scholarly journals Some like it wet — biological characteristics underpinning tolerance of extreme water stress events in Antarctic bryophytes

2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Wasley ◽  
Sharon A. Robinson ◽  
Catherine E. Lovelock ◽  
Marianne Popp
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Present Species ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Soluble Carbohydrates ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Moss Species ◽  
Membrane Structure And Function ◽  
Study Species

Antarctic bryophyte communities presently tolerate physiological extremes in water availability, surviving both desiccation and submergence events. We investigated the relative ability of three Antarctic moss species to tolerate physiological extremes in water availability and identified physiological, morphological, and biochemical characteristics that assist species performance under such conditions. Tolerance of desiccation and submergence was investigated using chlorophyll fluorescence during a series of field- and laboratory-based water stress events. Turf water retention and degree of natural habitat submergence were determined from gametophyte shoot size and density, and δ13C signatures, respectively. Finally, compounds likely to assist membrane structure and function during desiccation events (fatty acids and soluble carbohydrates) were determined. The results of this study show significant differences in the performance of the three study species under contrasting water stress events. The results indicate that the three study species occupy distinctly different ecological niches with respect to water relations, and provide a physiological explanation for present species distributions. The poor tolerance of submergence seen in Ceratodon purpureus helps explain its restriction to drier sites and conversely, the low tolerance of desiccation and high tolerance of submergence displayed by the endemic Grimmia antarctici is consistent with its restriction to wet habitats. Finally the flexible response observed for Bryum pseudotriquetrum is consistent with its co-occurrence with the other two species across the bryophyte habitat spectrum. The likely effects of future climate change induced shifts in water availability are discussed with respect to future community dynamics.

scholarly journals Characterizing Growing Season Length of Subtropical Coniferous Forests with a Phenological Model

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Yuan Gong ◽  
Christina L. Staudhammer ◽  
Susanne Wiesner ◽  
Gregory Starr ◽  
Yinlong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Longleaf Pine ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Soil Water Availability ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Phenological Model

Understanding plant phenological change is of great concern in the context of global climate change. Phenological models can aid in understanding and predicting growing season changes and can be parameterized with gross primary production (GPP) estimated using the eddy covariance (EC) technique. This study used nine years of EC-derived GPP data from three mature subtropical longleaf pine forests in the southeastern United States with differing soil water holding capacity in combination with site-specific micrometeorological data to parameterize a photosynthesis-based phenological model. We evaluated how weather conditions and prescribed fire led to variation in the ecosystem phenological processes. The results suggest that soil water availability had an effect on phenology, and greater soil water availability was associated with a longer growing season (LOS). We also observed that prescribed fire, a common forest management activity in the region, had a limited impact on phenological processes. Dormant season fire had no significant effect on phenological processes by site, but we observed differences in the start of the growing season (SOS) between fire and non-fire years. Fire delayed SOS by 10 d ± 5 d (SE), and this effect was greater with higher soil water availability, extending SOS by 18 d on average. Fire was also associated with increased sensitivity of spring phenology to radiation and air temperature. We found that interannual climate change and periodic weather anomalies (flood, short-term drought, and long-term drought), controlled annual ecosystem phenological processes more than prescribed fire. When water availability increased following short-term summer drought, the growing season was extended. With future climate change, subtropical areas of the Southeastern US are expected to experience more frequent short-term droughts, which could shorten the region’s growing season and lead to a reduction in the longleaf pine ecosystem’s carbon sequestration capacity.

scholarly journals How downstream sub-basins depend on upstream inflows to avoid scarcity: typology and global analysis of transboundary rivers

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2795-2809 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hafsa Ahmed Munia ◽  
Joseph H. A. Guillaume ◽  
Naho Mirumachi ◽  
Yoshihide Wada ◽  
Matti Kummu
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Global Analysis ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Available Water

