Photosynthetic responses of plant communities to sand burial on the machair dune systems of the outer hebrides, Scotland.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

The effects of both short-term (2 weeks) and long-term (6 weeks) burial on the photosynthetic efficiency of four typical plant sub-communities of the machair sand dunes of the Outer Hebrides are described. Previous studies have examined the photosynthetic responses on individual species rather than the response at the community level.

Methods

Three replicate turves from four different sub-community types (foredune grassland, dune slack, three-year fallow and unploughed grassland) were subjected to short- and long-term burial treatments after acclimatisation in an unheated greenhouse for approximately 10 weeks. Three replicate control turves from each sub-community were left unburied. After treatment, photosynthetic rate was measured at 16-20 h and 40-44 h

SUBMITTER: Kent M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4246742 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature