"As water potential is regarded the best indicator of plant water status, because it is the integrated result of above- and below-ground environmental conditions, it holds promise as a pivotal model variable to which...
As trees photosynthesize, using carbon from the atmosphere to grow and store energy, they also lose water to the air (transpire). During a drought, continuing to photosynthesize and transpire puts trees at risk of...
Seed germination in the arid zone is a high-risk event. For grasses specifically, the ancillary bracts of the floret surrounding the seed have been associated with innate dormancy mechanisms, resulting in infrequent...
Foliar concentrations of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) are influenced by soil water availability. However, concentrations of individual compounds in previously published studies have been reported to be higher...
The combination of soil drying and a high transpiration rate causes severe water stress in plants. In their Viewpoint article, Carminati et al. develop a biophysical model to describe how low soil moisture and high...
Selected Eucalyptus globulus clones can grow to a height of up to 14m in 3 years, receiving an average rainfall of 630 mm year–1 with a 4-month summer drought. Working with plants under a year old from five clones...
Although parasitic plant–host associations occur in an ever-changing light environment, there is a poor understanding of how light influences the impact of the parasite on the host plant. Cirocco et al. hypothesize that...
Johnson et al. measure xylem embolism resistance and connectivity in roots of two co-occurring tree species in a semi-arid habitat, Quercus fusiformis and Sideroxylon lanuginosum.
Leaf hydraulic properties are strongly linked with transpiration and photosynthesis in many species, but it is not known if gas exchange and hydraulics will have co-ordinated responses to climate change. Locke et al...
Jatropha curcas is a drought-resistant tree whose seeds are a good source of oil that can be used for producing biodiesel. Windauer et al. examine germination at different temperatures and water potentials and find that...