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Aguirre NM, Ochoa ME, Holmlund HI, Palmeri GN, Lancaster ER, Gilderman GS, Taylor SR, Sauer KE, Borges AJ, Lamb AND, Jacques SB, Ewers FW, Davis SD. How megadrought causes extensive mortality in a deep-rooted shrub species normally resistant to drought-induced dieback: The role of a biotic mortality agent. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2024; 47:1053-1069. [PMID: 38017668 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Southern California experienced unprecedented megadrought between 2012 and 2018. During this time, Malosma laurina, a chaparral species normally resilient to single-year intense drought, developed extensive mortality exceeding 60% throughout low-elevation coastal populations of the Santa Monica Mountains. We assessed the physiological mechanisms by which the advent of megadrought predisposed M. laurina to extensive shoot dieback and whole-plant death. We found that hydraulic conductance of stem xylem (Ks, native ) was reduced seven to 11-fold in dieback adult and resprout branches, respectively. Staining of stem xylem vessels revealed that dieback plants experienced 68% solid-blockage, explaining the reduction in water transport. Following Koch's postulates, persistent isolation of a microorganism in stem xylem of dieback plants but not healthy controls indicated that the causative agent of xylem blockage was an opportunistic endophytic fungus, Botryosphaeria dothidea. We inoculated healthy M. laurina saplings with fungal isolates and compared hyphal elongation rates under well-watered, water-deficit, and carbon-deficit treatments. Relative to controls, we found that both water deficit and carbon-deficit increased hyphal extension rates and the incidence of shoot dieback.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie M Aguirre
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA
| | - Marissa E Ochoa
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Helen I Holmlund
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA
| | | | - Emily R Lancaster
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA
- School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
| | - Gina S Gilderman
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA
| | - Shaquetta R Taylor
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA
| | - Kaitlyn E Sauer
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA
| | - Adriana J Borges
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA
| | - Avery N D Lamb
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA
- Nicholas School of the Environment, The Divinity School, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sarah B Jacques
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA
- Department of Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Frank W Ewers
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Stephen D Davis
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA
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2
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Alderotti F, Verdiani E. God save the queen! How and why the dominant evergreen species of the Mediterranean Basin is declining? AOB PLANTS 2023; 15:plad051. [PMID: 37899973 PMCID: PMC10601391 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plad051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Quercus ilex may be considered the queen tree of the Mediterranean Basin, dominating coastal forest areas up to 2000 m above sea level at some sites. However, an increase in holm oak decline has been observed in the last decade. In this review, we analysed the current literature to answer the following questions: what are the traits that allow holm oak to thrive in the Mediterranean environment, and what are the main factors that are currently weakening this species? In this framework, we attempt to answer these questions by proposing a triangle as a graphical summary. The first vertex focuses on the main morpho-anatomical, biochemical and physiological traits that allow holm oak to dominate Mediterranean forests. The other two vertices consider abiotic and biotic stressors that are closely related to holm oak decline. Here, we discuss the current evidence of holm oak responses to abiotic and biotic stresses and propose a possible solution to its decline through adequate forest management choices, thus allowing the species to maintain its ecological domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Alderotti
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy
| | - Erika Verdiani
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy
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3
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Vuerich M, Petrussa E, Boscutti F, Braidot E, Filippi A, Petruzzellis F, Tomasella M, Tromba G, Pizzuto M, Nardini A, Secchi F, Casolo V. Contrasting Responses of Two Grapevine Cultivars to Drought: The Role of Non-structural Carbohydrates in Xylem Hydraulic Recovery. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 64:920-932. [PMID: 37384580 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcad066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Xylem embolism is one of the possible outcomes of decreasing xylem pressure when plants face drought. Recent studies have proposed a role for non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) in osmotic pressure generation, required for refilling embolized conduits. Potted cuttings of grapevine Grenache and Barbera, selected for their adaptation to different climatic conditions, were subjected to a drought stress followed by re-irrigation. Stem embolism rate and its recovery were monitored in vivo by X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). The same plants were further analyzed for xylem conduit dimension and NSC content. Both cultivars significantly decreased Ψpd in response to drought and recovered from xylem embolism after re-irrigation. However, although the mean vessel diameter was similar between the cultivars, Barbera was more prone to embolism. Surprisingly, vessel diameter was apparently reduced during recovery in this cultivar. Hydraulic recovery was linked to sugar content in both cultivars, showing a positive relationship between soluble NSCs and the degree of xylem embolism. However, when starch and sucrose concentrations were considered separately, the relationships showed cultivar-specific and contrasting trends. We showed that the two cultivars adopted different NSC-use strategies in response to drought, suggesting two possible scenarios driving conduit refilling. In Grenache, sucrose accumulation seems to be directly linked to embolism formation and possibly sustains refilling. In Barbera, maltose/maltodextrins could be involved in a conduit recovery strategy via the formation of cell-wall hydrogels, likely responsible for the reduction of conduit lumen detected by micro-CT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Vuerich
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Via delle Scienze 91, Udine 33100, Italy
| | - Elisa Petrussa
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Via delle Scienze 91, Udine 33100, Italy
| | - Francesco Boscutti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Via delle Scienze 91, Udine 33100, Italy
| | - Enrico Braidot
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Via delle Scienze 91, Udine 33100, Italy
| | - Antonio Filippi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Via delle Scienze 91, Udine 33100, Italy
- Dipartimento di Area Medica, Università di Udine, Piazzale Kolbe 4, Udine 33100, Italy
| | - Francesco Petruzzellis
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università di Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 10, Trieste 34127, Italy
| | - Martina Tomasella
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università di Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 10, Trieste 34127, Italy
| | - Giuliana Tromba
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Area Science Park, Basovizza, Trieste 34149, Italy
| | - Mauro Pizzuto
- Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo, Via Udine, 39, Rauscedo (PN) 33095, Italy
| | - Andrea Nardini
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università di Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 10, Trieste 34127, Italy
| | - Francesca Secchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali, Alimentari (DISAFA), Università di Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, Grugliasco (TO) 10095, Italy
| | - Valentino Casolo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Via delle Scienze 91, Udine 33100, Italy
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Potkay A, Feng X. Do stomata optimize turgor-driven growth? A new framework for integrating stomata response with whole-plant hydraulics and carbon balance. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 238:506-528. [PMID: 36377138 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Every existing optimal stomatal model uses photosynthetic carbon assimilation as a proxy for plant evolutionary fitness. However, assimilation and growth are often decoupled, making assimilation less ideal for representing fitness when optimizing stomatal conductance to water vapor and carbon dioxide. Instead, growth should be considered a closer proxy for fitness. We hypothesize stomata have evolved to maximize turgor-driven growth, instead of assimilation, over entire plants' lifetimes, improving their abilities to compete and reproduce. We develop a stomata model that dynamically maximizes whole-stem growth following principles from turgor-driven growth models. Stomata open to assimilate carbohydrates that supply growth and osmotically generate turgor, while stomata close to prevent losses of turgor and growth due to negative water potentials. In steady state, the growth optimization model captures realistic stomatal, growth, and carbohydrate responses to environmental cues, reconciles conflicting interpretations within existing stomatal optimization theories, and explains patterns of carbohydrate storage and xylem conductance observed during and after drought. Our growth optimization hypothesis introduces a new paradigm for stomatal optimization models, elevates the role of whole-plant carbon use and carbon storage in stomatal functioning, and has the potential to simultaneously predict gross productivity, net productivity, and plant mortality through a single, consistent modeling framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Potkay
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Xue Feng
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
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Xu GQ, Chen TQ, Liu SS, Ma J, Li Y. Within-crown plasticity of hydraulic properties influence branch dieback patterns of two woody plants under experimental drought conditions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 854:158802. [PMID: 36115397 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In recent year, widespread declines of Populus bolleana Lauche trees (P. bolleana, which dieback from the top down) and Haloxylon ammodendron shrubs (H. ammodendron, which dieback starting from their outer canopy) have occurred. To investigate how both intra-canopy hydraulic changes and plasticity in hydraulic properties create differences in vulnerability between these two species, we conducted a drought simulation field experiment. We analyzed branch hydraulic vulnerability, leaf water potential (Ψ), photosynthesis (A), stomatal conductance (gs), non-structural carbohydrate (NSCs) contents and morphological traits of the plants as the plants underwent a partial canopy dieback. Our results showed that: (1) the hydraulic architecture was very different between the two life forms; (2) H. ammodendron exhibited a drought tolerance response with weak stomatal control, and thus a sharp decline in Ψ while P. bolleana showed a drought avoidance response with tighter stomatal control that maintained a relatively stable Ψ; (3) the Ψ of H. ammodendron showed relative consistent symptoms of drought stress with increasing plant stature, but the Ψ of P. bolleana showed greater drought stress in higher portions of