Eric J.W. Visser

Current field of interest

Root systems of plants are highly plastic in their morphological, anatomical and metabolical characteristics. Because of this plasticity, they can respond to changes in their environment, resulting in an optimised functioning of water and nutrient uptake and anchorage of the whole plant. The interplay between a root system and its environment is therefore of crucial importance for the performance of a plant in its natural habitat. Currently, much of the focus of my work aims at the internal mechanisms that regulate the characteristics of a root system (e.g. on the hormonal level), how these characteristics optimise the functioning of the root, and how they affect whole plant performance. However, I also keep a strong interest in the way plants cope with flooding of their habitat, by changing their morphology and anatomy in such way that oxygen and carbohydrate depletion is prevented.

Project 1: Root foraging

with Gerard Bögemann
Most natural soils have a heterogeneous structure, which means that nutrients occur in a patch-like distribution rather than being evenly spread. Plants may respond to these nutrient patches by locally increasing the number and elongation of their lateral roots, at places where a root encounters increased nitrate or phosphorous concentrations. Although work has been done on the advantages that plants may have from such responses, surprisingly little is known about the regulation of root foraging and the reasons why some plants do and others do not show the response. We aim at elucidating essential parts of the signal transduction chain that leads to nutrient-induced lateral root development, and use this information to investigate the ecological consequences of these responses. Plants seem to respond differently to different nutrients, suggesting that several signal-response cascades operate in the same plant; we want to make clear how much the different responses contribute to the fitness of plants in heterogeneous soils. Screening mutant Arabidopsis lines for their ability ot forage and using suitable mutants in competition experiments is one of our approaches that should shed light on these questions.

Project 2: Traits that enable plants to survive flooding

with Gerard Bögemann
Plants may survive periods of flooding by a whole array of traits that prevent the plant to become depleted of oxygen and/or carbohydrates. Examples are the presence or development of aerenchymatous tissues in petioles, stems and roots (see also the abstract of my PhD thesis), the develop-ment of barriers to oxygen loss in the roots and underwater photosynthesis. These traits are studied in various plant species, by performing experiments in the green-house and under laboratory conditions. The outcome of these experiments enables us to predict which plant species will develop in areas that will be subject to large-scale changes in flooding regimes, such as in retention basins built to decrease the danger of flooding in economically more important areas.

Project 3: Effects of ethylene and carbon dioxide on root growth

with Gerard Bögemann and Tim Colmer
Ethylene and carbon dixoide are known to inhibit root extension (Visser et al. 1997). However, not all plant species seem equally affected in root growth by these gases. Preliminary results suggest that the roots of certain genera or families are insensitive to ethylene, and theoretical models indicate that the presence of aerenchyma and a barrier to lateral gas diffusion in the roots may decrease the effect of soil carbon dioxide on root growth. We aim to find out the reasons why these gases have differential effects on plants growing in wetland conditions, and if there are alternative strategies to cope with the high levels of ethylene and carbon dioxide in flooded soils.

Project 4: Variation in submergence-induced shoot elongation

with Xin Chen, Heidrun Huber and Rens Voesenek
In this project we investigate if inter- and intra-population variation exists in the shoot elongation responses that is exhibited by completely submerged Rumex palustris plants. After the initial screening experiments that should reveal this variation, we wish to explain the differences between and within populations at the genomics levels, but also study them with an eco-evolutionary approach. In short, this means that expression of relevant genes to shoot elongation will be studied in plants with contrasting responses, whereas these same plants will be tested in fitness trials with different submergence regimes.

[bw] Publications by Eric Visser

• Chen X, Pierik R, Peeters AJM, Poorter H, Visser EJW, Huber H, de Kroon H & Voesenek LACJ (2010) Endogenous ABA as a key switch for natural variation in flooding-induced shoot elongation. Plant Physiology in press 

• Banach AM, Banach K, Peters RCJH, Jansen RHM, Visser EJW, Stepniewska Z, Roelofs JGM & Lamers LPM (2009) Effects of long-term flooding on biogeochemistry and vegetation development in floodplains; A mesocosm experiment to study interacting effects of land use and water quality. Biogeosciences 6:1325-1339 PDF

• Chen X, Huber H, de Kroon H, Peeters AJM, Poorter H, Voesenek LACJ & Visser EJW (2009) Intraspecific variation in the magnitude and pattern of flooding-induced shoot elongation in Rumex palustris. Annals of Botany 104:1057–1067 PDF

• Banach AM, Banach K, Visser EJW, Stepniewska Z, Smits AJM, Roelofs JGM & Lamers LPM (2009) Effects of summer flooding on floodplain biogeochemistry in Poland. Biogeochemistry 92:247–262 PDF

