Vegetation responds dynamically to local microclimates at both short and long time scales via mechanisms ranging from physiological behaviors, such as stomatal closure, to acclimation and adaptation. These responses influence the carbon, water, and energy cycles directly and are therefore crucial to understanding and predicting Earth system responses to a changing climate. Several recent studies have demonstrated that differences in microclimate can induce structural and functional acclimations, and potentially adaptations, within the same ecosystem. Such microclimate divergence can be caused by variability in slopes, disturbance history, or even localized resource availability. Ecosystem stressors such as low soil water availability, limited photoperiod, or high vapor pressure deficit have been shown to reveal the large impact of the subtle differences within these systems such as the number of sun versus shade leaves or differences in whole-plant water acquisition and use. These findings highlight the linkages between plant canopy structure and ecosystem function, alongside the need for comprehensive analyses of vegetation within the broader context of its environment. This commentary addresses some of the key implications of ecosystem stress responses and accompanying acclimations across three ecosystem types for ecosystem ecology, plant physiology, ecohydrology and trait-based modeling of vegetation-climate dynamics.

中文翻译：

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压力源揭示生态系统的隐藏特征

植被通过从生理行为（如气孔关闭）到驯化和适应等一系列机制，在短期和长期尺度上对局部小气候做出动态响应。这些响应直接影响碳、水和能量循环，因此对于理解和预测地球系统对气候变化的响应至关重要。最近的几项研究表明，小气候的差异会导致同一生态系统内的结构和功能适应以及潜在的适应。这种小气候差异可能是由坡度、干扰历史甚至局部资源可用性的变化引起的。生态系统压力因素，如土壤水分利用率低、光周期有限、或高蒸汽压亏缺已被证明可以揭示这些系统内细微差异的巨大影响，例如阳光与遮荫叶的数量或整株植物水分获取和使用的差异。这些发现强调了植物冠层结构和生态系统功能之间的联系，同时需要在更广泛的环境背景下对植被进行综合分析。本评论针对生态系统生态学、植物生理学、生态水文学和基于特征的植被气候动力学建模等三种生态系统类型，阐述了生态系统压力响应和伴随的驯化的一些关键影响。这些发现强调了植物冠层结构和生态系统功能之间的联系，同时需要在更广泛的环境背景下对植被进行综合分析。本评论针对生态系统生态学、植物生理学、生态水文学和基于特征的植被气候动力学建模等三种生态系统类型，阐述了生态系统压力响应和伴随的驯化的一些关键影响。这些发现强调了植物冠层结构和生态系统功能之间的联系，同时需要在更广泛的环境背景下对植被进行综合分析。本评论针对生态系统生态学、植物生理学、生态水文学和基于特征的植被气候动力学建模等三种生态系统类型，阐述了生态系统压力响应和伴随的驯化的一些关键影响。