P. Mordelet, INFLUENCE OF TREE SHADING ON CARBON ASSIMILATION OF GRASS LEAVES IN LAMTO SAVANNA, COTE-DIVOIRE, Acta oecologica, 14(1), 1993, pp. 119-127
Carbon assimilation was investigated in a humid savanna in the Cote d'
Ivoire, on grass leaves (Hyparrhenia diplandra) located in two contras
ting situations: shaded beneath tree clump (minimum photosynthesis) or
in the open (maximum photosynthesis). Assimilation would be 5 to 6 ti
mes less for a leaf spending the day in the shaded situation than in t
he open. The same difference is observed between the PAR in the shade
and in the sunshine during the day. Irradiance seems to be the main li
miting factor of the uptake rate of carbon in the shade, whereas in th
e open stomatal conductance would limit assimilation rates. The leaf w
ater potential is higher beneath tree clump.