the crown; (4) prolonged drought caused P. bolleana to consume and H. ammodendron to accumulate NSCs in the branches of their upper canopy. Thus, the prolonged drought caused the shoots of the upper canopy of P. bolleana to experience greater vulnerability leading to dieback of the upper branches first, while all the twigs of the outer canopy of H. ammodendron experienced nearly identical degrees of vulnerability, and thus dieback occurred uniformly. Our results indicate that intra-canopy hydraulic change and their plasticity under drought was the main cause of the observed canopy dieback patterns in both species. However, more work is needed to further establish that hydraulic limitation as a function of plant stature was the sole mechanism for causing the divergent canopy dieback patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Qing Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Fukang Station of Desert Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fukang 831505, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Tu-Qiang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Fukang Station of Desert Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fukang 831505, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shen-Si Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Fukang Station of Desert Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fukang 831505, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jie Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Fukang Station of Desert Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fukang 831505, China
| | - Yan Li
- State Key Lab of Subtropical Siviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, 666Wusu Street, Lin-An, Hangzhou 311300, China
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Benson MC, Miniat CF, Oishi AC, Denham SO, Domec JC, Johnson DM, Missik JE, Phillips RP, Wood JD, Novick KA. The xylem of anisohydric Quercus alba L. is more vulnerable to embolism than isohydric codominants. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2022; 45:329-346. [PMID: 34902165 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The coordination of plant leaf water potential (ΨL ) regulation and xylem vulnerability to embolism is fundamental for understanding the tradeoffs between carbon uptake and risk of hydraulic damage. There is a general consensus that trees with vulnerable xylem more conservatively regulate ΨL than plants with resistant xylem. We evaluated if this paradigm applied to three important eastern US temperate tree species, Quercus alba L., Acer saccharum Marsh. and Liriodendron tulipifera L., by synthesizing 1600 ΨL observations, 122 xylem embolism curves and xylem anatomical measurements across 10 forests spanning pronounced hydroclimatological gradients and ages. We found that, unexpectedly, the species with the most vulnerable xylem (Q. alba) regulated ΨL less strictly than the other species. This relationship was found across all sites, such that coordination among traits was largely unaffected by climate and stand age. Quercus species are perceived to be among the most drought tolerant temperate US forest species; however, our results suggest their relatively loose ΨL regulation in response to hydrologic stress occurs with a substantial hydraulic cost that may expose them to novel risks in a more drought-prone future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Benson
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Chelcy F Miniat
- USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, Otto, North Carolina, USA
| | - Andrew C Oishi
- USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, Otto, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sander O Denham
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Jean-Christophe Domec
- Bordeaux Sciences Agro, INRA UMR 1391 ISPA, Gradignan, France
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Daniel M Johnson
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Justine E Missik
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Richard P Phillips
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Wood
- University of Missouri, School of Natural Resources, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Kimberly A Novick
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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Matallana-Ramirez LP, Whetten RW, Sanchez GM, Payn KG. Breeding for Climate Change Resilience: A Case Study of Loblolly Pine ( Pinus taeda L.) in North America. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:606908. [PMID: 33995428 PMCID: PMC8119900 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.606908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Earth's atmosphere is warming and the effects of climate change are becoming evident. A key observation is that both the average levels and the variability of temperature and precipitation are changing. Information and data from new technologies are developing in parallel to provide multidisciplinary opportunities to address and overcome the consequences of these changes in forest ecosystems. Changes in temperature and water availability impose multidimensional environmental constraints that trigger changes from the molecular to the forest stand level. These can represent a threat for the normal development of the tree from early seedling recruitment to adulthood both through direct mortality, and by increasing susceptibility to pathogens, insect attack, and fire damage. This review summarizes the strengths and shortcomings of previous work in the areas of genetic variation related to cold and drought stress in forest species with particular emphasis on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), the most-planted tree species in North America. We describe and discuss the implementation of management and breeding strategies to increase resilience and adaptation, and discuss how new technologies in the areas of engineering and genomics are shaping the future of phenotype-genotype studies. Lessons learned from the study of species important in intensively-managed forest ecosystems may also prove to be of value in helping less-intensively managed forest ecosystems adapt to climate change, thereby increasing the sustainability and resilience of forestlands for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian P. Matallana-Ramirez
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Ross W. Whetten
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Georgina M. Sanchez
- Center for Geospatial Analytics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Kitt G. Payn
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, Raleigh, NC, United States
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Dang H, Zhang X, Han H, Chen S, Li M. Water Use by Chinese Pine Is Less Conservative but More Closely Regulated Than in Mongolian Scots Pine in a Plantation Forest, on Sandy Soil, in a Semi-Arid Climate. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:635022. [PMID: 33897726 PMCID: PMC8062886 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.635022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The diversity of plant water use patterns among species and ecosystems is a matter of widespread debate. In this study, Chinese pine (Pinus tabuliformis, CP) and Mongolian Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica, MP), which is co-exist in the shelterbelt plantations in the Horqin Sandyland in northern China, were chosen for comparison of water use traits by monitoring xylem sap flow alongside recordings of the associated environmental factors over four growing seasons. Continuous sap flux density measurements were converted into crown projected area transpiration intensity (Tr) and canopy stomatal conductance (Gs). The results indicated that MP showed a higher canopy transpiration intensity than in CP, with Tr daily means (±standard deviation) of 0.84 ± 0.36 and 0.79 ± 0.43 mm⋅d-1, respectively (p = 0.07). However, the inter-annual variability of daily Tr in MP was not significant, varying only approximately a 1.1-fold (p = 0.29), while inter-annual variation was significant for CP, with 1.24-fold variation (p < 0.01). In particular, the daily mean Tr value for CP was approximately 1.7-times higher than that of MP under favorable soil moisture conditions, with values for relative extractable soil water within the 0-1.0 m soil layer (REW) being above 0.4. However, as the soil dried out, the value of Tr for CP decreased more sharply, falling to only approximately 0.5-times the value for MP when REW fell to < 0.2. The stronger sensitivity of Tr and/or Gs to REW, together with the more sensitive response of Gs to VPD in CP, confirms that CP exhibits less conservation of soil water utilization but features a stronger ability to regulate water use. Compared with MP, CP can better adapt to the dry conditions associated with climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongzhong Dang
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Xueli Zhang
- Institute of Sandy Land Management and Utilization, Shenyang, China
| | - Hui Han
- Institute of Sandy Land Management and Utilization, Shenyang, China
| | - Shuai Chen
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Mingyang Li
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
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Opportunities and Threats of Mediterranean Evergreen Sclerophyllous Woody Species Subjected to Extreme Drought Events. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/app10238458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and extreme drought and heat events impact the Mediterranean evergreen sclerophyllous vegetation in South Europe, especially in Iberian and Italian peninsula, where widespread crown defoliation and dieback have been observed since the 90s of the XX century. Field observations and long-term experiments showed different sensitivity of the various woody species, Quercus ilex and Arbutus unedo being prone to drought, whereas Phillyrea latifolia and Pistacia lentiscus appeared to be resistant. The present review aims at exploring the phylogenetic and evolutionary basis of the resistance (or susceptibility) to drought of Mediterranean vegetation and its possible mechanisms of resilience. The main findings are summarized as follows: (1) Mediterranean regions in the world are refuge areas for several plant evolutive lineages and migratory routes. Evergreen sclerophyllous species, currently presented in Mediterranean basin, evolved under different climatic conditions; (2) the evergreen habitus represents an adaptation to mild drought conditions. Deciduous (specially summer deciduous) species are better performing under severe drought and low air relative humidity than evergreen species; (3) severe drought events acts selectively by favouring the species evolved in the Quaternary era and those originated in drier regions; (4) the evergreen trees and shrubs are resilient to the severe drought events and can restore the pre-event condition by resprouting from dormant buds in the cambium tissue. This ability is related to the non-structural carbohydrate content in the parenchyma-rays in woody stems. The amount and availability of these strategic reserve can be compromised by frequent drought events; (5) plant seed regeneration can be affected by drought and seedling establishment may be limited by soil dryness and microenvironment conditions; (6) the role of phenotypic plasticity of the species and epigenetic responses in Mediterranean-type ecosystems, although discussed in few papers, is still poorly known. We hypothesize that instead of latitudinal (South to North) or altitudinal (lowland to upland) plant migrations, Mediterranean forest ecosystems may respond to climate change by modulating their species composition and community structure with genetic resources (i.e., taxonomic diversity) already present in loco. Changes in vegetation assemblages and community structure may lead changes in ecological and landscape ecosystem values, with changes in related ecosystem services. A redefinition of management criteria of natural resources and a pro-active silviculture to make forest ecosystems more resilient are required.
