Woody species with higher hydraulic efficiency or lower photosynthetic capacity discriminate more against 13C at the global scale

Yanting Hu; Karina V R Schäfer; Songjiang Hu; Wenneng Zhou; Dong Xiang; Yelin Zeng; Shuai Ouyang; Liang Chen; Pifeng Lei; Xiangwen Deng; Zhonghui Zhao; Xi Fang; Wenhua Xiang

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168172

Woody species with higher hydraulic efficiency or lower photosynthetic capacity discriminate more against ¹³C at the global scale

Sci Total Environ. 2024 Jan 15:908:168172. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168172. Epub 2023 Nov 6.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China; Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystems in Hunan Province, Huitong, Hunan 438107, China.
² Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, 195 University Avenue, Newark 07102, NJ, USA.
³ Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China.
⁴ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China. Electronic address: zhouwn@gdut.edu.cn.
⁵ Forestry Bureau of Huaihua Perfecture, Huaihua 418099, Hunan, China.
⁶ Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China; Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystems in Hunan Province, Huitong, Hunan 438107, China. Electronic address: xiangwh2005@163.com.

PMID: 37939937
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168172

Abstract

Leaf carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) provides an integrative record on the carbon and water balance of plants over long periods. Photosynthetic ability and hydraulic traits which are highly associated with stomatal behavior could affect leaf δ¹³C. Association between photosynthetic ability and leaf δ¹³C has been examined, however, how hydraulic traits influence leaf δ¹³C has not been fully understood. To fill this gap, we investigated the variations in leaf δ¹³C among 2591 woody species (547 shrub and 2044 tree species), and analyzed the link of leaf δ¹³C with leaf photosynthetic and xylem hydraulic traits. Our result showed that leaf δ¹³C was positively correlated to leaf photosynthetic ability and capacity. For hydraulic traits, leaf δ¹³C was negatively related to hydraulic conductivity (K_s), xylem pressure inducing 50 % loss of hydraulic conductivity (P₅₀) and vessel diameter (V_dia). Associations of leaf δ¹³C with xylem hydraulic traits indicate woody species with stronger hydraulic safety discriminated less against ¹³C, while woody species with higher hydraulic efficiency had more negative leaf δ¹³C. Shrub species, which showed a lower V_dia and P₅₀, had a significant less negative leaf δ¹³C than tree species. Furthermore, woody species inhabiting in dry regions discriminated less against ¹³C than those growing in humid regions. Moreover, leaf δ¹³C displayed a low phylogenetic signal based on Blomberg's K statistic. Overall, woody species with a higher leaf photosynthetic ability or stronger hydraulic safety system discriminated less against ¹³C and adopt the provident water use strategy.

Keywords: Carbon isotope composition; Hydraulic efficiency; Hydraulic traits; Photosynthetic traits; Phylogenetic signal; Water use strategy.

MeSH terms

Phylogeny
Plant Leaves
Water
Wood*
Xylem*

Substances

Water