Resource Allocation in Plants - The Balance between Resource Sequestration and Retention

In 2002, an “Acute View” was presented in this journal (vol. 4) on a key question regarding the understanding of resource allocation and partitioning within and between plants, namely, about the balance between resource sequestration and retention ([Matyssek et al., 2002]). The paper referred to the interdisciplinary research center of “Sonderforschungsbereich 607” (SFB 607), entitled “Growth and Parasite Defence - Competition for Resources in Economic Plants from Agronomy and Forestry”, which has been pursued - funded through the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft” (DFG) - by about 20 research teams since 1998 in the region of Munich and Freising-Weihenstephan (Germany). An overview was provided on the rationale and research concept of SFB 607, highlighting the positioning of this programme within the state of knowledge at that time. Focal points of the research in SFB 607 have been mechanisms that allocate energy, carbon, water, and nutrients between the demands of growth and defence, considering growth as a means of competitiveness while plants grow in stands. An inherent feature of the concept is analysis of functional “cost/benefit” relationships associated with the control of resource allocation. As, in this context, competitiveness and parasite defence represent the capacities for resource sequestration and retention, they reflect the essence of individual plant fitness. Trade-offs between growth and defence-related processes are being pursued through scaling approaches, from the molecular towards the stand level - as well as across plant ontogenetic stages, contrasting plant life forms (herbaceous versus woody) and growth conditions (controlled versus field). Response mechanisms in resource allocation are examined under biotic and abiotic stress scenarios, including competition, pathogen attack, elevated CO₂ and O₃ levels, as well as variable light and N supply, and drought. The scaling ranges allow examination of regulation in resource allocation, to the extent of general validity, not only relying on the synergism of expertise from basic and applied biological sciences, but also mathematics (modelling, informatics) and physics (climatology). The common focus within SFB 607 on resource allocation in economic plants is a novum in applied, biological research in agronomy and forestry.

The account published in volume 4 reflected the initial stage of SFB 607, as the “Acute View” by [Matyssek et al. (2002)] introduced a selection of original papers which originated from an international SFB 607 symposium held at that time ([Fleischmann et al., 2002]; [Grams et al., 2002]; [Grote and Pretzsch 2002]; [Pretzsch, 2002]; [Reitmayer et al., 2002]; [Rühmann et al., 2002] and, as an invited, external keynote contribution, [Ehleringer et al., 2002]). About four years later, SFB 607 has amassed substantial evidence on the above highlighted research topic through experimentation, data analysis, and modelling, so that a special issue of this journal can now be filled with 19 original publications and two review articles, all of them originating from ongoing research from this programme.

