Here, we examined the interaction between gas exchange and hydraulic function in the leaves, stems, and intact root systems of potted-seedlings of three evergreen basal angiosperm tree-species exposed to a cycle of severe water stress and subsequent rewatering.

The great divide in maximal ability to exchange CO 2 for water between leaves of nonangiosperms and angiosperms forms the mechanistic foundation for speculation about how angiosperms drove sweeping ecological and biogeochemical change during the Cretaceous. However, there is no empirical evidence that angiosperms evolved highly ...

We examined coordination between hydraulic, leaf vein, and gas‐exchange traits across a diverse group of 35 evergreen Australian angiosperms, spanning a large range in leaf structure and habitat. Leaf‐specific conductance was calculated from petiole vessel anatomy and was also measured directly using the rehydration technique.

This transition may have enabled the evolving angiosperms to develop leaves with higher gas exchange capacities required to adapt to the Cretaceous CO 2 decline and outcompete previously...

Postdrought recovery of plant gas exchange in angiosperm and conifer species has been shown to be dependent on the recovery of hydraulic function (Blackman et al., 2009; Brodribb & Cochard, 2009; Martorell, Diaz-Espejo, Medrano, Ball, & Choat, 2014), with the time to recovery being dependent on the severity of drought stress incurred (Flexas ...