Abstract
We examined the hydraulic properties of 82 native and non-native woody species common to forests of Eastern North America, including several congeneric groups, representing a range of anatomical wood types. We observed smaller conduit diameters with greater frequency in non-native species, corresponding to lower calculated potential vulnerability to cavitation index. Non-native species exhibited higher vessel-grouping in metaxylem compared with native species, however, solitary vessels were more prevalent in secondary xylem. Higher frequency of solitary vessels in secondary xylem was related to a lower potential vulnerability index. We found no relationship between anatomical characteristics of xylem, origin of species and hydraulic conductivity, indicating that non-native species did not exhibit advantageous hydraulic efficiency over native species. Our results confer anatomical advantages for non-native species under the potential for cavitation due to freezing, perhaps permitting extended growing seasons.
Highlights
Wood xylem vessel members constitute the main pathway for water transport over long distances within a plant and are morphologically diverse across species
Hydraulic architecture is associated with plant growth rate (Brodribb et al, 2002; Meinzer et al, 2010), with xylem vessel structure and size identified as the main constraints on maximum water transport and hydraulic conductivity (Tyree and Ewers, 1991; Steppe and Lemeur, 2007)
We present results from the first study to examine the direct relationship between xylem vessel anatomical characteristics and water flow across such a large diversity of native and non-native woody shrub species
Summary
Wood xylem vessel members constitute the main pathway for water transport over long distances within a plant and are morphologically diverse across species. Correlations between wood anatomical traits (e.g., porosity type, variation in bordered pits and perforation types) and factors integrating seasonal water availability may reveal characteristics representing successful plant hydraulic properties such as water-use efficiency, conductivity, and vulnerability to cavitation (Jansen et al, 2004; Taneda and Sperry, 2008) that promote a physiological advantage of non-native over native species (Pratt and Black, 2006; Caplan and Yeakley, 2010). Hydraulic architecture is associated with plant growth rate (Brodribb et al, 2002; Meinzer et al, 2010), with xylem vessel structure and size identified as the main constraints on maximum water transport and hydraulic conductivity (Tyree and Ewers, 1991; Steppe and Lemeur, 2007). Trends in species’ hydraulic conductivity have been broadly categorized by means of xylem conduit diameter and rate of water flow (efficiency; Tyree et al, 1994), and that there exists a positive relationship between vessel diameter (VD) and growth rate
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