Plant Architecture, Photosynthetic Responses, and Population Biology in the Palms Socratea Durissima and Scheelea Zonensis on Barro Colorado Island, Panama (Physiological, Tropical)
Hogan, Kevin Patrick
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/71283
Description
Title
Plant Architecture, Photosynthetic Responses, and Population Biology in the Palms Socratea Durissima and Scheelea Zonensis on Barro Colorado Island, Panama (Physiological, Tropical)
Author(s)
Hogan, Kevin Patrick
Issue Date
1986
Department of Study
Plant Biology
Discipline
Plant Biology
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Biology, Ecology
Abstract
I investigated the role of canopy architecture and biomass allocation in the population biology of the palms Socratea durissima and Scheelea zonensis on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Canopy architecture and biomass allocation change as plants mature, and can affect light interception and carbon budgets. Thus plant growth forms are expected to affect the light requirements of plants, and are therefore expected to influence demographic patterns.
Measurements of plant architecture, biomass allocation, and light interception were taken from plant in the field, and photosynthesis was measured on plants in the growing house. Plant growth and demography studies were based on three years of data from natural populations.
Compared to Scheelea, Socratea has less leaf overlap, leaves more horizontally displayed, lower biomass allocation to leaves, higher leaf turnover, lower photosynthetic rates, and lower ability to acclimate photosynthetically to higher light conditions. Socratea's efficient display of shade-adapted leaves allows it to reach maturity under relatively closed canopy or in small gaps. Socratea grows vertically even as a seedling, and can attain high density in the old forest on BCI. Scheelea tolerates understory conditions as a seedling, but as leaf overlap and proportion of non-photosynthetic biomass increase, it reaches a stage at which a large gap in the canopy is required for further growth. Scheelea persists in the understory as suppressed individuals, and partly due to the large gap requirement, the adults are widely scattered in the old forest.
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