Photosynthetica 2007, 45(2):229 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-007-0037-x

Drought tolerance in the Mediterranean species Quercus coccifera, Quercus ilex, Pinus halepensis, and Juniperus phoenicea

F. J. Baquedano1,2, F.J. Castillo1,*
1 Departamento de Ciencias del Medio Natural, Universidad Pública de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
2 School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia

We investigated the strategies of four co-occurring evergreen woody species Quercus ilex, Quercus coccifera, Pinus halepensis, and Juniperus phoenicea to cope with Mediterranean field conditions. For that purpose, stem water potential, gas exchange, chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence, and Chl and carotenoid (Car) contents were examined. We recognized two stress periods along the year, winter with low precipitation and low temperatures that led to chronic photoinhibition, and summer, when drought coincided with high radiation, leading to an increase of dynamic photoinhibition and a decrease of pigment content. Summer photoprotection was related to non-photochemical energy dissipation, electron flow to alternative sinks other than photosynthesis, decrease of Chl content, and proportional increase of Car content. Water potential of trees with deep vertical roots (Q. coccifera, Q. ilex, and P. halepensis) mainly depended on precipitation, whereas water potential of trees with shallow roots (J. phoenicea) depended not only on precipitation but also on ambient temperature.

Additional key words: carotenoids; chlorophyll fluorescence; field conditions; net photosynthetic rate; photosystem 2; precipitation; quantum yield; stomatal conductance; transpiration; water potential

Received: June 12, 2006; Accepted: September 20, 2006; Published: June 1, 2007  Show citation

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Baquedano, F.J., & Castillo, F.J. (2007). Drought tolerance in the Mediterranean species Quercus coccifera, Quercus ilex, Pinus halepensis, and Juniperus phoenicea. Photosynthetica, 45(2), 229. doi: 10.1007/s11099-007-0037-x
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