A global meta-analysis of Water Use Efficiency proxies reveals that UV
radiation decreases transpiration without improving WUE
Abstract
Plant water use efficiency (WUE) links physiological processes to
ecosystem-scale carbon and water cycles, making it a crucial parameter
for climate change adaptation modelling. Climate and stratospheric ozone
dynamics expose plants to varying intensity of ultraviolet‐B radiation
(UV-B), which affects stomatal function and transpiration. This
meta-analysis evaluates UV-B effects on WUE using gas exchange and
isotopic proxies. While UV-B radiation reduces stomatal conductance and
transpiration, it also suppresses photosynthesis, particularly under
non-saturating light. As a result, WUE remains unchanged or declines in
UV-B exposed plants, depending on the measurement method. Instantaneous
gas exchange-based WUE proxies indicate a decrease, whereas
isotope-based proxies, integrating long-term fluxes, show no significant
UV-B effect. Notably, UV-B suppresses photosynthesis only in studies
using supplemental UV radiation, while UV exclusion in field settings
has no significant impact on WUE. Some field studies even report
improved WUE under ambient UV-B, suggesting potential adaptive benefits.
These findings challenge the assumption that UV-B-induced decreases in
transpiration enhance WUE. Instead, they highlight a complex interplay
between UV radiation, photosynthesis, and stomatal regulation,
emphasizing the need to reconsider UV-B’s role in plant water relations
under future climate conditions.