ROLE OF STABLE ISOTOPES IN PLANT

WATER RELATION
Submitted by: RABIA YASIN

2014-ag-5262
Subject: Bot- 701
 Role of Stable Isotopes in Plant Water Relations
Water is the most important factor limiting ecosystem processes such as plant survival
and reproduction. Because of the implications for natural vegetation, agriculture and water
resources in semiarid and arid regions of the world, it is important to provide better information
concerning the source of water for plants. Thus, the relationship between water and plants
always receives particular attention in the science of eco-hydrology. Stable isotopes has been
developed as a powerful tool for investigating processes in plant-water relations such as
recognizing plant water use and responding to different types of water sources, better
understanding water utilization processes, water use efficiency, pattern, mechanism, and the
ability to adopt to arid environments. The utility of stable isotopes in water as an avenue for
understanding water utilization by plants is based on the fundamental observation that there is
no isotopic fractionation of either hydrogen ('H, ^H or D) or oxygen '^ ''^ isotopes of water during
water uptake by roots.
There are several advantages of stable isotope analyses for use in studies of water uptake
by plants. Firstly, there are often large gradients in isotopic composition of water within plant
communities. (1) there are often marked differences in isotopic composition of various water
bodies, making it easier to determine which kind of water source; (2) the amount of required
sample is very small, therefore it is effectively non-destructive; (3) no radioactive or no
radioactive labeling is required to distinguish clearly among potential water sources, making it
possible to get continuous temporal information not available by labeled approaches; (4)
quantitative estimates of water sources at different soil depths; (5) it can reflect plant water
sources under natural conditions, and (6) it can study water use efficiency and transpiration,
combined with plant potential based on simple physiological indexes. Analysis of stable isotopes
in water along these gradients makes it easy to determine which water source(s) is currently
exploited by the plant. As such, stable isotope analyses of source and xylem sap water provide a
powerful tool for improving our understanding of active rooting zones and water uptake
processes. Such understanding can provide insights into the role of water in influencing ecological
and physiological processes. Carbon isotopes in organic matter (leaves and tree rings) are
providing information on both plant water-use efficiency and stomatal limitations to
photosynthesis.
The stable isotopic composition of atmospheric water is a function of temperature and
depletion of isotopes that occurs as an air mass moves over continental land masses. Stable
isotope studies of hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope ratios of water within plants are providing
new information on water sources, competitive interactions and water use patterns under
natural conditions. Variation in the utilization of summer rain by arid land species and limited use
of stream water by mature riparian trees are two examples of how stable isotope studies have
modified our understanding of plant water relations. Analyses of xylem sap and tree rings have
the potential of providing both short-term and long-term information on plant water use
patterns. Results from isotopic studies over the past 6-8 years are providing new insights into the
functioning of roots within the soil profile and of the differential utilization of water by plants
within natural communities (Ehleringer et al., 1993).
The isotopic composition of waters from springs and closed, inland basins may differ from
the MWL because of evaporative enrichment. Variation in these sources of fresh water can be as
large as 200%o in a single location. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in xylem sap are providing
information on the water source used by the plant without destructive belowground sampling;
analyses of tree rings provide equivalent long-term information. In the near future, it is evident
that such isotopic analyses will provide new ecological insights into potential competitive
interactions among species in a community, linkages between efficiency of water-use and specific
water sources, and linkages between plant performance and landscape hydrology. Quantitative
temporal measures of both water sources used by plants and plant water-use efficiency under
natural conditions provide an approach through which the impact of episodic events (e.g.
droughts and flooding) can be directly assessed.
The use of stable isotope techniques in plant ecological research has grown steadily
during the past two decades. This trend will continue as investigators realize that stable isotopes
can serve as valuable nonradioactive tracers and nondestructive integrators of how plants today
and in the past have interacted with and responded to their abiotic and biotic environments. At
the center of nearly all plant ecological research which has made use of stable isotope methods
are the notions of interactions and the resources that mediate or influence them. It is measured
that how it is associated with the critical plant resources carbon, water, and nitrogen have helped
deepen our understanding of plant-resource acquisition, plant interactions with other organisms,
and the role of plants in ecosystem studies. Where possible we also introduce how stable isotope
information has provided insights into plant ecological research being done in a paleontological
context. Progress in our understanding of plants in natural environments has shown that the
future of plant ecological research will continue to see some of its greatest advances when stable
isotope methods are applied.
Stable isotope analyses of both H and O have significantly improved our understanding of
water source acquisition by plants because the “pools” of water used by plants can easily be
distinguished. There are now examples from a wide range of ecosystems showing how different
plant species use water resources in time and in space. Hydrogen and O isotope analyses have
been used effectively to determine the reliance of a species on shallow versus deep soil water
and surface runoff or stream water versus soil water. The stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes
widely exist in various kinds of natural water. Plants have to cope with various water sources:
rainwater, soil water, groundwater, sea water, and mixtures. These are usually characterized by
different isotopic signatures (18O/16O and D/H ratios) (Dawson et al., 2002).
Because there are relative abundance variations in water, and plant roots do not
discriminate against specific water isotopes during water uptake, hydrogen and oxygen stable
isotope ratios of water within plants provide new information on water sources, interactions
between plant species and water use patterns under natural conditions. At present, the
measurement of δD, δ18O composition of various potential water sources and stem water has
become significant means to identify plant water sources. Based on previous studies, this review
highlights recent advances such as theory basis, methodology, as well as different spatial and
temporal scales, and existed questions and prospects. Stable isotope techniques for estimating
plant water sources have provided valuable tools for conducting basic and applied research.
Future studies emphasize the modification of preparing methods, isotope technique combined
with other measurements, and aerial organs of plant water source should be encouraged
(Ehleringer and Dawson, 1992).
 References:
Dawson, T.E., S. Mambelli, A.H. Plamboeck, P.H. Templer and K.P. Tu. 2002. Stable isotopes in plant
ecology. Annual review of ecology and systematics. 33:507-559.
Ehleringer, J. and T. Dawson. 1992. Water uptake by plants: Perspectives from stable isotope composition.
Plant, Cell & Environment. 15:1073-1082.
Ehleringer, J.R., A.E. Hall and G.D. Farquhar. 1993. Stable isotopes and plant carbon-water relations. Vol.
109-129: Academic Press San Diego.