Embolism resistance drives the distribution of Amazonian rainforest tree species along hydro‐topographic gradients

• DOI: 10.1111/nph.15463
• Publication Date: 2018-10-08T15:47:34Z
• Authors: Rafael S. Oliveira; Flavia R. C. Costa; Emma van Baalen; Arjen de Jonge; Paulo R. Bittencourt; Yanina Almanza; Fernanda de V. Ba...; Edher C. Cordoba; Marina V. Fagundes; Sabrina Garcia; Zilza T. M. Guima...; Mariana Hertel; Juliana Schietti; Jefferson Rodrigu...; Lourens Poorter
• Keywords: Species distribution; Environmental gradient

Summary Species distribution is strongly driven by local and global gradients in water availability but the underlying mechanisms are not clear. Vulnerability to xylem embolism (P 50 ) a key trait that indicates how species cope with drought might explain plant patterns across environmental gradients. Here we address its role on sorting along hydro‐topographical gradient central Amazonian rainforest examine variance at community scale. We measured P for 28 tree species, soil properties estimated hydrological niche of each using an indicator distance table ( HAND ). found large hydraulic diversity, covering as much 44% angiosperm variation . show : contributes segregation hydro‐topographic Amazon, thus coexistence; result repeated evolutionary adaptation within closely related taxa; associated tolerance P‐poor soils, suggesting evolution stress‐tolerance syndrome nutrients drought; higher trees valleys than uplands. The observed diversity association topography has important implications modelling predicting forest resilience climate change.