TY  - JOUR
AU  - Bereau, M.
AU  - Bonal, D.
AU  - Louisanna, E.
AU  - Garbaye, J.
PY  - 2005//
TI  - Do mycorrhizas improve tropical tree seedling performance under water stress and low light conditions? A case study with Dicorynia guianensis (Caesalpiniaceae)
T2  - J. Trop. Ecol.
JO  - Journal of Tropical Ecology
SP  - 375
EP  - 381
VL  - 21
PB  - CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
KW  - French Guiana
KW  - leaf gas exchange
KW  - mycorrhizal symbiosis
KW  - tropical forest
KW  - water limitation
N2  - We tested the response of seedlings of Diconyina guianensis, a major timber tree species of French Guiana, to mycorrhizal symbiosis and water limitation in a semi-con trolled experiment under natural light conditions. Under well-watered conditions, mycorrhizal colonization resulted in an increase of net photosynthesis, growth and phosphorus uptake. When submitted to water stress, no growth reduction of mycorrhizal seedlings was observed. Mycorrhizal seedlings were more sensitive to drought than non-mycorrhizal ones in terms of carbon assimilation, but not with regard to stomatal closure. In contrast to previous studies on temperate tree seedlings, this result precludes a mycorrhizal effect on the hydraulic properties of this species. Furthermore, our results suggest that below a specific threshold of soil moisture, carbon assimilation of D. guianensis seedlings was decreased by the mycorrhizal symbiosis. This is probably related to the competition between the plant and its host fungus for carbon allocation under low light intensity, even though it did not seem to have a significant effect on mortality in our experiment.
SN  - 0266-4674
N1  - ISI:000231009300003
ID  - Bereau_etal2005
ER  -