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10
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Liu X, Biondi F. Transpiration drivers of high-elevation five-needle pines (Pinus longaeva and Pinus flexilis) in sky-island ecosystems of the North American Great Basin. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 739:139861. [PMID: 32544678 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the interaction between soil water supply and atmospheric evaporative demand for driving the seasonal pattern of transpiration in sky-island high-elevation forest ecosystems. Sap flow measurements were collected at 10-minute intervals for five consecutive years (2013-2017) on two co-occurring subalpine conifers, i.e. limber pine (Pinus flexilis) and bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva). Our study site is part of the Nevada Climate-ecohydrological Assessment Network (NevCAN), and is located at 3355 m a.s.l. within an undisturbed mixed-conifer stand. We found that seasonal changes in soil moisture regulated transpiration sensitivity to atmospheric conditions. Sap flow density was mainly limited by evaporative demands under non-water limiting conditions, but was influenced only by soil moisture when water availability decreased. Daily sap flow density increased with radiation and soil moisture in June and July when soil moisture was generally above 10%, but correlated only with soil moisture in August and September when soil drought occurred. Sap flow sensitivity to vapor pressure deficit and solar radiation was therefore reduced under decreasing soil moisture conditions. Transpiration peaked in mid-to-late June during both dry and wet years, with a lower peak in late summer during wet years. Normalized mean daily canopy conductance of both species declined with decreasing soil moisture (i.e., increasing soil drought). Severe soil drying (i.e., soil moisture <7% at 20 cm depth), which was rarely detected in wet summers (2013-2014) but occurred more frequently in dry summers (2015-2017), induced a minimum in crown conductance with unchanged low-level sap flow, which might potentially trigger hydraulic failure. The minimum sap flow level under severe soil drought was higher for limber pine than bristlecone pine, possibly because of wider tracheids in limber compared to bristlecone pine. Our findings provide insights into physiological mechanisms of drought-induced stress for iconic sky-island five-needle pines located at high elevation in xeric environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinsheng Liu
- College of Tourism and Geography, Jiujiang University, East Qianjin Road No. 551, Jiujiang 332005, China; DendroLab, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Franco Biondi
- DendroLab, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA.
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11
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Li Q, Zhao M, Wang N, Liu S, Wang J, Zhang W, Yang N, Fan P, Wang R, Wang H, Du N. Water use strategies and drought intensity define the relative contributions of hydraulic failure and carbohydrate depletion during seedling mortality. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2020; 153:106-118. [PMID: 32485615 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2020.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
COMBINING HYDRAULIC: and carbon-related measurements can help elucidate drought-induced plant mortality. To study drought mortality mechanisms, seedlings of two woody species, including the anisohydric Robinia pseudoacacia and isohydric Quercus acutissima, were cultivated in a greenhouse and subjected to intense drought by withholding water and mild drought by adding half of the amount of daily water lost. Patterns of leaf and root gas exchange, leaf surface areas, growth, leaf and stem hydraulics, and carbohydrate dynamics were determined in drought-stressed and control seedlings. We detected a complete loss of hydraulic conductivity and partial depletion of total nonstructural carbohydrates contents (TNC) in the dead seedlings. We also found that intense drought triggered a more rapid decrease in plant water potential and a faster drop in net photosynthesis below zero, and a greater TNC loss in dead seedlings than mild drought. Additionally, anisohydric R. pseudoacacia suffered a rapider death than the isohydric Q. acutissima. Based on these findings, we propose that hydraulic conductivity loss and carbon limitation jointly contributed to drought-induced death, while the relative contributions could be altered by drought intensity. We thus believe that it is important to illustrate the mechanistic relationships between stress intensity and carbon-hydraulics coupling in the context of isohydric vs. anisohydric hydraulic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Li
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Mingming Zhao
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Shuna Liu
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Jingwen Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Wenxin Zhang
- Shandong Academy of Forestry, 42 Wenhuadong Road, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Ning Yang
- Qingdao Forestry Station, 106 Yan'an'yi Road, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Peixian Fan
- Qingdao Forestry Station, 106 Yan'an'yi Road, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Renqing Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China.
| | - Ning Du
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China.
