The enigma of the rise of angiosperms: can we untie the knot?

Multiple hypotheses have been put forward to explain the rise of angiosperms to ecological dominance following the Cretaceous. A unified scheme incorporating all these theories appears to be an inextricable knot of relationships, processes and plant traits. Here, we revisit these hypotheses, categorising them within frameworks based on plant carbon economy, resistance to climatic stresses, nutrient economy, biotic interactions and diversification. We maintain that the enigma remains unresolved partly because our current state of knowledge is a result of the fragmentary nature of palaeodata. This lack of palaeodata limits our ability to draw firm conclusions. Nonetheless, based on consistent results, some inferences may be drawn. Our results indicate that a complex multidriver hypothesis may be more suitable than any single-driver theory. We contend that plant carbon economy and diversification may have played an important role during the early stages of gymnosperms replacement by angiosperms in fertile tropical sites. Plant tolerance to climatic stresses, plant nutrition, biotic interactions and diversification may have played a role in later stages of angiosperm expansion within temperate and harsh environments. The angiosperm knot remains partly tied, but to unravel it entirely will only be feasible if new discoveries are made by scientific communities.

The dynamic pipeline: hydraulic capacitance and xylem hydraulic safety in four tall conifer species

Recent work has suggested that plants differ in their relative reliance on structural avoidance of embolism versus maintenance of the xylem water column through dynamic traits such as capacitance, but we still know little about how and why species differ along this continuum. It is even less clear how or if different parts of a plant vary along this spectrum. Here we examined how traits such as hydraulic conductivity or conductance, xylem vulnerability curves, and capacitance differ in trunks, large- and small-diameter branches, and foliated shoots of four species of co-occurring conifers. We found striking similarities among species in most traits, but large differences among plant parts. Vulnerability to embolism was high in shoots, low in small- and large-diameter branches, and high again in the trunks. Safety margins, defined as the pressure causing 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity or conductance minus the midday water potential, were large in small-diameter branches, small in trunks and negative in shoots. Sapwood capacitance increased with stem diameter, and was correlated with stem vulnerability, wood density and latewood proportion. Capacitive release of water is a dynamic aspect of plant hydraulics that is integral to maintenance of long-distance water transport.

An experimental approach to explain the southern Andes elevational treeline

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PREMISE OF THE STUDY

The growth limitation hypothesis (GLH) is the most accepted mechanistic explanation for treeline formation, although it is still uncertain whether it applies across taxa. The successful establishment of Pinus contorta--an exotic conifer species in the southern hemisphere--above the Nothofagus treeline in New Zealand may suggest a different mechanism. We tested the GLH in Nothofagus pumilio and Pinus contorta by comparing seedling performance and carbon (C) balance in response to low temperatures.•

METHODS

At a southern Chilean treeline, we grew seedlings of both species 2 m above ground level, to simulate coupling between temperatures at the meristem and in the air (colder), and at ground level, i.e., decoupling air temperature (relatively milder). We recorded soil and air temperatures as well. After 3 yr, we measured seedling survival and biomass (as a surrogate of growth) and determined nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC).•

KEY RESULTS

Nothofagus and Pinus did not differ in survival, which, as a whole, was higher at ground level than at the 2-m height. The root-zone temperature for the growing season was 6.6°C. While biomass and NSC decreased significantly for Nothofagus at the 2-m height compared with ground level (C limitation), these trends were not significant for Pinus•

CONCLUSIONS

The treeline for Nothofagus pumilio is located at an isotherm that fully matches global patterns; however, its physiological responses to low temperatures differed from those of other treeline species. Support for C limitation in N. pumilio but not in P. contorta indicates that the physiological mechanism explaining their survival and growth at treeline may be taxon-dependent.

Physiological acclimation to drought stress in Solidago canadensis

Solidago canadensis is an invasive species from North America that is spreading across Europe, Australia and temperate Asia. We hypothesized that the species' wide ecological amplitude is also based on its potential in hydraulic acclimation, and analyzed hydraulic and anatomical properties along a transect with decreasing soil humidity. Stem hydraulic conductivity, vulnerability to drought-induced embolism, stomatal closure during dehydration and xylem-anatomical parameters were quantified at three sites. At the humid site, specific hydraulic conductivity of stems (1.0 ± 0.2 kg m(-1)  MPa(-1)  s(-1)) was about twofold higher, and leaf-specific conductivity about 1.5 times higher (3.1 ± 0.5 kg m(-1)  MPa(-1)  s(-1)) than at the dry site. Water potential (Ψ) at 50% loss of conductivity was -3.7 ± 0.1 MPa at the dry site and -3.1 ± 0.2 MPa at the humid site (September). Vulnerability to drought-induced embolism decreased along the transect and over the vegetation period. At drier sites, stomata started closing at lower Ψ while complete stomatal closure was reached at less negative Ψ (12% of maximum stomatal conductance: -2.5 ± 0.0 and -3.0 ± 0.2 MPa at the dry and humid site). The safety margin between stomatal closure and 50% loss of conductivity was 1.2 and 0.2 MPa at the dry and humid sites. The observed variability indicated an efficient acclimation in hydraulic conductivity and safety: plants at dry sites exhibited lower specific hydraulic conductivity, higher embolism resistance and broader safety margins, signifying a trade-off between the hydraulic safety and efficiency. The observed intraspecific plasticity in hydraulic and anatomical traits may help to explain the invasive potential of this species.

