case-study of water transport in co-occurring ring- versus diffuse-porous trees: contrasts in water-status, conducting capacity, cavitation and vessel refilling

• Published in: Tree physiology Vol. 28; no. 11; pp. 1641 - 1651
• Main Authors: Taneda, Haruhiko, Sperry, John S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada Heron Publishing 01.11.2008
• Subjects: Acer - metabolism; Acer grandidentatum; Acer saccharum subsp. grandidentatum; Circadian Rhythm; drought; dyes; earlywood; Granier sensors; growth rings; hydraulic architecture; labeling techniques; leaf area; Plant Leaves - metabolism; Plant Stems - metabolism; Plant Transpiration - physiology; plant-water relations; porosity; Quercus - metabolism; Quercus gambelii; sap flow; sap flux; stems; Time; trees; Trees - metabolism; vulnerability curves; Water - metabolism; water stress; xylem cavitation; xylem embolism; xylem hydraulic conductivity; xylem vessels; xylem water potential; North America, Rocky Mts; USA; vulnerability curves; sap flux; xylem embolism; hydraulic architecture; drought stress; Granier sensors
• ISSN: 0829-318X; 1758-4469
• DOI: 10.1093/treephys/28.11.1641

Recent work has suggested that the large earlywood vessels of ring-porous trees can be extraordinarily vulnerable to cavitation making it necessary that these trees maintain a consistent and favorable water status. We compared cavitation resistance, vessel refilling, transport capacity and water status in a study of ring-porous Quercus gambelii Nutt. (oak) and diffuse-porous Acer grandidentatum Nutt. (maple). These species co-dominate summer-dry foothills in the western Rocky Mountains of the USA. Native embolism measurements, dye perfusions and balance pressure exudation patterns indicated that the large earlywood vessels of 2-3-year-old oak stems cavitated extensively on a daily basis as predicted from laboratory vulnerability curves, resulting in a more than 80% reduction in hydraulic conductivity. Maple branches showed virtually no cavitation. Oak vessels refilled on a daily basis, despite negative xylem pressure in the transpiration stream, indicating active pressurization of embo-lized vessels. Conductivity and whole-tree water use in oak were between about one-half and two-thirds that in maple on a stem-area basis; but were similar or greater on a leaf-area basis. Oak maintained steady and modest negative xylem pressure potentials during the growing season despite little rainfall, indicating isohydric water status and reliance on deep soil water. Maple was markedly anisohydric and developed more negative pressure potentials during drought, suggesting use of shallower soil water. Although ring porosity may have evolved as a mechanism for coping with winter freezing, this study suggests that it also has major consequences for xylem function during the growing season.