---
OA_place: publisher
OA_type: free access
_id: '22516'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Defining plant hydraulic traits is central to the quantification of ecohydrological
    processes ranging from land-atmosphere interactions, to tree mortality and water-carbon
    budgets. A key plant trait is the xylem specific hydraulic conductivity (Kx),
    that describes the plant's vascular system capacity to transport water. While
    xylem's vessels and tracheids are dead upon maturity, the xylem is neither inert
    nor deadwood, various components of the sapwood and surrounding tissue remaining
    alive and functional. Moreover, the established definition of Kx assumes linear
    relations between water flux and pressure gradient by tacitly considering the
    xylem as a “passive conduit”. Here, we re-examine this notion of an inert xylem
    by systematically characterizing xylem flow in several woody plants using Kx measurements
    under constant and cyclic pressure gradients. Results show a temporal and pressure
    gradient dependence of Kx. Additionally, microscopic features in “living branches”
    are irreversibly modified upon drying of the xylem, thus differentiating the macroscopic
    definition of Kx for living and dead xylem. The findings highlight the picture
    of the xylem as a complex and delicate conductive system whose hydraulic behaviour
    transcends a passive gradient-based flow. The study sheds new light on xylem conceptualization,
    conductivity measurement protocols, in situ long-distance water transport and
    ecosystem modelling.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Sara
  full_name: Bonetti, Sara
  last_name: Bonetti
- first_name: Daniel
  full_name: Breitenstein, Daniel
  last_name: Breitenstein
- first_name: Simone
  full_name: Fatichi, Simone
  id: cf8e546b-a9b0-11f0-a43b-aa89ed1b56d6
  last_name: Fatichi
- first_name: Jean‐Christophe
  full_name: Domec, Jean‐Christophe
  last_name: Domec
- first_name: Dani
  full_name: Or, Dani
  last_name: Or
citation:
  ama: Bonetti S, Breitenstein D, Fatichi S, Domec J, Or D. Persistent decay of fresh
    xylem hydraulic conductivity varies with pressure gradient and marks plant responses
    to injury. <i>Plant, Cell &#38; Environment</i>. 2021;44(2):371-386. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13893">10.1111/pce.13893</a>
  apa: Bonetti, S., Breitenstein, D., Fatichi, S., Domec, J., &#38; Or, D. (2021).
    Persistent decay of fresh xylem hydraulic conductivity varies with pressure gradient
    and marks plant responses to injury. <i>Plant, Cell &#38; Environment</i>. Wiley.
    <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13893">https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13893</a>
  chicago: Bonetti, Sara, Daniel Breitenstein, Simone Fatichi, Jean‐Christophe Domec,
    and Dani Or. “Persistent Decay of Fresh Xylem Hydraulic Conductivity Varies with
    Pressure Gradient and Marks Plant Responses to Injury.” <i>Plant, Cell &#38; Environment</i>.
    Wiley, 2021. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13893">https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13893</a>.
  ieee: S. Bonetti, D. Breitenstein, S. Fatichi, J. Domec, and D. Or, “Persistent
    decay of fresh xylem hydraulic conductivity varies with pressure gradient and
    marks plant responses to injury,” <i>Plant, Cell &#38; Environment</i>, vol. 44,
    no. 2. Wiley, pp. 371–386, 2021.
  ista: Bonetti S, Breitenstein D, Fatichi S, Domec J, Or D. 2021. Persistent decay
    of fresh xylem hydraulic conductivity varies with pressure gradient and marks
    plant responses to injury. Plant, Cell &#38; Environment. 44(2), 371–386.
  mla: Bonetti, Sara, et al. “Persistent Decay of Fresh Xylem Hydraulic Conductivity
    Varies with Pressure Gradient and Marks Plant Responses to Injury.” <i>Plant,
    Cell &#38; Environment</i>, vol. 44, no. 2, Wiley, 2021, pp. 371–86, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13893">10.1111/pce.13893</a>.
  short: S. Bonetti, D. Breitenstein, S. Fatichi, J. Domec, D. Or, Plant, Cell &#38;
    Environment 44 (2021) 371–386.
das_tickbox: '1'
date_created: 2026-07-27T12:30:24Z
date_published: 2021-02-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2026-08-07T09:06:00Z
day: '01'
doi: 10.1111/pce.13893
extern: '1'
external_id:
  pmid:
  - '32964494 '
intvolume: '        44'
issue: '2'
keyword:
- Plant hydraulic traits
- Plant vascular system
- Sapflow
- Xylem conductivity measurements
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
  url: https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13893
month: '02'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 371-386
pmid: 1
publication: Plant, Cell & Environment
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1365-3040
  issn:
  - 0140-7791
publication_status: published
publisher: Wiley
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Persistent decay of fresh xylem hydraulic conductivity varies with pressure
  gradient and marks plant responses to injury
type: journal_article
user_id: ba8df636-2132-11f1-aed0-ed93e2281fdd
volume: 44
year: '2021'
...