Vessel diameter and xylem hydraulic conductivity increase with tree height in tropical rainforest trees in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Zach, Alexandra; Schuldt, Bernhard; Brix, Sarah; Horna, Viviana; Culmsee, Heike; Leuschner, Christoph

doi:10.1016/j.flora.2009.12.008

Cited by 77 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 29 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Traditional views of hydraulic limitation include (1) declines in leaf area-specific hydraulic conductance with increasing tree height; (2) declines in w leaf with tree height due to decreased whole-plant hydraulic conductance and increased gravitational potential; and (3) resulting decreases in average stomatal conductance (Ryan and Yoder 1997, Koch et al 2004, Ryan et al 2006, Hinckley et al 2011, Mencuccini et al 2011. Factors that might contribute to a tighter relationship of maximum tree height to P/E p than expected based on hydraulic limitation (and thus D) alone might include (4) increased allocation to leaves vs. roots or stems at a given height with increasing P/E p , or conditions correlated with higher P/E p (e.g., greater soil silt or nitrate content); (5) higher photosynthetic rates per unit leaf mass at higher P/E p or under conditions correlated therewith, independent of the degree of stomatal limitation; (6) higher leaf area-specific conductance at higher P/E p in trees of a given height, reflecting differences in wood density and xylem diameter and length (Thomas 1996b, Thomas and Bazzaz 1999, Zach et al 2010, Fan et al 2012, Gleason et al 2012; (7) variation across species in the rate at which mesophyll photosynthetic capacity declines with decreasing w leaf (Givnish 1986, Tezara et al 2003, Lawlor and Tezara 2009); (8) variation across sites in which the rate at which evaporation from sunlit leaves increases with relative height at the top of the canopy; and (9) greater uncertainties in measuring average D than average height. The preceding factors are all plausible ways in which resource allocation or modified hydraulic limitation effects could constrain tree height along the Victoria transect, in response to the increase in P/E p toward the Yarra Ranges, the reduced heat load and cloudier conditions at higher altitudes and latitudes there, and the increasingly fine-grained, more P-and Nrich soils there (see Eq.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This pattern of whole-plant integration might suggest limited latitude for compensatory change in any single trait as height varies. Yet several studies have shown that maximum tree height among species locally increases with stem hydraulic conductivity per unit leaf area (Addington et al 2009, Zach et al 2010, Fan et al 2012, and therefore, often increases with xylem vessel diameter and the initial rate of height growth and decreases with wood density (King 1991, Thomas and Bazzaz 1999, Zach et al 2010, Fan et al 2012, Gleason et al 2012. Kempes et al (2011) present a flow-based model to account for variation in maximum tree height across the contiguous United States, supposedly also taking stem allometry into account.…”

Section: Photosynthetic Hydraulic Limitationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Determinants of maximum tree height inEucalyptusspecies along a rainfall gradient in Victoria, Australia

Givnish

Wong

Stuart‐Williams

et al. 2014

Ecology

110

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. We present a conceptual model linking dry-mass allocational allometry, hydraulic limitation, and vertical stratification of environmental conditions to patterns in vertical tree growth and tree height. Maximum tree height should increase with relative moisture supply and both should drive variation in apparent stomatal limitation. Carbon isotope discrimination (D) should not vary with maximum tree height across a moisture gradient when only hydraulic limitation or allocational allometry limit height, but increase with moisture when both hydraulic limitation and allocational allometry limit maximum tree height. We quantified tree height and D along a gradient in annual precipitation from 300 to 1600 mm from mallee to temperate rain forest in southeastern Australia; Eucalyptus on this gradient span almost the entire range of tree heights found in angiosperms worldwide. Maximum tree height showed a strong, nearly proportional relationship to the ratio of precipitation to pan evaporation. D increased with ln P/E p , suggesting that both hydraulic limitation and allocational allometry set maximum tree height. Coordinated shifts in several plant traits should result in different species having an advantage in vertical growth rate at different points along a rainfall gradient, and in maximum tree height increasing with relative moisture supply, photosynthetic rate, nutrient supply, and xylem diameter.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Photosynthetic Hydraulic Limitationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determinants of maximum tree height inEucalyptusspecies along a rainfall gradient in Victoria, Australia

Givnish

Wong

Stuart‐Williams

et al. 2014

Ecology

110

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Possibly as a result, it is known that species with a low wood density including dipterocarp species generally grow faster than species with a high wood density in a tropical rain forest (Suzuki 1999;Turner 2001). Moreover, Bebber (2002) reported that the wood density of dipterocarp species is closely related to vessel diameter, indicating that trees with a low wood density and a large vessel diameter achieve a high maximum rate of transpiration, because of the high efficiency of water transport in the xylem, but may suffer increased susceptibility to cavitation through drought (Tyree et al 1994;Williams et al 2001;Zach et al 2010). Soil types and soil water content are also related to tree water use, given a soil water retention capability (Bucci et al 2004a;Meinzer et al 2004).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interspecific variation in leaf water use associated with drought tolerance in four emergent dipterocarp species of a tropical rain forest in Borneo

