A multi-criteria drought resistance assessment of temperate Acer, Carpinus, Fraxinus, Quercus, and Tilia species

• Published in: Perspectives in plant ecology, evolution and systematics Vol. 62; p. 125777
• Main Authors: Leuschner, C., Fuchs, S., Wedde, P., Rüther, E., Schuldt, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier GmbH 01.03.2024
• Subjects: Acer platanoides; adults; Carpinus betulus; Central European region; climate; defoliation; drought; Drought resistance assessment; drought tolerance; dry environmental conditions; Embolism resistance; evolution; fine roots; fluid mechanics; Foliage loss; forestry; Fraxinus excelsior; growth performance; Growth trend; leaves; plant ecology; Quercus petraea; species; stem elongation; stress tolerance; Tilia cordata; turgor; Turgor loss point; water potential; water storage; xylem; Central European region; Embolism resistance; Drought resistance assessment; Growth trend; Turgor loss point; Foliage loss
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2023.125777
• ISSN: 1433-8319

A rapidly warming climate with growing frequency of hot droughts urges Central Europe’s forestry sector to adapt to increasing climatic stress. One option is to choose native minor timber species with assumed higher stress tolerance; yet, information on the drought resistance of many species is scarce. We examined the drought resistance of adult trees of Norway maple (Acer platanoides), European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and Little-leaved lime (Tilia cordata) at leaf, branch, stem and root levels, combining studies on leaf water status, branch xylem hydraulics, fine root vitality and radial stem growth, for deriving an evidence-based drought resistance ranking of the species. Results were compared to Sessile oak (Quercus petraea), a fairly drought-resistant major timber species. All species showed constant growth rates despite increasing climatic aridity, indicating low climate vulnerability. Foliage loss after the severe 2018/19 drought increased in the sequence Quercus < Fraxinus < Acer < Tilia < Carpinus. The water potential at leaf turgor loss (PTLP) was no suitable indicator of the species’ climate-sensitivity of growth or drought-induced foliage loss. The growth performance of Tilia demonstrates that some angiosperm trees can achieve a fairly high degree of drought resistance through plant-internal water storage and high leaf tissue elasticity, despite a small hydraulic safety margin and high PTLP. Drought resistance as deduced from growth performance and defoliation after severe drought decreased in the sequence Quercus > Fraxinus & Acer > Tilia > Carpinus. We conclude that Acer, Carpinus, and Tilia (and Fraxinus, despite being often Hymenoscyphus-infected) are suitable timber species for Central Europe’s forestry sector in a drier and warmer climate. •The drought resistance of mature Acer, Carpinus, Fraxinus, Quercus and Tilia trees is compared.•A whole-tree approach with traits and responses at leaf-, branch-, stem- and root-level is adopted.•Turgor loss point is not a good proxy of drought resistance in these species.•All species show low climate vulnerability with long-term growth constancy.•The species’ drought resistance decreases in the sequence Quercus > Acer, Fraxinus > Tilia > Carpinus.