Plant responses to drought involve multiple interacting traits and processes, which complicates predictions about which plants will die and which will survive. Species are often characterized by species-specific...
Author - Danielle Marias
Danielle Marias
Not all sapwood is functionally equal: Improving estimates of whole-tree water use from sap flux measurements
We often use sap flux, or water transported by the xylem to estimate whole-tree water use, an important component of understanding ecosystem water use. However, not all sapwood is functionally equal and axial sap flux...
Within-species populations exhibit similar physiology under current climate but may diverge under warmer and drier conditions
Recent repeated episodes of drought and high temperatures have resulted in substantial dieback of silver fir in the Spanish Pyrenees. However, mortality has been much greater in populations from the westernmost Pyrenees...
Carbon stores for spring growth in evergreen vs. deciduous species
Deciduous species must rely on stored reserves in stems and roots for the initiation of new season springtime growth. So perhaps evergreen species that can photosynthesize year-round rely more on leaf photosynthate to...
Within-species responses to water deficit vary more with traits than provenance
Plants manage water stress through various mechanisms, including increasing concentrations of compounds such as abscisic acid (ABA) to signal stomatal closure and reduce water loss, changing plant secondary metabolite...
Counting Carbs: Patterns rather than absolute values of non-structural carbohydrates may be compared across labs
The plant ecophysiology field is intrigued and perplexed by products of photosynthesis known as soluble or non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs), compounds that are used for growth, metabolism, and storage. NSC...
Some trees might have adapted to cope with embolisms instead of preventing them
Drought is expected to increase in frequency and duration throughout the 21st century. However, it remains unclear how vegetation will respond to drought because the underlying physiological mechanisms are not well...
Accurately measuring cavitation resistance to understand how plants cope with drought
Cavitation resistance is crucial to coping with and surviving drought.
The path to understanding water movement in leaves is not straightforward
The path to understanding water movement in leaves is not straightforward.
More to tree rings than meets the eye
Tree rings record past environmental conditions, as well as the tree’s physiological response to those conditions. Although ring widths are easily measured indicators of annual tree growth, they are limited in...