Hiromi

Ichie

Tanaka

et al. 2012

Journal of Forest Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

By use of tree-tower and canopy-crane systems we studied variations in the water use, including transpiration, stomatal conductance, and leaf water potential, of the uppermost sun-exposed canopy leaves of four emergent dipterocarp species in an aseasonal tropical rain forest in Sarawak, Malaysia. Midday depression in stomatal conductance and leaf water potential was observed in all the species studied. Interspecific differences were clearly observed in the maxima of transpiration rates and stomatal conductance and the minima of leaf water potential among the four dipterocarp species. These interspecific variations were closely related to wood density and to factors affecting ecological patterns of distribution. Specifically, Shorea parvifolia and S. smithiana, both of which have a relatively low wood density for Dipterocarpaceae and are found on clay-rich soil, had a high transpiration rate in the daytime but had a large midday depression and a low leaf water potential. In contrast, Dryobalanops aromatica, which has a high wood density and is found in sandy soil areas, consumed less water even during the daytime.Dipterocarpus pachyphyllus, which has a high wood density and is found on clay-rich soil, stood intermediate between Shorea and D. aromatica in leaf water use. The two Shorea species had higher mortality than the others during the severe drought associated with El Niño in 1998, so daily pattern of leaf water use in each dipterocarp species might be correlated with its susceptibility to unusual drought events.

show abstract

“…higher Ψ S ) (Bucci et al. 2009), or increasing the efficiency of xylem to transport water (Brodribb, Holbrook & Gutiérrez 2002; Zach et al. 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stem xylem conductivity is key to plant water balance across Australian angiosperm species

Gleason¹,

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1. Plants must balance water expenditure from their crown with water supplied through root and stem tissues. Although many different combinations of hydraulic traits could accomplish water balance, we ask whether variation across species in stem hydraulic traits has been concentrated along few, or many, dimensions of trait variation. 2. We measured stem hydraulic traits for 120 woody dicot species across a range of different biomes in eastern Australia. Mean annual temperatures ranged from 10 to 27 °C and aridity (precipitation ⁄ potential evapotranspiration) from 0AE33 to 1AE02 across study sites. 3. Xylem-specific conductivity, species' height and ratio of leaf area to xylem area were positively correlated, manifesting as a single axis of trait variation, with other traits mostly orthogonal to this axis. Thus, as height and ratio of leaf area to xylem area increased across species and habitats (increasing resistance per leaf area), xylem-specific conductivity partially compensated for this resistance. Xylem-specific conductivity was well predicted by increasing height (r 2 = 0AE45) and ratio of leaf area to xylem area (r 2 = 0AE36). This three-trait axis was positively correlated with increasing precipitation (r 2 = 0AE28) and temperature (r 2 = 0AE15), but most of the explained variance lay within sites (39%) rather than across sites (10%). Thus, the spread of species' traits along this functional axis reflected structural and hydraulic differences among co-occurring species, at least as much as it reflected differences associated with contrasting climates. 4. High xylem-specific conductivity in stems was accomplished by high vessel diameter to number ratio (r 2 = 0AE32) and ⁄ or by high vessel lumen fraction (r 2 = 0AE13). Low midday water potential (higher xylem tension) was associated with low ratio of vessel diameter to number (r 2 = 0AE25), whereas low specific gravity (r 2 = 0AE18) and stiffness (r 2 = 0AE12) were associated with high vessel lumen fraction. 5. Light capture (i.e. increasing height and leafiness) may be facilitated by high xylem-specific conductivity, but marked increases in xylem-specific conductivity may also be associated with reduced hydraulic and mechanical safety. Although the trade-offs associated with increasing xylem-specific conductivity remain unclear, our data suggest that xylem-specific conductivity is important for maintaining water balance across a large range of species and biomes.

show abstract

Vessel diameter and xylem hydraulic conductivity increase with tree height in tropical rainforest trees in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Cited by 77 publications

References 29 publications

Determinants of maximum tree height inEucalyptusspecies along a rainfall gradient in Victoria, Australia

Determinants of maximum tree height inEucalyptusspecies along a rainfall gradient in Victoria, Australia

Interspecific variation in leaf water use associated with drought tolerance in four emergent dipterocarp species of a tropical rain forest in Borneo

Stem xylem conductivity is key to plant water balance across Australian angiosperm species

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About