Sink limitation of plant growth determines tree line in the arid Himalayas
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F19%3A00511297" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/19:00511297 - isvavai.cz</a>
Alternative codes found
RIV/67985939:_____/19:00511297 RIV/60460709:41320/19:80743 RIV/60076658:12310/19:43899114
Result on the web
<a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0301602" target="_blank" >http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0301602</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13284" target="_blank" >10.1111/1365-2435.13284</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Sink limitation of plant growth determines tree line in the arid Himalayas
Original language description
Understanding what determines the high elevation limits of trees is crucial for predicting how tree lines may shift in response to climate change. Tree line formation is commonly explained by a low‐temperature restriction of meristematic activity (sink limitation) rather than carbon assimilation (source limitation). In arid mountains, however, trees face simultaneously low temperature and drought, both potentially restricting their growth and thus setting range limits. However, the mechanisms of tree line formation in high arid mountains are largely unknown. We studied Myricaria elegans, one of the world’s highest growing winter‐deciduous woody species, endemic to the arid Himalayas. We hypothesized that the upper elevation limit of Myricaria is associated with low temperatures during the early growing season affecting earlywood formation, while later in the season drought is constraining earlywood maturation and latewood formation. To test this hypothesis, we studied the quantitative anatomy of tree rings at different developmental stages across the entire species elevation range (3,200–4,400 m). We also explored daily stem increment and rehydration rates, seasonal dynamics of non‐structural carbohydrates and stable C isotopes as a proxy for possible drought constraints. Both earlywood and latewood increments decreased towards the tree line, whilenNSC in leaves, twigs and stem sapwood did not change, indicating a sink limitation as a main driver of the tree line. At tree line, low temperatures restricted earlywood formation more than latewood formation. Tree line individuals had—compared to individuals from lower elevations—smaller and fewer earlywood vessels, frequent frost rings and shorter periods with positive daily increments, but comparable night‐time stem rehydration rates and latewood density. All these results suggest a sink limitation as a main mechanism behind the tree line formation in high arid mountains.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
—
OECD FORD branch
10602 - Biology (theoretical, mathematical, thermal, cryobiology, biological rhythm), Evolutionary biology
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/GA17-19376S" target="_blank" >GA17-19376S: Ecological and Evolutionary Responses of Plants to Climate Change: Growth Analysis across Ecosystems and Evolutionary Linkages</a><br>
Continuities
I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2019
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Functional Ecology
ISSN
0269-8463
e-ISSN
—
Volume of the periodical
33
Issue of the periodical within the volume
4
Country of publishing house
GB - UNITED KINGDOM
Number of pages
13
Pages from-to
553-565
UT code for WoS article
000466375600002
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-85061257957