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Mateus NS, Perez-Martinez V, Lavres J, Tissue DT, Choat B. The double-edged sword of potassium and sodium fertilization in xylem embolism resistance of two Eucalyptus species under drought stress. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:5641-5654. [PMID: 38829345 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Sodium (Na+) is a beneficial element for most plants and may replace potassium (K+) in osmoregulatory process to a certain extent, increasing plant water use efficiency. Thus, understanding coordinated mechanisms underlying the combined use of K+ and Na+ in tree drought tolerance is a key challenge for forestry in dealing with productivity and water limitations. A pot experiment with three ratios of K/Na (K-supplied, partial K replacement by Na, and K-deficient plants) and two water regimes, well-watered (W+) and water-stressed (W-), was conducted on saplings of two Eucalyptus species with contrasting drought sensitivities. We evaluated the point of stomatal closure (Pgs90), xylem water potential at 12, 50, and 88% embolized xylem area (P12, P50, P88), hydraulic safety margin, leaf gas exchange (A, E, gs, and dark respiration), pre-dawn and midday leaf water potential (ΨPD and ΨMD), long-term water use efficiency (WUEL) and total dry mass. Partial K replacement by Na increased leaf gas exchange, WUEL, and total dry mass, while Pgs90, P12, P50, P88, and ΨMD decreased (were more negative), compared with plants exclusively supplied with K and K-deficient plants of both species. Fertilized plants had narrower hydraulic safety margins than K-deficient plants, indicating that these Eucalyptus species adopt the functional adaptive strategy of operating close to their hydraulic limits to maximize carbon uptake while increasing the risk of hydraulic failure under drought stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolas Souza Mateus
- Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - Victoria Perez-Martinez
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - Jose Lavres
- Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
- Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation, Hawkesbury Campus, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
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2
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Liu J, Carriquí M, Xiong D, Kang S. Influence of IAA and ABA on maize stem vessel diameter and stress resistance in variable environments. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2024; 176:e14443. [PMID: 39039017 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.14443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
The plasticity of the xylem and its associated hydraulic properties play crucial roles in plant acclimation to environmental changes, with vessel diameter (Dv) being the most functionally prominent trait. While the effects of external environmental factors on xylem formation and Dv are not fully understood, the endogenous hormones indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) are known to play significant signalling roles under stress conditions. This study investigates how these hormones impact Dv under various environmental changes. Experiments were conducted in maize plants subjected to drought, soil salinity, and high CO2 concentration treatments. We found that drought and soil salinity significantly reduced Dv at the same stem internode, while an elevated CO2 concentration can mitigate this decrease in Dv. Remarkably, significant negative correlations were observed between Dv and the contents of IAA and ABA when considering the different treatments. Moreover, appropriate foliar application of either IAA or ABA on well-watered and stressed plants led to a decrease in Dv, while the application of corresponding inhibitors resulted in an increase in Dv. This finding underscores the causal relationship between Dv and the levels of both IAA and ABA, offering a promising approach to manipulating xylem vessel size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junzhou Liu
- Center for Agricultural Water Research in China, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station on Efficient Water Use of Oasis Agriculture in Wuwei of Gansu Province, Wuwei, China
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Marc Carriquí
- Research Group in Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma, Spain
| | - Dongliang Xiong
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shaozhong Kang
- Center for Agricultural Water Research in China, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station on Efficient Water Use of Oasis Agriculture in Wuwei of Gansu Province, Wuwei, China
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3
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Blackman CJ, Halliwell B, Hartill GE, Brodribb TJ. Petiole XLA (xylem to leaf area ratio) integrates hydraulic safety and efficiency across a diverse group of eucalypt leaves. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2024; 47:49-58. [PMID: 37680088 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
A theoretical trade-off between the efficiency and safety of water transport systems in plants is used to explain diverse ecological patterns, from tree size to community structure. Despite its pervasive influence, this theory has marginal empirical support. This may be partially due to obfuscation of associations by wide phylogenetic sampling or non-standard sampling between studies. To address this, we examine the coordination of structural and anatomical traits linked to hydraulic safety and efficiency in the leaves of an ecologically diverse group of eucalypts. We introduce a new trait for characterising leaf water transport function measured as the cross-sectional XA at the petiole divided by the downstream leaf area (XLApetiole ). Variation in XLApetiole revealed support for a safety-efficiency trade-off in eucalypt leaves. XLApetiole was negatively correlated with theoretical petiole xylem conductivity (Ks_petiole ) and strongly negatively correlated with leaf cavitation vulnerability (Ψ50leaf ). Species with lower Ψ50leaf exhibited petiole xylem with narrower vessels and greater fibre wall area fractions. Our findings highlight XLApetiole as a novel integrative trait that provides insights into the evolution of leaf form and function in eucalypts and holds promise for wider use among diverse species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J Blackman
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Ben Halliwell
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Gabrielle E Hartill
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Timothy J Brodribb
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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4
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Coleman D, Windt CW, Buckley TN, Merchant A. Leaf relative water content at 50% stomatal conductance measured by noninvasive NMR is linked to climate of origin in nine species of eucalypt. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 46:3791-3805. [PMID: 37641435 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Stomata are the gatekeepers of plant water use and must quickly respond to changes in plant water status to ensure plant survival under fluctuating environmental conditions. The mechanism for their closure is highly sensitive to disturbances in leaf water status, which makes isolating their response to declining water content difficult to characterise and to compare responses among species. Using a small-scale non-destructive nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer as a leaf water content sensor, we measure the stomatal response to rapid induction of water deficit in the leaves of nine species of eucalypt from contrasting climates. We found a strong linear correlation between relative water content at 50% stomatal conductance (RWCgs50 ) and mean annual temperature at the climate of origin of each species. We also show evidence for stomata to maintain control over water loss well below turgor loss point in species adapted to warmer climates and secondary increases in stomatal conductance despite declining water content. We propose that RWCgs50 is a promising trait to guide future investigations comparing stomatal responses to water deficit. It may provide a useful phenotyping trait to delineate tolerance and adaption to hot temperatures and high leaf-to-air vapour pressure deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Coleman
- School of Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Thomas N Buckley
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Andrew Merchant
- School of Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Institute for Bio-Geosciences, Juelich, Germany
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5
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Jin Y, Hao G, Hammond WM, Yu K, Liu X, Ye Q, Zhou Z, Wang C. Aridity-dependent sequence of water potentials for stomatal closure and hydraulic dysfunctions in woody plants. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:2030-2040. [PMID: 36655297 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The sequence of physiological events during drought strongly impacts plants' overall performance. Here, we synthesized the global data of stomatal and hydraulic traits in leaves and stems of 202 woody species to evaluate variations in the water potentials for key physiological events and their sequence along the climatic gradient. We found that the seasonal minimum water potential, turgor loss point, stomatal closure point, and leaf and stem xylem vulnerability to embolism were intercorrelated and decreased with aridity, indicating that water stress drives trait co-selection. In xeric regions, the seasonal minimum water potential occurred at lower water potential than turgor loss point, and the subsequent stomatal closure delayed embolism formation. In mesic regions, however, the seasonal minimum water potential did not pose a threat to the physiological functions, and stomatal closure occurred even at slightly more negative water potential than embolism. Our study demonstrates that the sequence of water potentials for physiological dysfunctions of woody plants varies with aridity, that is, xeric species adopt a more conservative sequence to prevent severe tissue damage through tighter stomatal regulation (isohydric strategy) and higher embolism resistance, while mesic species adopt a riskier sequence via looser stomatal regulation (anisohydric strategy) to maximize carbon uptake at the cost of hydraulic safety. Integrating both aridity-dependent sequence of water potentials for physiological dysfunctions and gap between these key traits into the hydraulic framework of process-based vegetation models would improve the prediction of woody plants' responses to drought under global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Jin
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Center for Ecological Research, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Guangyou Hao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - William M Hammond
- Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Kailiang Yu
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Xiaorong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing Ye
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenghu Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Center for Ecological Research, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Chuankuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Center for Ecological Research, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
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6
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Guan X, Wen Y, Zhang Y, Chen Z, Cao KF. Stem hydraulic conductivity and embolism resistance of Quercus species are associated with their climatic niche. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 43:234-247. [PMID: 36209451 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpac119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The hydraulic traits of a plant species may reflect its climate adaptations. Southwest China is considered as a biodiversity hotpot of the genus Quercus (oak). However, the hydraulic adaptations of Asian oaks to their climate niches remain unclear. Ten common garden-grown oak species with distinct natural distributions in eastern Asia were used to determine their stem xylem embolism resistance (water potential at 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity, P50), stem hydraulic efficiency (vessel anatomy and sapwood specific hydraulic conductivity (Ks)) and leaf anatomical traits. We also compiled four key functional traits: wood density, hydraulic-weighted vessel diameter, Ks and P50 data for 31 oak species from previous literature. We analyzed the relationship between hydraulic traits and climatic factors over the native ranges of 41 oak species. Our results revealed that the 10 Asian oak species, which are mainly distributed in humid subtropical habitats, possessed a stem xylem with low embolism resistance and moderate hydraulic efficiency. The deciduous and evergreen species of the 10 Asian oaks differed in the stem and leaf traits related to hydraulic efficiency. Ks differed significantly between the two phenological groups (deciduous and evergreens) in the 41-oak dataset. No significant difference in P50 between the two groups was found for the 10 Asian oaks or the 41-oak dataset. The oak species that can distribute in arid habitats possessed a stem xylem with high embolism resistance. Ks negatively related to the humidity of the native range of the 10 Asian oaks, but showed no trend when assessing the entire global oak dataset. Our study suggests that stem hydraulic conductivity and embolism resistance in Quercus species are shaped by their climate niche. Our findings assist predictions of oak drought resistance with future climate changes for oak forest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Guan
