A comparison of hydraulic architecture in three similarly sized woody species differing in their maximum potential height

McCulloh, Katherine A.; Johnson, Daniel M.; Petitmermet, Joshua; McNellis, Brandon E.; Meinzer, Frederick C.; Lachenbruch, Barbara

doi:10.1093/treephys/tpv035

Cited by 23 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…The consequences of these anatomical differences coupled with stem diameter differences would be a lower potential for water transport through the annual ring in understory trees compared to overstory trees. As stated in previous studies (McCulloh et al 2010;McCulloh et al 2015), a small stem diameter induces reduced potential specific conductivity and potential ring conductivity, although xylem structure adjustments that resulted in smaller D HP (through vessel diameter and vessel frequency) also contributed. Furthermore, the differences in xylem anatomy of understory vs overstory trees may be also related to the longer water path length from roots to canopies of overstory trees (Preston et al 2006;Fan et al 2012).…”

Section: Effect Of Tree Position Within the Canopy On Xylem Traits Insupporting

confidence: 64%

Xylem traits in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) display a large plasticity in response to canopy release

Noyer

Lachenbruch

Dlouhá

et al. 2017

Annals of Forest Science

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& Key message The position of trees in the canopy impacts xylem structure and its inter-annual variation. After canopy release, the increase in the hydraulic conductivity of growth rings was driven byanincreasein radialgrowthin largetrees,andbybothan increase in radial growth and changes in xylem structure in saplings. & Context Forest canopies are frequently subjected to disturbances that allow understory trees to access the upper canopy. The effect of canopy release on xylem anatomy has been assessed in juvenile trees and saplings, while the potential acclimation of larger trees remains poorly documented. & Aims We estimated the potential hydraulic conductivity of growth rings in large understory trees compared to overstory trees, and evaluated the responses to canopy release in large trees and in saplings. & Methods We recorded radial growth, wood density, and vessel structure in beech trees according to their position within the canopy and their size. Xylem traits were followed during 6 years after canopy release for large trees, and during 2 years for saplings. Vessel diameter and frequency as well as ring area were used to compute the potential annual ring hydraulic conductivity. & Results Large understory trees displayed lower radial growth increments and lower potential annual ring hydraulic conductivity than overstory trees. After canopy release, potential annual ring hydraulic conductivity increased in large trees, due exclusively to increased radial growth without any change in specific hydraulic conductivity. It increased in saplings due to both increased radial growth and increased specific conductivity. & Conclusion Tree size impacted xylem structure and resulted in plasticity of the potential hydraulic conductivity of the annual tree ring following canopy release.

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Section: Effect Of Tree Position Within the Canopy On Xylem Traits Insupporting

confidence: 64%

Xylem traits in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) display a large plasticity in response to canopy release

Noyer

Lachenbruch

Dlouhá

et al. 2017

Annals of Forest Science

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“…Contrastingly, understorey shrubs had high wood densities, and the smallest vessels and conductivities, which could be related to small plant stature and slow‐growing habit in the forest understorey (Falster & Westoby ; McCulloh et al . ). Mature‐phase trees, pioneer trees and pioneer shrubs were similar in most wood traits except for lower wood densities in the latter two groups, reflecting a well‐documented strategy in pioneer species for maximizing growth at the expense of structural support (McCulloh et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The majority of studies examining plant functional anatomy have focused on trees (Poorter et al 2010;Zach et al 2010) and usually only on a limited sample of the flora in an ecosystem. The few comparative studies to date have mostly compared trees and vines (Zhu & Cao 2009), trees and shrubs (Mart ınez-Cabrera et al 2011;Gleason et al 2012;McCulloh et al 2015), or life-forms within the same genus or family (Baas et al 2004). Some comparisons have been made between mature-phase species and pioneers (McCulloh et al 2011) but with limited species coverage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant functional groups within a tropical forest exhibit different wood functional anatomy

et al. 2016

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Summary Understanding the anatomical basis of plant water transport in forest ecosystems is crucial for contextualizing community‐level adaptations to drought, especially in life‐form‐rich tropical forests. To provide this context, we explored wood functional anatomy traits related to plant hydraulic architecture across different plant functional groups in a lowland tropical rain forest. We measured wood traits in 90 species from six functional groups (mature‐phase, understorey and pioneer trees; understorey and pioneer shrubs; vines) and related these traits to intrinsic water‐use efficiency (WUEi) as a measure of physiological performance. We also examined vessel size distribution patterns across groups to determine trade‐offs in theoretical hydraulic safety vs. efficiency. Some plant functional groups exhibited significant differences in vessel parameters and WUEi. Vessel diameters in vines and pioneer trees were two‐ to threefold greater on average than in understorey trees and shrubs. Contrastingly, vessels in understorey trees and shrubs fell within the smaller size classes, suggesting greater safety mechanisms. In addition to these trends, large vessel dimensions were important predictors of WUEi among the functional groups. We conclude that wood functional anatomy profiles varied across plant functional groups in a tropical rain forest. These groups can therefore serve as a framework for further investigations on structure–function relationships and a sound basis for modelling species responses to drought. A http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.12787/suppinfo is available for this article.

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“…Water flow in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum is determined by the whole-plant hydraulic conductance from soil through plant tissues (K plant ), characterizing the structural capacity of the plant for water flow (Zimmermann 1983). Changes in K plant related to changes in size (McCulloh et al 2015), drought , Brodribb and Holbrook 2003, Addington et al 2004, Domec and Pruyn 2008, fertilization (Bucci et al 2006), elevated CO 2 (CO 2 e ) concentration (Domec et al 2010) have been linked to variation in gas exchange, carbon uptake and growth. For the last fifteen years, plant physiologists have come to appreciate the influence that leaves make to K plant , and their importance to understanding scaling physiological processes within plants (Brodribb and Holbrook 2004, Sacks and Holbrook 2006, Johnson et al 2011, McCulloh et al 2015.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Pinus taeda leaf anatomy on vascular and extravascular leaf hydraulic conductance as influenced by N-fertilization and elevated CO2

Domec

Palmroth

Oren

2016

JPH

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Silvicultural practices (e.g., nitrogen addition through fertilization) and environmental changes (e.g., elevated [CO2]) may alter needle structure, impacting mass and energy exchange between the biosphere and atmosphere through alteration of stomatal function. Hydraulic resistances in leaves, controlling the mass and energy exchanges, occur both in the xylem and in the flow paths across the mesophyll to evaporation sites, and therefore largely depends on the structure of the leaf. We used the Free-Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment (FACE) experiment, providing a unique setting for assessing the interaction effects of [CO2] and nitrogen (N) supply to examine how leaf morphological and anatomical characteristics control leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf) of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees subjected to ambient or elevated (+200 ppmv) CO2 concentrations (CO2a and CO2e, respectively) and to soil nitrogen amendment (N). Our study revealed that CO2e decreased the number of tracheids per needle, and increased the distance from the xylem vascular bundle to the stomata cavities, perturbing the leaf hydraulic system. Both treatments induced a decrease in Kleaf, and CO2e also decreased leaf extravascular conductance (Kextravascular), the conductance to water flow from the xylem to the leaf-internal air space. Decline in Kleaf under CO2e was driven by the decline in Kextravascular, potentially due to longer path for water movement through the mesophyll, explaining the decline in stomatal conductance (gs) observed under CO2e. This suggests that the distance from vascular conduits to stomata sub-cavity was a major constraint of leaf water transport. Across treatments our results showed that needle vein conductivity was slightly more limited by the lumen than by the bordered-pits, the latter accounting for 30-45% of vein resistance. CO2e-induced reduction in Kleaf was also consistent with an increased resistance to xylem collapse due to thicker cell wall. In addition, stomatal closure corresponded to the water potential inducing a reduction in 50% of leaf vascular conductance (Kvascular) via xylem wall rupture. The water potential that was estimated to induce complete xylem wall collapse was related to the water potential at turgor loss. Our study provided a framework for understanding the interaction between CO2e and N availability in affecting leaf anatomy, and the mechanisms for the response of Kleaf to the treatments. These mechanisms can be incorporated into predictive models of gs, critical for estimating forest productivity in water limited environments in current and future climates and a landscape composed of sites of a range in soil N fertility.

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A comparison of hydraulic architecture in three similarly sized woody species differing in their maximum potential height

Cited by 23 publications

References 56 publications

Xylem traits in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) display a large plasticity in response to canopy release

Xylem traits in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) display a large plasticity in response to canopy release

Plant functional groups within a tropical forest exhibit different wood functional anatomy

Effects of <em>Pinus taeda</em> leaf anatomy on vascular and extravascular leaf hydraulic conductance as influenced by N-fertilization and elevated CO<sub>2 </sub>

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