Siyu Wang publishes her first, first-authored paper in Physiologia Plantarum

UTM Biology congratulates PhD candidate Siyu Wang on the publication of her first first-authored research paper, “Early Autumn: Drought Accelerates Leaf Senescence in Temperate Tree Species,” in the journal Physiologia Plantarum.

The study was conducted under the supervision of Professor Ingo Ensminger, with co-authors Bridget Murphy and Noelle Perkins.

Wang’s research examines how increasing drought conditions associated with climate warming affect autumn phenology and leaf senescence in temperate tree species—processes that have important implications for forest productivity and carbon sequestration. While drought is known to influence plant physiology, the mechanisms linking drought stress to changes in seasonal timing have remained poorly understood.

To address this gap, Wang and her colleagues designed a factorial field experiment involving three temperate tree species: the evergreen white pine and the deciduous red maple and white oak. Using rainout structures to reduce precipitation by approximately 50 per cent in drought-stressed plots, the team measured growth, photosynthesis, and leaf spectral reflectance to assess drought impacts on autumn phenology.

The researchers found that drought-stressed deciduous seedlings exhibited premature leaf senescence compared to well-watered controls. Water deficits during the growing season also led to reduced photosynthetic rates, height growth, and biomass accumulation. In addition, the study demonstrated that carotenoid-based vegetation indices effectively captured drought-induced changes in leaf physiology and phenology, highlighting their potential as valuable tools for monitoring drought stress in temperate forests.

UTM Biology congratulates Siyu Wang on this significant milestone and wishes her continued success in her research career.

Read the full paper, here.