Phloem turgor is maintained during severe drought in Ricinus communis.

The phloem is a key player in whole plant functioning-transporting carbon from sites of production to sites of demand-and is likely influenced by drought due to its dependence on water for generating pressure-driven bulk flow transport. Yet, phloem functioning during drought remains largely unknown due to a lack of experimental studies. Here, we use a phloem-bleeding species, Ricinus communis, to investigate phloem loss-of-function in the context of leaf physiological processes, the mechanisms of phloem turgor maintenance during drought, and the role of turgor in phloem loss-of-function. We found that the solute concentration in the phloem sap doubled over the drought, which allowed phloem turgor to be maintained past the point at which leaves have reached permanent stomatal closure. We also found that phloem turgor did not decline before bleeding ceased, which suggests that phloem bleeding ceassation (interpreted as the cessation of transport) occurred when the phloem still had turgor. In sum, our findings highlight the robustness of phloem functioning, with important implications for forecasting whole-plant carbon dynamics and drought-induced tree mortality.

Water relations of Chusquea ramosissima and Merostachys claussenii in Iguazu National Park, Argentina.

Bamboos are prominent components of many tropical ecosystems, yet little is known about the physiological mechanisms utilized by these gigantic forest grasses. Here, we present data on the water transport properties of Chusquea ramosissima and Merostachys claussenii, monocarpic bamboo grasses native to the subtropical Atlantic forests of Argentina. C. ramosissima and M. claussenii differed in their growth form and exhibited contrasting strategies of water transport. Maximum xylem hydraulic conductivity of C. ramosissima culms was 2-fold higher than that of M. claussenii. C. ramosissima cavitated at relatively high water potentials (50% loss of conductivity at >or=1 MPa), whereas M. claussenii was more drought tolerant (50% loss at

Dry-season leaf flushing of Enterolobium cyclocarpum (ear-pod tree): above- and below-ground phenology and water relations.

Above- and belowground phenology and water relations of Enterolobium cyclocarpum Jacq. trees in the dry forest of Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica were studied during two consecutive phenological cycles, from November 1998 to June 2000. Aboveground phenological activity, including leaf shedding, growth and maturation of dormant fruits, new leaf flushing and flowering, occurred during the dry season. Measurements of leaf water potential, stomatal conductance and sap flow indicated that stomata of newly flushed leaves remained essentially closed until the onset of the first rains, suggesting that the main factor accounting for the favorable water balance of dry-season flushed leaves was their capacity to restrict water loss. Evidence of a contribution from stem and root water stores to shoot expansion was mixed because only the first dry-season flushing episode monitored was accompanied by a marked decrease in stem and root water potentials. Fine root production did not precede leaf flushing, occurred only after the onset of the rainy season and stopped under drought conditions, suggesting that soil water content was the most important variable controlling fine root dynamics in this species.