The links between leaf hydraulic vulnerability to drought and key aspects of leaf venation and xylem anatomy among 26 Australian woody angiosperms from contrasting climates.

ABSTRACT: Background and Aims:The structural properties of leaf venation and xylem anatomy strongly influence leaf hydraulics, including the ability of leaves to maintain hydraulic function during drought. Here we examined the strength of the links between different leaf venation traits and leaf hydraulic vulnerability to drought (expressed as P50leaf by rehydration kinetics) in a diverse group of 26 woody angiosperm species, representing a wide range of leaf vulnerabilities, from four low-nutrient sites with contrasting rainfall across eastern Australia. Methods:For each species we measured key aspects of leaf venation design, xylem anatomy and leaf morphology. We also assessed for the first time the scaling relationships between hydraulically weighted vessel wall thickness (th) and lumen breadth (

SUBMITTER: Blackman CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6025239 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature