Shifts in wood anatomical traits after a major hurricane

Ziemińska, Kasia; Bibbo, Silvia; Farrar, Samuel; Thompson, Jill ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4370-2593; Uriarte, María; Ziaco, Emanuele; Zimmerman, Jess K.; Muscarella, Robert. 2023 Shifts in wood anatomical traits after a major hurricane. Functional Ecology, 37 (12). 3000-3014. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14451

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Abstract/Summary

•1. Trait variation across individuals and species influences the resistance and resilience of ecosystems to disturbance, and the ability of individuals to capitalize on postdisturbance conditions. In trees, the anatomical structure of xylem directly affects plant function and, consequently, it is a valuable lens through which to understand resistance and resilience to disturbance. •2. To determine how hurricanes affect wood anatomy of tropical trees, we characterized a set of anatomical traits in wood produced before and after a major hurricane for 65 individuals of 10 Puerto Rican tree species. We quantified variation at different scales (among and within species, and within individuals) and determined trait shifts between the pre- and posthurricane periods. We also assessed correlations between traits and growth rates. •3. While the majority of anatomical trait variation occurred among species, we also observed substantial variation within species and individuals. Within individuals, we found significant shifts for some traits that generally reflected increased hydraulic conductivity in the posthurricane period. We found weak evidence for an association between individual xylem anatomical traits and diameter growth rates. •4. Ultimately, within-individual variation of xylem anatomical traits observed in our study could be related to posthurricane recovery and overall growth (e.g. canopy filling). Other factors, however, likely decouple a relationship between xylem anatomy and diameter growth. While adjustments of wood anatomy may enable individual trees to capitalize on favourable postdisturbance conditions, these may also influence their future responses or vulnerability to subsequent disturbances.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14451
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	0269-8463
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	disturbance, hydraulic conductivity, Puerto Rico, tropical trees, wood anatomy
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Botany
Related URLs:	Dataset
Date made live:	09 Nov 2023 15:52 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/536124

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