- Plant Ecophysiology and Evolution Group, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilisation of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
| | - Yin Wen
- Plant Ecophysiology and Evolution Group, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilisation of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
| | - Ya Zhang
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Zhao Chen
- Plant Ecophysiology and Evolution Group, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilisation of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
| | - Kun-Fang Cao
- Plant Ecophysiology and Evolution Group, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilisation of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
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7
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Losso A, Challis A, Gauthey A, Nolan RH, Hislop S, Roff A, Boer MM, Jiang M, Medlyn BE, Choat B. Canopy dieback and recovery in Australian native forests following extreme drought. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21608. [PMID: 36517498 PMCID: PMC9751299 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24833-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2019, south-eastern Australia experienced its driest and hottest year on record, resulting in massive canopy dieback events in eucalypt dominated forests. A subsequent period of high precipitation in 2020 provided a rare opportunity to quantify the impacts of extreme drought and consequent recovery. We quantified canopy health and hydraulic impairment (native percent loss of hydraulic conductivity, PLC) of 18 native tree species growing at 15 sites that were heavily impacted by the drought both during and 8-10 months after the drought. Most species exhibited high PLC during drought (PLC:65.1 ± 3.3%), with no clear patterns across sites or species. Heavily impaired trees (PLC > 70%) showed extensive canopy browning. In the post-drought period, most surviving trees exhibited hydraulic recovery (PLC:26.1 ± 5.1%), although PLC remained high in some trees (50-70%). Regained hydraulic function (PLC < 50%) corresponded to decreased canopy browning indicating improved tree health. Similar drought (37.1 ± 4.2%) and post-drought (35.1 ± 4.4%) percentages of basal area with dead canopy suggested that trees with severely compromised canopies immediately after drought were not able to recover. This dataset provides insights into the impacts of severe natural drought on the health of mature trees, where hydraulic failure is a major contributor in canopy dieback and tree mortality during extreme drought events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Losso
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Anthea Challis
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Alice Gauthey
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
- Plant Ecology Research Laboratory PERL, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Rachael H Nolan
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
- NSW Bushfire Risk Management Research Hub, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Samuel Hislop
- Forest Science, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Parramatta, NSW, 2150, Australia
| | - Adam Roff
- Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Remote Sensing and Landscape Science, 26 Honeysuckle Drive, Newcastle, NSW, 2302, Australia
| | - Matthias M Boer
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
- NSW Bushfire Risk Management Research Hub, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Mingkai Jiang
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Rd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Belinda E Medlyn
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
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Tordoni E, Petruzzellis F, Di Bonaventura A, Pavanetto N, Tomasella M, Nardini A, Boscutti F, Martini F, Bacaro G. Projections of leaf turgor loss point shifts under future climate change scenarios. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:6640-6652. [PMID: 36054311 PMCID: PMC9825879 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Predicting the consequences of climate change is of utmost importance to mitigate impacts on vulnerable ecosystems; plant hydraulic traits are particularly useful proxies for predicting functional disruptions potentially occurring in the near future. This study assessed the current and future regional patterns of leaf water potential at turgor loss point (Ψtlp ) by measuring and projecting the Ψtlp of 166 vascular plant species (159 angiosperms and 7 gymnosperms) across a large climatic range spanning from alpine to Mediterranean areas in NE Italy. For angiosperms, random forest models predicted a consistent shift toward more negative values in low-elevation areas, whereas for gymnosperms the pattern was more variable, particularly in the alpine sector (i.e., Alps and Prealps). Simulations were also developed to evaluate the number of threatened species under two Ψtlp plasticity scenarios (low vs. high plasticity), and it was found that in the worst-case scenario approximately 72% of the angiosperm species and 68% of gymnosperms within a location were at risk to exceed their physiological plasticity. The different responses to climate change by specific clades might produce reassembly in natural communities, undermining the resilience of natural ecosystems to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Tordoni
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
- Institute of Ecology and Earth ScienceUniversity of TartuTartuEstonia
| | - Francesco Petruzzellis
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal SciencesUniversity of UdineUdineItaly
| | - Azzurra Di Bonaventura
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal SciencesUniversity of UdineUdineItaly
| | | | | | - Andrea Nardini
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
| | - Francesco Boscutti
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal SciencesUniversity of UdineUdineItaly
| | | | - Giovanni Bacaro
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
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Xu GQ, Kandlikar GS, Vaz MC. Evolutionary lability underlies drought adaptation of Australian shrubs along aridity gradients. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:949531. [PMID: 36275606 PMCID: PMC9585297 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.949531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Leaf drought tolerance traits influence plant survival in water deficit conditions, and these traits are influenced by both the plant's evolutionary history and the environment in which the plant is currently growing. However, due to the substantial phenotypic plasticity in leaf traits, we still do not know to what degree variation in leaf traits is governed by species' phylogenetic history or by their environment. To explore this question, we re-examined a drought tolerance dataset from 37 native Australian shrub species with varying climate origins growing in a common garden located in Melbourne, Australia. We previously measured seven leaf morphophysiological traits, and here, we estimated how phylogenetically conserved these traits are. We quantified phylogeny and the strength of correlation between the morphological traits and physiological traits before and after accounting for shared phylogenetic history. We also evaluated the relationship between species' leaf traits and the climate of their native ranges. We present three main findings: (a) most leaf drought tolerance traits had weak phylogenetic signals, which is consistent with the convergent evolution of these traits. (b) There is weak but consistent coordination between distinct leaf drought tolerance traits, which can be masked due to species' phylogenetic histories. (c) Leaf drought tolerance traits show strong correlations with the climate of species' origins, and this relationship is only weakly impacted by phylogenetic signals. Therefore, the role of phylogeny on the coordination among leaf functional traits and their links to climate were limited. A better understanding of trait-environment relationships might be more pivotal than understanding the evolution of these traits for improving the predictions of species' response to climate change-type drought, especially for shrub species that span substantial aridity gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Qing Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Gaurav S. Kandlikar
- Division of Biological Sciences and Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Marcel C. Vaz
- Wilkes University, Institute for Environmental Science and Sustainability, Wilkes-Barre, PA, United States
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10
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Khan A, Shen F, Yang L, Xing W, Clothier B. Limited Acclimation in Leaf Morphology and Anatomy to Experimental Drought in Temperate Forest Species. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11081186. [PMID: 36009813 PMCID: PMC9404820 DOI: 10.3390/biology11081186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Climate change shown to have a significant impact on the forest ecosystem due to increased and more frequent occurrence of extreme drought. However, in order to successfully adjust to the xeric environments, plants can usually adopt a variety of adaptation strategies. Here, we investigated the morpho-anatomical traits and biomass allocation patterns as acclimation mechanisms in drought conditions. We found that the interrelation between leaf morphological and anatomical traits were equally affected by drought conditions across all species. This suggests that there is no convincing evidence to classify taxa based on drought resistance vs. drought tolerance. However, based on the biomass allocation pattern, we found that P. koraiensis and F. mandshurica had the higher RMF and total PB, but lower LFM, suggesting higher drought tolerance than those of the other species. Therefore, our dataset revealed some easily measurable traits, such as LMF, RMF, and PB, which demonstrated the seedling’s ability to cope with drought and which could be utilized to choose drought-tolerant species for reforestation in the temperate forest. Abstract Drought is a critical and increasingly common abiotic factor that has impacts on plant structures and functioning and is a challenge for the successful management of forest ecosystems. Here, we test the shifts in leaf morpho-anatomical or hydraulic traits and plant growth above ground caused by drought. A factorial experiment was conducted with two gymnosperms (Larix gmelinii and Pinus koraiensis) and two angiosperms (Fraxinus mandshurica and Tilia amurensis), tree species grown under three varying drought intensities in NE China. Considering all the species studied, the plant height (PH), root collar diameter (RCD), and plant biomass (PB) were significantly decreased by drought. The leaf thickness (LT) increased, while the leaf area (LA) decreased with drought intensity. In the gymnosperms, the mesophyll thickness (MT) increased, and the resin duct decreased, while in the angiosperms the palisade mesophyll thickness (PMT), the spongy mesophyll thickness (SMT), and the abaxial (ABE) and adaxial epidermis (ADE) thickness were increased by drought. The correlation analysis revealed that P. koraiensis and F. mandshurica had the higher RMF and total plant biomass, but the least LMF, suggesting drought tolerance. In contrast, the L. gmelinii had the least RMF and higher LMF, suggesting vulnerability to drought. Similarly, T. amurensis had the higher leaf size, which increased the evaporative demand and depleted the soil water quickly relative to the other species. The interrelation among the morpho-anatomical leaf traits was equally affected by drought across all the studied species, suggesting that there is no clear evidence to differentiate the taxa based on drought resistance vs. drought tolerance. Thus, we have identified some easily measurable traits (i.e., LMF, RMF, and PB) which evidenced the seedling’s ability to cope with drought and which therefore could be used as proxies in the selection of drought tolerant species for reforestation in the temperate forest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attaullah Khan
