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Zhao S, Zhao X, Li Y, Zhang R, Zhao Y, Fang H, Li W. Impact of altered groundwater depth on soil microbial diversity, network complexity and multifunctionality. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1214186. [PMID: 37601343 PMCID: PMC10434790 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1214186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the effects of groundwater depth on soil microbiota and multiple soil functions is essential for ecological restoration and the implementation of groundwater conservation. The current impact of increased groundwater levels induced by drought on soil microbiota and multifunctionality remains ambiguous, which impedes our understanding of the sustainability of water-scarce ecosystems that heavily rely on groundwater resources. This study investigated the impacts of altered groundwater depths on soil microbiota and multifunctionality in a semi-arid region. Three groundwater depth levels were studied, with different soil quality and soil moisture at each level. The deep groundwater treatment had negative impacts on diversity, network complexity of microbiota, and the relationships among microbial phylum unites. Increasing groundwater depth also changed composition of soil microbiota, reducing the relative abundance of dominant phyla including Proteobacteria and Ascomycota. Increasing groundwater depth led to changes in microbial community characteristics, which are strongly related to alterations in soil multifunctionality. Overall, our results suggest that groundwater depth had a strongly effect on soil microbiota and functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siteng Zhao
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xueyong Zhao
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, China
| | - Yulin Li
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, China
| | - Yanming Zhao
- Tongliao Hydrology and Water Resources Sub-center, Tongliao, China
| | - Hong Fang
- Tongliao Hydrology and Water Resources Sub-center, Tongliao, China
| | - Wenshuang Li
- Tongliao Hydrology and Water Resources Sub-center, Tongliao, China
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Zhao S, Zhao X, Li Y, Chen X, Li C, Fang H, Li W, Guo W. Impact of deeper groundwater depth on vegetation and soil in semi-arid region of eastern China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1186406. [PMID: 37457335 PMCID: PMC10342210 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1186406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Understanding the impact of deep groundwater depth on vegetation communities and soil in sand dunes with different underground water tables is essential for ecological restoration and the conservation of groundwater. Furthermore, this understanding is critical for determining the threshold value of groundwater depth that ensures the survival of vegetation. Method This paper was conducted in a semi-arid region in eastern China, and the effects of deep groundwater depth (6.25 m, 10.61 m, and 15.26 m) on vegetation communities and soil properties (0-200 cm) across three dune types (mobile, semi-fixed, and fixed dunes) were evaluated in a sand ecosystem in the Horqin Sandy Land. Results For vegetation community, variations in the same species are more significant at different groundwater depths. For soil properties, groundwater depth negatively influences soil moisture, total carbon, total nitrogen, available nitrogen, available phosphorus concentrations, and soil pH. Besides, groundwater depth also significantly affected organic carbon and available potassium concentrations. In addition, herb species were mainly distributed in areas with lower groundwater depth, yet arbor and shrub species were sparsely distributed in places with deeper groundwater depth. Discussion As arbor and shrub species are key drivers of ecosystem sustainability, the adaptation of these dominant species to increasing groundwater depth may alleviate the negative effects of increasing groundwater depth; however, restrictions on this adaptation were exceeded at deeper groundwater depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siteng Zhao
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xueyong Zhao
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, China
| | - Yulin Li
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, China
| | - Xueping Chen
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chengyi Li
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Fang
- Tongliao Hydrology and Water Resources Sub-Center, Tongliao, China
| | - Wenshuang Li
- Tongliao Hydrology and Water Resources Sub-Center, Tongliao, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Tongliao Hydrology and Water Resources Sub-Center, Tongliao, China
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Glanville K, Sheldon F, Butler D, Capon S. Effects and significance of groundwater for vegetation: A systematic review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 875:162577. [PMID: 36898536 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater represents a critical water source for plants, especially during drought, with continuous groundwater availability widely associated with the presence of ecological refugia and the preservation of biodiversity during periods of adverse conditions. Here, we present a systematic quantitative literature review of global groundwater and ecosystem interactions to synthesise current knowledge and identify key knowledge gaps and research priorities through a management lens. Despite increasing research on groundwater dependent vegetation since the late 1990s, significant geographical and ecological biases are evident with papers focused on arid regions or areas with significant anthropogenic changes. Of the 140 papers reviewed, desert and steepe arid landscapes accounted for 50.7 % and desert and xeric shrublands were represented in 37.9 % of papers. A third of papers (34.4 %) quantified groundwater uptake by ecosystems and groundwater contributions to transpiration, with studies examining the influence of groundwater on vegetation productivity, distribution, and composition also well represented. In contrast, groundwater influences on other ecosystem functions are relatively poorly explored. The research biases introduce uncertainty in the transferability of findings between locations and ecosystems limiting the generality of our current understanding. This synthesis contributes to consolidating a solid knowledge base of the hydrological and ecological interrelationships for managers, planners, and other decision-makers that is relevant to the landscapes and environments they manage, so can more effectively deliver ecological and conservation outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Glanville
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia; Queensland Herbarium, Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, Queensland 4066, Australia.
| | - F Sheldon
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - D Butler
- Queensland Herbarium, Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, Queensland 4066, Australia
| | - S Capon
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
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Howari FM, Sharma M, Nazzal Y, El-Keblawy A, Mir S, Xavier CM, Salem IB, Al-Taani AA, Alaydaroos F. Changes in the Invasion Rate of Prosopis juliflora and Its Impact on Depletion of Groundwater in the Northern Part of the United Arab Emirates. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:682. [PMID: 35270152 PMCID: PMC8912357 DOI: 10.3390/plants11050682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Prosopis species were introduced to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) region for desert greening. However, the species now pose a great threat to the native plant diversity. This study used high-resolution satellite imagery (1990-2019) to understand the history and current distribution of Prosopis species and their impact on fresh groundwater. The results show that the Prosopis invasion in the study area reached its maximum expansion rate in 2019 and covered an area of about 16 km2 compared to 0.2 km2 in 1990. The areas near Sharjah Airport, Umm Fannan, and Al Talla, located at a lower elevation of the sand dune area, are heavily invaded. Prosopis groundwater requirement derived using evapotranspiration shows that groundwater consumption has changed drastically after 2010 and consumed about 22.22 million m3 of groundwater in 2019, which is about a 7372% increase in groundwater consumption from the year 1990 to 2019. The results can be useful for setting up a management plan for the sustainable use of this species in the UAE region in particular and other similar countries in the arid land regions that are suffering from freshwater depletion because of Prosopis invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fares M. Howari
- College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 144534, United Arab Emirates; (F.M.H.); (Y.N.); (S.M.); (C.M.X.); (I.B.S.); (A.A.A.-T.)
| | - Manish Sharma
- College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 144534, United Arab Emirates; (F.M.H.); (Y.N.); (S.M.); (C.M.X.); (I.B.S.); (A.A.A.-T.)
| | - Yousef Nazzal
- College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 144534, United Arab Emirates; (F.M.H.); (Y.N.); (S.M.); (C.M.X.); (I.B.S.); (A.A.A.-T.)
| | - Ali El-Keblawy
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Shajrat Mir
- College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 144534, United Arab Emirates; (F.M.H.); (Y.N.); (S.M.); (C.M.X.); (I.B.S.); (A.A.A.-T.)
| | - Cijo M. Xavier
- College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 144534, United Arab Emirates; (F.M.H.); (Y.N.); (S.M.); (C.M.X.); (I.B.S.); (A.A.A.-T.)
| | - Imen Ben Salem
- College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 144534, United Arab Emirates; (F.M.H.); (Y.N.); (S.M.); (C.M.X.); (I.B.S.); (A.A.A.-T.)
| | - Ahmed A. Al-Taani
- College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 144534, United Arab Emirates; (F.M.H.); (Y.N.); (S.M.); (C.M.X.); (I.B.S.); (A.A.A.-T.)
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Sommers P, Davis A, Chesson P. Invasive buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) increases water stress and reduces success of native perennial seedlings in southeastern Arizona. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02750-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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A multiple-trait analysis of ecohydrological acclimatisation in a dryland phreatophytic shrub. Oecologia 2021; 196:1179-1193. [PMID: 34331567 PMCID: PMC8367881 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04993-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Water is the main limiting factor for groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) in drylands. Predicted climate change (precipitation reductions and temperature increases) and anthropogenic activities such as groundwater drawdown jeopardise the functioning of these ecosystems, presenting new challenges for their management. We developed a trait-based analysis to examine the spatiotemporal variability in the ecophysiology of Ziziphus lotus, a long-lived phreatophyte that dominates one of the few terrestrial GDEs of semiarid regions in Europe. We assessed morpho-functional traits and stem water potential along a naturally occurring gradient of depth-to-groundwater (DTGW, 2-25 m) in a coastal aquifer, and throughout the species-growing season. Increasing DTGW and salinity negatively affected photosynthetic and transpiration rates, increasing plant water stress (lower predawn and midday water potential), and positively affected Huber value (sapwood cross-sectional area per leaf area), reducing leaf area and likely, plant hydraulic demand. However, the species showed greater salt-tolerance at shallow depths. Despite groundwater characteristics, higher atmospheric evaporative demand in the study area, which occurred in summer, fostered higher transpiration rates and water stress, and promoted carbon assimilation and water loss more intensively at shallow water tables. This multiple-trait analysis allowed us to identify plant ecophysiological thresholds related to the increase in salinity, but mostly in DTGW (13 m), and in the evaporative demand during the growing season. These findings highlight the existence of tipping points in the functioning of a long-lived phreatophyte in drylands and can contribute to the sustainable management of GDEs in southern Europe, paving the way for further studies on phreatophytic species.
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Torres-García MT, Salinas-Bonillo MJ, Gázquez-Sánchez F, Fernández-Cortés Á, Querejeta JI, Cabello J. Squandering water in drylands: the water-use strategy of the phreatophyte Ziziphus lotus in a groundwater-dependent ecosystem. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2021; 108:236-248. [PMID: 33586136 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Water is the most limiting factor in dryland ecosystems, and plants are adapted to cope with this constraint. Particularly vulnerable are phreatophytic plants from groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) in regions that have to face water regime alterations due to the impacts of climate and land-use changes. METHODS We investigated two aspects related to the water-use strategy of a keystone species that dominates one of the few terrestrial GDEs in European drylands (Ziziphus lotus): where it obtains water and how it regulates its use. We (1) evaluated plants' water sources and use patterns using a multiple-isotope approach (δ2 H, δ18 O, and Δ13 C); (2) assessed the regulation of plant water potential by characterizing the species on an isohydric-anisohydric continuum; and (3) evaluated plants' response to increasing water stress along a depth-to-groundwater (DTGW) gradient by measuring foliar gas exchange and nutrient concentrations. RESULTS Ziziphus lotus behaves as a facultative or partial phreatophyte with extreme anisohydric stomatal regulation. However, as DTGW increased, Z. lotus (1) reduced the use of groundwater, (2) reduced total water uptake, and (3) limited transpiration water loss while increasing water-use efficiency. We also found a physiological threshold at 14 m depth to groundwater, which could indicate maximum rooting length beyond which optimal plant function could not be sustained. CONCLUSIONS Species such as Z. lotus survive by squandering water in drylands because of a substantial groundwater uptake. However, the identification of DTGW thresholds indicates that drawdowns in groundwater level would jeopardize the functioning of the GDE.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Trinidad Torres-García
- Department of Biology and Geology, Universidad de Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s.n, La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, 04120, Spain
- Andalusian Centre for the Monitoring and Assessment of Global Change (CAESCG), University of Almería, Spain
| | - María J Salinas-Bonillo
- Department of Biology and Geology, Universidad de Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s.n, La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, 04120, Spain
- Andalusian Centre for the Monitoring and Assessment of Global Change (CAESCG), University of Almería, Spain
| | - Fernando Gázquez-Sánchez
- Department of Biology and Geology, Universidad de Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s.n, La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, 04120, Spain
- Andalusian Centre for the Monitoring and Assessment of Global Change (CAESCG), University of Almería, Spain
| | - Ángel Fernández-Cortés
- Department of Biology and Geology, Universidad de Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s.n, La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, 04120, Spain
- Andalusian Centre for the Monitoring and Assessment of Global Change (CAESCG), University of Almería, Spain
| | - José I Querejeta
- Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEBAS-CSIC), Murcia, Spain
| | - Javier Cabello
- Department of Biology and Geology, Universidad de Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s.n, La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, 04120, Spain
- Andalusian Centre for the Monitoring and Assessment of Global Change (CAESCG), University of Almería, Spain
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Time A, Acevedo E. Effects of Water Deficits on Prosopis tamarugo Growth, Water Status and Stomata Functioning. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 10:plants10010053. [PMID: 33383674 PMCID: PMC7823844 DOI: 10.3390/plants10010053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The effect of water deficit on growth, water status and stomatal functioning of Prosopis tamarugo was investigated under controlled water conditions. The study was done at the Antumapu Experiment Station of the University of Chile. Three levels of water stress were tested: (i) well-watered (WW), (ii) medium stress intensity (low-watered (LW)) and (iii) intense stress (non-watered (NW)), with 10 replicates each level. All growth parameters evaluated, such as twig growth, specific leaf area and apical dominance index, were significantly decreased under water deficit. Tamarugo twig growth decreased along with twig water potential. The stomatal conductance and CO2 assimilation decreased significantly under the water deficit condition. Tamarugo maintained a high stomatal conductance at low leaf water potential. In addition, tamarugo reduced its leaf area as a strategy to diminish the water demand. These results suggest that, despite a significant decrease in water status, tamarugo can maintain its growth at low leaf water potential and can tolerate intense water deficit due to a partial stomatal closing strategy that allows the sustaining of CO2 assimilation in the condition of reduced water availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alson Time
- Programa Magister en Ciencias Agropecuarias, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santa Rosa, La Pintana, Santiago 11315, Chile
- Laboratory Relation Soil-Water-Plant (SAP), Department of Agricultural Production, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 1004, Chile
| | - Edmundo Acevedo
- Laboratory Relation Soil-Water-Plant (SAP), Department of Agricultural Production, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 1004, Chile
