Ecophysiology of Native Species from Patagonian Monte, Argentina

Abstract

In the Patagonian Monte of Argentina several stresses affect the structureand function of the ecosystem, being drought the main abiotic stress.Several drought resistance strategies have been described among differentplant functional types but with pour attention to physiological aspects.Indeed, differences in endogenous abscisic acid (drought stress hormone)production and changes in its metabolites (products of catabolism) maycontribute to establish different patterns of plastic responses between plantfunctional types and may help to understand the ecological distribution ofsome species and their role in a given environment. In this chapter wedescribe several topics related to drought resistance strategies of plantfunctional types from Patagonian Monte, Argentina, focusing on morphological, biochemical and physiological traits and phenotypic plasticity ofthe main grasses inhabiting this arid shrubland.