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Fangyuan Shen
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Lixue Yang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Wei Xing
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Brent Clothier
- Sustainable Production, New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4474, New Zealand
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De Kauwe MG, Sabot MEB, Medlyn BE, Pitman AJ, Meir P, Cernusak LA, Gallagher RV, Ukkola AM, Rifai SW, Choat B. Towards species-level forecasts of drought-induced tree mortality risk. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 235:94-110. [PMID: 35363880 PMCID: PMC9321630 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Predicting species-level responses to drought at the landscape scale is critical to reducing uncertainty in future terrestrial carbon and water cycle projections. We embedded a stomatal optimisation model in the Community Atmosphere Biosphere Land Exchange (CABLE) land surface model and parameterised the model for 15 canopy dominant eucalypt tree species across South-Eastern Australia (mean annual precipitation range: 344-1424 mm yr-1 ). We conducted three experiments: applying CABLE to the 2017-2019 drought; a 20% drier drought; and a 20% drier drought with a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2 ). The severity of the drought was highlighted as for at least 25% of their distribution ranges, 60% of species experienced leaf water potentials beyond the water potential at which 50% of hydraulic conductivity is lost due to embolism. We identified areas of severe hydraulic stress within-species' ranges, but we also pinpointed resilience in species found in predominantly semiarid areas. The importance of the role of CO2 in ameliorating drought stress was consistent across species. Our results represent an important advance in our capacity to forecast the resilience of individual tree species, providing an evidence base for decision-making around the resilience of restoration plantings or net-zero emission strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manon E. B. Sabot
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate ExtremesSydneyNSW2052Australia
- Climate Change Research CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
| | - Belinda E. Medlyn
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityLocked Bag 1797PenrithNSW2751Australia
| | - Andrew J. Pitman
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate ExtremesSydneyNSW2052Australia
- Climate Change Research CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
| | - Patrick Meir
- School of GeosciencesThe University of EdinburghEdinburghEH9 3FFUK
| | - Lucas A. Cernusak
- College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityCairnsQld4878Australia
| | - Rachael V. Gallagher
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityLocked Bag 1797PenrithNSW2751Australia
| | - Anna M. Ukkola
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate ExtremesSydneyNSW2052Australia
- Climate Change Research CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
| | - Sami W. Rifai
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate ExtremesSydneyNSW2052Australia
- Climate Change Research CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityLocked Bag 1797PenrithNSW2751Australia
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12
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Jacob V, Choat B, Churchill AC, Zhang H, Barton CVM, Krishnananthaselvan A, Post AK, Power SA, Medlyn BE, Tissue DT. High safety margins to drought-induced hydraulic failure found in five pasture grasses. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2022; 45:1631-1646. [PMID: 35319101 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Determining the relationship between reductions in stomatal conductance (gs ) and leaf water transport during dehydration is key to understanding plant drought responses. While numerous studies have analysed the hydraulic function of woody species, minimal research has been conducted on grasses. Here, we sought to characterize hydraulic vulnerability in five widely-occurring pasture grasses (including both C3 and C4 grasses) and determine whether reductions in gs and leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf ) during dehydration could be attributed to xylem embolism. Using the optical vulnerability (OV) technique, we found that all species were highly resistant to xylem embolism when compared to other herbaceous angiosperms, with 50% xylem embolism (PX50 ) occurring at xylem pressures ranging from -4.4 to -6.1 MPa. We observed similar reductions in gs and Kleaf under mild water stress for all species, occurring well before PX50 . The onset of xylem embolism (PX12 ) occurred consistently after stomatal closure and 90% reduction of Kleaf . Our results suggest that factors other than xylem embolism are responsible for the majority of reductions in gs and Kleaf during drought and reductions in the productivity of pasture species under moderate drought may not be driven by embolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinod Jacob
- Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Haiyang Zhang
- Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | | | - Alison K Post
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Sally A Power
- Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - David T Tissue
- Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
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13
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Gauthey A, Peters JMR, Lòpez R, Carins-Murphy MR, Rodriguez-Dominguez CM, Tissue DT, Medlyn BE, Brodribb TJ, Choat B. Mechanisms of xylem hydraulic recovery after drought in Eucalyptus saligna. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2022; 45:1216-1228. [PMID: 35119114 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The mechanisms by which woody plants recover xylem hydraulic capacity after drought stress are not well understood, particularly with regard to the role of embolism refilling. We evaluated the recovery of xylem hydraulic capacity in young Eucalyptus saligna plants exposed to cycles of drought stress and rewatering. Plants were exposed to moderate and severe drought stress treatments, with recovery monitored at time intervals from 24 h to 6 months after rewatering. The percentage loss of xylem vessels due to embolism (PLV) was quantified at each time point using microcomputed tomography with stem water potential (Ψx ) and canopy transpiration (Ec ) measured before scans. Plants exposed to severe drought stress suffered high levels of embolism (47.38% ± 10.97% PLV) and almost complete canopy loss. No evidence of embolism refilling was observed at 24 h, 1 week, or 3 weeks after rewatering despite rapid recovery in Ψx . Recovery of hydraulic capacity was achieved over a 6-month period by growth of new xylem tissue, with canopy leaf area and Ec recovering over the same period. These findings indicate that E. saligna recovers slowly from severe drought stress, with potential for embolism to persist in the xylem for many months after rainfall events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Gauthey
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jennifer M R Peters
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Rosana Lòpez
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
- Departamento de Sistemas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Celia M Rodriguez-Dominguez
- Irrigation and Crop Ecophysiology Group, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS, CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Ecophysiology, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS, CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
- Global Centre for Land Based Innovation, Western Syndey University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Belinda E Medlyn
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tim J Brodribb
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
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14
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Xu GQ, Farrell C, Arndt SK. Climate of origin has no influence on drought adaptive traits and the drought responses of a widely distributed polymorphic shrub. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 42:86-98. [PMID: 34259315 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpab085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Climate has a significant influence on species distribution and the expression of functional traits in different plant species. However, it is unknown if subspecies with different climate envelopes also show differences in their expression of plant functional traits or if they respond differently to drought stress. We measured functional traits and drought responses of five subspecies of a widely distributed, cosmopolitan polymorphic shrub, Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq., in an experiment with 1-year-old plants. Functional traits, such as leaf size, specific leaf area, turgor loss point (ΨTLP), maximum stomatal conductance and maximum plant hydraulic conductance, differed among the five subspecies. However, while the were some differences among traits, these were not related to their climate of origin, as measured by mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation and mean annual aridity index. Drought response was also not related to climate of origin, and all subspecies showed a combination of drought avoiding and drought tolerance responses. All subspecies closed their stomata at very high water potentials (between -1.0 and -1.3 MPa) and had large hydraulic safety margins (drought avoidance). All subspecies adjusted their ΨTLP via osmotic adjustment, and subspecies with inherently lower ΨTLP showed greater osmotic adjustment (drought tolerance). All subspecies adjusted their midday water potentials in response to drought but subspecies from more arid environments did not show greater adjustments. The results indicated that climate niche was not related to plant trait expression or response to drought. The combination of drought avoidance and drought tolerance behavior seems to be a successful strategy for this widely distributed species that occupies many different climate zones and ecosystems. Hence, the wide distribution of D. viscosa seems to be related to plasticity of trait expression and drought response rather than long-term genetic adaptations to different environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Qing Xu
- State Key Lab of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830011, China
| | - Claire Farrell
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, VIC 3121, Australia
| | - Stefan K Arndt
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, VIC 3121, Australia
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15
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Costa e Silva J, Jordan R, Potts BM, Pinkard E, Prober SM. Directional Selection on Tree Seedling Traits Driven by Experimental Drought Differs Between Mesic and Dry Populations. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.722964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated population differences and drought-induced phenotypic selection on four seedling traits of the Australian forest tree Eucalyptus pauciflora using a glasshouse dry-down experiment. We compared dry and mesic populations and tested for directional selection on lamina length (reflecting leaf size), leaf shape, the node of ontogenetic transition to the petiolate leaf (reflecting the loss of vegetative juvenility), and lignotuber size (reflecting a recovery trait). On average, the dry population had smaller and broader leaves, greater retention of the juvenile leaf state and larger lignotubers than the mesic population, but the populations did not differ in seedling survival. While there was statistical support for directional selection acting on the focal traits in one or other population, and for differences between populations in selection gradient estimates for two traits, only one trait—lamina length—exhibited a pattern of directional selection consistent with the observed population differences being a result of past adaptation to reduce seedling susceptibility to acute drought. The observed directional selection for lamina length in the mesic population suggests that future increases in drought risk in the wild will shift the mean of the mesic population toward that of the dry population. Further, we provide evidence suggesting an early age trade-off between drought damage and recovery traits, with phenotypes which develop larger lignotubers early being more susceptible to drought death. Such trade-offs could have contributed to the absence of population mean differences in survival, despite marked differentiation in seedling traits.
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16
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Peters JMR, López R, Nolf M, Hutley LB, Wardlaw T, Cernusak LA, Choat B. Living on the edge: A continental-scale assessment of forest vulnerability to drought. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:3620-3641. [PMID: 33852767 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Globally, forests are facing an increasing risk of mass tree mortality events associated with extreme droughts and higher temperatures. Hydraulic dysfunction is considered a key mechanism of drought-triggered dieback. By leveraging the climate breadth of the Australian landscape and a national network of research sites (Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network), we conducted a continental-scale study of physiological and hydraulic traits of 33 native tree species from contrasting environments to disentangle the complexities of plant response to drought across communities. We found strong relationships between key plant hydraulic traits and site aridity. Leaf turgor loss point and xylem embolism resistance were correlated with minimum water potential experienced by each species. Across the data set, there was a strong coordination between hydraulic traits, including those linked to hydraulic safety, stomatal regulation and the cost of carbon investment into woody tissue. These results illustrate that aridity has acted as a strong selective pressure, shaping hydraulic traits of tree species across the Australian landscape. Hydraulic safety margins were constrained across sites, with species from wetter sites tending to have smaller safety margin compared with species at drier sites, suggesting trees are operating close to their hydraulic thresholds and forest biomes across the spectrum may be susceptible to shifts in climate that result in the intensification of drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M R Peters
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - Rosana López
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - Markus Nolf
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - Lindsay B Hutley
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Tim Wardlaw
- ARC Centre for Forest Value, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas, Australia
| | - Lucas A Cernusak
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
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17
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Das A, Prakash A, Dedon N, Doty A, Siddiqui M, Preston JC. Variation in climatic tolerance, but not stomatal traits, partially explains Pooideae grass species distributions. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2021; 128:83-95. [PMID: 33772589 PMCID: PMC8318108 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcab046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Grasses in subfamily Pooideae live in some of the world's harshest terrestrial environments, from frigid boreal zones to the arid windswept steppe. It is hypothesized that the climate distribution of species within this group is driven by differences in climatic tolerance, and that tolerance can be partially explained by variation in stomatal traits. METHODS We determined the aridity index (AI) and minimum temperature of the coldest month (MTCM) for 22 diverse Pooideae accessions and one outgroup, and used comparative methods to assess predicted relationships for climate traits versus fitness traits, stomatal diffusive conductance to water (gw) and speed of stomatal closure following drought and/or cold. KEY RESULTS Results demonstrate that AI and MTCM predict variation in survival/regreening following drought/cold, and gw under drought/cold is positively correlated with δ 13C-measured water use efficiency (WUE). However, the relationship between climate traits and fitness under drought/cold was not explained by gw or speed of stomatal closure. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that Pooideae distributions are at least partly determined by tolerance to aridity and above-freezing cold, but that variation in tolerance is not uniformly explained by variation in stomatal traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aayudh Das
- The University of Vermont, Department of Plant Biology, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Anoob Prakash
- The University of Vermont, Department of Plant Biology, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Natalie Dedon
- The University of Vermont, Department of Plant Biology, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Alex Doty
- The University of Vermont, Department of Plant Biology, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Muniba Siddiqui
- The University of Vermont, Department of Plant Biology, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Jill C Preston
- The University of Vermont, Department of Plant Biology, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
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18
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Flo V, Martínez-Vilalta J, Mencuccini M, Granda V, Anderegg WRL, Poyatos R. Climate and functional traits jointly mediate tree water-use strategies. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 231:617-630. [PMID: 33893652 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Tree water use is central to plant function and ecosystem fluxes. However, it is still unknown how organ-level water-relations traits are coordinated to determine whole-tree water-use strategies in response to drought, and whether this coordination depends on climate. Here we used a global sap flow database (SAPFLUXNET) to study the response of water use, in terms of whole-tree canopy conductance (G), to vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and to soil water content (SWC) for 142 tree species. We investigated the individual and coordinated effect of six water-relations traits (vulnerability to embolism, Huber value, hydraulic conductivity, turgor-loss point, rooting depth and leaf size) on water-use parameters, also accounting for the effect of tree height and climate (mean annual precipitation, MAP). Reference G and its sensitivity to VPD were tightly coordinated with water-relations traits rather than with MAP. Species with efficient xylem transport had higher canopy conductance but also higher sensitivity to VPD. Moreover, we found that angiosperms had higher reference G and higher sensitivity to VPD than did gymnosperms. Our results highlight the need to consider trait integration and reveal the complications and challenges of defining a single, whole-plant resource use spectrum ranging from 'acquisitive' to 'conservative'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Flo
- CREAF, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, 08193, Spain
- Univ Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, 08193, Spain
| | - Jordi Martínez-Vilalta
- CREAF, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, 08193, Spain
- Univ Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, 08193, Spain
| | - Maurizio Mencuccini
- CREAF, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, 08193, Spain
- ICREA, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
| | - Victor Granda
- CREAF, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, 08193, Spain
| | - William R L Anderegg
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Rafael Poyatos
- CREAF, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, 08193, Spain
- Univ Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, 08193, Spain
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19
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Oyanoghafo OO, O’ Brien C, Choat B, Tissue D, Rymer PD. Vulnerability to xylem cavitation of Hakea species (Proteaceae) from a range of biomes and life histories predicted by climatic niche. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2021; 127:909-918. [PMID: 33606015 PMCID: PMC8225280 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcab020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Extreme drought conditions across the globe are impacting biodiversity, with serious implications for the persistence of native species. However, quantitative data on physiological tolerance are not available for diverse flora to inform conservation management. We quantified physiological resistance to cavitation in the diverse Hakea genus (Proteaceae) to test predictions based on climatic origin, life history and functional traits. METHODS We sampled terminal branches of replicate plants of 16 species in a common garden. Xylem cavitation was induced in branches under varying water potentials (tension) in a centrifuge, and the tension generating 50 % loss of conductivity (stem P50) was characterized as a metric for cavitation resistance. The same branches were used to estimate plant functional traits, including wood density, specific leaf area and Huber value (sap flow area to leaf area ratio). KEY RESULTS There was significant variation in stem P50 among species, which was negatively associated with the species climate origin (rainfall and aridity). Cavitation resistance did not differ among life histories; however, a drought avoidance strategy with terete leaf form and greater Huber value may be important for species to colonize and persist in the arid biome. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights climate (rainfall and aridity), rather than life history and functional traits, as the key predictor of variation in cavitation resistance (stem P50). Rainfall for species origin was the best predictor of cavitation resistance, explaining variation in stem P50, which appears to be a major determinant of species distribution. This study also indicates that stem P50 is an adaptive trait, genetically determined, and hence reliable and robust for predicting species vulnerability to climate change. Our findings will contribute to future prediction of species vulnerability to drought and adaptive management under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osazee O Oyanoghafo
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales 2751,Australia
- Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
| | - Corey O’ Brien
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales 2751,Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales 2751,Australia
| | - David Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales 2751,Australia
| | - Paul D Rymer
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales 2751,Australia
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20
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Álvarez-Maldini C, Acevedo M, Pinto M. Hydroscapes: A Useful Metric for Distinguishing Iso-/Anisohydric Behavior in Almond Cultivars. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:plants10061249. [PMID: 34205343 PMCID: PMC8233807 DOI: 10.3390/plants10061249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As a consequence of climate change, water scarcity has increased the use of the iso-/anisohydric concept with the aim of identifying anisohydric or drought-tolerant genotypes. Recently, Meinzer and colleagues developed a metric for discriminating between iso- and anisohydric behavior called the hydroscape, which describes a range in which stomata control leaf water potential (Ψ) with decreasing water availability, and it is linked to several water-regulation and drought-tolerance traits. Thus, our objective was to test the usefulness of the hydroscape in discriminating between iso- and anisohydric Prunus dulcis cultivars, a species that is widely cultivated in Mediterranean central Chile due to its ability to withstand water stress. Through a pot desiccation experiment, we determined that the hydroscape was able to discriminate between two contrasting Prunus cultivars; the more anisohydric cultivar had a hydroscape 4.5 times greater than that of the other cultivar, and the hydroscape correlated with other metrics of plant water-use strategies, such as the maximum range of daily Ψ variation and the Ψ at stomatal closure. Moreover, the photosynthesis rates were also differently affected between cultivars. The more isohydric cultivar, which had a smaller hydroscape, displayed a steeper photosynthesis reduction at progressively lower midday Ψ. This methodology could be further used to identify drought-tolerant anisohydric Prunus cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Álvarez-Maldini
- Instituto Ciencias Agro-alimentarias, Animales y Ambientales (ICA3), Campus Colchagua, Universidad de O’Higgins, San Fernando 2840440, Chile;
| | - Manuel Acevedo
- Instituto Forestal, Centro Tecnológico de la Planta Forestal, San Pedro de la Paz 7770223, Chile;
| | - Manuel Pinto
- Instituto Ciencias Agro-alimentarias, Animales y Ambientales (ICA3), Campus Colchagua, Universidad de O’Higgins, San Fernando 2840440, Chile;
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21
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Anderegg LDL, Loy X, Markham IP, Elmer CM, Hovenden MJ, HilleRisLambers J, Mayfield MM. Aridity drives coordinated trait shifts but not decreased trait variance across the geographic range of eight Australian trees. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 229:1375-1387. [PMID: 32638379 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Large intraspecific functional trait variation strongly impacts many aspects of communities and ecosystems, and is the medium upon which evolution works. Yet intraspecific trait variation is inconsistent and hard to predict across traits, species and locations. We measured within-species variation in leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), branch wood density (WD), and allocation to stem area vs leaf area in branches (branch Huber value (HV)) across the aridity range of seven Australian eucalypts and a co-occurring Acacia species to explore how traits and their variances change with aridity. Within species, we found consistent increases in LMA, LDMC and WD and HV with increasing aridity, resulting in consistent trait coordination across leaves and branches. However, this coordination only emerged across sites with large climate differences. Unlike trait means, patterns of trait variance with aridity were mixed across populations and species. Only LDMC showed constrained trait variation in more xeric species and drier populations that could indicate limits to plasticity or heritable trait variation. Our results highlight that climate can drive consistent within-species trait patterns, but that patterns might often be obscured by the complex nature of morphological traits, sampling incomplete species ranges or sampling confounded stress gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leander D L Anderegg
