![foundation plants that absorb water foundation plants that absorb water](https://olla.gr/images/thumbnails/280/280/detailed/503/HC2350C_5.jpg)
In arid ecosystems, water is the limiting factor on the ecological performance of plants ( Kidron 2010 Yang et al., 2014a Dai et al., 2015 Yang et al., 2017). These findings contribute to the knowledge of plant water physiology and restoration of desert plants in the arid regions of the planet. Our results suggest that atmospheric water might be a subsidiary water resource for sustaining the survival and growth of deep-rooted plants in arid desert regions. Foliar water uptake altered the plant water status and gas exchange-related traits, i.e., water potential, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and instantaneous water use efficiency. After atmospheric water was absorbed via the assimilating branches, which perform the function of leaves due to leaf degeneration, the plant transported the water to the secondary branches and trunk stems, but not to the taproot xylem or the soil, based on the 18O isotopic signatures of the specimen. The results showed that a high content of atmospheric water was the prerequisite for foliar water uptake by H. Plant water status, gas exchange, and 18O isotopic signatures of the plant were investigated following a typical rainfall pulse and a high-humidity exposure experiment. Mey.) Bunge, was selected as the experimental object to investigate the preconditions for and consequences of foliar water uptake. In the present study, a woody, deep-rooted, tomentum-less plant, Haloxylon ammodendron (C.A. However, whether deep-rooted, tomentum-less desert trees can absorb atmospheric water via aerial organs and transport the water into their bodies remains poorly understood. 5Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, AustraliaĪtmospheric water is one of the main water resources for plants in arid ecosystems.4Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.3Institute of Arid Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China.2College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China.1Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China.Xue-Wei Gong 1,2, Guang-Hui Lü 1,2,3 *, Xue-Min He 1,2,3, Binoy Sarkar 4,5 and Xiao-Dong Yang 1,2 *