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Tang W, Liu S, Jing M, Healey JR, Smith MN, Farooq TH, Zhu L, Zhao S, Wu Y. Vegetation growth responses to climate change: A cross-scale analysis of biological memory and time lags using tree ring and satellite data. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17441. [PMID: 39054867 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17441] [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: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Vegetation growth is affected by past growth rates and climate variability. However, the impacts of vegetation growth carryover (VGC; biotic) and lagged climatic effects (LCE; abiotic) on tree stem radial growth may be decoupled from photosynthetic capacity, as higher photosynthesis does not always translate into greater growth. To assess the interaction of tree-species level VGC and LCE with ecosystem-scale photosynthetic processes, we utilized tree-ring width (TRW) data for three tree species: Castanopsis eyrei (CE), Castanea henryi (CH, Chinese chinquapin), and Liquidambar formosana (LF, Chinese sweet gum), along with satellite-based data on canopy greenness (EVI, enhanced vegetation index), leaf area index (LAI), and gross primary productivity (GPP). We used vector autoregressive models, impulse response functions, and forecast error variance decomposition to analyze the duration, intensity, and drivers of VGC and of LCE response to precipitation, temperature, and sunshine duration. The results showed that at the tree-species level, VGC in TRW was strongest in the first year, with an average 77% reduction in response intensity by the fourth year. VGC and LCE exhibited species-specific patterns; compared to CE and CH (diffuse-porous species), LF (ring-porous species) exhibited stronger VGC but weaker LCE. For photosynthetic capacity at the ecosystem scale (EVI, LAI, and GPP), VGC and LCE occurred within 96 days. Our study demonstrates that VGC effects play a dominant role in vegetation function and productivity, and that vegetation responses to previous growth states are decoupled from climatic variability. Additionally, we discovered the possibility for tree-ring growth to be decoupled from canopy condition. Investigating VGC and LCE of multiple indicators of vegetation growth at multiple scales has the potential to improve the accuracy of terrestrial global change models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxi Tang
- School of Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- National Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry & Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology (CSUFT), Changsha, China
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, CSUFT, Changsha, China
- Technology Innovation Center for Ecological Conservation and Restoration in Dongting Lake Basin, Ministry of Natural Resources, Changsha, China
| | - Shuguang Liu
- School of Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Mengdan Jing
- Department of Earth & Environmental Science, Institute of Global Environmental Change, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - John R Healey
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
| | - Marielle N Smith
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
- Bangor College China, A Joint Unit of Bangor University and Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, China
| | - Taimoor Hassan Farooq
- Bangor College China, A Joint Unit of Bangor University and Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, China
| | - Liangjun Zhu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry & Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology (CSUFT), Changsha, China
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, CSUFT, Changsha, China
| | - Shuqing Zhao
- School of Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Yiping Wu
- Department of Earth & Environmental Science, Institute of Global Environmental Change, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
- National Observation and Research Station of Regional Ecological Environment Change and Comprehensive Management in the Guanzhong Plain, Xi'an, China
- Technology Innovation Center for Land Engineering and Human Settlements, Shaanxi Land Engineering Construction Group Co. Ltd and Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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Rodriguez-Zaccaro FD, Lieberman M, Groover A. A systems genetic analysis identifies putative mechanisms and candidate genes regulating vessel traits in poplar wood. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1375506. [PMID: 38867883 PMCID: PMC11167656 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1375506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Wood is the water conducting tissue of tree stems. Like most angiosperm trees, poplar wood contains water-conducting vessel elements whose functional properties affect water transport and growth rates, as well as susceptibility to embolism and hydraulic failure during water stress and drought. Here we used a unique hybrid poplar pedigree carrying genomically characterized chromosomal insertions and deletions to undertake a systems genomics analysis of vessel traits. We assayed gene expression in wood forming tissues from clonal replicates of genotypes covering dosage quantitative trait loci with insertions and deletions, genotypes with extreme vessel trait phenotypes, and control genotypes. A gene co-expression analysis was used to assign genes to modules, which were then used in integrative analyses to identify modules associated with traits, to identify putative molecular and cellular processes associated with each module, and finally to identify candidate genes using multiple criteria including dosage responsiveness. These analyses identified known processes associated with vessel traits including stress response, abscisic acid and cell wall biosynthesis, and in addition identified previously unexplored processes including cell cycle and protein ubiquitination. We discuss our findings relative to component processes contributing to vessel trait variation including signaling, cell cycle, cell expansion, and cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meric Lieberman
- University of California Davis, Genome Center, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Andrew Groover
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Davis, CA, United States
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Burlington, VT, United States
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Li S, Huang X, Zheng R, Zhang M, Zou Z, Heal KV, Zhou L. Xylem plasticity of root, stem, and branch in Cunninghamia lanceolata under drought stress: implications for whole-plant hydraulic integrity. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1308360. [PMID: 38439985 PMCID: PMC10910014 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1308360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Introduction A better understanding of xylem hydraulic characteristics in trees is critical to elucidate the mechanisms of forest decline and tree mortality from water deficit. As well as temperate forests and forests growing in arid regions, subtropical and tropical forests are also predicted to experience an increased frequency and intensity of climate change-induced drought in the near future. Methods In this study, 1-year-old Cunninghamia lanceolata seedlings (a typical subtropical species in southern China) were selected for a continuous controlled drought pot experiment of 45 days duration. The experimental treatments were non-drought (control), light drought, moderate drought and severe drought stress, which were 80%, 60%, 50%, and 40%, respectively of soil field maximum moisture capacity. Results The hydraulic conductivity, specific conductivity and water potential of roots, stems, and branches of C. lanceolata all decreased with the prolonging of drought in the different drought intensities. The relative decrease in these hydraulic values were greater in roots than in stems and branches, indicating that roots are more sensitive to drought. Root tracheid diameters normally reduce to ensure security of water transport with prolonged drought, whilst the tracheid diameters of stems and branches expand initially to ensure water transport and then decrease to reduce the risk of embolism with continuing drought duration. The pit membrane diameter of roots, stems and branches generally increased to different extents during the 15-45 days drought duration, which is conducive to enhanced radial water transport ability. The tracheid density and pit density of stems generally decreased during drought stress, which decreased water transport efficiency and increased embolism occurrence. Correlation analysis indicated that anatomical plasticity greatly influenced the hydraulic properties, whilst the relationships varied among different organs. In roots, tracheid diameter decreased and tracheid density increased to enhance water transport security; stems and branches may increase tracheid diameter and pit membrane diameter to increase hydraulic conductivity ability, but may increase the occurrence of xylem embolism. Discussion In summary, under drought stress, the xylem anatomical characteristics of C. lanceolata organs were highly plastic to regulate water transport vertically and radially to maintain the trade-off between hydraulic conductivity efficiency and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubin Li
- Forestry College, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Chinese Fir Engineering Technology Research Center of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Huang
- Forestry College, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Chinese Fir Engineering Technology Research Center of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ruping Zheng
- Forestry College, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Huaying Forestry Development Center, Huaying, China
| | - Maxiao Zhang
- Chinese Fir Engineering Technology Research Center of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou, China
- College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhiguang Zou
- Forestry College, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Chinese Fir Engineering Technology Research Center of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou, China
| | - Kate V. Heal
- School of Geo Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Lili Zhou
- Chinese Fir Engineering Technology Research Center of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou, China
- College of Geography and Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China
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Waite PA, Leuschner C, Delzon S, Triadiati T, Saad A, Schuldt B. Plasticity of wood and leaf traits related to hydraulic efficiency and safety is linked to evaporative demand and not soil moisture in rubber (Hevea brasiliensis). TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 43:2131-2149. [PMID: 37707940 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpad113] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
The predicted increase of drought intensity in South-East Asia has raised concern about the sustainability of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Müll. Arg.) cultivation. In order to quantify the degree of phenotypic plasticity in this important tree crop species, we analysed a set of wood and leaf traits related to the hydraulic safety and efficiency in PB260 clones from eight small-holder plantations in Jambi province, Indonesia, representing a gradient in local microclimatic and edaphic conditions. Across plots, branch embolism resistance (P50) ranged from -2.14 to -2.58 MPa. The P50 and P88 values declined, and the hydraulic safety margin increased, with an increase in the mean annual vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Among leaf traits, only the changes in specific leaf area were related to the differences in evaporative demand. These variations of hydraulic trait values were not related to soil moisture levels. We did not find a trade-off between hydraulic safety and efficiency, but vessel density (VD) emerged as a major trait associated with both safety and efficiency. The VD, and not vessel diameter, was closely related to P50 and P88 as well as to specific hydraulic conductivity, the lumen-to-sapwood area ratio and the vessel grouping index. In conclusion, our results demonstrate some degree of phenotypic plasticity in wood traits related to hydraulic safety in this tropical tree species, but this is only in response to the local changes in evaporative demand and not soil moisture. Given that VPD may increasingly limit plant growth in a warmer world, our results provide evidence of hydraulic trait changes in response to a rising evaporative demand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-André Waite
