Xylem Hydraulics of Two Temperate Tree Species with Contrasting Growth Rates
Hydraulic functionality is crucial for tree productivity and stress tolerance. According to the theory of the fast–slow economics spectrum, the adaptive strategies of different tree species diverge along a spectrum defined by coordination and trade-offs of a suite of functional traits. The fast- and...
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| author | Ai-Ying Wang Yi-Jun Lu Han-Xiao Cui Shen-Si Liu Si-Qi Li Guang-You Hao |
| author_facet | Ai-Ying Wang Yi-Jun Lu Han-Xiao Cui Shen-Si Liu Si-Qi Li Guang-You Hao |
| author_sort | Ai-Ying Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hydraulic functionality is crucial for tree productivity and stress tolerance. According to the theory of the fast–slow economics spectrum, the adaptive strategies of different tree species diverge along a spectrum defined by coordination and trade-offs of a suite of functional traits. The fast- and slow-growing species are expected to differ in hydraulic efficiency and safety; however, there is still a lack of investigation on the mechanistic association between tree growth rate and tree hydraulic functionality. Here, in a common garden condition, we measured radial growth rate and hydraulic traits in a fast-growing (<i>Populus alba</i> L. × <i>P. berolinensis</i> Dippel) and a slow-growing tree species (<i>Acer truncatum</i> Bunge), which are both important tree species for afforestation in northern China. In line with the contrasts in radial growth rate and wood anatomical traits at both the tissue and pit levels between the two species, stem hydraulic conductivity of the <i>Populus</i> species was significantly higher than that of the <i>Acer</i> species, but the resistance to drought-induced xylem cavitation was the opposite. A trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and safety was observed across the sampled trees of the two species. Higher water-transport efficiency supports the greater leaf net photosynthetic carbon assimilation capacity of the <i>Populus</i> species and hence facilitates fast growth, while the conservative hydraulic traits of the <i>Acer</i> species result in a slower growth rate but enhanced drought tolerance. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
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| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-3fe37f095c0e42e5bfcc0f6a8fa547c52024-12-27T14:47:58ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472024-12-011324357510.3390/plants13243575Xylem Hydraulics of Two Temperate Tree Species with Contrasting Growth RatesAi-Ying Wang0Yi-Jun Lu1Han-Xiao Cui2Shen-Si Liu3Si-Qi Li4Guang-You Hao5School of Life Sciences and Engineering, Shenyang University, Shenyang 110044, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences and Engineering, Shenyang University, Shenyang 110044, ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences and Engineering, Shenyang University, Shenyang 110044, ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, ChinaHydraulic functionality is crucial for tree productivity and stress tolerance. According to the theory of the fast–slow economics spectrum, the adaptive strategies of different tree species diverge along a spectrum defined by coordination and trade-offs of a suite of functional traits. The fast- and slow-growing species are expected to differ in hydraulic efficiency and safety; however, there is still a lack of investigation on the mechanistic association between tree growth rate and tree hydraulic functionality. Here, in a common garden condition, we measured radial growth rate and hydraulic traits in a fast-growing (<i>Populus alba</i> L. × <i>P. berolinensis</i> Dippel) and a slow-growing tree species (<i>Acer truncatum</i> Bunge), which are both important tree species for afforestation in northern China. In line with the contrasts in radial growth rate and wood anatomical traits at both the tissue and pit levels between the two species, stem hydraulic conductivity of the <i>Populus</i> species was significantly higher than that of the <i>Acer</i> species, but the resistance to drought-induced xylem cavitation was the opposite. A trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and safety was observed across the sampled trees of the two species. Higher water-transport efficiency supports the greater leaf net photosynthetic carbon assimilation capacity of the <i>Populus</i> species and hence facilitates fast growth, while the conservative hydraulic traits of the <i>Acer</i> species result in a slower growth rate but enhanced drought tolerance.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/24/3575cavitation resistanceplant water-use strategyradial growth ratewood anatomicalxylem hydraulics |
| spellingShingle | Ai-Ying Wang Yi-Jun Lu Han-Xiao Cui Shen-Si Liu Si-Qi Li Guang-You Hao Xylem Hydraulics of Two Temperate Tree Species with Contrasting Growth Rates Plants cavitation resistance plant water-use strategy radial growth rate wood anatomical xylem hydraulics |
| title | Xylem Hydraulics of Two Temperate Tree Species with Contrasting Growth Rates |
| title_full | Xylem Hydraulics of Two Temperate Tree Species with Contrasting Growth Rates |
| title_fullStr | Xylem Hydraulics of Two Temperate Tree Species with Contrasting Growth Rates |
| title_full_unstemmed | Xylem Hydraulics of Two Temperate Tree Species with Contrasting Growth Rates |
| title_short | Xylem Hydraulics of Two Temperate Tree Species with Contrasting Growth Rates |
| title_sort | xylem hydraulics of two temperate tree species with contrasting growth rates |
| topic | cavitation resistance plant water-use strategy radial growth rate wood anatomical xylem hydraulics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/24/3575 |
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