No carbon storage in growth-limited trees in a semi-arid woodland

Plant survival depends on a balance between carbon supply and demand. When carbon supply becomes limited, plants buffer demand by using stored carbohydrates (sugar and starch). During drought, NSCs (non-structural carbohydrates) may accumulate if growth stops before photosynthesis. This expectation is pervasive, yet few studies have combined simultaneous measurements of drought, photosynthesis, growth, and carbon storage to test this. Using a field experiment with mature trees in a semi-arid woodland, we show that growth and photosynthesis slow in parallel as psi(pd) declines, preventing carbon storage in two species of conifer (J. monosperma and P. edulis). During experimental drought, growth and photosynthesis were frequently co-limited. Our results point to an alternative perspective on how plants use carbon that views growth and photosynthesis as independent processes both regulated by water availability.

Automated summary

Plant survival depends on the balance between carbon supply and demand. When carbon supply is limited, plants use stored carbohydrates to buffer demand. During drought, non-structural carbohydrates may accumulate if growth stops before photosynthesis. A field experiment with mature trees in a semi-arid woodland showed that growth and photosynthesis slow down in parallel as drought progresses, preventing carbon storage in two conifer species. The study suggests that growth and photosynthesis are independently regulated by water availability in plants' use of carbon.