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Identification of suites of traits that explains drought resistance and phenological patterns of plants in a semi-arid grassland community

  • Physiological ecology – original research
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Abstract

Grassland ecosystems are comprised of plants that occupy a wide array of phenological niches and vary considerably in their ability to resist the stress of seasonal soil–water deficits. Yet, the link between plant drought resistance and phenology remains unclear in perennial grassland ecosystems. To evaluate the role of soil water availability and plant drought tolerance in driving phenology, we measured leaf hydraulic conductance (Ksat), resistance to hydraulic failure (P50), leaf gas exchange, plant and soil water stable isotope ratios (δ18O), and several phenology metrics on ten perennial herbaceous species in mixed-grass prairie. The interaction between P50 and δ18O of xylem water explained 67% of differences in phenology, with lower P50 values associated with later season activity, but only among shallow-rooted species. In addition, stomatal control and high water-use efficiency also contributed to the late flowering and late senescence strategies of plants that had low P50 values and relied upon shallow soil water. Alternatively, plants with deeper roots did not possess drought-tolerant leaves, but had high hydraulic efficiency, contributing to their ability to efficiently move water longer distances while maintaining leaf water potential at relatively high values. The suites of traits that characterize these contrasting strategies provide a mechanistic link between phenology and plant–water relations; thus, these traits could help predict grassland community responses to changes in water availability, both temporally and vertically within the soil profile.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the ARS Rangeland Resources and Systems Research unit for access to facilities at the High Plains Grassland Research Station in Cheyenne, WY. We also want to thank Julie Bushey and Mary Carlson for their energetic assistance and good humor during field work, and the thoughtful comments from the anonymous reviewers of our manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA

    T. W. Ocheltree & K. Chesus

  2. Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, 44115, USA

    K. M. Mueller

  3. Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA

    D. R. LeCain, J. A. Kray & D. M. Blumenthal

Authors
  1. T. W. Ocheltree
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  2. K. M. Mueller
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  3. K. Chesus
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  4. D. R. LeCain
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  5. J. A. Kray
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  6. D. M. Blumenthal
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Contributions

TO developed the idea and hypotheses of the project; TO, KM, and DB designed the experiment; TO, KM, DB, DL, JK, and KC collected and analyzed the data. TO led the writing of the manuscript with editing and intellectual contributions from KM, DB, JK, and KC.

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Correspondence to T. W. Ocheltree.

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Communicated by David R. Bowling.

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Ocheltree, T.W., Mueller, K.M., Chesus, K. et al. Identification of suites of traits that explains drought resistance and phenological patterns of plants in a semi-arid grassland community. Oecologia 192, 55–66 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-019-04567-x

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