Linkages among stem xylem transport, biomechanics, and storage in lianas and trees across three contrasting environments

PREMISE

Stem xylem transports water and nutrients, mechanically supports aboveground tissues, and stores water and nonstructural carbohydrates. These three functions are associated with three types of cells-vessel, fiber, and parenchyma, respectively.

METHODS

We measured stem theoretical hydraulic conductivity (Kt), modulus of elasticity (MOE), tissue water content, starch, soluble sugars, cellulose, and xylem anatomical traits in 15 liana and 16 tree species across three contrasting sites in Southwest China.

RESULTS

Lianas had higher hydraulic efficiency and tissue water content, but lower MOE and cellulose than trees. Storage traits (starch and soluble sugars) did not significantly differ between lianas and trees, and trait variation was explained mainly by site, highlighting how environment shapes plant storage strategies. Kt was significantly positively correlated with vessel diameter and vessel area fraction in lianas and all species combined. The MOE was significantly positively correlated with fiber area fraction, wood density, and cellulose in lianas and across all species. The tissue water content was significantly associated with parenchyma area fraction in lianas. Support function was strongly linked with transport and storage functions in lianas. In trees, transport and support functions were not correlated, while storage function was tightly linked with transport and support functions.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings enhance our understanding of the relationship between stem xylem structure and function in lianas and trees, providing valuable insights into how plants adapt to environmental changes and the distinct ecological strategies employed by lianas and by trees to balance the demands of hydraulic transport, mechanical support, and storage.

Vessel dimorphism and wood traits in lianas and trees among three contrasting environments

PREMISE

Determining how xylem vessel diameters vary among plants and across environments gives insights into different water-use strategies among species and ultimately their distributions. Here, we tested the vessel dimorphism hypothesis that the simultaneous occurrence of many narrow and a few wide vessels gives lianas an advantage over trees in seasonally dry environments.

METHODS

We measured the diameters of 13,958 vessels from 15 liana species and 10,430 vessels from 16 tree species in a tropical seasonal rainforest, savanna, and subtropical evergreen broadleaved forest. We compared differences in mean and hydraulically weighted vessel diameter (MVD and D_h ), vessel density (VD), theoretical hydraulic conductivity (K_t ), vessel area fraction (VAF), and wood density (WD) between lianas and trees and among three sites.

RESULTS

Nine liana species and four tree species had dimorphic vessels. From the tropical seasonal rainforest to the savanna, liana MVD, D_h and K_t decreased, and VD and WD increased, while only tree WD increased. From the tropical seasonal rainforest to the subtropical forest, six wood traits remained unchanged for lianas, while tree MVD, D_h and K_t decreased and VD increased. Trait space for lianas and trees were more similar in the savanna and more divergent in the subtropical forest compared to the tropical seasonal rainforest.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that lianas tend to possess greater vessel dimorphism, which may explain how lianas grow well during seasonal drought, influencing their unique distribution across tropical rainfall gradients.

Differentiation in stem and leaf traits among sympatric lianas, scandent shrubs and trees in a subalpine cold temperate forest

The scandent shrub plant form is a variant of liana that has upright and self-supporting stems when young but later becomes a climber. We aimed to explore the associations of stem and leaf traits among sympatric lianas, scandent shrubs and trees, and the effects of growth form and leaf habit on variation in stem or leaf traits. We measured 16 functional traits related to stem xylem anatomy, leaf morphology and nutrient stoichiometry in eight liana, eight scandent shrub and 21 tree species co-occurring in a subalpine cold temperate forest at an elevation of 2600-3200 m in Southwest China. Overall, lianas, scandent shrubs and trees were ordered along a fast-slow continuum of stem and leaf functional traits, with some traits overlapping. We found a consistent pattern of lianas > scandent shrubs > trees for hydraulically weighted vessel diameter, maximum vessel diameter and theoretical hydraulic conductivity. Vessel density and sapwood density showed a pattern of lianas = scandent shrubs < trees, and lianas < scandent shrubs = trees, respectively. Lianas had significantly higher specific leaf area and lower carbon concentration than co-occurring trees, with scandent shrubs showing intermediate values that overlapped with lianas and trees. The differentiation among lianas, scandent shrubs and trees was mainly explained by variation in stem traits. Additionally, deciduous lianas were positioned at the fast end of the trait spectrum, and evergreen trees at the slow end of the spectrum. Our results showed for the first time clear differentiation in stem and leaf traits among sympatric liana, scandent shrub and tree species in a subalpine cold temperate forest. This work will contribute to understanding the mechanisms responsible for variation in ecological strategies of different growth forms of woody plants.

Taxonomic revision of Sageretia (Rhamnaceae) from China I: identities of S. lucida, S. thea var. cordiformis and S. yunlongensis, with the description of a new species S. ellipsoidea

A taxonomic revision of Sageretia lucida, S. thea var. cordiformis and S. yunlongensis in China is presented. Sageretia lucida is revised in terms of morphological characters (habit, branchlet color, phyllotaxis and rachis length), distribution, habitat, and phenology; S. thea var. cordiformis is raised to S. cordiformis; and S. yunlongensis is excluded from the genus Sageretia and reduced to the synonym of Rhamnus nigricans. Furthermore, a new species, S. ellipsoidea, is erected based on the paratype collections of S. lucida. The new species morphologically differs from S. lucida in having reddish brown branchlets, opposite or subopposite phyllotaxis, shorter rachises, and flowering in spring or early summer. S. ellipsoidea is factually closest to S. hamosa as they share similar woody-vine habit and larger fruit size, and fruiting in winter, whereas the former can be easily recognized based on its smaller leaf blades, fewer lateral veins, shorter rachises, and ellipsoidal or elliptic-ovoid fruits.

Biomass allocation and long-term growth patterns of temperate lianas in comparison with trees

The host-dependent support habit of lianas is generally interpreted as a strategy designed to reduce resource investment in mechanical tissues; this allows preferential allocation to leaf and stem extension, thereby enhancing productivity and competitive abilities. However, this hypothesis has not been rigorously tested. We examined the aboveground allometries regarding biomass allocation (leaf mass and current-year stem mass (approximated as biomass allocated to extension growth) vs total aboveground mass) and long-term apparent growth patterns (height and aboveground mass vs age, i.e. numbers of growth rings) for nine deciduous liana species in Japan. Lianas had, on average, three- and five-fold greater leaf and current-year stem mass, respectively, than trees for a given aboveground mass, whereas the time course to reach the forest canopy was comparable and biomass accumulation during that period was only one-tenth that of co-occurring canopy trees. The balance between the lengths of yearly stem extension and existing older stems indicated that lianas lost c. 75% of stem length during growth to the canopy, which is probably a consequence of the host-dependent growth. Our observations suggest that, although lianas rely on hosts mechanically, allowing for short-term vigorous growth, this habit requires a large cost and could limit plant growth over protracted periods.