Stem embolism vulnerability curve depends on methods used: is there a fifth mechanism of cavitation?

Abstract

A long-established ecological paradigm predicts a functional relationship determining vulnerability to cavitation: vulnerability increases with vessel hydraulic efficiency and vessel diameter. Even within a species, big vessels cavitate before small ones.

Some centrifuge methods for measuring vulnerability are prone to artifacts due to nano-particles seeding early embolism, as the particles are drawn into vessels during measurements. Both the Sperry and Cochard rotors are prone to early cavitation due to nano-particles drawn into long and wide vessels in Robinia pseudoacacia and Quercus acutissima, whereas extraction centrifuge methods produce vulnerability curves more resistant to cavitation.

Sufficient nano-particles pass through the stems to seed early embolism in all rotor designs. For several years, people have thought that early embolism is induced by nano-particles present in laboratory water. One new hypothesis is that the origin of nano-particles is from cut-open living cells but a much bigger study including many species is required to confirm this idea. This paper confirms the hypothesis in comparisons between short-vesselled Acer, and long-vesselled Robinia, and Quercus. Our new results and a review of old results justifies bigger study.

Hypothetical nano-particles might explain why different methods for measuring vulnerability curves cause different T₅₀ = tensions causing 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity. Hence the hypothesis for future research should be that the open-vessel artifact is consistent with ‘long’ vessels surrounded by cut open living cells.