• Background and Aims More intense droughts under climate change threaten species resilience. Hydraulicstrategies determine drought survival in woody plants but have been hardly studied in... Show more• Background and Aims More intense droughts under climate change threaten species resilience. Hydraulicstrategies determine drought survival in woody plants but have been hardly studied in herbaceous species. Weexplored the intraspecific variability of hydraulic and morphological traits as indicators of dehydration tolerancein a perennial grass, cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata), which has a large biogeographical distribution in Europe.• Methods Twelve populations of cocksfoot originating from Mediterranean, Temperate and Northern Europeanareas were grown in a controlled environment in pots. Dehydration tolerance, leaf and stem anatomical traits andxylem pressure associated with 88 or 50 % loss of xylem conductance (P88, P50) were measured.• Key Results Across the 12 populations of cocksfoot, P50 ranged from –3.06 to – 6.36 MPa, while P88ranged from –5.06 to –11.6 MPa. This large intraspecific variability of embolism thresholds corresponded withthe biogeographical distribution and some key traits of the populations. In particular, P88 was correlated withdehydration tolerance (r = –0.79). The dehydration-sensitive Temperate populations exhibited the highest P88(–6.1 MPa). The most dehydration-tolerant Mediterranean populations had the greatest leaf dry matter content andleaf fracture toughness, and the lowest P88 (–10.4 MPa). The Northern populations displayed intermediate traitvalues, potentially attributable to frost resistance. The thickness of metaxylem vessel walls in stems was highlycorrelated with P50 (r = –0.92), but no trade-off with stem lignification was observed. The relevance of the linkagebetween hydraulic and stomatal traits is discussed for drought survival in perennial grasses.• Conclusions Compared with woody species, the large intraspecific variability in dehydration tolerance andembolism resistance within cocksfoot has consequences for its sensitivity to climate change. To better understandadaptive strategies of herbaceous species to increasing drought and frost requires further exploration of the role ofhydraulic and mechanical traits using a larger inter- and intraspecific range of species. Show less
• Background and Aims Sapwood traits like vessel diameter and intervessel pit characteristics play key rolesin maintaining hydraulic integrity of trees. Surprisingly little is known about how... Show more• Background and Aims Sapwood traits like vessel diameter and intervessel pit characteristics play key rolesin maintaining hydraulic integrity of trees. Surprisingly little is known about how sapwood traits covary with treeheight and how such trait-based variation could affect the efficiency of water transport in tall trees. This studypresents a detailed analysis of structural and functional traits along the vertical axes of tall Eucalyptus grandis trees. • Methods To assess a wide range of anatomical and physiological traits, light and electron microscopy wasused, as well as eld measurements of tree architecture, water use, stem water potential and leaf area distribution. • Key Results Strong apical dominance of water transport resulted in increased volumetric water supply per unitleaf area with tree height. This was realized by continued narrowing (from 250 to 20 μm) and an exponentialincrease in frequency (from 600 to 13 000 cm−2) of vessels towards the apex. The widest vessels were detected atleast 4 m above the stem base, where they were associated with the thickest intervessel pit membranes. In addition,this study established the lower limit of pit membrane thickness in tall E. grandis at ~375 nm. This minimumthickness was maintained over a large distance in the upper stem, where vessel diameters continued to narrow.• Conclusions The analyses of xylem ultrastructure revealed complex, synchronized trait covariation and trade-offs with increasing height in E. grandis. Anatomical traits related to xylem vessels and those related to architectureof pit membranes were found to increase efficiency and apical dominance of water transport. This study underlinesthe importance of studying tree hydraulic functioning at organismal scale. Results presented here will improveunderstanding height-dependent structure–function patterns in tall trees. Show less
Insular woodiness refers to the evolutionary transition from herbaceousness to- wards derived woodiness on (sub)tropical islands and leads to island floras that have a higher proportion of woody... Show moreInsular woodiness refers to the evolutionary transition from herbaceousness to- wards derived woodiness on (sub)tropical islands and leads to island floras that have a higher proportion of woody species compared to floras of nearby continents.Several hypotheses have tried to explain insular woodiness since Darwin’s original observations, but experimental evidence why plants became woody on islands is scarce at best.Here, we combine experimental measurements of hydraulic failure in stems (as a proxy for drought stress resistance) with stem anatomical observations in the daisy lineage (Asteraceae), including insular woody Argyranthemum species from the Canary Islands and their herbaceous continental relatives.Our results show that stems of insular woody daisies are more resistant to drought- induced hydraulic failure than the stems of their herbaceous counterparts. The ana- tomical character that best predicts variation in embolism resistance is intervessel pit membrane thickness (TPM), which can be functionally linked with air bubble dynamics throughout the 3D vessel network. There is also a strong link between TPM vs. degree of woodiness and thickness of the xylem fibre wall vs. embolism resistance, resulting in an indirect link between lignification and resistance to embolism formation.Thicker intervessel pit membranes in Argyranthemum functionally explain why this insular woody genus is more embolism resistant to drought-induced failure compared to the herbaceous relatives from which it has evolved, but additional data are needed to confirm that palaeoclimatic drought conditions have triggered wood formation in this daisy lineage. Show less
Lens, F.P.; Vos, R.A.; Charrier, G.; Niet, T. van der; Merckx, V.; Baas, P.; ... ; Janssens, S.B. 2016
Background and Aims Angiosperms with simple vessel perforations have evolved many times independently of species having scalariform perforations, but detailed studies to understand why these... Show moreBackground and Aims Angiosperms with simple vessel perforations have evolved many times independently of species having scalariform perforations, but detailed studies to understand why these transitions in wood evolution have happened are lacking. We focus on the striking difference in wood anatomy between two closely related genera of Adoxaceae, Viburnum and Sambucus, and link the anatomical divergence with climatic and physiological insights. Methods After performing wood anatomical observations, we used a molecular phylogenetic framework to estimate divergence times for 127 Adoxaceae species. The conditions under which the genera diversified were estimated using ancestral area reconstruction and optimization of ancestral climates, and xylem-specific conductivity measurements were performed. Key Results Viburnum, characterized by scalariform vessel perforations (ancestral), diversified earlier than Sambucus, having simple perforations (derived). Ancestral climate reconstruction analyses point to cold temperate preference for Viburnum and warm temperate for Sambucus. This is reflected in the xylem-specific conductivity rates of the co-occurring species investigated, showing that Viburnum lantana has rates much lower than Sambucus nigra. Conclusions The lack of selective pressure for high conductive efficiency during early diversification of Viburnum and the potentially adaptive value of scalariform perforations in frost-prone cold temperate climates have led to retention of the ancestral vessel perforation type, while higher temperatures during early diversification of Sambucus have triggered the evolution of simple vessel perforations, allowing more efficient long-distance water transport. Show less
The water transport pipeline in herbs is assumed to be more vulnerable to drought than in trees due to the formation of frequent embolisms (gas bubbles), which could be removed by the... Show moreThe water transport pipeline in herbs is assumed to be more vulnerable to drought than in trees due to the formation of frequent embolisms (gas bubbles), which could be removed by the occurrence of root pressure, especially in grasses. Here, we studied hydraulic failure in herbaceous angiosperms by measuring the pressure inducing 50% loss of hydraulic conductance (P50) in stems of 26 species, mainly European grasses (Poaceae). Our measurements show a large range in P50 from 20.5 to 27.5 MPa, which overlaps with 94% of the woody angiosperm species in a worldwide, published data set and which strongly correlates with an aridity index. Moreover, the P50 values obtained were substantially more negative than the midday water potentials for five grass species monitored throughout the entire growing season, suggesting that embolism formation and repair are not routine and mainly occur under water deficits. These results show that both herbs and trees share the ability to withstand very negative water potentials without considerable embolism formation in their xylem conduits during drought stress. In addition, structure-function trade-offs in grass stems reveal that more resistant species are more lignified, which was confirmed for herbaceous and closely related woody species of the daisy group (Asteraceae). Our findings could imply that herbs with more lignified stems will become more abundant in future grasslands under more frequent and severe droughts, potentially resulting in lower forage digestibility. Show less
The water transport pipeline in herbs is assumed to be more vulnerable to drought than in trees due to the formation of frequent embolisms (gas bubbles), which could be removed by the occurrence of... Show moreThe water transport pipeline in herbs is assumed to be more vulnerable to drought than in trees due to the formation of frequent embolisms (gas bubbles), which could be removed by the occurrence of root pressure, especially in grasses. Here, we studied hydraulic failure in herbaceous angiosperms by measuring the pressure inducing 50% loss of hydraulic conductance (P50)in stems of 26 species, mainly European grasses (Poaceae). Our measurements show a large range in P50 from 20.5 to 27.5 MPa, which overlaps with 94% of the woody angiosperm species in a worldwide, published data set and which strongly correlates with an aridity index. Moreover, the P50 values obtained were substantially more negative than the midday water potentials for five grass species monitored throughout the entire growing season, suggesting that embolism formation and repair are not routine and mainly occur under water deficits. These results show that both herbs and trees share the ability to withstand very negative water potentials without considerable embolism formation in their xylem conduits during drought stress. In addition, structure-function trade-offs in grass stems reveal that more resistant species are more lignified, which was confirmed for herbaceous and closely related woody species of the daisy group (Asteraceae). Our findings could imply that herbs with more lignified stems will become more abundant in future grasslands under more frequent and severe droughts, potentially resulting in lower forage digestibility. Show less
Lens, F.P.; Vos, R.A.; Charrier, G.; Niet, T. van der; Merckx, V.S.F.T.; Baas, P.; ... ; Janssens, S.B. 2016
Angiosperms with simple vessel perforations have evolved many times independently of species having scalariform perforations, but detailed studies to understand why these transitions in wood... Show moreAngiosperms with simple vessel perforations have evolved many times independently of species having scalariform perforations, but detailed studies to understand why these transitions in wood evolution have happened are lacking. We focus on the striking difference in wood anatomy between two closely related genera of Adoxaceae, Viburnum and Sambucus, and link the anatomical divergence with climatic and physiological insights. After performing wood anatomical observations, we used a molecular phylogenetic framework to estimate divergence times for 127 Adoxaceae species. The conditions under which the genera diversified were estimated using ancestral area reconstruction and optimization of ancestral climates, and xylem-specific conductivity measurements were performed. Viburnum, characterized by scalariform vessel perforations (ancestral), diversified earlier than Sambucus, having simple perforations (derived). Ancestral climate reconstruction analyses point to cold temperate preference for Viburnum and warm temperate for Sambucus. This is reflected in the xylem-specific conductivity rates of the co-occurring species investigated, showing that Viburnum lantana has rates much lower than Sambucus nigra. The lack of selective pressure for high conductive efficiency during early diversification of Viburnum and the potentially adaptive value of scalariform perforations in frost-prone cold temperate climates have led to retention of the ancestral vessel perforation type, while higher temperatures during early diversification of Sambucus have triggered the evolution of simple vessel perforations, allowing more efficient long-distance water transport. Show less
