“Is intrinsic water-use efficiency an early predictor of adult growth in sessile oak (Quercus petraea Matt. Liebl) high forest stands?” (2026), by Arivoara Rabarijaona et al. Environmental Science research paper. Original abstract below, unchanged. A free PDF is available.

Is intrinsic water-use efficiency an early predictor of adult growth in sessile oak (Quercus petraea Matt. Liebl) high forest stands?

Arivoara Rabarijaona, BRENDEL, Oliver, François Ningre et al. · November 9, 2026 · Environmental Science

Abstract

Key message The inter-individual variability in iWUE did not decrease over the course of the hundred years of development of the two oak stands studied. Early-life iWUE was linked to long-term growth only when the social structure of the stand remained stable. However, the modest effect of early-life iWUE on the size of adult trees did not affect survival or health. Context In a context of increasing drought episodes, identifying the causes of variations in individual growth performance is crucial. Aims We investigated whether early-life intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), and its plasticity to drought, estimated from tree-ring δ 13 C, can predict long-term growth performance of sessile oak trees. Methods Two mature stands with contrasting ecological and management contexts were selected: (i) a high-density stand without thinning since a century, and (ii) a low-density stand undergoing chronic soil water deficits. All trees in both plots ( n ~ 100 per plot) were cored, enabling reconstruction of the whole within-population variability of iWUE and radial growth trajectories. Results Although the sampled trees represented only survivors, inter-individual variability in iWUE was remarkably conserved over a century, suggesting that such a diversity may persist naturally within stands, even under environmental and sylvicultural filtering. Early-life diameter and iWUE were both moderate predictors of adult diameter and basal area index in the low-density stand. No relationship was observed between early-life iWUE and cumulative adult growth in the high-density stand. In both sites, iWUE plasticity to drought was not correlated to inter-individual differences in growth performance. Conclusion At best, early-life iWUE of individual trees was only a modest predictor of adult growth. However, this effect did not extend to tree survival or health.

Free PDF DOI: 10.1186/s13595-026-01378-y