Temperature Dependence of Mitochondrial Oxidative Rates of Several Plant Species of the Sierra Nevada

Abstract

Mitochondrial oxidative rates of plants collected along an altitudinal gradient in the Sierra Nevada showed marked variation in several species with altitude. The rates of plants from the higher elevations were considerably higher than those from lower elevations. The data support the conclusions, based on morphological evidence, of ecotypic or ecoclinal segregation. One species, Carex exserta, exhibited a high degree of plasticity in mitochondrial oxidative rates.