Relationships between Stomatal Behavior and Internal Carbon Dioxide Concentration in Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Plants

Abstract

Measurements of internal gas phase CO(2) concentration, stomatal resistance, and acid content were made in Crassulacean acid metabolism plants growing under natural conditions. High CO(2) concentrations, sometimes in excess of 2%, were observed during the day in a range of taxonomically widely separated plants (Opuntia ficus-indica L., Opuntia basilaris Engelm. and Bigel., Agave desertii Engelm., Yucca schidigera Roezl. ex Ortiges, Ananas comosus [L.] Merr., Aloe vera L., Cattleya sp. and Phalanopsis sp.) and below ambient air concentrations were observed at night.Stomatal resistance was always high when CO(2) concentration was high and experiments in which attempts were made to manipulate internal CO(2) concentrations gave data consistent with stomatal behavior in Crassulacean acid metabolism being controlled by internal CO(2) concentration. Exogenous CO(2) applied in darkness at a concentration similar to those observed in the light caused stomatal resistance to increase.In pads of Opuntia basilaris Engelm. and Bigel. subjected to severe water stress internal gas phase CO(2) concentrations exhibited fluctuations opposite in phase to fluctuations in acid content. Stomatal resistance remained high and the opening response to low CO(2) concentration was almost entirely eliminated.