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Plant hydraulics accentuates the effect of atmospheric moisture stress on transpiration

Author

Listed:
  • Yanlan Liu

    (Stanford University)

  • Mukesh Kumar

    (University of Alabama)

  • Gabriel G. Katul

    (Duke University)

  • Xue Feng

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Alexandra G. Konings

    (Stanford University)

Abstract

Transpiration, the dominant component of terrestrial evapotranspiration (ET), directly connects the water, energy and carbon cycles and is typically restricted by soil and atmospheric (for example, the vapour pressure deficit (VPD)) moisture stresses through plant hydraulic processes. These sources of stress are likely to diverge under climate change, with a globally enhanced VPD but more variable and uncertain changes in soil moisture. Here, using a model–data fusion approach, we demonstrate that the common empirical approach used in most Earth system models to evaluate the ET response to soil moisture and VPD, which neglects plant hydraulics, underestimates ET sensitivity to VPD and compensates by overestimating the sensitivity to soil moisture stress. A hydraulic model that describes water transport through the plant better captures ET under high VPD conditions for wide-ranging soil moisture states. These findings highlight the central role of plant hydraulics in regulating the increasing importance of atmospheric moisture stress on biosphere–atmosphere interactions under elevated temperatures.

Suggested Citation

  • Yanlan Liu & Mukesh Kumar & Gabriel G. Katul & Xue Feng & Alexandra G. Konings, 2020. "Plant hydraulics accentuates the effect of atmospheric moisture stress on transpiration," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 10(7), pages 691-695, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:10:y:2020:i:7:d:10.1038_s41558-020-0781-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-0781-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiangzhong Luo & Trevor F. Keenan, 2022. "Tropical extreme droughts drive long-term increase in atmospheric CO2 growth rate variability," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Liao, Qi & Ding, Risheng & Du, Taisheng & Kang, Shaozhong & Tong, Ling & Li, Sien, 2022. "Stomatal conductance drives variations of yield and water use of maize under water and nitrogen stress," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    3. Yao, Yuxia & Liao, Xingliang & Xiao, Junlan & He, Qiulan & Shi, Weiyu, 2023. "The sensitivity of maize evapotranspiration to vapor pressure deficit and soil moisture with lagged effects under extreme drought in Southwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    4. Chen, Zheng & Liu, Jieyu & Li, Li & Wu, Yongping & Feng, Guolin & Qian, Zhonghua & Sun, Gui-Quan, 2022. "Effects of climate change on vegetation patterns in Hulun Buir Grassland," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 597(C).
    5. Yao Zhang & Pierre Gentine & Xiangzhong Luo & Xu Lian & Yanlan Liu & Sha Zhou & Anna M. Michalak & Wu Sun & Joshua B. Fisher & Shilong Piao & Trevor F. Keenan, 2022. "Increasing sensitivity of dryland vegetation greenness to precipitation due to rising atmospheric CO2," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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