The role of nutrients in drought‐induced tree mortality and recovery

Gessler, Arthur; Schaub, Marcus; McDowell, Nate G.

doi:10.1111/nph.14340

Title: The role of nutrients in drought‐induced tree mortality and recovery

Journal Article · Mon Nov 28 00:00:00 EST 2016 · New Phytologist

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14340· OSTI ID:1374759

Gessler, Arthur ^[1]; Schaub, Marcus ^[1]; McDowell, Nate G. ^[2]

Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL 8903 Birmensdorf Switzerland
Earth and Environmental Sciences Division Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos NM 87545 USA

Summary Global forests are experiencing rising temperatures and more severe droughts, with consistently dire forecasts for negative future impacts. Current research on the physiological mechanisms underlying drought impacts is focused on the water‐ and carbon‐associated mechanisms. The role of nutrients is notably missing from this research agenda. Here, we investigate what role, if any, forest nutrition plays for survival and recovery of forests during and after drought. High nutrient availability may play a detrimental role in drought survival due to preferential biomass allocation aboveground that (1) predispose plants to hydraulic constraints limiting photosynthesis and promoting hydraulic failure, (2) increases carbon costs during periods of carbon starvation, and (3) promote biotic attack due to low tissue carbon: nitrogen (C : N). When nutrient uptake occurs during drought, high nutrient availability can increase water use efficiency thus minimizing negative feedbacks between carbon and nutrient balance. Nutrients are released after drought ceases, which might promote faster recovery but the temporal dynamics of microbial immobilization and nutrient leaching have a significant impact on nutrient availability. We provide a framework for understanding nutrient impacts on drought survival that allows a more complete analysis of forest ecosystem responses. Contents Summary 513 I. Introduction 513 II. Integrating nutrients into the hydraulic framework predicting mechanisms of drought survival, mortality, and recovery 514 III. Integration 517 Acknowledgements 518 References 518

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

OSTI ID:: 1374759

Journal Information:: New Phytologist, Journal Name: New Phytologist Vol. 214 Journal Issue: 2; ISSN 0028-646X

Publisher:: Wiley-BlackwellCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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