J 2024

Bark wounding triggers gradual embolism spreading in two diffuse-porous tree species

JUPA, Radek and Kamila POKORNÁ

Basic information

Original name

Bark wounding triggers gradual embolism spreading in two diffuse-porous tree species

Authors

JUPA, Radek (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution) and Kamila POKORNÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Tree Physiology, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2024, 0829-318X

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10611 Plant sciences, botany

Country of publisher

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

Impact factor

Impact factor: 4.000 in 2022

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

UT WoS

001112496400001

Keywords in English

drought; gas exchange; hydraulic conductivity; tree injury; water potential; xylem

Tags

Tags

International impact, Reviewed
Změněno: 18/3/2024 17:00, Mgr. Marie Šípková, DiS.

Abstract

V originále

Xylem transport is essential for the growth, development and survival of vascular plants. Bark wounding may increase the risk of xylem transport failure by tension-driven embolism. However, the consequences of bark wounding for xylem transport are poorly understood. Here, we examined the impacts of the bark wounding on embolism formation, leaf water potential and gas exchange in the terminal branches of two diffuse-porous tree species (Acer platanoides L. and Prunus avium L.). The effects of bark removal were examined on field-grown mature trees exposed to increased evaporative demands on a short-term and longer-term basis (6 h vs 6 days after bark wounding). Bark removal of 30% of branch circumference had a limited effect on the xylem hydraulic conductivity when embolized vessels were typically restricted to the last annual ring near the bark wound. Over the 6-day exposure, the non-conductive xylem area had significantly increased in the xylem tissue underneath the bark wound (from 22-29% to 51-52% of the last annual ring area in the bark wound zone), pointing to gradual yet relatively limited embolism spreading to deeper xylem layers over time. In both species, the bark removal tended to result in a small but non-significant increase in the percent loss of hydraulic conductivity compared with control intact branches 6 days after bark wounding (from 6 to 8-10% in both species). The bark wounding had no significant effects on midday leaf water potential, CO2 assimilation rates, stomatal conductance and water-use efficiency of the leaves of the current-year shoot, possibly due to limited impacts on xylem transport. The results of this study demonstrate that bark wounding induces limited but gradual embolism spreading. However, the impacts of bark wounding may not significantly limit water delivery to distal organs and leaf gas exchange at the scale of several days.