豆科复叶和单叶树种的光合-水分关系分析北大核心CSCD

以豆科(Fabaceae)11个复叶树种和6个单叶树种为材料,测定他们的气孔导度、叶片水力导度、水势、相对含水量等指标,分析叶型对枝叶光合水分关系的影响。结果显示,复叶树种正午叶轴水势(-0.91MPa)与单叶树种正午枝条水势(-0.88MPa)间无显著差异,但正午枝条水势(-0.60MPa)显著高于单叶树种。复叶树种正午气孔导度降低的百分比(55.3%)显著高于单叶树种(34.1%)。叶片、叶轴和枝条正午水势两两之间均显著正相关,但与正午气孔导度之间均不存在相关性。本研究中,17个树种的正午叶片水力导度与气孔导度间显著正相关(r=0.79,P<0.001),但他们与气孔导度降低百分比间呈负相关(r=-0.81,P<0.001),说明叶片导水率对日间气孔导度的维持具有重要作用。研究结果表明单叶和复叶树种在光合水分关系上存在明显差异,说明他们对环境条件具有不同的适应策略。     

豆科复叶和单叶树种的光合-水分关系分析

以豆科(Fabaceae) 11个复叶树种和6个单叶树种为材料,测定他们的气孔导度、叶片水力导度、水势、相对含水量等指标,分析叶型对枝叶光合水分关系的影响。结果显示,复叶树种正午叶轴水势(-0. 91 MPa)与单叶树种正午枝条水势(-0.88 MPa)间无显著差异,但正午枝条水势(-0.60 MPa)显著高于单叶树种。复叶树种正午气孔导度降低的百分比(55.3%)显著高于单叶树种(34.1%)。叶片、叶轴和枝条正午水势两两之间均显著正相关,但与正午气孔导度之间均不存在相关性。本研究中,17个树种的正午叶片水力导度与气孔导度间显著正相关(r=0.79,P 0.001),但他们与气孔导度降低百分比间呈负相关(r=-0.81,P 0. 001),说明叶片导水率对日间气孔导度的维持具有重要作用。研究结果表明单叶和复叶树种在光合水分关系上存在明显差异,说明他们对环境条件具有不同的适应策略。     

断根处理对银杏树体水力特征及生长的影响

以8年生银杏为试材,采用不同程度的断根处理,测定处理后树体超声（ultrasound acoustic emission,UAE）信号、枝条栓塞程度（percentage loss of hydraulic conductance,PLC）、树干液流通量、气孔导度、蒸腾速率以及叶片水势等生理指标,分析断根对银杏树体水力特征及生长状况的影响.结果表明:断根处理后,在短时间内有大量UAE信号产生,且随断根程度的加重而增大,在6 h出现最大值,随后逐渐降低;枝条的PLC在起初的12 h迅速增加,24 h后增速趋于停滞;银杏树干液流通量、叶片气孔导度、蒸腾速率和水势明显降低,各处理间差异显著.经统计分析,累积UAE（cumulative number of UAE, cUAE）信号量与PLC呈现显著的正相关关系,与液流通量和叶片水势呈负相关关系.次年的单叶面积、新生枝条长度显著下降,下降程度随断根处理的加重而加剧.断根处理在短时间内增加了银杏管胞气穴数量和木质部栓塞的程度,影响到水分输送和叶片蒸腾,最终对叶片和枝条的生长产生负面影响.     

盐碱胁迫下枸杞和柽柳的水力学特性和碳代谢

盐碱胁迫是全球范围内重要的非生物胁迫形式之一,但目前对植物水力学特性和碳代谢应对盐碱胁迫响应的研究还不多。本研究以耐盐碱植物枸杞（Lycium chinense Miller）和柽柳（Tamarix chinensis Lour.）为对象,测定不同盐碱程度下两种植物的枝条水势和导水损失率（PLC）、叶片光合作用和气孔导度、不同部位的非结构性碳（NSC）浓度以及植株生长情况。结果显示,重度盐碱胁迫显著降低了两种植物凌晨和正午水势、光合速率和枝条PLC,重度胁迫下柽柳的光合速率、气孔导度和枝条PLC下降程度均大于枸杞,重度盐碱胁迫下枸杞不同部位的NSC浓度均显著降低,但柽柳的地上部分NSC浓度显著增加,根部NSC浓度显著减低。两种植物有不同的应对盐碱胁迫策略,枸杞有较强的气孔调节能力,对水力结构的维持有利,但会限制碳摄取,柽柳气孔调节能力弱,水力结构易受影响,但对碳平衡维持有利。     

极端干旱环境下的胡杨木质部水力特征

胡杨作为我国西北干旱区重要的乔木树种,研究其木质部水力特征对了解此树种适应极端干旱环境的生物学背景具有较重要的意义。本研究以塔里木河下游的胡杨成株和2年生胡杨幼苗为研究材料,对其木质部最大导水能力（ks(max)）和自然栓塞程度（PLC）等木质部水力特征及其水力特征有关的木质部导管(或管饱)数量特征进行研究。结果表明,成株胡杨多年生枝条和侧根（2≤d<5 mm）木质部自然栓塞程度均较高,PLC均值高于50%,其中多年生枝条栓塞程度具有一定的日变化规律,清晨的PLC均值（58%）小于正午的（67%）;河道边上成株胡杨侧根的均ks(max)和PLC均值都小于距河道200 m处的。随着土壤干旱程度的加剧,幼苗胡杨侧根的自然栓塞程度随之增加,而叶片气孔导度随之降低,土壤含水率与侧根自然栓塞程度,叶片气孔导度之间分别存在显著负相关关系（R =-0.9、R =-0.811）。在统一直径范围内(2≤d<5 mm),成株胡杨侧根均导管直径（dmean）和水力直径均大于（d95%、dh）胡杨幼苗,而导管密度胡杨幼苗高于成株胡杨;胡杨侧根木质部最大导水能力与均导管直径、水力直径之间具有显著正相关关系（R>0.9）.     

亚热带森林演替树种叶片气孔导度对环境水分的水力响应

利用LI-1600稳态气孔计和PMS压力室,在田间测定了群落演替早期强阳生性树种桃金娘(Rhodomyrtus tomentosa)和三叉苦(Evodia lepta)、偏中性的阳生性树种荷木(Schima superba)、群落演替后期的耐荫树种鸭脚木(Schefllera octophylla)和九节(Psychotrie rubra)的叶片气孔导度(gs)和叶片水势(ΨL),研究不同演替阶段树种的气孔导度对环境水分的响应.结果表明,早上叶片有较高的ΨL,随着时间推移ΨL逐渐降低,与此同时比叶水力导度(KL)随ΨL降低而下降,桃金娘、三叉苦、荷木、鸭脚木和九节水力导度初始最低值时的ΨL分别为-1.6、-1.42、-1.30、-0.9MPa和-1.05MPa.随着ΨL降低,田间测定的gs开始从上午的较低值上升至约中午时的最大值,随后开始降低,此时的ΨL分别为-1.58、-1.52、-1.35、-1.02MPa和-1.0MPa.不同植物种类有不同的KL初始最低值的ΨL和gs达到最大值的ΨL.但不论何种供试树种,KL最低值时的ΨL与gs开始从最大值下降时的ΨL相近;显示KL与gs在动态变化中存在协调关系.树种间的gs和KL对ΨL的不同响应显示桃金娘和三叉苦的KL最低值时和gs开始下降时的ΨL均较鸭脚木和九节对应的ΨL低(p<0.05),意味着演替早期树种能在较强水分胁迫下保持较高的气孔导度.这一水力特性保证树种在水分胁迫下维持叶片的光合速率,有利于其在群落中的生长和优势地位的维护,而演替后期树种在较高ΨL下气孔关闭,降低了光合速率.全球变暖和环境进一步干旱可能成为限制亚热带森林植物群落的正向演替进程的潜在因素之一.     

