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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Measurement of Leaf Hydraulic Conductance and Stomatal Conductance and Their Responses to Irradiance and Dehydration Using the Evaporative Flux Method EFM

Measurement of Leaf Hydraulic Conductance and Stomatal Conductance and Their Responses to Irradiance and Dehydration Using the Evaporative Flux Method EFM

Published on: December 31, 2012

Shade and Drought Shape Stomatal Kinetics in Beech Saplings.

Yasin Gundesli¹, Emilie Joetzjer¹, Oliver Brendel¹

¹Université de Lorraine, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR Silva, Nancy, France.

Physiologia Plantarum

|April 4, 2026

Summary

Environmental conditions significantly alter stomatal dynamics in beech saplings. Shade-grown and droughted plants exhibit faster stomatal responses, enhancing water conservation and CO2 uptake.

Keywords:

European beech drought stress light acclimation potassium deficiency stomatal dynamics

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Area of Science:

Plant Physiology
Environmental Science
Ecology

Background:

Stomata and photosynthesis exhibit differential response rates to light fluctuations, impacting water and carbon fluxes.
Understanding stomatal dynamics is crucial for predicting plant responses to environmental variability.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how growth conditions (sun vs. shade), drought, and potassium availability influence stomatal conductance (g_s) dynamics in beech saplings (Fagus sylvatica L.) under rapid irradiance changes.
To determine the physiological and morphological traits underlying stomatal responsiveness plasticity.

Main Methods:

Two greenhouse experiments were conducted on beech saplings.
Experiment 1: Compared sunlit vs. shade-grown saplings.
Experiment 2: Assessed effects of drought and potassium supplementation on saplings from potassium-poor soils, measuring stomatal dynamics (lag and response times) and stomatal morphology.

Main Results:

Shade-grown leaves showed reduced steady-state g_s changes but faster stomatal responses (shorter lag and response times).
Droughted saplings with adequate potassium exhibited reduced g_s amplitude and faster stomatal responses, conserving water.
Potassium deficiency negated drought effects on stomatal dynamics. Stomatal closure was consistently faster than reopening across treatments.
Observed plasticity in stomatal responsiveness was linked to physiological traits, not stomatal size or density.

Conclusions:

Environmental factors like light availability and water status significantly shape stomatal dynamics in European beech.
Faster stomatal responses in shade-grown and droughted plants optimize resource acquisition and water conservation.
Physiological plasticity, rather than morphological changes, drives the adaptive capacity of stomatal responsiveness in beech.