Micromorphology and Adaptation of Leaf. Epidermal Traits in Rhizophoraceae to Coastal Wetland Ecosystem
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PataeoVolal1;sl 50 (200 I) . 295-309 0031-0174120011295-309 $2.00 Micromorphology and Adaptation of leaf. epidermal traits in Rhizophoraceae to Coastal Wetland Ecosystem ANJUM FAROOQUI Birbal Salll1i Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow 226 007, India. Email: [email protected] . ~'iJ.· (Received 08 June 2000; revised version accepted 09 February 2001) ABSTRACT Farooqui A 200 l. Micromorphology and Adaptation of leaf epidermal traits in Rhizophoraceae to Coastal Wetland Ecosystem. Palaeobolanist 50(2 & 3) : 295-309. The leaf epidermal/cuticular micromorphological feature was studied in four genera vis-a-vis Rhizophora, Kandelia, Ceriops and Bmguiera of family Rhizophoraceae. While Rhizophora has the means to exude excess salt through thei.r stomatal modification (cork-wart-like structure), Kaudelia shows rupture in the epithelium perhaps for the same reason. No cork-wart-like structure was found in Kandelia. Ceriops and Bruguiera species. The epidennal cell size, stomatal length and breadth, stomatal index and differentiation in the costal and intercostal cell wall pattern are the identifiable traits in all the species studied. Rhizophora apiculala and Bruglliera caryophylloides shows increase/ decrease in the epidermal cell size and Stomatal indices with the varying coastal ecology. During salinity related stress the cork-wart-Iike structure in Rhizophora apiculara on the lower epidermis becomes rudimentary and non-functional while it is well developed and of larger size in normal ecological conditions. Bruguiera cylindrica differs with all the species in having undulate cell wall pattern in the costal area studded with the stomata and shows closer affinity with B. gymnorrhiza (costal cells distinct but with sinuate anticlinal cell wall) and not with its Syn. 8. caryophylloides in this respect. The stomatal index (SI) in Rhizophora apiculara shows similarity with that ofBruguiera parvijlora and B. gymnorrhiza. However, R. apiculara growing in stressed environment shows similar SI as in Bruguiera sexangula and other species ofRhizophora, Ceriops and Kaudelia. II is understood that perhaps Rhizophora apiculara and C. decandra (Syn. C. rox;!Jurghiana) and B. cylindrica (Syn. B. caryophylloides) have SI as a non-consistent feature that tends to vary with the changing environment. Mangrove species showing similarity in the epidermallraits and their adaptive features may thrive together in a common coastal environment. Leaf epidermal traits of Rhizophoraceae would help in the identification of fossil cuticles at the specific level and their non-consistent features adapting to the changing coastal environment would provide potential proxy data for interpreting palaeoecology. Key-words-Rhizophoraceae. Leaf micromorphology. Coastal ecosystem. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ {1~'1lq))~tfl ~ ~ ql1:Clct1~lffi cf:;r if quf ~ ~ ~!f'ifi<'Cl111cl$\11 ~ CfiT ~~ (j'lq]" trrti~ © Birbal Salllli Inslitute of Palaeobotany. India 296 THE PALAEOBOTANIST ~ ~ ~ ~/~~ ~ ~ ~ ci~Tf-O$qi},!,]O, cFi EJW cFi qui ~ (~-lffi'i ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ (~m) ric*h'1ilr.:n11=~4~<t <tT fcrnT '1'n I O$qi}'!']O -w:R <8 ~ ~ ~ ~~T ~ ~ ~ ~ ~, <8 ~) &Tn 11T?IT if Ic1e:r4'R <tT mq Woqcffi: ~ ~ ~-lffi'i ~ W~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ if <m\ I !fjfm if 9iT{ cFi ~ ~~, ~ ~ {f~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~I ~ ~~, ~ <8 qr<U 1J<ft ~ \31Mf.r~ ~ ~ ~m ~ ~ B~ ~~ ih'H\4~q fcRm:T~ if <8~1J<ft ~cFi ~ ~I (/!ivftr{t(T (dQcPj,<1ICl ~ 4Jf?I.jj[ipffi]4i1Jf qftcrc\l IcmR cFi ~ ~ ~m ~ ~ ~ ~ ~m ~ ~~ ~m ~ if com I W<'f'm cFi cttm ~ Ci~ ~~fu;r ~, ~ ~-lJW ~ tR O$qi}'!']O ~frICf!J('f1C1 if Ic1e:r4'R <8 'ififu <8 it ;;nett ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ fMI~CfjI ~m ~ Wt'lim\4 ~ ~ Bf11Rl if <8 I !fjfm B ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ $IT if crurm fcRm:T B "Tffi B Gft. Pt9)O$JfI ~ Gf"~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~) (~ ~~ ~ ~) ~ it crurm B "Tffi B ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ m~ Gf"~ ~ ~) if w:r Gft. 4Jf?1.jj[ipITi14i1'J1#, I O$qi}'!')O ~ ~ ~ ~, ~ ~ ~ {f~ ~ ~frlCf!J('fIC'.1 <tT !fjfm qlcff'R'iio Gft. Pt9)O$JfI cFi ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~or ~ ~frlCf!J('fIC'.I, ilctflJ~('f1 if Cffi'fT GTf(. EJW O$qi}'!')0, ~ <8 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~frlCf!J('fIC'.1 ~ ~ ~ ~m cFi W1WI I wqq f<I; O$qi}'!']O m. ~(m. ~ frlf?J~CfjI ~m ~ ~ tremO!frf4111 cFi w:r) Gft. (Gft. 4Jf?4IfCh0.'lf4i1Jf cFi w:r) <tT 1:% ~ ~ ~ ~~m ~ ~ ~~ (1~ ~ ~ ~, ;;iT qftcrc\l cFi <tT -nsffiT I ~ ~ ~m ~ ~ ~ ~ m~ q;(1-~ if m crrffi f'tmq 1:% if 1:% ~ (1~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (1~':11cf11tl1 I cFi qui 1:% m tR cFi \31Mf.rcffiuT ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~{UT ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ qftcrc\l cFi cFi ~ml ~ ~ ~ Wfic; ~ - (1~01cf11ffi, fcmR, ctr. INTRODUCTION (Stace, 1965a, b; Fahn, 1979; Tukey, 1971; Dilcher, 1974; Faroogui et ai. 1995, 1997; Farooqui & Bajpai, 1999). T was in late Silurian- early Devonian Period (400 million Coastal wetland ecosystems show different ecological yrs ago) that the vascular plants attempted to invade land zones and each zone is demarcated distinctly by different types I and acclimatized to the terrestrial environment. Since then of mangrove vegetation (Banerjee, 1994). Any change in the plants had to develop features which would help them in ecology affects the specific zonation of the mangroves adaptation to different ecosystem with special reference to depending upon the duration, direction and magnitude ofsea cuticle, stomata and vascular tissue and are considered to ha ve level and climatic fluctuations (Ellison & Stoddart, 1991; developed simultaneously that led to the emergence and Ellison, 1993). It is evident that the distribution of different survival of large terrestrial plants (Chaloner, 1970). Such a species is variable along the Indian coastal region and also process is still going on with the number ofevidences coming world wide depending on various factors that also include the lip where the plants adapt to different ecological and edaphic geomorphology and geographical distribution (Muller, J959; conditions by changing their epidermal traits in order to survive Caratini et ai., 1973; Blasco, 1975; Chapman, 1977; Tomlinson. PLATE1 /''- (Scale given below each photoplate is equal to I0 ~m unless mentioned otherwise) Rltizophora apiculata (Specimen Se. No. I) I. Upper leaf epidermis showing pentagonal irregular cells with 5. LP of corkwaris. straight- arcuate anticlinal cell walls and underlying hypoder- 6. LP of stomata on the lower epidermis mal cells (Light Photomicrographs-LP). 