Linking xylem network failure with leaf tissue death

Global warming is expected to dramatically accelerate forest mortality as temperature and drought intensity increase. Predicting the magnitude of this impact urgently requires an understanding process connecting atmospheric drying plant tissue damage. Recent episodes worldwide have been widely attributed dry conditions causing acute damage vascular systems. Under scenario embolisms produced by water stress are thought cause death, yet hypothetical trajectory has never empirically demonstrated. Here we provide foundational evidence failure in network leaves with caused during stress. We observe a catastrophic sequence initiated column breakage under tension leaf veins which severs local supply, immediately cellular dehydration irreversible By highlighting primacy death exposed or evaporative our results strong mechanistic foundation upon models response can be confidently structured.