• de Kroon H, Visser EJW, Huber H, Mommer L & Hutchings MJ (2009) A modular concept of plant foraging behaviour: the interplay between local responses and systemic control. Plant, Cell and Environment 32:704-712 PDF

• Banach K, Banach AM, Lamers LPM, de Kroon H, Bennicelli RP, Smits AJM & Visser EJW (2009) Differences in flooding tolerance between species from two wetland habitats with contrasting hydrology: implications for vegetation development in future floodwater retention areas. Annals of Botany 103:341–351 PDF

• Huber H, Jacobs E & Visser EJW (2009) Variation in flooding-induced morphological traits in natural populations of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and their effects on plant performance during soil flooding. Annals of Botany 103:377-386 PDF

• Visser EJW, Bögemann GM, Smeets M, de Bruin S, de Kroon H & Bouma TJ (2008) Evidence that ethylene signalling is not involved in selective root placement by tobacco plants in response to nutrient-rich soil patches. New Phytologist 177:457-465 PDF

• Stift M, Luttinkhuizen PC, Visser EJW & van Tienderen PH (2008) Different flooding responses in Rorippa amphibia and Rorippa sylvestris, and their modes of expression in F1 hybrids. New Phytologist 180:229-239 PDF

• Mommer L, Wolters-Arts M, Andersen C, Visser EJW & Pedersen O (2007) Submergence-induced leaf acclimation in terrestrial species varying in flooding tolerance. New Phytologist 176:337-345 PDF

• Visser EJW & Pierik R (2007) Inhibition of root elongation by ethylene in wetland and non-wetland plant species and the impact of longitudinal ventilation. Plant, Cell and Environment 30:31-38 PDF

• Mommer L, Pons TL & Visser EJW (2006) Photosynthetic consequences of phenotypic plasticity in response to submergence: Rumex palustris as a case study. Journal of Experimental Botany 57:283-290 PDF

• Pierik R, Tholen D, Poorter H, Visser EJW & Voesenek LACJ (2006) The Janus face of ethylene: growth inhibition and stimulation. Trends in Plant Sciences 11:176-183 PDF

• Visser EJW & Bögemann GM (2006) Aerenchyma formation in the wetland plant Juncus effusus is independent of ethylene. New Phytologist 171:305-314 PDF

• Mommer L, Lenssen JPM, Huber H, Visser EJW & de Kroon H (2006) Ecophysiological determinants of plant performance under flooding: a comparative study of seven plant families. Journal of Ecology 94:1117-1129 PDF

• Mommer L, Pons TL, Wolters-Arts M, Venema JH & Visser EJW (2005) Submergence-induced morphological, anatomical and biochemical responses in a terrestrial species affect gas diffusion resistance and photosynthetic performance. Plant Physiology 139:497-508 PDF

• Mommer L & Visser EJW (2005) Underwater photosynthesis in flooded terrestrial plants: a matter of leaf plasticity. Annals of Botany96:581-589 PDF

• Mommer L, de Kroon H, Pierik R, Bögemann GM & Visser EJW (2005) A functional comparison of acclimation to shade and submergence in two terrestrial plant species. New Phytologist 167:197-206 PDF

• Visser EJW & Voesenek LACJ (2004) Acclimation to soil flooding – sensing and signal-transduction. Plant and Soil 254:197-214 PDF

• Pierik R, Cuppens MLC, Voesenek LACJ & Visser EJW (2004. Interactions between ethylene and gibberellins in phytochrome-mediated shade avoidance responses in tobacco. Plant Physiology 136:2928-2936 PDF

• Mommer L, Pedersen O & Visser EJW (2004) Acclimation of a terrestrial plant to submergence facilitates gas exchange under water. Plant, Cell and Environment 27:1281-1287 PDF

• Pierik R, Voesenek LACJ, de Kroon H & Visser EJW (2004) Density-induced plant size reduction and size inequalities in ethylene-sensing and ethylene-insensitive Tobacco. Plant Biology 6:201-205 PDF

• Pierik R, Whitelam GC, Voesenek LACJ, de Kroon H & Visser EJW (2004) Canopy studies on ethylene-insensitive tobacco identify ethylene as a novel element in blue light and plant-plant signalling. The Plant Journal 38:310-318 PDF

• Visser EJW & Bögemann GM (2003) Measurement of porosity in very small samples of plant tissue. Plant and Soil 253: 81–90 PDF

• Visser EJW, Voesenek LACJ, Vartapetian BB & Jackson MB (2003) Flooding and plant growth. Annals of Botany 91:107-109 PDF

