Effect of microclimate on the potential gas exchange in Cambará tree (Vochysia divergens Pohl) and Sandpaper Tree (Curatella americana L.) in the Cerrado, Brazil

Abstract

Leaf gas exchange is affected by micrometeorological conditions, but in many cases and especially for native species, plant acclimation to prior conditions contributes to their physiological performance later. In this sense, the objective of this research was to assess the association between leaf gas exchange and climate variables prevailing at the time of measurement and taken as average values of the previous day, for two plant species Vochysia divergens and Curatella americana representatives of the region and two leaf ages (young and adult), in the case of V. divergens. The work was performed in a pasture in the Cerrado of Mato Grosso, located in Santo Antonio de Leverger 15 km SSE from Cuiabá, for the period between May and December of 2009. Based on the results, it was observed that V. divergens gas exchange rates were affected by both the past environmental conditions and prevailing conditions on the morning of the measurements. Within the ages of leaves of V. divergens, the young leaves showed greater sensitivity to variations in weather conditions as compared to older leaves. In contrast, the gas exchange of C. americana leaves were not significantly correlated with environmental variables. It’s like C. americana respond instantly to changes in microclimate that occur in the environment.