Abstract. Countries sharing river basins are often dependent upon water originating outside their boundaries; meaning that without that upstream water, water scarcity may occur with flow-on implications for water use and management. We develop a formalisation of this concept drawing on ideas about the transition between regimes from resilience literature, using water stress and water shortage as indicators of water scarcity. In our analytical framework, dependency occurs if water from upstream is needed to avoid scarcity. This can be diagnosed by comparing different types of water availability on which a sub-basin relies, in particular local runoff and upstream inflows. At the same time, possible upstream water withdrawals reduce available water downstream, influencing the latter water availability. By developing a framework of scarcity and dependency, we contribute to the understanding of transitions between system regimes. We apply our analytical framework to global transboundary river basins at the scale of sub-basin areas (SBAs). Our results show that 1175 million people live under water stress (42 % of the total transboundary population). Surprisingly, the majority (1150 million) of these currently suffer from stress only due to their own excessive water use and possible water from upstream does not have impact on the stress status – i.e. they are not yet dependent on upstream water to avoid stress – but could still impact on the intensity of the stress. At the same time, 386 million people (14 %) live in SBAs that can avoid stress owing to available water from upstream and have thus upstream dependency. In the case of water shortage, 306 million people (11 %) live in SBAs dependent on upstream water to avoid possible shortage. The identification of transitions between system regimes sheds light on how SBAs may be affected in the future, potentially contributing to further refined analysis of inter- and intrabasin hydro-political power relations and strategic planning of management practices in transboundary basins.

scholarly journals Modelling global water stress of the recent past: on the relative importance of trends in water demand and climate variability

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 3785-3808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Wada ◽  
L. P. H. van Beek ◽  
M. F. P. Bierkens
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Extreme Events ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Blue Water ◽  
Global Population

Abstract. During the past decades, human water use has more than doubled, yet available freshwater resources are finite. As a result, water scarcity has been prevalent in various regions of the world. Here, we present the first global assessment of past development of water stress considering not only climate variability but also growing water demand, desalinated water use and non-renewable groundwater abstraction over the period 1960–2001 at a spatial resolution of 0.5°. Agricultural water demand is estimated based on past extents of irrigated areas and livestock densities. We approximate past economic development based on GDP, energy and household consumption and electricity production, which are subsequently used together with population numbers to estimate industrial and domestic water demand. Climate variability is expressed by simulated blue water availability defined by freshwater in rivers, lakes, wetlands and reservoirs by means of the global hydrological model PCR-GLOBWB. We thus define blue water stress by comparing blue water availability with corresponding net total blue water demand by means of the commonly used, Water Scarcity Index. The results show a drastic increase in the global population living under water-stressed conditions (i.e. moderate to high water stress) due to growing water demand, primarily for irrigation, which has more than doubled from 1708/818 to 3708/1832 km3 yr−1 (gross/net) over the period 1960–2000. We estimate that 800 million people or 27% of the global population were living under water-stressed conditions for 1960. This number is eventually increased to 2.6 billion or 43% for 2000. Our results indicate that increased water demand is a decisive factor for heightened water stress in various regions such as India and North China, enhancing the intensity of water stress up to 200%, while climate variability is often a main determinant of extreme events. However, our results also suggest that in several emerging and developing economies (e.g. India, Turkey, Romania and Cuba) some of past extreme events were anthropogenically driven due to increased water demand rather than being climate-induced.

scholarly journals Unexpected relationships between δ13C and wine grape performance in organic farming

OENO One ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edoardo Antonio Costantino Costantini ◽  
Alessandro Agnelli ◽  
Pierluigi Bucelli ◽  
Aldo Ciambotti ◽  
Valentina Dell’Oro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Potential ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Stress Conditions ◽  
Soil Water Availability ◽  
Wine Grape ◽  
Stem Water Potential ◽  
Stem Water

