Embolism recovery strategies and nocturnal water loss across species influenced by biogeographic origin

Zeppel, Melanie J. B.; Anderegg, William R. L.; Adams, Henry D.; Hudson, Patrick; Cook, Alicia; Rumman, Rizwana; Eamus, Derek; Tissue, David T.; Pacala, Stephen W.

doi:10.1002/ece3.5126

Embolism recovery strategies and nocturnal water loss across species influenced by biogeographic origin

Journal Article · Sat Apr 13 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Ecology and Evolution

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5126· OSTI ID:1508659

^[1]; ^[2]; ^[3]; ^[4]; Cook, Alicia ^[5]; Rumman, Rizwana ^[5]; ^[5]; Tissue, David T. ^[6]; Pacala, Stephen W. ^[7]

Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University North Ryde New South Wales Australia
School of Biological Sciences University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah
Department of Plant Biology, Ecology, and Evolution Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma
Department of Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque New Mexico
School of Life Sciences University of Technology Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
Hawkesbury Institute of the Environment Western Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey

Abstract

Drought‐induced tree mortality is expected to increase in future climates with the potential for significant consequences to global carbon, water, and energy cycles. Xylem embolism can accumulate to lethal levels during drought, but species that can refill embolized xylem and recover hydraulic function may be able to avoid mortality. Yet the potential controls of embolism recovery, including cross‐biome patterns and plant traits such as nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs), hydraulic traits, and nocturnal stomatal conductance, are unknown. We exposed eight plant species, originating from mesic (tropical and temperate) and semi‐arid environments, to drought under ambient and elevated CO ₂ levels, and assessed recovery from embolism following rewatering. We found a positive association between xylem recovery and NSCs, and, surprisingly, a positive relationship between xylem recovery and nocturnal stomatal conductance. Arid‐zone species exhibited greater embolism recovery than mesic zone species. Our results indicate that nighttime stomatal conductance often assumed to be a wasteful use of water, may in fact be a key part of plant drought responses, and contribute to drought survival. Findings suggested distinct biome‐specific responses that partially depended on species climate‐of‐origin precipitation or aridity index, which allowed some species to recover from xylem embolism. These findings provide improved understanding required to predict the response of diverse plant communities to drought. Our results provide a framework for predicting future vegetation shifts in response to climate change.

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Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Biological Systems Science Division

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-06NA25396

OSTI ID:: 1508659

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1508661
OSTI ID: 1623544

Journal Information:: Ecology and Evolution, Journal Name: Ecology and Evolution Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 9; ISSN 2045-7758

Publisher:: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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Embolism recovery strategies and nocturnal water loss across species influenced by biogeographic origin

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