EFIMED Summer School on Do Mediterranean forests compete for water resources?. A scale approach from leaf to landscape.

GAS EXCHANGE MEASUREMENTS BY IRGA

Dr. Javier Gulas University of the Balearic Islands (Spain) Chania (Greece) June 2008

1. PRINCIPLES AND FUNDAMENTALS

THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC PROCESS

Plants use solar energy to synthesize organic molecules from carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O).

The process can be divided in two parts:

1) Light-dependent reactions. PHOTOCHEMISTRY. Light energy is used for the synthesis of ATP and NADPH from ADP and NADP+. 2) Light-independent reactions. BIOCHEMISTRY. ATP and NADPH are used to reduce CO2 and produce sugars through the Calvin cycle.

Spectroscopy

Gas flow (pump)

CLOSED CIRCUIT

Open circuits avoid some problems (i.e., water condensation in the circuit), but requires the use of two IRGAs

OPEN CIRCUIT

IRGAs position in the system head (close to cuvette), as in the Li-6400, improves accuracy

GAS EXCHANGE MEASUREMENTS BY INFRARED GAS ANALYZER (IRGA): Li-Cor 6400

Measuring gas exchange Measured: Net photosynthesis (AN) Transpiration (E)

Air and leaf T, RH, PAR

Estimated: Stomatal conductance (gs), Substomatal CO2 concentration (Ci)

IRGA determines the rates of photosynthesis (AN) and transpiration (E), as: AN = (Air flux x CO2) / Leaf area E = (Air flux x H2O) / Leaf area From Ficks First Law of diffusion, other parameters are then calculated: 1. E = gH2O x ([H2Oi]- [H2Oa]) 2. AN = gCO2 ([Ca]-[Ci]) In (1) E and [H2Oa] are directly measured. Assuming 100% RH in the substomatal cavity and measuring leaf T, [H2Oi] can be estimated and then solve for gH2O. In (2) AN and [Ca] are directly measured. Since gCO2 = gH2O / 1.6, then one can solve for [Ci].

In the light, photosynthesis and respiration co-occur

CO2

O2

FOTOSNTESIS

CO2
RESPIRACIN

H2O

O2

And PHOTORESPIRATION

CO2

O2

Carboxylation Oxygenation
Rubisco O2 CO2

Then, IRGA determines the NET photosynthesis rate: AN = Gross photosynthesis - Photorespiration Respiration

2. USEFULLNESS AND APPLICATIONS

What can we measure with an IRGA? Instantaneous gas fluxe measurements Daily courses of gas exchange Photosynthesis light response curves A/Ci curves Feed the models

Annual Evolution of net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance of Quercus ilex June 1998-October 2001 Puigpunyent (Mallorca) P= 600 mm Binifald (Mallorca) P= 1000 mm

How and When to do Instantaneous measurements: Diurnal evolution of Gas Exchange rates Mid-morning measurements High water availability

Mild water stress

Severe water stress

Light response curve

Sun leaf Net photosynthesis

Shade leaf

Irradiance

With adequate parameterization and a biochemical model (Farquhar et al. 1980), CO2-response curves allow estimates of metabolic parameters 1. Rubisco-limited photosynthesis
AN (mol CO2 m-2 s-1) 30

2. RuBP regeneration capacity 3. Triose phosphate utilisation

20

10

0 0 200 400 600 800 -1 Ci (mol mol ) 1000

CAREFUL: effect of mesophyll conductance to CO2 (Ci NOT EQUAL TO Cc)

3. OVERVIEW OF Li-6400: SOME PRACTICAL ASPECTS

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Li-6400

Li-6400

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Tree species: Latitude: Longitude: Altitude: Orientation: Slope: Date: Observations:

Tree n 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

A (molCO2 m2s1)

gs (mmol m2s-1)

Ci (mmol CO2 mol air-1)

E (mmolH2O m2s1)

Observations

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