Das Projekt "Resistenz gegenüber Trockenheits- und Gefrierstress: Intraspezifische Variabilität in Koniferen und Angiospermen" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Innsbruck, Institut für Botanik, Abteilung für Physiologie und Zellphysiologie Alpiner Pflanzen durchgeführt. Drought stress is an important limiting factor for plant life on our planet. Plants developed numerous adaptation strategies to withstand drought stress including mechanisms to protect living tissues and to optimize hydraulic architecture. In the proposed study, we intend to analyse intraspecific variations in xylem hydraulics of two conifer and angiosperm species, respectively, growing at different altitudes (between 400 and 200m) and under different climatic conditions (in Auvergne, France, and Tirol, Austria). We will study drought resistance and frost resistance of living tissues and conducting elements in the axis (secondary) xylem. This should enable an estimation of the adaptation potential of the species studied and demonstrate the variability in hydraulics between high and low altitude stands. The study is planned in cooperation between the Department of Botany, University Innsbruck and INRA, Clermont-Ferrand. In addition, Silvia Kikuta, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna will participate in one research stay.