Stomatal regulation, leaf water relations, and leaf phenology are coordinated in tree species from the Sonoran Desert.

ABSTRACT: To cope with heat and water stress, evergreen and deciduous species from hot and arid deserts should adjust their stomatal conductance (g _s) and leaf water potential (Ψ_leaf) regulation in response to changes in soil water availability, high temperatures, and vapour pressure deficits (VPDs). To test whether phenology induces changes in g _s-Ψ_leaf coordination, we tested for associations between 14 leaf traits involved in leaf economics, hydraulics, and stomatal regulation, including minimum seasonal water potential (Ψ_min) and maximum g _s (g _smax), turgor loss point (Ψ_tlp), osmotic potential (Ψ_o), leaf area (LA), and specific leaf area (SLA), across 12 tree species fr

SUBMITTER: Fernandez-Molano GE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12406213 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature