Desiccation tolerance in bryophytes relates to elasticity but is independent of cell wall thickness and photosynthesis.

ABSTRACT: Mosses have been found outliers of the trade-off between photosynthesis and bulk elastic modulus described for vascular plants. Hence, potential trade-offs among physical features of cell walls and desiccation tolerance, water relations, and photosynthesis were assessed in bryophytes and other poikilohydric species. Long-term desiccation tolerance was quantified after variable periods of desiccation/rehydration cycles. Water relations were analyzed by pressure-volume curves. Mesophyll conductance was estimated using both CO₂ curve-fitting and anatomical methods. Cell wall elasticity was the parameter that better correlated with the desiccation tolerance index for desiccation tolerant species and was antagonistic to higher absolute values of osmotic potential. Although high value

SUBMITTER: Perera-Castro AV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9314017 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature