Water relations and drought resistance of young Pinusbanksiana and P. resinosa plantation trees
Daytime changes in needle water potential and needle diffusion resistance of young Pinusbanksiana and P. resinosa plantation trees were determined at various times throughout the 1974 growing season in northern Wisconsin. Early in the growing season, early-morning water potential and daytime needle diffusion resistance varied little between the two species. However, midday water potentials generally were higher in P. banksiana than in P. resinosa. As the season progressed, water potentials in the early morning were lower, and they decreased more during the day in P. resinosa than in P. banksiana. In addition, stomata of P. banksiana usually closed earlier in the day. Pinusbanksiana appeared to avoid drought better than P. resinosa because the former maintained a higher needle water potential throughout most of the growing season. This reflected lower transpiration and slower soil water depletion associated with lower leaf area and stomatal closure at higher needle water potential in P. banksiana.