- Institute of Forest Botany and Forest Zoology, Technical University of Dresden, Pienner Straße 7, Tharandt 01737, Germany
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Goettingen 37073, Germany
| | - Christoph Leuschner
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Goettingen 37073, Germany
| | - Sylvain Delzon
- Department of Biodiversity, Genes, and Communities (BIOGECO), Institut National de Recherche pour Agriculture, Alimentation et Environnement (INRAE), Université Bordeaux, Bat. 2 Allée Geoffroy St-Hilaire, Pessac 33615, France
| | - Triadiati Triadiati
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bogor IPB University, Darmaga Campus, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Asmadi Saad
- Department of Soil Science, University of Jambi, Jalan Raya Jambi Muara Bulian KM 15 Mandalo Indah, Jambi, Sumatra 36361, Indonesia
| | - Bernhard Schuldt
- Institute of Forest Botany and Forest Zoology, Technical University of Dresden, Pienner Straße 7, Tharandt 01737, Germany
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Goettingen 37073, Germany
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Kong L, Song Q, Wei H, Wang Y, Lin M, Sun K, Zhang Y, Yang J, Li C, Luo K. The AP2/ERF transcription factor PtoERF15 confers drought tolerance via JA-mediated signaling in Populus. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:1848-1867. [PMID: 37691138 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Drought stress is one of the major limiting factors for the growth and development of perennial trees. Xylem vessels act as the center of water conduction in woody species, but the underlying mechanism of its development and morphogenesis under water-deficient conditions remains elucidation. Here, we identified and characterized an osmotic stress-induced ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 15 (PtoERF15) and its target, PtoMYC2b, which was involved in mediating vessel size, density, and cell wall thickness in response to drought in Populus tomentosa. PtoERF15 is preferentially expressed in differentiating xylem of poplar stems. Overexpression of PtoERF15 contributed to stem water potential maintaining, thus promoting drought tolerance. RNA-Seq and biochemical analysis further revealed that PtoERF15 directly regulated PtoMYC2b, encoding a switch of JA signaling pathway. Additionally, our findings verify that three sets of homologous genes from NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) gene family: PtoSND1-A1/A2, PtoVND7-1/7-2, and PtoNAC118/120, as the targets of PtoMYC2b, are involved in the regulation of vessel morphology in poplar. Collectively, our study provides molecular evidence for the involvement of the PtoERF15-PtoMYC2b transcription cascade in maintaining stem water potential through the regulation of xylem vessel development, ultimately improving drought tolerance in poplar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingfei Kong
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creationin Western China (Chongqing) Science City, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Qin Song
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creationin Western China (Chongqing) Science City, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Hongbin Wei
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creationin Western China (Chongqing) Science City, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yanhong Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creationin Western China (Chongqing) Science City, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Minghui Lin
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creationin Western China (Chongqing) Science City, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Kuan Sun
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creationin Western China (Chongqing) Science City, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yuqian Zhang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creationin Western China (Chongqing) Science City, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Jiarui Yang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creationin Western China (Chongqing) Science City, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Chaofeng Li
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creationin Western China (Chongqing) Science City, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Maize Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Keming Luo
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creationin Western China (Chongqing) Science City, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
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Aritsara ANA, Ni MY, Wang YQ, Yan CL, Zeng WH, Song HQ, Cao KF, Zhu SD. Tree growth is correlated with hydraulic efficiency and safety across 22 tree species in a subtropical karst forest. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 43:1307-1318. [PMID: 37067918 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpad050] [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: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Karst forests are habitats in which access to soil water can be challenging for plants. Therefore, safe and efficient xylem water transport and large internal water storage may benefit tree growth. In this study, we selected 22 tree species from a primary subtropical karst forest in southern China and measured their xylem anatomical traits, saturated water content (SWC), hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and embolism resistance (P50). Additionally, we monitored growth of diameter at breast height (DBH) in 440 individual trees of various sizes over three consecutive years. Our objective was to analyze the relationships between xylem structure, hydraulic efficiency, safety, water storage and growth of karst tree species. The results showed significant differences in structure but not in hydraulic traits between deciduous and evergreen species. Larger vessel diameter, paratracheal parenchyma and higher SWC were correlated with higher Ks. Embolism resistance was not correlated with the studied anatomical traits, and no tradeoff with Ks was observed. In small trees (5-15 cm DBH), diameter growth rate (DGR) was independent of hydraulic traits. In large trees (>15 cm DBH), higher Ks and more negative P50 accounted for higher DGR. From lower to greater embolism resistance, the size-growth relationship shifted from growth deceleration to acceleration with increasing tree size in eight of the 22 species. Our study highlights the vital contributions of xylem hydraulic efficiency and safety to growth rate and dynamics in karst tree species; therefore, we strongly recommend their integration into trait-based forest dynamic models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy N A Aritsara
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, No. 100 Daxuedonglu Road, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Guangxi University, No. 100 Daxuedonglu Road, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Ming-Yuan Ni
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, No. 98 Chengxiang Road, Baise 533000, Guangxi, China
| | - Yong-Qiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, No. 100 Daxuedonglu Road, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Chao-Long Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, No. 100 Daxuedonglu Road, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Wen-Hao Zeng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, No. 100 Daxuedonglu Road, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Hui-Qing Song
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, No. 100 Daxuedonglu Road, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Kun-Fang Cao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, No. 100 Daxuedonglu Road, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Shi-Dan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, No. 100 Daxuedonglu Road, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
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Weithmann G, Paligi SS, Schuldt B, Leuschner C. Branch xylem vascular adjustments in European beech in response to decreasing water availability across a precipitation gradient. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 42:2224-2238. [PMID: 35861677 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpac080] [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: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Crucial for the climate adaptation of trees is a xylem anatomical structure capable of adjusting to changing water regimes. Although species comparisons across climate zones have demonstrated anatomical change in response to altered water availability and tree height, less is known about the adaptability of tree vascular systems to increasing water deficits at the intraspecific level. Information on the between-population and within-population variability of xylem traits helps assessing a species' ability to cope with climate change. We investigated the variability of wood anatomical and related hydraulic traits in terminal branches of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) trees across a precipitation gradient (520-890 mm year-1) and examined the influence of climatic water balance (CWB), soil water capacity (AWC), neighborhood competition (CI), tree height and branch age on these traits. Furthermore, the relationship between xylem anatomical traits and embolism resistance (P50) was tested. Within-population trait variation was larger than between-population variation. Vessel diameter, lumen-to-sapwood area ratio and potential conductivity of terminal branches decreased with decreasing CWB, but these traits were not affected by AWC, whereas vessel density increased with an AWC decrease. In contrast, none of the studied anatomical traits were influenced by variation in tree height (21-34 m) or CI. Branch age was highly variable (2-22 years) despite equal diameter and position in the flow path, suggesting different growth trajectories in the past. Vessel diameter decreased, and vessel density increased, with increasing branch age, reflecting negative annual radial growth trends. Although vessel diameter was not related to P50, vessel grouping index and lumen-to-sapwood area ratio showed a weak, though highly significant, positive relationship to P50. We conclude that the xylem anatomy of terminal tree-top branches in European beech is modified in response to increasing climatic aridity and/or decreasing soil water availability, independent of a tree height effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Weithmann
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Sharath Shyamappa Paligi
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Bernhard Schuldt
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Goettingen, Germany
- Ecophysiology and Vegetation Ecology, Julius-von-Sachs-Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Würzburg, Julius-von-Sachs-Platz, 97082 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Leuschner
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Goettingen, Germany
- Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL), University of Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
