Chronically Low Nutrient Concentrations in Tree Rings Are Linked to Greater Tree Vulnerability to Drought in <i>Nothofagus dombeyi</i>
Forest dieback and mortality episodes triggered by droughts are receiving increasing attention due to the projected increases in these extreme climate events. However, the role played by nutrient impairment in dieback is understudied, despite interactions among carbon-water balances and nutrition. H...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/9/1180 |
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| author | Ester González de Andrés María Laura Suárez José Ignacio Querejeta J. Julio Camarero |
| author_facet | Ester González de Andrés María Laura Suárez José Ignacio Querejeta J. Julio Camarero |
| author_sort | Ester González de Andrés |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Forest dieback and mortality episodes triggered by droughts are receiving increasing attention due to the projected increases in these extreme climate events. However, the role played by nutrient impairment in dieback is understudied, despite interactions among carbon-water balances and nutrition. Here, we followed a comparative analysis of long-term growth, intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), oxygen isotopes (δ<sup>18</sup>O) and wood-nutrient composition patterns between living (L) and dead (D) trees of a <i>Nothofagus dombeyi</i> population, showing dieback in Argentina. The onset of the growth decline of D trees occurred ca. 40 years before death. These trees showed higher iWUE, pointing to higher drought stress. Their lower δ<sup>18</sup>O values, together with the uncoupling between δ<sup>18</sup>O and leaf-level processes, suggested a deeper source of water uptake for this vigor class. D trees showed a poorer nutritional status than L trees that likely amplified the dieback. This was supported by numerous positive associations of P- and K-concentrations in wood and related ratios with iWUE, δ<sup>18</sup>O and tree growth. Therefore, drought-related nutrient deterioration can significantly contribute to dieback and be an early warning signal of impending tree death. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:40:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e537cbb451874d87a62dded516e25396 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:40:06Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-e537cbb451874d87a62dded516e253962023-11-22T13:07:16ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072021-08-01129118010.3390/f12091180Chronically Low Nutrient Concentrations in Tree Rings Are Linked to Greater Tree Vulnerability to Drought in <i>Nothofagus dombeyi</i>Ester González de Andrés0María Laura Suárez1José Ignacio Querejeta2J. Julio Camarero3Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), 50192 Zaragoza, SpainInstituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA-CONICET), San Carlos de Bariloche 8400, ArgentinaCentro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS-CSIC), 30100 Murcia, SpainInstituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), 50192 Zaragoza, SpainForest dieback and mortality episodes triggered by droughts are receiving increasing attention due to the projected increases in these extreme climate events. However, the role played by nutrient impairment in dieback is understudied, despite interactions among carbon-water balances and nutrition. Here, we followed a comparative analysis of long-term growth, intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), oxygen isotopes (δ<sup>18</sup>O) and wood-nutrient composition patterns between living (L) and dead (D) trees of a <i>Nothofagus dombeyi</i> population, showing dieback in Argentina. The onset of the growth decline of D trees occurred ca. 40 years before death. These trees showed higher iWUE, pointing to higher drought stress. Their lower δ<sup>18</sup>O values, together with the uncoupling between δ<sup>18</sup>O and leaf-level processes, suggested a deeper source of water uptake for this vigor class. D trees showed a poorer nutritional status than L trees that likely amplified the dieback. This was supported by numerous positive associations of P- and K-concentrations in wood and related ratios with iWUE, δ<sup>18</sup>O and tree growth. Therefore, drought-related nutrient deterioration can significantly contribute to dieback and be an early warning signal of impending tree death.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/9/1180basal area incrementdiebacknutrient limitationPatagoniasoil depthwater sources |
| spellingShingle | Ester González de Andrés María Laura Suárez José Ignacio Querejeta J. Julio Camarero Chronically Low Nutrient Concentrations in Tree Rings Are Linked to Greater Tree Vulnerability to Drought in <i>Nothofagus dombeyi</i> Forests basal area increment dieback nutrient limitation Patagonia soil depth water sources |
| title | Chronically Low Nutrient Concentrations in Tree Rings Are Linked to Greater Tree Vulnerability to Drought in <i>Nothofagus dombeyi</i> |
| title_full | Chronically Low Nutrient Concentrations in Tree Rings Are Linked to Greater Tree Vulnerability to Drought in <i>Nothofagus dombeyi</i> |
| title_fullStr | Chronically Low Nutrient Concentrations in Tree Rings Are Linked to Greater Tree Vulnerability to Drought in <i>Nothofagus dombeyi</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chronically Low Nutrient Concentrations in Tree Rings Are Linked to Greater Tree Vulnerability to Drought in <i>Nothofagus dombeyi</i> |
| title_short | Chronically Low Nutrient Concentrations in Tree Rings Are Linked to Greater Tree Vulnerability to Drought in <i>Nothofagus dombeyi</i> |
| title_sort | chronically low nutrient concentrations in tree rings are linked to greater tree vulnerability to drought in i nothofagus dombeyi i |
| topic | basal area increment dieback nutrient limitation Patagonia soil depth water sources |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/9/1180 |
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