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Xingwen Loy
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | | | - Christina M Elmer
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Mark J Hovenden
- Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7005, Australia
| | | | - Margaret M Mayfield
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
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22
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Hanley PA, Arndt SK, Livesley SJ, Szota C. Relating the climate envelopes of urban tree species to their drought and thermal tolerance. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 753:142012. [PMID: 33207433 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Analysing the climate envelope of plant species has been suggested as a tool to predict the vulnerability of tree species in future urban climates. However, there is little evidence that the climate envelope of a plant species directly relates to the drought and thermal tolerance of that species, at least not at the resolution required to identify or rank species vulnerability. Here, we attempted to predict drought and thermal tolerance of commonly used urban tree species using climate variables derived exclusively from open-source global occurrence data. We quantified three drought and thermal tolerance traits for 43 urban tree species in a common garden experiment: stomatal sensitivity to vapour pressure deficit, leaf water potential at the turgor loss point, and leaf thermal tolerance. We then attempted to predict each tolerance trait from variables derived from the climate envelope of each species, using occurrence data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. We found no strong relationships between drought and thermal tolerance traits and climatic variables. Across wide environmental gradients, plant tolerance and climate are inherently linked. But our results suggest that climate envelopes determined from species occurrence data alone may not predict drought or thermal tolerance at the resolution required to select tree species for future urban forests. We should focus on identifying the most relevant strategies and traits required to describe tolerance which in combination with climate envelope analysis should ultimately predict growth and mortality of trees in urban landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Hanley
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Stefan K Arndt
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Stephen J Livesley
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christopher Szota
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
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23
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Phenotypic Plasticity of Drought Tolerance Traits in a Widespread Eucalypt (Eucalyptus obliqua). FORESTS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/f11121371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Long-term studies of tree responses to drought stress help us to understand the capacity of species to adapt to their environment. In this study, we investigated how Eucalyptus obliqua adjusts physiological and morphological traits in response to seasonal and multi-year droughts. We monitored physiological and morphological traits over multiple years in undisturbed control and throughfall reduction plots in a eucalypt forest in south-eastern Australia. The throughfall reduction treatment did not induce significantly lower soil moisture in the throughfall reduction plots compared with the control plots. However, natural variability in precipitation and evaporative demand induced drought stress of varying intensity each summer in all plots. We observed a significant relationship between seasonal precipitation and leaf pre-dawn water potential (ΨPD), with less precipitation over summer, resulting in a decline in ΨPD and drought stress when ΨPD fell below −0.75 MPa. Eucalyptus obliqua responded to short-term summer drought through rapid leaf osmotic adjustment which lowered the leaf water potential at the turgor loss point beyond the minimum leaf water potential. Morphological adjustments, such as the reduction of leaf area to sapwood area (higher Huber Value) were moderate during the measurement period and only occurred under severe drought stress (pre-dawn water potential < −1.2 MPa). Overall, E. obliqua responded to short-term mild drought stress through physiological trait plasticity, while morphological adjustment only occurred under a more severe water deficit.
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24
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Gauthey A, Peters JMR, Carins-Murphy MR, Rodriguez-Dominguez CM, Li X, Delzon S, King A, López R, Medlyn BE, Tissue DT, Brodribb TJ, Choat B. Visual and hydraulic techniques produce similar estimates of cavitation resistance in woody species. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 228:884-897. [PMID: 32542732 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Hydraulic failure of the plant vascular system is a principal cause of forest die-off under drought. Accurate quantification of this process is essential to our understanding of the physiological mechanisms underpinning plant mortality. Imaging techniques increasingly are applied to estimate xylem cavitation resistance. These techniques allow for in situ measurement of embolism formation in real time, although the benefits and trade-offs associated with different techniques have not been evaluated in detail. Here we compare two imaging methods, microcomputed tomography (microCT) and optical vulnerability (OV), to standard hydraulic methods for measurement of cavitation resistance in seven woody species representing a diversity of major phylogenetic and xylem anatomical groups. Across the seven species, there was strong agreement between cavitation resistance values (P50 ) estimated from visualization techniques (microCT and OV) and between visual techniques and hydraulic techniques. The results indicate that visual techniques provide accurate estimates of cavitation resistance and the degree to which xylem hydraulic function is impacted by embolism. Results are discussed in the context of trade-offs associated with each technique and possible causes of discrepancy between estimates of cavitation resistance provided by visual and hydraulic techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Gauthey
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
| | - Jennifer M R Peters
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
| | - Madeline R Carins-Murphy
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tas, 7001, Australia
| | - Celia M Rodriguez-Dominguez
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tas, 7001, Australia
- Irrigation and Crop Ecophysiology Group, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS, CSIC), Avenida Reina Mercedes, 10, Sevilla, 41012, Spain
| | - Ximeng Li
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
| | - Sylvain Delzon
- UMR BIOGECO, INRA, Univ Bordeaux, Talence, 33450, France
| | - Andrew King
- L'Orme de Merisiers, Synchrotron SOLEIL, 91190 Saint-Aubin-BP48, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Rosana López
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
- Departamento de Sistemas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- PIAF, INRA, University of Clermont-Auvergne, 63100, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Belinda E Medlyn
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
| | - Tim J Brodribb
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tas, 7001, Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
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25
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De Kauwe MG, Medlyn BE, Ukkola AM, Mu M, Sabot MEB, Pitman AJ, Meir P, Cernusak LA, Rifai SW, Choat B, Tissue DT, Blackman CJ, Li X, Roderick M, Briggs PR. Identifying areas at risk of drought-induced tree mortality across South-Eastern Australia. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:5716-5733. [PMID: 32512628 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
South-East Australia has recently been subjected to two of the worst droughts in the historical record (Millennium Drought, 2000-2009 and Big Dry, 2017-2019). Unfortunately, a lack of forest monitoring has made it difficult to determine whether widespread tree mortality has resulted from these droughts. Anecdotal observations suggest the Big Dry may have led to more significant tree mortality than the Millennium drought. Critically, to be able to robustly project future expected climate change effects on Australian vegetation, we need to assess the vulnerability of Australian trees to drought. Here we implemented a model of plant hydraulics into the Community Atmosphere Biosphere Land Exchange (CABLE) land surface model. We parameterized the drought response behaviour of five broad vegetation types, based on a common garden dry-down experiment with species originating across a rainfall gradient (188-1,125 mm/year) across South-East Australia. The new hydraulics model significantly improved (~35%-45% reduction in root mean square error) CABLE's previous predictions of latent heat fluxes during periods of water stress at two eddy covariance sites in Australia. Landscape-scale predictions of the greatest percentage loss of hydraulic conductivity (PLC) of about 40%-60%, were broadly consistent with satellite estimates of regions of the greatest change in both droughts. In neither drought did CABLE predict that trees would have reached critical PLC in widespread areas (i.e. it projected a low mortality risk), although the model highlighted critical levels near the desert regions of South-East Australia where few trees live. Overall, our experimentally constrained model results imply significant resilience to drought conferred by hydraulic function, but also highlight critical data and scientific gaps. Our approach presents a promising avenue to integrate experimental data and make regional-scale predictions of potential drought-induced hydraulic failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin G De Kauwe
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Belinda E Medlyn
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Anna M Ukkola
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Mengyuan Mu
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Manon E B Sabot
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrew J Pitman
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Patrick Meir
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, Australia
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lucas A Cernusak
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia
| | - Sami W Rifai
- Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Chris J Blackman
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Ximeng Li
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael Roderick
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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26
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Khan A, Sun J, Zarif N, Khan K, Jamil MA, Yang L, Clothier B, Rewald B. Effects of Increased N Deposition on Leaf Functional Traits of Four Contrasting Tree Species in Northeast China. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 9:E1231. [PMID: 32962033 PMCID: PMC7570078 DOI: 10.3390/plants9091231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Northeast China is persistently affected by heavy nitrogen (N) deposition. Studying the induced variation in leaf traits is pivotal to develop an understanding of the adaptive plasticity of affected species. This study thus assesses effects of increased N deposition on leaf morphological and anatomical traits and their correlation among and with biomass allocation patterns. A factorial experiment was conducted utilizing seedlings of two gymnosperms (Larix gmelinii, Pinus koraiensis) and two angiosperms (Fraxinus mandshurica, Tilia amurensis). Leaf mass per area and leaf density decreased and leaf thickness increased under high N deposition but trait interrelations remained stable. In gymnosperms, leaf mass per area was correlated to both leaf thickness and area, while being correlated to leaf density only in angiosperms. Epidermis, mesophyll thickness, conduit and vascular bundle diameter increased. Despite the differences in taxonomic groups and leaf habits, the common patterns of variation suggest that a certain degree of convergence exists between the species' reaction towards N deposition. However, stomata pore length increased in angiosperms, and decreased in gymnosperms under N deposition. Furthermore, biomass and leaf mass fraction were correlated to leaf traits in gymnosperms only, suggesting a differential coordination of leaf traits and biomass allocation patterns under high N deposition per taxonomic group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attaullah Khan
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, Harbin 150040, China; (A.K.); (J.S.); (N.Z.); (K.K.); (M.A.J.)
| | - Jingjue Sun
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, Harbin 150040, China; (A.K.); (J.S.); (N.Z.); (K.K.); (M.A.J.)
| | - Nowsherwan Zarif
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, Harbin 150040, China; (A.K.); (J.S.); (N.Z.); (K.K.); (M.A.J.)
- Pakistan Forest Institute Peshawar (PFI), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
| | - Kashif Khan
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, Harbin 150040, China; (A.K.); (J.S.); (N.Z.); (K.K.); (M.A.J.)
| | - Muhammad Atif Jamil
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, Harbin 150040, China; (A.K.); (J.S.); (N.Z.); (K.K.); (M.A.J.)
| | - Lixue Yang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, Harbin 150040, China; (A.K.); (J.S.); (N.Z.); (K.K.); (M.A.J.)
| | - Brent Clothier
- Sustainable Production, New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4474, New Zealand;
| | - Boris Rewald
- Forest Ecology, Department for Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Peter-Jordan-Straße 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria;
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27
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Crous KY, Campany C, Lopez R, Cano FJ, Ellsworth DS. Canopy position affects photosynthesis and anatomy in mature Eucalyptus trees in elevated CO2. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 41:tpaa117. [PMID: 32918811 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaa117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Leaves are exposed to different light conditions according to their canopy position, resulting in structural and anatomical differences with consequences for carbon uptake. While these structure-function relationships have been thoroughly explored in dense forest canopies, such gradients may be diminished in open canopies, and they are often ignored in ecosystem models. We tested within-canopy differences in photosynthetic properties and structural traits in leaves in a mature Eucalyptus tereticornis canopy exposed to long-term elevated CO2 for up to three years. We explored these traits in relation to anatomical variation and diffusive processes for CO2 (i.e., stomatal conductance, gs and mesophyll conductance, gm) in both upper and lower portions of the canopy receiving ambient and elevated CO2. While shade resulted in 13% lower leaf mass per area ratio (MA) in lower versus upper canopy leaves, there was no relationship between leaf Nmass and canopy gap fraction. Both maximum carboxylation capacity (Vcmax) and maximum electron transport (Jmax) were ~ 18% lower in shaded leaves and were also reduced by ~ 22% with leaf aging. In mature leaves, we found no canopy differences for gm or gs, despite anatomical differences in MA, leaf thickness and mean mesophyll thickness between canopy positions. There was a positive relationship between net photosynthesis and gm or gs in mature leaves. Mesophyll conductance was negatively correlated with mean parenchyma length, suggesting that long palisade cells may contribute to a longer CO2 diffusional pathway and more resistance to CO2 transfer to chloroplasts. Few other relationships between gm and anatomical variables were found in mature leaves, which may be due to the open crown of Eucalyptus. Consideration of shade effects and leaf-age dependent responses to photosynthetic capacity and mesophyll conductance are critical to improve canopy photosynthesis models and will improve understanding of long-term responses to elevated CO2 in tree canopies.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Y Crous
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW 2751, Australia
| | - C Campany
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW 2751, Australia
- Department of Biology, Shepherd University, P.O. Box 5000, Shepherdstown, West Virginia, 25443, USA
| | - R Lopez
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW 2751, Australia
- Departamento de Sistemas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - F J Cano
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW 2751, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW 2751, Australia
| | - D S Ellsworth
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW 2751, Australia
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28
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Cao PB, Ployet R, Nguyen C, Dupas A, Ladouce N, Martinez Y, Grima-Pettenati J, Marque C, Mounet F, Teulières C. Wood Architecture and Composition Are Deeply Remodeled in Frost Sensitive Eucalyptus Overexpressing CBF/DREB1 Transcription Factors. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21083019. [PMID: 32344718 PMCID: PMC7215815 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21083019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Eucalypts are the most planted trees worldwide, but most of them are frost sensitive. Overexpressing transcription factors for CRT-repeat binding factors (CBFs) in transgenic Eucalyptus confer cold resistance both in leaves and stems. While wood plays crucial roles in trees and is affected by environmental cues, its potential role in adaptation to cold stress has been neglected. Here, we addressed this question by investigating the changes occurring in wood in response to the overexpression of two CBFs, taking advantage of available transgenic Eucalyptus lines. We performed histological, biochemical, and transcriptomic analyses on xylem samples. CBF ectopic expression led to a reduction of both primary and secondary growth, and triggered changes in xylem architecture with smaller and more frequent vessels and fibers exhibiting reduced lumens. In addition, lignin content and syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) ratio increased. Consistently, many genes of the phenylpropanoid and lignin branch pathway were upregulated. Most of the features of xylem remodeling induced by CBF overexpression are reminiscent of those observed after long exposure of Eucalyptus trees to chilling temperatures. Altogether, these results suggest that CBF plays a central role in the cross-talk between response to cold and wood formation and that the remodeling of wood is part of the adaptive strategies to face cold stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phi Bang Cao
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Université de Toulouse III, CNRS, UPS, UMR 5546, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France; (P.B.C.); (R.P.)
- Department of Natural Sciences, Hung Vuong University, Nong Trang Ward, Viet Tri City, Phu Tho Province 29000, Vietnam
| | - Raphaël Ployet
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Université de Toulouse III, CNRS, UPS, UMR 5546, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France; (P.B.C.); (R.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Chien Nguyen
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Université de Toulouse III, CNRS, UPS, UMR 5546, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France; (P.B.C.); (R.P.)
- Biotechnology and crop protection Department; Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute, Phu Tho 29000, Vietnam
| | - Annabelle Dupas
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Université de Toulouse III, CNRS, UPS, UMR 5546, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France; (P.B.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Nathalie Ladouce
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Université de Toulouse III, CNRS, UPS, UMR 5546, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France; (P.B.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Yves Martinez
- CMEAB, IFR40 Pôle de Biotechnologie Végétale, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Jacqueline Grima-Pettenati
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Université de Toulouse III, CNRS, UPS, UMR 5546, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France; (P.B.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Christiane Marque
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Université de Toulouse III, CNRS, UPS, UMR 5546, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France; (P.B.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Fabien Mounet
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Université de Toulouse III, CNRS, UPS, UMR 5546, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France; (P.B.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Chantal Teulières
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Université de Toulouse III, CNRS, UPS, UMR 5546, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France; (P.B.C.); (R.P.)
- Correspondence:
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29
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Pritzkow C, Williamson V, Szota C, Trouvé R, Arndt SK. Phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptation of functional traits influences intra-specific variation in hydraulic efficiency and safety. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 40:215-229. [PMID: 31860729 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpz121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding which hydraulic traits are under genetic control and/or are phenotypically plastic is essential in understanding how tree species will respond to rapid shifts in climate. We quantified hydraulic traits in Eucalyptus obliqua L'Her. across a precipitation gradient in the field to describe (i) trait variation in relation to long-term climate and (ii) the short-term (seasonal) ability of traits to adjust (i.e., phenotypic plasticity). Seedlings from each field population were raised under controlled conditions to assess (iii) which traits are under strong genetic control. In the field, drier populations had smaller leaves with anatomically thicker xylem vessel walls, a lower leaf hydraulic vulnerability and a lower water potential at turgor loss point, which likely confers higher hydraulic safety. Traits such as the water potential at turgor loss point and ratio of sapwood to leaf area (Huber value) showed significant adjustment from wet to dry conditions in the field, indicating phenotypic plasticity and importantly, the ability to increase hydraulic safety in the short term. In the nursery, seedlings from drier populations had smaller leaves and a lower leaf hydraulic vulnerability, suggesting that key traits associated with hydraulic safety are under strong genetic control. Overall, our study suggests a strong genetic control over traits associated with hydraulic safety, which may compromise the survival of wet-origin populations in drier future climates. However, phenotypic plasticity in physiological and morphological traits may confer sufficient hydraulic safety to facilitate genetic adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Pritzkow
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Blvd Burnley, VIC 3121, Australia
| | - Virginia Williamson
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Blvd Burnley, VIC 3121, Australia
| | - Christopher Szota
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Blvd Burnley, VIC 3121, Australia
| | - Raphael Trouvé
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Blvd Burnley, VIC 3121, Australia
| | - Stefan K Arndt
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Blvd Burnley, VIC 3121, Australia
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30
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Li X, Smith R, Choat B, Tissue DT. Drought resistance of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is promoted by early stomatal closure and leaf shedding. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2020; 47:91-98. [PMID: 31825787 DOI: 10.1071/fp19093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Water relations have been well documented in tree species, but relatively little is known about the hydraulic characteristics of crops. Here, we report on the hydraulic strategy of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Leaf gas exchange and in vivo embolism formation were monitored simultaneously on plants that were dried down in situ under controlled environment conditions, and xylem vulnerability to embolism of leaves, stems and roots was measured using intact plants. Water potential inducing 50% embolised vessels (P50) in leaves was significantly higher (less negative) than P50 of stems and roots, suggesting that leaves were the most vulnerable organ to embolism. Furthermore, the water potential generating stomatal closure (Pgs) was higher than required to generate embolism formation, and complete stomatal closure always preceded the onset of embolism with declining soil water content. Although protracted drought resulted in massive leaf shedding, stem embolism remained minimal even after ~90% leaf area was lost. Overall, cotton maintained hydraulic integrity during long-term drought stress through early stomatal closure and leaf shedding, thus exhibiting a drought avoidance strategy. Given that water potentials triggering xylem embolism are uncommon under field conditions, cotton is unlikely to experience hydraulic dysfunction except under extreme climates. Results of this study provide physiological evidence for drought resistance in cotton with regard to hydraulics, and may provide guidance in developing irrigation schedules during periods of water shortage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximeng Li
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Renee Smith
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; and Corresponding author.