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Vicente E, Didion-Gency M, Morcillo L, Morin X, Vilagrosa A, Grossiord C. Aridity and cold temperatures drive divergent adjustments of European beech xylem anatomy, hydraulics and leaf physiological traits. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 42:1720-1735. [PMID: 35285500 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpac029] [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: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding plant trait coordination and variance across climatic gradients is critical for assessing forests' adaptive potential to climate change. We measured 11 hydraulic, anatomical and leaf-level physiological traits in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) along a moisture and temperature gradient in the French Alps. We assessed how traits covaried, and how their population-level variances shifted along the gradient. The intrapopulation variances of vessel size and xylem-specific conductivity reduced in colder locations as narrow vessels were observed in response to low temperature. This decreased individual-level water transport capacity compared with the warmer and more xeric sites. Conversely, the maximum stomatal conductance and Huber value variances were constrained in the arid and warm locations, where trees showed restricted gas exchange and higher xylem-specific conductivity. The populations growing under drier and warmer conditions presented wide variance for the xylem anatomical and hydraulic traits. Our results suggest that short-term physiological acclimation to raising aridity and heat in southern beech populations may occur mainly at the leaf level. Furthermore, the wide variance of the xylem anatomical and hydraulic traits at these sites may be advantageous since more heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity could imply populations' greater tree-tree complementarity and resilience against climatic variability. Our study highlights that both intrapopulation trait variance and trait network analysis are key approaches for understanding species adaptation and the acclimation potential to a shifting environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Vicente
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, IMEM Ramón Margalef, University of Alicante, C. San Vicente del Raspeig, s/n, Alicante 03080, Spain
- CEAM Foundation, Joint Research Unit University of Alicante-CEAM, Department of Ecology, University of Alicante, PO Box 99, C. San Vicente del Raspeig, s/n, Alicante 03080, Spain
| | - Margaux Didion-Gency
- Ecosystem Ecology, Forest Dynamics Unit, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland
| | - Luna Morcillo
- CEAM Foundation, Joint Research Unit University of Alicante-CEAM, Department of Ecology, University of Alicante, PO Box 99, C. San Vicente del Raspeig, s/n, Alicante 03080, Spain
| | - Xavier Morin
- CEFE UMR 5175 (CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, EPHE, IRD), 1919 Route de Mende, Montpellier Cedex 5 F-34293, France
| | - Alberto Vilagrosa
- CEAM Foundation, Joint Research Unit University of Alicante-CEAM, Department of Ecology, University of Alicante, PO Box 99, C. San Vicente del Raspeig, s/n, Alicante 03080, Spain
| | - Charlotte Grossiord
- Plant Ecology Research Laboratory PERL, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, EPFL, PO box 96, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
- Functional Plant Ecology, Community Ecology Unit, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape WSL, PO box 96, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
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9
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Influence of Juvenile Growth on Xylem Safety and Efficiency in Three Temperate Tree Species. FORESTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/f13060909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of the internal water transport system was a prerequisite for high plant productivity. In times of climate change, understanding the dependency of juvenile growth on xylem hydraulic physiology is therefore of high importance. Here, we explored various wood anatomical, hydraulic, and leaf morphological traits related to hydraulic safety and efficiency in three temperate broadleaved tree species (Acer pseudoplatanus, Betula pendula, and Sorbus aucuparia). We took advantage of a severe natural heat wave that resulted in different climatic growing conditions for even-aged plants from the same seed source growing inside a greenhouse and outside. Inside the greenhouse, the daily maximum vapour pressure deficit was on average 36% higher than outside during the growing seasons. Because of the higher atmospheric moisture stress, the biomass production differed up to 5.6-fold between both groups. Except for one species, a high productivity was associated with a high hydraulic efficiency caused by large xylem vessels and a large, supported leaf area. Although no safety-efficiency trade-off was observed, productivity was significantly related to P50 in two of the tree species but without revealing any clear pattern. A considerable plasticity in given traits was observed between both groups, with safety-related traits being more static while efficiency-related traits revealed a higher intra-specific plasticity. This was associated with other wood anatomical and leaf morphological adjustments. We confirm that a high hydraulic efficiency seems to be a prerequisite for a high biomass production, while our controversial results on the growth–xylem safety relationship confirm that safety-efficiency traits are decoupled and that their relationship with juvenile growth and water regime is species-specific.
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10
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Han H, Xi B, Wang Y, Feng J, Li X, Tissue DT. Lack of phenotypic plasticity in leaf hydraulics for 10 woody species common to urban forests of North China. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 42:1203-1215. [PMID: 35038332 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The survival and performance of urban forests are increasingly challenged by urban drought, consequently compromising the sustainability and functionality of urban vegetation. Plant-water relations largely determine species drought tolerance, yet little is known about the hydraulics of urban forest species. Here, we report the leaf hydraulic and carbon traits that govern plant growth and drought resistance, including vulnerability to embolism, hydraulic conductivity and leaf gas exchange characteristics, as well as morphological traits that are potentially linked with these physiological attributes, with the aim of guiding species selection and management in urban forests. Plant materials were collected from mature shrubs and trees on our university campus in Beijing, representing 10 woody species common to urban forests in north China. We found that the leaf embolism resistance, represented by the water potential inducing 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity (P50), as well as the hydraulic safety margin (HSM) defined by P50 and the water potential threshold at the inception of embolism (P12), varied remarkably across species, but was unrelated to growth form. Likewise, stem and leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity (Kstem and kl) was also highly species-specific. Leaf P50 was positively correlated with hydraulic conductivity. However, neither P50 nor hydraulic conductivity was correlated with leaf gas exchange traits, including maximum photosynthetic rate (Amax) and stomatal conductance (gs). Plant morphological and physiological traits were not related, except for specific leaf area, which showed a negative relationship with HSM. Traits influencing plant-water transport were primarily correlated with the mean annual precipitation of species climatic niche. Overall, current common woody species in urban forest environments differed widely in their drought resistance and did not have the capacity to modify these characteristics in response to a changing climate. Species morphology provides limited information regarding physiological drought resistance. Thus, screening urban forest species based on plant physiology is essential to sustain the ecological services of urban forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Han
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Minzu University of China, 27 Zhongguancun South Avenue, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Benye Xi
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Silviculture and Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 35 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye Wang
- Beijing Academy of Forestry and Pomology Sciences, 12 A Rui Wang Fen, Fragrance Hills, Haidian District, Beijing 100093, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinchao Feng
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Minzu University of China, 27 Zhongguancun South Avenue, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Ximeng Li
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Minzu University of China, 27 Zhongguancun South Avenue, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
- Global Centre for Land-based Innovation, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Richmond, NSW 2753, Australia
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11
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Lübbe T, Lamarque LJ, Delzon S, Torres Ruiz JM, Burlett R, Leuschner C, Schuldt B. High variation in hydraulic efficiency but not xylem safety between roots and branches in four temperate broad‐leaved tree species. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Torben Lübbe
- Plant Ecology Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences University of Goettingen Goettingen Germany
| | - Laurent J. Lamarque
- Département des Sciences de l'environnement Université du Québec à Trois‐Rivières Trois‐Rivières QC Canada
- University of Bordeaux INRAE BIOGECO Pessac France
| | | | | | | | - Christoph Leuschner
- Plant Ecology Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences University of Goettingen Goettingen Germany
| | - Bernhard Schuldt
- Plant Ecology Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences University of Goettingen Goettingen Germany
- Julius‐von‐Sachs‐Institute of Biological Sciences, Ecophysiology and Vegetation Ecology University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany
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12
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Suissa JS, Friedman WE. From cells to stems: the effects of primary vascular construction on drought-induced embolism in fern rhizomes. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 232:2238-2253. [PMID: 34273190 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
While a considerable amount of data exists on the link between xylem construction and hydraulic function, few studies have focused on resistance to drought-induced embolism of primary vasculature in herbaceous plants. Ferns rely entirely on primary xylem and display a remarkable diversity of vascular construction in their rhizomes, making them an ideal group in which to examine hydraulic structure-function relationships. New optical methods allowed us to measure vulnerability to embolism in rhizomes, which are notoriously difficult to work with. We investigated five fern species based on their diverse xylem traits at the cellular, histological, and architectural levels. To link below- and above-ground hydraulics, we then measured leaf-stem vulnerability segmentation. Overall, rhizome vulnerability to embolism was correlated most strongly with cellular but not histological or architectural traits. Interestingly, at P6-12 , species with increased architectural dissection were actually more vulnerable to embolism, suggesting different hydraulic dynamics at low compared to high percent embolism. Importantly, leaves fully embolize before stems reach P88 , suggesting strong vulnerability segmentation. This is the first study to explore the functional implications of primary vascular construction in fern rhizomes and leaf-stem vulnerability segmentation. Strong segmentation suggests that leaves protect perennial rhizomes against severe drought stress and hydraulically induced mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S Suissa
- The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02131, USA
| | - William E Friedman
- The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02131, USA
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13
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Rodriguez-Zaccaro FD, Henry IM, Groover A. Genetic Regulation of Vessel Morphology in Populus. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:705596. [PMID: 34497621 PMCID: PMC8419429 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.705596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
During secondary growth, forest trees can modify the anatomy of the wood produced by the vascular cambium in response to environmental conditions. Notably, the trees of the model angiosperm genus, Populus, reduce the risk of cavitation and hydraulic failure under water stress by producing water-conducting vessel elements with narrow lumens, which are more numerous and more interconnected with each other. Here, we determined the genetic architecture of vessel traits affecting hydraulic physiology and resilience to water stress. Vessel traits were measured for clonally replicated genotypes of a unique Populus deltoides x nigra population carrying genomically defined insertions and deletions that create gene dosage variation. We found significant phenotypic variation for all traits measured (mean vessel diameter, height-corrected mean vessel diameter, vessel frequency, height-corrected vessel frequency, vessel grouping index, and mean vessel circularity), and that all traits were under genetic control and showed moderate heritability values, ranging from 0.32 to 0.53. Whole-genome scans of correlations between gene dosage and phenotypic traits identified quantitative trait loci for tree height, mean vessel diameter, height-corrected mean vessel diameter, height-corrected vessel frequency, and vessel grouping index. Our results demonstrate that vessel traits affecting hydraulic physiology are under genetic control, and both pleiotropic and trait-specific quantitative trait loci are found for these traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Daniela Rodriguez-Zaccaro
- US Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Isabelle M. Henry
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Andrew Groover
- US Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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14
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Lemaire C, Quilichini Y, Brunel-Michac N, Santini J, Berti L, Cartailler J, Conchon P, Badel É, Herbette S. Plasticity of the xylem vulnerability to embolism in Populus tremula x alba relies on pit quantity properties rather than on pit structure. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 41:1384-1399. [PMID: 33554260 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpab018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge on variations of drought resistance traits are needed to predict the potential of trees to acclimate to coming severe drought events. Xylem vulnerability to embolism is a key parameter related to such droughts, and its phenotypic variability relies mainly on environmental plasticity. We investigated the structural determinants controlling the plasticity of vulnerability to embolism, focusing on the key elements involved in the air bubble entry in vessels, especially the intervessel pits. Poplar saplings (Populus tremula x alba (Aiton) Sm., 1804) grown in contrasted water availability or light exposure exhibited differences in the vulnerability to embolism (P50) in a range of 0.76 MPa. We then characterized the structural changes in features related to pit quantity and pit structure, from the pit ultrastructure to the organization of xylem vessels, using different microscopy techniques (transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, light microscopy). A multispectral combination of X-ray microtomography and light microscopy analysis allowed measuring the vulnerability of each single vessel and testing some of the relationships between structural traits and vulnerability to embolism inside the xylem. The pit ultrastructure did not change, whereas the vessel dimensions increased with the vulnerability to embolism and the grouping index and fraction of intervessel cell wall both decreased with the vulnerability to embolism. These findings hold when comparing between trees or between the vessels inside the xylem of an individual tree. These results evidenced that plasticity of vulnerability to embolism in hybrid poplar occurs through changes in the pit quantity properties such as pit area and vessel grouping rather than changes on the pit structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Lemaire
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Yann Quilichini
- CNRS-Università di Corsica, UMR 6134 SPE, 20250 Corti, France
| | | | - Jérémie Santini
- CNRS-Università di Corsica, UMR 6134 SPE, 20250 Corti, France
| | - Liliane Berti
- CNRS-Università di Corsica, UMR 6134 SPE, 20250 Corti, France
| | - Julien Cartailler
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Pierre Conchon
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Éric Badel
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Stéphane Herbette
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
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15
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Fuchs S, Leuschner C, Mathias Link R, Schuldt B. Hydraulic variability of three temperate broadleaf tree species along a water availability gradient in central Europe. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 231:1387-1400. [PMID: 33964029 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Plant hydraulic traits are key for understanding and predicting tree drought responses. Information about the degree of the traits' intra-specific variability may guide the selection of drought-resistant genotypes and is crucial for trait-based modelling approaches. For the three temperate minor broadleaf tree species Acer platanoides, Carpinus betulus and Tilia cordata, we measured xylem embolism resistance (P50 ), leaf turgor loss point (PTLP ), specific hydraulic conductivity (KS ), Huber values (HVs), and hydraulic safety margins in adult trees across a precipitation gradient. We further quantified trait variability on different organizational levels (inter-specific to within-canopy variation), and analysed its relationship to climatic and soil water availability. Although we observed a certain intra-specific trait variability (ITV) in safety-related traits (P50 , PTLP ) with higher within-tree and between-tree than between populations variability, the magnitude was small compared to inter-specific differences, which explained 78.4% and 58.3% of the variance in P50 and PTLP , respectively. In contrast, efficiency-related traits (KS , HV) showed a high ITV both within populations and within the crowns of single trees. Surprisingly, the observed ITV of all traits was neither driven by climatic nor soil water availability. In conclusion, the high degree of conservatism in safety-related traits highlights their potential for trait-based modelling approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Fuchs
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Goettingen, 37073, Germany
| | - Christoph Leuschner
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Goettingen, 37073, Germany
- Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL), University of Goettingen, Goettingen, 37075, Germany
| | - Roman Mathias Link
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Goettingen, 37073, Germany
| | - Bernhard Schuldt
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Goettingen, 37073, Germany
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16
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Xiao Z, Chin S, White RG, Gourieroux AM, Pagay V, Tyerman SD, Schmidtke LM, Rogiers SY. Vascular Connections Into the Grape Berry: The Link of Structural Investment to Seededness. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:662433. [PMID: 33936151 PMCID: PMC8083876 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.662433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Vascular bundles in the grape pedicel and berry contain the conduits, phloem and xylem, for transport of water, sugar, nutrients and signals into and through the grape berry and play a critical role in berry growth and composition. Here, we assess the vascular anatomy within the proximal region of the berry. Guided using a 3D berry model generated by micro-CT, differential staining of transverse sections of berries and receptacles was followed by fluorescent microscopy. Morphometric and vascular characteristics were analyzed within the central proximal region (brush zone, a fibrous extension from the pedicel vascular system into the berry) of the seeded cultivars Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc, as well as the stenospermocarpic cultivars Ruby Seedless and Flame Seedless. Observations revealed a change in vascular arrangement from the receptacle into the berry brush zone and differences in xylem element size as well as xylem and phloem area relationships. Xylem anatomical and derived hydraulic parameters, as well as total tissue area of xylem and phloem varied between cultivars and in receptacle and berry components. Variation in vascular growth between grape pedicels and berries was independent of seededness. Differences in receptacle xylem vessel size and distribution could contribute to cultivar-dependent xylem backflow constraint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Xiao
- Australian Research Council Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
| | - Sabrina Chin
- Noble Research Institute LLC, Ardmore, OK, United States
| | - Rosemary G. White
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Agriculture and Food, Acton, ACT, Australia
| | - Aude M. Gourieroux
- National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
| | - Vinay Pagay
- Australian Research Council Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Department of Wine Science, The University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA, Australia
| | - Stephen D. Tyerman
- Australian Research Council Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
- Department of Wine Science, The University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA, Australia
| | - Leigh M. Schmidtke
- Australian Research Council Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
| | - Suzy Y. Rogiers
- Australian Research Council Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
- New South Wales (NSW) Department of Primary Industries, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
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17
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Widespread mortality of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) throughout interior Alaskan boreal forests resulting from a novel canker disease. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250078. [PMID: 33831122 PMCID: PMC8032200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past several decades, growth declines and mortality of trembling aspen throughout western Canada and the United States have been linked to drought, often interacting with outbreaks of insects and fungal pathogens, resulting in a “sudden aspen decline” throughout much of aspen’s range. In 2015, we noticed an aggressive fungal canker causing widespread mortality of aspen throughout interior Alaska and initiated a study to quantify potential drivers for the incidence, virulence, and distribution of the disease. Stand-level infection rates among 88 study sites distributed across 6 Alaska ecoregions ranged from <1 to 69%, with the proportion of trees with canker that were dead averaging 70% across all sites. The disease is most prevalent north of the Alaska Range within the Tanana Kuskokwim ecoregion. Modeling canker probability as a function of ecoregion, stand structure, landscape position, and climate revealed that smaller-diameter trees in older stands with greater aspen basal area have the highest canker incidence and mortality, while younger trees in younger stands appear virtually immune to the disease. Sites with higher summer vapor pressure deficits had significantly higher levels of canker infection and mortality. We believe the combined effects of this novel fungal canker pathogen, drought, and the persistent aspen leaf miner outbreak are triggering feedbacks between carbon starvation and hydraulic failure that are ultimately driving widespread mortality. Warmer early-season temperatures and prolonged late summer drought are leading to larger and more severe wildfires throughout interior Alaska that are favoring a shift from black spruce to forests dominated by Alaska paper birch and aspen. Widespread aspen mortality fostered by this rapidly spreading pathogen has significant implications for successional dynamics, ecosystem function, and feedbacks to disturbance regimes, particularly on sites too dry for Alaska paper birch.
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18
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Jupa R, Mészáros M, Plavcová L. Linking wood anatomy with growth vigour and susceptibility to alternate bearing in composite apple and pear trees. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2021; 23:172-183. [PMID: 32939929 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13182] [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: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Excess vegetative growth and irregular fruit-bearing are often undesirable in horticultural practice. However, the biological mechanisms underlying these traits in fruit trees are not fully understood. Here, we tested if growth vigour and susceptibility of apple and pear trees to alternate fruit-bearing are associated with vascular anatomy. We examined anatomical traits related to water transport and nutrient storage in young woody shoots and roots of 15 different scion/rootstock cultivars of apple and pear trees. In addition, soil and leaf water potentials were measured across a drought period. We found a positive correlation between the mean vessel diameter of roots and the annual shoot length. Vigorously growing trees also maintained less negative midday leaf water potential during drought. Furthermore, we observed a close negative correlation between the proportions of total parenchyma in the shoots and the alternate bearing index. Based on anatomical proxies, our results suggest that xylem transport efficiency of rootstocks is linked to growth vigour of both apple and pear trees, while limited carbohydrate storage capacity of scions may be associated with increased susceptibility to alternate bearing. These findings can be useful for the breeding of new cultivars of commercially important fruit trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Jupa
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - M Mészáros
- Research and Breeding Institute of Pomology, Hořice, Czech Republic
| | - L Plavcová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
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19
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Toca A, Villar-Salvador P, Oliet JA, Jacobs DF. Normalization criteria determine the interpretation of nitrogen effects on the root hydraulics of pine seedlings. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 40:1381-1391. [PMID: 32483620 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaa068] [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: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Plant hydraulics is key for plant survival and growth because it is linked to gas exchange and drought resistance. Although the environment influences plant hydraulics, there is no clear consensus on the effect of nitrogen (N) supply, which may be, in part, due to different hydraulic conductance normalization criteria and studied species. The objective of this study was to compare the variation of root hydraulic properties using several normalization criteria in four pine species in response to three contrasting N fertilization regimes. We studied four closely related, yet ecologically distinct species: Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold, Pinus pinaster Ait., Pinus pinea L. and Pinus halepensis Mill. Root hydraulic conductance (Kh) was measured with a high-pressure flow meter, and values were normalized by total leaf area (leaf specific conductance, Kl), xylem cross-section area (xylem specific conductance, Ks), total root area (root specific conductance, Kr) and the area of fine roots (fine root specific conductance, Kfr). Controlling for organ size differences allowed comparison of the hydraulic efficiency of roots to supply or absorb water among fertilization treatments and species. The effect of N on the root hydraulic efficiency depended on the normalization criteria. Increasing N availability reduced Kl and Ks, but increased Kh, Kr and especially Kfr. The positive effect of N on Kr and Kfr was positively related to seedling relative growth rate and was also consistent with published results at the interspecific level, whereby plant hydraulics is positively linked to photosynthesis and transpiration rate and fast growth. In contrast, normalization by leaf area and xylem cross-sectional area (Kl and Ks) reflected opposite responses to Kr and Kfr. This indicates that the normalization criteria determine the interpretation of the effect of N on plant hydraulics, which can limit species and treatment comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Toca
- Forest Ecology and Restoration Group, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, Apdo 20, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid 28805, Spain
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Pedro Villar-Salvador
- Forest Ecology and Restoration Group, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, Apdo 20, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid 28805, Spain
| | - Juan A Oliet
- Departamento de Sistemas y Recursos Naturales, E.T.S. Ingenieros de Montes, Forestal y del Medio Natural, Universidad Politécnica de Ciudad Universitaria s/n, Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Douglass F Jacobs
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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20
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Zhao H, Jiang Z, Ma J, Cai J. What causes the differences in cavitation resistance of two shrubs? Wood anatomical explanations and reliability testing of vulnerability curves. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2020; 169:156-168. [PMID: 31828790 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Relationships between xylem anatomical traits and cavitation resistance have always been a major content of plant hydraulics. To know how plants cope with drought, it is extremely important to acquire detailed knowledge about xylem anatomical traits and assess the cavitation resistance accurately. This study aims to increase our knowledge in the methods determining cavitation resistance and xylem anatomical traits. We selected a semi-ring-porous species, Hippophae rhamnoides L., and a diffuse-porous species, Corylus heterophylla F., to clarify the reasons for the difference in cavitation resistance based on detailed xylem anatomical traits and reliable vulnerability curves (VCs). Both Cavitron and bench dehydration (BD) were used to construct VCs. Xylem anatomical traits, including pit membrane ultrastructure of these two species, were determined. The VCs obtained by the two different techniques were of different types for H. rhamnoides, its Cavitron VCs might be unreliable because of open-vessel artifacts. On the basis of BD VCs, H. rhamnoides showed higher cavitation resistance than C. heterophylla, and this is attributed to its low vessel connectivity as well as non-porous and thicker pit membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zhao
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Zaimin Jiang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Jin Ma
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Jing Cai
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
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21
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Differences in Near Isohydric and Anisohydric Behavior of Contrasting Poplar Hybrids (I-101 (Populus alba L.) × 84K (Populus alba L. × Populus glandulosa Uyeki)) under Drought-Rehydration Treatments. FORESTS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/f11040402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Carbon starvation and hydraulic failure are considered important factors in determining the mechanisms associated with tree mortality. In this study, iso/anisohydric classification was used to assess drought resistance and mortality mechanisms in two contrasting poplar species, as it is generally believed that isohydric species are more susceptible to carbon starvation, while anisohydric species are more susceptible to hydraulic failure. However, these assumptions are rarely tested in poplar genotypes with contrasting growth strategies. Thus, we subjected potted poplar genotypes (I-101 (Populus alba L.) × 84K (Populus alba L. × Populus glandulosa Uyeki)) with fast and slow growth rates to drought–rehydration treatments. The slow-growing genotype maintained higher stomatal conductance and lower predawn leaf water potential than the fast-growing genotype, thus exhibiting a near-anisohydric stomatal behavior throughout the treatment period. The nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) content indicated that the two genotypes had the same trend of carbon change (e.g., the NSC content in the leaves increased with drought and then decreased). However, when NSC content data were combined with the growth and photosynthetic data, it was observed that the slow-growing genotype mobilized carbon to maintain hydraulic safety, while the NSC content of the fast-growing genotype among tissues was static. The percent loss of hydraulic conductivity in the branches during treatments indicated that the fast-growing genotype could recover more quickly from xylem embolism than the slow-growing genotype. The slow-growing genotype with a slow growth recovery after rehydration showed a significant increase in carbon consumption, combined with a significant increase in the hydraulic safety threshold value, indicating that there may be drought tolerance. In comparison, the fast-growing genotype showed a faster hydraulic recovery ability that had no effect on the NSC content in the leaves and roots. Our findings demonstrate intraspecific isohydric behavior in poplar; however, the trade-off between carbon distribution and stomatal regulation should be considered separately within genotypes of the same species. In addition, NSC plays an important role in water–carbon balance in the drought–rehydration cycle.
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Ribeiro CL, Conde D, Balmant KM, Dervinis C, Johnson MG, McGrath AP, Szewczyk P, Unda F, Finegan CA, Schmidt HW, Miles B, Drost DR, Novaes E, Gonzalez-Benecke CA, Peter GF, Burleigh JG, Martin TA, Mansfield SD, Chang G, Wickett NJ, Kirst M. The uncharacterized gene EVE contributes to vessel element dimensions in Populus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:5059-5066. [PMID: 32041869 PMCID: PMC7060721 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1912434117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The radiation of angiosperms led to the emergence of the vast majority of today's plant species and all our major food crops. Their extraordinary diversification occurred in conjunction with the evolution of a more efficient vascular system for the transport of water, composed of vessel elements. The physical dimensions of these water-conducting specialized cells have played a critical role in angiosperm evolution; they determine resistance to water flow, influence photosynthesis rate, and contribute to plant stature. However, the genetic factors that determine their dimensions are unclear. Here we show that a previously uncharacterized gene, ENLARGED VESSEL ELEMENT (EVE), contributes to the dimensions of vessel elements in Populus, impacting hydraulic conductivity. Our data suggest that EVE is localized in the plasma membrane and is involved in potassium uptake of differentiating xylem cells during vessel development. In plants, EVE first emerged in streptophyte algae, but expanded dramatically among vessel-containing angiosperms. The phylogeny, structure and composition of EVE indicates that it may have been involved in an ancient horizontal gene-transfer event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cíntia L Ribeiro
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Daniel Conde
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Kelly M Balmant
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Christopher Dervinis
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | | | - Aaron P McGrath
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Paul Szewczyk
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Faride Unda
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Christina A Finegan
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Henry W Schmidt
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Brianna Miles
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Derek R Drost
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Evandro Novaes
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | | | - Gary F Peter
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - J Gordon Burleigh
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Timothy A Martin
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Shawn D Mansfield
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Geoffrey Chang
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Norman J Wickett
- Plant Science and Conservation, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL 60622
- Plant Biology and Conservation, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
| | - Matias Kirst
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611;
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
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23
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Effect of Long-Term vs. Short-Term Ambient Ozone Exposure on Radial Stem Growth, Sap Flux and Xylem Morphology of O3-Sensitive Poplar Trees. FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10050396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
High ozone (O3) pollution impairs the carbon and water balance of trees, which is of special interest in planted forests. However, the effect of long-term O3 exposure on tree growth and water use, little remains known. In this study, we analysed the relationships of intra-annual stem growth pattern, seasonal sap flow dynamics and xylem morphology to assess the effect of long term O3 exposure of mature O3-sensitive hybrid poplars (‘Oxford’ clone). Rooted cuttings were planted in autumn 2007 and drip irrigated with 2 liters of water as ambient O3 treatment, or 450 ppm ethylenediurea (N-[2-(2-oxo-1-imidazolidinyl)ethyl]-N0-phenylurea, abbreviated as EDU) solution as O3 protection treatment over all growing seasons. During 2013, point dendrometers and heat pulses were installed to monitor radial growth, stem water relations and sap flow. Ambient O3 did not affect growth rates, even if the seasonal culmination point was 20 days earlier on average than that recorded in the O3 protected trees. Under ambient O3, trees showed reduced seasonal sap flow, however, the lower water use was due to a decrease of Huber value (decrease of leaf area for sapwood unit) rather than to a change in xylem morphology or due to a direct effect of sluggish stomatal responses on transpiration. Under high evaporative demand and ambient O3 concentrations, trees showed a high use of internal stem water resources modulated by stomatal sluggishness, thus predisposing them to be more sensitive water deficit during summer. The results of this study help untangle the compensatory mechanisms involved in the acclimation processes of forest species to long-term O3 exposure in a context of global change.
