Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 14, 2025

Two-Dimensional Visualization and Quantification of Labile, Inorganic Plant Nutrients and Contaminants in Soil
Published on: September 1, 2020
Plant water uptake from soil through a vapor pathway
Ana I Vargas1, Bruce Schaffer1, Leonel da S L Sternberg2
1Tropical Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Homestead, FL, 33031, USA.
Abstract:
Water uptake from the soil via a vapor pathway was tested. Viburnum suspensum L. plants were divided into: (1) irrigated, (2) drought with vapor and (3) drought without vapor treatments. Each plant was placed into a larger bucket containing deuterium-labeled water as a vapor source (vapor treatment) or no water (drought and irrigation treatments). We also tested whether uptake via a vapor pathway could mitigate drought effects. Net CO2 assimilation (A), transpiration (E) and stomatal conductance (gs) were measured daily until the first visible signs of stress. Soil water content, stem water potential (Ψ) and the stable hydrogen isotope ratio (δ2 H) of soil and plant xylem water were then measured in all treatments. We show that water is taken up by plants through the vapor phase in dry soils. The δ2 H values of the soil water in the vapor treatment were highly enriched compared to the background isotope ratios of the non-vapor exposed irrigated and drought treatments. Stem water δ2 H values for the vapor treatment were significantly greater than those for irrigation and drought treatments not exposed to isotopically enriched vapor. In this experiment, movement of water to the plant via the vapor phase did not mitigate drought effects. A, E, plant Ψ and gs significantly decreased in the drought and vapor treatments relative to the controls, with no significant differences between vapor and drought treatments.
Related Concept Videos
Xylem and Transpiration-driven Transport of Resources
Water and Mineral Acquisition
The Apoplast and Symplast
Short-distance Transport of Resources
Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss

