Physical constraints and environmental factors shape phloem anatomical traits in woody angiosperm species

Xylem trait studies have enhanced our understanding of how plants strategically adapt their morphological and anatomical features to diverse climates. Despite the importance of the phloem in plant functioning, similar studies of phloem traits are lacking. To tackle this knowledge gap, we analyzed phloem anatomical traits of woody angiosperm species in relation to climate and the distance of samples to the stem tip. We collected main stem or branch cross-sections of 188 angiosperm woody species, which represent a wide range of climates and diverse families. Measurements of xylem vessel and phloem sieve element diameter, density, and lumen fraction were used in phylogenetic structural equation models to disentangle internal and climatic constraints on their morphological and anatomical features. Our results showed that distance-to-tip mainly affects sieve element and vessel diameter and density, while climate more strongly influenced conduit lumen fraction. Vessel size was positively correlated with temperature after correcting for the distance-to-tip, while sieve element diameter was correlated with water availability. Our results highlight the need to account for distance-to-tip when accessing anatomical variations linked to the environment, and show that sieve element traits respond to other climatic drivers than vessel traits rather than simply mirroring them.

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Publication Details

Journal
New Phytologist
Published
2025-09-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70578
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.21

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article

Physical constraints and environmental factors shape phloem anatomical traits in woody angiosperm species

Antonio Montagnoli, Jan Altman, Pei‐Li Fu, Patrick Heuret et al.
2 citations
New Phytologist
Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
2.21
article

Physical constraints and environmental factors shape phloem anatomical traits in woody angiosperm species

Antonio Montagnoli, Jan Altman, Pei‐Li Fu, Patrick Heuret, Sandrine Isnard, Yann Salmon, Cyrille Rathgeber, Jožica Gričar, Donato Chiatante, Johannes Liesche, Félix Forest, Anastazija Dimitrova, Santiago Trueba, Enkhchimeg Tsedensodnom, Olivier Maurin, Jiří Doležal, Alan Crivellaro, Ze‐Xin Fan, Yan Wang
article en
2 citations

Abstract

Xylem trait studies have enhanced our understanding of how plants strategically adapt their morphological and anatomical features to diverse climates. Despite the importance of the phloem in plant functioning, similar studies of phloem traits are lacking. To tackle this knowledge gap, we analyzed phloem anatomical traits of woody angiosperm species in relation to climate and the distance of samples to the stem tip. We collected main stem or branch cross-sections of 188 angiosperm woody species, which represent a wide range of climates and diverse families. Measurements of xylem vessel and phloem sieve element diameter, density, and lumen fraction were used in phylogenetic structural equation models to disentangle internal and climatic constraints on their morphological and anatomical features. Our results showed that distance-to-tip mainly affects sieve element and vessel diameter and density, while climate more strongly influenced conduit lumen fraction. Vessel size was positively correlated with temperature after correcting for the distance-to-tip, while sieve element diameter was correlated with water availability. Our results highlight the need to account for distance-to-tip when accessing anatomical variations linked to the environment, and show that sieve element traits respond to other climatic drivers than vessel traits rather than simply mirroring them.

New PhytologistVol. 248(5)
University of Insubria (IT), Ştefan cel Mare University of Suceava (RO), Meise Botanic Garden (BE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (FR), University of Helsinki (FI), Sewanee: The University of the South (US), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Université de Montpellier (FR), Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZ), AgroParisTech (FR), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (GB), Helsinki Institute of Physics (FI), Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (CN), Graz University of Technology (AT), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR), Institute of Botany of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK), Silva (FR), Slovenian Forestry Institute (SI), Institut Agro Montpelier (FR), French Community of Belgium (BE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR), Institute of Botany (AM), University of Turin (IT), National University of Mongolia (MN), Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (MK)
Helsingin Yliopisto, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Grantová Agentura České Republiky, Akademie Věd České Republiky
Openalex Percentile: Top 11%
Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
2.21
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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