Ziziphus jujuba, a fruit tree in dry regions, was studied to understand how it copes with lack of water. The researchers grew the plants in different water conditions and measured their growth and how they use water. They found that when water was scarce, the plants put more energy into growing roots to find water. Even though the leaves and stems grew less, the plants kept absorbing carbon dioxide for photosynthesis at a steady rate. This helped them use water more efficiently. Overall, Ziziphus jujuba showed that it can adapt to water shortage by focusing on root growth and maintaining a consistent carbon dioxide assimilation rate.