Abstract:

Water is an important limiting factor for plant survival and growth in dryland. Researching plant hydraulic conduction in dryland can clarify the water use strategies of plants in response to water stress and their effects on water cycle. Although numerous studies have explored the response of plants to water stress， few studies systematically focused on the response of different plant organs （root， xylem and leaf） to water stress. Therefore， this review presents the hydraulic conduction in individual plants and their response to future climate change at home and abroad， and the results show： （1） Plants cope with water stress by altering their morphological characteristics， such as increasing the root-to-shoot ratio， reducing plant height， and shedding distal leaves and roots； （2） Hydraulic redistribution occurs in plant root in response to water stress； Water stress causes embolism in plant xylem， which responds to water stress by changing xylem anatomical characteristics. Meanwhile， leaves adapt to water stress by altering leaf structural characteristics and stomatal regulation. （3） There is an uncertainty about whether there is a trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and safety in plant hydraulic conduction process in dryland， under the regional climate change background of “warm and dry”， therefore， further model synthesis research is needed.

Key words: vegetation restoration in dryland, hydraulic conduction, root water absorption, xylem conduction, leaf transpiration