toggle visibility Search & Display Options

Select All    Deselect All
 |   | 
Details
   print
  Record Links
Author (up) Maréchaux, I.; Bartlett, M.K.; Sack, L.; Baraloto, C.; Engel, J.; Joetzjer, E.; Chave, J. url  openurl
  Title Drought tolerance as predicted by leaf water potential at turgor loss point varies strongly across species within an Amazonian forest Type Journal Article
  Year 2015 Publication Functional Ecology Abbreviated Journal Functional Ecology  
  Volume 29 Issue 10 Pages 1268-1277  
  Keywords Climate change; French Guiana; Functional traits; Plant-water relations; Tropical trees; Wilting  
  Abstract Amazonian droughts are predicted to become increasingly frequent and intense, and the vulnerability of Amazonian trees has become increasingly documented. However, little is known about the physiological mechanisms and the diversity of drought tolerance of tropical trees due to the lack of quantitative measurements. Leaf water potential at wilting or turgor loss point (π<inf>tlp</inf>) is a determinant of the tolerance of leaves to drought stress and contributes to plant-level physiological drought tolerance. Recently, it has been demonstrated that leaf osmotic water potential at full hydration (π<inf>o</inf>) is tightly correlated with π<inf>tlp</inf>. Estimating π<inf>tlp</inf> from osmometer measurements of π<inf>o</inf> is much faster than the standard pressure-volume curve approach of π<inf>tlp</inf> determination. We used this technique to estimate π<inf>tlp</inf> for 165 trees of 71 species, at three sites within forests in French Guiana. Our data set represents a significant increase in available data for this trait for tropical tree species. Tropical trees showed a wider range of drought tolerance than previously found in the literature, π<inf>tlp</inf> ranging from -1·4 to -3·2 MPa. This range likely corresponds in part to adaptation and acclimation to occasionally extreme droughts during the dry season. Leaf-level drought tolerance varied across species, in agreement with the available published observations of species variation in drought-induced mortality. On average, species with a more negative π<inf>tlp</inf> (i.e. with greater leaf-level drought tolerance) occurred less frequently across the region than drought-sensitive species. Across individuals, π<inf>tlp</inf> correlated positively but weakly with leaf toughness (R2 = 0·22, P = 0·04) and leaf thickness (R2 = 0·03, P = 0·03). No correlation was detected with other functional traits (leaf mass per area, leaf area, nitrogen or carbon concentrations, carbon isotope ratio, sapwood density or bark thickness). The variability in π<inf>tlp</inf> among species indicates a potential for highly diverse species responses to drought within given forest communities. Given the weak correlations between π<inf>tlp</inf> and traditionally measured plant functional traits, vegetation models seeking to predict forest response to drought should integrate improved quantification of comparative drought tolerance among tree species. © 2015 British Ecological Society.  
  Address CNRM-GAME – URA1357, 42 avenue G. Coriolis, Toulouse, France  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Cited By :1; Export Date: 12 October 2015 Approved no  
  Call Number EcoFoG @ webmaster @ Serial 629  
Permanent link to this record
Select All    Deselect All
 |   | 
Details
   print

Save Citations:
Export Records: