Retranslocation and volatilization of shoot nitrogen during drought in perennial prairie grasses

Decreases in shoot nitrogen (N) and increases in root or rhizome N often appear to coincide with drought in several perennial C$\sb4$ grasses native to tallgrass prairie. This suggests that remobilization of shoot N may occur in response to water stress in these species, which would likely have important consequences for growth and survival during and after drought. Little is known about retranslocation of N or other nutrients in response to drought or other environmental stresses in plants, although such retranslocation, if common, would have important implications for stress physiology and nutrient relations, ecosystem nutrient cycling, and crop, forest, and range management practices. The overall objectives of my dissertation research were (1) to determine the extent to which drought-induced retranslocation of shoot N to roots or rhizomes occurs in six perennial C$\sb4$ grasses of tallgrass prairie encompassing a wide range of drought tolerance; and (2) to investigate some of the photosynthetic costs and N-protection benefits that I hypothesized are associated with retranslocation.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Plant Biology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Heckathorn, Scott Alan

Contributors dc:contributor

• DeLucia, Evan H.

• Biology, Botany
• Biology, Ecology
• Biology, Plant Physiology

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1995 Heckathorn, Scott Alan

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9543604
(UMI)AAI9543604

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/19259