How Mediterranean Deciduous Trees Cope with Long Summer Drought? The Case of Quercus pyrenaica Forests in Western Spain.

摘要

The functional characteristics of Mediterranean deciduous trees provide an interesting model for\udinvestigating adaptative mechanisms to drought, useful to understand future changes of northern forests\udin scenery of climate change. In this article we analyse how a Mediterranean deciduous oak, Quercus\udpyrenaica, with a short vegetative period coincident with summer drought, cope with water deficit in\udthat period. We revised published data on temporal dynamic of soil moisture and physiological status of\udtree leaves of several forest stands of Central–Western Spain and discuss the significance of soil water\udreserve and deep rooting system on the maintenance of tree transpiration and physiological activity of\udthe trees along summer drought. Results revealed that (i) Q. pyrenaicaoak is only slightly water-limited\udduring summer drought, (ii) Q. pyrenaicaoaks depend on thick weathered, porous bedrocks, and (iii) Q.\udpyrenaicais a well-performing deciduous oak to cope with increasing summer drought.