Supplementary Materials for - Science Advances · Fig. S1. Historical and contemporary leaf functional trait plots through the origin. (A) leaf mass per area (LMA), Historical LMA

advances.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/5/12/eaax7906/DC1

Supplementary Materials for

Rising CO2 drives divergence in water use efficiency of evergreen and

deciduous plants

Wuu Kuang Soh*, Charilaos Yiotis, Michelle Murray, Andrew Parnell, Ian J. Wright, Robert A. Spicer, Tracy Lawson, Rodrigo Caballero, Jennifer C. McElwain

*Corresponding author. Email [email protected]

Published 11 December 2019, Sci. Adv. 5, eaax7906 (2019)

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax7906

This PDF file includes:

Fig. S1. Historical and contemporary leaf functional trait plots through the origin. Fig. S2. iWUE gain (∆iWUE) of deciduous and evergreen plants in biomes for growth habit, arranged by increasing MAT. Fig. S3. iWUE gain (∆iWUE) of deciduous and evergreen plants in biomes for habitat group, arranged by increasing MAT. Fig. S4. The changes in the ratio of leaf intercellular (ci) to ambient CO2 (ca), Δci/ca, in evergreens and deciduous species in biomes, arranged by increasing MAT. Fig. S5. iWUE change (∆iWUE) of deciduous and evergreen plants versus MAT change (∆MAT) and VPD change (∆VPD) in biome growth habit and habitat group. Fig. S6. Scatter plot of Nmass versus MAT for combined historical and contemporary samples of evergreen and deciduous plants. Fig. S7. Trend of iWUE from tree ring data along increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration between the years 1970 and 2013. Fig. S8. Evergreen and deciduous iWUE plotted against atmospheric CO2 concentration showing slope of response. Fig. S9. Kernel density plots of leaf life span (month) of deciduous and evergreen plants in the boreal-temperate and tropical biomes. Table S1. List of species studied, their leaf habit (evergreen, deciduous), habitat (understory subcanopy and open canopy), and growth habit (shrub and tree). Table S2. Summary of historical and contemporary site location, vegetation type, and collection date in alphabetical order by biome and site name. Table S3. Historical and contemporary samples showing average LMA in evergreen and deciduous group within biome and probability of evergreen LMA larger than deciduous LMA, P* = P(LMAevergreen > LMAdeciduous). Table S4. Average iWUE change (ΔiWUE) in biome between two time points 1988–1991 and 2013–2015 with CI95% from posterior distributions in Bayesian analysis.

Table S5. Average iWUE gain (ΔiWUE) in evergreen and deciduous plants within biome with CI95% from posterior distributions in Bayesian analysis. Table S6. Shrub and tree, average iWUE gain (ΔiWUE) in evergreen and deciduous plants within biome, with CI95% from posterior distributions in Bayesian analysis. Table S7. Understory-subcanopy and open-canopy habitat, average iWUE gain (ΔiWUE) in evergreen and deciduous plants within biome, with CI95% from posterior distributions in Bayesian analysis. Table S8. Average annual air temperature change and average annual VPD change of biomes between two time periods 1988–1991 and 2013–2015 with CI95% from posterior distributions in Bayesian analysis. Table S9. Average of coefficients of Model 1 and Model 2 with CI95% from posterior distributions in Bayesian analysis. Table S10. Slope of iWUE response to atmospheric CO2 concentration (ΔiWUE/ΔCO2) for individual trees arranged by leaf habit, species, and references. Table S11. Pearson correlation matrix (lower half panel in gray) and significance (upper half panel) between iWUE, VPD, precipitation, temperature, altitude, and latitude.

Fig. S1. Historical and contemporary leaf functional trait plots through the origin. (A) leaf

mass per area (LMA), Historical LMA = 0.97Contemporary LMA, r2

= 0.92. (B) nitrogen per

mass (Nmass), Historical Nmass = 0.97Contemporary Nmass, r2 = 0.93. n = 268 species-biome

averages.

Fig. S2. iWUE gain (∆iWUE) of deciduous and evergreen plants in biomes for growth

habit, arranged by increasing MAT. Dotplots represent mean of posterior distributions (n = 6,000

samples), 95% credible interval (CI). (A) Shrub. (B) Tree. Only biomes with both deciduous and evergreen leaf

habit are plotted. Biomes with historical or contemporary sample number less than five are not quantified for

∆iWUE and therefore are not plotted here.

Fig. S3. iWUE gain (∆iWUE) of deciduous and evergreen plants in biomes for habitat

group, arranged by increasing MAT. Dotplots represent mean of posterior distributions (n = 6,000

samples), 95% credible interval (CI). (A) Understory-subcanopy habitat. (B) Open-canopy habitat. Only biomes

with both deciduous and evergreen leaf habit are plotted.

Fig. S4. The changes in the ratio of leaf intercellular (ci) to ambient CO2 (ca), Δci/ca, in

evergreens and deciduous species in biomes, arranged by increasing MAT. The figure shows

responses amongst groups are mixed, consisting of near constant ci/ca (5 groups) or decreased

ci/ca (10 groups). A near constant ci/ca implies an increase in ci response relative to increasing ca

while a decrease in ci/ca infers a near constant ci.

Fig. S5. iWUE change (∆iWUE) of deciduous and evergreen plants versus MAT change

(∆MAT) and VPD change (∆VPD) in biome growth habit and habitat group. Line are fitted

regressions. (A) and (B) are plots for growth habits (shrub and tree). (C) and (D) are plots for

habitat groups (understory-subcanopy and open-canopy). All plots show that ∆iWUE between

deciduous and evergreen plants are parallel across ∆MAT and ∆VPD with all slopes and

interactions (between deciduous and evergreen) statistically insignificant.

Fig. S6. Scatter plot of Nmass versus MAT for combined historical and contemporary

samples of evergreen and deciduous plants. n = 2031 leaves. Line represent fitted regression

line. The figure show divergence of traits from high to low MAT in evergreen and deciduous

leaves. The same divergence trend is also observed each in historical and contemporary samples.

Fig. S7. Trend of iWUE from tree ring data along increasing atmospheric CO2

concentration between the years 1970 and 2013. (A) Deciduous trees. (B) Evergreen trees.

iWUE values were calculated from tree ring δ13

C. Lines color coded by species are fitted linear

regression lines.

Fig. S8. Evergreen and deciduous iWUE plotted against atmospheric CO2 concentration

showing slope of response. iWUE were calculated from leaf δ13

C collected between 1981 and

2005 collated from several published and unpublished leaf δ13

C data (76 studies; 1,000 species; n

= 1523 species-site).

Fig. S9. Kernel density plots of leaf life span (month) of deciduous and evergreen plants in

the boreal-temperate and tropical biomes. (A) Boreal-temperate biome with deciduous median = 4.5

months and evergreen median = 18 months. (B) Tropical biome with deciduous median = 7.4 months and evergreen

median = 14.8 months. All distributions show significant departure from normal distribution, Lilliefors

(Kolmogorov-Smirnov) test at P < 0.05. Deciduous and evergreen medians shown here in orange and green line

respectively. Data extracted from Wright et. al. 2004.

Table S1. List of species studied, their leaf habit (evergreen, deciduous), habitat (understory subcanopy and

open canopy), and growth habit (shrub and tree). Biome abbreviation: BF = Boreal forest, MED =

Mediterranean, SD = Subtropical desert, TDF = Temperate deciduous forest, TF = Tropical rainforest, TRF =

Temperate rainforest, TSF(D) = Tropical seasonal forest (dry) and TSF(M) = Tropical seasonal forest (moist). Letter

in parenthesis after species name indicates growth habit shrub (S) and tree (T). ‘na’ indicates samples are not

available.

Biome leaf

habit Understory-subcanopy Open-canopy

BF deciduous

Amelanchier alnifolia (T), Dasiphora fruticosa

(S), Menziesia ferruginea (S), Oplopanax

horridus (S), Ribes hudsonianum (S), Ribes

laxiflorum (S), Ribes triste (S), Rosa acicularis

(S), Rubus idaeus (S), Salix sp1 (S), Shepherdia

canadensis (S), Sorbus scopulina (T), Spiraea

betulifolia (S), Viburnum edule (S)

Alnus alnobetula (S), Alnus incana (T), Betula

nana (S), Betula neoalaskana (T), Populus

balsamifera (T), Populus tremuloides (T), Salix

alaxensis (T), Salix barclayi (S), Salix

scouleriana (T), Sambucus racemosa (T)

BF evergreen Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (S), Linnaea borealis

(S), Vaccinium vitis-idaea (S) na

SD deciduous na

Acacia constricta (S), Celtis laevigata (T),

Celtis pallida (T), Chilopsis linearis (T),

Fraxinus velutina (T), Gutierrezia sarothrae

(S), Populus fremontii (T), Prosopis velutina

(T), Salix exigua (S), Salix gooddingii (T),

Sambucus nigra (T), Senegalia greggii (T),

Ziziphus obtusifolia (S)

SD evergreen na

Ambrosia ambrosioides (S), Baccharis

salicifolia (S), Baccharis sarothroides (S),

Dodonaea viscosa (S), Encelia farinosa (S),

Larrea tridentata (S), Quercus turbinella (T),

Simmondsia chinensis (S)

TDF deciduous

Alnus serrulata (T), Asimina triloba (T),

Cornus amomum (S), Cornus florida (T),

Cyrilla racemiflora (S), Euonymus americanus

(S), Ilex verticillata (S), Lindera benzoin (S),

Sassafras albidum (T), Spiraea alba (S),

Vaccinium angustifolium (S), Vaccinium

corymbosum (S), Viburnum recognitum (S)

