Work

From water deficit to growth suppression: meta-analytic evidence for a functional hierarchy of drought adaptation in Hippophae rhamnoides

Year: 2026

Type: review

Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis

Abstract: Drought constrains shrub establishment and persistence in arid and semi-arid restoration systems. Although Hippophae rhamnoides is widely planted in northern China, its drought responses vary among studies, hindering the identification of stable indicators. We synthesized 3,855 treatment-control comparisons from 49 controlled experiments across 12 Chinese provinces using random-effects meta-analysis and structural equation modeling. Results showed that drought adaptation in H. rhamnoides follows a functional cascade. Water status and membrane stability were the most consistent early constraints, followed by strong suppression of photosynthetic and gas-exchange traits. Photosynthesis acted as a key mediating factor linking water deficit, hormonal adjustment, and growth reduction. Under severe drought, membrane permeability increased by 89.5%, while leaf water content, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance decreased by 37.2, 83.3, 91.2, and 92.9%, respectively. Therefore, drought evaluation should prioritize water status, membrane stability, photosynthetic performance, and growth traits.

Source: Photosynthetica

DOI: 10.32615/ps.2026.023