Study reveals coordinated evolution of xylem and bark hydraulics in temperate tree species
Researchers analyzing eight Rosaceae species found that xylem and bark properties evolve together to manage water transport and drought resistance. Trees from warmer, drier climates developed more permeable bark paired with more embolism-vulnerable xylem, suggesting a shift from avoiding to tolerating air-filled vessels. The findings indicate that understanding tree drought resistance requires examining both xylem and bark function together.
A new study published on bioRxiv examined how xylem (water-conducting tissue) and bark properties coordinate in eight temperate woody Rosaceae species with different ecological preferences. Researchers measured xylem hydraulic efficiency and safety alongside bark traits including permeability, water storage, and anatomy, then evaluated how these traits related to phylogeny and climate. The analysis revealed that species with more efficient but more embolism-vulnerable xylem developed more permeable bark, and those with higher bark water vapor conductance showed faster rehydration from atmospheric moisture. Both bark permeability and xylem vulnerability were phylogenetically conserved and correlated with climatic factors including temperature, vapor pressure deficit, and diurnal temperature variability. Species from warmer, high-VPD climates combined higher bark permeability with more vulnerable xylem, indicating an evolutionary shift from embolism avoidance to embolism tolerance strategies in response to greater evaporative demand.
Limitations & open questions
The study does not discuss potential limitations of the sample size (eight species), geographic distribution of sampled species, or whether findings generalize beyond Rosaceae to other woody angiosperm families. The mechanisms by which bark permeability facilitates embolism tolerance versus avoidance strategies remain incompletely characterized.
What different sources said
- bioRxivCenter
The coordination between xylem and bark hydraulics in temperate Rosaceae species
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