Canopy stomatal conductance and xylem sap abscisic acid (ABA) in mature Scots pine during a gradually imposed drought

We investigated the effect of drought on canopy stomatal conductance (g(c)), and examined the hypothesis that g(c) is controlled by the chemical messenger abscisic acid (ABA) produced in roots. Beginning in November 1994, we subjected a mature stand of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) to an imposed 11-month drought. Control plots were maintained at average-season soil water content. Xylem sap was extracted from shoots at regular intervals from April to November 1995. Soil water, sap flow and leaf water potentials (predawn to dusk) were recorded at the same time. Canopy stomatal conductance was calculated from sap flow data and xylem sap ABA concentrations ([ABA(xyl)]) were measured by radioimmunoassay. Mean [ABA(xyl)] in control trees was 250 micromol m(-3). No diurnal variation in [ABA(xyl)] was detected. With soil drying, [ABA(xyl)] increased to a maximum in summer (600 micromol m(-3)), but decreased again toward autumn; however, no significant increase in ABA flux to the leaves occurred. A decline in g(c) was detected when volumetric soil water content declined below 0.12. The decline in g(c) could not have been mediated by increasing [ABA(xyl)] because stomatal closure appeared to precede any increase in [ABA(xyl)]. Peak sap flow velocity data were used to estimate delivery times for root-to-shoot signals in 15-m tall trees. Under normal field conditions, a signal would take 12 days to travel from the site of production (roots) to the presumed site of action (shoots). However, under drought conditions it may take a chemical signal in excess of 6 weeks. We conclude that a feedforward model of short-term stomatal response to soil drying, based solely on the action of a chemical messenger from the roots, is not applicable in mature conifer trees because signal transmission is too slow.     

Drought tolerance,xylem sap abscisic acid and stomatal conductance during soil drying: a comparison of canopy trees of three temperate deciduous angiosperms

Patterns of water relations, xylem sap abscisic acid concentration ([ABA]) and stomatal aperture were characterized and compared in drought-sensitive black walnut (Juglans nigra L.), less drought-sensitive sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and drought-tolerant white oak (Quercus alba L.) trees co-occurring in a second-growth forest in Missouri, USA. There were strong correlations among reduction in predawn leaf water potential, increased xylem sap [ABA] and stomatal closure in all species. Stomatal conductance was more closely correlated with xylem sap ABA concentration than with ABA flux or xylem sap pH and cation concentrations. In isohydric black walnut, increased concentrations of ABA in the xylem sap appeared to be primarily of root origin, causing stomatal closure in response to soil drying. In anisohydric sugar maple and white oak, however, there were reductions in midday leaf water potential associated with stomatal closure, making it uncertain whether drought-induced xylem sap ABA was of leaf or root origin. The role of root-originated xylem sap ABA in these species as a signal to the shoot of the water status of the roots is, therefore, less certain.     

Genotypic variation in drought tolerance of poplar in relation to abscisic acid

We investigated effects of water stress and external abscisic acid (ABA) supply on shoot growth, stomatal conductance and water status in 1-year-old cuttings of a drought-sensitive poplar genotype Populus x euramericana cv. I-214 (Italica) and a drought-tolerant genotype P. 'popularis 35-44' (popularis). Populus popularis was more productive and maintained higher leaf water potentials throughout the drought treatment than cv. Italica. Supply of ABA to the xylem sap caused a greater decline in growth and more leaf abscission in shoots of cv. Italica than in shoots of P. popularis. Immediately after initiation of the drought treatment in P. popularis, the ABA concentration ([ABA]) of the xylem increased rapidly and stomatal conductance declined; however, stomatal conductance had returned to control values by the third day of the drought treatment, coincident with a gradual decline in xylem [ABA]. In contrast, xylem [ABA] of cv. Italica initially increased more slowly than that of P. popularis in response to the drought treatment, but the increase continued for 3 days at which time a tenfold increase in xylem [ABA] was observed that was followed by abscission of more than 40% of the leaves. We conclude that sensitivity of poplar roots to variation in soil water content varies by clone and that a rapid short-term accumulation of ABA in shoots in response to water stress may contribute to drought tolerance.     

Sap flow rates of Minquartia guianensis in central Amazonia during the prolonged dry season of 2015–2016

Minquartia guianensis Aubl.is a slow-growing species with several uses.In the juvenile state,it is well-adapted to low light conditions of the forest understory.However,it is still unknown how climate variability affects transpiration of this species,particularly under drought stress.In this study,we aimed to assess the effect of climatic variability on sap flow rates(SFR).SFR and radial growth were measured in six trees(14-50 cm diameter) in 2015 and 2016.Climate(precipitation,irradiance,relative humidity and temperature) and soil water content(SWC) data were also collected.SFR tended to increase in the dry season,with a negative relationship between SFR and SWC and precipitation(p 0.001),while there was a positive association between radial growth and monthly precipitation(p=0.004).Irradiance and temperature were the environmental factors more closely correlated with SFR during daytime(p0.001),whereas relative humidity and vapor pressure deficit were the most important factors at night(p0.001).Although negative SFR were sometimes recorded at night,the mean nocturnal sap flow was positive and across trees the nighttime sap flow accounted for 12.5%of the total daily sap flow.Increased transpiration during the dry season suggests that the root system of Minquartia was able to extract water from deep soil layers.These results widen our understanding of the ecophysiology of Amazonian trees under drought and provide further insight into the potential effect of the forecasted decline in precipitation in the Amazon region.     

Stomatal and leaf growth responses to partial drying of root tips in willow

Root tips of intact willow (Salix dasyclados Wimm., Clone 81-090) plants were partially dried by exposure to ambient greenhouse air and then kept in water-vapor-saturated air for up to 3 days. The drying treatment increased abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations in both the root tips subjected to drying and in the xylem sap, while it reduced leaf stomatal conductance and leaf extension rate. Despite the decrease in stomatal conductance, leaf water potentials were unaffected by the root drying treatment, indicating that the treatment reduced hydraulic conductivity between roots and foliage. After roots subjected to drying were returned to a nutrient solution or excised, ABA concentrations in the remaining roots and in the xylem sap, stomatal conductance of mature leaves and extension rate of unfolding leaves all returned to values observed in control plants. The 4-fold increase in xylem sap ABA concentration following the root drying treatment was not solely the result of reduced sap flow, and thus may be considered a potential cause, not merely a consequence, of the observed reduction in stomatal conductance.     

Sap flow index as an indicator of plant water status

Night and especially predawn tree water status is an important indicator of drought stress in trees. Leaf water potential (LWP) is frequently used as a measure of tree water status and hence drought stress; however, there are difficulties associated with sampling foliage from tall trees and determining LWP automatically. The current study was undertaken to determine whether sap flow index (SFI), which can be automatically and continuously recorded even during very low flows, can be used to estimate drought stress in trees caused by dry air under non-limiting soil water conditions. We made simultaneous measurements of LWP, heat pulse velocity (HPV) and SFI on apple trees (Malus domestica Borkh.) in the semiarid climate of southern Ukraine over several growing seasons. Predawn values of LWP were highly correlated with SFI. Over the range of low sap flow rates occurring at nighttime, where other methods of measuring sap flow are not sensitive, the SFI method was linear and very sensitive. Additional information about tree water status was obtained by comparing nighttime and daytime values of SFI. The ratio of predawn SFI to midday SFI and the period between the two daily SFI maxima (the first SFI peak occurred in the morning and the second peak occurred in the evening on cloudless days) can be used to characterize internal plant water balance. Although the daily course of SFI was variable, specific patterns were identified that reflected particular stages in the development of plant drought stress. An "air-drought-stress curve" was used to characterize the development of water stress in trees subjected to air drought during the growing season.     

Translocation of nitrogen in the xylem of field-grown cherry and poplar trees during remobilization

Studies of small trees growing in pots have established that individual amino acids or amides are translocated in the xylem sap of a range of tree species following bud burst, as a consequence of nitrogen (N) remobilization from storage. This paper reports the first study of N translocation in the xylem of large, deciduous, field-grown trees during N remobilization in the spring. We applied 15N fertilizer to the soil around 10-year-old Prunus avium L. and Populus trichocharpa Torr. & Gray ex Hook var. Hastata (Dode) A. Henry x Populus balsamifera L. var. Michauxii (Dode) Farwell trees before bud burst to label N taken up by the roots. Recovery of unlabeled N in xylem sap and leaves was used to demonstrate that P. avium remobilizes N in both glutamine (Gln) and asparagine (Asn). Sap concentrations of both amides rose sharply after bud burst, peaking 14 days after bud burst for Gln, and remaining high some 45 days for Asn. There was no 15N enrichment of either amide until 21 days after bud burst. In the Populus trees, nearly all the N was translocated in the sap as Gln, the concentration of which peaked and then declined before the amide was enriched with 15N, 40 days after bud burst. Xylem sap of clonal P. avium trees was sampled at different positions in the crown to assess if the amino acid and amide composition of the sap varied within the crown. Sap was sampled during remobilization (when the concentration of Gln was maximal), at the end of remobilization and at the end of the experiment (68 days after bud burst). Although the date of sampling had a highly significant effect on sap composition, the effect of position of sampling was marginal. The results are discussed in relation to N translocation in adult trees and the possibility of measuring N remobilization by calculating the flux of N translocation in the xylem.     

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.     

Seasonal variation in xylem pressure of walnut trees: root and stem pressures

Measurements of air and soil temperatures and xylem pressure were made on 17-year-old orchard trees and on 5-year-old potted trees of walnut (Juglans regia L.). Cooling chambers were used to determine the relationships between temperature and sugar concentration ([glucose] + [fructose] + [sucrose], GFS) and seasonal changes in xylem pressure development. Pressure transducers were attached to twigs of intact plants, root stumps and excised shoots while the potted trees were subjected to various temperature regimes in autumn, winter and spring. Osmolarity and GFS of the xylem sap (apoplast) were measured before and after cooling or warming treatments. In autumn and spring, xylem pressures of up to 160 kPa were closely correlated with soil temperature but were not correlated with GFS in xylem sap. High root pressures were associated with uptake of mineral nutrients from soil, especially nitrate. In autumn and spring, xylem pressures were detected in root stumps as well as in intact plants, but not in excised stems. In contrast, in winter, 83% of the xylem sap osmolarity in both excised stems and intact plants could be accounted for by GFS, and both GFS and osmolarity were inversely proportional to temperature. Plants kept at 1.5 degrees C developed positive xylem pressures up to 35 kPa, xylem sap osmolarities up to 260 mosmol l(-1) and GFS concentrations up to 70 g l(-1). Autumn and spring xylem pressures, which appeared to be of root origin, were about 55% of the theoretical pressures predicted by osmolarity of the xylem sap. In contrast, winter pressures appeared to be of stem origin and were only 7% of the theoretical pressures, perhaps because of a lower stem water content during winter.     

Investigation of change in tangential strain on the inner bark of the stem and root ofBetula platyphylla var.japonica andAcer mono during sap season

Although it is well known that sap exudation during early spring in temperate deciduous trees occurs in response to daytime warming and nighttime cooling, the mechanisms of the process are not yet fully understood. Previous theories suggested that changes in stress in the wood caused by daytime heating and nighttime cooling might be linked with sap flow. Consequently, a study of itaya-kaede maple (Aver mono) and shirakamba birch (Betula platyphylla var.japonica) looked at tangential strains. One-hour intervals for 3 years of the tangential strains on the inner bark of stem and root were measured in itaya-kaede maple and shirakamba birch during the sap exudation season. The measurements indicated different mechanisms of sap exudation in these two trees. During the sap exudation season in late March, when the temperature fluctuated around 0°C, the tangential strain in the root of itaya-kaede maple showed expansion in the daytime and contraction at night. Conversely, in early April the tangential strain in the root of shirakamba birch exhibited contraction in the daytime and expansion at night. The changes in tangential strains in itaya-kaede maple were attributed to conditioning, a known concept used to explain the uptake mechanism of soil water in maple and its exudation during early spring. However, because the change in tangential strain in the roots of shirakamba birch was similar to that found during the rampant season, sap exudation was not attributed to conditioning but to the plentiful supply of water from the roots. The implications of these mechanisms are that different sap harvesting techniques may be appropriate for different tree species.     

Modulation of leaf conductance by root to shoot signaling under water stress in Arabidopsis

Signal communication between root and shoot plays a crucial role in plant resistance to water stress. While many studies on root to shoot signals have been carried out in many plant species, no information is available for the model plant, Arabidopsis, whose adoption has great significance for further probing the molecular aspects of long distance stress signals. Here, we introduced the establishment of techniques for investigations of root to shoot signals in Arabidopsis. Stomatal movements in relation to root signals were probed by using these techniques. The results show that Arabidopsis is a suitable plant species for partial roots drying (PRD) experiments. In the PRD system, while no significant differences were found in leaf water potential between well-watered and stressed plants, water stress led to a decrease in leaf conductance, which suggests a regulation of stomatal movements by root to shoot signals. While water stress caused a significant increase in the concentration of sap abscisic acid (ABA) of xylem, no increase in xylem sap pH was observed. Moreover, the increase in the ABA content of xylem coincided with the decrease in leaf conductance, which suggests a possible role of ABA in the regulation of stomatal movements. Infrared temperature images showed that leaf temperatures of PRD plant were higher compared with those of well-watered plants, which further indicates that stomatal movements can be modulated by root signals. The confirmation of root to shoot signaling in Arabidopsis has established a basis for further investigation into the molecular mechanisms of the root to shoot signaling under water stress.     

Can the nitrogenous composition of xylem sap be used to assess salinity stress in Casuarina glauca?

It is predicted that dryland salinity will affect up to 17 Mha of the Australian landscape by 2050, and therefore, monitoring the health of tree plantings and remnant native vegetation in saline areas is increasingly important. Casuarina glauca Sieber ex Spreng. has considerable salinity tolerance and is commonly planted in areas with a shallow, saline water table. To evaluate the potential of using the nitrogenous composition of xylem sap to assess salinity stress in C. glauca, the responses of trees grown with various soil salinities in a greenhouse were compared with those of trees growing in field plots with different water table depths and groundwater salinities. In the greenhouse, increasing soil salinity led to increased allocation of nitrogen (N) to proline and arginine in both stem and root xylem sap, with coincident decreases in citrulline and asparagine. Although the field plots were ranked as increasingly saline-based on ground water salinity and depth-only the allocation of N to citrulline differed significantly between the field plots. Within each plot, temporal variation in the composition of the xylem sap was related to rainfall, rainfall infiltration and soil salinity. Periods of low rainfall and infiltration and higher soil salinity corresponded with increased allocation of N to proline and arginine in the xylem sap. The allocation of N to citrulline and asparagine increased following rainfall events where rain was calculated to have infiltrated sufficiently to decrease soil salinity. The relationship between nitrogenous composition of the xylem sap of C. glauca and soil salinity indicates that the analysis of xylem sap is an effective method for assessing changes in salinity stress in trees at a particular site over time. However, the composition of the xylem sap proved less useful as a comparative index of salinity stress in trees growing at different sites.     

Xylem sap flow and drought stress of Fraxinus excelsior saplings

We report on diurnal and seasonal variations in sap flow rate and stem water potential of Fraxinus excelsior L. saplings growing at the edge of a Fraxino-Aceretum forest in western Germany. Because of shallow soil, the trees were subjected to drought in summer. When soil water availability was not limiting, sap flow rate was related to changes in solar radiation and vapor pressure deficit. Maximum transpiration rates per leaf area were 3.5-7.4 mmol m-2 s-1, and maximum daily totals were 1.7-3.3 kg m-2 day-1. Under drought conditions, stem water potential dropped to midday minima of -2.6 to -3.5 MPa and sap flow rate was strongly related to this parameter. After the drought period, reduced apparent (whole-plant) hydraulic conductance was observed, which was attributed to a continued reduction in stomatal conductance after the drought stress had ceased. A model was developed that linked sap flow rate directly to climatic variables and stem water potential. Good correlation between measured and simulated sap flow rates allowed the model to be used for data interpretation.     

Growth CO2 concentration modifies the transpiration response of Populus deltoides to drought and vapor pressure deficit

Cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh.) trees grown for 9 months in elevated carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) showed significant increases in height, leaf area and basal diameter relative to trees in a near-ambient [CO2] control treatment. Sample trees in the CO2 treatments were subjected to high and low atmospheric vapor pressure deficits (VPD) over a 5-week period at both high and low soil water contents (SWC). During these periods, transpiration rates at both the leaf and canopy levels were calculated based on sap flow measurements and leaf-to-sapwood area ratios. Leaf-level transpiration rates were approximately equivalent across [CO2] treatments when soil water was not limiting. In contrast, during drought stress, canopy-level transpiration rates were approximately equivalent across [CO2] treatments, indicating that leaf-level fluxes during drought stress were reduced in elevated [CO2] by a factor equal to the leaf area ratio of the two canopies. The shift from equivalent leaf-level transpiration to equivalent canopy-level transpiration with increasing drought stress suggests maximum water use rates were controlled primarily by atmospheric demand at high SWC and by soil water availability at low SWC. Changes in VPD had less effect on transpiration than changes in SWC for trees in both CO2 treatments. Transpiration rates of trees in both CO2 treatments reached maximum values at a VPD of about 2.0 kPa at high SWC, but leveled off and decreased slightly in both canopies as VPD increased above this value. At low SWC, increasing VPD from approximately 1.4 to 2.5 kPa caused transpiration rates to decline slightly in the canopies of trees in both treatments, with significant (P = 0.004) decreases occurring in trees in the near-ambient [CO2] treatment. The transpiration responses at high VPD in the presence of high SWC and throughout the low SWC treatment suggest some hydraulic limitations to water use occurred. Comparisons of midday leaf water potentials of trees in both CO2 treatments support this conclusion.     

不同时间尺度下兴安落叶松树干液流密度与环境因子的关系

基于连续1年的兴安落叶松树干液流密度和环境因子(光照、空气温度、空气湿度、土壤温度和土壤湿度)的测定结果,探讨不同时间尺度下树干液流密度与环境因子的关系差异.在月时间尺度上,土壤温度和土壤湿度显著影响树干液流密度变化,土壤温度单位增加引起树干液流上升0.084～0.123 L·cm-2 month-1;在天时间尺度上,显著影响因子有土壤温度、光照和空气温度,其中土壤温度为最主要的影响因子,单位增加会导致树干液流上升1.9 ～2.7 mL·cm-2 d-1;在小时时间尺度上,主要影响因子在不同季节不同,但最主要因子多是直接影响地上叶片生理指标如光照和空气湿度,二者单位上升平均分别引起树干液流上升1.239 mL·cm-2 min-1和下降0.0566 mL·cm-2 min-1.随尺度由大到小,对树干液流影响最大的因子有从地下直接与根系水分吸收相关的土壤环境因子向地上直接影响叶片蒸腾的环境因子(光照和空气湿度)转变的趋势.同时,随着尺度增大,与树干液流显著相关的环境因子数明显下降,且相关系数R2显著提高,长期监测树木耗水可以采用监测环境因子反推的方法,而在小尺度上相同方法可能导致很大误差,最好采用直接测定法.     

刺槐春夏季树干液流变化规律

用热扩散式树干茎流计(TDP)于4-8月对刺槐树干液流进行连续观测,结果表明:刺槐边材液流速率日变化呈宽峰曲线,每日6:50左右启动,13:00左右达到峰值,19:30左右开始迅速下降,没有明显的液流停止界限,夜间有较高的液流存在;夏季液流每天启动的时间早于春季10min左右,达到峰值的时间早于春季1h左右,迅速下降的时间晚于春季1h左右,即夏季液流高峰维持的时间长于春季,但是夏季的峰值、日平均液流速率和液流通量小于春季;树干液流速率与直径关系不大,但日周期单木耗水量随树干直径的增大而增加,与树干直径和边材面积相关显著,相关系数分别为0.983和0.999.     

兴安落叶松天然林不同分化等级林木树干液流对综合环境因子的响应

[目的]以大兴安岭北部典型寒温带针叶林优势建群树种兴安落叶松为对象,分析不同分化等级林木树干液流对环境因子的综合响应,构建不同分化等级林木树干液流模型。[方法]利用热扩散式液流监测系统和通量塔的梯度气象系统连续监测树干液流及环境因子的变化。[结果]表明:1)观测期间,优势木具有较强的蒸腾能力,其平均液流密度分别为中等木和被压木的1.9倍、2.5倍。总体上,分化程度越高的林木日树干液流持续时间越长,液流密度峰值出现时间越早,液流密度的峰值也越高。2)利用主成分分析将降雨、净辐射、空气温度、空气湿度、风速、土壤温度、土壤含水量和水汽压亏缺降维为蒸发需求因子(EDI)、土壤水热因子和降水因子。EDI(与净辐射、温湿度、水汽压亏缺显著相关)是影响该地区林木树干液流的关键环境要素,其携带环境数据信息量的45%;土壤水热因子和降水因子分别携带20%和13%。3)各分化等级林木树干液流密度对EDI呈顺时针时滞,对净辐射和水汽压亏缺则分别呈逆时针、顺时针时滞,且EDI的时滞效应明显较小。不同分化等级林木液流密度对EDI和水汽压亏缺的时滞表现一致,对净辐射的时滞则以优势木最小。4)各分化等级林木树干液流密度对EDI的响应均符合"S"型模型,即液流升高到阈值后,不再随蒸发需求的增加而增大。模型中,中等木(0.458)和被压木(0.457)的过渡斜率略高于优势木(0.443),表明优势木树干液流对环境因子的敏感性略低。该模型对不同分化等级林木液流密度的模拟精度均在90%以上,考虑EDI的时滞效应或引入土壤水热因子、降水因子对模型精度的影响较小。[结论]兴安落叶松树干液流对综合环境因子存在较强的响应性,且在不同分化等级间存在差异;利用"S"模型和综合环境因子可有效估算不同分化等级兴安落叶松的树干液流。     

A potential role for xylem-phloem interactions in the hydraulic architecture of trees: effects of phloem girdling on xylem hydraulic conductance

We investigated phloem-xylem interactions in Acer rubrum L. and Acer saccharum Marsh. Our experimental method allowed us to determine xylem conductance of an intact branch by measuring the flow rate of water supplied at two delivery pressures to the cut end of a small side branch. We found that removal of bark tissue (phloem girdling) upstream of the point at which deionized water was delivered to the branch resulted in a decrease (24% for A. rubrum and 15% for A. saccharum) in branch xylem hydraulic conductance. Declines in hydraulic conductance with girdling were accompanied by a decrease in the osmotic concentration of xylem sap. The decrease in xylem sap concentration following phloem girdling suggests that ion redistribution from the phloem was responsible for the observed decline in hydraulic conductance. When the same measurements were made on branches perfused with KCl solution (approximately 140 mOsm kg(-1)), phloem girdling had no effect on xylem hydraulic conductance. These results suggest a functional link between phloem and xylem hydraulic systems that is mediated by changes in the ionic content of the cell sap.     

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.     

Transpiration and canopy conductance of Caragana korshinskii trees in response to soil moisture in sand land of China

Caragana korshinskii is widely used in vegetation reestablishment programs to stabilize the shifting of sand on the Loess Plateau. This sand shifting of sand exerts pressure on the limited soil water and vice versa. However, detailed transpiration and sap flow studies that focus on water use in these stands remain limited. The hourly sap flows, along with successive soil water balance and meteorological measurements, on three trees were measured using the thermal heat balance method during the growing season period. Results showed that the midday sap flow and stand transpiration were significantly lower during the stress period (from May to July) compared with those at the beginning of August concurrently with high soil water content. The heat balance measurements underestimated the transpiration obtained from the soil water balance method. When the tree conductance was fitted with climatic variables and soil water content, the canopy conductance increased exponentially with above-canopy radiation, whereas it decreased logarithmically with decreasing vapor pressure deficit. In the absence of water stress, the tree conductance was unchanged when the relative extractable water remained above 0.4, whereas the conductance decreased linearly after the wilting point. The model was generally well fitted to the measured transpiration data in terms of the response during the dry and rainy seasons, thus demonstrating the feasibility of developing a quantity schedule for C. korshinskii transpiration on the Loess Plateau in the presence of a soil water stress.