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Zhang X, Wang H, Chen Y, Huang M, Zhu S. The Over-Expression of Two R2R3-MYB Genes, PdMYB2R089 and PdMYB2R151, Increases the Drought-Resistant Capacity of Transgenic Arabidopsis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13466. [PMID: 37686270 PMCID: PMC10487491 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The R2R3-MYB genes in plants play an essential role in the drought-responsive signaling pathway. Plenty of R2R3-MYB S21 and S22 subgroup genes in Arabidopsis have been implicated in dehydration conditions, yet few have been covered in terms of the role of the S21 and S22 subgroup genes in poplar under drought. PdMYB2R089 and PdMYB2R151 genes, respectively belonging to the S21 and S22 subgroups of NL895 (Populus deltoides × P. euramericana cv. 'Nanlin895'), were selected based on the previous expression analysis of poplar R2R3-MYB genes that are responsive to dehydration. The regulatory functions of two target genes in plant responses to drought stress were studied and speculated through the genetic transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana. PdMYB2R089 and PdMYB2R151 could promote the closure of stomata in leaves, lessen the production of malondialdehyde (MDA), enhance the activity of the peroxidase (POD) enzyme, and shorten the life cycle of transgenic plants, in part owing to their similar conserved domains. Moreover, PdMYB2R089 could strengthen root length and lateral root growth. These results suggest that PdMYB2R089 and PdMYB2R151 genes might have the potential to improve drought adaptability in plants. In addition, PdMYB2R151 could significantly improve the seed germination rate of transgenic Arabidopsis, but PdMYB2R089 could not. This finding provides a clue for the subsequent functional dissection of S21 and S22 subgroup genes in poplar that is responsive to drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education of China, Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (X.Z.); (Y.C.); (M.H.)
| | - Haoran Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for the Research and Utilization of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing Botanical Garden, Memorial Sun Yat-Sen, Nanjing 210014, China;
| | - Ying Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education of China, Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (X.Z.); (Y.C.); (M.H.)
| | - Minren Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education of China, Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (X.Z.); (Y.C.); (M.H.)
| | - Sheng Zhu
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
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2
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Identifying Western North American Tree Populations Vulnerable to Drought under Observed and Projected Climate Change. CLIMATE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/cli10080114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Global climate change has affected forest health and productivity. A highly visible, direct climate impact is dieback caused by drought periods in moisture-limited forest ecosystems. Here, we have used a climate moisture index (CMI), which has been developed in order to map forest–grassland transitions, to investigate the shifts of the zero-CMI isopleths, in order to infer drought vulnerabilities. Our main objective was to identify populations of the 24 most common western North American forest tree species that are most exposed to drought conditions by using a western North American forest inventory database with 55,700 plot locations. We have found that climate change projections primarily increase the water deficits for tree populations that are already in vulnerable positions. In order to test the realism of this vulnerability assessment, we have compared the observed population dieback with changes in index values between the 1961–1990 reference period and a recent 1991–2020 average. The drought impacts that were predicted by negative CMI values largely conformed to the observed dieback in Pinus edulis, Populus tremuloides, and Pinus ponderosa. However, there was one notable counter-example. The observed dieback in the Canadian populations of Populus tremuloides were not associated with directional trends in the drought index values but were instead caused by a rare extreme drought event that was not apparently linked to directional climate change. Nevertheless, a macro-climatic drought index approach appeared to be generally suitable to identify and forecast the drought threats to the tree populations.
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3
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Schultz EL, Hülsmann L, Pillet MD, Hartig F, Breshears DD, Record S, Shaw JD, DeRose RJ, Zuidema PA, Evans MEK. Climate-driven, but dynamic and complex? A reconciliation of competing hypotheses for species' distributions. Ecol Lett 2021; 25:38-51. [PMID: 34708503 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Estimates of the percentage of species "committed to extinction" by climate change range from 15% to 37%. The question is whether factors other than climate need to be included in models predicting species' range change. We created demographic range models that include climate vs. climate-plus-competition, evaluating their influence on the geographic distribution of Pinus edulis, a pine endemic to the semiarid southwestern U.S. Analyses of data on 23,426 trees in 1941 forest inventory plots support the inclusion of competition in range models. However, climate and competition together only partially explain this species' distribution. Instead, the evidence suggests that climate affects other range-limiting processes, including landscape-scale, spatial processes such as disturbances and antagonistic biotic interactions. Complex effects of climate on species distributions-through indirect effects, interactions, and feedbacks-are likely to cause sudden changes in abundance and distribution that are not predictable from a climate-only perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Schultz
- Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Lisa Hülsmann
- Theoretical Ecology Lab, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Michiel D Pillet
- Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Florian Hartig
- Theoretical Ecology Lab, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - David D Breshears
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Sydne Record
- Department of Biology, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John D Shaw
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Forest Inventory and Analysis, Ogden, Utah, USA
| | - R Justin DeRose
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Pieter A Zuidema
- Forest Ecology and Forest Management group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Margaret E K Evans
- Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
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4
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Che M, Gong Y, Xu M, Kang C, Lv C, He S, Zheng J. Effects of elevation and slope aspect on the distribution of the soil organic carbon associated with Al and Fe mineral phases in alpine shrub-meadow soil. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 753:141933. [PMID: 32891998 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mountain ecosystems store a large amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) sensitive to global climate change. The SOC associated with Al and Fe minerals is important for SOC retention because of the ubiquitous nature and highly reactive surface properties of these minerals. Topography is also known to impact the distribution and transformation of SOC by creating different microclimates. However, the effect of topography on the distribution of organo-mineral associations has seldom been reported. This study uses a selective dissolution method to quantify the soil carbon (C) fractions associated with Al and Fe minerals in alpine shrub-meadow soil. Na-pyrophosphate (PP), HCl-hydroxylamine (HH) and dithionite-HCl (DH) were used to quantify organo-metal complexes, SOC associated with short-range order (SRO) phases and crystalline phases, respectively. Results suggest that the Al and Fe mineral-associated C accounted for a small proportion of SOC (less than 30%) in each extraction. A higher concentration coupled with a lower percentage of SOC was found in the A horizon compared to the B horizon. A significant correlation was observed between Fe and C in PP and HH extractions, whereas Al was significantly correlated with C in DH extractions. Elevation and slope aspect strongly influenced soil biotic and abiotic parameters, as well as organo-mineral associations. The C fractions extracted by PP and HH were significantly higher in the NE slope aspect than the SW slope aspect. These fractions were positively correlated with soil water content and negatively correlated with soil pH. The C fractions extracted using DH decreased with increasing elevation and were positively correlated with DH extractable Al. Our results highlight the role of topography on the distribution of organo-mineral associations, which should be considered during the assessment of SOC stability in alpine soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxuan Che
- College of Forest, Sichuan Agricultural University, Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Control Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Yuanbo Gong
- College of Forest, Sichuan Agricultural University, Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Control Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China.
