Summary
The ratio of deuterium to hydrogen (expressed as δD) in hydrogen released as water during the combustion of dried plant material was examined. The δD value (metabolic hydrogen) determined on plant materials grown under controlled conditions is correlated with pathways of photosynthetic carbon metabolism. C3 plants show mean δD values of-132‰ for shoots and -117‰ for roots; C4 plants show mean δD values of -91‰ for shoots and-77‰ for roots and CAM plants a δD value of-75‰ for roots and shoots. The difference between the δD value of shoot material from C3 and C4 plants was confirmed in species growing under a range of glasshouse conditions. This difference in δD value between C3 and C4 species does not appear to be due to differences in the δD value (tissue water) in the plants as a result of physical fractionation of hydrogen isotopes during transpiration. In C3 and C4 plants the hydrogen isotope discrimination is in the same direction as the carbon isotope discrimination and factors contributing to the difference in δD values are discussed. In CAM plants grown in the laboratory or collected from the field δD values range from-75‰ to +50‰ and are correlated with δ13C values. When deprived of water, the δD value (metabolic hydrogen) in both soluble and insoluble material in leaves of Kalanchoe daigremontiana Hamet et Perr., becomes less negative. These changes may reflect the deuterium enrichment of tissue water during transpiration, or in field conditions, may reflect the different δD value of available water in areas of increasing aridity. Whatever the origin of the variable δD value in CAM plants, this parameter may be a useful index of the water relations of these plants under natural conditions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Craig, H.: Standard for reporting concentrations of deuterium and oxygen-18 in natural waters. Science 133, 1833–1834 (1961)
Craig, H.: Isotopic standards for carbon and oxygen and correction factors for mass-spectrometric analysis of carbon dioxide. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 12, 133–149 (1957)
Ehhalt, D., Knott, K., Nagel, J.F., Vogel, J.C.: Deuterium and oxygen-18 in rainwater. J. Geophys. Res. 68, 3775 (1963)
Kluge, M., Fischer, K.: Über Zusammenhänge zwischen dem CO2-Austausch und der Abgabe von Wasserdampf durch Bryophyllum tubiflorum Berg. Planta (Berl.) 77, 212–223 (1967)
Lerman, J.C.: How to interpret variations in the carbon isotope ratio of plants: Biologic and environmental effects. In: Environmental and biological control of photosynthesis, pp. 323–335. Ed.: R. Marcelle. The Hague: Junk 1975
Lerman, J.C.: How to interpret variations in the carbon isotopetion by a crassulacean plant: dependence on the photoperiod. Science 183, 1207–1209 (1974)
Mooney, H., Troughton, J.H., Berry, J.A.: Arid climates and photosynthetic systems. pp. 793–805. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Yearbook 1973
Nalborczyk, E., La Croix, L.J., Hill, R.D.: Environmental influences on light and dark CO2 fixation by Kalanchoe daigremontiana. Canad. J. Bot. (in press)
Osmond, C.B., Ziegler, H., Stichler, W., Trimborn, P.: Carbon isotope discrimination in alpine succulent plants supposed to be capable of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). Oecologia (Berl.) 18, 209–217 (1975)
Osmond, C.B.: Environmental control of photosynthetic options in crassulacean plants. In: Environmental and biological control of photosynthesis. pp. 299–309. Ed.: R. Marcelle. The Hague: Junk 1975
Richards, J.H.: Kinetic isotope effects in enzymic reactions. In: The Enzymes. Vol. II, pp. 321–333. Ed.: P.D. Boyer. New York: Academic Press 1970
Schiegl, W.E., Vogel, J.C.: Deuterium content of organic matter. Earth and planet. Sci. Letters 7, 307–313 (1970)
Siegel, M.I., Wishnick, M., Lane, M.D.: Ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase. In: The Enzymes. Vol. VI, pp. 169–192. Ed.: P.D. Boyer. New York: Academic Press 1972
Simon, H., Palm, D.: Isotope effects in organic chemistry and biochemistry. Angew. Chem. 5, 920–933 (1966)
Smith, B.N., Brown, H.V.: The Kranz syndrome in the Gramineae as indicated by carbon isotope rations. Amer. J. Bot. 60, 505–513 (1973)
Smith, B.N., Epstein, S.: Biochemistry of the stable isotopes of hydrogen and carbon in salt marsh biota. Plant. Physiol. 46, 738–742 (1970)
Szarek, S.R., Johnson, H.B., Ting, I.P.: Drought adaption in Opumtia Cassilasis. Significance of recycling carbon through crassulacean acid metabolism. Plant Physiol. 52, 539–541 (1973)
Ting, I.P.: CAM under natural conditions. In: Environmental and biological control of photosynthesis. Ed.: R. Marcelle. The Hague: Junk 1975
Whelan, T., Sackett, W.M., Benedict, C.R.: Enzymatic fractionation of carbon isotopes by phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase from C4 plants. Plant Physiol. 51, 1051–1054 (1973)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ziegler, H., Osmond, C.B., Stichler, W. et al. Hydrogen isotope discrimination in higher plants: Correlations with photosynthetic pathway and environment. Planta 128, 85–92 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00397183
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00397183