No carbon storage in growth-limited trees in a semi-arid woodland

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Author
Thompson, R.A.
Adams, H.D.
Breshears, D.D.
Collins, A.D.
Dickman, L.T.
Grossiord, C.
Manrique‐Alba, À.
Peltier, D.M.
Ryan, M.G.
Trowbridge, A.M.
Affiliation
School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona
Issue Date
2023-04-07

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Publisher
Nature Research
Citation
Thompson, R.A., Adams, H.D., Breshears, D.D. et al. No carbon storage in growth-limited trees in a semi-arid woodland. Nat Commun 14, 1959 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37577-8
Journal
Nature Communications
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© The Author(s) 2023. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at repository@u.library.arizona.edu.
Abstract
Plant survival depends on a balance between carbon supply and demand. When carbon supply becomes limited, plants buffer demand by using stored carbohydrates (sugar and starch). During drought, NSCs (non-structural carbohydrates) may accumulate if growth stops before photosynthesis. This expectation is pervasive, yet few studies have combined simultaneous measurements of drought, photosynthesis, growth, and carbon storage to test this. Using a field experiment with mature trees in a semi-arid woodland, we show that growth and photosynthesis slow in parallel as ψpd declines, preventing carbon storage in two species of conifer (J. monosperma and P. edulis). During experimental drought, growth and photosynthesis were frequently co-limited. Our results point to an alternative perspective on how plants use carbon that views growth and photosynthesis as independent processes both regulated by water availability. © 2023, The Author(s).
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Open access journal
ISSN
2041-1723
PubMed ID
37029120
DOI
10.1038/s41467-023-37577-8
Version
Final Published Version
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© The Author(s) 2023. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as © The Author(s) 2023. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.