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Dulamsuren C, Abilova SB, Bektayeva M, Eldarov M, Schuldt B, Leuschner C, Hauck M. Hydraulic architecture and vulnerability to drought-induced embolism in southern boreal tree species of Inner Asia. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 39:463-473. [PMID: 30383245 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpy116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/13/2018] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The branch xylem of six important Inner Asian southern boreal forest trees was studied for wood-anatomical and hydraulic traits in order to infer the species' drought tolerance from embolism resistance, potential hydraulic conductivity, mean conduit diameters and conduit density. The only studied angiosperm tree, Betula pendula Roth, was much more sensitive to cavitation than all five conifers (evergreen or summer-green), even when using 88% loss of conductivity (P88) in birch, but 50% (P50) in the conifers as critical thresholds. This suggests that pioneer birch forests, which have widely replaced the conifer climax forests after anthropogenic disturbance (e.g., logging, man-made fire), are more vulnerable to climate warming-induced drought than the original conifer forests. In contrast to expectation, the generally more drought-exposed light taiga species (Larix sibirica Ledeb., Pinus sylvestris L.) did not have consistently lower P50 and P88 values than the dark taiga conifers, suggesting that other drought survival traits are equally important. Among the dark-taiga species, only Pinus sibirica Du Tour, but not Abies sibirica Ledeb. and Picea obovata Ledeb., had relatively high P50 values indicating higher vulnerability. In the light-taiga forest, P. sylvestris revealed lower embolism resistance than L. sibirica. In the face of rapid climate warming and drying in Inner Asia, the drought survival strategies of southern boreal tree species deserve further intensive study, which should include other drought survival traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choimaa Dulamsuren
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, Georg August University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sholpan B Abilova
- Biology and Ecology, Pavlodar State University, Lomova Street 64, Pavlodar, Kazakhstan
| | - Madina Bektayeva
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, Georg August University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mahammad Eldarov
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, Georg August University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Göttingen, Germany
- Genetic Resources Institute, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Ave. 155 Azadlıg, Baku, Azerbaijan
| | - Bernhard Schuldt
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, Georg August University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Göttingen, Germany
- Ecophysiology and Vegetation Ecology, University of Würzburg, Julius-von-Sachs-Platz 3, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Leuschner
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, Georg August University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Hauck
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, Georg August University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Göttingen, Germany
- Applied Vegetation Ecology, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, Freiburg, Germany
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25
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Lobo A, Torres-Ruiz JM, Burlett R, Lemaire C, Parise C, Francioni C, Truffaut L, Tomášková I, Hansen JK, Kjær ED, Kremer A, Delzon S. Assessing inter- and intraspecific variability of xylem vulnerability to embolism in oaks. FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT 2018; 424:53-61. [PMID: 29910530 PMCID: PMC5997172 DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2018.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The genus Quercus comprises important species in forestry not only for their productive value but also for their ability to withstand drought. Hence an evaluation of inter- and intraspecific variation in drought tolerance is important for selecting the best adapted species and provenances for future afforestation. The presence of long vessels makes it difficult to assess xylem vulnerability to embolism in oak. Thanks to the development of an in situ flow centrifuge equipped with a large rotor, we quantified (i) the between species variability of embolism resistance in four native and two exotic species of oaks in Europe and (ii) the within species variability in Quercus petraea. Embolism resistance varied significantly among species, with the pressure inducing 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity (P50 ) ranging between - 7.0 and -4.2 MPa. Species native to the Mediterranean region were more resistant than pan-European species. In contrast, intraspecific variability in embolism resistance in Q. petraea was low within provenances and null among provenances. A positive correlation between P50 and vessel diameter among the six oak species indicates that the more embolism resistant species had narrower xylem vessels. However, this tradeoff between hydraulic efficiency and safety was not observed between Q. petraea provenances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albin Lobo
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ivana Tomášková
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 00 Praha 6 – Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Jon Kehlet Hansen
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Erik Dahl Kjær
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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26
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Liu YY, Wang AY, An YN, Lian PY, Wu DD, Zhu JJ, Meinzer FC, Hao GY. Hydraulics play an important role in causing low growth rate and dieback of aging Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica trees in plantations of Northeast China. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2018; 41:1500-1511. [PMID: 29424933 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The frequently observed forest decline in water-limited regions may be associated with impaired tree hydraulics, but the precise physiological mechanisms remain poorly understood. We compared hydraulic architecture of Mongolian pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) trees of different size classes from a plantation and a natural forest site to test whether greater hydraulic limitation with increasing size plays an important role in tree decline observed in the more water-limited plantation site. We found that trees from plantations overall showed significantly lower stem hydraulic efficiency. More importantly, plantation-grown trees showed significant declines in stem hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic safety margins as well as syndromes of stronger drought stress with increasing size, whereas no such trends were observed at the natural forest site. Most notably, the leaf to sapwood area ratio (LA/SA) showed a strong linear decline with increasing tree size at the plantation site. Although compensatory adjustments in LA/SA may mitigate the effect of increased water stress in larger trees, they may result in greater risk of carbon imbalance, eventually limiting tree growth at the plantation site. Our results provide a potential mechanistic explanation for the widespread decline of Mongolian pine trees in plantations of Northern China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Yan Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110164, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment Change and Resources Use in Beibu Gulf, Ministry of Education, Guangxi Teachers Education University, No. 175 Mingxiu East Road, Nanning, 530001, China
| | - Ai-Ying Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110164, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yu-Ning An
- Institute of Sand Fixation and Silviculture, Liaoning Province, Fuxin, 123000, China
| | - Pei-Yong Lian
- Daxinganling Academy of Forest Science of Inner Mongolia, Yakeshi, 022150, China
| | - De-Dong Wu
- Institute of Sand Fixation and Silviculture, Liaoning Province, Fuxin, 123000, China
| | - Jiao-Jun Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110164, China
| | - Frederick C Meinzer
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Guang-You Hao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110164, China
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27
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Ahmad HB, Lens F, Capdeville G, Burlett R, Lamarque LJ, Delzon S. Intraspecific variation in embolism resistance and stem anatomy across four sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) accessions. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2018; 163:59-72. [PMID: 29057474 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.12654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Drought-induced xylem embolism is a key process closely related to plant mortality during extreme drought events. However, this process has been poorly investigated in crop species to date, despite the observed decline of crop productivity under extreme drought conditions. Interspecific variation in hydraulic traits has frequently been reported, but less is known about intraspecific variation in crops. We assessed the intraspecific variability of embolism resistance in four sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) accessions grown in well-watered conditions. Vulnerability to embolism was determined by the in situ flow-centrifuge method (cavitron), and possible trade-offs between xylem safety, xylem efficiency and growth were assessed. The relationship between stem anatomy and hydraulic traits was also investigated. Mean P50 was -3 MPa, but significant variation was observed between accessions, with values ranging between -2.67 and -3.22 MPa. Embolism resistance was negatively related to growth and positively related to xylem-specific hydraulic conductivity. There is, therefore, a trade-off between hydraulic safety and growth but not between hydraulic safety and efficiency. Finally, we found that a few anatomical traits, such as vessel density and the area of the vessel lumen relative to that of the secondary xylem, were related to embolism resistance, whereas stem tissue lignification was not. Further investigations are now required to investigate the link between the observed variability of embolism resistance and yield, to facilitate the identification of breeding strategies to improve yields in an increasingly arid world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hafiz B Ahmad
- BIOGECO, INRA, University of Bordeaux, Cestas, France
| | - Frederic Lens
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden University, PO Box 9517, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Régis Burlett
- BIOGECO, INRA, University of Bordeaux, Cestas, France
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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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Sellin A, Alber M, Kupper P. Increasing air humidity influences hydraulic efficiency but not functional vulnerability of xylem in hybrid aspen. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 219:28-36. [PMID: 28985513 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2017.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Climate models predict greater increases in the frequency than in the amount of precipitation and a consequent rise in atmospheric humidity at high latitudes by the end of the century. We investigated the responses of hydraulic and relevant anatomical traits of xylem to elevated relative humidity of air on a 1-yr-old coppice of hybrid aspen (Populus×wettsteinii) growing in the experimental stand at the Free Air Humidity Manipulation site in Eastern Estonia. The hydraulic conductivity of stems was measured with a high pressure flow meter; artificial cavitation in the stem segments was induced by the air injection method. Specific conductivity of xylem decreased from 4.42 in the control to 3.94kgm-1s-1MPa-1 in the humidification treatment, while the trend was well correlated with increasing wood density. Humidified trees exhibited smaller leaf area at the same xylem cross-sectional area, resulting in 34% higher average Huber values compared to the control. Control and humidity-treated trees differed by neither native embolism level nor susceptibility to dehydration-induced cavitation. Increasing atmospheric humidity reduces the hydraulic efficiency of hybrid aspen trees expressed on a xylem area basis and causes substantial changes in resource allocation between photosynthetic and water transport tissues. This climate trend does not influence stem vulnerability to cavitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Sellin
