as compared to high light environments. Asexual reproduction, as measured by development of new ramets, was greatest in the absence of soil flooding and where plants were grown in high or intermediate light. Plants exhibited plasticity in reproductive mode such that soil flooding increased the relative importance of asexual reproduction. The high light environment was most favorable to sexual reproduction, and reproductive mode transitioned to exclusively asexual in the low light environment. Our results raise several implications important to active management for the conservation of this imperiled plant.

Pollination biology of basal angiosperms (ANITA grade).

The first three branches of the angiosperm phylogenetic tree consist of eight families with ∼201 species of plants (the ANITA grade). The oldest flower fossil for the group is dated to the Early Cretaceous (115-125 Mya) and identified to the Nymphaeales. The flowers of extant plants in the ANITA grade are small, and pollen is the edible reward (rarely nectar or starch bodies). Unlike many gymnosperms that secrete "pollination drops," ANITA-grade members examined thus far have a dry-type stigma. Copious secretions of stigmatic fluid are restricted to the Nymphaeales, but this is not nectar. Floral odors, floral thermogenesis (a resource), and colored tepals attract insects in deceit-based pollination syndromes throughout the first three branches of the phylogenetic tree. Self-incompatibility and an extragynoecial compitum occur in some species in the Austrobaileyales. Flies are primary pollinators in six families (10 genera). Beetles are pollinators in five families varying in importance as primary (exclusive) to secondary vectors of pollen. Bees are major pollinators only in the Nymphaeaceae. It is hypothesized that large flowers in Nymphaeaceae are the result of the interaction of heat, floral odors, and colored tepals to trap insects to increase fitness.

Lead transport into Bayou Trepagnier wetlands in Louisiana, USA.

Establishment of a petroleum refinery in 1916 near the headwaters of Bayou Trepagnier with subsequent dredging of the bayou resulted in spoil banks containing high levels of Pb. A large swamp abuts the eastern bank of the bayou. Cores were taken from 15 baldcypress [Taxodium distichum (L.) Richard] trees growing in the swamp along a 610-m transect (nine trees) and a 183-m transect (six trees) running perpendicular from the spoil bank. The cores were crossdated, annual rings were measured, and 5-yr segments of the cores were prepared and analyzed for heavy metals. Soil samples were collected along one transect and analyzed for metals. Levels of Pb in Bayou Trepagnier swamp trees were compared to levels in nine baldcypress trees growing along Stinking Bayou, a reference area. During the last 100 yr, Pb in growth rings of swamp baldcypress trees averaged 8.6 mg/kg (SD 4.88) along one transect and 7.9 mg/kg (SD 5.39) along the other. Lead in the soil along the first transect dropped from >2700 mg/kg (spoil bank) to 10 mg/kg at 420 m into the swamp. Baldcypress trees growing near the refinery on the spoil bank along Bayou Trepagnier (covered in an earlier study) averaged 4.5 mg/kg Pb, and trees along Stinking Bayou averaged 2.1 mg/kg. Trees in the swamp soil with 10 to 425 mg/kg Pb concentrated much more Pb than trees growing on the heavily polluted bank. Greater uptake of Pb by trees in the swamp is discussed in terms of soil dynamics and Pb sources.