Stomatal, mesophyll and biochemical limitations to soil drought and rewatering in relation to intrinsic water-use efficiency in Manchurian ash and Mongolian oak

The balance between stomatal and mesophyll conductance has been reported to directly influence intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUEi), but it is unclear whether variations in limitations (lsc lm, respectively) affect WUEi during soil drought rewatering. Limitations (lsc, lm biochemical limitation, lb) were measured Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr.) Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica Fish. ex Ledeb) saplings exposed two levels of water stress (moderate severe) rewatering this study. primary limiting factors for photosynthesis among lsc, lb their correlations with assessed. Both lsc increased stress, while decreased, recovery, increased. Photosynthesis influenced WUEi, being larger after than increasing as capacity weakened at the expense diffusional lm). Stomatal closure was more net recovery treatments; consistently higher former species, possibly due a developed root system leaf hydraulic stem vessel diameter species.