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai 40, 51005 Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Meeli Alber
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai 40, 51005 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Priit Kupper
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai 40, 51005 Tartu, Estonia
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30
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Kirfel K, Leuschner C, Hertel D, Schuldt B. Influence of Root Diameter and Soil Depth on the Xylem Anatomy of Fine- to Medium-Sized Roots of Mature Beech Trees in the Top- and Subsoil. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:1194. [PMID: 28791029 PMCID: PMC5522885 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Despite their importance for water uptake and transport, the xylem anatomical and hydraulic properties of tree roots have only rarely been studied in the field. We measured mean vessel diameter (D), vessel density (VD), relative vessel lumen area (lumen area per xylem area) and derived potential hydraulic conductivity (Kp) in the xylem of 197 fine- to medium-diameter roots (1-10 mm) in the topsoil and subsoil (0-200 cm) of a mature European beech forest on sandy soil for examining the influence of root diameter and soil depth on xylem anatomical and derived hydraulic traits. All anatomical and functional traits showed strong dependence on root diameter and thus root age but no significant relation to soil depth. Averaged over topsoil and deep soil and variable flow path lengths in the roots, D increased linearly with root diameter from ∼50 μm in the smallest diameter class (1-2 mm) to ∼70 μm in 6-7 mm roots (corresponding to a mean root age of ∼12 years), but remained invariant in roots >7 mm. D never exceeded ∼82 μm in the 1-10 mm roots, probably in order to control the risk of frost- or drought-induced cavitation. This pattern was overlain by a high variability in xylem anatomy among similar-sized roots with Kp showing a higher variance component within than between root diameter classes. With 8% of the roots exceeding average Kp in their diameter class by 50-700%, we obtained evidence of the existence of 'high-conductivity roots' indicating functional differentiation among similar-sized roots. We conclude that the hydraulic properties of small to medium diameter roots of beech are mainly determined by root age, rendering root diameter a suitable predictor of hydraulic functioning, while soil depth - without referring to path length - had a negligible effect.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Bernhard Schuldt
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of GöttingenGöttingen, Germany
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31
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Torres-Ruiz JM, Cochard H, Fonseca E, Badel E, Gazarini L, Vaz M. Differences in functional and xylem anatomical features allow Cistus species to co-occur and cope differently with drought in the Mediterranean region. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 37:755-766. [PMID: 28338840 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpx013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
A significant increase in drought events frequency is predicted for the next decades induced by climate change, potentially affecting plant species mortality rates and distributions worldwide. The main trigger of plant mortality is xylem hydraulic failure due to embolism and induced by the low pressures at which water is transported through xylem. As the Mediterranean basin will be severely affected by climate change, the aim of this study was to provide novel information about drought resistance and tolerance of one of its most widely distributed and common genera as a case study: the genus Cistus. Different functional and anatomical traits were evaluated in four co-occurring Cistus species in the Mediterranean Montado ecosystem. Soil water availability for each species was also assessed to evaluate if they show different ecological niches within the area. Results showed physiological and xylem anatomical differences between the four co-occurring species, as well as in the soil water availability of the sites they occupy. Despite the significant differences in embolism resistance across species, no trade-off between hydraulic safety and efficiency was observed. Interestingly, species with narrower vessels showed lower resistance to embolism than those with higher proportions of large conduits. No correlation, however, was observed between resistance to embolism and wood density. The four species showed different water-use and drought-tolerance strategies, occupying different ecological niches that would make them cope differently with drought. These results will allow us to improve the predictions about the expected changes in vegetation dynamics in this area due to ongoing climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elsa Fonseca
- Departamento de Biologia, Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia, ICAAM-Instituto de Ciências Agrarias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas, Universidade de Evora, Evora, Portugal
| | - Eric Badel
- INRA, UCA, PIAF, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Luiz Gazarini
- Departamento de Biologia, Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia, ICAAM-Instituto de Ciências Agrarias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas, Universidade de Evora, Evora, Portugal
| | - Margarida Vaz
- Departamento de Biologia, Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia, ICAAM-Instituto de Ciências Agrarias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas, Universidade de Evora, Evora, Portugal
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Lübbe T, Schuldt B, Leuschner C. Acclimation of leaf water status and stem hydraulics to drought and tree neighbourhood: alternative strategies among the saplings of five temperate deciduous tree species. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 37:456-468. [PMID: 27881798 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpw095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Adjustment in leaf water status parameters and modification in xylem structure and functioning can be important elements of a tree's response to continued water limitation. In a growth trial with saplings of five co-occurring temperate broad-leaved tree species (genera Fraxinus, Acer, Carpinus, Tilia and Fagus) conducted in moist or dry soil, we compared the drought acclimation in several leaf water status and stem hydraulic parameters. Considering the extremes in the species responses, Fraxinus excelsior L. improved its leaf tissue hydration in the dry treatment through osmotic, elastic and apoplastic adjustment while Fagus sylvatica L. solely modified its xylem anatomy, which resulted in increased embolism resistance at the cost of hydraulic efficiency. Our results demonstrate the contrasting response strategies of coexisting tree species and how variable trait plasticity among species can be. The comparison of plants grown either in monoculture or in five-species mixture showed that the neighbouring species diversity can significantly influence a tree's hydraulic architecture and leaf water status regulation. Droughted Carpinus betulus L. (and to a lesser extent, Acer pseudoplatanus L.) plants developed a more efficient stem hydraulic system in heterospecific neighbourhoods, while that of F. sylvatica was generally more efficient in conspecific than heterospecific neighbourhoods. We conclude that co-occurring tree species may develop a high diversity of drought-response strategies, and exploring the full diversity of trait characteristics requires synchronous study of acclimation at the leaf and stem (and possibly also the root) levels, and consideration of physiological as well as morphological and anatomical modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torben Lübbe
- Department of Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Bernhard Schuldt
- Department of Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Leuschner
- Department of Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
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Binks O, Meir P, Rowland L, da Costa ACL, Vasconcelos SS, de Oliveira AAR, Ferreira L, Mencuccini M. Limited acclimation in leaf anatomy to experimental drought in tropical rainforest trees. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 36:1550-1561. [PMID: 27614360 PMCID: PMC5165703 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpw078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/16/2016] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Dry periods are predicted to become more frequent and severe in the future in some parts of the tropics, including Amazonia, potentially causing reduced productivity, higher tree mortality and increased emissions of stored carbon. Using a long-term (12 year) through-fall exclusion (TFE) experiment in the tropics, we test the hypothesis that trees produce leaves adapted to cope with higher levels of water stress, by examining the following leaf characteristics: area, thickness, leaf mass per area, vein density, stomatal density, the thickness of palisade mesophyll, spongy mesophyll and both of the epidermal layers, internal cavity volume and the average cell sizes of the palisade and spongy mesophyll. We also test whether differences in leaf anatomy are consistent with observed differential drought-induced mortality responses among taxa, and look for relationships between leaf anatomy, and leaf water relations and gas exchange parameters. Our data show that trees do not produce leaves that are more xeromorphic in response to 12 years of soil moisture deficit. However, the drought treatment did result in increases in the thickness of the adaxial epidermis (TFE: 20.5 ± 1.5 µm, control: 16.7 ± 1.0 µm) and the internal cavity volume (TFE: 2.43 ± 0.50 mm3 cm-2, control: 1.77 ± 0.30 mm3 cm-2). No consistent differences were detected between drought-resistant and drought-sensitive taxa, although interactions occurred between drought-sensitivity status and drought treatment for the palisade mesophyll thickness (P = 0.034) and the cavity volume of the leaves (P = 0.025). The limited response to water deficit probably reflects a tight co-ordination between leaf morphology, water relations and photosynthetic properties. This suggests that there is little plasticity in these aspects of plant anatomy in these taxa, and that phenotypic plasticity in leaf traits may not facilitate the acclimation of Amazonian trees to the predicted future reductions in dry season water availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Binks
- School of Geosciences, The Crew Building, The King's Buildings, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JN, UK
| | - Patrick Meir
- School of Geosciences, The Crew Building, The King's Buildings, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JN, UK
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Lucy Rowland
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Maurizio Mencuccini
- School of Geosciences, The Crew Building, The King's Buildings, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JN, UK
- ICREA at CREAF , 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallés, Spain
