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Global analysis of plasticity in turgor loss point, a key drought tolerance trait
Author(s) -
Bartlett Megan K.,
Zhang Ya,
Kreidler Nissa,
Sun Shanwen,
Ardy Rico,
Cao Kunfang,
Sack Lawren
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/ele.12374
Subject(s) - drought tolerance , turgor pressure , biology , wilting , agronomy , transpiration , permanent wilting point , climate change , plasticity , ecology , irrigation , botany , field capacity , photosynthesis , physics , thermodynamics
Many species face increasing drought under climate change. Plasticity has been predicted to strongly influence species' drought responses, but broad patterns in plasticity have not been examined for key drought tolerance traits, including turgor loss or ‘wilting’ point (π tlp ). As soil dries, plants shift π tlp by accumulating solutes (i.e. ‘osmotic adjustment’). We conducted the first global analysis of plasticity in Δπ tlp and related traits for 283 wild and crop species in ecosystems worldwide. Δπ tlp was widely prevalent but moderate (−0.44 MP a), accounting for 16% of post‐drought π tlp . Thus, pre‐drought π tlp was a considerably stronger predictor of post‐drought π tlp across species of wild plants. For cultivars of certain crops Δπ tlp accounted for major differences in post‐drought π tlp . Climate was correlated with pre‐ and post‐drought π tlp , but not Δπ tlp . Thus, despite the wide prevalence of plasticity, π tlp measured in one season can reliably characterise most species' constitutive drought tolerances and distributions relative to water supply.