Effect of soil water changes on photosynthetic characteristics of Taxodium distichum seedlings in the hydro-fluctuation belt of the Three Gorges Reservoir area

Abstract

Four different kinds of water treatment were applied to examine the photosynthetic characteristics of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) seedlings in the hydro-fluctuation belt of the Three Gorges Reservoir area. The aim was to shed light on the physio-ecological adaptation of this species to changing water levels for revegetation purposes. The water treatments were normal growth water condition (CK), light drought water stress (T1), growth under soil water saturation (T2) and growth with soil submersion (T3). T3 had the lowest content of photosynthetic pigment; T1 and T2 did not differ from CK in the content of chlorophyll and carotenoid. The ratio of chlorophyll a to b in the four groups ranged from 2.04 to 2.69 and the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoid from 3.08 to 4.51. In group T1, the seedling of baldcypres had lower apparent light use efficiency, lower apparent CO₂ use efficiency and a lower net photosynthetic rate, with the net photosynthetic rate 24.9% lower than that of group CK. However, T2 and T3 did not differ from CK in apparent light use efficiency, apparent CO₂ use efficiency and net photosynthetic rate. Water use efficiency of the four treatments consistently increased as treatment was prolonged; the average water use efficiency of T3 was the lowest while that of CK was the highest. Correlation analysis showed that the net photosynthetic rate of baldcypress seedlings was positively related to transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, apparent light use efficiency and apparent CO₂ use efficiency, but highly negatively related to the ratio of chlorophyll a to b. Net photosynthetic rate was not significantly related to the contents of chlorophyll and carotenoid, the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoid, relative air humidity and intercellular CO₂ concentration. The transpiration rate was positively correlated with stomatal conductance and negatively related to water use efficiency. The results showed that different water treatments could effectively influence the baldcypress seedlings  content of photosynthetic pigment, leaf gas exchange and apparent resources use efficiency. The results verified that the species T. distichum takes on the features of a water-tolerant and hydrophilic plant, which can be considered as one of the species for the building of a forest protection system for the hydro-fluctuation belt in the Three Gorges Reservoir area. Baldcypress should not be planted in drought-stricken soils.