Hydrolase treatments help unravel the function of intervessel pits in xylem hydraulics

Intervessel pits are structures that play a key role in the efficiency and safety functions of xylem hydraulics. However, little is known about the components of the pit membrane (PM) and their role in hydraulic functions, especially in resistance to cavitation. We tested the effect of commercial chemicals including a cellulase, a hemicellulase, a pectolyase, a proteinase and DTT on xylem hydraulic properties: vulnerability to cavitation (VC) and conductance. The effects were tested on branch segments from Fagus sylvatica (where the effects on pit structure were analyzed using TEM) and Populus tremula. Cellulose hydrolysis resulted in a sharp increase in VC and a significant increase in conductance, related to complete breakdown of the PM. Pectin hydrolysis also induced a sharp increase in VC but with no effect on conductance or pit structure observable by TEM. The other treatments with hemicellulase, proteinase or DTT showed no effect. This study brings evidence that cellulose and pectins are critical components underpinning VC, and that PM components may play distinct roles in the xylem hydraulic safety and efficiency.

Limited genetic variability and phenotypic plasticity detected for cavitation resistance in a Mediterranean pine

Resistance to cavitation is a major determinant of plant survival under severe drought and can be used to quantify species adaptive potential. Interspecific variation in this key trait is well defined in woody species, but intraspecific variation (level and structure) resulting from standing genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity has never been determined. Combining for the first time in situ characterization of natural populations and two reciprocal common gardens in dry and wet sites, we estimated variance components (phenotypic, genetic, environmental, and genetic × environmental) of cavitation resistance based on 513 genotypes of a Mediterranean pine, Pinus pinaster. Despite the selected populations being climatically contrasted, phenotypic plasticity in resistance to cavitation remained low and was essentially attributed to family level. Between-population variation in cavitation resistance for both phenotypic and genetic variation was limited. These results strongly suggest that cavitation resistance is buffered against genetic and to a lesser extent environmental variation (canalization) in maritime pine. Consequently, in a drier world, the increasing drought tolerance of Pinus species might be severely constrained by the low level of cavitation resistance variation, resulting in a large-scale loss of productivity.

The stem xylem of Patagonian shrubs operates far from the point of catastrophic dysfunction and is additionally protected from drought-induced embolism by leaves and roots

Hydraulic architecture was studied in shrub species differing in rooting depth in a cold desert in Southern Argentina. All species exhibited strong hydraulic segmentation between leaves, stems and roots with leaves being the most vulnerable part of the hydraulic pathway. Two types of safety margins describing the degree of conservation of the hydraulic integrity were used: the difference between minimum stem or leaf water potential (Ψ) and the Ψ at which stem or leaf hydraulic function was reduced by 50% (Ψ - Ψ50), and the difference between leaf and stem Ψ50. Leaf Ψ50 - stem Ψ50 increased with decreasing rooting depth. Large diurnal decreases in root-specific hydraulic conductivity suggested high root vulnerability to embolism across all species. Although stem Ψ50 became more negative with decreasing species-specific Ψsoil and minimum stem Ψ, leaf Ψ50 was independent of Ψ and minimum leaf Ψ. Species with embolism-resistant stems also had higher maximum stem hydraulic conductivity. Safety margins for stems were >2.1 MPa, whereas those for leaves were negative or only slightly positive. Leaves acted as safety valves to protect the integrity of the upstream hydraulic pathway, whereas embolism in lateral roots may help to decouple portions of the plant from the impact of drier soil layers.

Water stress-induced xylem hydraulic failure is a causal factor of tree mortality in beech and poplar

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Extreme water stress episodes induce tree mortality, but the physiological mechanisms causing tree death are still poorly understood. This study tests the hypothesis that a potted tree's ability to survive extreme monotonic water stress is determined by the cavitation resistance of its xylem tissue.

METHODS

Two species were selected with contrasting cavitation resistance (beech and poplar), and potted juvenile trees were exposed to a range of water stresses, causing up to 100 % plant death.

KEY RESULTS

The lethal dose of water stress, defined as the xylem pressure inducing 50 % mortality, differed sharply across species (1·75 and 4·5 MPa in poplar and beech, respectively). However, the relationships between tree mortality and the degree of cavitation in the stems were similar, with mortality occurring suddenly when >90 % cavitation had occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the results suggest that cavitation resistance is a causal factor of tree mortality under extreme drought conditions.

Evaluating theories of drought-induced vegetation mortality using a multimodel-experiment framework

Model-data comparisons of plant physiological processes provide an understanding of mechanisms underlying vegetation responses to climate. We simulated the physiology of a piñon pine-juniper woodland (Pinus edulis-Juniperus monosperma) that experienced mortality during a 5 yr precipitation-reduction experiment, allowing a framework with which to examine our knowledge of drought-induced tree mortality. We used six models designed for scales ranging from individual plants to a global level, all containing state-of-the-art representations of the internal hydraulic and carbohydrate dynamics of woody plants. Despite the large range of model structures, tuning, and parameterization employed, all simulations predicted hydraulic failure and carbon starvation processes co-occurring in dying trees of both species, with the time spent with severe hydraulic failure and carbon starvation, rather than absolute thresholds per se, being a better predictor of impending mortality. Model and empirical data suggest that limited carbon and water exchanges at stomatal, phloem, and below-ground interfaces were associated with mortality of both species. The model-data comparison suggests that the introduction of a mechanistic process into physiology-based models provides equal or improved predictive power over traditional process-model or empirical thresholds. Both biophysical and empirical modeling approaches are useful in understanding processes, particularly when the models fail, because they reveal mechanisms that are likely to underlie mortality. We suggest that for some ecosystems, integration of mechanistic pathogen models into current vegetation models, and evaluation against observations, could result in a breakthrough capability to simulate vegetation dynamics.