| | - Manjing Xu
- College of Forest, Sichuan Agricultural University, Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Control Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Chengfang Kang
- College of Forest, Sichuan Agricultural University, Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Control Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Chen Lv
- College of Forest, Sichuan Agricultural University, Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Control Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Shuqin He
- College of Forest, Sichuan Agricultural University, Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Control Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China.
| | - Jiangkun Zheng
- College of Forest, Sichuan Agricultural University, Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Control Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
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5
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Impact of Three Gorges Reservoir Water Impoundment on Vegetation–Climate Response Relationship. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12172860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, the impact of global climate change and human activities on vegetation has become increasingly prominent. Understanding vegetation change and its response to climate variables and human activities are key tasks in predicting future environmental changes, climate changes and ecosystem evolution. This paper aims to explore the impact of Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) water impoundment on the vegetation–climate response relationship in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (TGRR) and its surrounding region. Firstly, based on the SPOT/VEGETATION NDVI and ERA5 reanalysis datasets, the correlation between climatic factors (temperature and precipitation) and NDVI was analyzed by using partial correlation coefficient method. Secondly, nonlinear fitting method was used to fit the mapping relationship between NDVI and climatic factors. Then, the residual analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of TGR impoundment on vegetation–climate response relationship. Finally, sensitivity index (SI), sensitivity variation index (SVI) and difference index (DI) were defined to quantify the variation of vegetation–climate response relationship before and after water impoundment. The results show that water impoundment might have some impacts on the response of vegetation–climate, which gradually reduced with increasing distance from the channel; comparing with the residual analysis method, the SI and DI index methods are more intuitive, and combining these two methods may provide new ideas for the study of the impact of human activities on vegetation.
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6
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Retrospective Analysis of Tree Decline Based on Intrinsic Water-Use Efficiency in Semi-Arid Areas of North China. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11060577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Long-term tree growth is significantly affected by climate change, which have become a global concern. Tree-ring width and isotopic information can show how trees respond to climate change on a long-term scale and reveal some phenomena of tree decline or death. In this study, we used isotopic techniques and investigated annual changes in carbon isotope composition and tree-ring width of Populus simonii Carr. in Zhangbei, as well as trends in tree-ring carbon discrimination (Δ13C) and iWUE in normal, mildly declining and severely declining trees, in order to make a retrospective analysis and further understand the process of tree decline. We found that there were significant differences (p < 0.01 **) in δ13C, Δ13C, ci and iWUE at different decline stages, meaning that the δ13C and iWUE could be new indicators of tree health. The iWUE of all groups increased significantly, while the growth rate of declined P. simonii was much higher than that of normal growth P. simonii. According to the analysis, there may be a threshold of iWUE for healthy trees, which once the threshold value is exceeded, it indicates that trees are resistant to adversity and their growth is under stress. Similarly, the changing trend of BAI supports our conclusion with its changes showed that tree growth became slower and slower as degradation progressed. iWUE inferred from tree-ring stable carbon isotope composition is a strong modulator of adaptation capacity in response to environmental stressors under climate change. Elevated annual temperatures and increased groundwater depth are all contributing to the decline of P. simonii in north China.
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7
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Margalef-Marrase J, Pérez-Navarro MÁ, Lloret F. Relationship between heatwave-induced forest die-off and climatic suitability in multiple tree species. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:3134-3146. [PMID: 32064733 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, many forest die-off events have been reported in relation to climate-change-induced episodes, such as droughts and heat waves. To understand how these extreme climatic events induce forest die-off, it is important to find a tool to standardize the climatic conditions experienced by different populations during a specific climatic event, taking into account the historic climatic conditions of the site where these populations live (bioclimatic niche). In this study, we used estimates of climatic suitability calculated from species distribution models (SDMs) for such purpose. We studied forest die-off across France during the 2003 heatwave that affected Western Europe, using 2,943 forest inventory plots dominated by 14 single tree species. Die-off severity was estimated by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) loss using Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer remote sensor imagery. Climatic suitability at the local level during the historical 1979-2002 period (HCS), the episode time (2003; ECS) and suitability deviance during the historical period (HCS-SD) were calculated for each species by means of boosted regression tree models using the CHELSA climate database and occurrences extracted from European forest inventories. Low HCS-SD and high mean annual temperature explained the overall regional pattern of vulnerability to die-off across different monospecific forests. The combination of high historical and low episode climatic suitability also contributed significantly to overall forest die-off. Furthermore, we observed different species-specific relationships between die-off vulnerability and climatic suitability: Sub-Mediterranean and Mediterranean species tended to be vulnerable in historically more suitable localities (high HCS), whereas Euro-Siberian species presented greater vulnerability when the hot drought episode was more intense. We demonstrated that at regional scale, past climatic legacy plays an important role in explaining NDVI loss during the episode. Moreover, we demonstrated that SDMs-derived indexes, such as HCS, ECS and HCS-SD, could constitute a tool for standardizing the ways that populations and species experience climatic variability across time and space.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Francisco Lloret
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Unitat d'Ecologia, Univ. Autònoma Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
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8
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Kong R, Zhang Z, Zhang F, Tian J, Chang J, Jiang S, Zhu B, Chen X. Increasing carbon storage in subtropical forests over the Yangtze River basin and its relations to the major ecological projects. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 709:136163. [PMID: 31905558 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Forest carbon stocks has an important role in the global carbon budget. Based on the satellite-observed and LPJ model simulated aboveground biomass carbon (ABC) data, the spatial and temporal changes of subtropical forest carbon storage in the Yangtze River basin and its relations to the climate variation and human activities were analyzed by using the methods of cumulative curve analysis and climate sensitivity analysis during 1993-2012. The results revealed that: (1) In general, the forest ABC increased obviously in the Yangtze River basin during the past 20 years, and the ABC rose from 2563.91 Tg C in 1993 to 2893.17 Tg C in 2012, with a growth rate of 12.84%. The higher ABC distribution was mainly concentrated in the Jialing River basin and Hanjiang River basin and the significantly increasing trends could be found in most area of the Yangtze River basin; (2) The forest ABC was sensitive to the changes of temperature and precipitation. When the temperature increases by 1 °C, the ABC in the Yangtze River basin will increase by 3.32%, while it will decrease by -6.12% when the precipitation increases by 10%; (3) The forest ABC growth rate had accelerated from 3.15% in 1993-2000 to 8.01% in 2001-2012. The cumulative curve of the forest ABC was generally higher than the temperature or the precipitation after 2000. The total areas induced by climate variation and human activities accounted for 30.5% and 52.59% with an increases in ABC by 67.52 Tg C and 188.74 Tg C from 1993 to 2012, respectively. The implementation of major forestry projects might be the main reason for the rapid increase of forest ABC in the Yangtze River basin. This study suggested human activities such as ecological projects might contribute to the accelerated greening trend and highlighted the pivotal role of subtropical forest ABC in the carbon budget in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Kong
- Joint Innovation Center for Modern Forestry Studies, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Zengxin Zhang
- Joint Innovation Center for Modern Forestry Studies, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulics Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
| | - Fengying Zhang
- Joint Innovation Center for Modern Forestry Studies, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Jiaxi Tian
- Joint Innovation Center for Modern Forestry Studies, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Juan Chang
- Joint Innovation Center for Modern Forestry Studies, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Shanshan Jiang
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Bin Zhu
- Joint Innovation Center for Modern Forestry Studies, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Xi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulics Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
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9
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Assessing the Impacts of Extreme Climate Events on Vegetation Activity in the North South Transect of Eastern China (NSTEC). WATER 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/w11112291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Extreme climate events frequently exert serious effects on terrestrial vegetation activity. However, these effects are still uncertain in widely distributed areas with different climate zones. Transect analysis is important to understand how terrestrial vegetation responds to climate change, especially extreme climate events, by substituting space for time. In this paper, seven extreme climate indices and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) are employed to examine changes in the extreme climate events and vegetation activity. To reduce the uncertainty of the NDVI, two satellite-derived NDVI datasets, including the third generation Global Inventory Monitoring and Modeling System (GIMMS-3g) NDVI dataset and the NDVI from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellites on Star Web Servers (SWS), were employed to capture changes in vegetation activity. The impacts of climate extremes on vegetation activity were then assessed over the period of 1982–2012 using the North–South Transect of Eastern China (NSTEC) as a case. The results show that vegetation activity was overall strengthened from 1982 to 2012 in the NSTEC. In addition, extreme high temperature events revealed an increased trend of approximately 5.15 days per decade, while a weakened trend (not significant) was found in extreme cold temperature events. The strengthened vegetation activities could be associated with enhanced extreme high temperature events and weakened extreme cold temperature events over the past decades in most of the NSTEC. Despite this, inversed changes were also found locally between vegetation activity and extreme climate events (e.g., in the Northeast Plain). These phenomena could be associated with differences in vegetation type, human activity, as well as the combined effects of the frequency and intensity of extreme climate events. This study highlights the importance of accounting for the vital roles of extreme climate effects on vegetation activity.
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10
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Renne RR, Schlaepfer DR, Palmquist KA, Bradford JB, Burke IC, Lauenroth WK. Soil and stand structure explain shrub mortality patterns following global change-type drought and extreme precipitation. Ecology 2019; 100:e02889. [PMID: 31509244 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The probability of extreme weather events is increasing, with the potential for widespread impacts to plants, plant communities, and ecosystems. Reports of drought-related tree mortality are becoming more frequent, and there is increasing evidence that drought accompanied by high temperatures is especially detrimental. Simultaneously, extreme large precipitation events have become more frequent over the past century. Water-limited ecosystems may be more vulnerable to these extreme events than other ecosystems, especially when pushed outside of their historical range of variability. However, drought-related mortality of shrubs-an important component of dryland vegetation-remains understudied relative to tree mortality. In 2014, a landscape-scale die-off of the widespread shrub, big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.), was reported in southwest Wyoming, following extreme hot and dry conditions in 2012 and extremely high precipitation in September of 2013. Here we examine how severe drought, extreme precipitation, soil texture and salinity, and shrub-stand characteristics contributed to this die-off event. At 98 plots within and around the die-off, we quantified big sagebrush mortality, characterized soil texture and salinity, and simulated soil-water conditions from 1916 to 2016 using an ecosystem water-balance model. We found that the extreme weather conditions alone did not explain patterns of big sagebrush mortality and did not result in extreme (historically unprecedented) soil-water conditions during the drought. Instead, plots with chronically dry soil conditions experienced greatest mortality following the global change-type (hot) drought in 2012. Furthermore, mortality was greater in locations with high potential run-on and low potential run-off where saturated soil conditions were simulated in September 2013, suggesting that extreme precipitation also played an important role in the die-off in these locations. In locations where drought alone contributed to mortality, stem density negatively impacted big sagebrush. In locations that may have been affected by both drought and saturation, however, mortality was greatest where stem density was lowest, suggesting that these locations may have already been less favorable to big sagebrush. Paradoxically, vulnerability to both extreme events (drought and saturation) was associated with finer-textured soils, and our results highlight the importance of soils in determining local variation of the vulnerability of dryland plants to extreme events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel R Renne
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA
| | - Daniel R Schlaepfer
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA
| | - Kyle A Palmquist
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, 1000 East University Avenue, Laramie, Wyoming, 82071, USA
| | - John B Bradford
- Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86001, USA
| | - Ingrid C Burke
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA
| | - William K Lauenroth
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA.,Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, 1000 East University Avenue, Laramie, Wyoming, 82071, USA
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11
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Flake SW, Weisberg PJ. Fine-scale stand structure mediates drought-induced tree mortality in pinyon-juniper woodlands. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 29:e01831. [PMID: 30548934 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 06/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Severe drought has resulted in widespread tree die-off events in forests and woodlands globally and is forecast to become more frequent in coming decades. Tree mortality is a complex process influenced by climate, soils, characteristics of individual trees, interactions between trees, and the dynamics of pests and pathogens. The role of stand structure and stand density in mediating the resistance of trees to drought remains poorly understood, especially in semiarid woodlands, which are expected to be highly susceptible to future severe drought. We sampled permanent plots in central Nevada woodlands dominated by single-leaf pinyon pine and Utah juniper before and after a severe multi-year drought (2013-2015) to investigate the importance of climate, tree attributes, and local-neighborhood stand structure on tree mortality and canopy dieback at the level of individual trees and 0.1-ha plots. We observed widespread tree mortality of pinyon at approximately eight times the reported background mortality rate, and substantial canopy dieback in both pinyon and juniper. Both species were more prone to mortality and dieback in hotter, drier sites. Canopy dieback was associated with both long-term average climate and the severity of recent drought, with elevated mortality on sites with higher water deficits, average summer temperatures, and vapor pressure deficits. Soils also played a role in tree dieback, with greater mortality on deeper soils. While mortality was driven largely by climate at coarse scales, fine-scale stand structure interacted with climate to mediate mortality and dieback. Neighborhood statistics showed that trees were susceptible to competitive influence, and pinyon trees were especially sensitive to neighborhood density on drier sites. Mortality and dieback were associated with diverse, co-occurring insect and parasitic plant mortality agents. Canopy dieback prior to the drought was strongly associated with tree mortality during the drought, implying that current widespread defoliation caused by these agents may foreshadow future elevated woodland decline. Fine-scale influences such as stand structure and soil characteristics play a key role in the long-term dynamics of semiarid woodlands, and these factors should be considered in predictive models of forest and woodland susceptibility to drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel W Flake
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, 89557, USA
| | - Peter J Weisberg
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, 89557, USA
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12
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Avery JD, Keller GS. Spring Migration Patterns of Birds In Montane Habitats of the Southwestern United States. SOUTHWEST NAT 2018. [DOI: 10.1894/0038-4909-63.1.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julian D. Avery
- Department of Biology, Station 33, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM 88130
- Present address of JDA: Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State University, 412 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802
- Present address of GSK: Department of Biology, Gordon College, Wenham, MA 01984
| | - Gregory S. Keller
- Department of Biology, Station 33, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM 88130
- Present address of JDA: Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State University, 412 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802
- Present address of GSK: Department of Biology, Gordon College, Wenham, MA 01984
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13
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Bell DM, Cohen WB, Reilly M, Yang Z. Visual interpretation and time series modeling of Landsat imagery highlight drought's role in forest canopy declines. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David M. Bell
- United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; Pacific Northwest Research Station; Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Warren B. Cohen
- United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; Pacific Northwest Research Station; Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Matthew Reilly
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society; College of Forestry; Oregon State University; Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
- Department of Biological Sciences; College of Natural Resources and Sciences; Humboldt State University; Arcata California 95521 USA
| | - Zhiqiang Yang
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society; College of Forestry; Oregon State University; Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
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14
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Lloret F, Kitzberger T. Historical and event-based bioclimatic suitability predicts regional forest vulnerability to compound effects of severe drought and bark beetle infestation. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:1952-1964. [PMID: 29316042 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Revised: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Vulnerability to climate change, and particularly to climate extreme events, is expected to vary across species ranges. Thus, we need tools to standardize the variability in regional climatic legacy and extreme climate across populations and species. Extreme climate events (e.g., droughts) can erode populations close to the limits of species' climatic tolerance. Populations in climatic-core locations may also become vulnerable because they have developed a greater demand for resources (i.e., water) that cannot be enough satisfied during the periods of scarcity. These mechanisms can become exacerbated in tree populations when combined with antagonistic biotic interactions, such as insect infestation. We used climatic suitability indices derived from Species Distribution Models (SDMs) to standardize the climatic conditions experienced across Pinus edulis populations in southwestern North America, during a historical period (1972-2000) and during an extreme event (2001-2007), when the compound effect of hot drought and bark beetle infestation caused widespread die-off and mortality. Pinus edulis climatic suitability diminished dramatically during the die-off period, with remarkable variation between years. P. edulis die-off occurred mainly not just in sites that experienced lower climatic suitability during the drought but also where climatic suitability was higher during the historical period. The combined effect of historically high climatic suitability and a marked decrease in the climatic suitability during the drought best explained the range-wide mortality. Lagged effects of climatic suitability loss in previous years and co-occurrence of Juniperus monosperma also explained P. edulis die-off in particular years. Overall, the study shows that past climatic legacy, likely determining acclimation, together with competitive interactions plays a major role in responses to extreme drought. It also provides a new approach to standardize the magnitude of climatic variability across populations using SDMs, improving our capacity to predict population's or species' vulnerability to climatic change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Lloret
- CREAF Cerdanyola del Vallès, Bellaterra, Spain
- Univ Autònoma Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Thomas Kitzberger
- Laboratorio Ecotono, INIBIOMA-CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Bariloche, Argentina
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15
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Guérin M, Martin‐Benito D, von Arx G, Andreu‐Hayles L, Griffin KL, Hamdan R, McDowell NG, Muscarella R, Pockman W, Gentine P. Interannual variations in needle and sapwood traits of Pinus edulis branches under an experimental drought. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:1655-1672. [PMID: 29435241 PMCID: PMC5792598 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In the southwestern USA, recent large-scale die-offs of conifers raise the question of their resilience and mortality under droughts. To date, little is known about the interannual structural response to droughts. We hypothesized that piñon pines (Pinus edulis) respond to drought by reducing the drop of leaf water potential in branches from year to year through needle morphological adjustments. We tested our hypothesis using a 7-year experiment in central New Mexico with three watering treatments (irrigated, normal, and rain exclusion). We analyzed how variation in "evaporative structure" (needle length, stomatal diameter, stomatal density, stomatal conductance) responded to watering treatment and interannual climate variability. We further analyzed annual functional adjustments by comparing yearly addition of needle area (LA) with yearly addition of sapwood area (SA) and distance to tip (d), defining the yearly ratios SA:LA and SA:LA/d. Needle length (l) increased with increasing winter and monsoon water supply, and showed more interannual variability when the soil was drier. Stomatal density increased with dryness, while stomatal diameter was reduced. As a result, anatomical maximal stomatal conductance was relatively invariant across treatments. SA:LA and SA:LA/d showed significant differences across treatments and contrary to our expectation were lower with reduced water input. Within average precipitation ranges, the response of these ratios to soil moisture was similar across treatments. However, when extreme soil drought was combined with high VPD, needle length, SA:LA and SA:LA/d became highly nonlinear, emphasizing the existence of a response threshold of combined high VPD and dry soil conditions. In new branch tissues, the response of annual functional ratios to water stress was immediate (same year) and does not attempt to reduce the drop of water potential. We suggest that unfavorable evaporative structural response to drought is compensated by dynamic stomatal control to maximize photosynthesis rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marceau Guérin
- Department of Earth and Environmental EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Dario Martin‐Benito
- Forest EcologyDepartment of Environmental SciencesSwiss Federal Institute of TechnologyETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
- Forest Research Center (INIA‐CIFOR)MadridSpain
- Tree‐ring LaboratoryLamont‐Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia UniversityPalisadesNYUSA
| | - Georg von Arx
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSLBirmensdorfSwitzerland
- Climatic Change and Climate ImpactsInstitute for Environmental SciencesGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Laia Andreu‐Hayles
- Tree‐ring LaboratoryLamont‐Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia UniversityPalisadesNYUSA
| | - Kevin L. Griffin
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesLamont‐Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia UniversityPalisadesNYUSA
| | | | - Nate G. McDowell
- Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change DivisionPacific Northwest National LaboratoryRichlandWAUSA
| | - Robert Muscarella
- Ecoinformatics & BiodiversityDepartment of BioscienceAarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
| | - William Pockman
- Department of BiologyUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerqueNMUSA
| | - Pierre Gentine
- Department of Earth and Environmental EngineeringEarth InstituteColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
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16
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Redmond MD, Kelsey KC, Urza AK, Barger NN. Interacting effects of climate and landscape physiography on piñon pine growth using an individual‐based approach. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Miranda D. Redmond
- Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship Colorado State University 1472 Campus Delivery Fort Collins Colorado 80523 USA
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department University of Colorado Boulder Campus Box 334, 2200 Colorado Avenue Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
| | - Katharine C. Kelsey
- Environmental Studies Program University of Colorado Boulder Campus Box 399, 2200 Colorado Avenue Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
| | - Alexandra K. Urza
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology University of Nevada Reno Nevada 89557 USA
| | - Nichole N. Barger
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department University of Colorado Boulder Campus Box 334, 2200 Colorado Avenue Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
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17
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Zhang Q, Shao M, Jia X, Wei X. Relationship of Climatic and Forest Factors to Drought- and Heat-Induced Tree Mortality. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0169770. [PMID: 28095437 PMCID: PMC5240974 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tree mortality due to warming and drought is a critical aspect of forest ecosystem in responding to climate change. Spatial patterns of tree mortality induced by drought and its influencing factors, however, have yet to be documented at the global scale. We collected observations from 248 sites globally where trees have died due to drought and then assessed the effects of climatic and forest factors on the rate of tree mortality. The global mean annual mortality rate was 5.5%. The rate of tree mortality was significantly and negatively correlated with mean annual precipitation (P < 0.01). Tree mortality was lowest in tropical rainforests with mean annual precipitation >2000 mm and was severe in regions with mean annual precipitation <1000 mm. Mortality rates varied amongst species. The global annual rate of mortality was much higher for gymnosperms (7.1%) than angiosperms (4.8%) but did not differ significantly between evergreen (6.2%) and deciduous (6.1%) species. Stand age and wood density affected the mortality rate. Saplings (4.6%) had a higher mortality rate than mature trees (3.2%), and mortality rates significantly decreased with increasing wood density for all species (P < 0.01). We therefore concluded that the tree mortality around the globe varied with climatic and forest factors. The differences between tree species, wood density, stand density, and stand age should be considered when evaluating tree mortality at a large spatial scale during future climatic extremes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyin Zhang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Ming’an Shao
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (MS); (XJ)
| | - Xiaoxu Jia
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (MS); (XJ)
| | - Xiaorong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
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18
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Cailleret M, Bigler C, Bugmann H, Camarero JJ, Cˇufar K, Davi H, Mészáros I, Minunno F, Peltoniemi M, Robert EMR, Suarez ML, Tognetti R, Martínez-Vilalta J. Towards a common methodology for developing logistic tree mortality models based on ring-width data. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 26:1827-1841. [PMID: 27755692 DOI: 10.1890/15-1402.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Revised: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Tree mortality is a key process shaping forest dynamics. Thus, there is a growing need for indicators of the likelihood of tree death. During the last decades, an increasing number of tree-ring based studies have aimed to derive growth-mortality functions, mostly using logistic models. The results of these studies, however, are difficult to compare and synthesize due to the diversity of approaches used for the sampling strategy (number and characteristics of alive and death observations), the type of explanatory growth variables included (level, trend, etc.), and the length of the time window (number of years preceding the alive/death observation) that maximized the discrimination ability of each growth variable. We assess the implications of key methodological decisions when developing tree-ring based growth-mortality relationships using logistic mixed-effects regression models. As examples, we use published tree-ring datasets from Abies alba (13 different sites), Nothofagus dombeyi (one site), and Quercus petraea (one site). Our approach is based on a constant sampling size and aims at (1) assessing the dependency of growth-mortality relationships on the statistical sampling scheme used, (2) determining the type of explanatory growth variables that should be considered, and (3) identifying the best length of the time window used to calculate them. The performance of tree-ring-based mortality models was reasonably high for all three species (area under the receiving operator characteristics curve, AUC > 0.7). Growth level variables were the most important predictors of mortality probability for two species (A. alba, N. dombeyi), while growth-trend variables need to be considered for Q. petraea. In addition, the length of the time window used to calculate each growth variable was highly uncertain and depended on the sampling scheme, as some growth-mortality relationships varied with tree age. The present study accounts for the main sampling-related biases to determine reliable species-specific growth-mortality relationships. Our results highlight the importance of using a sampling strategy that is consistent with the research question. Moving towards a common methodology for developing reliable growth-mortality relationships is an important step towards improving our understanding of tree mortality across species and its representation in dynamic vegetation models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Cailleret
- Forest Ecology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Christof Bigler
- Forest Ecology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Harald Bugmann
- Forest Ecology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jesús Julio Camarero
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE, CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, 50059, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Katarina Cˇufar
- Department of Wood Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana,SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Hendrik Davi
- INRA, URFM, UR 629, Ecologie des Forêts Méditerranéennes, Domaine Saint Paul, Site Agroparc, F-84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Ilona Mészáros
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, PO Box 14, H-4010, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Francesco Minunno
- Department of Forest Science, University of Helsinki, PO Box 27, Helsinki, FI-00014, Finland
| | - Mikko Peltoniemi
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Jokiniemenkuja 1, 01301, Vantaa, Finland
| | - Elisabeth M R Robert
- Laboratory of Plant Biology and Nature Management (APNA), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Wood Biology and Xylarium, Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA), B-3080, Tervuren, Belgium
| | - María Laura Suarez
- INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional Comahue, Quintral 1250, Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Roberto Tognetti
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze e Territorio, Università degli Studi del Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, Pesche, I-86090, Italy
| | - Jordi Martínez-Vilalta
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès E-08193, Barcelona, Spain
- University Autònoma Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès E-08193, Barcelona, Spain
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19
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Woody Biomass Estimation in a Southwestern U.S. Juniper Savanna Using LiDAR-Derived Clumped Tree Segmentation and Existing Allometries. REMOTE SENSING 2016. [DOI: 10.3390/rs8060453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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20
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Remote Sensing Based Simple Models of GPP in Both Disturbed and Undisturbed Piñon-Juniper Woodlands in the Southwestern U.S. REMOTE SENSING 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/rs8010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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21
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Redmond MD, Cobb NS, Clifford MJ, Barger NN. Woodland recovery following drought-induced tree mortality across an environmental stress gradient. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2015; 21:3685-95. [PMID: 26089027 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Recent droughts and increasing temperatures have resulted in extensive tree mortality across the globe. Understanding the environmental controls on tree regeneration following these drought events will allow for better predictions of how these ecosystems may shift under a warmer, drier climate. Within the widely distributed piñon-juniper woodlands of the southwestern USA, a multiyear drought in 2002-2004 resulted in extensive adult piñon mortality and shifted adult woodland composition to a juniper-dominated, more savannah-type ecosystem. Here, we used pre- (1998-2001) and 10-year post- (2014) drought stand structure data of individually mapped trees at 42 sites to assess the effects of this drought on tree regeneration across a gradient of environmental stress. We found declines in piñon juvenile densities since the multiyear drought due to limited new recruitment and high (>50%) juvenile mortality. This is in contrast to juniper juvenile densities, which increased over this time period. Across the landscape, piñon recruitment was positively associated with live adult piñon densities and soil available water capacity, likely due to their respective effects on seed and water availability. Juvenile piñon survival was strongly facilitated by certain types of nurse trees and shrubs. These nurse plants also moderated the effects of environmental stress on piñon survival: Survival of interspace piñon juveniles was positively associated with soil available water capacity, whereas survival of nursed piñon juveniles was negatively associated with perennial grass cover. Thus, nurse plants had a greater facilitative effect on survival at sites with higher soil available water capacity and perennial grass cover. Notably, mean annual climatic water deficit and elevation were not associated with piñon recruitment or survival across the landscape. Our findings reveal a clear shift in successional trajectories toward a more juniper-dominated woodland and highlight the importance of incorporating biotic interactions and soil properties into species distribution modeling approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda D Redmond
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
| | - Neil S Cobb
- Merriam Powel Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Michael J Clifford
- Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Las Vegas, NV, 89119, USA
| | - Nichole N Barger
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
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22
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Allen CD, Breshears DD, McDowell NG. On underestimation of global vulnerability to tree mortality and forest die-off from hotter drought in the Anthropocene. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es15-00203.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1345] [Impact Index Per Article: 149.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
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23
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Sperry JS, Love DM. What plant hydraulics can tell us about responses to climate-change droughts. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2015; 207:14-27. [PMID: 25773898 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 01/30/2015] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Climate change exposes vegetation to unusual drought, causing declines in productivity and increased mortality. Drought responses are hard to anticipate because canopy transpiration and diffusive conductance (G) respond to drying soil and vapor pressure deficit (D) in complex ways. A growing database of hydraulic traits, combined with a parsimonious theory of tree water transport and its regulation, may improve predictions of at-risk vegetation. The theory uses the physics of flow through soil and xylem to quantify how canopy water supply declines with drought and ceases by hydraulic failure. This transpiration 'supply function' is used to predict a water 'loss function' by assuming that stomatal regulation exploits transport capacity while avoiding failure. Supply-loss theory incorporates root distribution, hydraulic redistribution, cavitation vulnerability, and cavitation reversal. The theory efficiently defines stomatal responses to D, drying soil, and hydraulic vulnerability. Driving the theory with climate predicts drought-induced loss of plant hydraulic conductance (k), canopy G, carbon assimilation, and productivity. Data lead to the 'chronic stress hypothesis' wherein > 60% loss of k increases mortality by multiple mechanisms. Supply-loss theory predicts the climatic conditions that push vegetation over this risk threshold. The theory's simplicity and predictive power encourage testing and application in large-scale modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Sperry
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - David M Love
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
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24
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Dorman M, Svoray T, Perevolotsky A, Moshe Y, Sarris D. What determines tree mortality in dry environments? A multi-perspective approach. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2015; 25:1054-71. [PMID: 26465042 DOI: 10.1890/14-0698.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Forest ecosystems function under increasing pressure due to global climate changes, while factors determining when and where mortality events will take place within the wider landscape are poorly understood. Observational studies are essential for documenting forest decline events, understanding their determinants, and developing sustainable management plans. A central obstacle towards achieving this goal is that mortality is often patchy across a range of spatial scales, and characterized by long-term temporal dynamics. Research must therefore integrate different methods, from several scientific disciplines, to capture as many relevant informative patterns as possible. We performed a landscape-scale assessment of mortality and its determinants in two representative Pinus halepensis planted forests from a dry environment (~300 mm), recently experiencing an unprecedented sequence of two severe drought periods. Three data sources were integrated to analyze the spatiotemporal variation in forest performance: (1) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time-series, from 18 Landsat satellite images; (2) individual dead trees point-pattern, based on a high-resolution aerial photograph; and (3) Basal Area Increment (BAI) time-series, from dendrochronological sampling in three sites. Mortality risk was higher in older-aged sparse stands, on southern aspects, and on deeper soils. However, mortality was patchy across all spatial scales, and the locations of patches within "high-risk" areas could not be fully explained by the examined environmental factors. Moreover, the analysis of past forest performance based on NDVI and tree rings has indicated that the areas affected by each of the two recent droughts do not coincide. The association of mortality with lower tree densities did not support the notion that thinning semiarid forests will increase survival probability of the remaining trees when facing extreme drought. Unique information was obtained when merging dendrochronological and remotely sensed performance indicators, in contrast to potential bias when using a single approach. For example, dendrochronological data suggested highly resilient tree growth, since it was based only on the "surviving" portion of the population, thus failing to identify past demographic changes evident through remote sensing. We therefore suggest that evaluation of forest resilience should be based on several metrics, each suited for detecting transitions at a different level of organization.
