Can Oxygen Isotopes in Tree Rings Be Used to Detect Stomatal Responses to Global Change?

ABSTRACT: Stomatal conductance (g_s) regulates CO₂ and water fluxes of plants. Although experiments have shown that g_s decreases with elevated CO₂, it is unclear how g_s is responding in situ to long-term exposures to rising CO₂ and a changing climate. Tree ring isotope analysis provides a unique method to assess tree ecophysiological responses to long-term exposures of slowly changing environmental conditions. In particular, it has been suggested that changes in g_s can potentially be inferred from tree ring stable oxygen isotope ratios (δ¹⁸O_trc). Several studies have indeed used δ¹⁸O_trc trends to conclude that g_s has not significantly changed from pre-industrial values.

SUBMITTER: Carter I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12619108 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature