E&E Seminar: “Photosynthesis occurring in green stem bark: insights from desert ecosystems” by Eleinis Ávila-Lovera (University of Utah)
September 3, 2024
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Location
SELE 4289
Calendar
Download iCal FilePlease join us Sept. 3, 2024 at 12:30pm in SELE 4289 for an E&E Seminar featuring "Photosynthesis occurring in green stem bark: insights from desert ecosystems" by Dr. Eleinis Ávila-Lovera (University of Utah)
Host: Miquel Gonzalez-Meler
Abstract: The main photosynthetic organs in most plant species are leaves; however, woody photosynthetic stems are common in plants from seasonally dry ecosystems in both temperate and tropical regions. This raises the question of what benefits photosynthetic stems confer to plants bearing them. Traditional work in Mediterranean-type and desert ecosystems have shown three main advantages of having woody photosynthetic stems: extra carbon gain, reduced carbon loss through respiration, and increased water-use efficiency, indicating that photosynthetic stems improve both the carbon and water economy of plants, which are especially important traits in sites that experience seasonal water deficit. I will present work done on arid ecosystems in southern California and Baja California peninsula, which aimed to understand: 1) the coordination between photosynthetic and hydraulic traits in photosynthetic stems, 2) the costs and benefits of having photosynthetic stems, and 3) the role of photosynthetic stems in drought survival.
Date posted
Nov 13, 2023
Date updated
Aug 23, 2024