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Carbon Allocation and Water Relations of Lianas Versus Trees

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Book cover Tropical Tree Physiology

Part of the book series: Tree Physiology ((TREE,volume 6))

Abstract

Despite lianas being fundamental components of tropical and subtropical forest ecosystems throughout the world, the physiological characteristics of this growth form are not well known. Different behaviors at the seedling stage were until recently largely unnoticed. In one extreme of a continuum of adaptive traits, freestanding liana seedlings invest a large proportion of biomass in self-support tissue while on the other extreme support-seeker seedlings invest more resources in rapid elongation of slender stems with an efficient hydraulic conductive system. Adult lianas often have lower wood density and higher specific leaf area than trees and have most of their leaves deployed at the top of the canopy, experiencing high irradiance and transpirational demands, which requires effective regulation of water loss to avoid desiccation. Recent studies show that lianas have faster stomatal responses to increasing vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and exhibit stronger partial stomatal closure compared to trees. Strong stomatal control and efficient water transport help lianas maintain leaf water potential (Ψleaf) within a safe hydraulic range to avoid xylem dysfunction despite their low stem water storage capacity, which is achieved at a minimum cost in terms of carbon assimilation. Liana colonization of tree crowns can significantly reduce tree growth and transpiration with consequences for carbon and water economy at individual tree and ecosystem levels.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Ecología Forestal y Ecofisiología, Instituto de Biología Subtropical, CONICET, FCF, Universidad Nacional de Misiones, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina

    Paula I. Campanello, Mariana Villagra, Adela M. Panizza, Débora di Francescantonio & Sabrina A. Rodriguez

  2. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama, Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Republic of Panama

    Eric Manzané & Louis S. Santiago

  3. Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA

    Yong-Jiang Zhang

  4. Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbana Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China

    Yong-Jiang Zhang & Ya-Jun Chen

  5. Department of Botany & Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA

    Louis S. Santiago

  6. Laboratorio de Ecología Funcional, Departamento de Ecología Genética y Evolución, Instituto IEGEBA (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Guillermo Goldstein

  7. Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA

    Guillermo Goldstein

Authors
  1. Paula I. Campanello
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  2. Eric Manzané
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  3. Mariana Villagra
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  4. Yong-Jiang Zhang
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  5. Adela M. Panizza
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  6. Débora di Francescantonio
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  7. Sabrina A. Rodriguez
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  8. Ya-Jun Chen
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  9. Louis S. Santiago
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  10. Guillermo Goldstein
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Correspondence to Paula I. Campanello .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA

    Guillermo Goldstein

  2. Department of Botany & Plant sciences, University of California, RIVERSIDE, California, USA

    Louis S. Santiago

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Campanello, P.I. et al. (2016). Carbon Allocation and Water Relations of Lianas Versus Trees. In: Goldstein, G., Santiago, L. (eds) Tropical Tree Physiology. Tree Physiology, vol 6. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27422-5_5

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