Vad gör en växt torktålig? : fysiologiska och morfologiska egenskaper i blad och rötter anpassade för en urban ståndort

Sammanfattning: The aim of this literature study is to examine and collect available information about physiological and morphological drought strategies and traits in woody species. Furthermore, the intention is to, based on collected information, discuss how this knowledge can be applied to the use of woody plant species in urban environments. Evident drought strategies in leaves are for example small leaf area per unit leaf mass (low SLA), reduction of light exposure by angling leaves, leaf hairs, waxed leaf surface and different strategies for regulating stomatal transpiration. Examples of root drought strategies include investing in a deep root system, in some cases developing a thick primary root (taproot). Physiological traits that could potentially serve as important indicators for predicting drought tolerance, are among others, the turgor loss point of a species, which describes the negative water potential at which the leaf cells collapse and the leaf wilts, along with the plant sensitivity for cavitation in xylem cells.