Effect of gender on sap-flux-scaled transpiration in a dominant riparian tree species: Box elder (Acer negundo)

Journal ArticleAcer negundo is a dioecious riparian tree species with a spatial segregation of the sexes along soil moisture gradients. Females are typically more common in wet sites along streams (typically F/M = 1.6), whereas males are more common in drier sites away from streams (typically F/M = 0.6). Spatial segregation between sexes may develop because of the higher reproductive cost in females compared to males. Copyright [year] American Geophysical Union. Reproduced by permission of American Geophysical Union. Further reproduction or electronic distribution is not permitted

Transpiration and hydraulic strategies in a piñon-juniper woodland

Journal ArticleAnthropogenic climate change is likely to alter the patterns of moisture availability globally. The consequences of these changes on species distributions and ecosystem function are largely unknown, but possibly predictable based on key ecophysiological differences among currently coexisting species. In this study, we examined the environmental and biological controls on transpiration from a piñon juniper (Pinus edulis- Juniperus osteosperma) woodland in southern Utah, USA

Comparison of methods to estimate Ephemeral Channel Recharge, Walnut Gulch, San Pedro River Basin, Arizona

Journal ArticleEphemeral channel transmission loss represents an important groundwater surface water exchange in arid and semiarid regions and is potentially a significant source of recharge at the basin scale. Copyright [year] American Geophysical Union. Reproduced by permission of American Geophysical Union. Further reproduction or electronic distribution is not permitted

Ecohydrological implications of woody plant encroachment

Journal ArticleIncreases in the abundance or density of woody plants in historically semiarid and arid grassland ecosystems have important ecological, hydrological, and socioeconomic implications. Using a simplified water-balance model, we propose a framework for conceptualizing how woody plant encroachment is likely to affect components of the water cycle within these ecosystems

Carbon and nitrogen allocation to male and female reproduction in Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca, Pinaceae)

Journal ArticleWe measured carbon (respiration, photosynthesis, and production) and nitrogen allocation to male and female cones of Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) to quantify gender-specific: (1) resource allocation to reproduction, and (2) contribution to carbon costs of reproduction via photosynthesis

Ecohydrologic significance of hydraulic redistribution in a semiarid savanna

Journal ArticleRecent studies have illuminated the process of hydraulic redistribution, defined as the translocation of soil moisture via plant root systems, but the long-term ecohydrologic significance of this process is poorly understood. Copyright [year] American Geophysical Union. Reproduced by permission of American Geophysical Union. Further reproduction or electronic distribution is not permitted

Axial variation of xylem conduits in giant cacti

Giant columnar cacti store massive amounts of water in their parenchymous storage tissues in order to persist under conditions of extreme aridity. Nevertheless, the relationship between stem water storage capacity and the maximum efficiency to deliver water from the roots to stem storage tissues via xylem vessels remains largely unknown. Indeed, the relationship between the axial water flow in xylem and the lateral flow through the storage tissue may affect the xylem structure and, therefore, the plant water conduction strategies. Since the axial structure of vascular conduits has been demonstrated to be universal (i.e. in a broad spectrum of plant species xylem conduits widen basipetally at the same rate), we wanted to determine if both the vessel size and wall thickness in giant cactae follow the same general rule in spite of the buffer action of water storage tissue. To address these hypotheses, we are investigating anatomical variation in xylem structural traits and storage volume in the stems of giant cacti species belonging to different phylogenetic lineages that are native to both the Northern and Southern hemisphere (e.g.Pachycereus weberi, Echinopsis terschekii, Carnegiea gigantea). We collected cross-sections from 6 to 13 samples along the stem of each plant. We found that vessel lumina increased basipetally following a widening rate similar to what has been documented by the theoretical model (WBE model) and from existing surveys on a wide range of tree species. The conduits double wall thickness (t) and its span (s) ratio decrease basipetally and interplay to reduce the risk of cell collapse. We concluded that the xylem architecture of columnar cacti in this study was not influenced by the buffering action of the surrounding storage tissue, and that axial water transport efficiency is maintained for the length of the path as in many other plant species

Conservation physiology and the quest for a ‘good’ Anthropocene

It has been proposed that we are now living in a new geological epoch known as the Anthropocene, which is specifically defined by the impacts that humans are having on the Earth’s biological diversity and geology. Although the proposal of this term was borne out of an acknowledgement of the negative changes we are imparting on the globe (e.g. climate change, pollution, coastal erosion, species extinctions), there has recently been action amongst a variety of disciplines aimed at achieving a ‘good Anthropocene’ that strives to balance societal needs and the preservation of the natural world. Here, we outline ways that the discipline of conservation physiology can help to delineate a hopeful, progressive and productive path for conservation in the Anthropocene and, specifically, achieve that vision. We focus on four primary ways that conservation physiology can contribute, as follows: (i) building a proactive approach to conservation; (ii) encouraging a pragmatic perspective; (iii) establishing an appreciation for environmental resilience; and (iv) informing and engaging the public and political arenas. As a collection of passionate individuals combining theory, technological advances, public engagement and a dedication to achieving conservation success, conservation physiologists are poised to make meaningful contributions to the productive, motivational and positive way forward that is necessary to curb and reverse negative human impact on the environment

Conservation physiology and the quest for a ‘good’ Anthropocene

It has been proposed that we are now living in a new geological epoch known as the Anthropocene, which is specifically defined by the impacts that humans are having on the Earth’s biological diversity and geology. Although the proposal of this term was borne out of an acknowledgement of the negative changes we are imparting on the globe (e.g. climate change, pollution, coastal erosion, species extinctions), there has recently been action amongst a variety of disciplines aimed at achieving a ‘good Anthropocene’ that strives to balance societal needs and the preservation of the natural world. Here, we outline ways that the discipline of conservation physiology can help to delineate a hopeful, progressive and productive path for conservation in the Anthropocene and, specifically, achieve that vision. We focus on four primary ways that conservation physiology can contribute, as follows: (i) building a proactive approach to conservation; (ii) encouraging a pragmatic perspective; (iii) establishing an appreciation for environmental resilience; and (iv) informing and engaging the public and political arenas. As a collection of passionate individuals combining theory, technological advances, public engagement and a dedication to achieving conservation success, conservation physiologists are poised to make meaningful contributions to the productive, motivational and positive way forward that is necessary to curb and reverse negative human impact on the environment

Elevating the impact of conservation physiology by building a community devoted to excellence, transparency, ethics, integrity and mutual respect

[Extract] Ten years ago, the journal Conservation Physiology was launched jointly by the Society for Experimental Biology and Oxford University Press. Much has been accomplished since 2012 including publishing over 600 papers in the journal and helping to build a sense of place for aspiring and practicing conservation physiologists (Cooke et al., 2020). Yet, more work is needed to further elevate the impact of conservation physiology as a discipline and community. Here, we summarize what is needed to build and strengthen a community devoted to not only excellence, transparency, ethics, integrity and mutual respect, but also courage to tackle some of the overarching challenges humanity faces. As active voices in the conservation physiology community we hope that this paper will help shape the future of our discipline while also guiding the activities and priorities of the journal and editorial team. Since the term ‘conservation physiology’ was coined by Wikelski and Cooke (2006) it has emerged as an essential component of conservation science and practice. Conservation physiology is about the use of physiological tools, knowledge and concepts to understand and solve conservation problems across diverse taxa (Cooke et al., 2013). It is regarded as being particularly effective at understanding mechanisms, generating cause–effect relationships (e.g. threat X does Y to organism Z), creating predictive tools and testing conservation interventions (Cooke and O’Connor, 2010). Issues relevant to conservation physiology range from very local, focused on recovery of an imperilled population (Birnie-Gauvin et al., 2017), to global-scale issues such as tackling the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Cooke et al., 2020) and the climate crisis (Madliger et al., 2021c). The discipline is now supported by a conceptual framework (Coristine et al., 2014), a journal (https://academic.oup.com/conphys) and a reference book (Madliger et al. 2021a). There is also a growing community of researchers who engage in conservation physiology and even define themselves as conservation physiologists (Madliger et al., 2021b). Moreover, in conservation physiology there are success stories that demonstrate the potential of conservation physiology (Madliger et al., 2016)