Isotopes reveal contrasting water use strategies among coexisting plant species in a Mediterranean ecosystem
© 2012 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2012 New Phytologist Trust.
| Veröffentlicht in: | The New phytologist. - 1979. - 196(2012), 2 vom: 22. Okt., Seite 489-496 |
|---|---|
| 1. Verfasser: | |
| Weitere Verfasser: | , , |
| Format: | Online-Aufsatz |
| Sprache: | English |
| Veröffentlicht: |
2012
|
| Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk: | The New phytologist |
| Schlagworte: | Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Carbon Isotopes Gases Oxygen Isotopes Soil Water 059QF0KO0R Deuterium AR09D82C7G mehr... |
| Zusammenfassung: | © 2012 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2012 New Phytologist Trust. Variation in the stable carbon and oxygen isotope composition (δ13C, Δ18O) of co-occurring plant species may reflect the functional diversity of water use strategies present in natural plant communities. We investigated the patterns of water use among 10 coexisting plant species representing diverse taxonomic groups and life forms in semiarid southeast Spain by measuring their leaf δ13C and Δ18O, the oxygen isotope ratio of stem water and leaf gas exchange rates. Across species, Δ18O was tightly negatively correlated with stomatal conductance (gs), whereas δ13C was positively correlated with intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi). Broad interspecific variation in Δ18O, δ13C and WUEi was largely determined by differences in gs, as indicated by a strong positive correlation between leaf δ13C and Δ18O across species The 10 co-occurring species segregated along a continuous ecophysiological gradient defined by their leaf δ13C and Δ18O, thus revealing a wide spectrum of stomatal regulation intensity and contrasting water use strategies ranging from 'profligate/opportunistic' (high gs, low WUEi) to 'conservative' (low gs, high WUEi). Coexisting species maintained their relative isotopic rankings in 2 yr with contrasting rainfall, suggesting the existence of species-specific 'isotopic niches' that reflect ecophysiological niche segregation in dryland plant communities |
|---|---|
| Beschreibung: | Date Completed 31.01.2013 Date Revised 30.09.2020 published: Print-Electronic Citation Status MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1469-8137 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2012.04276.x |