Background and Aims: Plant hydraulic traits influence the capacity of species to grow and survive in water-limited environments, but their comparative study at a common site has been limited. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether selective pressures on species originating in drought-prone environments constrain hydraulic traits among related species grown under common conditions. Methods: Leaf tissue water relations, xylem anatomy, stomatal behaviour and vulnerability to drought-induced embolism were measured on six Eucalyptus species growing in a common garden to determine whether these traits were related to current species climate range and to understand linkages between the traits. Key Results: Hydraulically weighted xylem vessel diameter, leaf turgor loss point, the water potential at stomatal closure and vulnerability to drought-induced embolism were significantly ( P < 0·05) correlated with climate parameters from the species range. There was a co-ordination between stem and leaf parameters with the water potential at turgor loss, 12 % loss of conductivity and the point of stomatal closure significantly correlated. Conclusions: The correlation of hydraulic, stomatal and anatomical traits with climate variables from the species' original ranges suggests that these traits are genetically constrained. The conservative nature of xylem traits in Eucalyptus trees has important implications for the limits of species responses to changing environmental conditions and thus for species survival and distribution into the future, and yields new information for physiological models.
Background and Aims: Plant hydraulic traits influence the capacity of species to grow and survive in water-limited environments, but their comparative study at a common site has been limited. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether selective pressures on species originating in drought-prone environments constrain hydraulic traits among related species grown under common conditions. Methods: Leaf tissue water relations, xylem anatomy, stomatal behaviour and vulnerability to drought-induced embolism were measured on six Eucalyptus species growing in a common garden to determine whether these traits were related to current species climate range and to understand linkages between the traits. Key Results: Hydraulically weighted xylem vessel diameter, leaf turgor loss point, the water potential at stomatal closure and vulnerability to drought-induced embolism were significantly ( P < 0·05) correlated with climate parameters from the species range. There was a co-ordination between stem and leaf parameters with the water potential at turgor loss, 12 % loss of conductivity and the point of stomatal closure significantly correlated. Conclusions: The correlation of hydraulic, stomatal and anatomical traits with climate variables from the species' original ranges suggests that these traits are genetically constrained. The conservative nature of xylem traits in Eucalyptus trees has important implications for the limits of species responses to changing environmental conditions and thus for species survival and distribution into the future, and yields new information for physiological models.
Authors: Sebastian Pfautsch; Marco Harbusch; Anita Wesolowski; Renee Smith; Craig Macfarlane; Mark G Tjoelker; Peter B Reich; Mark A Adams Journal: Ecol Lett Date: 2016-01-06 Impact factor: 9.492
Authors: James K Wheeler; Brett A Huggett; Alena N Tofte; Fulton E Rockwell; N Michele Holbrook Journal: Plant Cell Environ Date: 2013-06-20 Impact factor: 7.228
Authors: J Martínez-Vilalta; H Cochard; M Mencuccini; F Sterck; A Herrero; J F J Korhonen; P Llorens; E Nikinmaa; A Nolè; R Poyatos; F Ripullone; U Sass-Klaassen; R Zweifel Journal: New Phytol Date: 2009-07-21 Impact factor: 10.151
Authors: Brendan Choat; Steven Jansen; Tim J Brodribb; Hervé Cochard; Sylvain Delzon; Radika Bhaskar; Sandra J Bucci; Taylor S Feild; Sean M Gleason; Uwe G Hacke; Anna L Jacobsen; Frederic Lens; Hafiz Maherali; Jordi Martínez-Vilalta; Stefan Mayr; Maurizio Mencuccini; Patrick J Mitchell; Andrea Nardini; Jarmila Pittermann; R Brandon Pratt; John S Sperry; Mark Westoby; Ian J Wright; Amy E Zanne Journal: Nature Date: 2012-11-21 Impact factor: 49.962
Authors: Sebastian Pfautsch; Michael J Aspinwall; John E Drake; Larissa Chacon-Doria; Rob J A Langelaan; David T Tissue; Mark G Tjoelker; Frederic Lens Journal: Ann Bot Date: 2018-01-25 Impact factor: 4.357
Authors: Martin G De Kauwe; Manon E B Sabot; Belinda E Medlyn; Andrew J Pitman; Patrick Meir; Lucas A Cernusak; Rachael V Gallagher; Anna M Ukkola; Sami W Rifai; Brendan Choat Journal: New Phytol Date: 2022-04-22 Impact factor: 10.323