Combining branch-scale COS/CO2 exchange and canopy-scale SIF measurements to disentangle the effects of high VPD and low soil moisture in mature pine trees under field conditions

Author(s):  
Rafat Qubaja ◽  
Rafael Stern ◽  
Itay Oz ◽  
Amnon Cochavi ◽  
Jonathan Muller ◽  
...  

<p>During the regular seasonal drought conditions in our semi-arid pine forest, soil water content decrease below the 16% threshold of no transpirable soil water availability, and VPD increase to values of >5 kPa. Soil drought in one forest plot was eliminated by using supplemental drip irrigation during summer. We used automatic branch chambers to measure CO<sub>2</sub>/H<sub>2</sub>O exchange together with laser-based COS exchange, and retrieving canopy sun induced fluorescence (SIF) using a high-resolution spectrometer above the canopy that was moved between the control and irrigated plots on a weekly basis. Using these research tools, we investigated the ecophysiological response (including rates of gas exchange, conductances, and photochemical response) of the mature pine trees to the differential effects of soil and atmospheric droughts. Leaf relative uptake (LRU) ratio of COS to CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes was used to constrain estimates of carbon assimilation (An) and changes in the An/gl ratio (where gl is leaf conductance), and leaf COS and H<sub>2</sub>O exchange fluxes were also used to partition leaf conductance. We will report on the first seasonal cycle of COS and CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes, LRU and SIF<sub>A </sub>of mature pine trees under field conditions in the semi-arid forest, which includes the summer dry stress period, the recovery during the transition to the winter wet season, and the spring peak activity period.</p>

1983 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 423 ◽  
Author(s):  
KA Shackel ◽  
AE Hall

Seasonal and diurnal patterns of xylem pressure potential, Ψx, and osmotic potential, Ψs, were compared using contrasting genotypes of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] and cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] under frequently imgated 'wet' and water-limited 'dry' field conditions. Generally, differences in Ψx and Ψs among genotypes within each species were small compared with differences between the two species. Sorghum exhibited a larger diurnal range and larger differences between wet and dry treatments for Ψx, Ψs, and estimates of bulk leaf turgor than did cowpea. Seasonal and drought- induced osmotic adjustment occurred in sorghum, but not in cowpea. Diurnal patterns of leaf conductance indicated that, under the dry treatment, cowpea avoided the occurrence of large plant water deficits by substantial reductions in leaf conductance, especially at midday, whereas sorghum maintained moderate values of leaf conductance throughout the day. Cowpea exhibited a larger diurnal range of leaf conductance and larger differences between wet and dry treatments than did sorghum. Differences were not observed between the species in overall soil water depletion or in root activity as estimated from profiles of soil water depletion until senescence occurred in cowpea. Sorghum genotypes that had been selected on the basis of differences in Ψs did exhibit significant differences in average values of leaf conductance and total soil water depletion, but the genotype that had the lowest Ψs (M35-1) also had the lowest leaf conductance and the least soil water depletion.


2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Durval Dourado-Neto ◽  
Quirijn de Jong van Lier ◽  
Klaas Metselaar ◽  
Klaus Reichardt ◽  
Donald R. Nielsen

The original Thornthwaite and Mather method, proposed in 1955 to calculate a climatic monthly cyclic soil water balance, is frequently used as an iterative procedure due to its low input requirements and coherent estimates of water balance components. Using long term data sets to establish a characteristic water balance of a location, the initial soil water storage is generally assumed to be at field capacity at the end of the last month of the wet season, unless the climate is (semi-) arid when the soil water storage is lower than the soil water holding capacity. To close the water balance, several iterations might be necessary, which can be troublesome in many situations. For (semi-) arid climates with one dry season, Mendonça derived in 1958 an equation to quantify the soil water storage monthly at the end of the last month of the wet season, which avoids iteration procedures and closes the balance in one calculation. The cyclic daily water balance application is needed to obtain more accurate water balance output estimates. In this note, an equation to express the water storage for the case of the occurrence of more than one dry season per year is presented as a generalization of Mendonça's equation, also avoiding iteration procedures.


1979 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 666-674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allan P. Drew ◽  
William K. Ferrell

The water relations of germinant seedlings of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) grown outdoors under 9, 44, and 100% full light were analyzed during the summer, autumn, and winter seasons. Empirical regression models, based on the relationship plant water potential = f(soil water potential, leaf conductance), were determined for selected light treatment – season combinations. Plant water potential is higher during active summer shoot growth than after elongation growth has ceased in the autumn owing to earlier stomatal closure in response to soil drought in summer compared with a more abrupt closure at a lower plant water potential in the autumn.For all light treatments, leaf conductance declined in the winter independent of plant water potential and simultaneously with the onset of subfreezing air temperatures. During the first winter, water potential of seedlings was higher than during the previous summer or autumn over a wide range of equivalent soil water potentials.Seedlings grown under low light intensity are less drought resistant and have lower plant water potential than those grown under full light regardless of soil moisture status.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1137
Author(s):  
Xihong Cui ◽  
Zheng Zhang ◽  
Li Guo ◽  
Xinbo Liu ◽  
Zhenxian Quan ◽  
...  

To analyze the root-soil water relationship at the stand level, we integrated ground-penetrating radar (GPR), which characterized the distribution of lateral coarse roots (>2 mm in diameter) of shrubs (Caragana microphylla Lam.), with soil core sampling, which mapped soil water content (SWC) distribution. GPR surveys and soil sampling were carried out in two plots (Plot 1 in 2017 and Plot 2 in 2018) with the same size (30 × 30 m2) in the sandy soil of the semi-arid shrubland in northern China. First, the survey area was divided into five depth intervals, i.e., 0–20, 20–40, 40–60, 60–80, and 80–100 cm. Each depth interval was then divided into three zones in the horizontal direction, including root-rich canopy-covered area, root-rich canopy-free area, and root-poor area, to indicate different surface distances to the canopy. The generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to analyze the correlation between root distribution density and SWC after the spatial autocorrelation of each variable was eliminated. Results showed that the root-soil water relationship varies between the vertical and horizontal directions. Vertically, more roots are distributed in soil with high SWC and fewer roots in soil with low SWC. Namely, root distribution density is positively correlated with SWC in the vertical direction. Horizontally, the root-soil water relationship is, however, more complex. In the canopy-free area of Plot 1, the root-soil water relationship was significant (p < 0.05) and negatively correlated in the middle two depth intervals (20–40 cm and 40–60 cm). In the same two depth intervals in the canopy-free area of Plot 2, the root-soil water relationship was also significant (p < 0.01) but non-monotonic correlated, that is, with the root distribution density increasing, the mean SWC decreased first and then increased. Moreover, we discussed possible mechanisms, e.g., root water uptake, 3D root distribution, preferential flow along roots, and different growing stages, which might lead to the spatially anisotropic relationship between root distribution and SWC at the stand level. This study demonstrates the advantages of GPR in ecohydrology studies at the field scale that is challenging for traditional methods. Results reported here complement existing knowledge about the root-soil water relationship in semi-arid environments and shed new insights on modeling the complex ecohydrological processes in the root zone.


Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fairouz Slama ◽  
Nessrine Zemni ◽  
Fethi Bouksila ◽  
Roberto De Mascellis ◽  
Rachida Bouhlila

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.


2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 07-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Angelo Branco Camargo ◽  
Ricardo Antonio Marenco

Crabwood (Carapa guianensis Aubl.) is a fast growing tree species with many uses among Amazonian local communities. The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of seasonal rainfall pattern on growth rates, and seasonal and diurnal changes in leaf gas exchange and leaf water potential (ΨL) in crabwood. To assess the effect of rainfall seasonality on growth and physiological leaf traits an experiment was conducted in Manaus, AM (03º 05' 30" S, 59º 59' 35" S). In this experiment, six 6-m tall plants were used to assess photosynthetic traits and ΨL. In a second experiment the effect of growth irradiance on stomatal density (S D), size (S S) and leaf thickness was assessed in 0.8-m tall saplings. Stomatal conductance (g s) and light-saturated photosynthesis (Amax) were higher in the wet season, and between 09:00 and 15:00 h. However, no effect of rainfall seasonality was found on ΨL and potential photosynthesis (CO2-saturated). ΨL declined from -0.3 MPa early in the morning to -0.75 MPa after midday. It increased in the afternoon but did not reach full recovery at sunset. Growth rates of crabwood were high, and similar in both seasons (2 mm month-1). Leaf thickness and S D were 19% and 47% higher in sun than in shade plants, whereas the opposite was true for S S. We conclude that ΨL greatly affects carbon assimilation of crabwood by reducing g s at noon, although this effect is not reflected on growth rates indicating that other factors offset the effect of g s on Amax.


2004 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
C.J. Ng'ang'a ◽  
N. Maingi ◽  
W.K. Munyua ◽  
P.W.N. Kanyari

A survey on the prevalence and intensity of infection with gastrointestinal helminths of Dorper sheep in relation to age and weather factors was carried out on a ranch in Kajiado district, a semi-arid area of Kenya for a period of 13 months (May 1999 to May 2000). Faecal samples from lambs (3 months to 1 year), yearlings (1-2 years) and adult breeding ewes (2-4 years) were examined for helminth egg output and helminth genus composition at 3-week intervals. The results indicated that the prevalence of strongyle and tapeworms infections were highest for lambs, followed by the adult breeding ewes and then for the yearlings. In all age groups the proportions of infected animals were higher during the wet season than in the dry season for both nematodes and tapeworms. The mean strongyle egg counts were higher during the dry season for lambs, but were higher during the wet season for the other age groups. Mixed strongyle infections were detected, with Trichostrongylus (55 %), Haemonchus (28 %), Cooperia (10.5 %) and Oesophagostomum (6.5 %) being the most frequently encountered genera throughout the study period. The trends in strongyle faecal egg counts indicated the occurrence of hypobiosis, with resumption of development towards the end of the dry season and at the onset of the short rains in October and November. Self-cure was also observed in September and November in all age groups, although less frequently in lactating ewes. The prevalence and intensities of infection with gastrointestinal helminths in this area appeared to be influenced by the age of the host and weather factors.


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