Abstract
Abstract A rundo donax L ., commonly known as giant reed, is promising biomass feedstock that is also a notorious invasive plant in freshwater ecosystems around the world. Heretofore, the salt tolerance of A . donax had not been quantified even though anecdotal evidence suggests halophytic qualities. To test whole‐plant and leaf level responses, we established a pot experiment on 80 scions propagated from an A . donax population that has naturalized on the shore of the S an F rancisco B ay E stuary. To quantify growth and physiological responses to salinity ( NaCl ), A . donax scions were divided into eight treatments and grown for 60 days across a range of salinities (0–42 dS m −1 ). Classic growth analysis showed >80% reduction in overall growth at the highest salinities. Yet, there was zero mortality indicating that A . donax is able to tolerate high levels of salt. Declining photosynthesis rates were strongly correlated ( R 2 > 0.97) with decreasing stomatal conductance, which was in turn closely related to increasing salinity. Leaf gas exchange revealed that stomata and leaf limitations of carbon dioxide were three times greater at high salinities. Nonetheless, even when salinities were 38–42 dS m −1 A . donax was able to maintain assimilation rates 7–12 μmol m −2 s −1 . Further, by maintaining 50% relative growth at salinities ~12 dS m −1 A . donax can now be classified as ‘moderately salt tolerant’. A . donax leaf gas exchange and whole‐plant salt tolerance are greater than many important food crops (i.e. maize, rice), the bioenergy feedstock M iscanthus × giganteus, as well as some uncultivated plant species (i.e. P opulus and S alix ) that are indigenous in regions A . donax currently invades. The results of this study have implications for both agronomists wishing to expand A . donax to fields dominated by saline soils, and for others who are concerned about the spread of A . donax with altered stream hydrology or sea‐level rise.
Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record, shown for indexing and research. Copyright remains with the authors or the publisher. Read at the source ↗
The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.
Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Highest salinity reduced overall A. donax growth by more than 80%.
- Taxon
- Arundo donax
Arundo donaxt0 - Treatment
- highest salinitiese0
- Outcome
- overall growthe0
- Direction
- reductione0
- Value
- >80%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Classic growth analysis showed >80% reduction in overall growth at the highest salinities.”
t0“Arundo donax”
Claim · model-written summary
A. donax had zero mortality across the salinity treatments.
- Taxon
- A . donaxArundo donaxe0
- Outcome
- zero mortalitye0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Yet, there was zero mortality indicating that A . donax is able to tolerate high levels of salt.”
Claim · model-written summary
Photosynthesis rates declined with decreasing stomatal conductance, with R squared above 0.97.
- Taxon
- Arundo donaxArundo donaxt0
- Outcome
- photosynthesis ratese0
- Direction
- Declininge0
- Value
- R 2 > 0.97e0
- Qualifier
- stomatal conductancee0
Not reportedMaterialGeneCompoundOrgan / stageTreatmentComparatorSetting
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Declining photosynthesis rates were strongly correlated ( R 2 > 0.97) with decreasing stomatal conductance”
t0“Arundo donax”
Claim · model-written summary
Stomatal conductance decreased as salinity increased.
- Taxon
- Arundo donaxArundo donaxt0
- Treatment
- increasing salinitye0
- Outcome
- stomatal conductancee0
- Direction
- decreasinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“decreasing stomatal conductance, which was in turn closely related to increasing salinity.”
t0“Arundo donax”
Claim · model-written summary
Stomatal and leaf limitations of carbon dioxide were three times greater at high salinity.
- Taxon
- Arundo donaxArundo donaxt0
- Treatment
- high salinitiese0
- Outcome
- stomata and leaf limitations of carbon dioxidee0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Value
- three timese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“stomata and leaf limitations of carbon dioxide were three times greater at high salinities.”
t0“Arundo donax”
Claim · model-written summary
Assimilation rates remained 7–12 μmol m −2 s −1 at 38–42 dS m −1 salinity.
- Taxon
- A . donaxArundo donaxe0
- Treatment
- salinities were 38–42 dS m −1e0
- Outcome
- assimilation ratese0
- Direction
- maintaine0
- Value
- 7–12 μmol m −2 s −1e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“even when salinities were 38–42 dS m −1 A . donax was able to maintain assimilation rates 7–12 μmol m −2 s −1”
Claim · model-written summary
A. donax retained 50% relative growth at about 12 dS m −1 and was classified moderately salt tolerant.
- Taxon
- A . donaxArundo donaxe0
- Treatment
- salinities ~12 dS m −1e0
- Outcome
- relative growthe0
- Direction
- maintaininge0
- Value
- 50%e0
- Qualifier
- ‘moderately salt tolerant’e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“by maintaining 50% relative growth at salinities ~12 dS m −1 A . donax can now be classified as ‘moderately salt tolerant’.”
Claim · model-written summary
A. donax leaf gas exchange and whole-plant salt tolerance exceeded the listed crop and wild species.
- Taxon
- A . donaxArundo donaxe0
- Outcome
- leaf gas exchange and whole‐plant salt tolerancee0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Comparator
- many important food cropse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A . donax leaf gas exchange and whole‐plant salt tolerance are greater than many important food crops (i.e. maize, rice), the bioenergy feedstock M iscanthus × giganteus, as well as some uncultivated plant species (i.e. P opulus and S alix )”