PARENT SESSION
Poster Session 39: Late Breaking and Newsworthy Posters
Friday, August 12, 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM, Exhibit Hall 220 A-E, Level 2, Palais des congrès de Montréal
Effects of microenvironments on the growth of trees of the Sandy Bottom Nature Park in Hampton, Virginia.
Gardner, James *,1, Kisseadoo, Samuel1, Abraham, Barbara1, Andrews, Genitra1, Tucker, Heather1, 1 Hampton University, Hampton, Va
ABSTRACT- Sweet Gum, Pine, Red Maple, White Maple, and Wax Myrtle were investigated for effects of microenvironments on tree growth and adaptations at the Sandy Bottom Nature Park in Hampton, Virginia. The microhabitats were: roadside with constant automobile gas pollution, lakeside with constant high humidity, and inland where trees thrived naturally. The tallest and largest trees were inland, as indicated by DBH (>8cm.) and height measurements. Seedling densities were low inland, and highest at roadside. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotene, and xanthophyll were identified in all leaves, using Rf values of paper chromatography, with lesser concentrations in roadside leaves. Roadside Pine and Wax Myrtle had no chlorophyll a, compensated for by accessory photosynthetic pigments and bigger leaves. Pine developed xanthophyll inland and at roadside but not at lakeside. Chlorophyll b was absent in lakeside Sweet Gum and Wax Myrtle, while White Maple had no chlorophyll b inland. Light intensity PPF values were 50% less inland. Differences in shapes, sizes, and arrangement of stomata and subsidiary cells indicated their environmental plasticity, and were most prominent for roadside and lakeside leaves, most scattered for roadside, largest in lakeside leaves, and in peculiar clusters of 10-35 around glands in lakeside Wax Myrtle, suggesting adaptations for eliminating excess water. Leaves were largest at roadside and lakeside. Roadside leaf biomass was 2-5 times higher than inland. Lakeside biomass was 20-80% to three times higher than inland. Our results confirm the significant influence of microhabitat differences on several morphological and physiological adaptations of trees in this ecosystem.
Key words: microenvironments