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31
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Creek D, Lamarque LJ, Torres-Ruiz JM, Parise C, Burlett R, Tissue DT, Delzon S. Xylem embolism in leaves does not occur with open stomata: evidence from direct observations using the optical visualization technique. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:1151-1159. [PMID: 31641746 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Drought represents a major abiotic constraint to plant growth and survival. On the one hand, plants keep stomata open for efficient carbon assimilation while, on the other hand, they close them to prevent permanent hydraulic impairment from xylem embolism. The order of occurrence of these two processes (stomatal closure and the onset of leaf embolism) during plant dehydration has remained controversial, largely due to methodological limitations. However, the newly developed optical visualization method now allows concurrent monitoring of stomatal behaviour and leaf embolism formation in intact plants. We used this new approach directly by dehydrating intact saplings of three contrasting tree species and indirectly by conducting a literature survey across a greater range of plant taxa. Our results indicate that increasing water stress generates the onset of leaf embolism consistently after stomatal closure, and that the lag time between these processes (i.e. the safety margin) rises with increasing embolism resistance. This suggests that during water stress, embolism-mediated declines in leaf hydraulic conductivity are unlikely to act as a signal for stomatal down-regulation. Instead, these species converge towards a strategy of closing stomata early to prevent water loss and delay catastrophic xylem dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Creek
- Université Clermont-Auvergne, INRA, PIAF, Clermont-Ferrand, France
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Regis Burlett
- BIOGECO, INRA, Université de Bordeaux, Pessac, France
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
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Wang MH, Wang JR, Zhang XW, Zhang AP, Sun S, Zhao CM. Phenotypic plasticity of stomatal and photosynthetic features of four Picea species in two contrasting common gardens. AOB PLANTS 2019; 11:plz034. [PMID: 31308925 PMCID: PMC6621916 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plz034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Global climate change is expected to affect mountain ecosystems significantly. Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of any genotype to produce a variety of phenotypes under different environmental conditions, is critical in determining the ability of species to acclimate to current climatic changes. Here, to simulate the impact of climate change, we compared the physiology of species of the genus Picea from different provenances and climatic conditions and quantified their phenotypic plasticity index (PPI) in two contrasting common gardens (dry vs. wet), and then considered phenotypic plastic effects on their future adaptation. The mean PPI of the photosynthetic features studied was higher than that of the stomatal features. Species grown in the arid and humid common gardens were differentiated: the stomatal length (SL) and width (SW) on the adaxial surface, the transpiration rate (Tr) and leaf mass per area (LMA) were more highly correlated with rainfall than other traits. There were no significant relationships between the observed plasticity and the species' original habitat, except in P. crassifolia (from an arid habitat) and P. asperata (from a humid habitat). Picea crassifolia exhibited enhanced instantaneous efficiency of water use (PPI = 0.52) and the ratio of photosynthesis to respiration (PPI = 0.10) remained constant; this species was, therefore, considered to the one best able to acclimate when faced with the effects of climate change. The other three species exhibited reduced physiological activity when exposed to water limitation. These findings indicate how climate change affects the potential roles of plasticity in determining plant physiology, and provide a basis for future reforestation efforts in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Hao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Yuzhong Mountain Ecosystem Field Observation and Research Station, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Jing Ru Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Yuzhong Mountain Ecosystem Field Observation and Research Station, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xiao Wei Zhang
- Forestry College, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Ai Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Yuzhong Mountain Ecosystem Field Observation and Research Station, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Shan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Yuzhong Mountain Ecosystem Field Observation and Research Station, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Chang Ming Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Yuzhong Mountain Ecosystem Field Observation and Research Station, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Corresponding author’s e-mail address:
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Blackman CJ, Creek D, Maier C, Aspinwall MJ, Drake JE, Pfautsch S, O'Grady A, Delzon S, Medlyn BE, Tissue DT, Choat B. Drought response strategies and hydraulic traits contribute to mechanistic understanding of plant dry-down to hydraulic failure. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 39:910-924. [PMID: 30865274 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpz016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Drought-induced tree mortality alters forest structure and function, yet our ability to predict when and how different species die during drought remains limited. Here, we explore how stomatal control and drought tolerance traits influence the duration of drought stress leading to critical levels of hydraulic failure. We examined the growth and physiological responses of four woody plant species (three angiosperms and one conifer) representing a range of water-use and drought tolerance traits over the course of two controlled drought-recovery cycles followed by an extended dry-down. At the end of the final dry-down phase, we measured changes in biomass ratios and leaf carbohydrates. During the first and second drought phases, plants of all species closed their stomata in response to decreasing water potential, but only the conifer species avoided water potentials associated with xylem embolism as a result of early stomatal closure relative to thresholds of hydraulic dysfunction. The time it took plants to reach critical levels of water stress during the final dry-down was similar among the angiosperms (ranging from 39 to 57 days to stemP88) and longer in the conifer (156 days to stemP50). Plant dry-down time was influenced by a number of factors including species stomatal-hydraulic safety margin (gsP90 - stemP50), as well as leaf succulence and minimum stomatal conductance. Leaf carbohydrate reserves (starch) were not depleted at the end of the final dry-down in any species, irrespective of the duration of drought. These findings highlight the need to consider multiple structural and functional traits when predicting the timing of hydraulic failure in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J Blackman
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW, Australia
| | - Danielle Creek
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW, Australia
| | - Chelsea Maier
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW, Australia
| | - Michael J Aspinwall
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW, Australia
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - John E Drake
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW, Australia
- Forest and Natural Resources Management, SUNY-ESF, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Sebastian Pfautsch
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW, Australia
- School of Social Science and Psychology (Urban Studies), Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | | | | | - Belinda E Medlyn
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW, Australia
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW, Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW, Australia
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Du P, Arndt SK, Farrell C. Is plant survival on green roofs related to their drought response, water use or climate of origin? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 667:25-32. [PMID: 30825818 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Green roofs are novel urban ecosystems with shallow substrate depths and low water availability. Hence, it is critical to select green roof plants that can survive water-deficits, particularly in climates with hot and dry summers. Shrubs are perennial plants which can be drought resistant and may be suitable for green roofs. However, studies about survival and health of shrubs are limited. The aim of this study was to determine whether plant climate of origin aridity, drought response and water use strategies could be used to select shrubs which can survive on green roofs that experience water-deficit. We selected 15 shrub species from a range of climates (dry, mesic and wet) and planted them together in 20 replicate green roof modules with 130 mm deep substrate. We monitored substrate water contents, plant minimum water potentials (ψmin), health (visual score), percentage survival and related survival with their turgor loss point (ψtlp) and water use strategies (evapotranspiration rates in a related glasshouse experiment). We also determined whether plants could recover after dry periods by rewatering after the summer. Mean gravimetric soil water content decreased to approximately 5% after summer drought, which resulted in mortality. Overall, survival ranged between 10% and 100% for the 15 species. However, survival was not related to their ψtlp or water use strategies. While shrubs from more arid climates had lower ψmin in response to dry substrates, this did not result in greater survival and health. Following rewatering, only four shrub species resprouted. Hence, as plant drought response, water use strategy and climate of origin were not strongly related to survival, we suggest survival on green roofs is likely to be determined by a combination of physiological traits. Emergency irrigation for shrubs growing on green roofs in hot and dry climates is recommended during summer to keep them alive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengzhen Du
- Department of Ecosystem and Forestry Science, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia
| | - Stefan K Arndt
- Department of Ecosystem and Forestry Science, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia
| | - Claire Farrell
- Department of Ecosystem and Forestry Science, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia.
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Li X, Blackman CJ, Peters JMR, Choat B, Rymer PD, Medlyn BE, Tissue DT. More than iso/anisohydry: Hydroscapes integrate plant water use and drought tolerance traits in 10 eucalypt species from contrasting climates. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ximeng Li
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith NSW Australia
| | - Chris J. Blackman
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith NSW Australia
| | - Jennifer M. R. Peters
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith NSW Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith NSW Australia
| | - Paul D. Rymer
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith NSW Australia
| | - Belinda E. Medlyn
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith NSW Australia
| | - David T. Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith NSW Australia
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36
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Choat B, Nolf M, Lopez R, Peters JMR, Carins-Murphy MR, Creek D, Brodribb TJ. Non-invasive imaging shows no evidence of embolism repair after drought in tree species of two genera. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 39:113-121. [PMID: 30137594 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpy093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Drought stress can result in significant impairment of the plant hydraulic system via blockage of xylem conduits by gas emboli. Recovery after drought stress is an essential component of plant survival but is still a poorly understood process. In this study, we examined the capacity of woody species from two genera (Eucalyptus and Quercus) to refill embolized xylem vessels during a cycle of drought and recovery. Observations were made on intact plants of Eucalyptus calmudulensis, E. grandis, E. saligna and Quercus palustris using X-ray microtomography. We found no evidence of an effective xylem refilling mechanism in any of the plant species. Despite rehydration and recovery of plant water potential to near pre-drought levels, embolized vessels were not refilled up to 72 h after rewatering. In E. saligna, water droplets accumulated in previously air-filled vessels for a very small percentage of vessels. However, no instances of complete refilling that would restore embolized vessels to hydraulic function were observed. Our observations suggest that rapid refilling of embolized vessels after drought may not be a wide spread mechanism in woody plants and that embolism formed during drought represents long term cost to the plant hydraulic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - Markus Nolf
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - Rosana Lopez
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
- PIAF, Institut National dela Recherche Agronomique, UCA, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Jennifer M R Peters
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Danielle Creek
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - Timothy J Brodribb
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
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Villalobos-González L, Muñoz-Araya M, Franck N, Pastenes C. Controversies in Midday Water Potential Regulation and Stomatal Behavior Might Result From the Environment, Genotype, and/or Rootstock: Evidence From Carménère and Syrah Grapevine Varieties. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1522. [PMID: 31850024 PMCID: PMC6900739 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Controversies exist regarding the iso/anisohydric continuum for classifying plant water-use strategies. Isohydricity has been argued to result from plant-environment interaction rather than it being an intrinsic property of the plant itself. Discrepancies remain regarding the degree of isohydricity (σ) of plants and their threshold for physiological responses and resistance to drought. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the isohydricity of the grapevine varieties Syrah and Carménère under a non-lethal water deficit progression from veraison from two different locations, the Cachapoal Valley (CV) and Maipo Valley (MV), in central Chile and with different rootstock only in Syrah. For this purpose, the midday stem water potential (Ψmds) regulation and stomatal responses to drought, leaf traits related to pressure-volume curves, stomatal sensitivity to ABA, cavitation threshold, and photosynthetic responses were assessed. A higher atmospheric water demand was observed in the CV compared to the MV, with lower Ψmds values in the former for both varieties. Also, the σ values in Carménère were 1.11 ± 0.14 MPa MPa-1 and 0.68 ± 0.18 MPa MPa-1 in the CV and MV, respectively, and in Syrah they were 1.10 ± 0.07 MPa MPa-1 in the CV and 0.60 ± 0.10 MPa MPa-1 in the MV. Even though similar variations in σ between locations in both varieties were evident, Carménère plants showed a conserved stomatal response to Ψmds in both study sites, while those of Syrah resulted in a higher stomatal sensitivity to Ψmds in the site of lower σ. Besides the differences in seasonal weather conditions, it is likely that the different rootstock and clonal variability of each season in Syrah were able to induce coordinated changes in σ, Ψgs12, and osmotic potential at full turgor (π0). On the other hand, irrespective of the σ, and given the similarity between the π0 and Ψgs12 in leaves before drought, it seems that π0 could be a convenient tool for assessing the Ψmds threshold values posing a risk to the plants in order to aid the irrigation decision making in grapevines under controlled water deficit. Finally, water deficits in vineyards might irreversibly compromise the photosynthetic capacity of leaves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Villalobos-González
- Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Silvoagropecuarias y Veterinarias, Campus Sur Universidad de Chile, La Pintana, Chile
- *Correspondence: Luis Villalobos-González, ; Claudio Pastenes,
| | | | | | - Claudio Pastenes
- Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Luis Villalobos-González, ; Claudio Pastenes,
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38
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Drake JE, Tjoelker MG, Vårhammar A, Medlyn BE, Reich PB, Leigh A, Pfautsch S, Blackman CJ, López R, Aspinwall MJ, Crous KY, Duursma RA, Kumarathunge D, De Kauwe MG, Jiang M, Nicotra AB, Tissue DT, Choat B, Atkin OK, Barton CVM. Trees tolerate an extreme heatwave via sustained transpirational cooling and increased leaf thermal tolerance. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:2390-2402. [PMID: 29316093 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Heatwaves are likely to increase in frequency and intensity with climate change, which may impair tree function and forest C uptake. However, we have little information regarding the impact of extreme heatwaves on the physiological performance of large trees in the field. Here, we grew Eucalyptus parramattensis trees for 1 year with experimental warming (+3°C) in a field setting, until they were greater than 6 m tall. We withheld irrigation for 1 month to dry the surface soils and then implemented an extreme heatwave treatment of 4 consecutive days with air temperatures exceeding 43°C, while monitoring whole-canopy exchange of CO2 and H2 O, leaf temperatures, leaf thermal tolerance, and leaf and branch hydraulic status. The heatwave reduced midday canopy photosynthesis to near zero but transpiration persisted, maintaining canopy cooling. A standard photosynthetic model was unable to capture the observed decoupling between photosynthesis and transpiration at high temperatures, suggesting that climate models may underestimate a moderating feedback of vegetation on heatwave intensity. The heatwave also triggered a rapid increase in leaf thermal tolerance, such that leaf temperatures observed during the heatwave were maintained within the thermal limits of leaf function. All responses were equivalent for trees with a prior history of ambient and warmed (+3°C) temperatures, indicating that climate warming conferred no added tolerance of heatwaves expected in the future. This coordinated physiological response utilizing latent cooling and adjustment of thermal thresholds has implications for tree tolerance of future climate extremes as well as model predictions of future heatwave intensity at landscape and global scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E Drake
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
- Forest and Natural Resources Management, SUNY-ESF, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Mark G Tjoelker
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Angelica Vårhammar
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Belinda E Medlyn
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter B Reich
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, USA
| | - Andrea Leigh
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW, Australia
| | - Sebastian Pfautsch
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Chris J Blackman
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Rosana López
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
- PIAF, INRA, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Michael J Aspinwall
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Kristine Y Crous
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Remko A Duursma
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Dushan Kumarathunge
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Martin G De Kauwe
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mingkai Jiang
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Adrienne B Nicotra
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Owen K Atkin
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Craig V M Barton
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
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Li X, Blackman CJ, Choat B, Duursma RA, Rymer PD, Medlyn BE, Tissue DT. Tree hydraulic traits are coordinated and strongly linked to climate-of-origin across a rainfall gradient. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2018; 41:646-660. [PMID: 29314083 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Plant hydraulic traits capture the impacts of drought stress on plant function, yet vegetation models lack sufficient information regarding trait coordination and variation with climate-of-origin across species. Here, we investigated key hydraulic and carbon economy traits of 12 woody species in Australia from a broad climatic gradient, with the aim of identifying the coordination among these traits and the role of climate in shaping cross-species trait variation. The influence of environmental variation was minimized by a common garden approach, allowing us to factor out the influence of environment on phenotypic variation across species. We found that hydraulic traits (leaf turgor loss point, stomatal sensitivity to drought [Pgs ], xylem vulnerability to cavitation [Px ], and branch capacitance [Cbranch ]) were highly coordinated across species and strongly related to rainfall and aridity in the species native distributional range. In addition, trade-offs between drought tolerance and plant growth rate were observed across species. Collectively, these results provide critical insight into the coordination among hydraulic traits in modulating drought adaptation and will significantly advance our ability to predict drought vulnerability in these dominant trees species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximeng Li
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
| | - Chris J Blackman
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
| | - Brendan Choat
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
| | - Remko A Duursma
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
| | - Paul D Rymer
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
| | - Belinda E Medlyn
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
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40
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Pfautsch S, Aspinwall MJ, Drake JE, Chacon-Doria L, Langelaan RJA, Tissue DT, Tjoelker MG, Lens F. Traits and trade-offs in whole-tree hydraulic architecture along the vertical axis of Eucalyptus grandis. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2018; 121:129-141. [PMID: 29325002 PMCID: PMC5786253 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcx137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Sapwood traits like vessel diameter and intervessel pit characteristics play key roles in maintaining hydraulic integrity of trees. Surprisingly little is known about how sapwood traits covary with tree height and how such trait-based variation could affect the efficiency of water transport in tall trees. This study presents a detailed analysis of structural and functional traits along the vertical axes of tall Eucalyptus grandis trees. METHODS To assess a wide range of anatomical and physiological traits, light and electron microscopy was used, as well as field measurements of tree architecture, water use, stem water potential and leaf area distribution. KEY RESULTS Strong apical dominance of water transport resulted in increased volumetric water supply per unit leaf area with tree height. This was realized by continued narrowing (from 250 to 20 µm) and an exponential increase in frequency (from 600 to 13 000 cm-2) of vessels towards the apex. The widest vessels were detected at least 4 m above the stem base, where they were associated with the thickest intervessel pit membranes. In addition, this study established the lower limit of pit membrane thickness in tall E. grandis at ~375 nm. This minimum thickness was maintained over a large distance in the upper stem, where vessel diameters continued to narrow. CONCLUSIONS The analyses of xylem ultrastructure revealed complex, synchronized trait covariation and trade-offs with increasing height in E. grandis. Anatomical traits related to xylem vessels and those related to architecture of pit membranes were found to increase efficiency and apical dominance of water transport. This study underlines the importance of studying tree hydraulic functioning at organismal scale. Results presented here will improve understanding height-dependent structure-function patterns in tall trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Pfautsch
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
- For correspondence. E-mail
| | - Michael J Aspinwall
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - John E Drake
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
- College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | | | - Rob J A Langelaan
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark G Tjoelker
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Frederic Lens
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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