Provenance- and life-history stage-specific responses of the dwarf shrub Calluna vulgaris to elevated vapour pressure deficit
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In: Plant Ecology, Vol. 221, No. 12, 01.12.2020, p. 1219-1232.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Provenance- and life-history stage-specific responses of the dwarf shrub Calluna vulgaris to elevated vapour pressure deficit
AU - Ibe, Karin
AU - Walmsley, David
AU - Fichtner, Andreas
AU - Coners, Heinz
AU - Leuschner, Christoph
AU - Härdtle, Werner
PY - 2020/12/1
Y1 - 2020/12/1
N2 - Climate change may alter microscale-effective ecosystem properties such as atmospheric water vapour pressure, but consequences for plant growth are insufficiently understood. Within a northwest German heathland an open-top chamber experiment was established to analyse the effects of elevated vapour pressure deficit (eVPD) on growth responses of Calluna vulgaris considering both plant origin (Atlantic (AP), sub-Atlantic (SAP), sub-Continental (SCP)) and life-history stage (1-year vs. 10-year old plants). We hypothesised that the plants’ sensitivity to eVPD decreases (i) from AP to SCP and (ii) with progressing life-history stage. Elevated VPD caused a provenance-specific decrease of shoot increment whilst aboveground biomass productivity remained unaffected. AP and SAP responded with increasing belowground biomass δ 13C signatures to eVPD, whereas δ 13C values decreased for SCP. Moreover, eVPD increased and decreased belowground biomass δ 13C signatures of 1- and 10-year old plants, respectively. These responses to eVPD were related to differences in morphological-chemical traits and the plants’ trait plasticity in response to eVPD. SCP showed the highest aboveground tissue mass density and significantly increased tissue C:N ratios under eVPD. One-year old plants had a tenfold higher shoot:root ratio than 10-year old plants, making young plants more sensitive to eVPD. Our findings demonstrate that the atmospheric water status affects the morphology and physiology of Calluna independent of the soil water status. The results have implications for the conservation of heathlands under climate change: (i) SCP may constitute an appropriate ecotype for assisted migration-approaches, and (ii) management needs to weigh different options for heathland rejuvenation.
AB - Climate change may alter microscale-effective ecosystem properties such as atmospheric water vapour pressure, but consequences for plant growth are insufficiently understood. Within a northwest German heathland an open-top chamber experiment was established to analyse the effects of elevated vapour pressure deficit (eVPD) on growth responses of Calluna vulgaris considering both plant origin (Atlantic (AP), sub-Atlantic (SAP), sub-Continental (SCP)) and life-history stage (1-year vs. 10-year old plants). We hypothesised that the plants’ sensitivity to eVPD decreases (i) from AP to SCP and (ii) with progressing life-history stage. Elevated VPD caused a provenance-specific decrease of shoot increment whilst aboveground biomass productivity remained unaffected. AP and SAP responded with increasing belowground biomass δ 13C signatures to eVPD, whereas δ 13C values decreased for SCP. Moreover, eVPD increased and decreased belowground biomass δ 13C signatures of 1- and 10-year old plants, respectively. These responses to eVPD were related to differences in morphological-chemical traits and the plants’ trait plasticity in response to eVPD. SCP showed the highest aboveground tissue mass density and significantly increased tissue C:N ratios under eVPD. One-year old plants had a tenfold higher shoot:root ratio than 10-year old plants, making young plants more sensitive to eVPD. Our findings demonstrate that the atmospheric water status affects the morphology and physiology of Calluna independent of the soil water status. The results have implications for the conservation of heathlands under climate change: (i) SCP may constitute an appropriate ecotype for assisted migration-approaches, and (ii) management needs to weigh different options for heathland rejuvenation.
KW - Ecosystems Research
KW - Climate change
KW - VPD
KW - d13C signature
KW - C:N ratio
KW - Open-top chamber
KW - Climate change
KW - VPD
KW - δ13C signature
KW - C:N ratio
KW - Open-top chamber
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85090305276&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/2111894f-16a5-38e9-8277-44cbf73cb447/
U2 - 10.1007/s11258-020-01076-3
DO - 10.1007/s11258-020-01076-3
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 221
SP - 1219
EP - 1232
JO - Plant Ecology
JF - Plant Ecology
SN - 1385-0237
IS - 12
ER -