陕北沙地高龄小叶杨光合速率下降的水力限制

黄土高原地区“小老树”现象多出现在成年树,幼树相对较少.为探讨树龄影响“小老树”形成的机制,以该地区“小老树”发生面积最大的树种小叶杨为例,研究了3个不同树龄(低龄:13～15 a;中龄:31～34 a;高龄:49～54 a)树木的生长、光合、水力学特性.结果表明: 随树龄增加,小叶杨枯稍长度显著增加,叶片光合速率、气孔导度和蒸腾速率显著下降,整株水力导度也显著下降,不同测定时间的光合速率、气孔导度与整株水力导度呈显著正相关,表明树龄增加引起的光合速率下降可能与整株水力导度下降有关.与中、低龄相比,高龄小叶杨枝干和叶片抵抗空穴化的能力(P₅₀)更强,但通过脆弱性曲线估算的不同树龄正午时的枝干栓塞程度和叶片水力导度无显著差异,表明高龄小叶杨土-根系统水流阻力的增加可能是导致其整株水力导度降低的重要原因.     

锐齿栎水力结构和生长对降雨减少的响应

为探究气候变化背景下降雨减少对森林的影响,2013年在宝天曼锐齿栎天然次生林原位建立了3块降水减少(截雨)样地,研究降雨减少对锐齿栎水碳关系和生长的影响。结果表明:降雨减少后锐齿栎枝条水势显著低于对照,最低水势为(-1.36±0.11)MPa,但锐齿栎木质部栓塞88%的水势值为-3.19MPa,叶片气孔关闭时的水势值为-2.5MPa,故降雨减少在这一地区没有对锐齿栎水力结构造成严重的干扰。降雨减少后,锐齿栎的叶片、韧皮部和木质部的总非结构性碳浓度与对照没有显著差异。木质部导管密度和叶片气孔密度变大,而导管直径和气孔长度变小。在天气较为干旱时,降雨减少处理的锐齿栎气孔导度日变化呈"双峰"曲线,而在湿润天气时呈"单峰"曲线且中午峰值显著大于对照。降雨减少处理的锐齿栎木材密度、Huber值、比叶面积和胸径生长与对照没有显著差异。降雨减少后锐齿栎树木没有遭受水力失衡或碳饥饿的危害,生长也没有受到显著影响,但是水力输导系统发生了适应性调节。     

荷木整树蒸腾对干湿季土壤水分的水力响应

降雨在时间上的非均匀分配导致森林土壤含水量呈现明显的干、湿季变化,并可能在干季形成水分胁迫,引起植物蒸腾变化。在监测环境因子的同时,利用Granier热消散探针连续监测荷木(Schima superba)的树干液流,以液流密度值计算整树蒸腾,并结合水力导度与叶片/土壤的水势差,探讨环境因子和水力导度对荷木整树蒸腾的协同控制。结果表明,华南地区的季节性降雨形成的干、湿季并未引起荷木蒸腾在季节上的显著差异,但对产生蒸腾的水力生理产生了显著影响。荷木蒸腾在干、湿季均与主要驱动环境因子(光合有效辐射PAR和水汽压亏缺VPD)呈显著正相关。在水热充足的湿季,荷木蒸腾主要受气孔导度调节;在干季,当空气水汽压亏缺达2.132 MPa时,水力导度与气孔导度协同控制蒸腾。整树水力导度对整树蒸腾的水力补偿出现在15:00—17:00,平均补偿值为0.08 g/s。利用蒸腾的估测值与实测值之间的差值量化荷木的水力补偿效应,是对水力导度与气孔导度协同控制树木蒸腾机理的深入探索。研究结果对于掌握季节性降雨不均背景下华南地区主要造林树种需水和耗水规律,有效发挥森林保水功能具有重要意义。     

干热河谷9种造林树种在旱季的水分关系和气孔导度

 对元谋干热河谷人工混交林中9个树种叶片的水势、饱和渗透势、气孔导度、渗透调节和季节变化进行了测定,同时对树高和胸径也进行了比较。水分生理特征表明: 1)随着旱季的深入,除刺槐（Robinia pseudoacacia）、黄荆（Vitex negundo）、滇榄仁（Terminalia franchetii）落叶外,其余常绿树种叶片的气孔导度、水势和饱和渗透势都呈下降的趋势,在最旱的三、四月份,它们适应干旱的方式有4种：①低水势、气孔导度近似关闭的厚荚相思（Acacia leptocarpa）、大叶相思（A. auriculiformis）和肯氏相思（A. cunninghamii）;②低水势、低气孔导度的赤桉（Eucalyptus dulebsis）、娟毛相思（A. holosericea）和车桑子（Dodonaea wiscosa）loserice气孔导度的柠檬桉（Eucalyptus citriodora）和新银合欢（Leucaena leucocephala）;④较高水势、气孔导度近似关闭的马占相思（Acacia mangium）。2)在干旱胁迫过程中,主要渗透调节物质出现的先后顺序是K+、游离脯氨酸、游离氨基酸和可溶性糖, K+和可溶性糖贡献最大,分别在干旱的前后期起渗透调节作用,游离脯氨酸和游离氨基酸在干旱的中期起渗透调节作用。大多数树种适应干热河谷生境的主要抗旱途径是有效的吸水能力和完善的保水机制。     

Conservative decrease in water potential in existing leaves during new leaf expansion in temperate and tropical evergreen Quercus species

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study aimed at clarifying how the water potential gradient (deltapsi) is maintained in the shoots of evergreen trees with expanding leaves, whose leaf water potentials at the turgor loss point (psi(tlp)) are generally high. MATERIALS: The water relations were examined in current-year expanding (CEX) and 1-year-old (OLD) leaves on the same shoots in temperate (Osaka, Japan) and tropical (Bogor, Indonesia) areas. A temperate evergreen species, Quercus glauca growing in both sites, was compared with a temperate deciduous species, Q. serrata, in Osaka, and two tropical evergreen species, Q. gemelliflora and Q. subsericea, in Bogor. KEY RESULTS: (1) In Osaka, the midday leaf water potential (psi(midday)) was slightly higher in OLD (-0.5 MPa) than in CEX leaves (-0.6 MPa), whereas psi(tlp) was significantly lower in OLD (-2.9 MPa) than in CEX leaves (-1.0 MPa). In Bogor, psi(midday) was also higher in OLD leaves (-1.0 MPa) despite the low psi(tlp) (-1.9 MPa), although stomatal conductance was not always low in OLD leaves. In the branch bearing CEX and OLD leaves, most of the hydraulic resistance (86 %) exists in the current-year branch, leading to differences in water supply between CEX and OLD leaves. The removal of buds just before breaking did not affect the high psi(midday) in OLD leaves after 1 month. Psi(midday) in OLD leaves thus appears to be independent of that in CEX leaves. CONCLUSIONS: The moderate decrease in psi(midday) in OLD leaves would contribute to maintenance of deltapsi in the shoots during leaf expansion.     

Water relations of baobab trees (Adansonia spp. L.) during the rainy season: does stem water buffer daily water deficits?

