20964694
not annotated - annotated - LINNAEUS only
The degree of mycoheterotrophic carbon gain in green, variegated and vegetative albino individuals of Cephalanthera damasonium is related to leaf chlorophyll concentrations.
* Achlorophyllous variants of some forest orchids are known to reach almost the same size as their green forms. These vegetative albino forms cover their entire carbon (C) demand through fungi that simultaneously form ectomycorrhizae with trees, while green variants partially draw on C from photosynthesis and C from fungal hosts. Here, we investigate whether the amount of C derived from either source is proportional to leaf chlorophyll concentration. The discovery of two Cephalanthera damasonium populations with variegated leaves enabled a continuous bridging of leaf chlorophyll concentrations between green and albino forms. * Leaves of 27 green, variegated and albino individuals of C. damasonium were compared for chlorophyll concentrations, C sources (as characterized by (13)C abundances) and total C and nitrogen (N) concentrations. * We found a linear relationship between leaf chlorophyll concentrations and the proportional reliance on fungi as a C source. Furthermore, we show that the shift in C gain through mycoheterotrophic means significantly changes leaf total C and N concentrations. * Our results document that partial mycoheterotrophy in C. damasonium is not a static nutritional mode but a flexible mechanism related inter alia to leaf chlorophyll concentrations. The change in proportional reliance on fungi as a C source affects leaf chemical composition.
Ann file
T1 Species 102 126 Cephalanthera damasonium
N1 Reference T1 Taxonomy:78719
T2 Species 652 676 Cephalanthera damasonium
N2 Reference T2 Taxonomy:78719
T3 Species 868 881 C. damasonium
N3 Reference T3 Taxonomy:78719
T4 Species 1340 1353 C. damasonium
N4 Reference T4 Taxonomy:78719