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Aim</strong>: To evaluate the relationship between carbon isotope ratio (δ<sup>13</sup>C) and wine grape viticultural and oenological performance in organic farming.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Methods and results</strong>: The study was carried out for four years in the Chianti Classico wine production district (Central Italy), on five non irrigated vineyards conducted in organic farming. The reference variety was Sangiovese. Eleven sites were chosen for vine monitoring and grape sampling. The performance parameters were alcohol and must sugar content, sugar accumulation rate, mean berry weight, and extractable polyphenols. δ<sup>13</sup>C, stem water potential, and soil water availability were also monitored. Finally, soil nitrogen as well as yeast available nitrogen in the must were measured. δ<sup>13</sup>C was directly related to stem water potential and soil water deficit, and indicated a range of water stress conditions from none and moderate to strong. However, its relationship with viticultural and oenological results was contrary to expectation, that is, performance linearly increased along with soil moisture. On the other hand, the worst performance was obtained where both water and nitrogen were more limiting.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Conclusions</strong>: The unexpected relationship between δ<sup>13</sup>C and Sangiovese performance was caused by low nitrogen availability. The studied sites all had low-fertility soils with poor or very poor nitrogen content. Therefore, in the plots where soil humidity was relatively higher, nitrogen plant uptake was favoured, and Sangiovese performance improved. Macronutrient being the main limiting factor, the performance was not lower in the plots where soil water availability was relatively larger. Therefore, the best viticultural result was obtained with no water stress conditions, at low rather than at intermediate δ<sup>13</sup>C values.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Significance and impact of the study</strong>: Water nutrition is crucial for wine grape performance. δ<sup>13</sup>C is a method used to assess vine water status during the growing season and to estimate vine performance. A good performance is expected at moderate stress and intermediate δ<sup>13</sup>C values. A better knowledge of the interaction between water and nutrient scarcity is needed, as it can affect the use of δ<sup>13</sup>C to predict vine performance.</p>

scholarly journals Evaluation of Vegetative Growth, Chemical Composition, and Antioxidant Capacity of Essential Oil of Peppermint Under Water Regimes

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 197
Author(s):  
Diogo Mendes da Silva ◽  
Suzan Kelly Vilela Bertolucci ◽  
Smail Aazza ◽  
Alexandre Alves de Carvalho ◽  
Simony Carvalho Mendonça ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Activity ◽  
Water Stress ◽  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Essential Oil ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Vegetative Growth ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Mentha Piperita

The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the vegetative growth of Mentha piperita L. cultivated under different water availability, as well its influence in content, chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of its essential oil. Plants were propagated by mother plants microcutting and scions were transplanted to 5 L pots with soil and cattle manure. Afterward, were kept at field capacity for 30 days and under treatment for 40 days. It was treated with different levels of water deficit treatments: (T1): 100 of field capacity (FC); (T2): 80 of FC; (T3): 60 of FC; (T4) 40 of FC with 5 blocks. Vegetative growth was evaluated by dry matter contents of all part of plants and by root/aerial rate. The essential oil of the leaves was extracted by hydrodistillation, analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS and in vitro antioxidant potential was evaluated. A significant decrease in the dry matter of leaves and stems accompanied with a decrease in the roots dry matter was observed with an increase in the water stress. Quantitative chemical differences were observed in the chemical composition of the essential oil, according water availability. Total antioxidant activity showed a gradual increase as water stress progressed.

scholarly journals Does Altering Local Water Availability for an Invasive Plant (Raphanus raphanistrum) Affect Floral Morphology and Reproductive Potential?

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Pirimova ◽  
Alison Parker ◽  
Lesley Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Floral Morphology ◽  
Insect Community ◽  
Raphanus Raphanistrum ◽  
Anther Length ◽  
Corolla Diameter

Abiotic environmental variation can have dramatic effects on plant floral morphology and nectar or pollen rewards. In response, pollinators may change their foraging behavior and distribution and if pollinators change their foraging behavior or distribution, this could have dramatic effects on the reproductive success of plant populations. To start tackling this problem, we measured the response of floral morphology (corolla diameter, stamen length, and ovule number) of Raphanus raphanistrum to experimental manipulations of field soil moisture. As soil moisture increased, corolla diameter and anther length grew. We expect these changes to provide more visitation rewards for insects in moist conditions. Therefore, water availability influences growth and development of flowers, and may have dramatic effects on insect community dynamics. KEYWORDS: Floral Rewards, Climate, Rain-out Shelters, Flower Morphology, Raphanus raphanistrum, Brassicaceae

scholarly journals A conceptual dynamic vegetation-soil model for arid and semiarid zones

