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Forests
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Advances in Tree Physiology and Ecology under Drought Stress
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Advances in Tree Physiology and Ecology under Drought Stress

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecophysiology and Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 5508

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ning Du

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, China
Interests: plant water relations; plant functional traits; climate change
Prof. Dr. Janusz Zwiazek

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Bldg., Edmonton, AB T6G 2E3, Canada
Interests: tree physiology; mycorrhizal ecology; ecological restoration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wen-Qing Zhang

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Bldg., Edmonton, AB T6G 2E3, Canada
Interests: tree physiology; plant water relations; ecological restoration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Drought has had a prominent impact on tree growth and its related ecological processes in the context of global climate change. Various approaches have been used to study the drought stress on trees, including morphological, physiological, biochemical, cytological and molecular techniques. However, the comprehensive responses of trees under drought stress and the following recovery mechanisms still need further systematic and multifaceted investigations, particularly when taking into account the great biodiversity of trees. More studies on the drought-induced physiological changes of trees are needed to further understand the plant water use strategies and their implications for plant evolution, biointeraction, community assembly and ecosystem functions.

This Special Issue of Forests aims to publish studies that contribute to the mechanistic understanding of tree physiology and ecology under drought stress conditions. The research is not limited to tree species; any other woody species including shrub and woody liana also fit within the scope. Original research papers, reviews and meta-analyses are all welcome.

This Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

  1. Physiological performance of trees under drought stress and the associated recovery mechanisms.
  2. Drought-induced mortality mechanisms of trees and their relationship with plant water use strategies.
  3. The mechanisms of mycorrhizal fungi in assisting the drought tolerance of trees.
  4. Novel methods in the study of tree physiology under drought stress.
  5. Relations between tree water use strategies and community assembly or ecosystem processes.

Dr. Ning Du
Prof. Dr. Janusz Zwiazek
Dr. Wen-Qing Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • tree ecophysiology
  • water use efficiency
  • climate change
  • forest ecosystems
  • plant water relationships
  • drought stress
  • forest dieback

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 4044 KiB  
Article
Sap Flow Responses of the Endangered Species Juniperus drupacea Labill. to Environmental Variables in Parnon Mountain, Greece
by Evangelia Korakaki, Evangelia V. Avramidou, Alexandra D. Solomou, Stefanos Boutsios and Evangelia N. Daskalakou
Forests 2024, 15(3), 431; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030431 - 23 Feb 2024
Viewed by 567
Abstract
In the face of ongoing climatic changes, understanding the species’ sap flow responses is of crucial importance for adaptation and resilience of ecosystems. This study investigated diurnal variability and radial sap flux density (Js) in a natural Juniperus drupacea forest on Mt Parnon [...] Read more.
In the face of ongoing climatic changes, understanding the species’ sap flow responses is of crucial importance for adaptation and resilience of ecosystems. This study investigated diurnal variability and radial sap flux density (Js) in a natural Juniperus drupacea forest on Mt Parnon and determined the climatic factors affecting its total sap flow (Qs). Between July 2021 and March 2022, Granier-type sensors and automatic weather stations monitored Js of J. drupacea trees and environmental factors. Utilizing a multi-point sensor for Js radial profile variability, correction factors were applied to calculate (Qs), ranging from 4.78 to 16.18 L day−1. In drier months of the study period (July–September), Qs progressively increased with increasing PAR and soil temperature, reaching a plateau at maximum values (app. 600 µmol m−2 s−1 and 26 °C respectively) indicating partial stomatal closure. Whereas, during the wetter period (October–March), when water was no longer a limiting factor, VPD and PAR emerged as significant controllers of stand transpiration. In this period, Qs responded positively to increasing soil water content (θ) only on days with high VPD (>0.5 kPa). The studied J. drupacea stand demonstrated adaptability to varying environmental conditions, crucial for the species’ survival, considering anticipated climate change scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tree Physiology and Ecology under Drought Stress)
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13 pages, 3020 KiB  
Article
Coordination of Root Traits and Rhizosphere Microbial Community in Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Plants under Drought and Rehydration
by Sihai Zhang, Xuemei Han, Yangchun Zhu and Xiangfeng Tan
Forests 2023, 14(11), 2134; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112134 - 26 Oct 2023
Viewed by 949
Abstract
Soil drought and rehydration have an immense impact on plant physiology and productivity, whereas the response of plant–microbe interactions to varied water availability remains largely elusive. In this study, two tea (Camellia sinensis L.) cultivars, Longjing43 and Yingshuang, were subjected to drought [...] Read more.
Soil drought and rehydration have an immense impact on plant physiology and productivity, whereas the response of plant–microbe interactions to varied water availability remains largely elusive. In this study, two tea (Camellia sinensis L.) cultivars, Longjing43 and Yingshuang, were subjected to drought followed by rehydration. Soil drought significantly induced the elongation of taproots in the Yingshuang cultivar after two weeks of drought. Moreover, the four-week drought significantly reduced the root dry mass and root nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium concentrations in both tea cultivars. Two-week rehydration recovered the root potassium concentration in the two tea cultivars, revealing the rapid response of root potassium levels to water conditions. Drought and rehydration also resulted in shifts in rhizosphere microbial diversity. A four-week drought reduced microbial alpha diversity in Longjing43 but not in the Yingshuang cultivar, and rehydration was effective in restoring alpha diversity in Longjing43. The rhizosphere microbial community tended to recover to the initial stages after rehydration in Longjing43 but not in the other cultivar. In addition, 18 microbial genera were identified as the featured microbial taxa in response to varied water availability, and a rare genus Ignavibacterium was significantly increased in the Longjing43 cultivar by rehydration after a four-week drought. Furthermore, root nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium levels, and dry mass were positively correlated with the microbial alpha diversity, while the taproot length was negatively correlated, suggesting the crucial role of plant–microbe interactions in response to drought and rehydration. Moreover, the root phosphorus concentration and taproot length also had significant effects on microbial beta diversity, further confirming their effects on the community structure of the rhizosphere microbiome. Overall, this study provides insights into the effects of drought on plant–microbe interactions in the rhizosphere of tea plants. These findings are important for harnessing the roles of the tea rhizosphere microbiome under drought. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tree Physiology and Ecology under Drought Stress)
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14 pages, 4512 KiB  
Article
Effect of Drought on Photosynthesis of Trees and Shrubs in Habitat Corridors
by Josef Urban, Marie Matoušková, William Robb, Boleslav Jelínek and Luboš Úradníček
Forests 2023, 14(8), 1521; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14081521 - 26 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1025
Abstract
Drought and high evapotranspiration demands can jeopardise trees and shrubs in windbreaks and habitat corridors, where they are more exposed to the effects of extreme weather than in the forest. This study utilised chlorophyll fluorescence to assess how the leaf-level physiological processes of [...] Read more.