The temporal response to drought in a Mediterranean evergreen tree: comparing a regional precipitation gradient and a throughfall exclusion experiment

Like many midlatitude ecosystems, Mediterranean forests will suffer longer and more intense droughts with the ongoing climate change. The responses to drought in long-lived trees differ depending on the time scale considered, and short-term responses are currently better understood than longer term acclimation. We assessed the temporal changes in trees facing a chronic reduction in water availability by comparing leaf-scale physiological traits, branch-scale hydraulic traits, and stand-scale biomass partitioning in the evergreen Quercus ilex across a regional precipitation gradient (long-term changes) and in a partial throughfall exclusion experiment (TEE, medium term changes). At the leaf scale, gas exchange, mass per unit area and nitrogen concentration showed homeostatic responses to drought as they did not change among the sites of the precipitation gradient or in the experimental treatments of the TEE. A similar homeostatic response was observed for the xylem vulnerability to cavitation at the branch scale. In contrast, the ratio of leaf area over sapwood area (LA/SA) in young branches exhibited a transient response to drought because it decreased in response to the TEE the first 4 years of treatment, but did not change among the sites of the gradient. At the stand scale, leaf area index (LAI) decreased, and the ratios of stem SA to LAI and of fine root area to LAI both increased in trees subjected to throughfall exclusion and from the wettest to the driest site of the gradient. Taken together, these results suggest that acclimation to chronic drought in long-lived Q. ilex is mediated by changes in hydraulic allometry that shift progressively from low (branch) to high (stand) organizational levels, and act to maintain the leaf water potential within the range of xylem hydraulic function and leaf photosynthetic assimilation.

The evolution and function of vessel and pit characters with respect to cavitation resistance across 10 Prunus species

Various structure-function relationships regarding drought-induced cavitation resistance of secondary xylem have been postulated. These hypotheses were tested on wood of 10 Prunus species showing a range in P50 (i.e., the pressure corresponding to 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity) from -3.54 to -6.27 MPa. Hydraulically relevant wood characters were quantified using light and electron microscopy. A phylogenetic tree was constructed to investigate evolutionary correlations using a phylogenetically independent contrast (PIC) analysis. Vessel-grouping characters were found to be most informative in explaining interspecific variation in P50, with cavitation-resistant species showing more solitary vessels than less resistant species. Co-evolution between vessel-grouping indices and P50 was reported. P50 was weakly correlated with the shape of the intervessel pit aperture, but not with the total intervessel pit membrane area per vessel. A negative correlation was found between P50 and intervessel pit membrane thickness, but this relationship was not supported by the PIC analysis. Cavitation resistance has co-evolved with vessel grouping within Prunus and was mainly influenced by the spatial distribution of the vessel network.

Xylem embolism threshold for catastrophic hydraulic failure in angiosperm trees

Hydraulic failure is one of the main causes of tree mortality in conditions of severe drought. Resistance to cavitation is known to be strongly related to drought tolerance and species survival in conifers, but the threshold of water-stress-induced embolism leading to catastrophic xylem dysfunction in angiosperms has been little studied. We investigated the link between drought tolerance, survival and xylem cavitation resistance in five angiosperm tree species known to have contrasting desiccation resistance thresholds. We exposed seedlings in a greenhouse to severe drought to generate extreme water stress. We monitored leaf water potential, total plant water loss rate, leaf transpiration, stomatal conductance and CO2 assimilation rate during drought exposure and after rewatering (recovery phase). The time required for the recovery of 50% of the maximum value of a given ecophysiological variable after rewatering was used to determine the critical water potential corresponding to the threshold beyond which the plant failed to recover. We also investigated the relationship between this potential and stem xylem cavitation resistance, as assessed from vulnerability curves. This minimum recoverable water potential was consistent between ecophysiological variables and varied considerably between species, from -3.4 to -6.0 MPa. This minimum recoverable water potential was strongly correlated with P50 and P88, the pressures inducing 50 and 88% losses of stem hydraulic conductance, respectively. Moreover, the embolism threshold leading to irreversible drought damage was found to be close to 88%, rather than the 50% previously reported for conifers. Hydraulic failure leading to irreversible drought-induced global dysfunction in angiosperm tree species occurred at a very high level of xylem embolism, possibly reflecting the physiological characteristics of their stem water-transport system.

Embolism resistance as a key mechanism to understand adaptive plant strategies

One adaptation of plants to cope with drought or frost stress is to develop wood that is able to withstand the formation and distribution of air bubbles (emboli) in its water conducting xylem cells under negative pressure. The ultrastructure of interconduit pits strongly affects drought-induced embolism resistance, but also mechanical properties of the xylem are involved. The first experimental evidence for a lower embolism resistance in stems of herbaceous plants compared to stems of their secondarily woody descendants further supports this mechanical-functional trade-off. An integrative approach combining (ultra)structural observations of the xylem, safety-efficiency aspects of the hydraulic pipeline, and xylem-phloem interactions will shed more light on the multiple adaptive strategies of embolism resistance in plants.

Vulnerability to cavitation, hydraulic efficiency, growth and survival in an insular pine (Pinus canariensis)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

It is widely accepted that hydraulic failure due to xylem embolism is a key factor contributing to drought-induced mortality in trees. In the present study, an attempt is made to disentangle phenotypic plasticity from genetic variation in hydraulic traits across the entire distribution area of a tree species to detect adaptation to local environments.

