TY - JOUR
T1 - Non-structural carbohydrates mediate seasonal water stress across Amazon forests
AU - Signori-Müller, Caroline
AU - Oliveira, Rafael S.
AU - Barros, Fernanda de Vasconcellos
AU - Tavares, Julia Valentim
AU - Gilpin, Martin
AU - Diniz, Francisco Carvalho
AU - Zevallos, Manuel J.Marca
AU - Yupayccana, Carlos A.Salas
AU - Acosta, Martin
AU - Bacca, Jean
AU - Chino, Rudi S.Cruz
AU - Cuellar, Gina M.Aramayo
AU - Cumapa, Edwin R.M.
AU - Martinez, Franklin
AU - Mullisaca, Flor M.Pérez
AU - Nina, Alex
AU - Sanchez, Jesus M.Bañon
AU - da Silva, Leticia Fernandes
AU - Tello, Ligia
AU - Tintaya, José Sanchez
AU - Ugarteche, Maira T.Martinez
AU - Baker, Timothy R.
AU - Bittencourt, Paulo R.L.
AU - Borma, Laura S.
AU - Brum, Mauro
AU - Castro, Wendeson
AU - Coronado, Eurídice N.Honorio
AU - Cosio, Eric G.
AU - Feldpausch, Ted R.
AU - Fonseca, Letícia d’Agosto Miguel
AU - Gloor, Emanuel
AU - Llampazo, Gerardo Flores
AU - Malhi, Yadvinder
AU - Mendoza, Abel Monteagudo
AU - Moscoso, Victor Chama
AU - Araujo-Murakami, Alejandro
AU - Phillips, Oliver L.
AU - Salinas, Norma
AU - Silveira, Marcos
AU - Talbot, Joey
AU - Vasquez, Rodolfo
AU - Mencuccini, Maurizio
AU - Galbraith, David R.
PY - 2021/12/1
Y1 - 2021/12/1
N2 - Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are major substrates for plant metabolism and have been implicated in mediating drought-induced tree mortality. Despite their significance, NSC dynamics in tropical forests remain little studied. We present leaf and branch NSC data for 82 Amazon canopy tree species in six sites spanning a broad precipitation gradient. During the wet season, total NSC (NSCT) concentrations in both organs were remarkably similar across communities. However, NSCT and its soluble sugar (SS) and starch components varied much more across sites during the dry season. Notably, the proportion of leaf NSCT in the form of SS (SS:NSCT) increased greatly in the dry season in almost all species in the driest sites, implying an important role of SS in mediating water stress in these sites. This adjustment of leaf NSC balance was not observed in tree species less-adapted to water deficit, even under exceptionally dry conditions. Thus, leaf carbon metabolism may help to explain floristic sorting across water availability gradients in Amazonia and enable better prediction of forest responses to future climate change.
AB - Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are major substrates for plant metabolism and have been implicated in mediating drought-induced tree mortality. Despite their significance, NSC dynamics in tropical forests remain little studied. We present leaf and branch NSC data for 82 Amazon canopy tree species in six sites spanning a broad precipitation gradient. During the wet season, total NSC (NSCT) concentrations in both organs were remarkably similar across communities. However, NSCT and its soluble sugar (SS) and starch components varied much more across sites during the dry season. Notably, the proportion of leaf NSCT in the form of SS (SS:NSCT) increased greatly in the dry season in almost all species in the driest sites, implying an important role of SS in mediating water stress in these sites. This adjustment of leaf NSC balance was not observed in tree species less-adapted to water deficit, even under exceptionally dry conditions. Thus, leaf carbon metabolism may help to explain floristic sorting across water availability gradients in Amazonia and enable better prediction of forest responses to future climate change.
M3 - Artículo
SN - 2041-1723
VL - 12
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
ER -