Insights into xylem vulnerability to cavitation in Fagus sylvatica L.: phenotypic and environmental sources of variability.

Xylem vulnerability to cavitation is a key parameter in understanding drought resistance of trees. We determined the xylem water pressure causing 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity (P(50)), a proxy of vulnerability to cavitation, and we evaluated the variability of this trait at tree and population levels for Fagus sylvatica. We checked for the effects of light on vulnerability to cavitation of stem segments together with a time series variation of P(50). Full sunlight-exposed stem segments were less vulnerable to cavitation than shade-exposed ones. We found no clear seasonal change of P(50), suggesting that this trait was designed for a restricted period. P(50) varied for populations settled along a latitudinal gradient, but not for those sampled along an altitudinal gradient. Moreover, mountainside exposure seemed to play a major role in the vulnerability to cavitation of beech populations, as we observed the differences along north-facing sides but not on south-facing sides. Unexpectedly, both north-facing mountainside and northern populations appeared less vulnerable than those grown on the southern mountainside or in the South of France. These results on beech populations were discussed with respect to the results at within-tree level.