Environmental Influences on Open Stomates of a Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Plant, <i>Agave deserti</i>

Abstract

The major short term stomatal response of Agave deserti was to temperature; increases in leaf temperature led to decreases in water vapor conductance for stomatal opening during the daytime (C(3) mode) as well as at night (Crassulacean acid metabolism or CAM mode). Hourly changes in the water vapor concentration drop from leaf to air had no significant stomatal effect in either mode. Stomatal responses to external CO(2) levels up to 800 microliters per liter were not significant after 15 minutes and only moderate after a few hours, suggesting that CO(2) effects on open stomates of this succulent were indirect in both CAM and C(3) modes.