Soil amendment mitigates mortality from drought and heat waves in dryland tree juveniles

Jason P. Field; Darin J. Law; Orrin B. Myers; Mallory L. Barnes; David D. Breshears; Kierstin M. Acuña; Xiao Feng; Joseph B. Fontaine; Katinka X. Ruthrof; Juan Camilo Villegas

doi:10.3389/ffgc.2024.1215051

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Soil amendment mitigates mortality from drought and heat waves in dryland tree juveniles

Journal article

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Soil amendment mitigates mortality from drought and heat waves in dryland tree juveniles

Jason P. Field, Darin J. Law, Orrin B. Myers, Mallory L. Barnes, David D. Breshears, Kierstin M. Acuña, Xiao Feng, Joseph B. Fontaine, Katinka X. Ruthrof and Juan Camilo Villegas

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, Vol.7, 1215051

2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2024.1215051

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Abstract

Mortality of tree species around the globe is increasingly driven by hotter drought and heat waves. Tree juveniles are at risk, as well as adults, and this will have a negative effect on forest dynamics and structure under climate change. Novel management options are urgently needed to reduce this mortality and positively affect forest dynamics and structure. Potential drought-ameliorating soil amendments such as nanochitosan – a biopolymer upcycled from byproducts of the seafood industry – may provide an additional set of useful tools for reducing juvenile mortality during hotter droughts. Nanochitosan promotes water and nutrient absorption in plants but has not been tested in the context of drought and heat stress. We evaluated factors affecting mortality risk and rate for dryland Pinus edulis juveniles (2–3 years old) in a growth chamber using a factorial experiment that included ambient and +4°C warmer base temperatures, with and without a 10 day +8°C heat wave, and with and without a nanochitosan soil amendment. The nanochitosan treatment reduced the relative risk of mortality, emphasizing a protective function of this soil amendment, reducing the relative risk of mortality by 37%. Importantly, the protective effects of nanochitosan soil amendment in delaying tree mortality under hotter drought and heat waves provides a new, potentially positive management treatment for tree juveniles trying to survive in the climate of the Anthropocene.

Details

Title: Soil amendment mitigates mortality from drought and heat waves in dryland tree juveniles
Authors/Creators: Jason P. Field - University of Arizona
Darin J. Law - University of Arizona
Orrin B. Myers - University of New Mexico
Mallory L. Barnes - Indiana University Bloomington
David D. Breshears - University of Arizona
Kierstin M. Acuña
Xiao Feng - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Joseph B. Fontaine - Murdoch University
Katinka X. Ruthrof - Murdoch University, Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
Juan Camilo Villegas - Universidad de Antioquia
Publication Details: Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, Vol.7, 1215051
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Identifiers: 991005692868207891
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.40 Forestry; 3.40.55 Forest Dynamics
Web Of Science research areas: Ecology; Forestry
ESI research areas: Environment/Ecology