Acer negundo (T), Acer pensylvanicum (T),

Acer rubrum (T), Acer saccharum (T), Acer

spicatum (T), Betula alleghaniensis (T), Betula

populifolia (T), Carpinus caroliniana (T),

Carya ovata (T), Comptonia peregrina (S),

Diospyros virginiana (T), Fagus grandifolia

(T), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (T), Liquidambar

styraciflua (T), Liriodendron tulipifera (T),

Nyssa sylvatica (T), Populus tremuloides (T),

Prunus pensylvanica (T), Prunus serotina (T),

Quercus falcata (T), Quercus michauxii (T),

Quercus palustris (T), Rhus copallinum (S),

Salix nigra (T), Sambucus canadensis (S),

Sambucus racemosa (S), Ulmus americana (T),

Viburnum prunifolium (T)

TDF evergreen Ilex opaca (T), Kalmia latifolia (S),

Rhododendron maxima (S) na

TF evergreen

Aglaia basiphylla (T), Amaroria soulameoides

(T), Astronidium confertiflorum (T),

Buchanania attenuata (T), Dysoxylum

mollissimum (T), Fagraea gracilipes (T), Ficus

barclayana (S), Ficus fulvopilosa (S),

Flacourtia vitiensis (S), Flacourtia vitiensis (T),

Gardenia hillii (S), Gironniera celtidifolia (T),

Ixora maxima (T), Maesa tabacifolia (S),

Micromelum minutum (S), Neuburgia

corynocarpa (T), Nothobaccaurea pulvinata

(T), Parinari insularum (T), Polyscias

multijuga (S)

Acacia richii (T), Bischofia javanica (T),

Canarium harveyi (T), Dillenia biflora (T),

Elattostachys falcata (T), Ficus vitiensis (S),

Gardenia vitiensis (S), Myristica castaneifolia

(T), Myristica chartacea (T), Tabernaemontana

pandacaqui (T), Tabernaemontana thurstonii

(T), Vavaea amicorum (T)

MED

deciduous

Alnus rhombifolia (T), Holodiscus discolor (S),

Lonicera hispidula (S), Ribes sanguineum (S),

Rosa californica (S), Rosa gymnocarpa (S),

Symphoricarpos albus (S)

Acer macrophyllum (T), Acer negundo (T),

Aesculus californica (T), Alnus rubra (T),

Cornus sericea (S), Lonicera involucrata (S),

Oemleria cerasiformis (T), Populus tremuloides

(T), Prunus emarginata (T), Quercus lobata

(T), Rubus ursinus (S), Salix lasiandra (T),

Salix lasiolepis (T), Sambucus nigra (T),

Sambucus racemosa (T), Toxicodendron

diversilobum (S)

MED

evergreen

Cotoneaster coriaceus (S), Cotoneaster

pannosus (S), Mimulus aurantiacus (S),

Rhamnus crocea (S), Umbellularia californica

(T)

Arbutus menziesii (T), Baccharis pilularis (S),

Ceanothus cuneatus (S), Ceanothus oliganthus

(S), Ceanothus thyrsiflorus (S), Eriodictyon

californicum (S), Eriogonum latifolium (S),

Eriophyllum stoechadifolium (S), Frangula

californica (T), Heteromeles arbutifolia (S),

Lepechinia calycina (S), Lupinus arboreus (S),

Prunus ilicifolia (S), Quercus agrifolia (T)

TRF

Deciduous

Gaylussacia baccata (S), Holodiscus discolor

(S), Lonicera hispidula (S), Ribes sanguineum

(S), Rosa nutkana (S), Rubus parviflorus (S),

Rubus spectabilis (S)

Acer macrophyllum (T), Alnus alnobetula (S),

Alnus rubra (T), Corylus cornuta (S), Frangula

purshiana (T), Lonicera involucrata (S), Malus

fusca (T), Oemleria cerasiformis (T), Rubus

praecox (S), Rubus ursinus (S), Salix

hookeriana (T), Salix lasiandra (T), Salix

scouleriana (T), Salix sitchensis (T), Sambucus

racemosa (T)

TRF

Evergreen

Berberis nervosa (S), Rhododendron

macrophyllum (S), Umbellularia californica

(T), Vaccinium ovatum (S)

Arbutus menziesii (T), Arctostaphylos

columbiana (S), Baccharis pilularis (S),

Berberis aquifolium (S), Garrya elliptica (T),

Gaultheria shallon (S), Myrica californica (T),

Rhododendron occidentale (S)

TSF(D)

deciduous

Croton humilis (S), Erythroxylum areolatum

(T), Erythroxylum rotundifolium (T),

Rochefortia acanthophora (T)

Bucida buceras (T), Krugiodendron ferreum

(T), Pictetia aculeata (S), Plumeria alba (T),

Stenostomum lucidum (T), Swietenia mahogani

(T), Zanthoxylum flavum (T)

TSF(D)

Evergreen

Capparis indica (T), Cassine xylocarpa (S),

Coccoloba diversifolia (T), Crossopetalum

rhacoma (S), Croton betulinus (S), Croton

discolor (S), Cynophalla flexuosa (S), Eugenia

ligustrina (S), Guettarda elliptica (T),

Quadrella cynophallophora (T)

Chionanthus holdridgei (T), Colubrina elliptica

(T), Erithalis fruticosa (T), Eugenia rhombea

(T), Guaiacum officinale (T), Gyminda latifolia

(S), Gymnanthes lucida (T), Helicteres

jamaicensis (S), Hypelate trifoliata (T),

Pithecellobium unguis-cati (T), Reynosia

uncinata (T), Ziziphus reticulata (T)

TSF(M)

deciduous

Allophylus crassinervis (S), Randia aculeata

(S)

Bucida buceras (T), Casearia decandra (T),

Krugiodendron ferreum (T), Swietenia

macrophylla (T), Tabebuia heterophylla (T)

TSF(M)

evergreen

Ardisia obovata (T), Calophyllum brasiliense

(T), Coccoloba diversifolia (T), Comocladia

glabra (S), Cupania americana (T), Drypetes

alba (S), Eugenia axillaris (T), Eugenia biflora

(T), Eugenia pseudopsidium (T), Faramea

occidentalis (S), Gonzalagunia hirsuta (S),

Miconia prasina (T), Misanteca parvifolia (T),

Nectandra coriacea (T), Neea buxifolia (S),

Picramnia pentandra (T), Psychotria nervosa

(S), Rondeletia inermis (S), Schaefferia

frutescens (S), Schefflera morototoni (T),

Stenostomum resinosum (T), Thouinia striata

(T)

Andira inermis (T), Casearia guianensis (T),

Casearia sylvestris (T), Chrysophyllum

oliviforme (T), Guapira fragrans (T), Guapira

obtusata (T), Pseudolmedia spuria (T),

Tetrazygia eleagnoides (S)

Table S2. Summary of historical and contemporary site location, vegetation type, and collection date in

alphabetical order by biome and site name. Biome abbrev: BF = Boreal forest, MED = Mediterranean, SD =

Subtropical desert, TDF = Temperate deciduous forest, TF = Tropical rainforest, TRF = Temperate rainforest,

TSF(D) = Tropical seasonal forest (dry) and TSF(M) = Tropical seasonal forest (moist).

No. Biome Site Latitude Longitude Elevation (m a.s.l.) Collection dates

1

BF

Historical site: Alyeska, Alaska

Contemporary site: Bird Creek,

Chugach State Park, Alaska

60°57'N 149°06'W 30 Aug 1991, Aug 2014

2

BF

Historical site: Kenai, Alaska

Contemporary site: Captain Cook

SRA, Alaska

60°33'N 151°12'W 10 Aug 1991, Aug 2014

3 BF

Eklutna Lake, Chugach State Park,

Alaska 61°25'N 149°09'W 270

Aug 1991, Aug 2014

4 MED Half Moon Bay, California 37°25'N 122°26'W 20 May 1991, Jun 2013

5 MED

Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve,

California 37°24'N 122°14'W 110 May 1991, Jun 2013

6

MED

Contemporary site: New Brighton

Beach State Park, California

Historical site: Santa Cruz, California

36°58'N 121°55'W 40 May 1991, Jul 2013

7 SD

Punkin Centre, Tonto National Forest,

Arizona 33°52'N 111°20'W 690 Apr 1991, Jul 2013

8 SD

Roosevelt Lake, Tonto National

Forest, Arizona 33°41.6'N 111°10'W 670 Apr 1989, Jul 2013

9 SD

Saguaro Lake, Tonto National Forest,

Arizona 33°33'N 111°32'W 450 Apr 1990, Jul 2013

10 TDF

Battle Creek Cypress Swamp,

Maryland 38°29'N 76°35'W 10 May 1990, May 2013

11 TDF

Smithsonian Environmental Research

Center, Maryland 38°52'N 76°35'W 15 May 1990, Jun 2014

12

TDF

Contemporary site: Gouldsboro State

Park, Pennsylvania

Historical site: Mt Pocono

41°14'N 75°28'W 580 May 1990, May 2013

13 TF Natua, Fii 16°43'S 179°09'E 60 Jul 1988, Jun 2015

14 TF Seaqaqa, Fii 16°38'S 179°09'E 350 Jul 1988, Jun 2015

15 TRF Bandon State Park, Oregon 43°07'N 124°23'W 15 Jun 1991, Aug 2013

16 TRF Cape Blanco State Park, Oregon 42°50'N 124°32'W 50 Jun 1991, Aug 2013

17 TRF Port Orford State Park, Oregon 42°45'N 124°30'W 70 Jun 1991, Aug 2013

18 TSF(M) Guajataca State Forest, Puerto Rico 18°24'N 66°58'W 250 Dec 1990, Jul 2014

19 TSF(M) Cambalache State Forest, Puerto Rico 18°27'N 66°35'W 50 Dec 1990, Jun 2014

20 TSF(D) Borinquen State Forest, Puerto Rico 17°58'N 66°52'W 150 Dec 1990, Jul 2014

Table S3. Historical and contemporary samples showing average LMA in evergreen and deciduous group

within biome and probability of evergreen LMA larger than deciduous LMA, P* = P(LMAevergreen >

LMAdeciduous). n= number of leaf.

Biome – leaf

habit

Historical samples Contemporary samples

n

Average

LMA

(g m-2)

LMA CI95% P* n

Average

LMA

(g m-2)

LMA CI95% P*

BF deciduous 52 63 52.4, 73.8 1

223 58.7 54.2, 63.2 1

BF evergreen 16 120.7 101.8, 140.1 19 107.9 92.5, 122.9

MED deciduous 45 69.3 58, 80.6 1

95 74.2 67.3, 81.3 1

MED evergreen 36 132.7 120, 145.5 83 137.8 130.5, 145.2

SD deciduous 20 117.1 99.6, 134.2 0.96

75 107.2 99.4, 114.9 1

SD Evergreen 14 140.1 120.2, 160 54 137.8 128.7, 147.2

TDF deciduous 61 35.5 25.8, 45.2 1

218 53.1 48.6, 57.6 1

TDF evergreen 11 135.5 112.8, 158.2 15 135.4 117.9, 152.9

TF evergreen 47 78.4 67.5, 89.5 - 174 74.4 69.2, 79.5 -

TRF deciduous 57 80.7 70.5, 91 1

141 77.8 72.2, 83.5 1

TRF evergreen 20 142.6 126, 159.5 74 149.5 141.7, 157.4

TSF(D) deciduous 13 111.7 90.7, 133 0.93

66 104.7 96.6, 112.8 1

TSF(D) evergreen 28 131.4 117.1, 145.9 119 146.2 140, 152.4

TSF(M) deciduous 19 67.1 49.3, 84.5 0.96

35 65.8 54.5, 77.1 0.88

TSF(M) evergreen 42 85.1 73.5, 96.9 159 73.3 68, 78.6

Table S4. Average iWUE change (ΔiWUE) in biome between two time points 1988–1991 and 2013–2015 with

CI95% from posterior distributions in Bayesian analysis. nh = number of leaf in historical sample, nc = number of

leaf in contemporary sample.

Biome nh nc Number of

species

ΔiWUE

(μmol mol-1)

CI95%

BF 68 242 27 9.6 7,12.2

MED 81 178 42 16.1 13.5,18.6

SD 34 129 21 6.4 2.7,9.9

TDF 72 233 44 8.5 6,11.1

TF 47 174 30 5.2 2,8.3

TRF 77 215 34 14.7 12.1,17.2

TSF(D) 41 185 33 16.5 13.3,19.7

TSF(M) 61 194 37 17.2 14.3,20

Table S5. Average iWUE gain (ΔiWUE) in evergreen and deciduous plants within biome with CI95% from

posterior distributions in Bayesian analysis. nh = number of leaf in historical sample, nc = number of leaf in

contemporary sample. P* = Probability, P(iWUE evergreen > iWUEdeciduous). P** = Probability, P(LMAevergreen >

LMAdeciduous).

Biome – leaf habit nh nc Average

ΔiWUE (μmol mol

-1)

CI95% P* nh + nc

Average LMA

(historical and

contemporary)

(g m-2)

LMA CI95% P**

BF deciduous 52 223 7.8 4.9, 10.7 0.98

275 60 55, 64 1

BF evergreen 16 19 15.2 9.3, 21.2 35 114 103, 126

MED deciduous 45 95 13 9.6, 16.4

0.99

140 73 67, 79

1 MED evergreen 36 83 20

16.3,

23.8 119 136 130, 143

SD deciduous 20 75 6 1.4, 10.4 0.88

95 110 102, 116 1

SD Evergreen 14 54 10.1 4.8, 15.3 68 139 130, 147

TDF deciduous 61 218 7.8 5.1, 10.5

0.99

279 49 45, 53

1 TDF evergreen 11 15 16.7

10.2,

23.5 26 136 123, 150

TF evergreen 47 174 5.2 2.1, 8.4 - 221 75 71, 80 -

TRF deciduous 57 141 12.9 10, 15.9

0.99

198 79 74, 84

1 TRF evergreen 20 74 20.1

15.5,

24.8 94 148 141, 155

TSF(D) deciduous 13 66 16.8 11.5,

22.3 0.51

79 106 98, 114

1

TSF(D) evergreen 28 119 16.9 13.1,

20.8 147 144 138, 149

TSF(M) deciduous 19 35 18.9 13.8,

24.2 0.31

54 66 57, 76 0.95

TSF(M) evergreen 42 159 17.3 14, 20.7 201 76 71, 81

Table S6. Shrub and tree, average iWUE gain (ΔiWUE) in evergreen and deciduous plants within biome, with

CI95% from posterior distributions in Bayesian analysis. nh = number of leaf in historical sample, nc = number of

leaf in contemporary sample. P* = Probability, P(iWUE evergreen > iWUEdeciduous) is the probability of evergreen

ΔiWUE higher than deciduous ΔiWUE. Biomes with historical or contemporary shrub sample number less than five

are not quantified for ∆iWUE and therefore probability, P(iWUE evergreen > iWUEdeciduous) is not calculated.

Biome – leaf

habit

Shrub Tree

nh nc Average

ΔiWUE (μmol mol

-1)

CI95% P* nh nc Average

ΔiWUE (μmol mol

-1)

CI95% P*

BF deciduous 28 12

8 6.9 3, 10.8

0.99 24 95 9.2 5.1, 13.4 Not applicable,

no BF

evergreen tree

samples BF evergreen 16 19 15.1 9.4, 21 na na

MED deciduous 18 34 9.3 4.2, 14.6

0.99

27 61 15.2 10.9, 19.5

0.95 MED evergreen 23 56 19

14.5,

23.5 13 27 21.1 15.3, 27.1

SD deciduous 4 16 na na Not applicable,

historical SD

deciduous samples

are less than five

16 59 7 2, 11.9 Not applicable,

historical SD

evergreen

samples are

less than five SD Evergreen 12 48 8.3 2.8, 14 2 6 na na

TDF deciduous 19 47 7.2 2.3, 12

0.94

45 17

7 8.2 4.8, 11.4

0.98

TDF evergreen 6 7 12.1 3.7, 20.3 5 8 17.9 9.7, 26.5

TF evergreen 9 39 7.6 1.4, 13.7 Not applicable, no

TF deciduous

shrub samples 38

13

5 5.1 1.6, 8.5

Not applicable,

no TF

deciduous tree

samples

TRF deciduous 28 80 10.5 6.5, 14.6

0.98

27 61 16.4 12.2, 20.6

0.89 TRF evergreen 16 49 17.7

12.7,

22.9 6 25 21.7 14.3, 29.1

TSF(D)

deciduous 2 13 na na Not applicable,

historical TSF(D)

deciduous samples

are less than five

11 53 18.1 12.5, 23.9

0.64 TSF(D)

evergreen 10 39 11.4 5.4, 17.1 18 80 19.4 14.7, 23.9

TSF(M)

deciduous 6 10 13.2 5.5, 21.3

0.46

13 25 19.6 13.8, 25.5

0.43 TSF(M)

evergreen 11 51 12.9 7.2, 18.4 31

10

8 19 15.3, 22.7

Table S7. Understory-subcanopy and open-canopy habitat, average iWUE gain (ΔiWUE) in evergreen and

deciduous plants within biome, with CI95% from posterior distributions in Bayesian analysis. nh = number of

leaf in historic sample, nc = number of leaf in contemporary sample. P* = Probability, P(iWUE evergreen >

iWUEdeciduous) is the probability of evergreen ΔiWUE higher than deciduous ΔiWUE. Biomes with historical or

contemporary shrub sample number less than five are not quantified for ∆iWUE and therefore probability,

P(iWUE evergreen > iWUEdeciduous) is not calculated.

Biome – leaf

habit

Understory-subcanopy Open-canopy

nh nc Average

ΔiWUE (μmol mol

-1)

CI95% P* nh nc Average

ΔiWUE (μmol mol

-1)

CI95% P*

BF deciduous 26 12

2 8.6 4.5, 12.6

0.97

26 10

1 7.8 3.7, 11.9 Not applicable,

no BF

evergreen

samples BF evergreen 16 19 15.1 9.3, 21 na na na na

MED deciduous 11 22 7 0.7, 13.3

0.99

34 73 15.2 11.3, 19.1

0.94 MED evergreen 9 17 17.6

10.6,

24.5 27 66 19.9 15.6, 24.2

SD deciduous na na na na No understory-

subcanopy habita

in SD

20 75 5.8 1.1, 10.4 0.87

SD Evergreen na na na na 14 54 9.9 4.5, 15.4

TDF deciduous 19 61 6 1.2, 10.7

0.99

42 15

7 8.7 5.5, 12 No applicable,

no TDF

evergreen

samples TDF evergreen 11 15 16.7 10.1,

23.5 na na na na

TF evergreen 27 91 5.3 1.2, 9.3 Not applicable, no

TF deciduous

samples 20 83 4.8 0.2, 9.3

Not applicable,

no TF

deciduous

samples

TRF deciduous 20 55 5.1 0.5, 9.9 0.89

35 86 18.3 14.5, 22.1 0.96

TRF evergreen 6 22 10.6 3.1, 18.1 16 52 24.1 18.8, 29.2

TSF(D)

