Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42252700›Full record

ArticleTree physiology2026

Water stress and recovery dynamics of physiological function and growth in juvenile Pinus radiata.

Dejan Firm, Damien Sellier, Warren Yorston

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Tree physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Dejan FirmNew Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science, Titokorangi Drive, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0002-0522-3129
Damien SellierNew Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science, Titokorangi Drive, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0003-1788-874X
Warren YorstonNew Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science, Titokorangi Drive, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand.ORCID 0009-0006-2441-922X

Funding

Bioeconomy Science Institute's Strategic Science Investment FundingNew Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Forests worldwide face increasingly frequent, prolonged and severe droughts driven by climate change, causing widespread tree dieback and productivity losses. Yet predicting how trees recover their water-carbon balance and growth after non-lethal drought remains challenging. To address this, we subjected juvenile Pinus radiata D.Don-a drought-tolerant, strongly isohydric conifer-to moderate (14 weeks) and extended (20 weeks) dry-down periods. We continuously monitored stem radial growth and water reserves for over 6 months with high-resolution dendrometers, alongside weekly measurements of leaf gas exchange, capturing fine-scale dynamics of the water-carbon balance and growth during stress and recovery. We recorded a complete recovery of leaf function and stem growth in all plants after drought release, but the recovery rate depended on drought duration: plants under prolonged stress recovered more slowly. Stomatal conductance returned to control levels after $\sim$1.5 and 2.5 weeks following moderate and extended drought, respectively, whereas net $\mathrm{CO_{2}}$ assimilation recovered within $\sim$1.5 weeks regardless of drought duration. In contrast, cambial activity resumed rapidly, within a few days up to a week, as soon as stem water reserves were refilled. Growth recovery was rapid even in plants that experienced very low water potentials and nearly 2 months in a neutral or negative carbon balance state. Wood formation resumed ahead of photosynthesis recovery, reflecting a decoupling between carbon source and sink processes. Although drought reduced total radial growth, aboveground biomass gain in stressed plants remained comparable to that of well-watered controls, even for those with a growing period halved because of drought. This high degree of growth resilience arose through compensatory growth, with post-stress growth rates 1.4-2.4 times higher than pre-stress rates. These findings provide new insights into drought responses and recovery in a conifer with conservative water regulation and will improve model predictions of juvenile-tree resilience under future climates.

Indexed as

DroughtsPinusWaterCarbonDrought ResistancePlant LeavesPlant StemsCarbonWatercambial growthcarbon assimilationdrought recoverygas exchangeisohydric

Identifiers

PMID42252700
PMCPMC13282971

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.