Drought and Freezing Compromise Woody‐Plant Functioning in High Mountain Ecosystems Under Mediterranean Climate: The Case of Bencomia exstipulata

Bencomia exstipulata, an endemic shrub in Teide National Park, exhibits limited adaptations to drought and freezing, despite its high-altitude montane habitat. Research reveals that while it maintains fast leaf turnover with high photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance, its xylem is vulnerable to embolism under severe drought, and leaves lack robust photoprotective mechanisms against freezing temperatures. The study combines ecophysiological characterization, drought tolerance evaluation at leaf and xylem levels, and freezing stress analysis at biophysical and photochemical levels. Findings suggest that extreme climate events, such as prolonged drought or severe freezing, could pose lethal risks to this species in the long term, highlighting its fragile ecological balance in Mediterranean-type climates.

Fernández‐Marín, B., Perera‐Castro, A. V., Brito‐Gutiérrez, P., Arzac, M. I., Peña, F. J. D., Ganthaler, A., García‐Rodríguez, C., Laza, J. M., Luis, V. C., Hidalgo, J., Mayr, S., Neuner, G., Ruiz‐Medina, M. A., García‐Plazaola, J. I., Puértolas, J., & González‐Rodríguez, Á. M. (2026). Drought and Freezing Compromise Woody‐Plant Functioning in High Mountain Ecosystems Under Mediterranean Climate: The Case of Bencomia exstipulata. Physiologia Plantarum, 178(4). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.70965