METHODS

A series of traits related to hydraulics (vulnerability to cavitation and hydraulic conductivity in branches), growth performance and leaf mass per area were assessed in eight Pinus canariensis populations growing in two common gardens under contrasting environments. In addition, the neutral genetic variability (FST) and the genetic differentiation of phenotypic variation (QST) were compared in order to identify the evolutionary forces acting on these traits.

KEY RESULTS

The variability for hydraulic traits was largely due to phenotypic plasticity. Nevertheless, the vulnerability to cavitation displayed a significant genetic variability (approx. 5 % of the explained variation), and a significant genetic × environment interaction (between 5 and 19 % of the explained variation). The strong correlation between vulnerability to cavitation and survival in the xeric common garden (r = -0·81; P < 0·05) suggests a role for the former in the adaptation to xeric environments. Populations from drier sites and higher temperature seasonality were less vulnerable to cavitation than those growing at mesic sites. No trade-off between xylem safety and efficiency was detected. QST of parameters of the vulnerability curve (0·365 for P50 and the slope of the vulnerability curve and 0·452 for P88) differed substantially from FST (0·091), indicating divergent selection. In contrast, genetic drift alone was found to be sufficient to explain patterns of differentiation for xylem efficiency and growth.

CONCLUSIONS

The ability of P. canariensis to inhabit a wide range of ecosystems seemed to be associated with high phenotypic plasticity and some degree of local adaptations of xylem and leaf traits. Resistance to cavitation conferred adaptive potential for this species to adapt successfully to xeric conditions.

Xylem vulnerability to cavitation can be accurately characterised in species with long vessels using a centrifuge method

Vulnerability to cavitation curves describe the decrease in xylem hydraulic conductivity as xylem pressure declines. Several techniques for constructing vulnerability curves use centrifugal force to induce negative xylem pressure in stem or root segments. Centrifuge vulnerability curves constructed for long-vesselled species have been hypothesised to overestimate xylem vulnerability to cavitation due to increased vulnerability of vessels cut open at stem ends that extend to the middle or entirely through segments. We tested two key predictions of this hypothesis: (i) centrifugation induces greater embolism than dehydration in long-vesselled species, and (ii) the proportion of open vessels changes centrifuge vulnerability curves. Centrifuge and dehydration vulnerability curves were compared for a long- and short-vesselled species. The effect of open vessels was tested in four species by comparing centrifuge vulnerability curves for stems of two lengths. Centrifuge and dehydration vulnerability curves agreed well for the long- and short-vesselled species. Centrifuge vulnerability curves constructed using two stem lengths were similar. Also, the distribution of embolism along the length of centrifuged stems matched the theoretical pressure profile induced by centrifugation. We conclude that vulnerability to cavitation can be accurately characterised with vulnerability curves constructed using a centrifuge technique, even in long-vesselled species.

The plant vascular system: evolution, development and functions

The emergence of the tracheophyte-based vascular system of land plants had major impacts on the evolution of terrestrial biology, in general, through its role in facilitating the development of plants with increased stature, photosynthetic output, and ability to colonize a greatly expanded range of environmental habitats. Recently, considerable progress has been made in terms of our understanding of the developmental and physiological programs involved in the formation and function of the plant vascular system. In this review, we first examine the evolutionary events that gave rise to the tracheophytes, followed by analysis of the genetic and hormonal networks that cooperate to orchestrate vascular development in the gymnosperms and angiosperms. The two essential functions performed by the vascular system, namely the delivery of resources (water, essential mineral nutrients, sugars and amino acids) to the various plant organs and provision of mechanical support are next discussed. Here, we focus on critical questions relating to structural and physiological properties controlling the delivery of material through the xylem and phloem. Recent discoveries into the role of the vascular system as an effective long-distance communication system are next assessed in terms of the coordination of developmental, physiological and defense-related processes, at the whole-plant level. A concerted effort has been made to integrate all these new findings into a comprehensive picture of the state-of-the-art in the area of plant vascular biology. Finally, areas important for future research are highlighted in terms of their likely contribution both to basic knowledge and applications to primary industry.

Hydraulic limits on maximum plant transpiration and the emergence of the safety-efficiency trade-off

Soil and plant hydraulics constrain ecosystem productivity by setting physical limits to water transport and hence carbon uptake by leaves. While more negative xylem water potentials provide a larger driving force for water transport, they also cause cavitation that limits hydraulic conductivity. An optimum balance between driving force and cavitation occurs at intermediate water potentials, thus defining the maximum transpiration rate the xylem can sustain (denoted as E(max)). The presence of this maximum raises the question as to whether plants regulate transpiration through stomata to function near E(max). To address this question, we calculated E(max) across plant functional types and climates using a hydraulic model and a global database of plant hydraulic traits. The predicted E(max) compared well with measured peak transpiration across plant sizes and growth conditions (R = 0.86, P < 0.001) and was relatively conserved among plant types (for a given plant size), while increasing across climates following the atmospheric evaporative demand. The fact that E(max) was roughly conserved across plant types and scales with the product of xylem saturated conductivity and water potential at 50% cavitation was used here to explain the safety-efficiency trade-off in plant xylem. Stomatal conductance allows maximum transpiration rates despite partial cavitation in the xylem thereby suggesting coordination between stomatal regulation and xylem hydraulic characteristics.

