Wood anatomy and tree-ring stable isotopes indicate a recent decline in water-use efficiency in the desert tree Moringa peregrina

The ability of desert plants to adapt to future climate changes and maximize their water-use efficiency will determine their survival. This study uses wood anatomy and δ13C and δ18O isotope analyses to investigate how Moringa peregrina trees in the Egyptian desert have responded to the environment over the last 10 years. Our results show that M. peregrina tree-ring widths (TRWs) have generally declined over the last decade, although individual series are characterized by high variability and low Rbars. Vessel lumen area percentages (VLA%) are low in wet years but increase significantly in dry years, such as the period 2017–2020. Stable δ13C isotope values decrease between 2010 (− 23.4‰) and 2020 (− 24.9‰), reflecting an unexpected response to an increase in drought conditions. The mean δ18O value (± standard error, SE) for the first ten rings of each tree from bark to pith (2020–2010) is 33.0 ‰ ± 0.85 with a range of 29.2–36.3‰, which indicates a common drought signal. The intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) declines gradually with time, from 130.0 µmol mol−1 in 2010 to 119.4 µmol mol−1 in 2020. The intercellular carbon concentration (Ci) and Ci/Ca ratio increase over the same period, likely as a result of decreasing iWUE. The results show that M. peregrina trees seem to cool their leaves and the boundary air at the cost of saving water.