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Winters G, Otieno D, Cohen S, Bogner C, Ragowloski G, Paudel I, Klein T. Tree growth and water-use in hyper-arid Acacia occurs during the hottest and driest season. Oecologia 2018; 188:695-705. [PMID: 30120548 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4250-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Drought-induced tree mortality has been recently increasing and is expected to increase further under warming climate. Conversely, tree species that survive under arid conditions might provide vital information on successful drought resistance strategies. Although Acacia (Vachellia) species dominate many of the globe's deserts, little is known about their growth dynamics and water-use in situ. Stem diameter dynamics, leaf phenology, and sap flow were monitored during 3 consecutive years in five Acacia raddiana trees and five Acacia tortilis trees in the Arid Arava Valley, southern Israel (annual precipitation 20-70 mm, restricted to October-May). We hypothesized that stem growth and other tree activities are synchronized with, and limited to single rainfall or flashflood events. Unexpectedly, cambial growth of both Acacia species was arrested during the wet season, and occurred during most of the dry season, coinciding with maximum daily temperatures as high as 45 °C and vapor pressure deficit of up to 9 kPa. Summer growth was correlated with peak sap flow in June, with almost year-round activity and foliage cover. To the best of our knowledge, these are the harshest drought conditions ever documented permitting cambial growth. These findings point to the possibility that summer cambial growth in Acacia under hyper-arid conditions relies on concurrent leaf gas exchange, which is in turn permitted by access to deep soil water. Soil water can support low-density tree populations despite heat and drought, as long as recharge is kept above a minimum threshold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gidon Winters
- The Dead Sea-Arava Science Center, Tamar Regional Council, 86910, Neve Zohar, Israel
| | - Dennis Otieno
- Department of Biological Sciences, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Bondo, Kenya
| | - Shabtai Cohen
- Institute of Soil, Water, and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Christina Bogner
- Ecological Modelling, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Gideon Ragowloski
- The Dead Sea-Arava Science Center, Tamar Regional Council, 86910, Neve Zohar, Israel
| | - Indira Paudel
- 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.
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Groundwater Depth and Soil Properties Are Associated with Variation in Vegetation of a Desert Riparian Ecosystem in an Arid Area of China. FORESTS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/f9010034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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11
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Garrido M, Silva H, Franck N, Arenas J, Acevedo E. Evaluation of Morpho-Physiological Traits Adjustment of Prosopis tamarugo Under Long-Term Groundwater Depletion in the Hyper-Arid Atacama Desert. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:453. [PMID: 29686691 PMCID: PMC5900453 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Water extraction from the underground aquifers of the Pampa del Tamarugal (Atacama Desert, Chile) reduced the growing area of Prosopis tamarugo, a strict phreatic species endemic to northern Chile. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of various architectural and morpho-physiological traits adjustment of P. tamarugo subjected to three groundwater depletion intervals (GWDr): <1 m (control), 1-4 m and 6-9 m. The traits were evaluated at three levels, plant [height, trunk cross-section area, leaf fraction (fGCC), and crown size], organ [length of internodes, leaf mass per unit area (LMA), leaflet mass and area], and tissue level [wood density (WD), leaf 13C, 18O isotope composition (δ), and intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE)]. In addition, soil water content (VWC) to 1.3 m soil depth, pre-dawn and midday water potential difference (ΔΨ), and stomatal conductance (gs) were evaluated. At the deeper GWDr, P. tamarugo experienced significant growth restriction and reduced fGCC, the remaining canopy had a significantly higher LMA associated with smaller leaflets. No differences in internode length and WD were observed. Values for δ13C and δ18O indicated that as GWDr increased, iWUE increased as a result of partial stomata closure with no significant effect on net assimilation over time. The morpho-physiological changes experienced by P. tamarugo allowed it to acclimate and survive in a condition of groundwater depletion, keeping a functional but diminished canopy. These adjustments allowed maintenance of a relatively high gs; ΔΨ was not different among GWDrs despite smaller VWC at greater GWDr. Although current conservation initiatives of this species are promising, forest deterioration is expected continue as groundwater depth increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Garrido
- Soil-Plant-Water Relations Laboratory, Agricultural Production Department, Faculty of Agronomical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Herman Silva
- Soil-Plant-Water Relations Laboratory, Agricultural Production Department, Faculty of Agronomical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicolás Franck
- Soil-Plant-Water Relations Laboratory, Agricultural Production Department, Faculty of Agronomical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jorge Arenas
- Faculty of Natural Renewable Resources, Desert Agriculture, Universidad Arturo Prat, Iquique, Chile
| | - Edmundo Acevedo
- Soil-Plant-Water Relations Laboratory, Agricultural Production Department, Faculty of Agronomical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Edmundo Acevedo
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