Polylepis wood acclimation strategies to ENSO events

Abstract During the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), heat wave variations off the High Andean Puna (HAP) cause extreme droughts at high altitudes. A better understanding of the drought susceptibility of HAP Polylepis xeric-species is needed given the increasing frequency of desiccation and tree...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anthony Guerra, Fressia N. Ames-Martínez, Doris B. Crispín-DelaCruz, Edith Orellana-Mendoza, Edilson J. Requena-Rojas, Ernesto C. Rodríguez-Ramírez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-06-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04422-5
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849434186233937920
author Anthony Guerra
Fressia N. Ames-Martínez
Doris B. Crispín-DelaCruz
Edith Orellana-Mendoza
Edilson J. Requena-Rojas
Ernesto C. Rodríguez-Ramírez
author_facet Anthony Guerra
Fressia N. Ames-Martínez
Doris B. Crispín-DelaCruz
Edith Orellana-Mendoza
Edilson J. Requena-Rojas
Ernesto C. Rodríguez-Ramírez
author_sort Anthony Guerra
collection DOAJ
description Abstract During the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), heat wave variations off the High Andean Puna (HAP) cause extreme droughts at high altitudes. A better understanding of the drought susceptibility of HAP Polylepis xeric-species is needed given the increasing frequency of desiccation and tree mortality. We evaluated the tree ring growth and vessel trait plasticity to ENSO intensities (neutral, weak, moderate, and strong) of two Polylepis xeric-species (Polylepis rugulosa and Polylepis tarapacana). We demonstrated annual ring width and vessel trait differences between La Niña and El Niño events for both species. We showed that specific vessel traits exhibit coordination with water-use efficiency in response to ENSO events, thereby reducing vulnerability to hydraulic failure. When assessing the effects of ENSO events on specific vessel traits, special attention should be paid to traits that confer resilience, resistance, and recovery to growth of these species. This knowledge is essential to suggest that this adjustment to ENSO events may increase their capacity to tolerate and adapt to new extreme climatic conditions in the HAPs.
format Article
id doaj-art-4b9023edf6bb4ff59348aac1fabb3ace
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-4b9023edf6bb4ff59348aac1fabb3ace2025-08-20T03:26:44ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-06-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-04422-5Polylepis wood acclimation strategies to ENSO eventsAnthony Guerra0Fressia N. Ames-Martínez1Doris B. Crispín-DelaCruz2Edith Orellana-Mendoza3Edilson J. Requena-Rojas4Ernesto C. Rodríguez-Ramírez5Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y del Ambiente, Universidad Nacional del Centro del PerúPrograma de Investigación en Ecología y Biodiversidad, Asociación ANDINUSDepartment of Plant Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP)Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y del Ambiente, Universidad Nacional del Centro del PerúLaboratorio de Dendrocronología, Universidad Continental, Urbanización San AntonioLaboratorio de Dendrocronología, Universidad Continental, Urbanización San AntonioAbstract During the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), heat wave variations off the High Andean Puna (HAP) cause extreme droughts at high altitudes. A better understanding of the drought susceptibility of HAP Polylepis xeric-species is needed given the increasing frequency of desiccation and tree mortality. We evaluated the tree ring growth and vessel trait plasticity to ENSO intensities (neutral, weak, moderate, and strong) of two Polylepis xeric-species (Polylepis rugulosa and Polylepis tarapacana). We demonstrated annual ring width and vessel trait differences between La Niña and El Niño events for both species. We showed that specific vessel traits exhibit coordination with water-use efficiency in response to ENSO events, thereby reducing vulnerability to hydraulic failure. When assessing the effects of ENSO events on specific vessel traits, special attention should be paid to traits that confer resilience, resistance, and recovery to growth of these species. This knowledge is essential to suggest that this adjustment to ENSO events may increase their capacity to tolerate and adapt to new extreme climatic conditions in the HAPs.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04422-5
spellingShingle Anthony Guerra
Fressia N. Ames-Martínez
Doris B. Crispín-DelaCruz
Edith Orellana-Mendoza
Edilson J. Requena-Rojas
Ernesto C. Rodríguez-Ramírez
Polylepis wood acclimation strategies to ENSO events
Scientific Reports
title Polylepis wood acclimation strategies to ENSO events
title_full Polylepis wood acclimation strategies to ENSO events
title_fullStr Polylepis wood acclimation strategies to ENSO events
title_full_unstemmed Polylepis wood acclimation strategies to ENSO events
title_short Polylepis wood acclimation strategies to ENSO events
title_sort polylepis wood acclimation strategies to enso events
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04422-5
work_keys_str_mv AT anthonyguerra polylepiswoodacclimationstrategiestoensoevents
AT fressianamesmartinez polylepiswoodacclimationstrategiestoensoevents
AT dorisbcrispindelacruz polylepiswoodacclimationstrategiestoensoevents
AT edithorellanamendoza polylepiswoodacclimationstrategiestoensoevents
AT edilsonjrequenarojas polylepiswoodacclimationstrategiestoensoevents
AT ernestocrodriguezramirez polylepiswoodacclimationstrategiestoensoevents