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Ma BL, Liao SH, Lv QZ, Huang X, Jiang ZM, Cai J. Seasonal plasticity of stem embolism resistance and its potential driving factors in six temperate woody species. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2024; 176:e14421. [PMID: 38956781 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.14421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
The seasonal plasticity of resistance to xylem embolism has been demonstrated in leaves of some tree species, but is controversial in stems. In this study, we investigated the seasonality of stem xylem resistance to embolism in six temperate woody species (four deciduous and two evergreen tree species) that were grown at the same site. The xylem conduit anatomy, the concentrations, and ratios of the main cation in the xylem sap, as well as the content of nonstructural carbohydrates (including soluble sugars and starch) were measured in each species under each season to reveal the potential mechanisms of seasonal change in embolism resistance. The stem of all species showed increasing resistance to embolism as seasons progressed, with more vulnerable xylem in spring, but no significant adjustment in the other three seasons. The seasonal plasticity of stem embolism resistance was greater in deciduous species than in evergreen. On a seasonal scale, conduit diameter and conduit implosion resistance, the ratios of K+/Ca2+ and K+/Na+, and starch content were generally not correlated with embolism resistance, suggesting that these are probably not the main drivers of seasonal plasticity of stem embolism resistance. The seasonality of embolism resistance provides critical information for better understanding plant hydraulics in response to seasonal environments, especially under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Long Ma
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Su-Hui Liao
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Qing-Zi Lv
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Xin Huang
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Zai-Min Jiang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Jing Cai
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- Qinling National Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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Grossman JJ, Coe HB, Fey O, Fraser N, Salaam M, Semper C, Williamson CG. Temperate woody species across the angiosperm phylogeny acquire tolerance to water deficit stress during the growing season. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024. [PMID: 38511237 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the capacity of temperate trees to acclimate to limited soil water has become essential in the face of increasing drought risk due to climate change. We documented seasonal - or phenological - patterns in acclimation to water deficit stress in stems and leaves of tree species spanning the angiosperm phylogeny. Over 3 yr of field observations carried out in two US arboreta, we measured stem vulnerability to embolism (36 individuals of 7 Species) and turgor loss point (119 individuals of 27 species) over the growing season. We also conducted a growth chamber experiment on 20 individuals of one species to assess the mechanistic relationship between soil water restriction and acclimation. In three-quarters of species measured, plants became less vulnerable to embolism and/or loss of turgor over the growing season. We were able to stimulate this acclimatory effect by withholding water in the growth chamber experiment. Temperate angiosperms are capable of acclimation to soil water deficit stress, showing maximum vulnerability to soil water deficits following budbreak and becoming more resilient to damage over the course of the growing season or in response to simulated drought. The species-specific tempo and extent of this acclimatory potential constitutes preadaptive climate change resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake J Grossman
- Biology Department & Environmental Studies Department, St. Olaf College, 1520 St Olaf Ave, Northfield, MN, 55057, USA
| | - Henry B Coe
- Environmental Permitting and Planning Group, Hazen and Sawyer 498 Seventh Ave #11, New York, NY, 10018, USA
| | - Olivia Fey
- Biology Department, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave, Swarthmore, PA, 19081, USA
| | - Natalie Fraser
- Biology Department, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave, Swarthmore, PA, 19081, USA
| | - Musa Salaam
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University, 4940 Eastern Ave, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Chelsea Semper
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Ave N, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Ceci G Williamson
- Biology Department, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave, Swarthmore, PA, 19081, USA
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Sorek Y, Netzer Y, Cohen S, Hochberg U. Rapid leaf xylem acclimation diminishes the chances of embolism in grapevines. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:6836-6846. [PMID: 37659088 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad351] [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: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Under most conditions tight stomatal regulation in grapevines (Vitis vinifera) avoids xylem embolism. The current study evaluated grapevine responses to challenging scenarios that might lead to leaf embolism and consequential leaf damage. We hypothesized that embolism would occur if the vines experienced low xylem water potential (Ψx) shortly after bud break or later in the season under a combination of extreme drought and heat. We subjected vines to two potentially dangerous environments: (i) withholding irrigation from a vineyard grown in a heatwave-prone environment, and (ii) subjecting potted vines to terminal drought 1 month after bud break. In the field experiment, a heatwave at the beginning of August resulted in leaf temperatures over 45 °C. However, effective stomatal response maintained the xylem water potential (Ψx) well above the embolism threshold, and no leaf desiccation was observed. In the pot experiment, leaves of well-watered vines in May were relatively vulnerable to embolism with 50% embolism (P50) at -1.8 MPa. However, when exposed to drought, these leaves acclimated their leaf P50 by 0.65 MPa in less than a week and before reaching embolism values. When dried to embolizing Ψx, the leaf damage proportion matched (percentage-wise) the leaf embolism level. Our findings indicate that embolism and leaf damage are usually avoided by the grapevines' efficient stomatal regulation and rapid acclimation of their xylem vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonatan Sorek
- Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion, Israel
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Yishai Netzer
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel
- Eastern R and D Center, Ariel 40700, Israel
| | - Shabtai Cohen
- Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Uri Hochberg
- Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion, Israel
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Feng F, Wagner Y, Klein T, Hochberg U. Xylem resistance to cavitation increases during summer in Pinus halepensis. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 46:1849-1859. [PMID: 36793149 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14573] [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: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Cavitation resistance has often been viewed as a relatively static trait, especially for stems of forest trees. Meanwhile, other hydraulic traits, such as turgor loss point (Ψtlp ) and xylem anatomy, change during the season. In this study, we hypothesized that cavitation resistance is also dynamic, changing in coordination with Ψtlp . We began with a comparison of optical vulnerability (OV), microcomputed tomography (µCT) and cavitron methods. All three methods significantly differed in the slope of the curve,Ψ12 and Ψ88 , but not in Ψ50 (xylem pressures that cause 12%, 88%, 50% cavitation, respectively). Thus, we followed the seasonal dynamics (across 2 years) of Ψ50 in Pinus halepensis under Mediterranean climate using the OV method. We found that Ψ50 is a plastic trait with a reduction of approximately 1 MPa from the end of the wet season to the end of the dry season, in coordination with the dynamics of the midday xylem water potential (Ψmidday ) and the Ψtlp . The observed plasticity enabled the trees to maintain a stable positive hydraulic safety margin and avoid cavitation during the long dry season. Seasonal plasticity is vital for understanding the actual risk of cavitation to plants and for modeling species' ability to tolerate harsh environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Feng
- Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion, Israel
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Yael Wagner
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tamir Klein
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Uri Hochberg
- Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion, Israel
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