Biophysical Perspectives of Xylem Evolution: is there a Tradeoff of Hydraulic Efficiency for Vulnerability to Dysfunction?

IAWA Journal ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 335-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melvin T. Tyree ◽  
Stephen D. Davis ◽  
Hervè Cochard
Keyword(s):  
Water Transport ◽  
Negative Pressure ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Land Plants ◽  
Air Bubbles ◽  
Hydraulic Efficiency ◽  
Xylem Structure ◽  
Vessel Lumen ◽  
Metastable Water ◽  
And Function

In this review, we discuss the evolution of xylem structure in the context of our current understanding of the biophysics of water transport in plants. Water transport in land plants occurs while water is under negative pressure and is thus in a metastable state. Vessels filled with metastable water are prone to dysfunction by cavitation whenever gas-filled voids appear in the vessel lumen. Cavitated vessels fill with air and are incapable of water transport until air bubbles dissolve. We know much more about how cavitations occur and the conditions under which air bubbles (embolisms) dissolve. This gives us an improved understanding of the relations hip between xylem structure and function.

scholarly journals Xylem structure and function in three grapevine varieties

2018 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 419-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constanza Quintana-Pulido ◽  
Luis Villalobos-González ◽  
Mariana Muñoz ◽  
Nicolás Franck ◽  
Claudio Pastenes
Keyword(s):  
Structure And Function ◽  
Xylem Structure ◽  
And Function

Structure and function of natural proteins for water transport: general discussion

2018 ◽  
Vol 209 ◽  
pp. 83-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Baaden ◽  
Mihail Barboiu ◽  
Roslyn M. Bill ◽  
Serena Casanova ◽  
Chun-Long Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Transport ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
And Function

scholarly journals Photosynthetic pathway influences xylem structure and function inFlaveria(Asteraceae)

2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (10) ◽  
pp. 1363-1376 ◽  
Author(s):  
FERIT KOCACINAR ◽  
ATHENA D. MCKOWN ◽  
TAMMY L. SAGE ◽  
ROWAN F. SAGE
Keyword(s):  
Structure And Function ◽  
Photosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Xylem Structure ◽  
And Function

The comparative xylem structure and function of petioles and twigs of mistletoe Loranthus europaeus and its host Quercus pubescence

Trees ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 933-942
Author(s):  
Roman Gebauer ◽  
Petra Albrechtová ◽  
Roman Plichta ◽  
Daniel Volařík
Keyword(s):  
Structure And Function ◽  
Xylem Structure ◽  
And Function

Evidence that branches of evergreen angiosperm and coniferous trees differ in hydraulic conductance but not in Huber values

2007 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher H. Lusk ◽  
Mylthon Jiménez-Castillo ◽  
Nicolás Salazar-Ortega
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Rain Forest ◽  
Temperate Forests ◽  
Hydraulic Conductance ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Cross Sectional Area ◽  
Sectional Area ◽  
Hydraulic Efficiency ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
And Function

The hydraulic efficiency conferred by vessels is regarded as one of the key innovations explaining the historical rise of the angiosperms at the expense of the gymnosperms. Few studies, however, have compared the structure and function of xylem and their relationships with foliage traits in evergreen representatives of both groups. We measured sapwood cross-sectional area, conduit diameters, hydraulic conductance, and leaf area of fine branches (2.5–7.5 mm diameter) of five conifers and eight evergreen angiosperm trees in evergreen temperate forests in south-central Chile. Conductance of both lineages was higher at Los Lleuques, a warm temperate site with strong Mediterranean influence, than in a cool temperate rain forest at Puyehue. At a common sapwood cross-sectional area, angiosperm branches at both sites had greater hydraulic conductance (G) than conifers, but similar leaf areas. Branch conductance normalized by subtended leaf area (GL) at both sites was, therefore, higher in angiosperms than in conifers. Hydraulically weighted mean conduit diameters were much larger in angiosperms than in conifers, although this difference was less marked at Puyehue, the cooler of the two sites. Conduits of the vesselless rain forest angiosperm Drimys winteri J.R. & G. Forst were wider than those of coniferous associates, although narrower than angiosperm vessels. However, GL of D. winteri was within the range of values measured for vesselbearing angiosperms at the same site. The observed differences in xylem structure and function correlate with evidence that evergreen angiosperms have higher average stomatal conductance and photosynthetic capacity than their coniferous associates in southern temperate forests. Comparisons of conifers and angiosperm branches thus suggest that the superior capacity of angiosperm conduits is attributable to the development of higher gas-exchange rates per unit leaf area, rather than to a more extensive leaf area. Results also suggest that the tracheary elements of some vesselless angiosperms differ in width and hydraulic efficiency from conifer tracheids.

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