Increased susceptibility to drought-induced mortality in Sequoia sempervirens (Cupressaceae) trees under Cenozoic atmospheric carbon dioxide starvation

PREMISE OF THE STUDY

Climate-induced forest retreat has profound ecological and biogeochemical impacts, but the physiological mechanisms underlying past tree mortality are poorly understood, limiting prediction of vegetation shifts with climate variation. Climate, drought, fire, and grazing represent agents of tree mortality during the late Cenozoic, but the interaction between drought and declining atmospheric carbon dioxide ([CO2]a) from high to near-starvation levels ∼34 million years (Ma) ago has been overlooked. Here, this interaction frames our investigation of sapling mortality through the interdependence of hydraulic function, carbon limitation, and defense metabolism. •

METHODS

We recreated a changing Cenozoic [CO2]a regime by growing Sequoia sempervirens trees within climate-controlled growth chambers at 1500, 500, or 200 ppm [CO2]a, capturing the decline toward minimum concentrations from 34 Ma. After 7 months, we imposed drought conditions and measured key physiological components linking carbon utilization, hydraulics, and defense metabolism as hypothesized interdependent mechanisms of tree mortality. •

KEY RESULTS

Catastrophic failure of hydraulic conductivity, carbohydrate starvation, and tree death occurred at 200 ppm, but not 500 or 1500 ppm [CO2]a. Furthermore, declining [CO2]a reduced investment in carbon-rich foliar defense compounds that would diminish resistance to biotic attack, likely exacerbating mortality. •

CONCLUSIONS

Low-[CO2]a-driven tree mortality under drought is consistent with Pleistocene pollen records charting repeated Californian Sequoia forest contraction during glacial periods (180-200 ppm [CO2]a) and may even have contributed to forest retreat as grasslands expanded on multiple continents under low [CO2]a over the past 10 Ma. In this way, geologic intervals of low [CO2]a coupled with drought could impose a demographic bottleneck in tree recruitment, driving vegetation shifts through forest mortality.

Removal of nutrient limitations in forest gaps enhances growth rate and resistance to cavitation in subtropical canopy tree species differing in shade tolerance

A 4-year fertilization experiment with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) was carried out in natural gaps of a subtropical forest in northeastern Argentina. Saplings of six dominant canopy species differing in shade tolerance were grown in five control and five N + P fertilized gaps. Hydraulic architectural traits such as wood density, the leaf area to sapwood area ratio (LA : SA), vulnerability to cavitation (P50) and specific and leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity were measured, as well as the relative growth rate, specific leaf area (SLA) and percentage of leaf damage by insect herbivores. Plant growth rates and resistance to drought-induced embolisms increased when nutrient limitations were removed. On average, the P50 of control plants was -1.1 MPa, while the P50 of fertilized plants was -1.6 MPa. Wood density and LA : SA decreased with N + P additions. A trade-off between vulnerability to cavitation and efficiency of water transport was not observed. The relative growth rate was positively related to the total leaf surface area per plant and negatively related to LA : SA, while P50 was positively related to SLA across species and treatments. Plants with higher growth rates and higher total leaf area in fertilized plots were able to avoid hydraulic dysfunction by becoming less vulnerable to cavitation (more negative P50). Two high-light-requiring species exhibited relatively low growth rates due to heavy herbivore damage. Contrary to expectations, shade-tolerant plants with relatively high resistance to hydraulic dysfunction and reduced herbivory damage were able to grow faster. These results suggest that during the initial phase of sapling establishment in gaps, species that were less vulnerable to cavitation and exhibited reduced herbivory damage had faster realized growth rates than less shade-tolerant species with higher potential growth rates. Finally, functional relationships between hydraulic traits and growth rate across species and treatments were maintained regardless of soil nutrient status.

Modulation of bud survival in Populus nigra sprouts in response to water stress-induced embolism

Understanding drought tolerance mechanisms requires knowledge about the induced weakness that leads to tree death. Bud survival is vital to sustain tree growth across seasons. We hypothesized that the hydraulic connection of the bud to stem xylem structures was critical for its survival. During an artificial drastic water stress, we carried out a census of bud metabolic activity of young Populus nigra L. trees by microcalorimetry. We monitored transcript expression of aquaporins (AQPs; plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs), X intrinsic proteins (XIPs) and tonoplast membrane intrinsic proteins (TIPs)) and measured local water status within the bud and tissues in the bearer shoot node by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging. We found that the bud respiration rate was closely correlated with its water content and decreased concomitantly in buds and their surrounding bearer tissues. At the molecular level, we observed a modulation of AQP pattern expressions (PIP, TIP and XIP subfamilies) linked to water movements in living cells. However, AQP functions remain to be investigated. Both the bud and tree died beyond a threshold water content and respiration rate. Nuclear magnetic resonance images provided relevant local information about the various water reservoirs of the stem, their dynamics and their interconnections. Comparison of pith, xylem and cambium tissues revealed that the hydraulic connection between the bud and saturated parenchyma cells around the pith allowed bud desiccation to be delayed. At the tree death date, NMR images showed that the cambium tissues remained largely hydrated. Overall, the respiration rate (Rco2) and a few AQP isoforms were found to be two suitable, complementary criteria to assess the bud metabolic activity and the ability to survive a severe drought spell. Bud moisture content could be a key factor in determining the capacity of poplar to recover from water stress.

