Diversity in physiological and morphological characteristics of four cottonwood (Populus deltoides var. wislizenii) populations in New Mexico: evidence for a genetic component of variation
Dl. Rowland, Diversity in physiological and morphological characteristics of four cottonwood (Populus deltoides var. wislizenii) populations in New Mexico: evidence for a genetic component of variation, CAN J FORES, 31(5), 2001, pp. 845-853
Citations number
50
Categorie Soggetti
Plant Sciences
Journal title
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH-REVUE CANADIENNE DE RECHERCHE FORESTIERE
A common garden was established using 120 genotypes of Populus deltoides va
r. wislizenii (S. Wats.) Eckenwalder from four New Mexico populations (Abiq
uiu, Corrales, Bernardo, and San Antonio) to examine physiological and morp
hological differentiation within and among populations. All populations wer
e located within the same watershed along the Rio Grande and one of its tri
butaries, the Rio Chama. In the common garden, I measured physiological and
morphological variation during the 1996 and 1997 growing seasons to determ
ine the extent of inter- and intra-population variation in these traits. In
addition, because the sex of each source tree from the field was known, I
was able to determine if these same traits varied among male, female, and n
onreproductive trees. Small but significant differences within and among po
pulations occurred for photosynthesis, transpiration, and stomatal conducta
nce in both years. Leaf morphological traits also differed within and among
populations, including leaf size, chlorophyll content, and specific leaf m
ass. Stomatal conductance differed significantly between female and nonrepr
oductive trees in both years. This study demonstrated the existence of gene
tic variation in ecophysiological and morphological traits within and among
cottonwood populations and among cottonwoods of differing reproductive sta
tus within a single watershed.