Individual Versus Combined Effects of Warming, Elevated CO and Drought on Grassland Water Uptake and Fine Root Traits.

Increasing warming, atmospheric CO and drought are expected to change the water dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems. Yet, limited knowledge exists about how the interactive effects of these factors will affect grassland water uptake, and whether adaptations in fine root production and traits will alter water uptake capacity. In a managed C grassland, we tested the individual and combined effects of warming (+3°C), elevated CO (eCO; +300 ppm) and drought on root water uptake (RWU) as well as on fine root production, trait adaptation, and fine root-to-shoot production ratios, and their relationships with RWU capacity. High temperatures, amplified by warming, exacerbated RWU reductions under drought, with negligible water-sparing effects from eCO. Drought, both under current and future (warming, eCO) climatic conditions, shifted RWU towards deeper soil layers. Overall, RWU capacity related positively to fine root production and specific root length (SRL), and negatively to mean root diameters. Warming effects on traits (reduced SRL, increased diameter) and the ratio of fine root-to-shoot production (increased) were offset by eCO. We conclude that under warmer future conditions, irrespective of shifts in water sourcing, it is particularly hot droughts that will lead to increasingly severe restrictions of grassland water dynamics.