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12
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García-Cervigón AI, Fajardo A, Caetano-Sánchez C, Camarero JJ, Olano JM. Xylem anatomy needs to change, so that conductivity can stay the same: xylem adjustments across elevation and latitude in Nothofagus pumilio. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2020; 125:1101-1112. [PMID: 32173741 PMCID: PMC7262467 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcaa042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Plants have the potential to adjust the configuration of their hydraulic system to maintain its function across spatial and temporal gradients. Species with wide environmental niches provide an ideal framework to assess intraspecific xylem adjustments to contrasting climates. We aimed to assess how xylem structure in the widespread species Nothofagus pumilio varies across combined gradients of temperature and moisture, and to what extent within-individual variation contributes to population responses across environmental gradients. METHODS We characterized xylem configuration in branches of N. pumilio trees at five sites across an 18° latitudinal gradient in the Chilean Andes, sampling at four elevations per site. We measured vessel area, vessel density and the degree of vessel grouping. We also obtained vessel diameter distributions and estimated the xylem-specific hydraulic conductivity. Xylem traits were studied in the last five growth rings to account for within-individual variation. KEY RESULTS Xylem traits responded to changes in temperature and moisture, but also to their combination. Reductions in vessel diameter and increases in vessel density suggested increased safety levels with lower temperatures at higher elevation. Vessel grouping also increased under cold and dry conditions, but changes in vessel diameter distributions across the elevational gradient were site-specific. Interestingly, the estimated xylem-specific hydraulic conductivity remained constant across elevation and latitude, and an overwhelming proportion of the variance of xylem traits was due to within-individual responses to year-to-year climatic fluctuations, rather than to site conditions. CONCLUSIONS Despite conspicuous adjustments, xylem traits were coordinated to maintain a constant hydraulic function under a wide range of conditions. This, combined with the within-individual capacity for responding to year-to-year climatic variations, may have the potential to increase forest resilience against future environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana I García-Cervigón
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Alex Fajardo
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Camino Baguales s/n, Coyhaique, Chile
| | - Cristina Caetano-Sánchez
- Departamento de Biología-IVAGRO, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus Río San Pedro s/n, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - J Julio Camarero
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), Avda. Montañana, Zaragoza, Spain and
| | - José Miguel Olano
- iuFOR-EiFAB, Universidad de Valladolid, Campus Duques de Soria, Soria, Spain
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13
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Kannenberg SA, Phillips RP. Non-structural carbohydrate pools not linked to hydraulic strategies or carbon supply in tree saplings during severe drought and subsequent recovery. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 40:259-271. [PMID: 31860721 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpz132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) pools fluctuate based on the interplay between photosynthesis, demand from various carbon (C) sinks and tree hydraulic status. Thus, it has been hypothesized that tree species with isohydric stomatal control (i.e., trees that close stomata rapidly in response to drought) rely heavily on NSC pools to sustain metabolism, which can lead to negative physiological consequences such as C depletion. Here, we seek to use a species' degree of isohydry or anisohydry as a conceptual framework for understanding the interrelations between photosynthetic C supply, hydraulic damage and fluctuations in NSC pools. We conducted a 6-week experimental drought, followed by a 6-week recovery period, in a greenhouse on seven tree species that span the spectrum from isohydric to anisohydric. Throughout the experiment, we measured photosynthesis, hydraulic damage and NSC pools. Non-structural carbohydrate pools were remarkably stable across species and tissues-even highly isohydric species that drastically reduced C assimilation were able to maintain stored C. Despite these static NSC pools, we still inferred an important role for stored C during drought, as most species converted starches into sugars during water stress (and back again post-drought). Finally, we did not observe any linkages between C supply, hydraulic damage and NSC pools, indicating that NSC was maintained independent of variation in photosynthesis and hydraulic function. Our results advance the idea that C depletion is a rare phenomenon due to either active maintenance of NSC pools or sink limitation, and thus question the hypothesis that reductions in C assimilation necessarily lead to C depletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven A Kannenberg
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 East 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Richard P Phillips
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 East 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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14
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Carbon Limitation and Drought Sensitivity at Contrasting Elevation and Competition of Abies pinsapo Forests. Does Experimental Thinning Enhance Water Supply and Carbohydrates? FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10121132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Stand-level competition and local climate influence tree responses to increased drought at the regional scale. To evaluate stand density and elevation effects on tree carbon and water balances, we monitored seasonal changes in sap-flow density (SFD), gas exchange, xylem water potential, secondary growth, and non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) in Abies pinsapo. Trees were subjected to experimental thinning within a low-elevation stand (1200 m), and carbon and water balances were compared to control plots at low and high elevation (1700 m). The hydraulic conductivity and the resistance to cavitation were also characterized, showing relatively high values and no significant differences among treatments. Trees growing at higher elevations presented the highest SFD, photosynthetic rates, and secondary growth, mainly because their growing season was extended until summer. Trees growing at low elevation reduced SFD during late spring and summer while SFD and secondary growth were significantly higher in the thinned stands. Declining NSC concentrations in needles, branches, and sapwood suggest drought-induced control of the carbon supply status. Our results might indicate potential altitudinal shifts, as better performance occurs at higher elevations, while thinning may be suitable as adaptive management to mitigate drought effects in endangered Mediterranean trees.
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15
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Garcia-Forner N, Vieira J, Nabais C, Carvalho A, Martínez-Vilalta J, Campelo F. Climatic and physiological regulation of the bimodal xylem formation pattern in Pinus pinaster saplings. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 39:2008-2018. [PMID: 31631224 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpz099] [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: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Seasonality in tree cambial activity and xylem formation encompass large variation in environmental conditions. Abiotic stressors such as warming or drought also modulate plant behavior at species and individual level. Despite xylem formation susceptibility to carbon (C) and water availability, it is still unknown which are the key physiological variables that regulate xylogenesis, and to what extent plant performance contributes to further explain the number of cells in the different phases of xylem development. Xylogenesis and physiological behavior was monitored in saplings of Pinus pinaster Aiton, a bimodal growth pattern species, distributed in different irrigation regimes. Xylogenesis and plant physiological behavior were compared between treatments and the relationship between climate, physiology and the number of cells in the cambium, enlargement and cell-wall thickening phases was evaluated. Xylogenesis regulation shifted from physiological to climatic control as cell differentiation advanced to mature tracheids. The number of cells in the cambium increased with assimilation rates and decreased with the water potential gradient through the plant. Enlargement was the most susceptible phase to plant relative water content, whereas no physiological variable contributed to explain the number of cells in the wall thickening phase, which declined as temperatures increased. All treatments showed a bimodal growth pattern with a second growth period starting when primary growth was completed and after plants had experienced the highest summer hydraulic losses. Our study demonstrates the importance of including physiological responses and not only climate to fully understand xylogenesis, with special attention to the enlargement phase. This is critical when studying species with a bimodal growth pattern because the second growth peak responds to internal shifts of C allocation and may strongly depend on plant hydraulic responses and not on a fine tuning of cambial activity with soil water availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Núria Garcia-Forner
- Centre for Functional Ecology-Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3000-456, Portugal
| | - Joana Vieira
- Centre for Functional Ecology-Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3000-456, Portugal
| | - Cristina Nabais
- Centre for Functional Ecology-Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3000-456, Portugal
| | - Ana Carvalho
- Centre for Functional Ecology-Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3000-456, Portugal
| | - Jordi Martínez-Vilalta
- CREAF, E08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Filipe Campelo
- Centre for Functional Ecology-Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3000-456, Portugal
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16
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Li Q, Wang N, Liu X, Liu S, Wang H, Zhang W, Wang R, Du N. Growth and physiological responses to successional water deficit and recovery in four warm-temperate woody species. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2019; 167:645-660. [PMID: 30637759 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.12922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Plant responses to drought and their subsequent rehydration can provide evidence for forest dynamics within the context of climate change. In this study, the seedlings of two native species (Vitex negundo var. heterophylla, Quercus acutissima) and two exotic species (Robinia pseudoacacia, Amorpha fruticosa) to China were selected in a greenhouse experiment. The gas exchange, stem hydraulic parameters, plant osmoprotectant contents and antioxidant activities of the seedlings that were subjected to sustained drought and rehydration (test group) as well as those of well-irrigated seedlings (control group) were measured. The two native species exhibited a greater degree of isohydry with drought because they limited the stomatal opening timely from the onset of the drought. However, the two exotic species showed a more 'water spender'-like strategy with R. pseudoacacia showing anisohydric responses and A. fruticosa showing isohydrodynamic responses to drought. Severe drought significantly decreased the leaf gas exchange rates and hydraulic properties, whereas the instantaneous water use efficiency and osmoprotectant contents increased markedly. Most of the physiological parameters recovered rapidly after mild drought rehydration, but the water potential and/or supply of nonstructural carbohydrates did not recover after severe drought rehydration. The results demonstrate that the xylem hydraulic conductivity and shoot water potential jointly play a crucial role in the drought recovery of woody plants. In brief, the native species may play a dominant role in the future in warm-temperate forests because they employ a better balance between carbon gain and water loss than the alien species under extreme drought conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Li
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Shuna Liu
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Wenxin Zhang
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Renqing Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Ning Du
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
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17
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Martinez-Vilalta J, Anderegg WRL, Sapes G, Sala A. Greater focus on water pools may improve our ability to understand and anticipate drought-induced mortality in plants. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 223:22-32. [PMID: 30560995 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Drought-induced tree mortality has major impacts on ecosystem carbon and water cycles, and is expected to increase in forests across the globe with climate change. A large body of research in the past decade has advanced our understanding of plant water and carbon relations under drought. However, despite intense research, we still lack generalizable, cross-scale indicators of mortality risk. In this Viewpoint, we propose that a more explicit consideration of water pools could improve our ability to monitor and anticipate mortality risk. Specifically, we focus on the relative water content (RWC), a classic metric in plant water relations, as a potential indicator of mortality risk that is physiologically relevant and integrates different aspects related to hydraulics, stomatal responses and carbon economy under drought. Measures of plant water content are likely to have a strong mechanistic link with mortality and to be integrative, threshold-prone and relatively easy to measure and monitor at large spatial scales, and may complement current mortality metrics based on water potential, loss of hydraulic conductivity and nonstructural carbohydrates. We discuss some of the potential advantages and limitations of these metrics to improve our capacity to monitor and predict drought-induced tree mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Martinez-Vilalta
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Gerard Sapes
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Anna Sala
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
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18
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Isaac-Renton M, Montwé D, Hamann A, Spiecker H, Cherubini P, Treydte K. Northern forest tree populations are physiologically maladapted to drought. Nat Commun 2018; 9:5254. [PMID: 30531998 PMCID: PMC6288165 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07701-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Northern forests at the leading edge of their distributions may not show increased primary productivity under climate warming, being limited by climatic extremes such as drought. Looking beyond tree growth to underlying physiological mechanisms is fundamental for accurate predictions of forest responses to climate warming and drought stress. Within a 32-year genetic field trial, we analyze relative contributions of xylem plasticity and inferred stomatal response to drought tolerance in regional populations of a widespread conifer. Genetic adaptation leads to varying responses under drought. Trailing-edge tree populations produce fewer tracheids with thicker cell walls, characteristic of drought-tolerance. Stomatal response explains the moderate drought tolerance of tree populations in central areas of the species range. Growth loss of the northern population is linked to low stomatal responsiveness combined with the production of tracheids with thinner cell walls. Forests of the western boreal may therefore lack physiological adaptations necessary to tolerate drier conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Isaac-Renton
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H1, Canada.
| | - David Montwé
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H1, Canada
| | - Andreas Hamann
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H1, Canada
| | - Heinrich Spiecker
- Chair of Forest Growth and Dendroecology, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität-Freiburg, Tennenbacherstrasse 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Paolo Cherubini
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Kerstin Treydte
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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19
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Salazar-Tortosa D, Castro J, Villar-Salvador P, Viñegla B, Matías L, Michelsen A, Rubio de Casas R, Querejeta JI. The "isohydric trap": A proposed feedback between water shortage, stomatal regulation, and nutrient acquisition drives differential growth and survival of European pines under climatic dryness. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:4069-4083. [PMID: 29768696 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Climatic dryness imposes limitations on vascular plant growth by reducing stomatal conductance, thereby decreasing CO2 uptake and transpiration. Given that transpiration-driven water flow is required for nutrient uptake, climatic stress-induced nutrient deficit could be a key mechanism for decreased plant performance under prolonged drought. We propose the existence of an "isohydric trap," a dryness-induced detrimental feedback leading to nutrient deficit and stoichiometry imbalance in strict isohydric species. We tested this framework in a common garden experiment with 840 individuals of four ecologically contrasting European pines (Pinus halepensis, P. nigra, P. sylvestris, and P. uncinata) at a site with high temperature and low soil water availability. We measured growth, survival, photochemical efficiency, stem water potentials, leaf isotopic composition (δ13 C, δ18 O), and nutrient concentrations (C, N, P, K, Zn, Cu). After 2 years, the Mediterranean species Pinus halepensis showed lower δ18 O and higher δ13 C values than the other species, indicating higher time-integrated transpiration and water-use efficiency (WUE), along with lower predawn and midday water potentials, higher photochemical efficiency, higher leaf P, and K concentrations, more balanced N:P and N:K ratios, and much greater dry-biomass (up to 63-fold) and survival (100%). Conversely, the more mesic mountain pine species showed higher leaf δ18 O and lower δ13 C, indicating lower transpiration and WUE, higher water potentials, severe P and K deficiencies and N:P and N:K imbalances, and poorer photochemical efficiency, growth, and survival. These results support our hypothesis that vascular plant species with tight stomatal regulation of transpiration can become trapped in a feedback cycle of nutrient deficit and imbalance that exacerbates the detrimental impacts of climatic dryness on performance. This overlooked feedback mechanism may hamper the ability of isohydric species to respond to ongoing global change, by aggravating the interactive impacts of stoichiometric imbalance and water stress caused by anthropogenic N deposition and hotter droughts, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Salazar-Tortosa
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Jorge Castro
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Pedro Villar-Salvador
- Forest Ecology and Restoration Group, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - Benjamín Viñegla
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - Luis Matías
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - Anders Michelsen
- Terrestrial Ecology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Rafael Rubio de Casas
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - José I Querejeta
- Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS-CSIC), Murcia, Spain
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