Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Vessels are the chief conduit for long-distance water transport in the majority of flowering plants. Vessel length is a key trait that determines plant hydraulic efficiency and safety, yet relatively little is known about this xylem feature. • METHODS: We used previously published studies to generate a new global data set of vessel length in woody plants. These data were used to examine how evolutionary history, plant habit, environment, and growth ring porosity influenced vessel length. We also examined the relationship between mean vessel length and mean vessel diameter and maximum vessel length. • KEY RESULTS: Data on mean vessel length were available for stems of 130 species and on maximum vessel length for stems of 91 species. A phylogenetic analysis indicated that vessel length did not exhibit significant phylogenetic signal. Liana species had longer vessel lengths than in tree or shrub species. Vessel diameter was not predictive of mean vessel length, but maximum vessel length strongly predicted mean vessel length. Vessel length did not vary between species that differed in growth ring porosity. • CONCLUSIONS: Many traits often assumed to be linked to vessel length, including growth ring porosity and vessel diameter, are not associated with vessel length when compared interspecifically. Sampling for vessel length has been nonrandom, e.g., there are virtually no data available for roots, and sampling for environment has been confounded with sampling for habit. Increased knowledge of vessel length is key to understanding the structure and function of the plant hydraulic pathway.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Stem vessel length data covered 130 species for means and 91 for maxima.
Verbatim
e0“Data on mean vessel length were available for stems of 130 species and on maximum vessel length for stems of 91 species.”
t0“woody plants”
t1“woody plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Vessel length showed no significant phylogenetic signal.
Not reportedSetting
Verbatim
e0“vessel length did not exhibit significant phylogenetic signal”
t0“woody plants”
t1“woody plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Liana species had longer vessels than trees or shrubs.
Verbatim
e0“Liana species had longer vessel lengths than in tree or shrub species.”
Claim · model-written summary
Vessel diameter did not predict mean vessel length.
Not reportedSetting
Verbatim
e0“Vessel diameter was not predictive of mean vessel length”
t0“woody plants”
t1“woody plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Maximum vessel length strongly predicted mean vessel length.
- Taxon
- woody plantst0
- Outcome
- mean vessel lengthe0
- Direction
- strongly predictede0
- Qualifier
- maximum vessel lengthe0
Not reportedSetting
Verbatim
e0“maximum vessel length strongly predicted mean vessel length”
t0“woody plants”
t1“woody plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Vessel length did not vary with growth ring porosity.
Not reportedSetting
Verbatim
e0“Vessel length did not vary between species that differed in growth ring porosity.”
t0“woody plants”
t1“woody plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Root vessel length data were virtually absent.
Verbatim
e0“there are virtually no data available for roots”
t0“woody plants”
t1“woody plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Environmental sampling was confounded with plant habit.
Verbatim
e0“sampling for environment has been confounded with sampling for habit”
t0“woody plants”
t1“woody plants”