Drought and high evapotranspiration demands can jeopardise trees and shrubs in windbreaks and habitat corridors, where they are more exposed to the effects of extreme weather than in the forest. This study utilised chlorophyll fluorescence to assess how the leaf-level physiological processes of 13 woody species typically planted in Czech habitat corridors responded to the effects of naturally occurring drought and their ability to recover after rain. Linear electron flow (LEF) responded only weakly to the drought, indicating high levels of photorespiration. Trees and shrubs increased the proportion of energy which was dissipated in a harmless way (ΦNPQ) during drought and decreased the proportion of energy dissipated through non-regulated processes (ΦNO). In this way, they reduced processes potentially leading to the production of reactive oxygen species. All species except Tilia cordata Mill. maintained high ΦNPQ even after its release from drought. Tilia cordata was potentially the most susceptible tree to drought due to its low LEF and high ΦNO. The most drought-resistant tree species appeared to be Acer campestre L. and shrubs such as Prunus spinosa L., Viburnum lantana L, and Crataegus monogyna L. These shrubs may be planted at the sunny edges of habitat corridors. The woody species identified as resistant to drought in habitat corridors may also be considered resistant in a warming climate or suitable for planting in the urban environment which is generally warmer and drier than in a forest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tree Physiology and Ecology under Drought Stress)
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16 pages, 1915 KiB  
Article
Photosynthetic and Antioxidant Responses of Gymnocarpos przewalskii to Simulated Rainfall Changes
by Haixia Huang, Peng Cui, Gang Lu, Xuhu Wang, Le Jiang and Yongzhong Luo
Forests 2023, 14(4), 789; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14040789 - 12 Apr 2023
Viewed by 1182
Abstract
Gymnocarpos przewalskii is a rare Tertiary relict species, mainly distributed in desert areas of northwestern China. Changes in rainfall have a significant impact on the physiological characteristics of desert plants. In the present study, the effects of five simulated rainfall levels on the [...] Read more.
Gymnocarpos przewalskii is a rare Tertiary relict species, mainly distributed in desert areas of northwestern China. Changes in rainfall have a significant impact on the physiological characteristics of desert plants. In the present study, the effects of five simulated rainfall levels on the gas exchange parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics, and antioxidant system of G. przewalskii were studied. The results show that with increased rainfall the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and transpiration rate increase significantly. The reduction in Pn is caused by stomatal and non-stomatal limitations under decreased rainfall. Decreased rainfall markedly improves the instantaneous water-use efficiency of leaves. With increased rainfall, the maximum photosynthetic rate, apparent quantum efficiency, and light utilization range significantly increase. Under reduced rainfall, the chlorophyll content, maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII, and steady-state optical quantum efficiency decrease and photoinhibition is caused in the PSII system. A rainfall reduction of 30% leads to massive production of superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide, causing obvious peroxidation damage. Meanwhile, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase in the leaves are significantly enhanced to remove excess reactive oxygen species and alleviate the injury to photosynthetic apparatus. Our study reveals the effect of rainfall changes on the photosynthetic characteristics and antioxidant system of G. przewalskii, and can improve understanding of the adaptive strategies of desert plants under future precipitation changes in northwestern China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tree Physiology and Ecology under Drought Stress)
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15 pages, 2559 KiB  
Article
Comparative Evaluation of Physiological Response and Drought Tolerance between Cunninghamia unica and C. lanceolata Seedlings under Drought Stress
by Xun Lei, Huaxue Wu, Man Yin, Xi Zhang, Hanbo Yang, Xiong Huang and Peng Zhu
Forests 2023, 14(3), 464; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030464 - 24 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1184
Abstract
Cunninghamia plays an important role in China’s southern forest industry in the face of increasingly arid climate; thus it is urgent to identify and screen drought-tolerant varieties. In this study, 2-year-old seedlings of C. unica and C. lanceolata from four provenances were subjected [...] Read more.
Cunninghamia plays an important role in China’s southern forest industry in the face of increasingly arid climate; thus it is urgent to identify and screen drought-tolerant varieties. In this study, 2-year-old seedlings of C. unica and C. lanceolata from four provenances were subjected to water-break tests, and their physiological responses to different drought conditions were observed. The results showed that with the aggravation of drought stress, C. unica had more stable changes in relative water content (RWC), water potential (Ψw) and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) with more cumulative amounts of proline (PRO) than C. lanceolata, and its H2O2 maintained at a lower level, along with antioxidant enzyme activities decreasing later as compared with C. lanceolata. Moreover, comprehensive evaluation showed that C. unica had a higher drought tolerance than C. lanceolata as a whole, which could have been shaped by maintaining Ψw and opening stomata in its relative drought conditions. This work provides a theoretical basis for understanding the drought tolerance of C. unica and C. lanceolate individuals, so as to accelerate selective breeding in Chinese fir. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tree Physiology and Ecology under Drought Stress)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

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