Ecological drivers and phylogenetic patterns of leaf minimum conductance variability in vascular plants.
Trueba S, Burlett R, Bouteiller X, Burneau T, Forget G
Climate Adaptation
On the next scorching summer week when your garden wilts overnight, the difference between which plants survive and which don't comes down to exactly this hidden leaf trait — how well a closed leaf holds water like a sealed envelope versus a leaky one.
Even when a plant shuts its tiny leaf pores to save water during a drought, some water still escapes through the leaf surface — like a sealed bag that isn't quite airtight. This study measured that 'leak rate' across 101 plant species, from ancient ferns to modern flowering plants. They found that annual plants (like vegetables) lose water much faster this way than trees do, and plants living in hot, dry climates have evolved tighter, more water-retaining leaves.
Key Findings
Annual herbaceous plants lose significantly more water through closed leaves than woody plants, making them more drought-vulnerable even after stomata shut.
Species adapted to hotter and more seasonally dry environments showed measurably lower minimum water conductance, indicating evolutionary water-conservation.
Minimum conductance had only a weak relationship with maximum stomatal conductance, meaning a plant's drought survival strategy is largely independent of its peak water-use efficiency.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers measured how much water leaks through leaves even when plants close their pores during drought, finding that short-lived plants lose water faster than trees, and species in hot, seasonal climates are better at holding onto water.
Abstract Preview
Stomatal closure prevents significant water losses during drought events. Yet, leaves are not perfectly hermetic and dehydration ensues through residual water losses, known as minimum conductance (...
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