scholarly journals Comparisons of stemflow yield and efficiency between two xerophytic shrubs: the effects of leaves and implications in drought tolerance

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Yuan ◽  
G. Y. Gao ◽  
B. J. Fu
Keyword(s):  
Drought Tolerance ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Leaf Biomass ◽  
Rainfall Events ◽  
Competitive Edge ◽  
Precipitation Threshold ◽  
First Time

Abstract. Stemflow transports enriched precipitation to the rhizosphere and is highly important for the survival of xerophytic shrubs in water-stressed ecosystems. However, its ecological significance has generally been underestimated because it is relatively limited in amount, and the biotic mechanisms that affect it have not been thoroughly studied at the leaf scale. In this study, the branch stemflow volume (SFb), the shrub stemflow equivalent water depth (SFd), the stemflow percentage of incident precipitation (SF%), the stemflow productivity (SFP), the funnelling ratio (FR), the rainfall characteristics and the plant traits of branches and leaves of C. korshinskii and S. psammophila were measured during the 2014 and 2015 rainy seasons in the northern Loess Plateau of China. This study evaluated the stemflow production efficiency for the first time with the combined results of SFP and FR, and sought to determine the inter- and intra-specific differences in stemflow production and production efficiency, as well as the specific bio-/abiotic mechanisms that affected stemflow. The results indicated that precipitation amount was the most influential rainfall characteristic that affected stemflow in these two endemic shrub species and that stem biomass and leaf biomass were the most influential plant traits in C. korshinskii and S. psammophila, respectively. C. korshinskii had a greater stemflow production and production efficiency at all precipitation levels, and the largest inter-specific difference was generally in the 5‒10-mm young shoots during the most frequent rainfall events of ≤2 mm. C. korshinskii had a lower precipitation threshold (0.9 mm vs. 2.1 mm for S. psammophila), which provided more available water from rainfall for stemflow. The leaves affected stemflow production, and the beneficial leaf traits contributed to the higher stemflow production of C. korshinskii. In summary, C. korshinskii might have greater drought tolerance and a competitive edge in a dryland ecosystem because of greater and more efficient stemflow production, a lower precipitation threshold and more advantageous leaf traits.

scholarly journals Comparisons of stemflow and its bio-/abiotic influential factors between two xerophytic shrub species

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 1421-1438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuan Yuan ◽  
Guangyao Gao ◽  
Bojie Fu
Keyword(s):  
Plant Traits ◽  
Leaf Shape ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Great Influence ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Leaf Biomass ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
Allocation Pattern ◽  
Plant Trait

Abstract. Stemflow transports nutrient-enriched precipitation to the rhizosphere and functions as an efficient terrestrial flux in water-stressed ecosystems. However, its ecological significance has generally been underestimated because it is relatively limited in amount, and the biotic mechanisms that affect it have not been thoroughly studied at the leaf scale. This study was conducted during the 2014 and 2015 rainy seasons at the northern Loess Plateau of China. We measured the branch stemflow volume (SFb), shrub stemflow equivalent water depth (SFd), stemflow percentage of incident precipitation (SF %), stemflow productivity (SFP), funnelling ratio (FR), the meteorological characteristics and the plant traits of branches and leaves of C. korshinskii and S. psammophila. This study evaluated stemflow efficiency for the first time with the combined results of SFP and FR, and sought to determine the inter- and intra-specific differences of stemflow yield and efficiency between the two species, as well as the specific bio-/abiotic mechanisms that affected stemflow. The results indicated that C. korshinskii had a greater stemflow yield and efficiency at all precipitation levels than that of S. psammophila. The largest inter-specific difference generally occurred at the 5–10 mm branches during rains of  ≤  2 mm. Precipitation amount was the most influential meteorological characteristic that affected stemflow yield and efficiency in these two endemic shrub species. Branch angle was the most influential plant trait on FR. For SFb, stem biomass and leaf biomass were the most influential plant traits for C. korshinskii and S. psammophila, respectively. For SFP of these two shrub species, leaf traits (the individual leaf area) and branch traits (branch size and biomass allocation pattern) had a great influence during lighter rains  ≤  10 mm and heavier rains  >  15 mm, respectively. The lower precipitation threshold to start stemflow allowed C. korshinskii (0.9 mm vs. 2.1 mm for S. psammophila) to employ more rains to harvest water via stemflow. The beneficial leaf traits (e.g., leaf shape, arrangement, area, amount) might partly explain the greater stemflow production of C. korshinskii. Comparison of SFb between the foliated and manually defoliated shrubs during the 2015 rainy season indicated that the newly exposed branch surface at the defoliated period and the resulting rainfall intercepting effects might be an important mechanism affecting stemflow in the dormant season.

scholarly journals Leaf Traits of Drought Tolerance for 37 Shrub Species Originating from a Moisture Gradient

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1626
Author(s):  
Gui-Qing Xu ◽  
Stefan K. Arndt ◽  
Claire Farrell
Keyword(s):  
Drought Tolerance ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
Leaf Size ◽  
Common Garden ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Moisture Gradient ◽  
Climate Variables ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
Open Question ◽  
Osmotic Potentials

Identifying the drought-tolerance traits of plant species originating from a moisture gradient will increase our understanding of the differences and similarities in plant drought tolerance. However, which traits can be used to evaluate drought tolerance remain an open question. Here, we conducted a common-garden experiment on 37 shrub species originating from desert to humid regions. The correlations between plant traits and the native environmental conditions were studied. Leaf sizes and Huber values were significantly correlated with most climate variables of the shrubs’ origins. The osmotic potentials at full turgor (π100), turgor loss point (ΨTLP), and midday leaf water potential (Ψmid) were significantly correlated with most climate variables of their origins. We proposed using leaf sizes, Huber values, and ΨTLP as predictors of drought tolerance across shrub species and shrub biomes. Statistically significant correlations were found between π100, ΨTLP, and specific leaf area (SLA). However, owing to the weak correlations between SLA and the climate variables of the shrubs origins and between Huber values and leaf size and turgor loss traits, it was difficult to integrate leaf morphological traits with physiological traits to find a simple way to accurately quantify drought-tolerance-related differences among these shrub species.

scholarly journals Linking hydraulic traits to tropical forest function in a size-structured and trait-driven model (TFS v.1-Hydro)

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 4227-4255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley O. Christoffersen ◽  
Manuel Gloor ◽  
Sophie Fauset ◽  
Nikolaos M. Fyllas ◽  
David R. Galbraith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Water Potential ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Tree Size ◽  
Leaf Mass Per Area ◽  
Stem Water Potential ◽  
Plant Hydraulics ◽  
Individual Trees

Abstract. Forest ecosystem models based on heuristic water stress functions poorly predict tropical forest response to drought partly because they do not capture the diversity of hydraulic traits (including variation in tree size) observed in tropical forests. We developed a continuous porous media approach to modeling plant hydraulics in which all parameters of the constitutive equations are biologically interpretable and measurable plant hydraulic traits (e.g., turgor loss point πtlp, bulk elastic modulus ε, hydraulic capacitance Cft, xylem hydraulic conductivity ks,max, water potential at 50 % loss of conductivity for both xylem (P50,x) and stomata (P50,gs), and the leaf : sapwood area ratio Al : As). We embedded this plant hydraulics model within a trait forest simulator (TFS) that models light environments of individual trees and their upper boundary conditions (transpiration), as well as providing a means for parameterizing variation in hydraulic traits among individuals. We synthesized literature and existing databases to parameterize all hydraulic traits as a function of stem and leaf traits, including wood density (WD), leaf mass per area (LMA), and photosynthetic capacity (Amax), and evaluated the coupled model (called TFS v.1-Hydro) predictions, against observed diurnal and seasonal variability in stem and leaf water potential as well as stand-scaled sap flux. Our hydraulic trait synthesis revealed coordination among leaf and xylem hydraulic traits and statistically significant relationships of most hydraulic traits with more easily measured plant traits. Using the most informative empirical trait–trait relationships derived from this synthesis, TFS v.1-Hydro successfully captured individual variation in leaf and stem water potential due to increasing tree size and light environment, with model representation of hydraulic architecture and plant traits exerting primary and secondary controls, respectively, on the fidelity of model predictions. The plant hydraulics model made substantial improvements to simulations of total ecosystem transpiration. Remaining uncertainties and limitations of the trait paradigm for plant hydraulics modeling are highlighted.

How well do seed production traits correlate with leaf traits, whole-plant traits and plant ecological strategies?

Plant Ecology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 215 (11) ◽  
pp. 1351-1359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Pierce ◽  
Arianna Bottinelli ◽  
Ilaria Bassani ◽  
Roberta M. Ceriani ◽  
Bruno E. L. Cerabolini
Keyword(s):  
Seed Production ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Production Traits ◽  
Ecological Strategies ◽  
Whole Plant ◽  
Plant Ecological

scholarly journals Effects of Irrigation and Fertilization on the Morphophysiological Traits of Populus sibirica Hort. Ex Tausch and Ulmus pumila L. in the Semiarid Steppe Region of Mongolia

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2407
Author(s):  
Ser-Oddamba Byambadorj ◽  
Byung Bae Park ◽  
Jonathan O. Hernandez ◽  
Enkhchimeg Tsedensodnom ◽  
Otgonsaikhan Byambasuren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Semiarid Region ◽  
Leaf Biomass ◽  
Ulmus Pumila ◽  
Rainfall Events ◽  
Arid And Semiarid Ecosystems ◽  
Arid And Semiarid

Desertification is impeding the implementation of reforestation efforts in Mongolia. Many of these efforts have been unsuccessful due to a lack of technical knowledge on water and nutrient management strategies, limited financial support, and short-lived rainfall events. We investigated the effects of irrigation and fertilization on the morphophysiological traits of Populus sibirica Hort. Ex Tausch and Ulmus pumila L. and to suggest irrigation and fertilization strategies for reforestation. Different irrigation and fertilizer treatments were applied: no irrigation, 2 L h−1, 4 L h−1, and 8 L h−1 of water; no fertilizer, 2 L h−1 + NPK, 4 L h−1 + NPK, and 8 L h−1 + NPK; and no compost, 2 L h−1 + compost, 4 L h−1 + compost, and 8 L h−1 + compost. The leaf area (LA) and specific leaf area (SLA) of both species responded positively to 4 and 8 L h−1. Results also showed that the addition of either NPK or compost to 4 or 8 L h−1 irrigation resulted in a higher LA, SLA, and leaf biomass (LB). Total chlorophyll content decreased with irrigation in both species. The same pattern was detected when a higher amount of irrigation was combined with fertilizers. Lastly, we found that both diurnal and seasonal leaf water potential of plants grown in 4 or 8 L h−1 were significantly higher than those of plants grown in control plots. Therefore, 4 or 8 L h−1 with either NPK or compost has shown to be the optimal irrigation and fertilization strategy for the species in an arid and semiarid region of Mongolia. Results should provide us with a better understanding of tree responses to varying amounts of irrigation with or without fertilizer in pursuit of sustainable forest management in arid and semiarid ecosystems.

scholarly journals Plant traits and environment: floating leaf blade production and turnover of waterlilies

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter F. Klok ◽  
Gerard van der Velde
Keyword(s):  
Plant Traits ◽  
Vegetation Period ◽  
Leaf Biomass ◽  
Leaf Life Span ◽  
Turnover Rates ◽  
Leaf Production ◽  
Nuphar Lutea ◽  
Nymphaea Alba ◽  
Floating Leaves ◽  
Floating Leaf

Floating leaf blades of waterlilies fulfill several functions in wetland ecosystems by production, decomposition and turnover as well as exchange processes. Production and turnover rates of floating leaf blades of three waterlily species, Nuphar lutea (L.) Sm., Nymphaea alba L. and Nymphaea candida Presl, were studied in three freshwater bodies, differing in trophic status, pH and alkalinity. Length and percentages of leaf loss of marked leaf blades were measured weekly during the growing season. Area and biomass were calculated based on leaf length and were used to calculate the turnover rate of floating leaf blades. Seasonal changes in floating leaf production showed that values decreased in the order: Nymphaea alba, Nuphar lutea, Nymphaea candida. The highest production was reached for Nuphar lutea and Nymphaea alba in alkaline, eutrophic water bodies. The production per leaf was relatively high for both species in the acid water body. Nymphaea candida showed a very short vegetation period and low turnover rates. The ratio Total potential leaf biomass/Maximum potential leaf biomass (P/Bmax) of the three species ranged from 1.35–2.25. The ratio Vegetation period (Period with floating leaves)/Mean leaf life span ranged from 2.94–4.63, the ratio Growth period (Period with appearance of new floating leaves)/Vegetation period from 0.53–0.73. The clear differences between Nymphaea candida versus Nuphar lutea and Nymphaea alba, may be due to adaptations of Nymphaea candida to an Euro-Siberic climate with short-lasting summer conditions.

scholarly journals Testing and Development of Transfer Functions for Weighing Precipitation Gauges in WMO-SPICE

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Kochendorfer ◽  
Rodica Nitu ◽  
Mareile Wolff ◽  
Eva Mekis ◽  
Roy Rasmussen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transfer Functions ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Small Manufacturer ◽  
Lower Porosity ◽  
Precipitation Gauge ◽  
Reference Amount ◽  
First Time ◽  
High Winds ◽  
Better Than

Abstract. Adjustments for the undercatch of solid precipitation caused by wind were developed for different weighing gauge/wind shield combinations tested in WMO-SPICE. These include several different manufacturer-provided unshielded and single-Alter shielded weighing gauges, a MRW500 precipitation gauge within a small, manufacturer-provided shield, and host-provided precipitation gauges within double-Alter, Belfort double-Alter, and small Double-Fence Intercomparison Reference (SDFIR) shields. Previously-derived adjustments were also tested on measurements from each weighing gauge/wind shield combination. The transfer functions developed specifically for each of the different types of unshielded and single-Alter shielded weighing gauges did not perform significantly better than the more generic and universal transfer functions developed previously using measurements from eight different WMO-SPICE sites. This indicates that wind shield type (or lack thereof) is more important in determining the magnitude of wind-induced undercatch than the type of weighing precipitation gauge. It also demonstrates the potential for widespread use of the previously-developed, multi-site single-Alter shielded and unshielded transfer functions. In addition, corrections for the lower-porosity Belfort double-Alter shield and a standard double-Alter shield were developed and tested using measurements from two separate sites for the first time. Among all of the manufacturer-provided shields tested, with an average undercatch of about 5 %, the Belfort double Alter shield required the least amount of correction, and caught ~ 80 % of the reference amount of precipitation even in snowy conditions with wind speeds greater than 5 m  s−1. The SDFIR-shielded gauge accumulated 98 % of the Double-Fence Automated Reference (DFAR) precipitation amount on average, accumulated 90 % of the DFAR accumulation in high winds, and was almost indistinguishable from the full-sized DFAR used as a reference. In general, the more effective wind shields, that were associated with smaller unadjusted errors, also produced more accurate measurements after adjustment.

Sailing Yacht Design Using Advanced Numerical Flow Techniques

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Caponnetto ◽  
Alessandro Castelli ◽  
Philippe Dupont ◽  
Bernard Bonjour ◽  
Pierre-Louis Mathey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computer Technology ◽  
Flow Simulation ◽  
Numerical Techniques ◽  
Flow Simulations ◽  
Competitive Edge ◽  
Numerical Flow Simulation ◽  
Sailing Yacht ◽  
America’S Cup ◽  
École Polytechnique ◽  
First Time

The 30th America's Cup will be held in New Zealand, commencing in October 1999. For the first time a Swiss team, the FAST2000 Challenge of the Club Nautique Morgien, will compete. Three laboratories of the EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne) are collaborating with FAST2000 in the design of the boat that will race in the Cup challenges. Present-day design of IACC racing yachts relies on the use of numerical flow simulations to obtain a competitive edge. The computation of the complex hydrodynamic and aerodynamic flows around sailing yachts provides valuable information to supplement the more conventional empirical and experimental design techniques. Such flow simulations, however, are extremely challenging and thus often require state­of-the-art numerical techniques and computer technology. A number of the issues critical to IACC yacht design are discussed, and various approaches described to address them through the use of advanced numerical flow simulation.

scholarly journals Data on Herbivore Performance and Plant Herbivore Damage Identify the Same Plant Traits as the Key Drivers of Plant–Herbivore Interaction

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 865
Author(s):  
Zuzana Münzbergová ◽  
Jiří Skuhrovec
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Leaf Damage ◽  
Herbivore Damage ◽  
Herbivore Performance ◽  
Physical Defense ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Herbivore Interactions ◽  
Plant Herbivore

Data on plant herbivore damage as well as on herbivore performance have been previously used to identify key plant traits driving plant–herbivore interactions. The extent to which the two approaches lead to similar conclusions remains to be explored. We determined the effect of a free-living leaf-chewing generalist caterpillar, Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), on leaf damage of 24 closely related plant species from the Carduoideae subfamily and the effect of these plant species on caterpillar growth. We used a wide range of physical defense leaf traits and leaf nutrient contents as the plant traits. Herbivore performance and leaf damage were affected by similar plant traits. Traits related to higher caterpillar mortality (higher leaf dissection, number, length and toughness of spines and lower trichome density) also led to higher leaf damage. This fits with the fact that each caterpillar was feeding on a single plant and, thus, had to consume more biomass of the less suitable plants to obtain the same amount of nutrients. The key plant traits driving plant–herbivore interactions identified based on data on herbivore performance largely corresponded to the traits identified as important based on data on leaf damage. This suggests that both types of data may be used to identify the key plant traits determining plant–herbivore interactions. It is, however, important to carefully distinguish whether the data on leaf damage were obtained in the field or in a controlled feeding experiment, as the patterns expected in the two environments may go in opposite directions.

scholarly journals Severe Water Deficiency during the Mid-Vegetative and Reproductive Phase has Little Effect on Proso Millet Performance

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grašič ◽  
Golob ◽  
Vogel-Mikuš ◽  
Gaberščik
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Short Wave ◽  
Leaf Biomass ◽  
Yield Reduction ◽  
Water Deficiency ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Proso Millet

Climate change can result in extreme droughts, significantly affecting crop production. C4 crop proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) has the lowest water consumption among all of the cereal crops. Understanding its survival mechanisms is thus crucial for agriculture. Furthermore, yield reduction does not only occur directly due to water shortage, but is also a consequence of an impaired element uptake during drought. This study aimed to examine the effect of water deficiency on proso millet leaf traits, plant biomass partition, and yield. In addition, leaf element contents were analysed, including silicon, which is an important multifunctional element for grasses. The majority of the measured parameters showed little change from the control to the moderate and severe water shortage treatments, even though the soil moisture levels differed significantly. The most pronounced reduction in comparison to the control was for leaf biomass, leaf stomatal conductance, and leaf silicon, phosphorus, calcium, and sulphur contents. Conversely, an increase was obtained for leaf potassium and chlorine contents. Panicle biomass was the same for all plant groups. Leaf silicon was positively correlated to reflectance in the UV region, while leaf calcium was negatively correlated to reflectance in the visible regions, which might prevent damage due to short-wave UV radiation and provide sufficient visible light for photosynthesis. The efficient light and water management, reduction of leaf biomass, and same-sized root system may be the mechanisms that mitigate the negative effects of water shortage in proso millet.

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