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Four different kinds of water treatments were applied to study the photosynthetic eco-physiological characteristics of Taxodium ascendens seedlings in the environment of the Three Gorges hydro-fluctuation belt. The four kinds of water treatments were: normal growth water condition (CK), light drought stress (T1), soil water saturation (T2), and soil submersion (T3). The results showed that different water treatments could effectively influence the content of the photosynthetic pigment, leaf gas exchange and apparent resources use efficiency of T. ascendens seedlings. It was also demonstrated that the T. ascendens seedlings could not only tolerate water submersion and wet conditions but also endure a certain degree of drought. To establish a protection forest system in the hydro-fluctuation belt in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, the species T. ascendens is suitable for planting in conditions of root submersion or water-saturated soil. In case it is planted in drought conditions, this tree species should be watered appropriately in order to keep its normal net photosynthetic rate.

Four different kinds of water treatment were applied to examine the photosynthetic characteristics of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) seedlings in the hydro-fluctuation belt of the Three Gorges Reservoir area. The aim was to shed light on the physio-ecological adaptation of this species to changing water levels for revegetation purposes. The water treatments were normal growth water condition (CK), light drought water stress (T1), growth under soil water saturation (T2) and growth with soil submersion (T3). T3 had the lowest content of photosynthetic pigment; T1 and T2 did not differ from CK in the content of chlorophyll and carotenoid. The ratio of chlorophyll a to b in the four groups ranged from 2.04 to 2.69 and the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoid from 3.08 to 4.51. In group T1, the seedling of baldcypres had lower apparent light use efficiency, lower apparent CO2 use efficiency and a lower net photosynthetic rate, with the net photosynthetic rate 24.9% lower than that of group CK. However, T2 and T3 did not differ from CK in apparent light use efficiency, apparent CO2 use efficiency and net photosynthetic rate. Water use efficiency of the four treatments consistently increased as treatment was prolonged; the average water use efficiency of T3 was the lowest while that of CK was the highest. Correlation analysis showed that the net photosynthetic rate of baldcypress seedlings was positively related to transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, apparent light use efficiency and apparent CO2 use efficiency, but highly negatively related to the ratio of chlorophyll a to b. Net photosynthetic rate was not significantly related to the contents of chlorophyll and carotenoid, the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoid, relative air humidity and intercellular CO2 concentration. The transpiration rate was positively correlated with stomatal conductance and negatively related to water use efficiency. The results showed that different water treatments could effectively influence the baldcypress seedlings’ content of photosynthetic pigment, leaf gas exchange and apparent resources use efficiency. The results verified that the species T. distichum takes on the features of a water-tolerant and hydrophilic plant, which can be considered as one of the species for the building of a forest protection system for the hydro-fluctuation belt in the Three Gorges Reservoir area. Baldcypress should not be planted in drought-stricken soils.