Pressure-volume curves

In ecology, pressure-volume curves describe the relationship between total water potential (Ψt) and relative water content (R) of living organisms. These values are widely used in research on plant-water relations and provide valuable information on the turgor, osmotic and elastic properties of plant tissues.[1][2][3][4]

According to the Boyle–v'ant Hoff Relation, the product of osmotic potential and volume of solution should be a constant for any given amount of osmotically active solutes in an ideal osmotic system.[5][6][7]

${\displaystyle \psi _{0}{\mathit {(}}V)\!}$ = A constant

${\displaystyle \psi _{0}\!}$ is osmotic potential and ${\displaystyle {\mathit {(}}V)\!}$ is volume of solution.

This can then be manipulated to a linear relation which describes the ideal situation:

${\displaystyle \psi _{0}\!}$ = ${\displaystyle {\dfrac {1}{V}}\!\times }$ A constant

References

1. Lenz, Tanja I.; Wright, Ian J.; Westoby, Mark (July 2006). "Interrelations among pressure–volume curve traits across species and water availability gradients". Physiologia Plantarum. 127 (3): 423–433. doi:10.1111/j.1399-3054.2006.00680.x.
2. Leuschner, Christoph; Wedde, Paul; Lübbe, Torben (June 2019). "The relation between pressure–volume curve traits and stomatal regulation of water potential in five temperate broadleaf tree species". Annals of Forest Science. 76 (2). doi:10.1007/s13595-019-0838-7.
3. Corcuera, L.; Camarero, J.J.; Gil-Pelegrín, E. (September 2002). "Functional groups in Quercus species derived from the analysis of pressure–volume curves". Trees. 16 (7): 465–472. doi:10.1007/s00468-002-0187-1.
4. Kubiske, M. E.; Abrams, M. D. (February 1991). "Rehydration effects on pressure-volume relationships in four temperate woody species: variability with site, time of season and drought conditions". Oecologia. 85 (4): 537–542. doi:10.1007/BF00323766. PMID 28312501.
5. Lambers, Hans; Oliveira, Rafael S. (2019). Plant Physiological Ecology. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-29639-1. ISBN 978-3-030-29638-4.^[page needed]
6. Pallardy, Stephen G. (2008). "Absorption of Water and Ascent of Sap". Physiology of Woody Plants. pp. 287–323. doi:10.1016/B978-012088765-1.50012-9. ISBN 978-0-12-088765-1.
7. "Leaf pressure-volume curve parameters". PROMETHEUS. 2010-06-30. Retrieved 2025-01-30.