• Pierik R, Visser EJW, de Kroon H & Voesenek LACJ (2003) Ethylene is required in tobacco to successfully compete with proximate neighbours. Plant, Cell and Environment 26:1229-1234 PDF

• Pierik R, Voesenek LACJ & Visser EJW (2003) Ethylene: a neglected component in competition between plants. In: Biology and biotechnology of the plant hormone ethylene III. pp. 227-230. NATO Science Series I: Life and Behavioural Sciences. (eds Vendrell M, Klee H, Pech J-C & Romojaro F) IOS Press, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

• McDonald MP & Visser EJW (2003) A study of the interaction between auxin and ethylene in wildtype and transgenic ethylene insensitive tobacco during adventitious root formation induced by stagnant root zone conditions. Plant Biology 6: 550-556 PDF

• Fiorani F, Bögemann GM, Visser EJW, Lambers H & Voesenek LACJ (2002) Ethylene emission and responsiveness to applied ethylene vary among Poa species that inherently differ in leaf elongation rates. Plant Physiology 129:1382-1390 PDF

• Visser EJW, Bögemann GM, van de Steeg HM, Pierik R & Blom CWPM (2000) Flooding tolerance of Carex species in relation to field distribution and aerenchyma formation. New Phytologist 148:93-103 PDF

• Visser EJW, Colmer TD, Blom CWPM & Voesenek LACJ (2000) Changes in growth, porosity, and radial oxygen loss from adventitious roots of selected mono- and dicotyledonous wetland species with contrasting types of aerenchyma. Plant, Cell and Environment 23:1237-1245 PDF

• Pierik R, Verkerke W, Voesenek LACJ, Blom CWPM & Visser EJW (1999) Thick root syndrome in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.): A description of the phenomenon and an investigation of the role of ethylene. Annals of Botany 84:755-762 PDF

• Visser EJW, Nabben RHM, Blom CWPM & Voesenek LACJ (1997) Growth of primary lateral roots and adventitious roots during conditions of hypoxia and high ethylene concentrations. Plant, Cell and Environment 20:647-653 PDF

• Voesenek LACJ, Banga M, Rijnders JGHM, Visser EJW, Harren FJM, Brailsford RW, Jackson MB & Blom CWPM (1997) Laser-driven photoacoustic spectroscopy: what we can do with it in flooding research. Annals of Botany 79(suppl.A):57-65 PDF

• Visser EJW, Cohen JD, Barendse GWM, Blom CWPM & Voesenek LACJ (1996) An ethylene-mediated increase in sensitivity to auxin induces adventitious root formation in flooded Rumex palustris Sm. Plant Physiology 112:1687-1692 PDF

• Visser EJW, Bögemann GM, Blom CWPM & Voesenek LACJ (1996) Ethylene accumulation in waterlogged Rumex plants promotes formation of adventitious roots. Journal of Experimental Botany 47:403-410 PDF

• Visser EJW, Blom CWPM & Voesenek LACJ (1996) Flooding-induced adventitious rooting in Rumex morphology and development in an ecological perspective. Acta Botanica Neerlandica 45:17-28

• Voesenek LACJ, Banga M, Rijnders JGHM, Visser EJW & Blom CWPM (1996) Hormone sensitivity and plant adaptations to flooding. Folia Geobotanica and Phytotaxonomica 31:47-56

• Visser EJW, Heijink CJ, van Hout KJGM, Voesenek LACJ, Barendse GWM & Blom CWPM (1995) Regulatory role of auxin in adventitious root formation in two species of Rumex species, differing in their sensitivity to waterlogging. Physiologia Plantarum 93:116-122

• Engelaar WMHG, Visser EJW, Veen BW & Blom CWPM (1995) Contents, uptake rates and reduction of nitrate of Rumex palustris and Plantago major ssp major grown on compacted soil. Functional Ecology 9:334-339

• Blom CWPM, Voesenek LACJ, Banga M, Engelaar WHMG, Rijnders JGHM, van de Steeg HM & Visser EJW (1994) Physiological ecology of riverside species: adaptive responses of plants to submergence. Annals of Botany 74:253-263

• Smulders MJM, Visser EJW, van der Krieken WM, Croes AF & Wullems GJ (1990) Effects of the developmental state of the tissue on the competence for flower bud regeneration in pedicel explants of tobacco. Plant Physiology 92:582-586

• Smulders MJM, Visser EJW, Croes AF & Wullems GJ (1990) The dose of 1- naphthaleneacetic acid determines flower-bud regeneration in tobacco explants at a large range of concentrations. Planta 180:410-415

PhD Thesis

Visser EJW (1995) Adventitious root formation in flooded plants. Radboud University Nijmegen