Leaf hydraulic vulnerability to drought is linked to site water availability across a broad range of species and climates.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Vulnerability of the leaf hydraulic pathway to water-stress-induced dysfunction is a key component of drought tolerance in plants and may be important in defining species' climatic range. However, the generality of the association between leaf hydraulic vulnerability and climate across species and sites remains to be tested.

Methods

Leaf hydraulic vulnerability to drought (P50leaf, the water potential inducing 50 % loss in hydraulic function) was measured in a diverse group of 92 woody, mostly evergreen angiosperms from sites across a wide range of habitats. These new data together with some previously published were tested against key climate indices related to water availability. Differences in within-site variability in P50leaf between sites were also

SUBMITTER: Blackman CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4204664 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature