Yong-Qiang Wang1, Ming-Yuan Ni1, Wen-Hao Zeng1, Dong-Liu Huang1, Wei Xiang1, Peng-Cheng He2, Qing Ye2, Kun-Fang Cao1, Shi-Dan Zhu1. 1. State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China. 2. Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Leaf biomechanical resistance protects leaves from biotic and abiotic damage. Previous studies have revealed that enhancing leaf biomechanical resistance is costly for plant species and leads to an increase in leaf drought tolerance. We thus predicted that there is a functional correlation between leaf hydraulic safety and biomechanical characteristics. METHODS: We measured leaf morphological and anatomical traits, pressure-volume parameters, maximum leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf-max), leaf water potential at 50 % loss of hydraulic conductance (P50leaf), leaf hydraulic safety margin (SMleaf), and leaf force to tear (Ft) and punch (Fp) of 30 co-occurring woody species in a sub-tropical evergreen broadleaved forest. Linear regression analysis was performed to examine the relationships between biomechanical resistance and other leaf hydraulic traits. KEY RESULTS: We found that higher Ft and Fp values were significantly associated with a lower (more negative) P50leaf and a larger SMleaf, thereby confirming the correlation between leaf biomechanical resistance and hydraulic safety. However, leaf biomechanical resistance showed no correlation with Kleaf-max, although it was significantly and negatively correlated with leaf outside-xylem hydraulic conductance. In addition, we also found that there was a significant correlation between biomechanical resistance and the modulus of elasticity by excluding an outlier. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study reveal leaf biomechanical-hydraulic safety correlation in sub-tropical woody species.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Leaf biomechanical resistance protects leaves from biotic and abiotic damage. Previous studies have revealed that enhancing leaf biomechanical resistance is costly for plant species and leads to an increase in leaf drought tolerance. We thus predicted that there is a functional correlation between leaf hydraulic safety and biomechanical characteristics. METHODS: We measured leaf morphological and anatomical traits, pressure-volume parameters, maximum leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf-max), leaf water potential at 50 % loss of hydraulic conductance (P50leaf), leaf hydraulic safety margin (SMleaf), and leaf force to tear (Ft) and punch (Fp) of 30 co-occurring woody species in a sub-tropical evergreen broadleaved forest. Linear regression analysis was performed to examine the relationships between biomechanical resistance and other leaf hydraulic traits. KEY RESULTS: We found that higher Ft and Fp values were significantly associated with a lower (more negative) P50leaf and a larger SMleaf, thereby confirming the correlation between leaf biomechanical resistance and hydraulic safety. However, leaf biomechanical resistance showed no correlation with Kleaf-max, although it was significantly and negatively correlated with leaf outside-xylem hydraulic conductance. In addition, we also found that there was a significant correlation between biomechanical resistance and the modulus of elasticity by excluding an outlier. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study reveal leaf biomechanical-hydraulic safety correlation in sub-tropical woody species.
Authors: Ronghua Li; Shidan Zhu; Han Y H Chen; Robert John; Guoyi Zhou; Deqiang Zhang; Qianmei Zhang; Qing Ye Journal: Ecol Lett Date: 2015-08-27 Impact factor: 9.492
Authors: Pauline S Bouche; Sylvain Delzon; Brendan Choat; Eric Badel; Timothy J Brodribb; Regis Burlett; Hervé Cochard; Katline Charra-Vaskou; Bruno Lavigne; Shan Li; Stefan Mayr; Hugh Morris; José M Torres-Ruiz; Vivian Zufferey; Steven Jansen Journal: Plant Cell Environ Date: 2015-12-21 Impact factor: 7.228