deciduous 5 22 13.8 5.8, 22

0.24

9 44 19.6 13.4, 25.8

0.61 TSF(D)

evergreen 14 45 10.4 4.9, 15.8 14 74 20.8 15.6, 26

TSF(M)

deciduous 6 10 13.3 5.3, 21.3

0.58

13 25 19.9 14, 26.2

0.87 TSF(M)

evergreen 31

12

2 14.1

10.3,

17.9 11 37 24.8 18.8, 31

Table S8. Average annual air temperature change and average annual VPD change of biomes between two

time periods 1988–1991 and 2013–2015 with CI95% from posterior distributions in Bayesian analysis. Averages

were calculated from aggregated one year monthly temperature and VPD before collection month for the two time

periods. nh = historical months in one year before and including collection month for all sites in a biome, nc =

contemporary months in one year before and including collection month for all sites in a biome. Direction of change

is from 1988‒1991 to 2013‒2015.

Biome nh nc Temperature

change (oC) CI95%

VPD

change

(kPa)

CI95%

BF 36 36 1.3 -1.78, 5.21 0.03 -0.07, 0.15

MED 36 36 -0.31 -1.16, 0.56 0.01 -0.08, 0.11

SD 36 36 0.92 -1.01, 2.75 0.01 -0.15, 0.18

TDF 36 36 0.75 -3.07, 4.68 0.09 -0.49, 0.69

TF 24 24 -0.05 -4.19, 4.03 0.09 -0.15, 0.36

TRF 36 36 0.89 -1.22, 3.05 0.07 -0.16, 0.29

TSF(D) 12 12 0.68 -0.53, 1.91 0.02 -0.1, 0.15

TSF(M) 24 24 0.68 -0.14, 1.5 0.01 -0.05, 0.07

Table S9. Average of coefficients of Model 1 and Model 2 with CI95% from posterior distributions in Bayesian

analysis. The β coefficient values which are the gains of iWUE in Model 1 and Model 2 are stated in the main text

as average ΔiWUE and average ΔiWUE/ΔCO2 respectively.

Model Coefficient Description Average CI95%

Model 1

αdeciduous Intercept of the iWUE–Time

relationship in deciduous group 50.45 47.26, 53.64

αevergreen Intercept of the iWUE–Time

relationship in evergreen group 43.23 39.39, 46.96

λ1 The slope of the iWUE–VPD

relationship 5.47 4.01, 6.97

λ2 The slope of the iWUE–

precipitation relationship -0.08 -0.09, -0.06

λ3 The slope of the iWUE–altitude

relationship 0.011 0.005, 0.016

Model 2

αdeciduous Intercept of the iWUE–CO2

relationship in deciduous group -17.62 -41.8, 8.65

αevergreen Intercept of the iWUE–CO2

relationship in evergreen group -41.94 -70.11, -16.46

λ1 The slope of the iWUE–VPD

relationship 5.53 4.01, 7.03

λ2 The slope of the iWUE–

precipitation relationship -0.077 -0.094, -0.06

λ3 The slope of the iWUE–altitude

relationship 0.011 0.005, 0.016

Table S10. Slope of iWUE response to atmospheric CO2 concentration (ΔiWUE/ΔCO2) for individual trees

arranged by leaf habit, species, and references. iWUE values were calculated deciduous and evergreen tree ring

δ13C, covering various interval of growing period between the 1970 and 2013. Each slope was derived from

regressing iWUE against atmospheric CO2 concentration (see fig. S7) including normalizing against mean annual

precipitation (MAP) and vapour pressure deficit (VPD). 95% credible interval (CI95%) from Bayesian posterior

samples are shown. n = number of data points. A = angiosperm, G = gymnosperm, D= deciduous, E = evergreen.

Biome abbreviations are as follows: BF = Boreal forest, MED = Mediterranean, SV = Savanna, TDF = Temperate

deciduous forest, TF = Tropical rainforest, TSF(D) = Tropical seasonal forest (dry).

