Lecture 8
Acquiring water and nutrients
CAM and comparison with C4 plants
Unique features of plant mitochondria
and the importance of plant respiration
for carbon gain in plants
Acquiring and using water
Coping with drought
Acquiring nutrients
Coping with nutrient deficiencies
N2 fixation
Mycorrhizal associations
Reading: Chapter 56
Job opportunities in Plant Sciences at RSB
• Research assistants
• Lab and/or field based
• Great experience and training
• Excellent pay, usually for ~3-6 hours per week
• Labs offering employment:
- Prof Owen Atkin & A Prof Dani Way (plant physiology, natural ecosystems and crops both field and lab)
- Prof Adrienne Nicotra (ecophysiology, alpine plant ecology, abiotic stress, field and lab)
- Dr Florence Danila (digital microscopy, image annotation & automated trait measurements, lab-based)
- Dr Joanna Melonek (molecular biology, mitochondria, DNA/RNA/protein analyses, lab-based)
- Prof. Barry Pogson (molecular biology, chloroplast-nucleus signaling, translational regulation, drought, lab)
• Send CV, short expression of interest (max half a page) and your top 2
preferred labs, and which lab(s) would be your preference,
to the Plant Science Divisional Administrator (ps.da.rsb@anu.edu.au)
by 5 pm, Thursday Nov 9th 2023.
• Short listing and interviews at a time to be negotiated with each lab leader
(some in Nov-Dec, some in the new year)
Lecture 7 Summary
C3 plants: CO2 fixation process;
photorespiration high at high
temps & low [CO2]
C4 plants: Adaptation to low
atmospheric [CO2].
Photorespiration eliminated via
accumulation of CO2 in bundle
sheath
slow growing species respire a
higher proportion of daily carbon
gain than fast growing species
CAM photosynthesis:
another version of C4 metabolism
Cacti are CAM plants
(Crasslacean Acid Metabolism)
Characterised by succulent assimilatory
organs (thick, fleshy phyllodes or cladodes
containing large amounts of water stored in
vacuoles).
Leaves are reduced to small scales
Mesembryanthemum (pigface)
CAM photosynthesis:
adaptation to drought
An adaptation to arid conditions
(deserts/drought areas), with declines in
atmospheric CO2 also likely responsible.
Evolved several times, with doubt about
when due to lack of fossil records
Mesembryanthemum (pigface)
C4 and CAM photosynthesis compared
Growth: acquisition of resources
So far…………
- role of biomass allocation
- carbon acquisition by
photosynthesis
• Now need to assess how plants CO2
use respiration to oxidise
carbon-rich compounds (e.g.
sugars) to synthesize new
biomass/maintain existing
biomass
Respiration
• Respiration produces
energy (ATP and
NADH) and carbon
skeletons needed for
growth
• Includes: glycolysis,
citric acid cycle and
electron transport
• Releases large amounts
of CO2 into the
atmosphere
Plant respiration
• 20-70% of the CO2 fixed by
photosynthesis each day is
released by respiration in
leaves, stems and roots
Respiration
% higher in slow growing
species adapted to stressful
environments
Why?
Mitochondrial electron transport
But plants have some additional features not shown here………
Mitochondrial electron transport:
unique features in plants
Non-phosphorylating pathways – energy lost as heat/wasteful….
Summary
Why are stress tolerant species slow growing?
Biomass allocation
- Lower SLA and LMR, and greater RMR.
- Less light interception, but tougher leaves; greater
ability to find/take up water/nutrients
Photosynthesis
- Lower rates per unit plant mass.
Respiration
- Relatively high compared to fast-growing sp.
- reflects lower efficiency of energy production and/or energy use
Other roles of AOX
Spadices of some thermogenic species exhibit
high rates of AOX
Increases spadix temp.
Volatilizes odoriferous amines to attract
pollinators
Also as heat reward for pollinators in other
species
Amorphophallus titanum
Plant growth and resource acquisition
Differences in RGR reflect
differences in components of
growth, and ability to acquire
resources
Light
Carbon
Water CO2
Nutrients
Water
Essential for solute
transport, cell
expansion,
photosynthesis, and
thus growth
Water
https://youtu.be/BickMFHAZR0
Generation of transpirational pull in a leaf
• Evapotranspiration from leaf
(in response to low water
potential of air) is the driving
force for water uptake from
soil via the xylem
• Water movement through
plant made possible by the
large negative pressure
gradient that exists in leaves
relative to roots and soil
Closure of stomata
reduces
transpirational water
loss
abaxial surface of a leaf
of Vicia faba (broad
bean); M.E. McCully
Coping with drought:
Xerophytic leaves
• Nerium oleander
• Common in arid areas
• Spiniflex: leaf
rolling and C4
metabolism
Avoiding drought
• Increased allocation to roots to
tap deep water supply (Honey
Mesquite)
• Wet season life cycle (Mohave
desert star)
Nutrient deficiencies
Symbiotic associations with fungi
• In nature, roots rarely operate without interaction
with mycorrhizal fungi
• Two types: ectomycorrhizae and endomycorrhizae
• Increase surface area for nutrient uptake
• Exchange mineral nutrients (particularly phosphorus,
and also nitrogen) for plant-derived carbon
Mycorrhizae:
increasing root access to limiting nutrients
Phosphorus deficiencies are common
• Mycorrhizae important in assisting
with P uptake in P-deficient soils
• Phosphorus is deficient in over 30%
of the Earth’s soils
• Deficiencies widespread in Australia
(old soils)
• Reserves of inorganic P fertilizer
likely to be exhausted in 60 years!
Respiration and low phosphorus
Proteoid roots
Plants adapted to low soil phosphorus (P) availability increase root
surface area by producing fine proteoid roots
increases solubility of P by excreting citrate to chelate metals
(e.g. iron hydroxides) that otherwise compete for solubilised P
Other nutritional
adaptations in plants
• Epiphytes
www.davidwallphoto.com/images/ http://media-2.web.britannica.com
• Parasitic plants
• Carnivorous plants
Revising for Biol1009: Owen Atkin lectures
• Understand the difference between eudicots and monocots
• Be able to name the main cell types in plants, describe their function and give examples
• No need to remember individual species names, but knowing family names covered in lectures will
be expected.
• Be familiar with the ways plant types are classified in ecological studies, what the main features of
each plant type, and how climate models group plants
• Understand how plants respond to stress over different time scales
• Be able to describe the processes driving water movement through plants
• Describe the overall light and dark reactions of photosynthesis (without naming individual proteins)
• Understand the main differences between C3, C4 and CAM types of photosynthesis
• Describe the overall process of respiration (without naming individual proteins), including how
respiration may differ between fast and slow growing plants
• Be able to discuss how plants acquire nutrients using roots and symbiotic associations, and list
symptoms of nutrient deficiencies
• Be familiar with what role photosynthesis and respiration play in the global carbon cycle
