Xylem hydraulic safety and construction costs determine tropical tree growth

Autor(es)

Eller, Cleiton B. ^{[1, 2]} ; Barros, Fernanda de V. ^[1] ; Bittencourt, Paulo R. L. ^[1] ; Rowland, Lucy ^[2] ; Mencuccini, Maurizio ^{[3, 4]} ; Oliveira, Rafael S. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Dept Plant Biol, BR-6109 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Exeter, Dept Geog, Coll Life & Environm Sci, Exeter EX4 4RJ, Devon - England

^[3] ICREA, Pg Lluis Co 23, Barcelona 08010 - Spain

^[4] CREAF, Barcelona 08193 - Spain

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT; v. 41, n. 3, p. 548-562, MAR 2018.
• Citações Web of Science: 9

Resumo

Faster growth in tropical trees is usually associated with higher mortality rates, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship are poorly understood. In this study, we investigate how tree growth patterns are linked with environmental conditions and hydraulic traits, by monitoring the cambial growth of 9 tropical cloud forest tree species coupled with numerical simulations using an optimization model. We find that fast-growing trees have lower xylem safety margins than slow-growing trees and this pattern is not necessarily linked to differences in stomatal behaviour or environmental conditions when growth occurs. Instead, fast-growing trees have xylem vessels that are more vulnerable to cavitation and lower density wood. We proposethe growth - xylem vulnerability trade-off represents a wood hydraulic economics spectrum similar to the classic leaf economic spectrum, and show through numerical simulations that this trade-off can emerge from the coordination between growth rates, wood density, and xylem vulnerability to cavitation. Our results suggest that vulnerability to hydraulic failure might be related with the growth-mortality trade-off in tropical trees, determining important life history differences. These findings are important in furthering our understanding of xylem hydraulic functioning and its implications on plant carbon economy. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 13/19555-2 - Dinâmica de uso de água e balanço de carbono de espécies lenhosas de matas nebulares
• Beneficiário: Cleiton Breder Eller
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado