Patterns of carbon allocation, storage and remobilization in a common resprouting savanna species - Acacia karoo

dc.contributor.advisorBond, William Jen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorCramer, Michael Den_ZA
dc.contributor.authorWigley, Benjaminen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2017-11-07T09:31:25Z
dc.date.available2017-11-07T09:31:25Z
dc.date.issued2004en_ZA
dc.date.updated2017-02-21T14:08:00Z
dc.description.abstractThe aim of this study was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the patterns of carbon partitioning, storage and remobilization in Acacia karroo during the juvenile life history stage. Tuber total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) concentrations and δ¹³C values were determined in plants from two different stages in the juvenile life history of A. karroo. These were one year after a fire when the plant consisted of numerous leafy shoots or coppices (coppicing stage) and three years after a fire when the plant consisted of one pole like stem (gulliver stage). Gullivers were found to have mean TNC pools of 150g and mean TNC concentrations of 33%. Coppices had mean TNC pools of97g and TNC concentrations of 24%. Both total TNC pools and TNC concentrations in gullivers were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in coppices. Carbon isotopes were used to determine whether growth was based on carbon reserves as heterotrophic growth shows a distinct enrichment in δ¹³C. The water relations of plants can also influence the δ¹³C values of plant growth. However, there were no significant differences in root size and depth between the stages, indicating that all plants had access to similar water sources. Mean δ¹³C values from the stems of plants in the gulliver stage were significantly enriched(> 1‰) in ¹³C compared to both coppicing plants (p < 0.01) and adults (p < 0.05). The negative δ¹³C values in coppice stems suggest that their growth is not based on stored carbon. The enriched δ¹³C values found in the gulliver stems support the hypothesis that carbon reserves are utilized to achieve fast growth rates in an attempt to escape the fire trap. However, the small magnitude of the differences in δ¹³C between the two stages suggests post-burn regrowth is derived from both current photosynthate and stored carbon.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationWigley, B. (2004). <i>Patterns of carbon allocation, storage and remobilization in a common resprouting savanna species - Acacia karoo</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26019en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationWigley, Benjamin. <i>"Patterns of carbon allocation, storage and remobilization in a common resprouting savanna species - Acacia karoo."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26019en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationWigley, B. 2004. Patterns of carbon allocation, storage and remobilization in a common resprouting savanna species - Acacia karoo. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Wigley, Benjamin AB - The aim of this study was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the patterns of carbon partitioning, storage and remobilization in Acacia karroo during the juvenile life history stage. Tuber total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) concentrations and δ¹³C values were determined in plants from two different stages in the juvenile life history of A. karroo. These were one year after a fire when the plant consisted of numerous leafy shoots or coppices (coppicing stage) and three years after a fire when the plant consisted of one pole like stem (gulliver stage). Gullivers were found to have mean TNC pools of 150g and mean TNC concentrations of 33%. Coppices had mean TNC pools of97g and TNC concentrations of 24%. Both total TNC pools and TNC concentrations in gullivers were significantly higher (p &lt; 0.05) than in coppices. Carbon isotopes were used to determine whether growth was based on carbon reserves as heterotrophic growth shows a distinct enrichment in δ¹³C. The water relations of plants can also influence the δ¹³C values of plant growth. However, there were no significant differences in root size and depth between the stages, indicating that all plants had access to similar water sources. Mean δ¹³C values from the stems of plants in the gulliver stage were significantly enriched(&gt; 1‰) in ¹³C compared to both coppicing plants (p &lt; 0.01) and adults (p &lt; 0.05). The negative δ¹³C values in coppice stems suggest that their growth is not based on stored carbon. The enriched δ¹³C values found in the gulliver stems support the hypothesis that carbon reserves are utilized to achieve fast growth rates in an attempt to escape the fire trap. However, the small magnitude of the differences in δ¹³C between the two stages suggests post-burn regrowth is derived from both current photosynthate and stored carbon. DA - 2004 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2004 T1 - Patterns of carbon allocation, storage and remobilization in a common resprouting savanna species - Acacia karoo TI - Patterns of carbon allocation, storage and remobilization in a common resprouting savanna species - Acacia karoo UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26019 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/26019
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationWigley B. Patterns of carbon allocation, storage and remobilization in a common resprouting savanna species - Acacia karoo. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2004 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26019en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherBotanyen_ZA
dc.subject.otherPlant Ecologyen_ZA
dc.titlePatterns of carbon allocation, storage and remobilization in a common resprouting savanna species - Acacia karooen_ZA
dc.typeBachelor Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelHonours
dc.type.qualificationnameBSc (Hons)en_ZA
uct.type.filetype
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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