Indirect Evidence for Genetic Differentiation in Vulnerability to Embolism in Pinus halepensis.

ABSTRACT: Climate change is increasing mean temperatures and in the eastern Mediterranean is expected to decrease annual precipitation. The resulting increase in aridity may be too rapid for adaptation of tree species unless their gene pool already possesses variation in drought resistance. Vulnerability to embolism, estimated by the pressure inducing 50% loss of xylem hydraulic conductivity (P 50), is strongly associated with drought stress resistance in trees. Yet, previous studies on various tree species reported low intraspecific genetic variation for this trait, and therefore limited adaptive capacities to increasing aridity. Here we quantified differences in hydraulic efficiency (xylem hydraulic conductance) and safety (resistance to embolism) in four contrasting provenances of Pinus halepensi

SUBMITTER: David-Schwartz R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4889591 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature