The Responses of Plant Leaf CO 2 /H 2 O Exchange and Water Use Efficiency to Drought: A Meta-Analysis

Jinmeng Zhang, Hong Jiang, Xinzhang Song, Jiaxin Jin and Xiuying Zhang
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Jinmeng Zhang: International Institutes for Earth System Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
Hong Jiang: International Institutes for Earth System Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
Xinzhang Song: Zhejiang A&F University, Lin’an, Zhejiang 311300, China
Jiaxin Jin: School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hohai University, No. 8 Fo cheng xi Road, Nanjing 211100, China
Xiuying Zhang: International Institutes for Earth System Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: Persistent drought severely inhibits plant growth and productivity, which negatively affects terrestrial primary productivity worldwide. Therefore, it is important to investigate the impacts of drought on plant leaf CO 2 /H 2 O exchange and water use efficiency. This study assessed the responses of net photosynthesis ( Pn ), stomatal conductance ( Gs ), transpiration ( Tr ), and instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE) to drought based on a worldwide meta-analysis of 112 published studies. The results demonstrated that drought decreased Pn , Tr , and Gs significantly and differently among different moderators. C 4 plants had smaller Pn reduction than C 3 plants, which gives C 4 plants an advantage in Pn . But their WUE decreased under drought conditions, indicating a great flexibility in C 4 WUE. Annual herbs sacrificed WUE (−6.2%) to maintain efficient Pn . Perennial herbs took a different strategy in response to drought with an increased WUE (25.1%). Deciduous tree species displayed a greater increase in WUE than conifers and evergreen species. Additionally, Gs had a significant correlation with Pn and Tr , but an insignificant correlation with WUE, which could be because WUE is affected by other factors (e.g., air flow, CO 2 concentration, and relative humidity). These findings have significant implications for understanding the worldwide effects of drought on plant leaf CO 2 /H 2 O exchange and water use efficiency.

Keywords: drought stress; meta-analysis; leaf CO 2 /H 2 O exchange; water sue efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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