7. SEMP of cork-warts with reduced stomatal opening in the Slres, 2. Lower leaf epidermis showing sunken stomata, guard cells cov- condition (Specimen Se. No.3). ered' by stomatal legdes (Scanning Electron Microscopic 8. SEMP showing distinct gross features of stOmata in the centre of Photomicrographs; SEMP) cork-warts. 3 Lower epidermis (LP) showing compact radially arranged epi- 9. LP of cork-warts in stress condition showing compact and dermal cells surrounding the reduced stomata that appear highly reduced cell size of the stomatal complex. raised in the surface view called as cork-warts. 10. SEMP showing lower epidermis in stress condition with smaller 4. SEMP of cork-warts in favourable condition. cork-warts and thick epicuticular ornamentation. FAROOQUI-MICROMORPHOLOGY AND ADAPTATION OF LEAF EPIDERMAL TRAITS 297 '~ 'ft' - '~:;' ~l .: 1'~~' ' .:... ,~. " . ~ . \. , ,.' , ~ '.. • - '.\.'; - . '"": ~ ..-.,N: ~.~ ". '-'""l. \ I '. "'<fl \,.... .' .~,' 'l .,,\l!i.:"~\. ~.~" . \}\ '. '\, .. ~ '" ..J' ." 1 .. '_.""\ '1[') .. - --:" ... \ ( ":1.'.' .. , ~ .. , ';" .C. .../ I . L. , '- " \.'~':I I, .' ~ ". \.y.. ':"~~'~ ,J . .!., ",~ ~ ;'1l.... .. ~ i " '.I'. .... "'-.' j':', \; . ~"j, I "~'~""~ 1--1 ,A/. ; ••.•~ ,'" .~.", C~ ).., ,. .' """ J _....~' hI" ~ j. '~'.' -AI·"I \ ~ .... " ... 1' I \ .. =~ .~. '(::V~ . •. , I - '.! 1 ". .,! X" ",.~~.~ .1 .--.. .• • .. • ,oW '. : \.;. '. .- -- .... ".:.;1, ',',. 41;. J • '.~.':sJ \, 11"·.J'... l\. I .~..~ "'...,. ~~ .,k I.• f------.i PLATE 1 THE PALAEOBOTANIST 298 , NO. TAXA I n ill IV CELL SIZE (j.lI112) I: A =20-35; B=50-100; C=140-150 1 Rhizophora apicu/ata CA CB 2 R. l1Zucronata A C CA 3 R. stylosa A B .B A STOMATAL LENGTH (~m) II: 4 Kalldelia cande! BC 'c A A=14-15; B=18-21; C=20-21; 5 Ceriops tagal A C BA D=29 6 C. roxburghiana A AA A 7 C. decandra AB CA STOMATAL BREADTH (j.lI11)- III 8 Bruguiera parvifloi:a BB CB A=8; B=10-12; C=14-17 9 B. sexangula BB AA 10 B. caryophylloides BA AC STOMA:TAL INDEX IV 11 B. cylilldrica C A BC A=7'28-9'9; B= 12'5-13'8; 12 B. gymnorrhiza B A- AB C=21·9-29·2 Fig. I-Affinity between members of Rhizophoraceae wilh reference to single parameter. 1986; Naskar & Guha Bakshi, 1987; Ellison, 1989; Dagar el af., is lacking, although mangrove palynological assemblage tn 1991; Untawale & Jagtap, 1991; Plaziat,1995; Upchurc, 1995; India has been reported since Tertiary Period (Ramanujam & Naskar & MandaI, 1999). Mangroves have been used as Reddy, 1984). With this objective the present paper puts biological sea-level indicators since Tertiary period i.e., 65 together the studies, related to micromorphology of the million yrs (Ellison, 1989). Besides pollen/spores, the cuticular epidermal characteristics/ traits in the members of or epidermal microscopic fragments are also abundant in the Rhizophoraceae a6d its adapting characters to the changing sedimentary sequence. Reconstruction of forl11er vegetation, coastal wetland ecosy~tem that is directly influenced by sea climate and environment through palynology alone cannot level and climatic.fluctuations. The study would provide a hope to answer all our questions about palaeoec010gy and potential modern analogue for understanding the fossil palaeoenvironment. The leafepidermal traits play a'vital role mangrove cuticle/epidermis inter alia dynamics of the coastal in the