title: Cold resistance mechanisms in high desert Andean plants.
abstract: Freezing tolerance and freezing avoidance were studied, during the growing season, in plant species from two different elevations (3200 m and 3700 m) in a desert region of the high Andes (29° 45'S, 69° 59'W) in order to determine whether there was a relationship between plant height and cold resistance mechanisms. Freezing injury and supercooling capacity were determined in plants of different height, from ground-level (<20 cm tall) to tall shrubs (27-90 cm). All ground-level plants showed freezing tolerance as the main mechanism for resistance to freezing temperatures. Tall shrubs avoided freezing temperatures, mainly through supercooling. Supercooling was only present in plants occupying the lower elevation (i.e., 3200 m). Both avoidance and tolerance mechanisms are present in a single genus (i.e., Adesmia).
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Serena, Casilla 599, La Serena, Chile. fsqueo@elqui.cic.userena.cl.
authors.forename: Francisco A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Squeo
authors.affiliation: CIELAT, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Fermín
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rada
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Serena, Casilla 599, La Serena, Chile.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Serena, Casilla 599, La Serena, Chile.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ponce
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Serena, Casilla 599, La Serena, Chile.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.affiliation: CIELAT, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Aura
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azócar
keywords: Chile; Cold resistance mechanisms; High desert mountains; Life forms; Supercooling