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25
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Pangle RE, Limousin JM, Plaut JA, Yepez EA, Hudson PJ, Boutz AL, Gehres N, Pockman WT, McDowell NG. Prolonged experimental drought reduces plant hydraulic conductance and transpiration and increases mortality in a piñon-juniper woodland. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:1618-38. [PMID: 25937906 PMCID: PMC4409411 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2014] [Revised: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant hydraulic conductance (ks) is a critical control on whole-plant water use and carbon uptake and, during drought, influences whether plants survive or die. To assess long-term physiological and hydraulic responses of mature trees to water availability, we manipulated ecosystem-scale water availability from 2007 to 2013 in a piñon pine (Pinus edulis) and juniper (Juniperus monosperma) woodland. We examined the relationship between ks and subsequent mortality using more than 5 years of physiological observations, and the subsequent impact of reduced hydraulic function and mortality on total woody canopy transpiration (EC) and conductance (GC). For both species, we observed significant reductions in plant transpiration (E) and ks under experimentally imposed drought. Conversely, supplemental water additions increased E and ks in both species. Interestingly, both species exhibited similar declines in ks under the imposed drought conditions, despite their differing stomatal responses and mortality patterns during drought. Reduced whole-plant ks also reduced carbon assimilation in both species, as leaf-level stomatal conductance (gs) and net photosynthesis (An) declined strongly with decreasing ks. Finally, we observed that chronically low whole-plant ks was associated with greater canopy dieback and mortality for both piñon and juniper and that subsequent reductions in woody canopy biomass due to mortality had a significant impact on both daily and annual canopy EC and GC. Our data indicate that significant reductions in ks precede drought-related tree mortality events in this system, and the consequence is a significant reduction in canopy gas exchange and carbon fixation. Our results suggest that reductions in productivity and woody plant cover in piñon–juniper woodlands can be expected due to reduced plant hydraulic conductance and increased mortality of both piñon pine and juniper under anticipated future conditions of more frequent and persistent regional drought in the southwestern United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E Pangle
- Department of Biology, MSC03 2020, 1 University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131-0001
| | - Jean-Marc Limousin
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive CEFE, UMR5175, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, EPHE 1919 Route de Mende, Montpellier Cedex 5, 34293, France
| | - Jennifer A Plaut
- Department of Biology, MSC03 2020, 1 University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131-0001
| | - Enrico A Yepez
- Departamento de Ciencias del Agua y del Medio Ambiente, Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, 85000, Mexico
| | - Patrick J Hudson
- Department of Biology, MSC03 2020, 1 University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131-0001
| | - Amanda L Boutz
- Department of Biology, MSC03 2020, 1 University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131-0001
| | - Nathan Gehres
- Department of Biology, MSC03 2020, 1 University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131-0001
| | - William T Pockman
- Department of Biology, MSC03 2020, 1 University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131-0001
| | - Nate G McDowell
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545
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26
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Westerband A, Dovčiak M, Quay-Velázquez GL, Medeiros JS. Aspect reduces soil moisture and tree cover, but not nitrogen mineralization or grass cover, in semiarid pinyon-juniper woodlands of the Southwestern United States. SOUTHWEST NAT 2015. [DOI: 10.1894/fmo-18.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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27
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McDowell NG, Coops NC, Beck PSA, Chambers JQ, Gangodagamage C, Hicke JA, Huang CY, Kennedy R, Krofcheck DJ, Litvak M, Meddens AJH, Muss J, Negrón-Juarez R, Peng C, Schwantes AM, Swenson JJ, Vernon LJ, Williams AP, Xu C, Zhao M, Running SW, Allen CD. Global satellite monitoring of climate-induced vegetation disturbances. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 20:114-23. [PMID: 25500552 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2014.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2014] [Revised: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial disturbances are accelerating globally, but their full impact is not quantified because we lack an adequate monitoring system. Remote sensing offers a means to quantify the frequency and extent of disturbances globally. Here, we review the current application of remote sensing to this problem and offer a framework for more systematic analysis in the future. We recommend that any proposed monitoring system should not only detect disturbances, but also be able to: identify the proximate cause(s); integrate a range of spatial scales; and, ideally, incorporate process models to explain the observed patterns and predicted trends in the future. Significant remaining challenges are tied to the ecology of disturbances. To meet these challenges, more effort is required to incorporate ecological principles and understanding into the assessments of disturbance worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nate G McDowell
- Los Alamos National Lab, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
| | - Nicholas C Coops
- Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada
| | - Pieter S A Beck
- Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra (VA), Italy
| | - Jeffrey Q Chambers
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Earth Science Division, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Chandana Gangodagamage
- Los Alamos National Lab, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Hicke
- University of Idaho, Department of Geography, Moscow, ID 83844-3021, USA
| | - Cho-ying Huang
- Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Robert Kennedy
- Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Dan J Krofcheck
- Biology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA
| | - Marcy Litvak
- Biology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA
| | - Arjan J H Meddens
- University of Idaho, Department of Geography, Moscow, ID 83844-3021, USA
| | - Jordan Muss
- Los Alamos National Lab, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | | | - Changhui Peng
- Center of CEF/ESCER, Department of Biological Science, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada and State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Amanda M Schwantes
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jennifer J Swenson
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Louis J Vernon
- Los Alamos National Lab, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - A Park Williams
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
| | - Chonggang Xu
- Los Alamos National Lab, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Maosheng Zhao
- Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Steve W Running
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, MT 59812, USA
| | - Craig D Allen
- United States Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Jemez Mountain Field Station, Los Alamos, NM 87544, USA
