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Impacts of drought on plant water relations and nitrogen nutrition in dryland perennial grasses

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Abstract

Background and aims

Extensive worldwide dryland degradation calls for identification of functional traits critical to dryland plant performance and restoration outcomes. Most trait examination has focused on drought tolerance, although most dryland systems are water and nutrient co-limited. We studied how drought impacts both plant water relations and nitrogen (N) nutrition.

Methods

We grew a suite of grasses common to the Intermountain West under both well-watered and drought conditions in the greenhouse. These grasses represented three congener pairs (Agropyron, Elymus, Festuca) differing in their habitat of origin (“wetter” or “drier”). We measured growth, water relations, N resorption efficiency and proficiency and photosynthetic N use efficiency in response to drought.

Results

Drought decreased growth and physiological function in the suite of grasses studied, including a negative impact on plant N resorption efficiency and proficiency. This effect on resorption increased over the course of the growing season. Evolutionary history constrained species responses to treatment, with genera varying in the magnitude of their response to drought conditions. Surprisingly, habitat of origin influenced few trait responses.

Conclusions

Drought impacted plant N conservation, although these responses also were constrained by evolutionary history. Future plant development programs should consider drought tolerance not only from the perspective of water relations but also plant mineral nutrition, taking into account the role of phylogeny.

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Abbreviations

Neff, %:

Nitrogen resorption efficiency

Nprof, g kg−1 :

Nitrogen resorption proficiency

A, μmol CO2 m−2 s−1 :

Photosynthetic assimilation

PNUE, μmol CO2 mol N−1 s−1 :

Photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency

gs, mmol m−2 s−1 :

Stomatal conductance

Ψw, MPa:

Water potential

WUE, μmol CO2 mol−1 H2O:

Water use efficiency

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Acknowledgments

We thank J. R. Johansen, C. A. Sheil, and two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments regarding the manuscript and T. Jones for help with species selection and access to plant material. For additional laboratory and greenhouse assistance, we thank S. Harrington, M. Julian, J. Walker, N. Pietrasiak, and M. Thornhill. The John Carroll University Office of Graduate Studies and the Biology Department helped to support this work.

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Author notes

  1. Albina Khasanova

    Present address: USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Grassland Soil Water and Research Laboratory, 808 East Blackland Rd, Temple, TX, 76502, USA

  2. Jeremy J. James

    Present address: University of California Sierra Foothill Research & Extension Center, 8279 Scott Forbes Road, Browns Valley, CA, 95918, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, John Carroll University, 1 John Carroll Blvd., University Heights, OH, 44118, USA

    Albina Khasanova & Rebecca E. Drenovsky

  2. USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, 67826-A Hwy 205, Burns, OR, 97720, USA

    Jeremy J. James

Authors
  1. Albina Khasanova
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rebecca E. Drenovsky.

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Responsible Editor: Tibor Kalapos.

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Khasanova, A., James, J.J. & Drenovsky, R.E. Impacts of drought on plant water relations and nitrogen nutrition in dryland perennial grasses. Plant Soil 372, 541–552 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1747-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1747-4

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