2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1175-1187 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. I. Quevedo ◽  
F. Francés
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Balance ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Leaf Biomass ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Arid Zones ◽  
Soil Model ◽  
Arid And Semiarid

Abstract. Plant ecosystems in arid and semiarid climates show high complexity, since they depend on water availability to carry out their vital processes. In these climates, water stress is the main factor controlling vegetation development and its dynamic evolution. The available water-soil content results from the water balance in the system, where the key issues are the soil, the vegetation and the atmosphere. However, it is the vegetation, which modulates, to a great extent, the water fluxes and the feedback mechanisms between soil and atmosphere. Thus, soil moisture content is most relevant for plant growth maintenance and final water balance assessment. A conceptual dynamic vegetation-soil model (called HORAS) for arid and semi-arid zones has been developed. This conceptual model, based on a series of connected tanks, represents in a way suitable for a Mediterranean climate, the vegetation response to soil moisture fluctuations and the actual leaf biomass influence on soil water availability and evapotranspiration. Two tanks were considered using at each of them the water balance and the appropriate dynamic equation for all considered fluxes. The first one corresponds to the interception process, whereas the second one models the evolution of moisture by the upper soil. The model parameters were based on soil and vegetation properties, but reduced their numbers. Simulations for dominant species, Quercus coccifera L., were carried out to calibrate and validate the model. Our results show that HORAS succeeded in representing the vegetation dynamics and, on the one hand, reflects how following a fire this monoculture stabilizes after 9 years. On the other hand, the model shows the adaptation of the vegetation to the variability of climatic and soil conditions, demonstrating that in the presence or shortage of water, the vegetation regulates its leaf biomass as well as its rate of transpiration in an attempt to minimize total water stress.

Osmotic Adjustment: Effect of Water Stress on Carbohydrates in Leaves, Stems and Roots of Apple

1995 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z Wang ◽  
B Quebedeaux ◽  
GW Stutte
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Osmotic Adjustment ◽  
Sucrose Concentration ◽  
Starch Content ◽  
Soluble Carbohydrates ◽  
Soluble Carbohydrate ◽  
Malus Domestica Borkh ◽  
Mature Leaves ◽  
Young Leaves ◽  
Response To Water

Potted apple (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Jonathan) trees were subjected to water stress in a greenhouse. Midday leaf water potential (ΨW), osmotic potential (ΨS), soluble carbohydrates, and starch content of expanding and mature leaves, stems, and roots were measured to determine whether active osmotic adjustment occurred and if water stress affected carbohydrate metabolism. Mature leaves had the highest total soluble carbohydrate level (357 mM) and lowest Ψ (-1.85 MPa), followed by young leaves (278 mM, -1.58 MPa), stems (115 mM, -1.02 MPa), and roots (114 mM, -0.87 MPa). Sorbitol was the major component in all organs ranging from 53% of total soluble carbohydrate in young leaves to 73% in mature leaves. When ΨW decreased from -1.0 to -3.2 MPa, active osmotic adjustments of 0.3-0.4 MPa were observed in mature leaves, stems, and roots while a significantly higher adjustment of 1.0 MPa was detected in young leaves 5 days after the initiation of water stress. Sorbitol levels in leaves and stems gradually increased as ΨW decreased from -1.0 to -2.5 MPa, and then remained relatively stable or decreased slightly as ΨW decreased from -2.5 to -3.2 MPa. However, the percentage of soluble carbohydrate as sorbitol in roots decreased in response to water stress. Sucrose concentration decreased in mature leaves and stems, but increased in young leaves and roots as ΨW decreased. Starch concentrations in stems and roots also decreased as water stress developed. The sorbitol to sucrose ratios increased in mature leaves, but decreased in roots in response to water stress.

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