Dataset Information

Dead or dying? Quantifying the point of no return from hydraulic failure in drought-induced tree mortality.

ABSTRACT: Determining physiological mechanisms and thresholds for climate-driven tree die-off could help improve global predictions of future terrestrial carbon sinks. We directly tested for the lethal threshold in hydraulic failure - an inability to move water due to drought-induced xylem embolism - in a pine sapling experiment. In a glasshouse experiment, we exposed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) saplings (n = 83) to drought-induced water stress ranging from mild to lethal. Before rewatering to relieve drought stress, we measured native hydraulic conductivity and foliar color change. We monitored all measured individuals for survival or mortality. We found a lethal threshold at 80% loss of hydraulic conductivity - a point of hydraulic failure beyond which it is more likely trees will die, than survive, and describe mortality risk across all levels of water stress. Foliar color changes lagged behind hydraulic failure - best predicting when trees had been dead for some time, rather than when they were dying. Our direct measurement of native conductivity, while monitoring the same individuals for survival or mortality, quantifies a continuous probability of mortality risk from hydraulic failure. Predicting tree die-off events and understanding the mechanism involved requires knowledge not only of when trees are dead, but when they begin dying - having passed the point of no return.

SUBMITTER: Hammond WM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6771894 | biostudies-other | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Dead or dying? Quantifying the point of no return from hydraulic failure in drought-induced tree mortality.

Hammond William M WM Yu Kailiang K Wilson Luke A LA Will Rodney E RE Anderegg William R L WRL Adams Henry D HD

The New phytologist 20190708 4

Determining physiological mechanisms and thresholds for climate-driven tree die-off could help improve global predictions of future terrestrial carbon sinks. We directly tested for the lethal threshold in hydraulic failure - an inability to move water due to drought-induced xylem embolism - in a pine sapling experiment. In a glasshouse experiment, we exposed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) saplings (n = 83) to drought-induced water stress ranging from mild to lethal. Before rewatering to relieve dro ...[more]

PMID: 31087656

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Project description:Drought-induced tree mortality has been observed worldwide. Nevertheless, the physiological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are still being debated. Potted Robinia pseudoacacia and Platycladus orientalis saplings were subjected to drought and their hydraulic failure and carbon starvation responses were studied. They underwent simulated fast drought (FD) and slow drought (SD) until death. The dynamics of their growth, photosynthesis, water relations and carbohydrate concentration were measured. The results showed that during drought, growth and photosynthesis of all saplings were significantly reduced in both species. The predawn water potential in both species was ~ -8 MPa at mortality. The percentage loss of conductivity (PLC) was at a maximum at mortality under both FD and SD. For R. pseudoacacia and P. orientalis, they were >95 and ~45 %, respectively. At complete defoliation, the PLC of R. pseudoacacia was ~90 % but the trees continued to survive for around 46 days. The non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations in the stems and roots of both FD and SD R. pseudoacacia declined to a very low level near death. In contrast, the NSC concentrations in the needles, stems and roots of P. orientalis at mortality under FD did not significantly differ from those of the control, whereas the NSC concentrations in SD P. orientalis stems and roots at death were significantly lower than those of the control. These results suggest that the duration of the drought affected NSC at mortality in P. orientalis. In addition, the differences in NSC between FD and SD P. orientalis did not alter mortality thresholds associated with hydraulic failure. The drought-induced death of R. pseudoacacia occurred at 95 % PLC for both FD and SD, indicating that hydraulic failure played an important role in mortality. Nevertheless, the consistent decline in NSC in R. pseudoacacia saplings following drought-induced defoliation may have also contributed to its mortality.

Dataset Information

Dead or dying? Quantifying the point of no return from hydraulic failure in drought-induced tree mortality.

Publications

Dead or dying? Quantifying the point of no return from hydraulic failure in drought-induced tree mortality.

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