Nocturnal stomatal behaviour and its impact on water use strategies of desert herbs in the Gurbantunggut Desert, Northwest China

Abstract

Nocturnal stomatal behaviour has the potential to exert a profound influence on plant-water relations, especially water use efficiency. However, we know very less about plant functional type differences in nocturnal stomatal conductance and their roles in plant stress adaptation, especially drought adaptation. To address this critical knowledge gap, we assessed diel leaf gas exchanges in eight ephemeral and perennial herbs growing on the southern edge of the Gurbantunggut Desert, Northwest China. For both ephemeral and perennial herbs, the nocturnal stomatal conductance (g_s) exceeded 30 % of daytime g_s, except for an ephemeral herb (Malcolmia scorpioides). The nocturnal g_s in the studied perennial herbs were significantly higher than it in the ephemeral herbs. The results suggest that circadian-driven stomatal priming plays a pivotal role in accelerating the attainment of steady-state g_s during the morning for perennial herbs, thereby enhancing their capacity for carbon capture. Moreover, the nocturnal stomatal behaviour of the ephemeral herbs favored water retention in the morning, consequently enhanced intrinsic water use efficiency and long-term water use efficiency. In summary, plant functional type differences in the magnitude of nocturnal stomatal opening were related to differences in water acquisition and utilization and highlighted diverse water use strategies in the desert plants.

Keywords: Gas exchange; Gurbantunggut deserts; Nocturnal stomatal behaviour; Plant functional type; Water use efficiency.