Baobab trees are often cited in the literature as water-storing trees, yet few studies have examined this assumption. We assessed the role of stored water in buffering daily water deficits in two species of baobabs (Adansonia rubrostipa Jum. and H. Perrier and Adansonia za Baill.) in a tropical dry forest in Madagascar. We found no lag in the daily onset of sap flow between the base and the crown of the tree. Some night-time sap flow occurred, but this was more consistent with a pattern of seasonal stem water replenishment than with diurnal usage. Intrinsic capacitance of both leaf and stem tissue (0.07-0.08 and 1.1-1.43 MPa(-1), respectively) was high, yet the amount of water that could be withdrawn before turgor loss was small because midday leaf and stem water potentials (WPs) were near the turgor-loss points. Stomatal conductance was high in the daytime but then declined rapidly, suggesting an embolism-avoidance strategy. Although the xylem of distal branches was relatively vulnerable to cavitation (P50: 1.1-1.7 MPa), tight stomatal control and minimum WPs near--1.0 MPa maintained native embolism levels at 30-65%. Stem morphology and anatomy restrict water movement between storage tissues and the conductive pathway, making stored-water usage more appropriate to longer-term water deficits than as a buffer against daily water deficits.     

Temperature and water relation patterns in subalpine understory plants

Summary The daily temperature and water relations of 7 perennial subalpine, understory species (1 shrub, 1 subshrub, 5 herbs) were compared in the Rocky Mountains of southeastern Wyoming with an emphasis on the effects of natural sun and shade exposure. Field measurements of rainfall; leaf, air, and soil temperatures; stomatal conductance to water vapor diffusion; and plant and soil water potentials were supplemented with leaf and root morphological measurements to evaluate potential adaptive patterns in understory species.Morphologically, all 7 species had relatively broad leaves that were hypostomous and bicolored with the abaxial leaf surface lighter than the abaxial surface. Root systems tended to be shallow (<20 cm), especially for the herbaceous species. Although soil water potentials from 4 to 40 cm depths remained relatively high throughout the summer (>-1.0 MPa), plant xylem water potentials for sunlit plants decreased to below-2.0 MPa during midday. During these sunlit periods, leaf temperatures and conductances increased substantially, leading to severe wilting for 4 of the 5 herbaceous species. Stomatal conductance and density for 6 of the 7 species monitored were much greater on abaxial compared to adaxial leaf sides and substantial stomatal closure occurred when either leaf side was oriented to receive direct sunlight. Moreover, stomatal opening on abaxial leaf sides corresponded to the amount of sunlight incident upon the adaxial rather than abaxial leaf surfaces. The 2 shrubby species did not wilt during these periods and were characterized by the highest leaf temperatures (>30°C). These 2 species also had consistantly lower xylem water potentials throughout the summer growth period. These results are discussed in terms of the possible adaptive significance of midday wilting, leaf hypostomy and bicoloration and stomatal behavior to the water and photosynthetic relations of understory species.     

Anisohydric but isohydrodynamic: seasonally constant plant water potential gradient explained by a stomatal control mechanism incorporating variable plant hydraulic conductance

Isohydric and anisohydric regulations of plant water status have been observed over several decades of field, glasshouse and laboratory studies, yet the functional significance and mechanism of both remain obscure. We studied the seasonal trends in plant water status and hydraulic properties in a natural stand of Eucalyptus gomphocephala through cycles of varying environmental moisture (rainfall, groundwater depth, evaporative demand) in order to test for isohydry and to provide physiological information for the mechanistic interpretation of seasonal trends in plant water status. Over a 16 month period of monitoring, spanning two summers, midday leaf water potential (psi(leaf)) correlated with predawn psi(leaf), which was correlated with water table depth below ground level, which in turn was correlated with total monthly rainfall. Eucalyptus gomphocephala was therefore not seasonally isohydric. Despite strong stomatal down-regulation of transpiration rate in response to increasing evaporative demand, this was insufficient to prevent midday psi(leaf) from falling to levels below -2 MPa in the driest month, well into the region likely to induce xylem air embolisms, based on xylem vulnerability curves obtained in the study. However, even though midday psi(leaf) varied by over 1.2 MPa across seasons, the hydrodynamic (transpiration-induced) water potential gradient from roots to shoots (delta psi(plant)), measured as the difference between predawn and midday psi(leaf), was relatively constant across seasons, averaging 0.67 MPa. This unusual pattern of hydraulic regulation, referred to here as isohydrodynamic, is explained by a hydromechanical stomatal control model where plant hydraulic conductance is dependent on transpiration rate.     