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Hajek P, Kurjak D, von Wühlisch G, Delzon S, Schuldt B. Intraspecific Variation in Wood Anatomical, Hydraulic, and Foliar Traits in Ten European Beech Provenances Differing in Growth Yield. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:791. [PMID: 27379112 PMCID: PMC4909056 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/22/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In angiosperms, many studies have described the inter-specific variability of hydraulic-related traits and little is known at the intra-specific level. This information is however mandatory to assess the adaptive capacities of tree populations in the context of increasing drought frequency and severity. Ten 20-year old European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) provenances representing the entire distribution range throughout Europe and differing significantly in aboveground biomass increment (ABI) by a factor of up to four were investigated for branch wood anatomical, hydraulic, and foliar traits in a provenance trial located in Northern Europe. We quantified to which extend xylem hydraulic and leaf traits are under genetic control and tested whether the xylem hydraulic properties (hydraulic efficiency and safety) trades off with yield and wood anatomical and leaf traits. Our results showed that only three out of 22 investigated ecophysiological traits showed significant genetic differentiations between provenances, namely vessel density (VD), the xylem pressure causing 88% loss of hydraulic conductance and mean leaf size. Depending of the ecophysiological traits measured, genetic differentiation between populations explained 0-14% of total phenotypic variation, while intra-population variability was higher than inter-population variability. Most wood anatomical traits and some foliar traits were additionally related to the climate of provenance origin. The lumen to sapwood area ratio, vessel diameter, theoretical specific conductivity and theoretical leaf-specific conductivity as well as the C:N-ratio increased with climatic aridity at the place of origin while the carbon isotope signature (δ(13)C) decreased. Contrary to our assumption, none of the wood anatomical traits were related to embolism resistance but were strong determinants of hydraulic efficiency. Although ABI was associated with both VD and δ(13)C, both hydraulic efficiency and embolism resistance were unrelated, disproving the assumed trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and safety. European beech seems to compensate increasing water stress with growing size mainly by adjusting vessel number and not vessel diameter. In conclusion, European beech has a high potential capacity to cope with climate change due to the high degree of intra-population genetic variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Hajek
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of GöttingenGöttingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Kurjak
- Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in ZvolenZvolen, Slovakia
| | - Georg von Wühlisch
- Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Thuenen Institute for Forest GeneticsGroßhansdorf, Germany
| | - Sylvain Delzon
- UMR BIOGECO Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique-UB, University of BordeauxTalence, France
| | - Bernhard Schuldt
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of GöttingenGöttingen, Germany
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Schuldt B, Knutzen F, Delzon S, Jansen S, Müller-Haubold H, Burlett R, Clough Y, Leuschner C. How adaptable is the hydraulic system of European beech in the face of climate change-related precipitation reduction? THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2016; 210:443-58. [PMID: 26720626 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Climate warming will increase the drought exposure of many forests world-wide. It is not well understood how trees adapt their hydraulic architecture to a long-term decrease in water availability. We examined 23 traits characterizing the hydraulic architecture and growth rate of branches and the dependent foliage of mature European beech (Fagus sylvatica) trees along a precipitation gradient (855-594 mm yr(-1) ) on uniform soil. A main goal was to identify traits that are associated with xylem efficiency, safety and growth. Our data demonstrate for the first time a linear increase in embolism resistance with climatic aridity (by 10%) across populations within a species. Simultaneously, vessel diameter declined by 7% and pit membrane thickness (Tm ) increased by 15%. Although specific conductivity did not change, leaf-specific conductivity declined by 40% with decreasing precipitation. Of eight plant traits commonly associated with embolism resistance, only vessel density in combination with pathway redundancy and Tm were related. We did not confirm the widely assumed trade-off between xylem safety and efficiency but obtained evidence in support of a positive relationship between hydraulic efficiency and growth. We conclude that the branch hydraulic system of beech has a distinct adaptive potential to respond to a precipitation reduction as a result of the environmental control of embolism resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Schuldt
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Florian Knutzen
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sylvain Delzon
- UMR BIOGECO INRA-UB, University of Bordeaux, Avenue des Facultés, 33405, Talence, France
| | - Steven Jansen
- Institute for Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hilmar Müller-Haubold
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Régis Burlett
- UMR BIOGECO INRA-UB, University of Bordeaux, Avenue des Facultés, 33405, Talence, France
| | - Yann Clough
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Research, Faculty of Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Christoph Leuschner
- Plant Ecology, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
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Schreiber SG, Hacke UG, Chamberland S, Lowe CW, Kamelchuk D, Bräutigam K, Campbell MM, Thomas BR. Leaf size serves as a proxy for xylem vulnerability to cavitation in plantation trees. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2016; 39:272-81. [PMID: 26177991 DOI: 10.1111/pce.12611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Revised: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Hybrid poplars are an important renewable forest resource known for their high productivity. At the same time, they are highly vulnerable to water stress. Identifying traits that can serve as indicators for growth performance remains an important task, particularly under field conditions. Understanding which trait combinations translate to improved productivity is key in order to satisfy the demand for poplar wood in an uncertain future climate. In this study, we compared hydraulic and leaf traits among five hybrid poplar clones at 10 plantations in central Alberta. We also assessed the variation of these traits between 2- to 3-year-old branches from the lower to mid-crown and current-year long shoots from the mid to upper crown. Our results showed that (1) hybrid poplars differed in key hydraulic parameters between branch type, (2) variation of hydraulic traits among clones was relatively large for some clones and less for others, and (3) strong relationships between measured hydraulic traits, such as vessel diameter, cavitation resistance, xylem-specific and leaf-specific conductivity and leaf area, were observed. Our results suggest that leaf size could serve as an additional screening tool when selecting for drought-tolerant genotypes in forest management and tree improvement programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan G Schreiber
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E3
| | - Uwe G Hacke
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E3
| | - Sabrina Chamberland
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E3
| | - Christopher W Lowe
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E3
| | - David Kamelchuk
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E3
| | - Katharina Bräutigam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M1C 1A4
| | - Malcolm M Campbell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M1C 1A4
- Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 3B2
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Summerlee Science Complex, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1
| | - Barb R Thomas
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E3
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Pfautsch S, Harbusch M, Wesolowski A, Smith R, Macfarlane C, Tjoelker MG, Reich PB, Adams MA. Climate determines vascular traits in the ecologically diverse genusEucalyptus. Ecol Lett 2016; 19:240-8. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.12559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Pfautsch
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment; Western Sydney University; Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751 Australia
| | - Marco Harbusch
- Faculty of Agriculture and Environment; University of Sydney; 1 Central Avenue Eveleigh NSW 2015 Australia
| | - Anita Wesolowski
- 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
| | | | - Mark G. Tjoelker
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment; Western Sydney University; Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751 Australia
| | - Peter B. Reich
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment; Western Sydney University; Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751 Australia
- Department of Forest Resources; College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences; University of Minnesota; St. Paul MN 55108 USA
| | - Mark A. Adams
- Faculty of Agriculture and Environment; University of Sydney; 1 Central Avenue Eveleigh NSW 2015 Australia
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Kotowska MM, Hertel D, Rajab YA, Barus H, Schuldt B. Patterns in hydraulic architecture from roots to branches in six tropical tree species from cacao agroforestry and their relation to wood density and stem growth. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 6:191. [PMID: 25873922 PMCID: PMC4379754 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
For decades it has been assumed that the largest vessels are generally found in roots and that vessel size and corresponding sapwood area-specific hydraulic conductivity are acropetally decreasing toward the distal twigs. However, recent studies from the perhumid tropics revealed a hump-shaped vessel size distribution. Worldwide tropical perhumid forests are extensively replaced by agroforestry systems often using introduced species of various biogeographical and climatic origins. Nonetheless, it is unknown so far what kind of hydraulic architectural patterns are developed in those agroforestry tree species and which impact this exerts regarding important tree functional traits, such as stem growth, hydraulic efficiency and wood density (WD). We investigated wood anatomical and hydraulic properties of the root, stem and branch wood in Theobroma cacao and five common shade tree species in agroforestry systems on Sulawesi (Indonesia); three of these were strictly perhumid tree species, and the other three tree species are tolerating seasonal drought. The overall goal of our study was to relate these properties to stem growth and other tree functional traits such as foliar nitrogen content and sapwood to leaf area ratio. Our results confirmed a hump-shaped vessel size distribution in nearly all species. Drought-adapted species showed divergent patterns of hydraulic conductivity, vessel density, and relative vessel lumen area between root, stem and branch wood compared to wet forest species. Confirming findings from natural old-growth forests in the same region, WD showed no relationship to specific conductivity. Overall, aboveground growth performance was better predicted by specific hydraulic conductivity than by foliar traits and WD. Our study results suggest that future research on conceptual trade-offs of tree hydraulic architecture should consider biogeographical patterns underlining the importance of anatomical adaptation mechanisms to environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martyna M. Kotowska
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, GöttingenGermany
| | - Dietrich Hertel
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, GöttingenGermany
| | - Yasmin Abou Rajab
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, GöttingenGermany
| | - Henry Barus
- Faculty of Agriculture, Tadulaku University, PaluIndonesia
| | - Bernhard Schuldt
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, GöttingenGermany
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