Nitrogen storage and seasonal nitrogen cycling in Populus: bridging molecular physiology and ecophysiology

Abstract

SummaryWhile both annual and perennial plants store nitrogen resources during the growing season, seasonal N cycling is a hallmark of the perennial habit. In Populus the vegetative storage proteins BSP, WIN4 and PNI288 all play a role in N storage during active growth, whereas BSP is the major form of reduced N storage during winter dormancy. In this review we explore cellular and molecular events implicated in seasonal N cycling in Populus , as well as environmental cues that modulate both the phenology of seasonal N cycling, and the efficiency and proficiency of autumn N resorption. We highlight recent advances that have been made using Populus genomics resources to address processes germane to seasonal N cycling. Genetic and genecological studies are enabling us to connect our understanding of seasonal N cycling at molecular and cellular levels with that at ecophysiological levels. With the genomics resources and foundational knowledge that are now in place, Populus researchers are poised to build an integrative understanding of seasonal N cycling that spans from genomes to ecosystems.New Phytologist (2005) 167 : 19-30

The mutual responses of higher plants to environment: Physiological and microbiological aspects

“…This is the reason that ion homeostasis and redox state have been brought to attention [4][5][6][7][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][111][112][113][114][115][116][117][118][119]. The series of the above reactions and processes occurring at different soil-root biointerfaces is regulated and controlled by plant gene regulatory network system spatially and temporally on the basis of responding to plant developmental cues, through which plants can elegantly respond to the changing environment [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][45][46][47][48][49]62,[76][77][78][79][94][95][96][97][98]. This network system has be...…”

“…The series of the above reactions and processes occurring at different soil-root biointerfaces is regulated and controlled by plant gene regulatory network system spatially and temporally on the basis of responding to plant developmental cues, through which plants can elegantly respond to the changing environment [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][45][46][47][48][49]62,[76][77][78][79][94][95][96][97][98]. This network system has been formed by the interaction between plants and environment for a long time of evolution, which will continue to evolve with environmental succession [10,11,17,18]. From the angle of individual plant development, Plant Growth Grand Periodicity curve can reflect and show the above trend [4-9,102-109,136-140].…”

“…Physiological and microbiological responses of higher plants to environment have been studied extensively over the world, especially by targeting model plants and crop plants [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. Abiotic stresses in environment are linked with all the living process of higher plants and greatly influence plant productivity developmental cues and environmental stimuli, most of which are the important factors affecting eco-environment such as low temperature, drought, salinity and UV-B radiation, which often occur in terrestrial ecosystem.…”

“…In practice, the key point to agriculture is how to regulate the harmonious relationship between soil-environment and crops and make the best of physiological potential of crops [137][138][139][140][141][142][143][144][145][146][147]. So, adaptation in plants is an important topic in basic and applied biology under global climate change [11,[15][16][17][18][19][43][44][45][46][47][48][104][105][106][107]120]. In the discipline context, it is very interesting to understand the interaction between plants and their environment.…”

Terrestrial biosphere models need better representation of vegetation phenology: results from the North American Carbon Program Site Synthesis

“…Phenology influences both spatial and temporal (at seasonal-to-interannual time scales) variability in ecosystem productivity (Baldocchi et al, 2001;Churkina et al, 2005;Richardson et al, 2009aRichardson et al, , 2010Dragoni et al, 2011), and it is of fundamental importance for ecosystem carbon cycling, terrestrial carbon sequestration, and mitigation of anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. Furthermore, phenology affects the following: hydrology (Hogg et al, 2000), as leaf-out is accompanied by an increase in evapotranspiration and reduced throughfall; nutrient cycling processes (Cooke & Weih, 2005), as senescence results in fresh litter inputs to the soil; and atmospheric and climate system feedbacks (Schwartz, 1992), as the amount and condition of foliage present affects albedo, surface energy balance, and surface roughness (Moore et al, 1996;Sakai et al, 1997;Peñ uelas et al, 2009).…”