References

• 1 Bahnweg G., Heller W., Stich S., Knappe C., Betz G., Heerdt C., Kehr R. D., Ernst D., Langebartels C., Nunn A. J., Rothenburger J., Schubert R., Müller-Starck G., Werner H., Matyssek R., Sandermann Jr. H.. Beech leaf colonization by the endophyte Apiognomonia errabunda dramatically depends on light exposure and climatic conditions.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 659-669
• 2 Castell zu W., Schrödl S., Seifert T.. Volume interpolation of CT images from tree trunks.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 737-744
• 3 Ehleringer J. R., Bowling D. R., Flanagan L. B., Fessenden J., Helliker B., Martinelli L. A., Ometto J. P.. Stable isotopes and carbon cycle processes in forests and grasslands.  Plant Biology. (2002);  4 181-189
• 4 Fleischmann F., Koehl J., Portz R., Beltrame A. B., Oßwald W.. Physiological changes of Fagus sylvatica seedlings infected with Phytophthora citricola and the contribution of its elicitin “citricolin” to pathogenesis.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 650-658
• 5 Fleischmann F., Schneider D., Matyssek R., Oßwald W.. Investigations on net CO₂ assimilation, transpiration and root growth of Fagus sylvatica infested with four different Phytophthora species.  Plant Biology. (2002);  4 144-152
• 6 Grams T. E. E., Kozovits A. R., Reiter I. M., Winkler J. B., Sommerkorn M., Blaschke H., Häberle K.-H., Matyssek R.. Quantifying competitiveness in woody plants.  Plant Biology. (2002);  4 153-158
• 7 Grote R., Pretzsch H.. A model for individual tree development based on physiological processes.  Plant Biology. (2002);  4 167-180
• 8 Khalvati M. A., Hu Y., Mozafar A., Schmidhalter U.. Quantification of water uptake by arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae and its significance for leaf growth, water relations, and gas exchange of barley subjected to drought stress.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 706-712
• 9 Leuchner M., Fabian P., Werner H.. Spectral multichannel monitoring of radiation within a mature mixed forest.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 619-627
• 10 Lötscher M., Gayler S.. Contribution of current photosynthates to root respiration of non-nodulated Medicago sativa: effects of light and nitrogen supply.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 601-610
• 11 Luedemann G., Matyssek R., Fleischmann F., Grams T. E. E.. Acclimation to ozone affects host/pathogen interactions and competitiveness for nitrogen in juvenile Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies trees infested with Phytophthora citricola. .  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 640-649
• 12 Matyssek R., Agerer R., Ernst D., Munch J.-C., Oßwald W., Pretzsch H., Priesack E., Schnyder H., Treutter D.. The plant's capacity in regulating resource demand.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 560-580
• 13 Matyssek R., Schnyder H., Elstner E.-F., Munch J.-C., Pretzsch H., Sandermann H.. Growth and parasite defence in plants: the balance between resource sequestration and retention.  Plant Biology. (2002);  4 133-136
• 14 Olbrich M., Betz G., Gerstner E., Langebartels C., Ernst D.. Transcriptome analysis of ozone-responsive genes in leaves of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.).  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 670-676
• 15 Pleßl M., Heller W., Payer H. D., Elstner E.-F., Habermeyer J., Heiser J.. Growth parameters and resistance against Drechslera teres of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Scarlett) grown at elevated ozone and carbon dioxide concentrations.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 694-705
• 16 Pretzsch H.. A unified law of spatial allometry for woody and herbaceous plants.  Plant Biology. (2002);  4 159-166
• 17 Pretzsch H., Schütze G.. Crown allometry and growing space efficiency of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in pure and mixed stands.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 628-640
• 18 Pritsch K., Luedemann G., Matyssek R., Hartmann A., Schloter M., Scherb H., Grams T. E. E.. Mycorrhizosphere responsiveness to atmospheric ozone and inoculation with Phytophthora citricola in a phytotrone experiment with spruce/beech mixed cultures.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 718-727
• 19 Raidl S., Bonfigli R., Agerer R.. Calibration of quantitative real-time TaqMan PCR by correlation of hyphal biomass and ITS copies in mycelia of Piloderma croceum.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 713-717
• 20 Reitmayer H., Werner H., Fabian P.. A novel system for spectral analysis of solar radiation within a mixed beech-spruce stand.  Plant Biology. (2002);  4 228-233
• 21 Ros B., Thümmler F., Wenzel G.. Comparative analysis of Phytophthora infestans induced gene expression in potato cultivars with different levels of resistance.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 686-693
• 22 Rühmann S., Leser C., Bannert M., Treutter D.. Relationship between growth, secondary metabolism, and resistance of apple.  Plant Biology. (2002);  4 137-143
• 23 Schloter M., Winkler B., Aneja M., Koch N., Fleischmann F., Pritsch K., Heller W., Stein S., Grams T. E. E., Göttlein A., Matyssek R., Munch J. C.. Short time effects of ozone on the plant-rhizosphere-bulk soil system of young beech trees.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 728-736
• 24 Schnyder H., Lattanzi F. A.. Partitioning respiration of C3-C4 mixed communities using the natural abundance ¹³C approach - testing assumptions in a controlled environment.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 592-600
• 25 Strissel T., Halbwirth H., Hoyer U., Zistler C., Stich K., Treutter D.. Growth promoting nitrogen nutrition affects flavonoid biosynthesis in young apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) leaves.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 677-685
• 26 Treutter D.. Significance of flavonoids in plant resistance and enhancement of their biosynthesis.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 581-591
• 27 Wipfler P., Seifert T., Heerdt C., Werner H., Pretzsch H.. Growth of adult Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) under free-air ozone fumigation.  Plant Biology. (2005);  7 611-618