Climate affects hydraulic and stomatal traits

Hydraulic traits influence the ability of plant species to grow and survive in water-limited environments. Bourne et al. compare hydraulic, anatomical, stomatal and leaf tissue water relations traits in six Eucalyptus species trees grown in a common garden plot; by focusing the study on a single genus, much of the variation that could be attributed to different climatic or environmental characteristics is eliminated.

The nature of xylem traits in Eucalyptus trees was found to be genetically constrained with important implications for the limits of species‘ responses to changing environmental conditions and thus for species survival and distribution into the future.