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Salmoral G, Willaarts BA, Troch PA, Garrido A. Drivers influencing streamflow changes in the Upper Turia basin, Spain. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 503-504:258-268. [PMID: 25115604 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.07.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Revised: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Many rivers across the world have experienced a significant streamflow reduction over the last decades. Drivers of the observed streamflow changes are multiple, including climate change (CC), land use and land cover changes (LULCC), water transfers and river impoundment. Many of these drivers inter-act simultaneously, making it difficult to discern the impact of each driver individually. In this study we isolate the effects of LULCC on the observed streamflow reduction in the Upper Turia basin (east Spain) during the period 1973-2008. Regression models of annual streamflow are fitted with climatic variables and also additional time variant drivers like LULCC. The ecohydrological model SWAT is used to study the magnitude and sign of streamflow change when LULCC occurs. Our results show that LULCC does play a significant role on the water balance, but it is not the main driver underpinning the observed reduction on Turia's streamflow. Increasing mean temperature is the main factor supporting increasing evapotranspiration and streamflow reduction. In fact, LULCC and CC have had an offsetting effect on the streamflow generation during the study period. While streamflow has been negatively affected by increasing temperature, ongoing LULCC have positively compensated with reduced evapotranspiration rates, thanks to mainly shrubland clearing and forest degradation processes. These findings are valuable for the management of the Turia river basin, as well as a useful approach for the determination of the weight of LULCC on the hydrological response in other regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Salmoral
- Water Observatory-Botín Foundation and Research Centre for the Management of Agricultural and Environmental Risks (CEIGRAM), Technical University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Bárbara A Willaarts
- Water Observatory-Botín Foundation and Research Centre for the Management of Agricultural and Environmental Risks (CEIGRAM), Technical University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Peter A Troch
- Biosphere 2, Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
| | - Alberto Garrido
- Water Observatory-Botín Foundation and Research Centre for the Management of Agricultural and Environmental Risks (CEIGRAM), Technical University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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29
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Prior LD, Bowman DMJS. Big eucalypts grow more slowly in a warm climate: evidence of an interaction between tree size and temperature. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2014; 20:2793-2799. [PMID: 24469908 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2013] [Revised: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Large trees are critical components of forest ecosystems, but are declining in many forests worldwide. We predicted that growth of large trees is more vulnerable than that of small trees to high temperatures, because respiration and tissue maintenance costs increase with temperature more rapidly than does photosynthesis and these costs may be disproportionately greater in large trees. Using 5 00 000 measurements of eucalypt growth across temperate Australia, we found that high temperatures do appear to impose a larger growth penalty on large trees than on small ones. Average stem diameter growth rates at 21 °C compared with 11 °C mean annual temperature were 57% lower for large trees (58 cm stem diameter), but only 29% lower for small trees (18 cm diameter). While our results are consistent with an impaired carbon budget for large trees at warmer sites, we cannot discount causes such as hydraulic stress. We conclude that slower growth rates will impede recovery from extreme events, exacerbating the effects of higher temperatures, increased drought stress and more frequent fire on the tall eucalypt forests of southern Australia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynda D Prior
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania, 7000, Australia
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30
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Delph RJ, Clifford MJ, Cobb NS, Ford PL, Brantley SL. Pinyon Pine Mortality Alters Communities of Ground-Dwelling Arthropods. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2014. [DOI: 10.3398/064.074.0203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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31
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Macalady AK, Bugmann H. Growth-mortality relationships in piñon pine (Pinus edulis) during severe droughts of the past century: shifting processes in space and time. PLoS One 2014; 9:e92770. [PMID: 24786646 PMCID: PMC4008371 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2013] [Accepted: 02/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The processes leading to drought-associated tree mortality are poorly understood, particularly long-term predisposing factors, memory effects, and variability in mortality processes and thresholds in space and time. We use tree rings from four sites to investigate Pinus edulis mortality during two drought periods in the southwestern USA. We draw on recent sampling and archived collections to (1) analyze P. edulis growth patterns and mortality during the 1950s and 2000s droughts; (2) determine the influence of climate and competition on growth in trees that died and survived; and (3) derive regression models of growth-mortality risk and evaluate their performance across space and time. Recent growth was 53% higher in surviving vs. dying trees, with some sites exhibiting decades-long growth divergences associated with previous drought. Differential growth response to climate partly explained growth differences between live and dead trees, with responses wet/cool conditions most influencing eventual tree status. Competition constrained tree growth, and reduced trees' ability to respond to favorable climate. The best predictors in growth-mortality models included long-term (15-30 year) average growth rate combined with a metric of growth variability and the number of abrupt growth increases over 15 and 10 years, respectively. The most parsimonious models had high discriminatory power (ROC>0.84) and correctly classified ∼ 70% of trees, suggesting that aspects of tree growth, especially over decades, can be powerful predictors of widespread drought-associated die-off. However, model discrimination varied across sites and drought events. Weaker growth-mortality relationships and higher growth at lower survival probabilities for some sites during the 2000s event suggest a shift in mortality processes from longer-term growth-related constraints to shorter-term processes, such as rapid metabolic decline even in vigorous trees due to acute drought stress, and/or increases in the attack rate of both chronically stressed and more vigorous trees by bark beetles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison K. Macalady
- University of Arizona, School of Geography and Development and Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Harald Bugmann
- Forest Ecology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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32
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Hicke JA, Zeppel MJB. Climate-driven tree mortality: insights from the piñon pine die-off in the United States. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2013; 200:301-303. [PMID: 24050632 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Hicke
- Department of Geography, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, 83844, USA
| | - Melanie J B Zeppel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
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33
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McDowell NG, Ryan MG, Zeppel MJB, Tissue DT. Feature: Improving our knowledge of drought-induced forest mortality through experiments, observations, and modeling. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2013; 200:289-293. [PMID: 24050629 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nate G McDowell
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Lab, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
| | - Michael G Ryan
- Natural Resource Ecology Lab, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1499, USA
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Melanie J B Zeppel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, 2109, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
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