Hydrogen isotope fractionation in carbohydrates of leaves and xylem tissues follows distinct phylogenetic patterns: a common garden experiment with 73 tree and shrub species

TY - JOUR

T1 - Hydrogen isotope fractionation in carbohydrates of leaves and xylem tissues follows distinct phylogenetic patterns: a common garden experiment with 73 tree and shrub species

AU - Schuler, Philipp

AU - Vitali, Valentina

AU - Saurer, Matthias

AU - Gessler, Arthur

AU - Buchmann, Nina

AU - Lehmann, Marco M

N1 - © 2023 The Authors New Phytologist © 2023 New Phytologist Foundation.

PY - 2023/7

Y1 - 2023/7

N2 - Recent methodological advancements in determining the nonexchangeable hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2 Hne ) of plant carbohydrates make it possible to disentangle the drivers of hydrogen isotope (2 H) fractionation processes in plants. Here, we investigated the influence of phylogeny on the δ2 Hne of twig xylem cellulose and xylem water, as well as leaf sugars and leaf water, across 73 Northern Hemisphere tree and shrub species growing in a common garden. 2 H fractionation in plant carbohydrates followed distinct phylogenetic patterns, with phylogeny reflected more in the δ2 Hne of leaf sugars than in that of twig xylem cellulose. Phylogeny had no detectable influence on the δ2 Hne of twig or leaf water, showing that biochemistry, not isotopic differences in plant water, caused the observed phylogenetic pattern in carbohydrates. Angiosperms were more 2 H-enriched than gymnosperms, but substantial δ2 Hne variations also occurred at the order, family, and species levels within both clades. Differences in the strength of the phylogenetic signals in δ2 Hne of leaf sugars and twig xylem cellulose suggest that the original phylogenetic signal of autotrophic processes was altered by subsequent species-specific metabolism. Our results will help improve 2 H fractionation models for plant carbohydrates and have important consequences for dendrochronological and ecophysiological studies.

AB - Recent methodological advancements in determining the nonexchangeable hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2 Hne ) of plant carbohydrates make it possible to disentangle the drivers of hydrogen isotope (2 H) fractionation processes in plants. Here, we investigated the influence of phylogeny on the δ2 Hne of twig xylem cellulose and xylem water, as well as leaf sugars and leaf water, across 73 Northern Hemisphere tree and shrub species growing in a common garden. 2 H fractionation in plant carbohydrates followed distinct phylogenetic patterns, with phylogeny reflected more in the δ2 Hne of leaf sugars than in that of twig xylem cellulose. Phylogeny had no detectable influence on the δ2 Hne of twig or leaf water, showing that biochemistry, not isotopic differences in plant water, caused the observed phylogenetic pattern in carbohydrates. Angiosperms were more 2 H-enriched than gymnosperms, but substantial δ2 Hne variations also occurred at the order, family, and species levels within both clades. Differences in the strength of the phylogenetic signals in δ2 Hne of leaf sugars and twig xylem cellulose suggest that the original phylogenetic signal of autotrophic processes was altered by subsequent species-specific metabolism. Our results will help improve 2 H fractionation models for plant carbohydrates and have important consequences for dendrochronological and ecophysiological studies.

KW - Phylogeny

KW - Hydrogen/metabolism

KW - Oxygen Isotopes/metabolism

KW - Carbohydrates

KW - Plant Leaves/metabolism

KW - Carbon Isotopes/metabolism

KW - Cellulose/metabolism

KW - Xylem/metabolism

KW - Water/metabolism

KW - Sugars/metabolism

KW - Plants/metabolism

U2 - 10.1111/nph.18976

DO - 10.1111/nph.18976

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 37219870

VL - 239

SP - 547

EP - 561

JO - NEW PHYTOL

JF - NEW PHYTOL

SN - 0028-646X

IS - 2

ER -