Ion-mediated increases in xylem hydraulic conductivity: seasonal differences between coexisting ring- and diffuse-porous temperate tree species

JUPA, Radek, Pavlína DOUBKOVÁ and Vít GLOSER. Ion-mediated increases in xylem hydraulic conductivity: seasonal differences between coexisting ring- and diffuse-porous temperate tree species. Tree physiology. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2019, vol. 39, No 8, p. 1313-1328. ISSN 0829-318X. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpz035.

Basic information

• Original name: Ion-mediated increases in xylem hydraulic conductivity: seasonal differences between coexisting ring- and diffuse-porous temperate tree species
• Authors: JUPA, Radek (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Pavlína DOUBKOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and Vít GLOSER (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Tree physiology, Oxford, UK, Oxford University Press, 2019, 0829-318X.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 10611 Plant sciences, botany
• Country of publisher: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: Full Text
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 3.655
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14310/19:00112366
• Organization unit: Faculty of Science
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpz035
• UT WoS: 000493055600005
• Keywords in English: branch; hydraulic conductivity; ionic effect; parenchyma; vessel; water potential; wood porosity; xylem anatomy
• Tags: rivok
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

Ion-mediated changes in hydraulic conductivity (Delta K-h) represent a mechanism allowing plants to regulate the rate of xylem transport. However, the significance of Delta K-h for ring-porous (RPS) and diffuse-porous tree species (DPS) remains unknown. Here, we examined Delta K-h in young branches of three coexisting, temperate RPS (Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus robur, Robinia pseudoacacia) and three DPS (Acer pseudoplatanus, Carpinus betulus, Fagus sylvatica) across the whole year, and assessed the relationships of Delta K-h to branch anatomy. Ring-porous species exhibited twice as high Delta K-h (10.3% vs 5.3%) within the growing season (i.e., during wood production) compared with DPS, and the production of the annual ring was identified as a crucial process affecting maximum Delta K-h within the season. In addition, xylem in branches of RPS generally contained more axial parenchyma (AP; 18% vs 7%) and was characterized by a greater relative contact fraction between vessels and parenchyma (FVP; 59% vs 18%) than xylem in DPS. Simultaneously, Delta K-h measured within the growing season was positively correlated with AP, FVP and bark proportions, suggesting that parenchyma in branches may be important for high Delta K-h. Significant increase in Delta K-h observed during the growing season may help RPS to restore conductive capacity after winter, better compensate transport loss by drought-induced embolism and thereby improve water delivery to leaves.