Variation in the radial patterns of sap flux density in pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens) and its implications for tree and stand transpiration measurements

Radial variation in sap flux density across the sapwood was assessed by the heat field deformation method in several trees of Quercus pubescens Wild., a ring-porous species. Sapwood depths were delimited by identifying the point of zero flow in radial patterns of sap flow, yielding tree sapwood areas that were 1.5-2 times larger than assumed based on visual examinations of wood cores. The patterns of sap flow varied both among trees and diurnally. Rates of sap flow were higher close to the cambium, although there was a significant contribution from the inner sapwood, which was greater (up to 60% of total flow) during the early morning and late in the day. Accordingly, the normalized difference between outer and inner sapwood flow was stable during the middle of the day, but showed a general decline in the afternoon. The distribution of sap flux density across the sapwood allowed us to derive correction coefficients for single-point heat dissipation sap flow measurements. We used daytime-averaged coefficients that depended on the particular shape of the radial profile and ranged between 0.45 and 1.28. Stand transpiration calculated using the new method of estimating sapwood areas and the radial correction coefficients was similar to (Year 2003), or about 25% higher than (Year 2004), previous uncorrected values, and was 20-30% of reference evapotranspiration. We demonstrated how inaccuracies in determining sapwood depths and mean sap flux density across the sapwood of ring-porous species could affect tree and stand transpiration estimates.     

Vertical foliage distribution determines the radial pattern of sap flux density in Picea abies

Understanding the causes determining the radial pattern of sap flux density is important both for improving knowledge of sapwood functioning and for up-scaling sap flow measurements to canopy transpiration and ecosystem water use. To investigate the anatomical connection between whorls and annual sapwood rings, pruning-induced variation in the radial pattern of sap flux density was monitored with Granier probes in a 35-year-old Picea abies (L.) Karst tree that was pruned from the crown bottom up. Modifications in the radial pattern of sap flux density were quantified by a shape index (SI), which varies with the relative contribution of the outer and inner sapwood to tree transpiration. The SI progressively diminished during bottom up pruning, indicating a significant reduction in sap flow contribution of the inner sapwood. Results suggest that the radial pattern of sap flux density depends mainly on the vertical distribution of foliage in the crown, with lower shaded branches hydraulically connected with inner sapwood and upper branches connected with the outer rings.     

Radial profiles of sap flow with increasing tree size in maritime pine

We investigated the radial variation of sap flow within sapwood below the live crown in relation to tree size in 10-, 32-, 54- and 91-year-old maritime pine stands (Pinus pinaster Ait.). Radial variations were determined with two thermal dissipation sensors; one measured sap flux in the outer 20 mm of the xylem (Jref), whereas the other was moved radially across the sapwood in 20-mm increments to measure sap flux at multiple depths (Jref). For all tree sizes, sap flow ratios (Ri = JiJref (-1)) declined with increasing sapwood depth, but the decrease was steeper in trees with large diameters. Correction factors (C) were calculated to extrapolate Jref for an estimate of whole-tree sap flux. A negative linear relationship was established between stem diameter and C, the latter ranging from 0.6 to 1.0. We found that neglecting these radial corrections in 10-, 32-, 54- and 91-year-old trees would lead to overestimation of stand transpiration by 4, 14, 26 and 47%, respectively. Therefore, it is necessary to account for the differential radial profiles of sap flow in relation to tree size when comparing tree transpiration and hydraulic properties among trees differing in size.     

Diurnal and seasonal variability in the radial distribution of sap flow: predicting total stem flow in Pinus taeda trees

We monitored the radial distribution of sap flux density (v; g H2O m(-2) s(-1)) in the sapwood of six plantation-grown Pinus taeda L. trees during wet and dry soil periods. Mean basal diameter of the 32-year-old trees was 33.3 cm. For all trees, the radial distribution of sap flow in the base of the stem (i.e., radial profile) was Gaussian in shape. Sap flow occurred maximally in the outer 4 cm of sapwood, comprising 50-60% of total stem flow (F), and decreased toward the center, with the innermost 4 cm of sapwood (11-15 cm) comprising less than 10% of F. The percent of flow occurring in the outer 4 cm of sapwood was stable with time (average CV < 10%); however, the percentage of flow occurring in the remaining sapwood was more variable over time (average CV > 40%). Diurnally, the radial profile changed predictably with time and with total stem flow. Seasonally, the radial profile became less steep as the soil water content (theta) declined from 0.38 to 0.21. Throughout the season, daytime sap flow also decreased as theta decreased; however, nighttime sap flow (an estimate of stored water use) remained relatively constant. As a result, the percentage of stored water use increased as theta declined. Time series analysis of 15-min values of F, theta, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and vapor pressure deficit (D) showed that F lagged behind D by 0-15 min and behind PAR by 15-30 min. Diurnally, the relationship between F and D was much stronger than the relationship between F and PAR, whereas no relationship was found between F and theta. An autoregressive moving average (ARIMA) model estimated that 97% of the variability in F could be predicted by D alone. Although total sap flow in all trees responded similarly to D, we show that the radial distribution of sap flow comprising total flow could change temporally, both on daily and seasonal scales.     

Regulation of water flux through tropical forest canopy trees: do universal rules apply?

Tropical moist forests are notable for their richness in tree species. The presence of such a diverse tree flora presents potential problems for scaling up estimates of water use from individual trees to entire stands and for drawing generalizations about physiological regulation of water use in tropical trees. We measured sapwood area or sap flow, or both, in 27 co-occurring canopy species in a Panamanian forest to determine the extent to which relationships between tree size, sapwood area and sap flow were species-specific, or whether they were constrained by universal functional relationships between tree size, conducting xylem area, and water use. For the 24 species in which active xylem area was estimated over a range of size classes, diameter at breast height (DBH) accounted for 98% of the variation in sapwood area and 67% of the variation in sapwood depth when data for all species were combined. The DBH alone also accounted for > or = 90% of the variation in both maximum and total daily sap flux density in the outermost 2 cm of sapwood for all species taken together. Maximum sap flux density measured near the base of the tree occurred at about 1,400 h in the largest trees and 1,130 h in the smallest trees studied, and DBH accounted for 93% of the variation in the time of day at which maximum sap flow occurred. The shared relationship between tree size and time of maximum sap flow at the base of the tree suggests that a common relationship between diurnal stem water storage capacity and tree size existed. These results are consistent with a recent hypothesis that allometric scaling of plant vascular systems, and therefore water use, is universal.     

Heat dissipation sensors of variable length for the measurement of sap flow in trees with deep sapwood

Robust thermal dissipation sensors of variable length (3 to 30 cm) were developed to overcome limitations to the measurement of radial profiles of sap flow in large-diameter tropical trees with deep sapwood. The effective measuring length of the custom-made sensors was reduced to 1 cm at the tip of a thermally nonconducting shaft, thereby minimizing the influence of nonuniform sap flux density profiles across the sapwood. Sap flow was measured at different depths and circumferential positions in the trunks of four trees at the Parque Natural Metropolitano canopy crane site, Panama City, Republic of Panama. Sap flow was detected to a depth of 24 cm in the trunks of a 1-m-diameter Anacardium excelsum (Bertero & Balb. ex Kunth) Skeels tree and a 0.65-m-diameter Ficus insipida Willd. tree, and to depths of 7 cm in a 0.34-m-diameter Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav.) Cham. trunk, and 17 cm in a 0.47-m-diameter Schefflera morototoni (Aubl.) Maguire, Steyerm. & Frodin trunk. Sap flux density was maximal in the outermost 4 cm of sapwood and declined with increasing sapwood depth. Considerable variation in sap flux density profiles was observed both within and among the trees. In S. morototoni, radial variation in sap flux density was associated with radial variation in wood properties, particularly vessel lumen area and distribution. High variability in radial and circumferential sap flux density resulted in large errors when measurements of sap flow at a single depth, or a single radial profile, were used to estimate whole-plant water use. Diurnal water use ranged from 750 kg H2O day-1 for A. excelsum to 37 kg H2O day-1 for C. alliodora.     

Structural and compositional controls on transpiration in 40- and 450-year-old riparian forests in western Oregon, USA

Large areas of forests in the Pacific Northwest are being transformed to younger forests, yet little is known about the impact this may have on hydrological cycles. Previous work suggests that old trees use less water per unit leaf area or sapwood area than young mature trees of the same species in similar environments. Do old forests, therefore, use less water than young mature forests in similar environments, or are there other structural or compositional components in the forests that compensate for tree-level differences? We investigated the impacts of tree age, species composition and sapwood basal area on stand-level transpiration in adjacent watersheds at the H.J. Andrews Forest in the western Cascades of Oregon, one containing a young, mature (about 40 years since disturbance) conifer forest and the other an old growth (about 450 years since disturbance) forest. Sap flow measurements were used to evaluate the degree to which differences in age and species composition affect water use. Stand sapwood basal area was evaluated based on a vegetation survey for species, basal area and sapwood basal area in the riparian area of two watersheds. A simple scaling exercise derived from estimated differences in water use as a result of differences in age, species composition and stand sapwood area was used to estimate transpiration from late June through October within the entire riparian area of these watersheds. Transpiration was higher in the young stand because of greater sap flux density (sap flow per unit sapwood area) by age class and species, and greater total stand sapwood area. During the measurement period, mean daily sap flux density was 2.30 times higher in young compared with old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) trees. Sap flux density was 1.41 times higher in young red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) compared with young P. menziesii trees, and was 1.45 times higher in old P. menziesii compared with old western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) trees. Overall, sapwood basal area was 21% higher in the young stand than in the old stand. In the old forest, T. heterophylla is an important co-dominant, accounting for 58% of total sapwood basal area, whereas P. menziesii is the only dominant conifer in the young stand. Angiosperms accounted for 36% of total sapwood basal area in the young stand, but only 7% in the old stand. For all factors combined, we estimated 3.27 times more water use by vegetation in the riparian area of the young stand over the measurement period. Tree age had the greatest effect on stand differences in water use, followed by differences in sapwood basal area, and finally species composition. The large differences in transpiration provide further evidence that forest management alters site water balance via elevated transpiration in vigorous young stands.     

Variability with xylem depth in sap flow in trunks and branches of mature olive trees

Knowledge of sap flow variability in tree trunks is important for up-scaling transpiration from the measuring point to the whole-tree and stand levels. Natural variability in sap flow, both radial and circumferential, was studied in the trunks and branches of mature olive trees (Olea europea L., cv Coratina) by the heat field deformation method using multi-point sensors. Sapwood depth ranged from 22 to 55 mm with greater variability in trunks than in branches. Two asymmetric types of sap flow radial patterns were observed: Type 1, rising to a maximum near the mid-point of the sapwood; and Type 2, falling continuously from a maximum just below cambium to zero at the inner boundary of the sapwood. The Type 1 pattern was recorded more often in branches and smaller trees. Both types of sap flow radial patterns were observed in trunks of the sample trees. Sap flow radial patterns were rather stable during the day, but varied with soil water changes. A decrease in sap flow in the outermost xylem was related to water depletion in the topsoil. We hypothesized that the variations in sap flow radial pattern in a tree trunk reflects a vertical distribution of water uptake that varies with water availability in different soil layers.     

Forest transpiration—targeted through xylem sap flux assessment versus hydrological modeling

The assessment of forest transpiration rates is crucial for determining plant-available soil water consumption and drought risk of trees. Xylem sap flux measurements have been used increasingly to quantify stand transpiration in forest ecosystems. Here, we compare this empirical approach with hydrological modeling on the basis of a stand transpiration dataset of adult beech (Fagus sylvatica), which was acquired across Bavaria, Germany, at eight forest sites. Xylem sap flux sensors were installed in five dominant trees each. Two tree to stand upscaling approaches, related to site-specific (1) sapwood area or (2) to leaf area index, were compared. The outcome was examined each in relation to process-based stand hydrological modeling, using LWF-BROOK90. Distinct relationships between tree diameter at breast height (1.30 m) and sapwood area-weighted sap flux along the radial profile became apparent across the study sites, confirming a generic allometric basis for stand-level upscaling of transpiration. The two upscaling approaches did not differ in outcome, representatively covering stand structure for comparison with modeling. Differential analysis yielded high agreement between the empirical and modeling approaches throughout most of the study period, although LWF-BROOK90 tended to overestimate sap flux measurements under low soil moisture. The two empirical approaches proved reliable for even-aged beech stands, as performance under high stand-structural heterogeneity awaits clarification. Findings advance stand-level hydrological modeling regarding coverage of stomatal behavior during temporary limitation in water availability.     

Edge effects and forest water use: A field study in a mixed deciduous woodland

A field study was carried out in a mixed deciduous forest in order to measure the spatial variability of evapotranspiration in relation to distance from the nearest forest edge. Throughfall was collected in storage gauges in a transect across the edge. Transpiration was measured at the tree scale by means of the sap flux technique. Thermal dissipation probes were inserted into the hydro-active sapwood of 12–16 sample trees at a time covering four species. The sample trees were located close to a north- and a south-facing forest edge and between 3 and 69 m away from the nearest edge. The probes were moved to new trees about once a month and in total 71 trees were sampled. Sap flux densities were compared with potential evaporation and scaled up to the stand through multiplication with sapwood area per unit ground area. No significant edge effect on interception evaporation could be detected but there was a large influence on stand transpiration which increased towards the edge. In ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), this increase resulted mainly from enhanced sap flux density (by 33–82%, depending on the size class) in trees located at the edge, whereas in oak (Quercus robur L.) the sap flux density was similar in edge and inner trees and an effect was only found at the stand scale in the way that the total basal area, per unit ground area, was larger near the forest edge than in the forest interior. Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna L.) and field maple (Acer campestre L.), which occurred mainly in the understorey, were only weakly affected by the proximity to an edge. At the stand scale the total seasonal transpiration varied between 354 mm in the forest interior (>45 m away from the edge) and 565 mm at the forest edge (<15 m away from the edge), whilst the potential evaporation over the same period was 571 mm. This corresponds to Priestley–Taylor coefficients of 0.78 in the interior and 1.25 at the edge, whilst intermediate numbers were found for the area between the edge and inner zones. Using these results to calculate the average water loss per unit ground area of hypothetical woodlands of various sizes, it is shown that the edge effect dominates the water use of small forests and becomes negligible only for woodlands larger than 100 ha.     

Radial distribution of sap flux density in trunks of a mature beech stand

In a mature beech stand located in north-eastern Germany, xylem sap flux measurements were continuously performed during the 2002–2004 growing seasons. Ten representative trunks were studied using heated thermal dissipation probes. The measurements aimed at identifying principles governing radial profiles of xylem flux in beech trunks. The measurements were taken up to a trunk depth of 132 mm. The sap flow density in the pericambial xylem was found to vary among trees of different diameters, but was not considerably smaller in suppressed trees. A model for the radial distribution of sap flux density was formulated relating trunk radius and sap flow density. The model takes into account different trunk diameter. About 90% of the sap flux was found to occur in the outer two fifths of the trunk. Using this model, an adequate estimate of transpiration can be achieved at tree and stand level, even when the sap flux measurements are restricted to the outer trunk sectors.     

Assessing variation in the radial profile of sap flux density in Pinus species and its effect on daily water use

We monitored sap flux density (v) diurnally in nine mature southeastern pine (Pinus spp.) trees with a thermal dissipation probe that spanned the sapwood radius. We found the expected pattern of high v near the cambium and decreasing v with depth toward the center of the tree; however, the pattern was not constant within a day or between trees. Radial profiles of trees were steeper earlier in the day and became less steep later in the day. As a result, time-dependent changes in the shape of the radial profile of v were sometimes correlated with daily changes in evaporative demand. As the radial profile became less steep, the inner xylem contributed relatively more to total tree sap flow than it did earlier in the day. We present a 3-parameter Gaussian function that can be used to describe the radial distribution of v in trees. Parameters in the function represent depth in the xylem from the cambium, maximum v, depth in the xylem where maximum v occurs, and the rate of radial change in v with radial depth (beta). Values of beta varied significantly between trees and with time, and were sometimes correlated with air vapor pressure deficit (D). We hypothesize that this occurred during periods of high transpiration when the water potential gradient became great enough to move water in the inner sapwood despite its probable high hydraulic resistance. We examined discrepancies among estimates of daily water use based on single-point, two-point and multi-point (i.e., every 20 mm in the sapwood) measurements. When radial distribution of v was not considered, a single-point measurement resulted in errors as large as 154% in the estimate of daily water use relative to the estimate obtained from a multi-point measurement. Measuring v at two close sample points (10 and 30 mm) did not improve the estimate; however, estimates derived from v measured at two distant sample points (10 and 70 mm) significantly improved the estimate of daily water use, although errors were as great as 32% in individual trees. The variability in v with depth in the xylem, over time, and between trees indicates that measurements of the radial distribution of v are necessary to accurately estimate water flow in trees with large sapwood areas.     

Radial variation in sap velocity as a function of stem diameter and sapwood thickness in yellow-poplar trees

Canopy transpiration and forest water use are frequently estimated as the product of sap velocity and cross-sectional sapwood area. Few studies, however, have considered whether radial variation in sap velocity and the proportion of sapwood active in water transport are significant sources of uncertainty in the extrapolation process. Therefore, radial profiles of sap velocity were examined as a function of stem diameter and sapwood thickness for yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) trees growing on two adjacent watersheds in eastern Tennessee. The compensation heat pulse velocity technique was used to quantify sap velocity at four equal-area depths in 20 trees that ranged in stem diameter from 15 to 69 cm, and in sapwood thickness from 2.1 to 14.8 cm. Sap velocity was highly dependent on the depth of probe insertion into the sapwood. Rates of sap velocity were greatest for probes located in the two outer sapwood annuli (P1 and P2) and lowest for probes in closest proximity to the heartwood (P3 and P4). Relative sap velocities averaged 0.98 at P1, 0.66 at P2, 0.41 at P3 and 0.35 at P4. Tree-specific sap velocities measured at each of the four probe positions, divided by the maximum sap velocity measured (usually at P1 or P2), indicated that the fraction of sapwood functional in water transport (f(S)) varied between 0.49 and 0.96. There was no relationship between f(S) and sapwood thickness, or between f(S) and stem diameter. The fraction of functional sapwood averaged 0.66 +/- 0.13 for trees on which radial profiles were determined. No significant depth-related differences were observed for sapwood density, which averaged 469 kg m(-3) across all four probe positions. There was, however, a significant decline in sapwood water content between the two outer probe positions (1.04 versus 0.89 kg kg(-1)). This difference was not sufficient to account for the observed radial variation in sap velocity. A Monte-Carlo analysis indicated that the standard error in estimated mean f(S) declined rapidly with increasing sample size. At n = 10, the coefficient of variation in mean f(S) was 7% and at n = 15 it was slightly less than 5%. These observations indicate that radial variation in sap velocity is an important, albeit often overlooked, source of uncertainty in the scaling process. Failure to recognize that not all sapwood is functional in water transport will introduce systematic bias into estimates of both tree and stand water use. Future studies should devise sampling strategies for assessing radial variation in sap velocity and such strategies should be used to identify the magnitude of this variation in a range of non-, diffuse- and ring-porous trees.     

应用热扩散式探针法对南方红壤丘陵区湿地松人工林耗水量的研究

运用Granier热扩散式探针法对湿地松(Pinus elliottii)树干液流密度进行长期连续测定,并对其周围多个气象要素和土壤要素进行同步测定。湿地松生长旺季不同月份晴天液流密度日变化规律基本一致,但液流启动、到达峰值的时间以及开始升高、开始下降的时间间隔存在差异。样木解析结果表明,处于低龄期的湿地松,整个木质部都可看作边材,边材面积和胸径可用二次函数很好地拟合。方差分析结果表明:不同胸径湿地松树干液流密度不存在显著性差异,与胸径无紧密关系。回归分析结果表明:湿地松日累计液流量与边材面积呈显著的线性相关关系,相关关系的判定系数达0.99。另外,单位边材面积日累计液流量与入选各气象因素的相关性显著,相关程度大小顺序为光合有效辐射>冠层相对湿度>冠层温度。结合边材面积-胸径回归方程和样木胸径调查资料,分别采用2种方法推算整个标准地的耗水量。经比较,2种方法所得结果差别不大,各自适用于一定的范围。     

Stored water use and transpiration in Scots pine: a modeling analysis with ANAFORE

We estimated daily use of stored water by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees growing in a temperate climate with the ANAFORE model (ANAlysis of FORest Ecosystems) and compared the simulation results with sap flow measurements. The original model was expanded with a dynamic water flow and storage model that simulates sap flow dynamics in an individual tree. ANAFORE was able to accurately simulate diurnal patterns of measured sap flow under microclimatic conditions that differ from those of the calibration period. Strong relationships were found between stored water use and several tree characteristics (diameter at breast height, sapwood area, leaf area), but not with tree height. Relative to transpiration, stored water use varied over time (between < 1% and 44% of daily transpiration). On days when transpiration was high, trees were more dependent on stored water, indicating that the contribution of internal water to transpiration is not a constant in the water budget of trees.     

雷州半岛尾叶桉人工林树液茎流特征的研究

应用热脉冲法对雷州半岛4年生尾叶桉单株树干液流时空的动态变化及与各环境因子的关系进行观测研究.研究结果表明(1)形成层以内木质部不同深度的茎流密度不同,其中靠近形成层部分液流速度较快,但各层都具有相同的日变化趋势,中午12点至1点达到最大;夜间因根压作用影响各层仍有微弱上升液流;各深度日平均茎流密度11.6 L·m-2·d-1,最大为15.3 L·m-2·d-1(晴天),最小仅为5.4 L·m-2·d-1(雨天);(2) 不同直径尾叶桉的日茎流密度具有相似日变化趋势,胸径与高度相近其茎流密度相同,大树较小树快,这主要与树木根系吸收土壤水分的能力有关;(3)热脉冲法与整树容器法对2年生幼树耗水量的同步测定结果相一致,误差仅为3.4%;(4)树干茎流量与饱和蒸气压差和太阳辐射相关性特别显著.     

Estimating water use by sugar maple trees: considerations when using heat-pulse methods in trees with deep functional sapwood

Accurate estimates of sapwood properties (including radial depth of functional xylem and wood water content) are critical when using the heat pulse velocity (HPV) technique to estimate tree water use. Errors in estimating the volumetric water content (V(h)) of the sapwood, especially in tree species with a large proportion of sapwood, can cause significant errors in the calculations ofsap velocity and sap flow through tree boles. Scaling to the whole-stand level greatly inflates these errors. We determined the effects of season, tree size and radial wood depth on V(h) of wood cores removed from Acer saccharum Marsh. trees throughout 3 years in upstate New York. We also determined the effects of variation in V(h) on sap velocity and sap flow calculations based on HPV data collected from sap flow gauges inserted at four depths. In addition, we compared two modifications of Hatton's weighted average technique, the zero-step and zero-average methods, for determining sap velocity and sap flow at depths beyond those penetrated by the sap flow gauges. Parameter V(h) varied significantly with time of year (DOY), tree size (S), and radial wood depth (RD), and there were significant DOY x S and DOY x RD interactions. Use of a mean whole-tree V(h) value resulted in differences ranging from -6 to +47% for both sap velocity and sap flow for individual sapwood annuli compared with use of the V(h) value determined at the specific depth where a probe was placed. Whole-tree sap flow was 7% higher when calculated on the basis of the individual V(h) value compared with the mean whole-tree V(h) value. Calculated total sap flow for a tree with a DBH of 48.8 cm was 13 and 19% less using the zero-step and the zero-average velocity techniques, respectively, than the value obtained with Hatton's weighted average technique. Smaller differences among the three methods were observed for a tree with a DBH of 24.4 cm. We conclude that, for Acer saccharum: (1) mean V(h) changes significantly during the year and can range from nearly 50% during winter and early spring, to 20% during the growing season;(2) large trees have a significantly greater V(h) than small trees; (3) overall, V(h) decreases and then increases significantly with radial wood depth, suggesting that radial water movement and storage are highly dynamic; and (4) V(h) estimates can vary greatly and influence subsequent water use calculations depending on whether an average or an individual V(h) value for a wood core is used. For large diameter trees in which sapwood comprises a large fraction of total stem cross-sectional area (where sap flow gauges cannot be inserted across the entire cross-sectional area), the zero-average modification of Hatton's weighted average method reduces the potential for large errors in whole-tree and landscape water balance estimates based on the HPV method.     

Spatial variations in xylem sap flux density in the trunk of orchard-grown,mature mango trees under changing soil water conditions

Circumferential and radial variations in xylem sap flux density in trunks of 13-year-old mango (Mangifera indica L.) trees were investigated with Granier sap flow sensor probes under limiting and non-limiting soil water conditions. Under non-limiting soil water conditions, circumferential variation was substantial, but there was no apparent relationship between sap flux density and aspect (i.e., the radial position of the sensor probes on the trunk relative to the compass). Hourly sap flux densities over 24 hours at different aspects were highly pair-wise correlated. The relationships between different aspects were constant during well-watered periods but highly variable under changing soil water conditions. Sap flux density showed marked radial variation within the trunk and a substantial flux was observed at the center of the trunk. For each selected aspect on each tree, changes in sap flux densities over time at different depths were closely correlated, so flux at a particular depth could be extrapolated as a multiple of flux from 0 to 2 cm beneath the cambium. However, depth profiles of sap flux density differed between trees and even between aspects within a tree, and also varied in an unpredictable manner as soil water conditions changed. Nevertheless, over a period of non-limiting soil water conditions, depth profiles remained relatively constant. Based on the depth profiles obtained during these periods, a method is described for calculating total sap flow in a mango tree from sap flux density at 0-2 cm beneath the cambium. Total daily sap flows obtained were consistent with water use estimated from soil water balance.     

A comparison of heat pulse and deuterium tracing techniques for estimating sap flow in Eucalyptus grandis trees

Sap flow rates were measured simultaneously by the heat pulse and deuterium tracing techniques in nine Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden. trees at two sites (1) to compare results from the two techniques and (2) to assess the impact of the assumptions underlying the deuterium tracing method on the calculation of sap flow for a range of tree sizes. The trees ranged in height from 4 to 14 m with leaf areas of 5 to 35 m(2). In all trees, sap flow estimated by the deuterium tracing technique was higher than sap flow estimated by the heat pulse method, with differences of 11 to 43% in eight of the trees and 113% in one tree. The largest difference was attributed to errors in the heat pulse method, as indicated by aberrant relationships between sap flow measured by the heat pulse method and tree size characteristics (i.e., diameter, sap wood area, leaf area) for that tree compared with the other experimental trees. Drilling holes in the trees to allow injection of deuterium had no significant effect on sap flow, even when 32 holes were drilled. Sap flow measured by the heat pulse method was only lower after drilling than before drilling in three trees, and the difference only persisted for about 1 h. Deuterium concentrations of water collected from the tree canopies had not returned to background values 17 days after injection. Twenty-one days after injection, sapwood and heartwood samples taken from trunks near the injection sites contained considerable concentrations of deuterium, indicating that some of the deuterium injected into the trees was still present. An experiment performed on two trees showed that deuterium was stored in the heartwood and sapwood throughout the trees, and its distribution within the trees four days after injection was similar whether it was injected into only the sapwood (where it should mix with sap and be transported from the tree most readily) or into both the sapwood and heartwood, indicating that there was considerable movement of deuterium between the heartwood and sapwood. Deuterium storage was accounted for by an approximate means in the sap flow calculations, and may have resulted in an error of about 10% in sap flow estimated by this method. We conclude that the heat pulse and deuterium tracing techniques can be used simultaneously to increase the number of sap flow measurements obtained from a forest, thereby increasing the precision of forest water use estimates. Their combination would be most effective in stands with a wide range of tree sizes and sap flow rates, where the relative differences in sap flux estimates between the methods is small compared with differences in sap flow between trees.