
%0 Journal Article
%A Hovenden, Mark J. 
%A Brodribb, Tim 
%T Altitude of origin influences stomatal conductance and therefore maximum assimilation rate in Southern Beech, <emph type="2">Nothofagus cunninghamii</emph>
%J Functional Plant Biology
%D 2000/05/31
%V 27
%N 5
%P 451-456
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/PP99164
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/PP99164 
%X Gas exchange measurements were made on saplings of Southern Beech, Nothofagus cunninghamii (Hook.) Oerst. collected from three altitudes (350, 780 and 1100 m above sea level) and grown in a common glasshouse trial. Plants were grown from cuttings taken 2 years earlier from a number of plants at each altitude in Mt Field National Park, Tasmania. Stomatal density increased with increasing altitude of origin, and stomatal con-ductance and carbon assimilation rate were linearly related across all samples. The altitude of origin influenced thestomatal conductance and therefore carbon assimilation rate, with plants from 780 m having a greater photosynthetic rate than those from 350 m. The intercellular concentration of CO2 as a ratio of external CO2 concentration (ci/ca) was similar in all plants despite the large variation in maximum stomatal conductance. Carboxylation efficiency was greater in plants from 780 m than in plants from 350 m. Altitude of origin has a strong influence on the photo-synthetic performance of N. cunninghamii plants even when grown under controlled conditions, and this influence is expressed in both leaf biochemistry (carboxylation efficiency) and leaf morphology (stomatal density). 