Nutrient availability constrains the hydraulic architecture and water relations of savannah trees

Leaf and whole plant-level functional traits were studied in five dominant woody savannah species from Central Brazil (Cerrado) to determine whether reduction of nutrient limitations in oligotrophic Cerrado soils affects carbon allocation, water relations and hydraulic architecture. Four treatments were used: control, N additions, P additions and N plus P additions. Fertilizers were applied twice yearly, from October 1998 to March 2004. Sixty-three months after the first nutrient addition, the total leaf area increment was significantly greater across all species in the N- and the N + P-fertilized plots than in the control and in the P-fertilized plots. Nitrogen fertilization significantly altered several components of hydraulic architecture: specific conductivity of terminal stems increased with N additions, whereas leaf-specific conductivity and wood density decreased in most cases. Average daily sap flow per individual was consistently higher with N and N + P additions compared to the control, but its relative increase was not as great as that of leaf area. Long-term additions of N and N + P caused midday PsiL to decline significantly by a mean of 0.6 MPa across all species because N-induced relative reductions in soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductance were greater than those of stomatal conductance and transpiration on a leaf area basis. Phosphorus-fertilized trees did not exhibit significant changes in midday PsiL. Analysis of xylem vulnerability curves indicated that N-fertilized trees were significantly less vulnerable to embolism than trees in control and P-fertilized plots. Thus, N-induced decreases in midday PsiL appeared to be almost entirely compensated by increases in resistance to embolism. Leaf tissue water relations characteristics also changed as a result of N-induced declines in minimum PsiL: osmotic potential at full turgor decreased and symplastic solute content on a dry matter basis increased linearly with declining midday PsiL across species and treatments. Despite being adapted to chronic nutrient limitations, Cerrado woody species apparently have the capacity to exploit increases in nutrient availability by allocating resources to maximize carbon gain and enhance growth. The cost of increased allocation to leaf area relative to water transport capacity involved increased total water loss per plant and a decrease in minimum leaf water potentials. However, the risk of increased embolism and turgor loss was relatively low as xylem vulnerability to embolism and leaf osmotic characteristics changed in parallel with changes in plant water status induced by N fertilization.     

Gas exchange and hydraulic properties in the crowns of two tree species in a Panamanian moist forest

Hydraulic properties and gas exchange were measured in branches of two tropical tree species (Simarouba amara Aubl. and Tapirira guianensis Aubl.) in a moist lowland forest in Panama. Branch-level sapflow, leaf-level stomatal conductance, and water potential measurements, along with measurements of specific hydraulic conductivity of stems in crown tops, were used to relate hydraulic parameters to leaf conductance in two individuals of each species. Branches of the taller trees for each species (28 m, 31 m) showed much higher leaf-specific hydraulic conductance and leaf vapor-phase conductance than those of the smaller trees (18m, 23m). This was probably related to the leaf-to-sapwood area ratio in branches of taller trees, which was less than half that in branches of smaller trees. Dye staining showed evidence of massive cavitation in all trees, indicating that stomata do not control leaf water potential to prevent xylem cavitation in these species. Stomatal conductance of intact leaves also appeared to be insensitive to leaf area removal treatment of nearby foliage. Nevertheless, a simple mass-balance model of water flux combining hydraulic and vapor transport was in close agreement with observed maximal vapor-phase conductance in the four trees (r²=0.98, P=0.006). Our results suggest that the major organismal control over water flux in these species is by structural (leaf area) rather than physiological (stomatal) means.     

Hydraulic failure and tree dieback are associated with high wood density in a temperate forest under extreme drought

Catastrophic hydraulic failure will likely be an important mechanism contributing to large‐scale tree dieback caused by increased frequency and intensity of droughts under global climate change. To compare the susceptibility of 22 temperate deciduous tree and shrub species to hydraulic failure during a record drought in the southeastern USA, we quantified leaf desiccation, native embolism, wood density, stomatal conductance and predawn and midday leaf water potential at four sites with varying drought intensities. At the two driest sites, there was widespread leaf wilting and desiccation, and most species exhibited predawn leaf water potentials of ≤3 MPa and >60% loss of xylem conductivity in branches. Although species with high wood density were more resistant to cavitation, they had higher levels of native embolism and greater canopy dieback than species with low wood density. This unexpected result can be explained by the failure of species with dense wood to avert a decline in water potential to dangerous levels during the drought. Leaf water potential was negatively correlated with wood density, and the relationship was strongest under conditions of severe water deficit. Species with low wood density avoided catastrophic embolism by relying on an avoidance strategy that involves partial drought deciduousness, higher sensitivity of stomata to leaf water potential and perhaps greater rooting depth. These species therefore maintained water potential at levels that ensured a greater margin of safety against embolism. These differences among species may mediate rapid shifts in species composition of temperate forests if droughts intensify due to climate change.     

Change in water loss regulation after canopy clearcut of a dominant shrub in Sahelian agrosystems, Guiera senegalensis J. F. Gmel

This paper analyzes the effect of the canopy age of Guiera senegalensis J.F. Gmel on water regulation processes and adaptative strategy to drought over a period of 2 years. The species is widespread in the agricultural Sahel. Before sowing, farmers cut back the shrubs to limit competition with crops. The stumps resprout after the millet harvest. Leaf water potential and stomatal conductance were measured in two fallows and in the two adjacent cultivated fields. Leaf transpiration rate and soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductance were deduced. The decrease in both stomatal and plant hydraulic conductance caused by seasonal drought was greater in mature shrubs than in current year resprouts. The decrease in predawn and midday leaf water potentials in response to seasonal drought was isohydrodynamic, and it was greater in mature shrubs, suggesting that current year resprouts are under less stress. In resprouts, the leaf transpiration rate stopped increasing beyond a hydraulic conductance threshold of 0.05 mol. m^?2 s^?1 MPa^?1. Vulnerability to cavitation was determined on segments of stems in the laboratory. The leaf water potential value at which stomatal closure occurred was ?2.99 ± 0.68 MPa, which corresponded to a 30 % loss in xylem conductivity. Thanks to its positive safety margin of 0.6 MPa, G. senegalensis can survive above this value. The observed strategy places G. senegalensis among the non-extreme xeric plants, leading us to suppose that this species will be vulnerable to the expected increase in regional drought.     

Daily and seasonal variation in water relations of macchia shrubs and trees in France (Montpellier) and Turkey (Antalya)

Based upon two different research studies in the mediterranean regions of France and Turkey, drought resistance strategies were investigated in a broad group of species. The diurnal and seasonal patterns of the water relations of different lifeforms from the thermo-mediterranean to submediterranean lifezones were compared. Three sites near Montpellier, in Southern France, and five sites near Antalya, Turkey were used for this comparison. Xylem pressure potential and relative stomatal aperture were the key water relations parameters collected in France while these parameters as well as osmotic potential and leaf conductance were studied in Turkey.From the 26 different study species investigated in France, 7 distinct types of stomatal control were observed, with the deciduous lifeforms showing the least control, the sclerophyllous and coniferous evergreens the greatest control and the malacophyllous shrublets intermediate levels of control. Predawn water potential values provided a means of classifying species according to their temporal and spatial utilization of site water reserves. The comparison of turgor potentials (difference between water and osmotic potentials) gave an insight into leaf adaptations to site moisture. Species with high predawn water potentials generally maintain positive turgor even at midday during the summer, whereas species with low predawn values were frequently at zero turgor even at predawn. Phlomis grandiflora was the most extreme species with mid-summer predawns and midday water potentials of –6 MPa and osmotic potentials never more negative than –2.4 MPa.