title: Isometric partitioning of hydraulic conductance between leaves and stems: balancing safety and efficiency in different growth forms and habitats.
abstract: Recent advances in modelling the architecture and function of the plant hydraulic network have led to improvements in predicting and interpreting the consequences of functional trait variation on CO2 uptake and water loss. We build upon one such model to make novel predictions for scaling of the total specific hydraulic conductance of leaves and shoots (kL and kSH , respectively) and variation in the partitioning of hydraulic conductance. Consistent with theory, we observed isometric (slope = 1) scaling between kL and kSH across several independently collected datasets and a lower ratio of kL and kSH , termed the leaf-to-shoot conductance ratio (CLSCR ), in arid environments and in woody species. Isometric scaling of kL and kSH supports the concept that hydraulic design is coordinated across the plant. We propose that CLSCR is an important adaptive trait that represents the trade-off between efficiency and safety at the scale of the whole plant.
authors: School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, Australia.|Centre of Excellence for Climate Change, Woodland and Forest Health, University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, Australia.|Department of Parks and Wildlife, Science and Conservation Division, Bentley, Western Australia, 6983, Australia.
authors: Paul L
authors: PL
authors: Drake
authors: School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, Australia.
authors: Charles A
authors: CA
authors: Price
authors: School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, Australia.|Centre of Excellence for Climate Change, Woodland and Forest Health, University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, Australia.
authors: Pieter
authors: P
authors: Poot
authors: School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, Australia.|Centre of Excellence for Climate Change, Woodland and Forest Health, University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, Australia.
authors: Erik J
authors: EJ
authors: Veneklaas
mesh_terms: D017753:Ecosystem; D005052:Eucalyptus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000502:physiology; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000502:physiology*; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: functional trait; hydraulic architecture; leaf conductance; scaling; vascular network