Drought tolerance traits do not vary across sites differing in water availability in Banksia serrata (Proteaceae)

Interspecific variation in plant hydraulic traits plays a major role in shaping species distributions across climates, yet variation within species is poorly understood. Here we report on intraspecific variation of hydraulic traits in Banksia serrata (L.f.) sampled from three sites characterised by contrasting climates (warm-wet, warm-dry and cool-wet). Hydraulic characteristics including vulnerability to embolism, hydraulic conductance, pressure-volume traits and key morphological traits were measured. Vulnerability to embolism in leaf and stem, defined by the water potential inducing 50 and 88% loss of hydraulic conductivity (P50 and P88 respectively), did not differ across sites. However, plants from the warm-dry environment exhibited higher stem conductivity (Ks) than the cool-wet environment. Leaf turgor loss point (TLP) did not vary among sites, but warm-dry site plants showed lower leaf capacitance (C*FT) and higher modulus of elasticity (ε) than the other two sites. Plants from the cool-wet site had lower specific leaf area (SLA) and plants from the warm-dry site had lower sapwood density (WD). Overall, key hydraulic traits were generally conserved across populations despite differences in mean site water availability, and the safety-efficiency trade-off was absent in this species. These results suggest that B. serrata has limited ability to adjust hydraulic architecture in response to environmental change and thus may be susceptible to climate change-type drought stress.

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Implications of Reduced Stand Density on Tree Growth and Drought Susceptibility: A Study of Three Species under Varying Climate

Forests ◽

10.3390/f11060627 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 627

Author(s):

Mathias Steckel ◽

W. Keith Moser ◽

Miren del Río ◽

Hans Pretzsch

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Tree Growth ◽

Water Availability ◽

Ponderosa Pine ◽

Stand Density ◽

Stand Age ◽

Short Term ◽

Sessile Oak ◽

Site Water ◽

Positive Effect

A higher frequency of increasingly severe droughts highlights the need for short-term measures to adapt existing forests to climate change. The maintenance of reduced stand densities has been proposed as a promising silvicultural tool for mitigating drought stress. However, the relationship between stand density and tree drought susceptibility remains poorly understood, especially across ecological gradients. Here, we analysed the effect of reduced stand density on tree growth and growth sensitivity, as well as on short-term drought responses (resistance, recovery, and resilience) of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), sessile oak (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.), and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex C. Lawson). Tree ring series from 409 trees, growing in stands of varying stand density, were analysed at sites with different water availability. For all species, mean tree growth was significantly higher under low compared with maximum stand density. Mean tree growth sensitivity of Scots pine was significantly higher under low compared with moderate and maximum stand density, while growth sensitivity of ponderosa pine peaked under maximum stand density. Recovery and resilience of Scots pine, as well as recovery of sessile oak and ponderosa pine, decreased with increasing stand density. In contrast, resistance and resilience of ponderosa pine significantly increased with increasing stand density. Higher site water availability was associated with significantly reduced drought response indices of Scots pine and sessile oak in general, except for resistance of oak. In ponderosa pine, higher site water availability significantly lessened recovery. Higher site water availability significantly moderated the positive effect of reduced stand density on drought responses. Stand age had a significantly positive effect on the resistance of Scots pine and a negative effect on recovery of sessile oak. We discuss potential causes for the observed response patterns, derive implications for adaptive forest management, and make recommendations for further research in this field.

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Changes in hydraulic architecture across a water availability gradient for two contrasting commercial Eucalyptus clones

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118380 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 474 ◽

pp. 118380 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ana Paula Câmara ◽

Graziela Baptista Vidaurre ◽

Jean Carlos Lopes Oliveira ◽

Edgard Augusto de Toledo Picoli ◽

Maria Naruna Félix Almeida ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Availability ◽

Hydraulic Architecture

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Patterns of sperm damage in Chernobyl passerine birds suggest a trade-off between sperm length and integrity

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2013.0530 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 20130530 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Ignacio G. Hermosell ◽

Terje Laskemoen ◽

Melissah Rowe ◽

Anders P. Møller ◽

Timothy A. Mousseau ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sperm Competition ◽

Acrosome Reaction ◽

Interspecific Variation ◽

Passerine Bird ◽

Sperm Length ◽

Passerine Birds ◽

Trade Off ◽

Sperm Abnormalities ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Sperm Competition Risk

Interspecific variation in sperm size is enigmatic, but generally assumed to reflect species-specific trade-offs in selection pressures. Among passerine birds, sperm length varies sevenfold, and sperm competition risk seems to drive the evolution of longer sperm. However, little is known about factors favouring short sperm or constraining the evolution of longer sperm. Here, we report a comparative analysis of sperm head abnormalities among 11 species of passerine bird in Chernobyl, presumably resulting from chronic irradiation following the 1986 accident. Frequencies of sperm abnormalities varied between 15.7 and 77.3% among species, more than fourfold higher than in uncontaminated areas. Nonetheless, species ranked similarly in sperm abnormalities in unpolluted areas as in Chernobyl, pointing to intrinsic factors underlying variation in sperm damage among species. Scanning electron microscopy of abnormal spermatozoa revealed patterns of acrosome damage consistent with premature acrosome reaction. Sperm length, but not sperm competition risk explained variation in sperm damage among species. This suggests that longer spermatozoa are more susceptible to premature acrosome reaction. Therefore, we hypothesize a trade-off between sperm length and sperm integrity affecting sperm evolution in passerine birds.

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The hydraulic architecture of Eucalyptus trees growing across a gradient of depth-to-groundwater

Functional Plant Biology ◽

10.1071/fp14324 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 42 (9) ◽

pp. 888 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sepideh Zolfaghar ◽

Randol Villalobos-Vega ◽

Melanie Zeppel ◽

Derek Eamus

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Conductivity ◽

Leaf Area ◽

Water Availability ◽

Safety Margin ◽

Hydraulic Architecture ◽

Sapwood Area ◽

Huber Value ◽

Xylem Vulnerability ◽

Safety Margins ◽

Hydraulic Safety

Heterogeneity in water availability acts as an important driver of variation in plant structure and function. Changes in hydraulic architecture represent a key mechanism by which adaptation to changes in water availability can be expressed in plants. The aim of this study was to investigate whether differences in depth-to-groundwater influence the hydraulic architecture of Eucalyptus trees in remnant woodlands within mesic environments. Hydraulic architecture of trees was examined in winter and summer by measuring the following traits: Huber value (HV: the ratio between sapwood area and leaf area), branch hydraulic conductivity (leaf and sapwood area specific), sapwood density, xylem vulnerability (P50 and Pe) and hydraulic safety margins across four sites where depth-to-groundwater ranged from 2.4 to 37.5 m. Huber value increased significantly as depth-to-groundwater increased. Neither sapwood density nor branch hydraulic conductivity (sapwood and leaf area specific) varied significantly across sites. Xylem vulnerability to embolism (represented by P50 and Pe) in both seasons was significantly and negatively correlated with depth-to-groundwater. Hydraulic safety margins increased with increasing depth-to-groundwater and therefore trees growing at sites with deeper water tables were less sensitive to drought induced embolism. These results showed plasticity in some, but not all, hydraulic traits (as reflected in HV, P50, Pe and hydraulic safety margin) in response to increase in depth-to-groundwater in a mesic environment.

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COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGY OF THE OVIPOSITOR OF SOME PARASITIC HYMENOPTERA IN RELATION TO CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR HOSTS

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent128413-3 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 128 (3) ◽

pp. 413-433 ◽

Cited By ~ 52

Author(s):

A. Le Ralec ◽

J.M. Rabasse ◽

E. Wajnberg

Keyword(s):

Correspondence Analysis ◽

Morphological Traits ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Comparative Morphology ◽

Interspecific Variation ◽

Morphological Variations ◽

Parasitic Hymenoptera ◽

Different Types ◽

Host Characteristics

AbstractAlthough the structure of the ovipositor of parasitic Hymenoptera is largely uniform, interspecific variation in its morphology can be observed. Such variability may be related to the diversity of hosts attacked. To verify such an hypothesis, we compared, using correspondence analysis, the morphological characteristics of the ovipositors of 20 species in three categories: (i) species belonging to the same taxonomic unit and attacking the same type of host, (ii) species belonging to the same taxonomic unit but attacking different types of host, and (iii) species belonging to different taxonomic units but attacking the same type of host. Results show that variability in some morphological traits of the ovipositor can be related to host characteristics. Adaptive convergence in morphological variations observed between species is discussed.

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Valuation of Viticultural Adaptation to Climate Change in Vineyards: A Discrete Choice Experiment to Prioritize Trade-Offs Perceived by Citizens

Wine Economics and Policy ◽

10.36253/web-9823 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 99-112

Author(s):

Verónica Farreras ◽

Laura Abraham

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Discrete Choice Experiment ◽

Discrete Choice ◽

Water Availability ◽

Choice Experiment ◽

Social Preferences ◽

Chemical Fertilizers ◽

Trade Off ◽

Percentage Points ◽

Conservation Of Biodiversity

On a climate change scenario, a discrete choice experiment was applied to elicit the trade-off values for three environmental impacts of current viticultural management practices in vineyards of Mendoza, Argentina. Water availability for other uses was found to be the most concerning topic for the population, followed by use of chemical fertilizers and then by use and conservation of biodiversity. An increase of one percentage point in water availability was estimated to add each citizen on average 13.05 Argentinean pesos – 0.74 US dollars – per year in terms of increased welfare, a figure equivalent to the welfare drop a citizen would experience after an increase of 1.45 percentage points in the use of chemical fertilizers annually per hectare, or a decrease of 2.69 percentage points in the use and conservation of biodiversity. These trade-off values may help policy makers, planners, regional managers, and ecologists to take social preferences into account in setting resource allocation priorities intended to support viticulture. This study approach provides a framework that could guide similar assessments in other regions.

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Plant functional types: an alternative to taxonomic plant community description in biogeography?

Progress in Physical Geography Earth and Environment ◽

10.1177/030913330002400403 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 515-542 ◽

Cited By ~ 67

Author(s):

Jennifer C. Duckworth ◽

Martin Kent ◽

Paul M. Ramsay

Keyword(s):

Plant Community ◽

Plant Functional Types ◽

Prediction Of Response ◽

Ecological Processes ◽

Trade Off ◽

Practical Applications ◽

Functional Types ◽

Complementary Approach ◽

Traditional Taxonomy ◽

Response To Environmental Change

This article critically reviews the concept of plant functional types as an alternative to the traditional taxonomic species-based approach to plant community description in biogeography and ecology. Originally formulated in the last century, there has been an acceleration in interest in the concept over the last decade. Plant functional types are nonphylogenetic groupings of species that show close similarities in their response to environmental and biotic controls. Functional classifications often cut across taxonomic classifications and may be more meaningful in terms of plant response, in addition to overcoming certain problems associated with the traditional taxonomic species-based approach. Plant functional types are derived from traits based on species morphology, physiology and/or life history, depending on the aims and scale of the research. Whilst some traits can be measured in the field, others require more detailed laboratory measurement and experimentation. A trade-off exists between the time and efficiency gained from using simple traits and those requiring more elaborate analysis, although certain ‘key traits’ may act as easily measured surrogates for others. Practical applications of plant functional types in biogeography and ecology are also reviewed. Plant functional types can aid in the understanding of ecological processes, such as the assembly and stability of communities and succession, and facilitate the detection and prediction of response to environmental change at a range of scales. Despite its potential, the plant functional type approach is probably best viewed as a complementary approach to description using traditional taxonomy.

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Morphological integration of cranium and postcranial skeleton during ontogeny of facultative paedomorphic European newts (Triturus vulgaris and T. alpestris)

Amphibia-Reptilia ◽

10.1163/156853805774806223 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 485-495 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Ivan Aleksić ◽

Miloš Kalezić ◽

Ana Ivanović

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Morphological Traits ◽

Interspecific Variation ◽

Morphological Integration ◽

Phenotypic Correlation ◽

Postcranial Skeleton ◽

Low Level ◽

Ontogenetic Stages ◽

Triturus Vulgaris

AbstractThe patterns of ontogenetic and interspecific variation of morphological integration (the relationships and correlation patterns of functionally and developmentally related morphological traits) in facultative paedomorphic species of two European newts (Triturus vulgaris and T. alpestris) were examined. The degree of morphological integration differed among ontogenetic stages. Variation in the level of morphological integration of cranium and postcranial skeleton during ontogeny of paedomorphic newts had the same pattern in both analysed species. The lowest level of cranium morphological integration characterises the larvae and the juveniles. Individuals that follow alternative life-history path (paedomorphs) remain at a relatively low level of morphological integration, while integration highly increased in metamorphosed adult individuals. Limb skeleton also showed a lower level of integration in paedomorphs in comparison with metamorphosed individuals. The hypothesis of morphological integration was confirmed for all stages of T. vulgaris, while the same hypothesis was confirmed only for larval and paedomorphic stages of T. alpestris. In T. vulgaris, metamorphosis changes the pattern of correlation among the cranial traits, while in T. alpestris, the patterns of phenotypic correlation among the cranial traits remain substantially similar for all analysed ontogenetic stages.

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Differing Trade-Off Patterns of Tree Vegetative Organs in a Tropical Cloud Forest

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.680379 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Yuanyuan Yang ◽

Chuchu Xiao ◽

Xianming Wu ◽

Wenxing Long ◽

Guang Feng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Leaf Area ◽

Specific Leaf Area ◽

Morphological Traits ◽

Cloud Forest ◽

Principal Component ◽

Leaf Thickness ◽

Vegetative Organs ◽

Trade Off ◽

Tropical Cloud Forest ◽

Nitrogen Contents

Functional trait ecology demonstrates the significance of the leaf economics spectrum in understanding plants’ trade-off between acquisitive and conservative resource utilization. However, whether trait variations of different vegetative organs are coordinated and whether the plant economics spectrum is characterized by more than one vegetative organ remain controversial. To gain insights into these questions, within a tropical cloud forest in Hainan Island, a total of 13 functional traits of 84 tree species were analyzed here, including leaf, stem and root traits. By using standardized major axis (SMA) regression and principal components analysis, we examined the trait variations and correlations for deciphering plants’ trade-off pattern. We found decreases of leaf phosphorus content, leaf nitrogen content and specific leaf area and increases of leaf mass per unit area (LMA), wood density and leaf thickness along the first principal component, while there were decreases of specific root length and specific root area and increases of root tissue density along the second principal component. Root phosphorus and nitrogen contents were significantly positively associated with the phosphorus and nitrogen contents of both stem and leaf. Wood density was significantly positively associated with LMA and leaf thickness, but negatively associated with leaf thickness and specific leaf area. Our results indicate that, in the tropical cloud forest, there is a “fast–slow” economic spectrum characterized by leaf and stem. Changes of nutrient trait are coordinated, whereas the relationships of morphological traits varied independently between plant above- and below-ground parts, while root nutrient traits are decoupled from root morphological traits. Our findings can provide an insight into the species coexistence and community assembly in high-altitude tropical forests.

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Root economics spectrum and construction costs in Mediterranean woody plants: the role of symbiotic associations and the environment

10.1101/2020.06.08.139691 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Enrique G. de la Riva ◽

Iván Prieto ◽

Teodoro Marañón ◽

Ignacio M. Pérez Ramos ◽

Manuel Olmo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nutrient Availability ◽

Water Availability ◽

Woody Plants ◽

Root Traits ◽

List Type ◽

Symbiotic Association ◽

Construction Costs ◽

Trade Off ◽

Symbiotic Associations

AbstractQuantifying the functional variation of fine root traits and their interactions with symbiotic organisms is an uprising research topic to understand the overarching trade-off between maximizing resource acquisition or conservation (root economics spectrum -RES-). The currency of root traits economy is based on the carbon required to construct them; however, we lack a clear understanding of this question.Our main aim was to quantify construction costs (CC) of fine roots (<2 mm) and their underlying components (concentration of carbon, minerals and organic nitrogen) in 60 Mediterranean woody species with contrasting symbiotic association types (ectomycorrhizas, arbuscular and ericoid mycorrhizas and N-Fixing nodules). We examined (1) if the CC depended on the symbiotic type, and if they were associated with morphological traits; (2) the relation of each component of the CC with the root structure for each symbiotic type; and (3) whether soil water and nutrient availability determined differences in CC across sites and symbiotic types.The multivariate analysis of root traits showed a main plane of covariation accordingly to the RES expectations, with contrasting symbiotic types at both ends of the spectrum. We found a significant relationship between root CC and RES; interestingly the slopes of this relationship differed among symbiotic types, which was mainly due to the different role that each specific components of CC plays across them. In addition, independently of the symbiotic type, the CC decreased linearly with the nutrient availability and quadratic with the water availability.Synthesis. Our study demonstrates that woody plants have different strategies in their root carbon investment, which depend on their position along the economics spectrum (RES) and on their main symbiotic association preference. The intrinsic components of the cost of root production varied across species with contrasting symbiotic associations, pointing to a trade-off between structural and metabolic compounds. We also found that root CC are strongly modulated by soil resource availability, following a non-linear pattern with water availability. Thus, CC shifts from high to low at the most arid sites, which points to a strong role of symbiotic associations in this shift.

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