IGN 13-1
Does NSC storage increase seedling survival under shade and drought?
Does NSC storage increase seedling survival under shade and drought?
Thursday, August 14, 2014
313, Sacramento Convention Center
Stored nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) may provide a carbon source to enable plants to survive carbon-limiting stresses. For five species of temperate deciduous trees in a greenhouse experiment, seedlings in shade and/ or drought (but not 50% defoliation) ceased growth and NSC accumulation and NSC reserves decreased in some species-treatment combinations. In a separate experiment, species NSC concentrations measured in a greenhouse were correlated with seedling survivorship in dry soils in the field. Our results support that NSC plays a role in seedling tolerance of drought and/or shade and that allocation to NSC could explain species differences in drought survival.