title: Embolism resistance as a key mechanism to understand adaptive plant strategies.
abstract: One adaptation of plants to cope with drought or frost stress is to develop wood that is able to withstand the formation and distribution of air bubbles (emboli) in its water conducting xylem cells under negative pressure. The ultrastructure of interconduit pits strongly affects drought-induced embolism resistance, but also mechanical properties of the xylem are involved. The first experimental evidence for a lower embolism resistance in stems of herbaceous plants compared to stems of their secondarily woody descendants further supports this mechanical-functional trade-off. An integrative approach combining (ultra)structural observations of the xylem, safety-efficiency aspects of the hydraulic pipeline, and xylem-phloem interactions will shed more light on the multiple adaptive strategies of embolism resistance in plants.
authors: Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9514, NL-2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands. frederic.lens@naturalis.nl
authors: Frederic
authors: F
authors: Lens
authors: Aude
authors: A
authors: Tixier
authors: Hervé
authors: H
authors: Cochard
authors: John S
authors: JS
authors: Sperry
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Jansen
authors: Stephane
authors: S
authors: Herbette
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D005075:Biological Evolution; D032462:Cycadopsida / Q000502:physiology; D055864:Droughts; D005615:Freezing; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000502:physiology; D052585:Phloem / Q000502:physiology; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D014934:Wood; D052584:Xylem / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure