Higher leaf nitrogen content is linked to tighter stomatal regulation of transpiration and more efficient water use across dryland trees

The least-cost economic theory of photosynthesis shows that water and nitrogen are mutually substitutable resources to achieve a given carbon gain. However, vegetation in the Sahel has to cope with the dual challenge imposed by drought and nutrient-poor soils. We addressed how variation in leaf nitrogen per area (N-area) modulates leaf oxygen and carbon isotopic composition (delta O-18, delta C-13) proxies of stomatal conductance and water-use efficiency, across 34 Sahelian woody species. Dryland species exhibited diverging leaf delta O-18 and delta C-13 values, indicating large interspecific variation in time-integrated stomatal conductance and water-use efficiency. Structural equation modeling revealed that leaf N-area is a pivotal trait linked to multiple water-use traits. Leaf N area was positively linked to both delta O-18 and delta C-13, suggesting higher carboxylation capacity and tighter stomatal regulation of transpiration in N-rich species, which allows them to achieve higher water-use efficiency and more conservative water use. These adaptations represent a key physiological advantage of N-rich species, such as legumes, that could contribute to their dominance across many dryland regions. This is the first report of a robust mechanistic link between leaf N-area and delta O-18 in dryland vegetation that is consistent with core principles of plant physiology.