Assessing inter- and intraspecific variability of xylem vulnerability to embolism in oaks.

ABSTRACT: The genus Quercus comprises important species in forestry not only for their productive value but also for their ability to withstand drought. Hence an evaluation of inter- and intraspecific variation in drought tolerance is important for selecting the best adapted species and provenances for future afforestation. The presence of long vessels makes it difficult to assess xylem vulnerability to embolism in oak. Thanks to the development of an in situ flow centrifuge equipped with a large rotor, we quantified (i) the between species variability of embolism resistance in four native and two exotic species of oaks in Europe and (ii) the within species variability in Quercus petraea. Embolism resistance varied significantly among species, with the pressure inducing 50% loss of hyd

SUBMITTER: Lobo A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5997172 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature