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Hotter droughts alter resource allocation to chemical defenses in piñon pine

Journal Article · · Oecologia
Abstract

Heat and drought affect plant chemical defenses and thereby plant susceptibility to pests and pathogens. Monoterpenes are of particular importance for conifers as they play critical roles in defense against bark beetles. To date, work seeking to understand the impacts of heat and drought on monoterpenes has primarily focused on young potted seedlings, leaving it unclear how older age classes that are more vulnerable to bark beetles might respond to stress. Furthermore, we lack a clear picture of what carbon resources might be prioritized to support monoterpene synthesis under drought stress. To address this, we measured needle and woody tissue monoterpene concentrations and physiological variables simultaneously from mature piñon pines ( Pinus edulis ) from a unique temperature and drought manipulation field experiment. While heat had no effect on total monoterpene concentrations, trees under combined heat and drought stress exhibited ~ 85% and 35% increases in needle and woody tissue, respectively, over multiple years. Plant physiological variables like maximum photosynthesis each explained less than 10% of the variation in total monoterpenes for both tissue types while starch and glucose + fructose measured 1-month prior explained ~ 45% and 60% of the variation in woody tissue total monoterpene concentrations. Although total monoterpenes increased under combined stress, some key monoterpenes with known roles in bark beetle ecology decreased. These shifts may make trees more favorable for bark beetle attack rather than well defended, which one might conclude if only considering total monoterpene concentrations. Our results point to cumulative and synergistic effects of heat and drought that may reprioritize carbon allocation of specific non-structural carbohydrates toward defense.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Science Foundation (NSF); US Department of Agriculture (USDA); USDOE; USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
Grant/Contract Number:
89233218CNA000001; AC05-76RL01830; SC0010845
OSTI ID:
1826228
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2350662
OSTI ID: 1830611
OSTI ID: 1868242
Report Number(s):
LA-UR--21-29553; LA-UR-21-29553; PNNL-SA--156752; PNNL-SA--167384; PII: 5058
Journal Information:
Oecologia, Journal Name: Oecologia Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 197; ISSN 0029-8549
Publisher:
Springer Science + Business MediaCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
Germany
Language:
English

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