PSInet: a new global water potential network

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Plant Physiology

Background:

• Climate change intensifies drought and heat stress, impacting terrestrial ecosystems and their services.
• Soil and plant water potential are critical indicators of ecosystem water dynamics, plant function, and mortality.
• Current water potential data are limited by sporadic observations, inconsistent scales, and methodological challenges, hindering research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the first open-access global database for plant and soil water potential time series data.
• To foster a collaborative network for scientists studying water potential across diverse career stages.
• To standardize water potential data methodologies and interpretation, enhancing research synthesis and predictive modeling.

Main Methods:

• Creation of a novel collaborative network (PSInet) for researchers and data sharing.
• Development of an openly accessible global database for time series of plant and soil water potential measurements.
• Dissemination of standardized protocols, best practices, and training opportunities to the scientific community.

Main Results:

• Establishment of PSInet as a central hub for water potential data and research collaboration.
• Initiation of a global database linking plant and soil water potential measurements.
• Development of standardized protocols to improve data consistency and comparability.

Conclusions:

• PSInet addresses critical information gaps in water potential data, essential for understanding ecosystem resilience.
• The initiative will enhance conceptual understanding and predictive models of plant responses to environmental stressors.
• PSInet is vital for identifying plant species vulnerabilities and resilience in a warming and aridifying world.