Plant functional types broadly describe water use strategies in the Caatinga, a seasonally dry tropical forest in northeast Brazil.

ABSTRACT: In seasonally dry tropical forests, plant functional type can be classified as deciduous low wood density, deciduous high wood density, or evergreen high wood density species. While deciduousness is often associated with drought-avoidance and low wood density is often associated with tissue water storage, the degree to which these functional types may correspond to diverging and unique water use strategies has not been extensively tested.We examined (a) tolerance to water stress, measured by predawn and mid-day leaf water potential; (b) water use efficiency, measured via foliar δ¹³C; and (c) access to soil water, measured via stem water δ¹⁸O.We found that deciduous low wood density species maintain high leaf water potential and low water use efficiency. Deciduous high

SUBMITTER: Wright CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8427645 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature