Leaf Chlorophyll Contents of Three Populus (Salicaceae) Species Occurring on Elevational Gradient

표고 구배상에 분포하는 Populus 속 ( 버드나무과 ) 3 종 식물 잎의 엽록소 함량

On the east slope of the front ranges of the Colorado Rockies, USA, three species of Populus are distributed at different elevations from the Great Plains to the timberline. At elevations 1, 720m (P. sargentii), 2, 335m (P.angustifolia) and 3, 190m (P.tremuloides) chlorophyll cotents of leaves of thses dioecious trees were determined. Total chlorophyll content was in the range of 0.86-1.56mg/g leaf, increasing with elevation as a second-degree polynomial, and the peak content was estimated to be reached at about 2, 800m. Total chlorophyll content was greater in female than in male trees in the two higher elevation species, but not in P. sargentii, the low elevation species. Chlorophyll b content was greater than chlorophyll a content in the same two higher elevation species. The increase of chlorophyll b than to increase of chlorophyll a content. These phenomena appear to be the result of adaptation of these species to different environmental conditional at different elevation. Sequential distribution of plant populations on environmental gradients in such a way that variation in given plant characters paralell the environmental gradient must occur not only in ecotypes of a species, but also in different but closely related species.