Xylem vessel relays contribute to radial connectivity in grapevine stems (Vitis vinifera and V. arizonica; Vitaceae)

PREMISE OF THE STUDY

Xylem network connections play an important role in water and nutrient transport in plants, but also facilitate the spread of air embolisms and xylem-dwelling pathogens. This study describes the structure and function of vessel relays found in grapevine xylem that form radial and tangential connections between spatially discrete vessels.

METHODS

We used high-resolution computed tomography, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and single-vessel dye injections to characterize vessel relays in stems and compare their distributions and structure in two Vitis species.

KEY RESULTS

Vessel relays were composed of 1-8 narrow diameter (~25 µm) vessel elements and were oriented radially, connecting vessels via scalariform pitting within a xylem sector delineated by rays. The functional connectedness of vessels linked by vessel relays was confirmed with single-vessel dye injections. In 4.5-cm sections of stem tissue, there were 26% more vessel relays in V. vinifera compared with V. arizonica. •

CONCLUSIONS

Because of their spatial distribution within Vitis xylem, vessel relays increase the connectivity between vessels that would otherwise remain isolated. Differences in vessel relays between Vitis species suggest these anatomical features could contribute to disease and embolism resistance in some species.

Response of vegetation to drought time-scales across global land biomes

We evaluated the response of the Earth land biomes to drought by correlating a drought index with three global indicators of vegetation activity and growth: vegetation indices from satellite imagery, tree-ring growth series, and Aboveground Net Primary Production (ANPP) records. Arid and humid biomes are both affected by drought, and we suggest that the persistence of the water deficit (i.e., the drought time-scale) could be playing a key role in determining the sensitivity of land biomes to drought. We found that arid biomes respond to drought at short time-scales; that is, there is a rapid vegetation reaction as soon as water deficits below normal conditions occur. This may be due to the fact that plant species of arid regions have mechanisms allowing them to rapidly adapt to changing water availability. Humid biomes also respond to drought at short time-scales, but in this case the physiological mechanisms likely differ from those operating in arid biomes, as plants usually have a poor adaptability to water shortage. On the contrary, semiarid and subhumid biomes respond to drought at long time-scales, probably because plants are able to withstand water deficits, but they lack the rapid response of arid biomes to drought. These results are consistent among three vegetation parameters analyzed and across different land biomes, showing that the response of vegetation to drought depends on characteristic drought time-scales for each biome. Understanding the dominant time-scales at which drought most influences vegetation might help assessing the resistance and resilience of vegetation and improving our knowledge of vegetation vulnerability to climate change.

Elevated growth temperatures alter hydraulic characteristics in trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedlings: implications for tree drought tolerance

Although climate change will alter both soil water availability and evaporative demand, our understanding of how future climate conditions will alter tree hydraulic architecture is limited. Here, we demonstrate that growth at elevated temperatures (ambient +5 °C) affects hydraulic traits in seedlings of the deciduous boreal tree species Populus tremuloides, with the strength of the effect varying with the plant organ studied. Temperature altered the partitioning of hydraulic resistance, with greater resistance attributed to stems and less to roots in warm-grown seedlings (P < 0.02), and a 46% (but marginally significant, P = 0.08) increase in whole plant conductance at elevated temperature. Vulnerability to cavitation was greater in leaves grown at high than at ambient temperatures, but vulnerability in stems was similar between treatments. A soil-plant-atmosphere (SPA) model suggests that these coordinated changes in hydraulic physiology would lead to more frequent drought stress and reduced water-use efficiency in aspen that develop at warmer temperatures. Tissue-specific trade-offs in hydraulic traits in response to high growth temperatures would be difficult to detect when relying solely on whole plant measurements, but may have large-scale ecological implications for plant water use, carbon cycling and, possibly, plant drought survival.

Wood anatomical responses of oak saplings exposed to air warming and soil drought

Water is vital for plant performance and survival. Its scarcity, induced by a seasonal decline in soil water availability or an increase of evaporative demand, can cause failures of the water conducting system. An adequate tolerance to drought and the ability to acclimate to changing hydraulic conditions are important features for the survival of long-lived woody plants in dry environments. In this study we examine secondary growth and xylem anatomical acclimation of 6 year old saplings of three European oak species (Quercus robur, Q. petraea, Q. pubescens) during the third consecutive year of exposure to soil drought and/or air warming (from 2007 to 2009). Intra-annual pinning was applied to mark the development of the formation of the annual ring 2009. Vessel size, parenchyma cell density and fiber size produced at different time of the growing season 2009 were compared between drought and warming treatments and species. Drought reduced secondary growth and induced changes in xylem structure while air warming had little effect on wood anatomical traits. Results indicate that drought-exposed saplings adjust their xylem structure to improve resistance and repairing abilities after cavitation. All species show a significant radial growth reduction, a reduced vessel size with diminished conductivity and a slightly increased density of parenchyma cells. Comparisons between species fostered our understanding of the relationship between the inter-specific xylem hydraulic plasticity and the ecological response to drought. The stronger changes observed for Q. robur and Q. petraea indicate a lower drought tolerance than Q. pubescens.

