Phenotypic variability of hydraulic residual conductance and its temperature sensitivity in Abies alba Mill
Abstract
Residual water losses after stomatal closure are key determinants of drought-induced hydraulic failure, especially during heatwaves. However, intraspecific variability of residual conductance (gres) and its thermal sensitivity remains poorly documented. Here, we investigated genetic and environmental sources of variation in gres and its associated thermal parameters (phase transition temperature Tₚ, and temperature sensitivities Q10a and Q10b) in silver fir (Abies alba Mill.), and compared them with other hydraulic traits, including vulnerability to xylem embolism (P50). We combined three complementary approaches: (i) seasonal monitoring to characterize temporal dynamics and biochemical determinants, (ii) a common garden experiment including seven French provenances to assess genetic variability, and (iii) comparisons across contrasting forest sites and canopy positions to quantify environmental effects. Measurements were performed using the Drought-Box, an automated chamber used to dehydrate organ under controlled temperature.
Residual conductance exhibited a seasonal decline, with high values in newly formed needles followed by stabilization from late summer to the following spring, consistent with cuticular wax accumulation. Differences among provenances were weak for all traits, suggesting constraints on hydraulic safety. In contrast, gres showed substantial site-related variations, with lower values at climatically constrained sites. No significant canopy position effects were detected, and thermal parameters of gres and P50 remained relatively conserved across both provenances and environmental gradients.
These results identify gres as a developmentally dynamic trait showing site-related variation in silver fir, potentially contributing to acclimation to drought. Accounting for this variability should improve predictions of tree vulnerability under future climates combining intensified droughts and heatwaves.
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BibTeX
@article{herbette2026phenotypic,
title = {{Phenotypic variability of hydraulic residual conductance and its temperature sensitivity in Abies alba Mill}},
author = {Stéphane Herbette and Andanson Stéphane and Gonzalez Alexandre and J. Blackman Chris and Cartailler Julien and Martin Ludovic and Cochard Hervé},
journal = {Trees - Structure and Function},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1007/s00468-026-02813-3},
url = {https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05785343v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Phenotypic variability of hydraulic residual conductance and its temperature sensitivity in Abies alba Mill
AU - Stéphane Herbette
AU - Andanson Stéphane
AU - Gonzalez Alexandre
AU - J. Blackman Chris
AU - Cartailler Julien
AU - Martin Ludovic
AU - Cochard Hervé
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/05
JO - Trees - Structure and Function
DO - 10.1007/s00468-026-02813-3
UR - https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05785343v1
AB - Residual water losses after stomatal closure are key determinants of drought-induced hydraulic failure, especially during heatwaves. However, intraspecific variability of residual conductance (gres) and its thermal sensitivity remains poorly documented. Here, we investigated genetic and environmental sources of variation in gres and its associated thermal parameters (phase transition temperature Tₚ, and temperature sensitivities Q10a and Q10b) in silver fir (Abies alba Mill.), and compared them with other hydraulic traits, including vulnerability to xylem embolism (P50). We combined three complementary approaches: (i) seasonal monitoring to characterize temporal dynamics and biochemical determinants, (ii) a common garden experiment including seven French provenances to assess genetic variability, and (iii) comparisons across contrasting forest sites and canopy positions to quantify environmental effects. Measurements were performed using the Drought-Box, an automated chamber used to dehydrate organ under controlled temperature. Residual conductance exhibited a seasonal decline, with high values in newly formed needles followed by stabilization from late summer to the following spring, consistent with cuticular wax accumulation. Differences among provenances were weak for all traits, suggesting constraints on hydraulic safety. In contrast, gres showed substantial site-related variations, with lower values at climatically constrained sites. No significant canopy position effects were detected, and thermal parameters of gres and P50 remained relatively conserved across both provenances and environmental gradients. These results identify gres as a developmentally dynamic trait showing site-related variation in silver fir, potentially contributing to acclimation to drought. Accounting for this variability should improve predictions of tree vulnerability under future climates combining intensified droughts and heatwaves.
SN - 0931-1890
SN - 1432-2285
ER -