Torres-García et al. 2020_AJB_Ecophysiological data of the phreatophyte Ziziphus lotus

Data for the phreatophytic shrub Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam (Rhamnaceae) in a grounwater-dependent ecosystem of semiarid regions (southeastern Spain). Stable hydrogen (δ2H) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopes to find out which is the dominant water source for the plants. Carbon stable isotope composition of leaves (δ13C) as a ecological indicator of plants function. Predawn (Ψpd) and midday (Ψmd) water potentials to characterize the species on an isohydric–anisohydric continuum. Folar gas-exchange rates and nutrient concentrations to evaluate plants’ response to increasing water stress along a depth-to-groundwater (DTGW) gradient. For further description of the methods, please see Torres-García et al., 2021. Squandering water in drylands. Am. J. Bot. DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1606