The need to decipher plant drought stress along the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum

Lacking comparability among rainfall manipulation studies is still a major limiting factor for generalizations in ecological climate change impact research. A common framework for studying ecological drought effects is urgently needed to foster advances in ecological understanding the effects of drought. In this study, we argue, that the soil-plant-atmosphere-continuum (SPAC), describing the flow of water from the soil through the plant to the atmosphere, can serve as a holistic concept of drought in rainfall manipulation experiments which allows for the reconciliation experimental drought ecology. Using experimental data, we show that investigations of leaf water potential in combination with edaphic and atmospheric drought - as the three main components of the SPAC - are key to understand the effect of drought on plants. Based on a systematic literature survey, we show that especially plant and atmospheric based drought quantifications are strongly underrepresented and integrative assessments of all three components are almost absent in current experimental literature. Based on our observations we argue, that studying dynamics of plant water status in the framework of the SPAC can foster comparability of different studies conducted in different ecosystems and with different plant species and can facilitate extrapolation to other systems, species or future climates.

Automated summary

The lack of comparability among rainfall manipulation studies hinders generalizations in ecological climate change impact research. A common framework for studying ecological drought effects is urgently needed. This study proposes the soil-plant-atmosphere-continuum (SPAC) as a holistic concept of drought in rainfall manipulation experiments, allowing for the reconciliation of experimental drought ecology. The investigation of leaf water potential, along with edaphic and atmospheric drought, is essential for understanding the effect of drought on plants.