Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 10, 2025

A Rapid Laser Probing Method Facilitates the Non-invasive and Contact-free Determination of Leaf Thermal Properties
Published on: January 7, 2017
Water Adsorption to Leaves of Tall Cryptomeria japonica Tree Analyzed by Infrared Spectroscopy under Relative
Wakana A Azuma1, Satoru Nakashima2,3,4, Eri Yamakita2
1Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe 675-8501, Japan.
Abstract:
Leaf water storage is a complex interaction between live tissue properties (anatomy and physiology) and physicochemical properties of biomolecules and water. How leaves adsorb water molecules based on interactions between biomolecules and water, including hydrogen bonding, challenges our understanding of hydraulic acclimation in tall trees where leaves are exposed to more water stress. Here, we used infrared (IR) microspectroscopy with changing relative humidity (RH) on leaves of tall Cryptomeria japonica trees. OH band areas correlating with water content were larger for treetop (52 m) than for lower-crown (19 m) leaves, regardless of relative humidity (RH). This high water adsorption in treetop leaves was not explained by polysaccharides such as Ca-bridged pectin, but could be attributed to the greater cross-sectional area of the transfusion tissue. In both treetop and lower-crown leaves, the band areas of long (free water: around 3550 cm-1) and short (bound water: around 3200 cm-1) hydrogen bonding OH components showed similar increases with increasing RH, while the band area of free water was larger at the treetop leaves regardless of RH. Free water molecules with longer H bonds were considered to be adsorbed loosely to hydrophobic CH surfaces of polysaccharides in the leaf-cross sections.
More Related Videos
11:38In situ FTIR Spectroscopy as a Tool for Investigation of Gas/Solid Interaction: Water-Enhanced CO2 Adsorption in UiO-66 Metal-Organic Framework
Published on: February 1, 2020
08:31The Calibration and Use of Capacitance Sensors to Monitor Stem Water Content in Trees
Published on: December 27, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) Infrared Spectroscopy: Overview
The ATR process begins by directing a beam...
IR Spectroscopy: Hooke's Law Approximation of Molecular Vibration
According to Hooke's law, the vibrational frequency is directly proportional to...
Responses to Drought and Flooding
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: Atomization Methods