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Compression wood has little impact on the water relations of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) seedlings despite a large effect on shoot hydraulic properties

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/w6634412n

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  • • Compression wood has been shown to reduce stem permeability, but it is not known to what extent it affects leaf‐level processes. Here, we report whole‐plant hydraulic properties of Douglas‐fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) seedlings induced to form varying amounts of compression wood. • Seedlings were grown under three bending treatments to assess the impact of compression wood on hydraulic properties, including stomatal conductance (gs), above‐ground shoot conductance (Kl(abg)), and both specific and leaf area‐specific conductivity (ks and kl, respectively). • Kl(abg) was significantly lower (50% reduction) in severely bent seedlings than in controls. Similarly, both ks and kl of the main axis were significantly reduced (by 52% and 46%, respectively) in severely bent seedlings relative to controls. Seedlings in the moderate bending treatments had ks and kl that were intermediate between controls and severe bending. • Despite clear differences in above‐ground shoot hydraulic properties, severely bent seedlings maintained the same water potentials as controls and had similar diurnal patterns of gs. This suggests that when the entire soil–plant–atmosphere continuum is considered, even a severe reduction in stem ks caused by compression wood has little impact on leaf‐level processes.
  • Keywords: biomechanic, stomatal conductance, reaction wood, tradeoff, hydraulic architecture, hydraulic conductivity
  • Keywords: biomechanic, stomatal conductance, reaction wood, tradeoff, hydraulic architecture, hydraulic conductivity
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  • Spicer, R. and B. L. Gartner. 2002. Compression wood has little impact on the water relations of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) seedlings despite a large effect on shoot hydraulic properties. New Phytologist 154:633-640.
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  • 154
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  • 3
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