title: Species climate range influences hydraulic and stomatal traits in Eucalyptus species.
abstract: Plant hydraulic traits influence the capacity of species to grow and survive in water-limited environments, but their comparative study at a common site has been limited. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether selective pressures on species originating in drought-prone environments constrain hydraulic traits among related species grown under common conditions.
  
  
  
  Leaf tissue water relations, xylem anatomy, stomatal behaviour and vulnerability to drought-induced embolism were measured on six Eucalyptus species growing in a common garden to determine whether these traits were related to current species climate range and to understand linkages between the traits.
  
  
  
  Hydraulically weighted xylem vessel diameter, leaf turgor loss point, the water potential at stomatal closure and vulnerability to drought-induced embolism were significantly ( P < 0·05) correlated with climate parameters from the species range. There was a co-ordination between stem and leaf parameters with the water potential at turgor loss, 12 % loss of conductivity and the point of stomatal closure significantly correlated.
  
  
  
  The correlation of hydraulic, stomatal and anatomical traits with climate variables from the species' original ranges suggests that these traits are genetically constrained. The conservative nature of xylem traits in Eucalyptus trees has important implications for the limits of species responses to changing environmental conditions and thus for species survival and distribution into the future, and yields new information for physiological models.
authors.affiliation: Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
authors.forename: Aimee E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Bourne
authors.affiliation: Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Creek
authors.affiliation: Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer M R
authors.initials: JMR
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Ellsworth
authors.affiliation: Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
authors.forename: Brendan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Choat
mesh_terms: D002980:Climate; D055864:Droughts; D005052:Eucalyptus / Q000502:physiology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000502:physiology; D054046:Plant Stomata / Q000502:physiology*; D014197:Trees; D014867:Water / Q000502:physiology*; D052584:Xylem / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: Cavitation; Eucalyptus; climate; drought; embolism; hydraulics; leaf water relations; stomatal closure; xylem anatomy