Photosynthetic capacity in relation to leaf position in desert versus old-field annuals

Abstract

Desert annuals of Death Valley, California have higher average light-saturated photosynthetic capacities and leaf nitrogen contents than do early-successional annuals of Illinois. The leaves of annuals in the light-unlimited Death Valley environment change little in specific weight, nitrogen, or photosynthetic capacity with age. In contrast, these properties decrease markedly with age in the leaves of the Illinois annuals even in leaves not exposed to the usual shading that accompanies canopy development. These results are interpreted in a carbon-gained-per-nitrogen-invested context.