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Forests
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Water Relations in Tree Physiology
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Water Relations in Tree Physiology

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecophysiology and Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 1535

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ning Du

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ecological Protection and Restoration, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, China
Interests: plant–water relations; plant functional traits; climate change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Qiang Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China
Interests: woody plant hydraulics; ecological strategy; plant stress responses
Dr. José Javier Peguero-Pina

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural and Forest Systems and the Environment, Agrifood Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA), Avda. Montañana 930, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: forest ecophysiology; Mediterranean climate; drought; photosynthesis; water relations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Water is particularly crucial for the growth and survival of trees, serving as the foundation for trees’ life activities. Research on tree water physiology is essential for understanding plant ecological strategies in different habitats; it also has important implications for plant evolution, biointeraction, community assembly, and ecosystem functions. However, many questions remain unresolved regarding trees’ water use strategies, especially in the context of climate change. This Special Issue will focus on the physiological processes of water acquisition, transport, storage, and loss in trees, exploring scientific questions such as water use strategies, niche differentiation, the trade-off between water transport efficiency and safety, and recovery and mortality mechanisms under extreme climates. Contributions are welcome at the individual, population, community, and ecosystem levels, with research methods including, but not limited to, molecular, morphological, anatomical, isotopic, spectroscopic, and remote sensing approaches. Novel methods in the study of water relations in tree physiology are especially encouraged, and original research papers, reviews, and meta-analyses are all within the scope for publication.

Dr. Ning Du
Dr. Qiang Li
Dr. José Javier Peguero-Pina
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • water transport efficiency
  • plant hydraulic traits
  • drought
  • recovery
  • mortality mechanisms
  • climate change
  • ecological strategy

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 4781 KiB  
Article
Seasonal Dynamics and Microenvironmental Drivers of Transpiration in Scrub Rhizophora mangle L. Trees from Yucatan
by Gabriela Cerón-Aguilera, Laura Yáñez-Espinosa, Ileana Echevarría-Machado, Rodrigo Méndez-Alonzo, Jorge Herrera-Silveira, Roberth Us-Santamaría, Julio Alberto Salas-Rabaza, Karina Elizabeth González-Muñoz and José Luis Andrade
Forests 2025, 16(2), 351; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16020351 - 15 Feb 2025
Viewed by 563
Abstract
Scrub mangrove forests, dominated by Rhizophora mangle L., are characterized by high porewater salinity, which might compromise individual sap flow rates (SF) due to seasonal and diurnal microenvironmental variations. We tested the functional, anatomical, and SF responses of 12 individuals to microenvironmental variables [...] Read more.
Scrub mangrove forests, dominated by Rhizophora mangle L., are characterized by high porewater salinity, which might compromise individual sap flow rates (SF) due to seasonal and diurnal microenvironmental variations. We tested the functional, anatomical, and SF responses of 12 individuals to microenvironmental variables such as solar radiation, photosynthetic photon flux, wind speed, evaporative demand, and porewater salinity, measured using an in situ weather station. Measurements were made in the dry and rainy seasons in the Yucatan Peninsula, using Granier heat dissipation sensors, installed on tree branches. During the rainy season, SF was twice as high as that during the dry season (0.22 ± 0.00 L h−1 and 0.11 ± 0.00 L h−1, respectively), despite lower evaporative demand. In both seasons, negative relationships between SF with vapor pressure deficit (VPD; dry τ = −0.54; rainy τ = −0.56) and with photosynthetic photon flux (PPF; dry τ = −0.97; rainy τ = −0.98) were found, indicating a strong hydraulic coupling to atmospheric conditions. Sap flow and transpiration rates of this R. mangle scrub mangrove forest exceeded those of some tropical dry deciduous forests, suggesting adaptations that support water transport in saline environments. The clustered xylem vessels of R. mangle ensure safe sap flow year-round. As an evergreen species, it contributes water to the atmosphere all year-round, underscoring its critical role in the tropical ecohydrological environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Relations in Tree Physiology)
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12 pages, 2730 KiB  
Article
Variations and Coordination of Leaflet and Petiole Functional Traits Within Compound Leaves in Three Hardwood Species
by Xiaohui Guo, Jinshan Zhang, Jiacun Gu, Zhongyue Li and Yan Wang
Forests 2025, 16(1), 139; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16010139 - 14 Jan 2025
Viewed by 650
Abstract
Leaf morphology and anatomy traits are key determinants for plant performance; however, their roles within compound leaves—comprising both leaflets and petioles—remain insufficiently studied. This study examined the anatomy, morphology, and biomass allocation of leaflets and petioles in three temperate species (Fraxinus mandshurica [...] Read more.
Leaf morphology and anatomy traits are key determinants for plant performance; however, their roles within compound leaves—comprising both leaflets and petioles—remain insufficiently studied. This study examined the anatomy, morphology, and biomass allocation of leaflets and petioles in three temperate species (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr., Juglans mandshurica Maxim., and Phellodendron amurense Rupr.). The results showed pronounced anatomical variations within the whole leaf. Specifically, as phyllotaxy increased, the number of conduits significantly increased in petioles but showed less variation. Within the same growth position, the number of conduits was highest in the petiole, followed by the petiolule, main vein, and minor veins. In the terminal leaf vascular network, thinner conduits of minor veins may result in a lower hydraulic efficiency but a higher resistance to embolism. Biomass allocation favored leaflets over petioles in all three examined species. Additionally, the specific leaf area slightly increased with an increase in the degree of phyllotaxy. These findings underscore the trade-offs of efficiency and safety in vascular tissues, as well as the expanding leaf and investment between the leaflet and petiole. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Relations in Tree Physiology)
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