Reduced transpiration response to precipitation pulses precedes mortality in a piñon–juniper woodland subject to prolonged drought

• Published in: The New phytologist Vol. 200; no. 2; pp. 375 - 387
• Main Authors: Plaut, Jennifer A., Wadsworth, W. Duncan, Pangle, Robert, Yepez, Enrico A., McDowell, Nate G., Pockman, William T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England New Phytologist Trust 01.10.2013; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Additives; Agricultural Irrigation; Atmospheric precipitations; Carbon - metabolism; carbon starvation; Climate change; Climate prediction; die‐off; Drought; Droughts; Ecosystem; Global climate; hydraulic conductance; hydraulic failure; Hydraulics; infrastructure; Irrigation; Juniperus - physiology; mixed effects model; Modeling; Models, Theoretical; Mortality; New Mexico; Pinus; Pinus - physiology; pinyon-juniper; Plant Transpiration - physiology; Precipitation; Pulse irrigation; Rain; Rainfall; semi‐arid; Soil; Soil moisture; Soil water; Survival; Transpiration; Trees; Vapor Pressure; vapor pressure deficit; Vapour pressure; Woodlands; hydraulic conductance; die-off; carbon starvation; hydraulic failure; semi-arid; mixed effects model

Global climate change is predicted to alter the intensity and duration of droughts, but the effects of changing precipitation patterns on vegetation mortality are difficult to predict. Our objective was to determine whether prolonged drought or above-average precipitation altered the capacity to res...