From People - School of Science, The University of Tokyo

Research Field

Ecophysiology, Plant water relations

Research Subject

1) Is the resistance to freeze-induced embolism primary for determining the northern limit of evrgreen broad-leaved trees?

2) How is the plant water use influenced by the different features between ring-porous and diffuse-porous wood?

3) Does water-transport capacity constrain biomass allocation among roots, stems and leaves?

4) What hydraulic achitecture can deliver water equally to all the leaves in a plant?

Current Research

Large amount of water is required for photosynthesis because water in a plant body is being lost by transpiration during photosynthesis. The water tranport through vascular tissues from soil, roots and stems to leaves compensates the transpired water. Therefore more efficient water transport to leaves can provide more photosynthesis. The safety and efficiency of water transport is ensured by the characteristics of vascular tissues themselves and water-transport system composed of vascular tissues. I am studing to reveal how the characteristics of the vascular tissues are linked to plant morphology and evolution of life form strategies.

Keywords

Long-distance transport, hydraulic architecture, xylem embolism, biomass allocation, nothern limit of evergreens, Murray's law, Environmental responses

Links

• Home Page of Laboratory of Plant Ecology