Elsevier

Plant Science Letters

Volume 2, Issue 6, June 1974, Pages 357-362
Plant Science Letters

Dark CO2 fixation and the carbon isotope ratio in bromeliaceae

https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4211(74)90044-3Get rights and content

Abstract

Dark CO2 fixation and δ13C values were measured in 27 species of the 3 sub-families of Bromeliaceae. 13 species were in a group with a mean δ13C value of −12.9±1.2% and with dark CO2 fixation and 14 species in another group with a mean of −25.3±1.8%0. With the exception of Guzmania monostachia, all species showing dark CO2 fixation, measured colorimetrically or as malate accumulation, had δ13C values of a C4 type i.e. showing the least amount of isotope discrimination. These results are consistent with the interpretation that δ13C values in CAM plants indicate the proportion of the carbon in the plant that entered by either of the two photosynthetic carbon cycles and the degree of ‘openness’ of the ribulose diphosphate (RuDP) carboxylase reaction. The ecological significance of CAM metabolism is indicated by the evidence that species showing net dark CO2 fixation came from dry epiphytic or terrestrial habitats.

References (15)

  • W.G. Allaway et al.
  • M.M. Bender

    Am. J. Sci. Radiocarbon Suppl.

    (1968)
  • H.J. Bergmeyer

    Methods of Enzymatic Analysis

    (1965)
  • E.L. McWilliams

    Bot. Gaz.

    (1970)
  • E. Medina

    Acta Cient. Ven.

    (1961)
  • T.F. Neales

    Aust. J. Biol. Sci.

    (1973)
  • T.F. Neales

    Aust. J. Biol. Sci.

    (1973)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (29)

  • Diurnal modulation of PEPCK decarboxylation activity impacts photosystem II light-energy use in a drought-induced CAM species

    2020, Environmental and Experimental Botany
    Citation Excerpt :

    In some cases, G. monostachia faces a dry season that can last up to five months (Pittendrigh, 1948; Smith et al., 1986; Maxwell et al., 1995; Guerreiro et al., 2013). In this kind of habitat, G. monostachia developed plastic photosynthetic mechanisms allowing survival under shifting light and water conditions, such as CAM idling (Medina and Troughton, 1974; Maxwell et al., 1992; Freschi et al., 2010b). CAM idling is characterized by stomatal closure during day and night and a small variation in the acid content due to the recycling of the respired CO2 through PEPC activity (Cushman, 2001; Borland et al., 2011).

  • The CAM lineages of planet Earth

    2023, Annals of Botany
View all citing articles on Scopus
View full text