Variability in growth-determining hydraulic wood and leaf traits in Melia dubia across a steep water availability gradient in southern India

Ramesha, M. N.; Link, Roman M.; Paligi, Sharath Shyamappa; Hertel, Dietrich; Röll, Alexander; Hölscher, Dirk; Schuldt, Bernhard

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119875

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…In the face of leaf senescence, whether evergreen or deciduous woody plants, they usually retrieve nutrients from leaves before the leaves fall and/or die (Estiarte & Penuelas, 2015), resulting in a huge difference in the senescent leaf functional traits (Bucher & Römermann, 2021;Panchen et al, 2015). A previous study found that the leaf quality (e.g., C:N ratio) decreased significantly after aging (Angst et al, 2022), and this change varied greatly among species, climate conditions, and environmental factors (Prieto & Querejeta, 2020;Ramesha et al, 2022;Thomas & Ougham, 2016). This difference in functional traits between fresh and aged leaves could lead to dramatic changes in resource trade-off strategies of various species at different life cycles (e.g., growth vs. aging) due to the alteration in leaves from anabolic growth phase to catabolic aging phase (Estiarte & Penuelas, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Substantial variation of the two‐dimensional spectrum of senescent leaf in subalpine forest along elevational gradients

Long,

Chang,

Guan

et al. 2024

Ecosphere

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Leaf senescence have shed light on its contribution to the recovery of nutrients and signaling of the transition from the active to the dormant stage in winter. The manner by which climatic and edaphic factors and plant phylogeny affect the senescent leaf economics spectrum (more mineral elements included) of different growth habits along elevational gradients in mountain ecosystems is highly uncertain. To fill this knowledge gap, we examined 15 representative subalpine forest species' senescent leaf functional traits (i.e., specific leaf area [SLA], leaf dry matter content [DMC], pH, carbon [C], nitrogen [N], phosphorus [P], potassium [K], calcium [Ca], sodium [Na], magnesium [Mg], manganese [Mn], aluminum [Al], iron [Fe], C:N, N:P, and C:P ratios) to determine the senescent leaf economics spectrum along elevational gradients in the Hengduan Mountains, China. Our results demonstrate that all the functional traits of senescent leaf showed strong correlations with one another, and K was observed as the hub for the leaf economics spectrum. Irrespective of the difference among growth habits (arbor vs. shrub), leaf habits (deciduous vs. evergreen), and leaf types (broad vs. needle), the variations in the two‐dimensional spectrum of the senescent leaf trait exhibited uniformly positive associations with elevation, primarily attributed to climatic drivers. However, the modulation of the senescent leaf economics spectrum by soil properties and plant phylogeny was surprisingly modest. Collectively, our results revealed that the resource trade‐off of senescent leaf showed a trend from acquisition to conservation along elevational gradients, which could broaden the plant economics spectrum to include senescent leaf.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Substantial variation of the two‐dimensional spectrum of senescent leaf in subalpine forest along elevational gradients

Long,

Chang,

Guan

et al. 2024

Ecosphere

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Vessel tapering is conserved along a precipitation gradient in tropical trees of the genus Cedrela

Chambers-Ostler

Gloor

Galbraith

et al. 2022

Trees

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Key message The rate of vessel tapering is highly conserved across a precipitation gradient in tropical trees, pointing to a limit on tree height determined by a maximum basal vessel diameter. Maximum tree height in the tropics decreases strongly with decreasing precipitation. The role of hydraulic architecture in controlling this variation in tree height remains unclear. The widening of conducting xylem vessels from the apex to the base of trees, also known as tapering, is important for maintaining the hydraulic conductivity along the tree stem. If in contrast vessel diameter were constant, then resistance would increase with path length constraining flow rates as tree height increases. Whilst previous research has shown that vessel diameter scales with tree height at a similar rate (similar power law exponent) across biomes and taxa, knowledge on these relationships across precipitation gradients within a single species is incomplete, especially for the tropics. Here we report how vessel density and diameter at the tree base differ for two tropical Cedrela species across four sites varying in precipitation from 1014 to 2585 mm year−1. We find that maximum tree height decreases with decreasing precipitation across sites from 42 to 13 m. Despite the strong differences between sites in maximum tree height and water availability, tapering is indeed remarkably conserved and close to published scaling with height based on multi-species analyses. Thus, for a given tree height, basal vessel diameter does not vary between sites, whilst the maximum basal vessel size is two times smaller at the drier site (with the shortest trees) compared to the wettest site (with the tallest trees). This suggests a possible limitation of tree height determined by a maximum basal vessel diameter that can be sustained, given increasing embolism risk with increasing dryness. Our results show no hydraulic adaptation across this wetness gradient and reveal a clear relationship between maximum tree height and maximum basal vessel size.

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Inter-provenance variability and phenotypic plasticity of wood and leaf traits related to hydraulic safety and efficiency in seven European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) provenances differing in yield

Kurjak,

Petrík,

Konôpková

et al. 2024

Annals of Forest Science

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Key message Seven European beech provenances differing largely in growth performance were grown at two common garden sites in Germany and Slovakia. The intra-specific variability of most traits was explained more by phenotypic plasticity than inter-provenance variability, and efficiency-related traits showed a higher phenotypic plasticity than safety-related traits. Context To maintain climate-resilient future forests, replicated common-garden experiments are suited for developing assisted migration strategies for key tree species. Aims We analysed the magnitude of inter-provenance variability and phenotypic plasticity for 12 functional traits of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and analysed whether the climate at the place of origin left an imprint. Moreover, we asked whether growth is unrelated to xylem safety and to what extent the foliar, xylem and growth-related traits are coordinated. Methods Terminal branches were collected from 19-year-old and 22-year-old trees of seven European beech provenances planted at two common garden sites in Germany and Slovakia, respectively. Three hydraulic, three wood anatomical and four foliar traits were measured and related to two growth-related variables. Results At the two sites, the same pair of provenances showed the highest and lowest growth. Nevertheless, a high degree of phenotypic plasticity was observed, as all traits differed significantly between sites after accounting for provenance effects, with hydraulic safety-related traits showing the lowest and efficiency-related traits the highest plasticity. There was no evidence for inter-provenance variability in xylem embolism resistance (P50) or the foliar carbon isotope signature (δ13C), a proxy for intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE), and both were unrelated to growth. P50 was positively correlated with the lumen-to-sapwood area ratio and vessel density. Conclusions Because of the lacking trade-off between embolism resistance and growth, highly productive provenances can be selected without reducing the drought tolerance of the branch xylem. However, as xylem safety is only one element of a trees’ drought response, it may be beneficial to select provenances with other more conservative drought adaptations such as smaller vessel lumen areas for increasing xylem safety and small supported total leaf areas for reduction of total transpiration.

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Variability in growth-determining hydraulic wood and leaf traits in Melia dubia across a steep water availability gradient in southern India

Cited by 3 publications

References 106 publications

Substantial variation of the two‐dimensional spectrum of senescent leaf in subalpine forest along elevational gradients

Substantial variation of the two‐dimensional spectrum of senescent leaf in subalpine forest along elevational gradients

Vessel tapering is conserved along a precipitation gradient in tropical trees of the genus Cedrela

Inter-provenance variability and phenotypic plasticity of wood and leaf traits related to hydraulic safety and efficiency in seven European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) provenances differing in yield

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