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Leaf water status and stem xylem flux in relation to soil drought in five temperate broad-leaved tree species with contrasting water use strategies

Statut hydrique des feuilles et flux xylèmique dans le tronc en relation avec la sécheresse du sol pour cinq espèces d’arbres feuillus tempérés à stratégies de consommation d’eau différentes

Annals of Forest Science volume 66, page 101 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

  • • Five temperate broad-leaved tree species were compared with respect to their water consumption strategies under ample and restricted water supply. We measured synchronously leaf conductance (g L) in the sun canopy, xylem sap flux (J s) and leaf water potential (predawn, ψpd and noon, ψnoon) in adult trees in a mixed stand and related them to the fluctuations in vapor pressure deficit (D) and soil moisture.

  • • Maximum g L was particularly high in F. excelsior, C. betulus and T. cordata and revealed a higher D sensitivity. ψpd remained constantly high in A. pseudoplatanus, C. betulus and F. excelsior, but decreased in T. cordata and F. sylvatica with decreasing soil moisture.

  • • J sddecreased linearly with decreasing soil matrix potential in all species except for F. excelsior. Apparent hydraulic conductance in the soil-to-leaf flow path (L c) was higher in A. pseudoplatanus than in the other species.

  • • F. sylvatica maintained a low maximum g L and reduced J sd markedly upon drought, but faced severe decreases in ψpd and ψnoon. F. excelsior represents an opposite strategy with high maximum g L and stable ψpd.

  • • The species drought sensitivity increases in the sequence F. excelsior < C. betulus < T. cordata < A. pseudoplatanus < F. sylvatica.

Résumé

  • • Les stratégies de consommation d’eau de cinq espèces d’arbres feuillus tempérés ont été comparées sous approvisionnement en eau suffisant ou limité. De façon synchrone nous avons mesuré la conductance hydraulique des feuilles (g L) dans la partie du couvert exposée au soleil, le flux de sève xylémique (J s) et le potentiel hydrique foliaire (potentiel de base (ψpd) et potentiel minimum (ψnoon)) d’arbres adultes en peuplement mixte et nous les avons reliés aux fluctuations du déficit de pression de vapeur (D) et à l’humidité du sol.

  • • g L maximum était particulièrement élevée chez F. excelsior, C. betulus et T. cordata et a révélé une plus grande sensibilité à D. ψpd est resté constamment élevé chez A. pseudoplatanus, C. betulus et F. excelsior, mais a diminué chez T. cordata et F. sylvatica lorsque l’humidité du sol diminuait.

  • • J sd a diminué linéairement avec le potentiel matriciel du sol pour toutes les espèces excepté F. excelsior. La conductivité hydraulique apparente du trajet sol-feuille (L c) était plus élevée chez A. pseudoplatanus que dans les autres espèces.

  • • F. sylvatica a maintenu une faible g L maximum et a réduit sensiblement J sd face à la sécheresse, mais a connu de graves diminutions de ψpd et ψnoon. F. excelsior présentait une stratégie opposée avec une g L maximum élevée et un ψpd stable.

  • • La sensibilité des espèces à la sécheresse augmente selon la séquence F. excelsior < C. betulus < T. cordata < A. pseudoplatanus < F. sylvatica.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Ecology, Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Göttingen, Germany

    Paul Köcher, Tobias Gebauer, Viviana Horna & Christoph Leuschner

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  1. Paul Köcher
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  2. Tobias Gebauer
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  3. Viviana Horna
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Correspondence to Viviana Horna.

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Köcher, P., Gebauer, T., Horna, V. et al. Leaf water status and stem xylem flux in relation to soil drought in five temperate broad-leaved tree species with contrasting water use strategies. Ann. For. Sci. 66, 101 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2008076

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Annals of Forest Science

ISSN: 1297-966X