Ontogenetic modulation of branch size, shape, and biomechanics produces diversity across habitats in the Bursera simaruba clade of tropical trees

Organismal size and shape inseparably interact with tissue biomechanical properties. It is therefore essential to understand how size, shape, and biomechanics interact in ontogeny to produce morphological diversity. We estimated within species branch length-diameter allometries and reconstructed the rates of ontogenetic change along the stem in mechanical properties across the simaruba clade in the tropical tree genus Bursera, measuring 376 segments from 97 branches in nine species in neotropical dry to rain forest. In general, species with stiffer materials had longer, thinner branches, which became stiffer more quickly in ontogeny than their counterparts with more flexible materials. We found a trend from short stature and flexible tissues to tall statures and stiff tissues across an environmental gradient of increasing water availability, likely reflecting a water storage-mechanical support tradeoff. Ontogenetic variation in size, shape, and mechanics results in diversity of habits, for example, rapid length extension, sluggish diameter expansion, and flexible tissues results in a liana, as in Bursera instabilis. Even species of similar habit exhibited notable changes in tissue mechanical properties with increasing size, illustrating the inseparable relationship between organismal proportions and their tissue mechanics in the ontogeny and evolution of morphological diversity.

Global convergence in the vulnerability of forests to drought

Shifts in rainfall patterns and increasing temperatures associated with climate change are likely to cause widespread forest decline in regions where droughts are predicted to increase in duration and severity. One primary cause of productivity loss and plant mortality during drought is hydraulic failure. Drought stress creates trapped gas emboli in the water transport system, which reduces the ability of plants to supply water to leaves for photosynthetic gas exchange and can ultimately result in desiccation and mortality. At present we lack a clear picture of how thresholds to hydraulic failure vary across a broad range of species and environments, despite many individual experiments. Here we draw together published and unpublished data on the vulnerability of the transport system to drought-induced embolism for a large number of woody species, with a view to examining the likely consequences of climate change for forest biomes. We show that 70% of 226 forest species from 81 sites worldwide operate with narrow (<1 megapascal) hydraulic safety margins against injurious levels of drought stress and therefore potentially face long-term reductions in productivity and survival if temperature and aridity increase as predicted for many regions across the globe. Safety margins are largely independent of mean annual precipitation, showing that there is global convergence in the vulnerability of forests to drought, with all forest biomes equally vulnerable to hydraulic failure regardless of their current rainfall environment. These findings provide insight into why drought-induced forest decline is occurring not only in arid regions but also in wet forests not normally considered at drought risk.

Phenotypic and developmental plasticity of xylem in hybrid poplar saplings subjected to experimental drought, nitrogen fertilization, and shading

Variation in xylem structure and function has been extensively studied across different species with a wide taxonomic, geographical, and ecological coverage. In contrast, our understanding of how xylem of a single species can adjust to different growing condition remains limited. Here phenotypic and developmental plasticity in xylem traits of hybrid poplar (Populus trichocarpa×deltoides) was studied. Clonally propagated saplings were grown under experimental drought, nitrogen fertilization, and shade for >30 d. Xylem hydraulic and anatomical traits were subsequently examined in stem segments taken from two different vertical positions along the plant's main axis. The experimental treatments affected growth and development and induced changes in xylem phenotype. Across all treatments, the amount of leaf area supported by stem segments (A(L)) scaled linearly with stem native hydraulic conductivity (K (native)), suggesting that the area of assimilating leaves is constrained by the xylem transport capacity. In turn, K (native) was mainly driven by the size of xylem cross-sectional area (A(X)). Moreover, the structural and functional properties of xylem varied significantly. Vulnerability to cavitation, measured as the xylem pressure inducing 50% loss of conductivity (P50), ranged from -1.71 MPa to -0.15 MPa in saplings subjected to drought and nitrogen fertilization, respectively. Across all treatments and stem segment positions, P50 was tightly correlated with wood density. In contrast, no relationship between P50 and xylem-specific conductivity (K (S)) was observed. The results of this study enhance our knowledge of plant hydraulic acclimation and provide insights into common trade-offs that exist in xylem structure and function.

Q(ST) < F(ST) As a signature of canalization

A key aim of evolutionary biology - inferring the action of natural selection on wild species - can be achieved by comparing neutral genetic differentiation between populations (F(ST)) with quantitative genetic variation (Q(ST)). Each of the three possible outcomes of comparisons of Q(ST) and F(ST) (Q(ST) > F(ST), Q(ST) = F(ST), Q(ST) < F(ST)) is associated with an inference (diversifying selection, genetic drift, uniform selection, respectively). However, published empirical and theoretical studies have focused on the Q(ST) > F(ST) outcome. We believe that this reflects the absence of a straightforward biological interpretation of the Q(ST) < F(ST) pattern. We here report recent evidence of this neglected evolutionary pattern, provide guidelines to its interpretation as either a canalization phenomenon or a consequence of uniform selection and discuss the significant importance this issue will have for the area of evolutionary biology.

Vulnerability to cavitation of central California Arctostaphylos (Ericaceae): a new analysis

A recent study, 'Influence of summer marine fog and low cloud stratus on water relations of evergreen woody shrubs (Arctostaphylos: Ericaceae) in the chaparral of central California' by M. Vasey, M.E. Loik, and V.T. Parker (2012, Oecologia, in press), presented data on the vulnerability to cavitation of eight Arctostaphylos species. We reanalyzed the vulnerability data presented in this manuscript using a different statistical model and have arrived at different conclusions than those reported previously. We suggest that regional differences have not lead to differentiation in cavitation resistance among populations of an Arctostaphylos species and, contrary to the conclusions of Vasey et al., the xylem of maritime species appears to be "overbuilt" for their current environment and do not appear to be especially vulnerable to water stress. Importantly, data on vulnerability to cavitation are limited for Arctostaphylos species from these sites. More specifically, treatment factors of site and region were not replicated and therefore conclusions drawn from these data are necessarily limited.

Stem hydraulic traits and leaf water-stress tolerance are co-ordinated with the leaf phenology of angiosperm trees in an Asian tropical dry karst forest

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The co-occurring of evergreen and deciduous angiosperm trees in Asian tropical dry forests on karst substrates suggests the existence of different water-use strategies among species. In this study it is hypothesized that the co-occurring evergreen and deciduous trees differ in stem hydraulic traits and leaf water relationships, and there will be correlated evolution in drought tolerance between leaves and stems.

METHODS

A comparison was made of stem hydraulic conductivity, vulnerability curves, wood anatomy, leaf life span, leaf pressure-volume characteristics and photosynthetic capacity of six evergreen and six deciduous tree species co-occurring in a tropical dry karst forest in south-west China. The correlated evolution of leaf and stem traits was examined using both traditional and phylogenetic independent contrasts correlations.

KEY RESULTS

It was found that the deciduous trees had higher stem hydraulic efficiency, greater hydraulically weighted vessel diameter (D(h)) and higher mass-based photosynthetic rate (A(m)); while the evergreen species had greater xylem-cavitation resistance, lower leaf turgor-loss point water potential (π(0)) and higher bulk modulus of elasticity. There were evolutionary correlations between leaf life span and stem hydraulic efficiency, A(m), and dry season π(0). Xylem-cavitation resistance was evolutionarily correlated with stem hydraulic efficiency, D(h), as well as dry season π(0). Both wood density and leaf density were closely correlated with leaf water-stress tolerance and A(m).

CONCLUSIONS

The results reveal the clear distinctions in stem hydraulic traits and leaf water-stress tolerance between the co-occurring evergreen and deciduous angiosperm trees in an Asian dry karst forest. A novel pattern was demonstrated linking leaf longevity with stem hydraulic efficiency and leaf water-stress tolerance. The results show the correlated evolution in drought tolerance between stems and leaves.

Plasmodesmatal pores in the torus of bordered pit membranes affect cavitation resistance of conifer xylem

The pit membrane in bordered pits of conifer tracheids is characterized by a porous margo and central thickening (torus), which is traditionally considered to function as an impermeable safety valve against air-seeding. However, electron microscopy based on 33 conifer species, including five families and 19 genera, reveals that pores occur in the torus of 13 of the species studied. The pores have a plasmodesmatal origin with an average diameter of 51 nm and grouped arrangement. Evidence for embolism spreading via pores in tori is supported by the pore sizes, which correspond relatively well with the pressure inducing cavitation. Predictions based on earlier correlations between pit structure and cavitation resistance were only weakly supported for species with punctured tori. Moreover, species with punctured tori are significantly less resistant to cavitation than species with non-punctured tori. Nevertheless, absolute pore diameters must be treated with caution and correlations between theoretical and measured air-seeding pressures are weak. Because most pores appear not to traverse the torus but are limited to one torus pad, only complete pores would trigger air-seeding. Embolism spreading through a leaky torus is not universal across gymnosperms and unlikely to represent the only air-seeding mechanism.

Long-term functional plasticity in plant hydraulic architecture in response to supplemental moisture

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Plasticity in structural and functional traits related to water balance may determine plant performance and survival in ecosystems characterized by water limitation or high levels of rainfall variability, particularly in perennial herbaceous species with long generation cycles. This paper addresses whether and the extent to which several such seasonal to long-term traits respond to changes in moisture availability.

METHODS

Using a novel approach that integrates ecology, physiology and anatomy, a comparison was made of lifetime functional traits in the root xylem of a long-lived perennial herb (Potentilla diversifolia, Rosaceae) growing in dry habitats with those of nearby individuals growing where soil moisture had been supplemented for 14 years. Traditional parameters such as specific leaf area (SLA) and above-ground growth were also assessed.

KEY RESULTS

Individuals from the site receiving supplemental moisture consistently showed significant responses in all considered traits related to water balance: SLA was greater by 24 %; roots developed 19 % less starch storing tissue, an indicator for drought-stress tolerance; and vessel size distributions shifted towards wider elements that collectively conducted water 54 % more efficiently - but only during the years for which moisture was supplemented. In contrast, above-ground growth parameters showed insignificant or inconsistent responses.

CONCLUSIONS

The phenotypic changes documented represent consistent, dynamic responses to increased moisture availability that should increase plant competitive ability. The functional plasticity of xylem anatomy quantified in this study constitutes a mechanistic basis for anticipating the differential success of plant species in response to climate variability and change, particularly where water limitation occurs.

Transpiration sensitivity of urban trees in a semi-arid climate is constrained by xylem vulnerability to cavitation

Establishing quantitative links between plant hydraulic properties and the response of transpiration to environmental factors such as atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (D) is essential for improving our ability to understand plant water relations across a wide range of species and environmental conditions. We studied stomatal responses to D in irrigated trees in the urban landscape of Los Angeles, California. We found a strong linear relationship between the sensitivity of tree-level transpiration estimated from sap flux (m(T); slope of the relationship between tree transpiration and ln D) and transpiration at D=1 kPa (E(Tref)) that was similar to previous surveys of stomatal behavior in natural environments. In addition, m(T) was significantly related to vulnerability to cavitation of branches (P(50)). While m(T) did not appear to differ between ring- and diffuse-porous species, the relationship between m(T) and P(50) was distinct by wood anatomy. Therefore, our study confirms systematic differences in water relations in ring- versus diffuse-porous species, but these differences appear to be more strongly related to the relationship between stomatal sensitivity to D and vulnerability to cavitation rather than to stomatal sensitivity per se.