Droughts and Water Use Strategies in Southern South American Forests: A Fast-Slow Economic Spectrum Perspective

Droughts and Water Use Strategies in Southern South American Forests: A Fast-Slow Economic Spectrum Perspective | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 29 July 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Droughts and Water Use Strategies in Southern South American Forests: A Fast-Slow Economic Spectrum Perspective Authors : Benjamín Castro 0009-0003-3818-487X [email protected] , Ben Castro , and María F Pérez Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175382376.66405681/v1 204 views 143 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Southern South American forests are unique, highly diverse, and geographically isolated, with many endemic tree species spanning specific genera and families. Arboreal species with ancient Gondwanan heritage have prospered in temperate and Mediterranean ecosystems through Quaternary cold cycles; however, they are now confronting novel threats to their persistence. Global climate change, especially reduced precipitation and more frequent intense droughts, is already impacting vast forest areas in south-central Chile. Here, we review the current information on how tree species in Southern South America (SSA) use water, how this water use is framed in the fast-slow economic spectrum, and how it is reflected in their strategies to confront a water deficit. We divided the different forest ecosystems of SSA based on latitudinal features (Mediterranean and Temperate) and main phylogenetic groups (Nothofagus and Conifers). We also looked deeply into the species that comprise the ecosystems or groups described above. By analyzing anatomical and physiological traits within the fast-slow economic spectrum, we classified species based on their growth habits and whether they adopt an avoidance or tolerance strategy. Finally, we review droughts that have affected the region over the past centuries. In this context, we draw conclusions and suggest future directions for the investigation of these unique ecosystems. Supplementary Material File (castro.perez.2025.pdf) Download 571.00 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 29 July 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License Keywords avoider/tolerant conifers drought fast-slow spectrum mediterranean forest nothofagus south america temperate forest Authors Affiliations Benjamín Castro 0009-0003-3818-487X [email protected] View all articles by this author Ben Castro Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad Nothofagus Lab, Chiloé View all articles by this author María F Pérez Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 204 views 143 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Benjamín Castro, Ben Castro, María F Pérez. Droughts and Water Use Strategies in Southern South American Forests: A Fast-Slow Economic Spectrum Perspective. Authorea . 29 July 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175382376.66405681/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . Format Please select one from the list RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks Direct import Tips for downloading citations document.getElementById('citMgrHelpLink').addEventListener('click', function() { popupHelp(this.href); return false; }); $(".js__slcInclude").on("change", function(e){ if ($(this).val() == 'refworks') $('#direct').prop("checked", false); $('#direct').prop("disabled", ($(this).val() == 'refworks')); }); View Options View options PDF View PDF Figures Tables Media Share Share Share article link Copy Link Copied! Copying failed. Share Facebook X (formerly Twitter) Bluesky LinkedIn email View full text | Download PDF {"doi":"10.22541/au.175382376.66405681/v1","type":"Article"} Now Reading: Share Figures Tables Close figure viewer Back to article Figure title goes here Change zoom level Go to figure location within the article Download figure Toggle share panel Toggle share panel Share Toggle information panel Toggle information panel Go to previous graphic Go to next graphic Go to previous table Go to next table All figures All tables View all material View all material xrefBack.goTo xrefBack.goTo Request permissions Expand All Collapse Expand Table Show all references SHOW ALL BOOKS Authors Info & Affiliations About FAQs Contact Us Directory RSS Back to top Powered by Research Exchange Preprints Help Terms Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences $(document).ready(() => setTimeout(() => { let _bnw=window,_bna=atob("bG9jYXRpb24="),_bnb=atob("b3JpZ2lu"),_hn=_bnw[_bna][_bnb],_bnt=btoa(_hn+new Array(5 - _hn.length % 4).join(" ")); $.get("/resource/lodash?t="+_bnt); },4000)); (function(){function c(){var b=a.contentDocument||a.contentWindow.document;if(b){var d=b.createElement('script');d.innerHTML="window.__CF$cv$params={r:'a0286a419edd4193',t:'MTc3OTkyMDUxMg=='};var a=document.createElement('script');a.src='/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/scripts/jsd/main.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(a);";b.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d)}}if(document.body){var a=document.createElement('iframe');a.height=1;a.width=1;a.style.position='absolute';a.style.top=0;a.style.left=0;a.style.border='none';a.style.visibility='hidden';document.body.appendChild(a);if('loading'!==document.readyState)c();else if(window.addEventListener)document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',c);else{var e=document.onreadystatechange||function(){};document.onreadystatechange=function(b){e(b);'loading'!==document.readyState&&(document.onreadystatechange=e,c())}}}})();