scholarly journals Beneath the Bark: Assessing Woody Stem Water and Carbon Fluxes and Its Prevalence Across Climates and the Woody Plant Phylogeny

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Carter Berry ◽  
Eleinis Ávila-Lovera ◽  
Mark E. De Guzman ◽  
Kimberly O’Keefe ◽  
Nathan C. Emery
Keyword(s):  
Water Uptake ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Carbon Assimilation ◽  
Water Dynamics ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Stem Photosynthesis ◽  
Plant Phylogeny ◽  
Plant Families ◽  
Stem Chlorophyll ◽  
Climate Space

While woody stems are known to influence carbon and water dynamics, direct exchange with the atmosphere is seldom quantified, limiting our understanding of how these processes influence the exchange of mass and energy. The presence of woody stem chlorophyll in a diversity of climates and across a range of species suggests an evolutionary advantage to sustaining carbon assimilation and water relations through permeable stem tissue. However, no formal evaluation of this hypothesis has been performed. In this mini-review, we explore the interactions between woody stems and the atmosphere by examining woody stem photosynthesis and bark-atmosphere water exchange. Specifically, we address the following questions: (1) How do water and carbon move between the atmosphere and woody stems? (2) In what climate space is woody stem photosynthesis and bark water uptake advantageous? (3) How ubiquitous across plant families is woody stem photosynthesis and bark-atmosphere water exchange? In the literature, only seven species have been identified as exhibiting bark water uptake while over 300 species are thought to conduct woody stem photosynthesis. The carbon dioxide and water gained from these processes can offset respiration costs and improve plant water balance. These species span diverse biomes suggesting a broad prevalence of bark-atmosphere permeability. Finally, our results demonstrate that there may be an evolutionary component as demonstrated by a high Pagel’s lambda for the presence of stem photosynthesis. We end with recommendations for future research that explores how bark water and carbon interactions may impact plant function and mass flow in a changing climate.

scholarly journals Analysis of Soil Water Response to Grass Transpiration

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 85-98
Author(s):  
Dohnal Michal ◽  
Dušek Jaromír ◽  
Vogel Tomáš ◽  
Herza Jiří
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Uptake ◽  
Preferential Flow ◽  
Water Movement ◽  
Control Volume ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Lower Boundary ◽  
Root Water Uptake ◽  
Water Dynamics ◽  
Soil Water Dynamics

This paper focuses on numerical modelling of soil water movement in response to the root water uptake that is driven by transpiration. The flow of water in a lysimeter, installed at a grass covered hillslope site in a small headwater catchment, is analysed by means of numerical simulation. The lysimeter system provides a well defined control volume with boundary fluxes measured and soil water pressure continuously monitored. The evapotranspiration intensity is estimated by the Penman-Monteith method and compared with the measured lysimeter soil water loss and the simulated root water uptake. Variably saturated flow of water in the lysimeter is simulated using one-dimensional dual-permeability model based on the numerical solution of the Richards’ equation. The availability of water for the root water uptake is determined by the evaluation of the plant water stress function, integrated in the soil water flow model. Different lower boundary conditions are tested to compare the soil water dynamics inside and outside the lysimeter. Special attention is paid to the possible influence of the preferential flow effects on the lysimeter soil water balance. The adopted modelling approach provides a useful and flexible framework for numerical analysis of soil water dynamics in response to the plant transpiration.

scholarly journals Arabis alpina: a perennial model plant for ecological genomics and life-history evolution

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Wötzel ◽  
Marco Andrello ◽  
Maria Albani ◽  
Marcus Koch ◽  
George Coupland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Life History Evolution ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ecological Genomics ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Arabis Alpina ◽  
History Evolution ◽  
Plant Families

Many model organisms have obtained a prominent status due to an advantageous combination of their life-history characteristics, genetic properties and also practical considerations. In non-crop plants, Arabidopsis thaliana is the most renowned model and has been used as study system to elucidate numerous biological processes at the molecular level. Once a complete genome sequence was available, research has markedly accelerated and further established A. thaliana as the reference to stimulate studies in other species with different biology. Within the Brassicaceae family, the arctic-alpine perennial Arabis alpina has become a model complementary to A. thaliana to study life-history evolution and ecological genomics in harsh environments. In this review, we provide an overview of the properties that facilitated the rapid emergence of A. alpina as a plant model. We summarize the evolutionary history of A. alpina, including the diversification of its mating system, and discuss recent progress in the molecular dissection of developmental traits that are related to its perennial life history and environmental adaptation. We indicate open questions from which future research might be developed in other Brassicaceae species or more distantly related plant families.

scholarly journals Influence of Drought on Foliar Water Uptake Capacity of Temperate Tree Species

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeroen D.M. Schreel ◽  
Jonas S. von der Crone ◽  
Ott Kangur ◽  
Kathy Steppe
Keyword(s):  
Water Potential ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Uptake ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Soil Water Potential ◽  
Future Research ◽  
General Increase ◽  
Foliar Water Uptake ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Key Tree

Foliar water uptake (FWU) has been investigated in an increasing number of species from a variety of areas but has remained largely understudied in deciduous, temperate tree species from non-foggy regions. As leaf wetting events frequently occur in temperate regions, FWU might be more important than previously thought and should be investigated. As climate change progresses, the number of drought events is expected to increase, basically resulting in a decreasing number of leaf wetting events, which might make FWU a seemingly less important mechanism. However, the impact of drought on FWU might not be that unidirectional because drought will also cause a more negative tree water potential, which is expected to result in more FWU. It yet remains unclear whether drought results in a general increase or decrease in the amount of water absorbed by leaves. The main objectives of this study are, therefore: (i) to assess FWU-capacity in nine widely distributed key tree species from temperate regions, and (ii) to investigate the effect of drought on FWU in these species. Based on measurements of leaf and soil water potential and FWU-capacity, the effect of drought on FWU in temperate tree species was assessed. Eight out of nine temperate tree species were able to absorb water via their leaves. The amount of water absorbed by leaves and the response of this plant trait to drought were species-dependent, with a general increase in the amount of water absorbed as leaf water potential decreased. This relationship was less pronounced when using soil water potential as an independent variable. We were able to classify species according to their response in FWU to drought at the leaf level, but this classification changed when using drought at the soil level, and was driven by iso- and anisohydric behavior. FWU hence occurred in several key tree species from temperate regions, be it with some variability, which potentially allows these species to partly reduce the effects of drought stress. We recommend including this mechanism in future research regarding plant–water relations and to investigate the impact of different pathways used for FWU.

scholarly journals Modelling short-term variability in carbon and water exchange in a temperate Scots pine forest

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 485-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Vermeulen ◽  
B. J. Kruijt ◽  
T. Hickler ◽  
P. Kabat
Keyword(s):  
Water Uptake ◽  
Scots Pine ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Pine Forest ◽  
Temperature Threshold ◽  
Water Fluxes ◽  
Local Data ◽  
Deep Soil ◽  
Scots Pine Forest

Abstract. The vegetation–atmosphere carbon and water exchange at one particular site can strongly vary from year to year, and understanding this interannual variability in carbon and water exchange (IAVcw) is a critical factor in projecting future ecosystem changes. However, the mechanisms driving this IAVcw are not well understood. We used data on carbon and water fluxes from a multi-year eddy covariance study (1997–2009) in a Dutch Scots pine forest and forced a process-based ecosystem model (Lund–Potsdam–Jena General Ecosystem Simulator; LPJ-GUESS) with local data to, firstly, test whether the model can explain IAVcw and seasonal carbon and water exchange from direct environmental factors only. Initial model runs showed low correlations with estimated annual gross primary productivity (GPP) and annual actual evapotranspiration (AET), while monthly and daily fluxes showed high correlations. The model underestimated GPP and AET during winter and drought events. Secondly, we adapted the temperature inhibition function of photosynthesis to account for the observation that at this particular site, trees continue to assimilate at very low atmospheric temperatures (up to daily averages of −10 °C), resulting in a net carbon sink in winter. While we were able to improve daily and monthly simulations during winter by lowering the modelled minimum temperature threshold for photosynthesis, this did not increase explained IAVcw at the site. Thirdly, we implemented three alternative hypotheses concerning water uptake by plants in order to test which one best corresponds with the data. In particular, we analyse the effects during the 2003 heatwave. These simulations revealed a strong sensitivity of the modelled fluxes during dry and warm conditions, but no single formulation was consistently superior in reproducing the data for all timescales and the overall model–data match for IAVcw could not be improved. Most probably access to deep soil water leads to higher AET and GPP simulated during the heatwave of 2003. We conclude that photosynthesis at lower temperatures than assumed in most models can be important for winter carbon and water fluxes in pine forests. Furthermore, details of the model representations of water uptake, which are often overlooked, need further attention, and deep water access should be treated explicitly.

Water extraction and root traits in Oryza sativa × Oryza glaberrima introgression lines under different soil moisture regimes

2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abubakary A. Kijoji ◽  
Susan Nchimbi-Msolla ◽  
Zakaria L. Kanyeka ◽  
Stephen P. Klassen ◽  
Rachid Serraj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oryza Sativa ◽  
Drought Stress ◽  
Water Uptake ◽  
Root Traits ◽  
Genetic Differences ◽  
Introgression Lines ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Oryza Glaberrima ◽  
Soil Drying

Drought is a major constraint to rainfed rice production in some parts of sub Saharan Africa (SSA) because of irregular and low rainfall. Improving root water uptake during progressive soil drying could contribute to terminal drought stress resistance. Two lysimeter experiments were conducted using 200 introgression lines (ILs) derived from Oryza sativa L. × Oryza glaberrima Steud. crosses (IR64/RAM54 and IR64/RAM90) to characterise water uptake and root traits under progressive soil drying and to assess genetic differences among these lines in relation to drought stress. The lysimeter facility setup and protocols for simultaneous monitoring of water uptake rates and leaf area are described. Significant genetic variability for water uptake and root traits among the ILs was observed under drought stress. Water uptake in the drought stress treatments was correlated with root length density (RLD) and root dry matter (RDM) at lower soil depths. The highest RLD values at depth were observed among the RAM90 ILs and genetic differences were observed between RAM90 and RAM54 populations, implying that accession RAM90 could be used as a source for improving drought avoidance in lowland rice. The ILs with greater water uptake identified in this study will be used in future research for improving drought resistance of rice in SSA.

scholarly journals How to put plant root uptake into a soil water flow model

F1000Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Xuejun Dong
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Uptake ◽  
Root Distribution ◽  
Plant Root ◽  
Root Water Uptake ◽  
Root Uptake ◽  
Water Dynamics ◽  
Rooting Depth ◽  
Plant Root Uptake

The need for improved crop water use efficiency calls for flexible modeling platforms to implement new ideas in plant root uptake and its regulation mechanisms. This paper documents the details of modifying a soil infiltration and redistribution model to include (a) dynamic root growth, (b) non-uniform root distribution and water uptake, (c) the effect of water stress on plant water uptake, and (d) soil evaporation. The paper also demonstrates strategies of using the modified model to simulate soil water dynamics and plant transpiration considering different sensitivity of plants to soil dryness and different mechanisms of root water uptake. In particular, the flexibility of simulating various degrees of compensated uptake (whereby plants tend to maintain potential transpiration under mild water stress) is emphasized. The paper also describes how to estimate unknown root distribution and rooting depth parameters by the use of a simulation-based searching method. The full documentation of the computer code will allow further applications and new development.

scholarly journals Antidiabetic Medicinal Plants Used by the Basotho Tribe of Eastern Free State: A Review

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatai Oladunni Balogun ◽  
Natu Thomas Tshabalala ◽  
Anofi Omotayo Tom Ashafa
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Major Health Problem ◽  
Major Health ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Hormonal Imbalance ◽  
Plant Families

Diabetes mellitus (DM) belongs to the group of five leading important diseases causing death globally and remains a major health problem in Africa. A number of factors such as poverty, poor eating habit, and hormonal imbalance are responsible for the occurrence of the disease. It poses a major health challenge in Africa continent today and the prevalence continues to increase at an alarming rate. Various treatment options particularly the usage of herbs have been effective against diabetes because they have no adverse effects. Interestingly, South Africa, especially the Basotho tribe, is blessed with numerous medicinal plants whose usage in the treatment of DM has been effective since the conventional drugs are expensive and often unaffordable. The present study attempted to update the various scientific evidence on the twenty-three (23) plants originating from different parts of the world but widely used by the Sotho people in the management of DM. Asteraceae topped the list of sixteen (16) plant families and remained the most investigated according to this review. Although limited information was obtained on the antidiabetic activities of these plants, it is however anticipated that government parastatals and scientific communities will pay more attention to these plants in future research.

scholarly journals The diversity and distribution of endophytes across biomes, plant phylogeny, and host tissues—how far have we come and where do we go from here?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua G. Harrison ◽  
Eric A. Griffin
Keyword(s):  
Plant Tissue ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Growth Habit ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Fungal Endophyte ◽  
Research Interest ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Plant Phylogeny ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Host Growth

AbstractThe interiors of plants are colonized by diverse microorganisms that are referred to as endophytes. Endophytes have received much attention over the past few decades, yet many questions remain unanswered regarding patterns in their biodiversity at local to global scales. To characterize research effort to date, we synthesized results from ∼600 published studies. Our survey revealed a global research interest and highlighted several gaps in knowledge. For instance, of the seventeen biomes encompassed by our survey, seven were understudied and together composed only 7% of the studies that we considered. We found that fungal endophyte diversity has been characterized in at least one host from 30% of embryophyte families, while bacterial endophytes have been surveyed in hosts from only 10.5% of families. We complimented our survey with a vote counting procedure to determine endophyte richness patterns among plant tissue types. We found that variation in endophyte assemblages in above-ground tissues varied with host growth habit. Stems were the richest tissue in woody plants, whereas roots were the richest tissue in graminoids. For forbs, we found no consistent differences in relative tissue richness among studies. We propose future directions to fill the gaps in knowledge we uncovered and inspire further research.Originality-Significance StatementMuch remains to be learned regarding the biodiversity and distribution of the microbes that colonize the interiors of plants. Here, we surveyed approximately 600 publications to characterize gaps in knowledge and provide a roadmap for future research. We compared biomes, plant families, and geographical regions in terms of the research interest that they have garnered. Additionally, we synthesized published results and report that variation in endophyte richness among plant tissue types is a function of host growth habit. Stems were the richest tissue in woody plants, whereas roots were the richest tissue in graminoids. We hope to inspire research to fill the gaps in knowledge that we uncovered.

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