Physiological plasticity of epiphytic orchids from two contrasting tropical dry forests

•The physiological plasticity of epiphytic orchids from two tropical dry forests was experimentally studied.•Plants of five species grew in a shade-house under three light regimes and under watered and drought conditions.•Orchids with similar leaf morphology but from different forests responded differently to the same light environment.•Epiphytic orchids from the drier forest showed higher plasticity than those from the more humid forest.

An enormous variation in light, both temporally and spatially, exists in tropical forests, which represents a potential driver for plant physiological plasticity. The physiological plasticity of epiphytic orchids from two tropical dry forests in response to different light environments was experimentally investigated. Plants of five species were growing in a shade-house under three different light regimes (photosynthetic photon flux density; PPFD of 20, 50 and 70% of total daily incident radiation) under watered and drought conditions. Orchids with similar leaf morphology but from different forests responded differently to the same light environment. Linear leaves of Encyclia nematocaulon avoided drought stress through stomata control and had a notable increase of photosynthesis, lower osmotic potential, and high photosynthetic efficiency under 50% daily PPFD during both drought and watered periods. In contrast, orchids with cylindrical and oval leaves had a marked decrease of these physiological parameters under 50 and 70% of PPFD during the drought period, but then recovered after rewatering. Oval leaves of Lophiaris oerstedii were more sensitive to high light and water availability because they had a strong decrease of their physiological parameters at 70% of PPFD, even during the rewatering period. Contrary to our predictions, E. nematocaulon had low plasticity and Laelia rubescens, from the deciduous forest, was the most able to acclimate. In general, orchids from the drier forest had higher plasticity than those from the more humid forest, which might help them to tolerate the higher fluctuations of light and water availability that occur there.