Foliar water uptake of four shrub species in a semi-arid desert

Background and Objectives—Coexisting tree and shrub species will have to withstand more arid conditions as temperatures keep rising in the Mediterranean Basin. However, we still lack reliable assessments on how climate and drought affect the radial growth of tree and shrub species at intra- and interannual time scales under semi-arid Mediterranean conditions. Materials and Methods—We investigated the growth responses to climate of four co-occurring gymnosperms inhabiting semi-arid Mediterranean sites in northeastern Spain: two tree species (Aleppo pine, Pinus halepensis Mill.; Spanish juniper, Juniperus thurifera L.) and two shrubs (Phoenicean juniper, Juniperus phoenicea L.; Ephedra nebrodensis Tineo ex Guss.). First, we quantified the intra-annual radial-growth rates of the four species by periodically sampling wood samples during one growing season. Second, we quantified the climate–growth relationships at an interannual scale at two sites with different soil water availability by using dendrochronology. Third, we simulated growth responses to temperature and soil moisture using the forward, process-based Vaganov‒Shashkin (VS-Lite) growth model to disentangle the main climatic drivers of growth. Results—The growth of all species peaked in spring to early summer (May–June). The pine and junipers grew after the dry summer, i.e., they showed a bimodal growth pattern. Prior wet winter conditions leading to high soil moisture before cambium reactivation in spring enhanced the growth of P. halepensis at dry sites, whereas the growth of both junipers and Ephedra depended more on high spring–summer soil moisture. The VS-Lite model identified these different influences of soil moisture on growth in tree and shrub species. Conclusions—Our approach (i) revealed contrasting growth dynamics of co-existing tree and shrub species under semi-arid Mediterranean conditions and (ii) provided novel insights on different responses as a function of growth habits in similar drought-prone regions.

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Modelling the Impact on Root Water Uptake and Solute Return Flow of Different Drip Irrigation Regimes with Brackish Water

Water ◽

10.3390/w11030425 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 425 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Fairouz Slama ◽

Nessrine Zemni ◽

Fethi Bouksila ◽

Roberto De Mascellis ◽

Rachida Bouhlila

Keyword(s):

Water Content ◽

Soil Water ◽

Soil Water Content ◽

Water Uptake ◽

Brackish Water ◽

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Root Zone ◽

Root Water Uptake ◽

Return Flows ◽

Semi Arid

Water scarcity and quality degradation represent real threats to economic, social, and environmental development of arid and semi-arid regions. Drip irrigation associated to Deficit Irrigation (DI) has been investigated as a water saving technique. Yet its environmental impacts on soil and groundwater need to be gone into in depth especially when using brackish irrigation water. Soil water content and salinity were monitored in a fully drip irrigated potato plot with brackish water (4.45 dSm−1) in semi-arid Tunisia. The HYDRUS-1D model was used to investigate the effects of different irrigation regimes (deficit irrigation (T1R, 70% ETc), full irrigation (T2R, 100% ETc), and farmer’s schedule (T3R, 237% ETc) on root water uptake, root zone salinity, and solute return flows to groundwater. The simulated values of soil water content (θ) and electrical conductivity of soil solution (ECsw) were in good agreement with the observation values, as indicated by mean RMSE values (≤0.008 m3·m−3, and ≤0.28 dSm−1 for soil water content and ECsw respectively). The results of the different simulation treatments showed that relative yield accounted for 54%, 70%, and 85.5% of the potential maximal value when both water and solute stress were considered for deficit, full. and farmer’s irrigation, respectively. Root zone salinity was the lowest and root water uptake was the same with and without solute stress for the treatment corresponding to the farmer’s irrigation schedule (273% ETc). Solute return flows reaching the groundwater were the highest for T3R after two subsequent rainfall seasons. Beyond the water efficiency of DI with brackish water, long term studies need to focus on its impact on soil and groundwater salinization risks under changing climate conditions.

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Impacts of soil crusts on soil physicochemical characteristics in different rainfall zones of the arid and semi-arid desert regions of northern China

Environmental Earth Sciences ◽

10.1007/s12665-014-3622-x ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 73 (7) ◽

pp. 3335-3347 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Xiaohong Chen ◽

Zhenghu Duan

Keyword(s):

Northern China ◽

Physicochemical Characteristics ◽

Soil Crusts ◽

Desert Regions ◽

Arid Desert ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Soil Physicochemical Characteristics

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Foliar water uptake via cork warts in mangroves of the Sonneratia genus

Plant Cell & Environment ◽

10.1111/pce.14129 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Callum Bryant ◽

Tomas I. Fuenzalida ◽

Alonso Zavafer ◽

Hoa T. Nguyen ◽

Nigel Brothers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Uptake ◽

Foliar Water Uptake

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Influence of Drought on Foliar Water Uptake Capacity of Temperate Tree Species

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10070562 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 562 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jeroen D.M. Schreel ◽

Jonas S. von der Crone ◽

Ott Kangur ◽

Kathy Steppe

Keyword(s):

Water Potential ◽

Soil Water ◽

Water Uptake ◽

Tree Species ◽

Soil Water Potential ◽

Future Research ◽

General Increase ◽

Foliar Water Uptake ◽

The Impact ◽

Key Tree

Foliar water uptake (FWU) has been investigated in an increasing number of species from a variety of areas but has remained largely understudied in deciduous, temperate tree species from non-foggy regions. As leaf wetting events frequently occur in temperate regions, FWU might be more important than previously thought and should be investigated. As climate change progresses, the number of drought events is expected to increase, basically resulting in a decreasing number of leaf wetting events, which might make FWU a seemingly less important mechanism. However, the impact of drought on FWU might not be that unidirectional because drought will also cause a more negative tree water potential, which is expected to result in more FWU. It yet remains unclear whether drought results in a general increase or decrease in the amount of water absorbed by leaves. The main objectives of this study are, therefore: (i) to assess FWU-capacity in nine widely distributed key tree species from temperate regions, and (ii) to investigate the effect of drought on FWU in these species. Based on measurements of leaf and soil water potential and FWU-capacity, the effect of drought on FWU in temperate tree species was assessed. Eight out of nine temperate tree species were able to absorb water via their leaves. The amount of water absorbed by leaves and the response of this plant trait to drought were species-dependent, with a general increase in the amount of water absorbed as leaf water potential decreased. This relationship was less pronounced when using soil water potential as an independent variable. We were able to classify species according to their response in FWU to drought at the leaf level, but this classification changed when using drought at the soil level, and was driven by iso- and anisohydric behavior. FWU hence occurred in several key tree species from temperate regions, be it with some variability, which potentially allows these species to partly reduce the effects of drought stress. We recommend including this mechanism in future research regarding plant–water relations and to investigate the impact of different pathways used for FWU.

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