Leaf

habit Species References Bioclimatic zones n Year ΔiWUE/ΔCO2 CI95% r2

D Acacia senegal Gebrekirstos et al. (2009) Tropics 30 1973-2002 0.31 (0.2, 0.42) 0.43

D Acacia seyal Gebrekirstos et al. (2009) Tropics 29 1973-2001 0.19 (0.07, 0.3) 0.20

D Acacia tortilis Gebrekirstos et al. (2009) Tropics 30 1973-2002 0.27 (0.16, 0.37) 0.65

D Adansonia

digitata Woodborne et al. (2015) Tropics 50 1960-2009 0.47 (0.4, 0.54) 0.66

E Araucaria

angustifolia Silva et al. (2009) Temperate-boreal 10 1960-2005 0.01 (-0.14, 0.16) 0.45

E Araucaria

angustifolia Silva et al. (2009) Temperate-boreal 10 1960-2005 0.45 (0.3, 0.6) 0.86

E Balanites

aegyptiaca Gebrekirstos et al. (2009) Tropics 30 1973-2002 0 (-0.11, 0.11) 0.26

D Cedrela odorata Fichtler et al. (2010) Tropics 21 1968-1988 0.25 (0.06, 0.45) 0.22

D Fagus sylvatica Hartl-Meier et al. (2014) Temperate-boreal 40 1971-2011 0.22 (0.15, 0.29) 0.44



D Fagus sylvatica Penuales et al. (2008) Temperate-boreal 11 1972-2002 0.05 (-0.1, 0.2) 0.18



D Fagus sylvatica Rezaei (2013) Temperate-boreal 38 1970-2013 -0.01 (-0.07, 0.05) 0.04

D Fagus sylvatica Rezaei (2013) Temperate-boreal 43 1970-2013 0.07 (0.01, 0.13) 0.24



D Larix cajanderi Sidorova et al. (2008) Temperate-boreal 44 1960-2003 0.16 (0.07, 0.25) 0.29

D Larix gmelinii Sidorova et al. (2010) Temperate-boreal 47 1960-2006 0.15 (0.07, 0.23) 0.37

D Mimosa

acantholoba Brienen et al. (2011) Tropics 40 1968-2007 0.41 (0.34, 0.49) 0.80

E Picea glauca Csank et al. (2016) Temperate-boreal 37 1974-2010 0.13 (0.06, 0.21) 0.30








E Picea glauca Hudson et al. (2015) Temperate-boreal 18 1992-2009 0.21 (0.04, 0.38) 0.24






E Pinus coulteri Feng and Epstein 1995 Temperate-boreal 34 1960-1991 0.2 (0.03, 0.36) 0.32

E Pinus longaeva Bale et al. (2011) Temperate-boreal 46 1960-2005 0.27 (0.18, 0.35) 0.86

E Pinus nigra Andreu-Hayles et al.

(2011) Temperate-boreal 40 1960-1999 0.52 (0.41, 0.63) 0.91

E Pinus sylvestris Arneth et al. (2002) Temperate-boreal 13 1960-1996 0.28 (0.08, 0.47) 0.83



E Pinus sylvestris Young et al. (2010) Temperate-boreal 42 1960-2001 0.42 (0.32, 0.52) 0.81

E Pinus uncinata Andreu-Hayles et al.

(2011) Temperate-boreal 29 1960-1999 0.58 (0.39, 0.78) 0.80

D Quercus robur Robertson et al. (1997) Temperate-boreal 25 1970-1994 0.15 (0.01, 0.3) 0.09

D Quercus robur Robertson et al. (1997) Temperate-boreal 25 1970-1994 0.2 (0.05, 0.34) 0.20

D Swietenia

macrophylla Fitchler et al. (2010) Tropics 10 1979-1988 0.33 (0.04, 0.61) 0.33

E Terminalia

amazonia Fitchler et al. (2010) Tropics 24 1974-1997 0.04 (-0.1, 0.19) 0.03

E Terminalia

amazonia Fitchler et al. (2010) Tropics 14 1984-1997 0.21 (-0.04, 0.47) 0.29

E Terminalia

amazonia Fitchler et al. (2010) Tropics 21 1977-1997 0.3 (0.13, 0.48) 0.44

E Terminalia

guyanensis Fitchler et al. (2010) Tropics 24 1964-1987 0.52 (0.31, 0.73) 0.50

D Terminalia

sericea Fitchler et al. (2010) Tropics 9 1989-1997 0.22 (-0.09, 0.53) 0.02

D Terminalia

sericea Fitchler et al. (2010) Tropics 11 1987-1997 0.28 (-0.02, 0.57) 0.16

Table S11. Pearson correlation matrix (lower half panel in gray) and significance (upper half panel) between

iWUE, VPD, precipitation, temperature, altitude, and latitude.

iWUE VPD Precipitation Temperature Altitude Latitude

iWUE 1 > 0.01 > 0.01 0.032 > 0.01 > 0.01

VPD 0.26 1 0.370 > 0.01 > 0.01 > 0.01

Precipitation -0.24 -0.02 1 > 0.01 0.261 > 0.01

Temperature -0.05 0.53 0.65 1 > 0.01 > 0.01

Altitude 0.20 0.57 -0.03 0.13 1 > 0.01

Latitude 0.10 -0.41 -0.68 -0.93 -0.16 1

Documents

Supplementary Materials for - Science Advances · Fig. S1. Historical and contemporary leaf functional trait plots through the origin. (A) leaf mass per area (LMA), Historical LMA