Hanging by a thread? Forests and drought

Science, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 368(6488), P. 261 - 266

Published: April 16, 2020

Trees are the living foundations on which most terrestrial biodiversity is built. Central to success of trees their woody bodies, connect elevated photosynthetic canopies with essential belowground activities water and nutrient acquisition. The slow construction these carbon-dense, skeletons leads a generation time, leaving forests highly susceptible rapid changes in climate. Other long-lived, sessile organisms such as corals appear be poorly equipped survive changes, raises questions about vulnerability contemporary future climate change. emerging view that, similar corals, tree species have rather inflexible damage thresholds, particularly terms stress, especially concerning. This Review examines recent progress our understanding how looks for growing hotter drier atmosphere.

Language: Английский

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Sequential droughts: A silent trigger of boreal forest mortality

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 28(2), P. 542 - 556

Published: Oct. 6, 2021

Despite great concern for drought-driven forest mortality, the effects of frequent low-intensity droughts have been largely overlooked in boreal because their negligible impacts over short term. In this study, we used data from 6876 permanent plots distributed across most Canadian zone to assess repeated on mortality. Specifically, compared relative impact sequential years under dry conditions with variables related intensity conditions, stand characteristics, and local climate. Then, searched thresholds mortality as a function number between two surveys affected by any intensity. Our results showed that, general, had stronger than driest plot. Frequent acted an inciting factor exacerbated characteristics environmental conditions. Overall, forests dominated shade-tolerant conifers was significantly positively supporting, some cases, existence delimiting contrasting responses drought. mixtures broadleaf species, however, impact. The shade-intolerant mainly depended climate, or mitigating located wet places species jack pine, respectively. highlight importance assessing not only climate-driven extreme events but also disturbances low long term, smooth response might abruptly change leading disproportional triggered accumulated stress Forest wildlife managers should consider cumulative climate avoid shortfalls timber habitat.

Language: Английский

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Field experiments have enhanced our understanding of drought impacts on terrestrial ecosystems—But where do we go from here?

Functional Ecology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 38(1), P. 76 - 97

Published: Oct. 31, 2023

Abstract We review results from field experiments that simulate drought, an ecologically impactful global change threat is predicted to increase in magnitude, extent, duration and frequency. Our goal address, primarily ecosystem perspective, the questions ‘What have we learned drought experiments?’ ‘Where do go here?’. Drought are among most numerous climate manipulations been deployed across a wide range of biomes, although conducted short‐statured, water‐limited ecosystems. Collectively, these enabled ecologists quantify negative responses occur for aspects structure function. Multiple meta‐analyses also comparisons relative effect sizes hundreds sites, particularly carbon cycle metrics. Overall, provided strong evidence sensitivity increases with aridity, but plant traits associated aridity not necessarily predictive resistance. There intriguing as magnitude or extreme levels, strategies may shift tolerance escape/avoidance. highlight three areas where more needed advance our understanding. First, because intensifying multiple ways, address alterations versus duration, timing and/or frequency (individually interactively). Second, drivers be shifting—from precipitation deficits rising atmospheric demand water—and disentangling how ecosystems respond changes hydrological ‘supply demand’ critical understanding impacts future. Finally, attention should focussed on post‐drought recovery periods since legacies can affect functioning much longer than itself. conclude call fundamental focus those designed ‘response experiments’, quantifying function, ‘mechanistic experiments’—those explicitly manipulate ecological processes attributes thought underpin responses. Read free Plain Language Summary this article Journal blog.

Language: Английский

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Phylogeny and climate explain contrasting hydraulic traits in different life forms of 150 woody Fabaceae species

Journal of Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 112(4), P. 741 - 754

Published: Jan. 23, 2024

Abstract The contrasting hydraulic traits observed among different plant life forms are shaped by entangled environmental and evolutionary processes. However, we lack understanding of the relative importance form, climate phylogeny in explaining variance traits. We analysed seven eleven climatic variables 150 Fabaceae species representing three from 62 sites worldwide, using phylogenetic comparative analyses partitioning. signal found most disappeared after considering indicating that conservatism originated divergence forms. trait‐climate relationships were also phylogenetically dependent, implying trait responses driven together. Variance partitioning showed explained greater variation than form did. Synthesis . climate‐driven still existed with being considered, suggesting this large family may be particularly sensitive to change. Our results emphasise need include adaptation studies under future

Language: Английский

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Intraspecific variability across seasons and geographically distinct populations can modify species contributions to ecosystems

Functional Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 19, 2025

Abstract Environmental change profoundly alters biodiversity and, by extension, species contributions to ecosystem functioning. While it is well‐established that these impacts can be geographically and temporally nuanced, most assessments of ecosystems assume traits are spatially fixed, those do acknowledge intraspecific variability have failed fully determine its relevance Here, using three distinct populations sediment‐dwelling invertebrates, we combine a laboratory experiment with Bayesian hierarchical modelling empirically quantify the prevalence trait in relation geographic locality seasonal conditions. Furthermore, assessed role mediating sediment particle mixing, nutrient generation benthic oxygen uptake. We found body size reworking modified macrofaunal total uptake generation. These associations, however, were not consistent across all measured functions. Our findings highlight asymmetries both absolute magnitude and/or direction responses changing conditions, indicating relative functional make or transient may, therefore, diverge from expectations based on contemporary group typologies. critical knowledge gap our understanding key sources affecting functionally important aspects behaviour physiology call for development dynamic ecological assessment management approaches account individual as well environments. Read free Plain Language Summary this article Journal blog.

Language: Английский

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Aridity drives coordinated trait shifts but not decreased trait variance across the geographic range of eight Australian trees

New Phytologist, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 229(3), P. 1375 - 1387

Published: July 8, 2020

Large intraspecific functional trait variation strongly impacts many aspects of communities and ecosystems, is the medium upon which evolution works. Yet inconsistent hard to predict across traits, species locations. We measured within-species in leaf mass per area (LMA), dry matter content (LDMC), branch wood density (WD), allocation stem vs branches (branch Huber value (HV)) aridity range seven Australian eucalypts a co-occurring Acacia explore how traits their variances change with aridity. Within species, we found consistent increases LMA, LDMC WD HV increasing aridity, resulting coordination leaves branches. However, this only emerged sites large climate differences. Unlike means, patterns variance were mixed populations species. Only showed constrained more xeric drier that could indicate limits plasticity or heritable variation. Our results highlight can drive patterns, but might often be obscured by complex nature morphological sampling incomplete ranges confounded stress gradients.

Language: Английский

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Transgenerational effects of intertidal environment on physiological phenotypes and DNA methylation in Pacific oysters

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 871, P. 162112 - 162112

Published: Feb. 9, 2023

Language: Английский

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Vertical variation in leaf functional traits of Parashorea chinensis with different canopy layers

Frontiers in Plant Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15

Published: Jan. 29, 2024

Introduction Canopy species need to shift their ecological adaptation improve light and water resources utilization, the study of intraspecific variations in plant leaf functional traits based at individual scale is great significance for evaluating adaptability climate change. Methods In this study, we evaluate how giant trees relate spatial niche specialization along a vertical gradient. We sampled tropical flagship Parashorea chinensis around 60 meters tall divided crowns into three layers. Fourteen key including morphology, photosynthetic, hydraulic chemical physiology were measured each canopy layer investigate variation interrelationships between different traits. Additionally, due potential impact measurement methods ( in-situ ex-situ branch) on photosynthetic physiological parameters, also compared effects these two gas exchange measurements. Results discussion In-situ measurements revealed that most individual-to-individual P. varied significantly heights. Leaf such as midday (MWP) osmotic (OP) insignificantly correlated with maximal net assimilation rate per mass A ). addition, discrepancies found parameters. The caused decrease by 53.63%, 27.86%, 38.05% , 50.00%, 19.21%, 27.90% saturation point These findings provided insights our understanding response mechanisms micro-habitat Xishuangbanna seasonal rainforests fine adaption resultant decoupled traits, which have implications strategies under environmental changes.

Language: Английский

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Can species climate niche predict canopy growth, functional traits and phenotypic plasticity in urban trees?

Urban forestry & urban greening, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 98, P. 128417 - 128417

Published: June 15, 2024

There is much uncertainty in how climate change will impact the performance of urban trees. Climate niche modelling predicts that many tree species may become unsuitable future climates, but this has rarely been tested cities. Broad planting diverse different cities provides opportunity to test predictions. Here we investigated if origin 14 influenced growth, trait expression, and phenotypic plasticity. We determined limits for all measured canopy growth rates individual trees from 2013 2021 two largest Australian cities: subtropical Sydney, temperate Melbourne. Six functional traits including leaf water potential at turgor loss point (TLP), wood density (WD), dry matter content (LDMC), specific area (SLA), carbon isotope composition (δ13C) Huber value (HV) were both Trees planted outside their had lower than inside not city. Species with MAP (i.e., drier) faster low high heat moisture index (HMI) more negative TLP greater WD, indicating drier environments maintain drought tolerance Melbourne TLP, higher WD LDMC demonstrating plasticity Wetter showed δ13C. Canopy RGR was negatively related δ13C reflecting a strong stomatal behaviour on growth. Our study limited support reliably predict so caution against solely using matching advocate inclusion when selecting species.

Language: Английский

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Acclimation of hydraulic and morphological traits to water deficit delays hydraulic failure during simulated drought in poplar

Tree Physiology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 41(11), P. 2008 - 2021

Published: July 12, 2021

Abstract The capacity of trees to tolerate and survive increasing drought conditions in situ will depend part on their ability acclimate (via phenotypic plasticity) key hydraulic morphological traits that increase tolerance delay the onset drought-induced failure. However, effect water-deficit acclimation determine time failure (THF) during extreme remains largely untested. We measured saplings a hybrid poplar grown under well-watered water-limited conditions. for plants dry-down critical levels water stress (90% loss stem conductance), as well relative contribution each trait THF, was simulated using soil–plant model (SurEau). Compared with controls, exhibited significantly lower vulnerability (P50stem), stomatal conductance total canopy leaf area (LA). Taken together, adjustments these other resulted longer modelled THF (~160 h) compared (~50 h), representing an more than 200%. Sensitivity analysis revealed adjustment P50stem LA contributed most plants. observed high degree plasticity response growth conditions, decreases playing role delaying event. These findings suggest understanding antecedent enable better predictions plant survivorship future drought.

Language: Английский

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