Foggy days and dry nights determine crown‐level water balance in a seasonal tropical montane cloud forest

The ecophysiology of tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) trees is influenced by crown‐level microclimate factors including regular mist/fog water inputs, and large variations in evaporative demand, which in turn can significantly impact water balance. We investigated the effect of such microclimatic factors on canopy ecophysiology and branch‐level water balance in the dry season of a seasonal TMCF in Veracruz, Mexico, by quantifying both water inputs (via foliar uptake, FU) and outputs (day‐ and night‐time transpiration, NT). Measurements of sap flow, stomatal conductance, leaf water potential and pressure–volume relations were obtained in Quercus lanceifolia, a canopy‐dominant tree species. Our results indicate that FU occurred 34% of the time and led to the recovery of 9% (24 ± 9.1 L) of all the dry‐season water transpired from individual branches. Capacity for FU was independently verified for seven additional common tree species. NT accounted for approximately 17% (46 L) of dry‐season water loss. There was a strong correlation between FU and the duration of leaf wetness events (fog and/or rain), as well as between NT and the night‐time vapour pressure deficit. Our results show the clear importance of fog and NT for the canopy water relations of Q. lanceifolia.     

The hydroclimatic and ecophysiological basis of cloud forest distributions under current and projected climates

Background

Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCFs) are characterized by a unique set of biological and hydroclimatic features, including frequent and/or persistent fog, cool temperatures, and high biodiversity and endemism. These forests are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems to climate change given their small geographic range, high endemism and dependence on a rare microclimatic envelope. The frequency of atmospheric water deficits for some TMCFs is likely to increase in the future, but the consequences for the integrity and distribution of these ecosystems are uncertain. In order to investigate plant and ecosystem responses to climate change, we need to know how TMCF species function in response to current climate, which factors shape function and ecology most and how these will change into the future.

Scope

This review focuses on recent advances in ecophysiological research of TMCF plants to establish a link between TMCF hydrometeorological conditions and vegetation distribution, functioning and survival. The hydraulic characteristics of TMCF trees are discussed, together with the prevalence and ecological consequences of foliar uptake of fog water (FWU) in TMCFs, a key process that allows efficient acquisition of water during cloud immersion periods, minimizing water deficits and favouring survival of species prone to drought-induced hydraulic failure.

Conclusions

Fog occurrence is the single most important microclimatic feature affecting the distribution and function of TMCF plants. Plants in TMCFs are very vulnerable to drought (possessing a small hydraulic safety margin), and the presence of fog and FWU minimizes the occurrence of tree water deficits and thus favours the survival of TMCF trees where such deficits may occur. Characterizing the interplay between microclimatic dynamics and plant water relations is key to foster more realistic projections about climate change effects on TMCF functioning and distribution.     

Assessing transpiration in the tussock grass Stipa tenacissima L.: the crucial role of the interplay between morphology and physiology

Plant transpiration has a key role on both plant performance and ecosystem functioning in arid zones, but realistic estimates at appropriate spatial-temporal scales are scarce. Leaf and tiller morphology and crown architecture were studied together with leaf physiology and whole plant water balance in four individual plants of Stipa tenacissima of different sizes to determine the relative influence of processes taking place at different spatial and temporal scales on whole plant transpiration. Transpiration was estimated in potted plants by leaf-level gas exchange techniques (infrared gas analyzer and porometer), by sap flow measurements, and by integrating leaf physiology and crown architecture with the 3-D computer model Yplant. Daily transpiration of each individual plant was monitored using a gravimetric method, which rendered the reference values. Leaves on each individual plant significantly varied in their physiological status. Young and green parts of the leaves showed five times higher chlorophyll concentration and greater photosynthetic capacity than the senescent parts of the foliage. Instantaneous leaf-level transpiration measurements should not be used to estimate plant transpiration, owing to the fact that extrapolations overestimated individual transpiration by more than 100%. Considering leaf age effects and scaling the estimates according to the relative amount of each foliage category reduced this difference to 46% though it was still significantly higher than gravimetric measurements. Sap flow calculations also overestimated tussock transpiration. However, 3-D reconstruction of plants with Yplant and transpiration estimates, considering both the physiological status and the daily pattern of radiation experienced by each individual leaf section within the crown, matched the gravimetric measurements (differences were only 4.4%). The complex interplay of leaf physiology and crown structure must be taken into account in scaling up plant transpiration from instantaneous, leaf-level measurements, and our study indicates that transpiration of complex crowns is easily overestimated.     

Assessing transpiration in the tussock grass Stipa tenacissima L.: the crucial role of the interplay between morphology and physiology

Plant transpiration has a key role on both plant performance and ecosystem functioning in arid zones, but realistic estimates at appropriate spatial-temporal scales are scarce. Leaf and tiller morphology and crown architecture were studied together with leaf physiology and whole plant water balance in four individual plants of Stipa tenacissima of different sizes to determine the relative influence of processes taking place at different spatial and temporal scales on whole plant transpiration. Transpiration was estimated in potted plants by leaf-level gas exchange techniques (infrared gas analyzer and porometer), by sap flow measurements, and by integrating leaf physiology and crown architecture with the 3-D computer model Yplant. Daily transpiration of each individual plant was monitored using a gravimetric method, which rendered the reference values. Leaves on each individual plant significantly varied in their physiological status. Young and green parts of the leaves showed five times higher chlorophyll concentration and greater photosynthetic capacity than the senescent parts of the foliage. Instantaneous leaf-level transpiration measurements should not be used to estimate plant transpiration, owing to the fact that extrapolations overestimated individual transpiration by more than 100%. Considering leaf age effects and scaling the estimates according to the relative amount of each foliage category reduced this difference to 46% though it was still significantly higher than gravimetric measurements. Sap flow calculations also overestimated tussock transpiration. However, 3-D reconstruction of plants with Yplant and transpiration estimates, considering both the physiological status and the daily pattern of radiation experienced by each individual leaf section within the crown, matched the gravimetric measurements (differences were only 4.4%). The complex interplay of leaf physiology and crown structure must be taken into account in scaling up plant transpiration from instantaneous, leaf-level measurements, and our study indicates that transpiration of complex crowns is easily overestimated.     

Granier树干液流测定系统在马占相思的水分利用研究中的应用

介绍了Granier热消散探针在树干液流测定中的工作原理,并利用该系统长期监测广东鹤山马占相思林14株样树的液流密度,分析了树木个体内和个体之间液流密度的差异、整树和林段水分利用的量化特征.由于树木边材结构以及周围微环境的差别,树木内和个体间的液流密度差异非常明显,变异系数的平均值分别为15.51%-37.26%、37.46%-50.73%.尽管液流密度的差异较大,但同一株树木不同方位的液流密度之间却呈现明显的线性相关（p＜0.0001）,这是重要的特征值,使得只需测定某一方位的液流密度经尺度外推计算整树和林段蒸腾成为可能.树木液流对环境因子响应的变化规律取决于所参照的时间尺度,日变化主要受光辐射、水汽压差等气候因子的控制,而土壤水份对液流的季节变化影响较大.形态特征明显影响树木的液流,高大树木由于边材较厚、树干粗壮和冠幅较宽而承载较多的辐射能量,因而水分蒸腾较高.对树木液流密度在径向和方位上进行适当的整合,可较准确地计算整树和林段蒸腾.由液流估测的马占相思整树和林段蒸腾的结果显示,该群落的水分利用在时间和空间上均有明显的分化.     

Nighttime sap flow of Acacia mangium and its implications for nighttime transpiration and stem water storage

Aims Nighttime sap flow of trees may indicate transpiration and/or recharge of stem water storage at night. This paper deals with the water use of Acacia mangium at night in the hilly lands of subtropical South China. Our primary goal was to reveal and understand the nature of nighttime sap flow and its functional significance.Methods Granier's thermal dissipation method was used to determine the nighttime sap flux of A. mangium. Gas exchange system was used to estimate nighttime leaf transpiration and stomatal conductance of studied trees.Important findings Nighttime sap flow was substantial and showed seasonal variation similar to the patterns of daytime sap flow in A. mangium. Mean nighttime sap flow was higher in the less precipitation year of 2004 (1122.4 mm) than in the more precipitation year of 2005 (1342.5 mm) since more daytime transpiration and low soil water availability in the relatively dry 2004 can be the cause of more nighttime sap flow. Although vapor pressure deficit and air temperature were significantly correlated with nighttime sap flow, they could only explain a small fraction of the variance in nighttime sap flow. The total accumulated water loss (E L) by transpiration of canopy leaves was only ~2.6–8.5% of the total nighttime sap flow (E t) during the nights of July 17–18 and 18–19, 2006. Therefore, it is likely that the nighttime sap flow was mainly used for refilling water in the trunk. The stem diameter at breast height, basal area and sapwood area explained much more variance of nighttime water recharge than environmental factors and other tree form features, such as tree height, stem length below the branch, and canopy size. The contribution of nighttime water recharge to the total transpiration ranged from 14.7 to 30.3% depending on different DBH class and was considerably higher in the dry season compared to the wet season.     

Identifying the pathways for foliar water uptake in beech (Fagus sylvatica L.): a major role for trichomes

Foliar water uptake (FWU), the direct uptake of water into leaves, is a global phenomenon, having been observed in an increasing number of plant species. Despite the growing recognition of its functional relevance, our understanding of how FWU occurs and which foliar surface structures are implicated, is limited. In the present study, fluorescent and ionic tracers, as well as microcomputed tomography, were used to assess potential pathways for water entry in leaves of beech, a widely distributed tree species from European temperate regions. Although none of the tracers entered the leaf through the stomatal pores, small amounts of silver precipitation were observed in some epidermal cells, indicating moderate cuticular uptake. Trichomes, however, were shown to absorb and redistribute considerable amounts of ionic and fluorescent tracers. Moreover, microcomputed tomography indicated that 72% of empty trichomes refilled during leaf surface wetting and microscopic investigations revealed that trichomes do not have a cuticle but are covered with a pectin‐rich cell wall layer. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that foliar trichomes, which exhibit strong hygroscopic properties as a result of their structural and chemical design, constitute a major FWU pathway in beech.     

Water and Nutrient Dynamics in Surface Roots and Soils are not Modified by Short-term Flooding of Phreatophytic Plants in a Hyperarid Desert

Little is known of the mechanisms employed by woody plants to acquire key resources such as water and nutrients in hyperarid environments. For phreatophytic plants, deep roots are necessary to access the water table, but given that most nutrients in many desert ecosystems are stored in the upper soil layers, viable shallow roots may be equally necessary for nutrient uptake. We sought to better understand the interaction between water and nutrient uptake from soil horizons differing in the relative abundance of these resources. To this end, we monitored plant water and nutrient status before and after applying flood irrigation to four phreatophytic perennial plant species in the remote hyperarid Taklamakan desert in western China. Sap flow in the roots of five plants of the perennial desert species Alhagi sparsifolia Shap., Karelina caspica (Pall.) Less., Calligonum caput medusea Schrenk, and Eleagnus angustifolia Hill. was monitored using the heat ratio method (HRM). Additionally we measured predawn and midday water potential, foliar nitrate reductase activity (NRA), xylem sap nutrient concentration and the concentration of total solutes in the leaves before, 12 and 96 h after flooding to investigate possible short-term physiological effects on water and nutrient status. Rates of sap flow measured during the day and at night in the absence of transpiration did not change after flooding. Moderately high rates of sap flow (HRM heat pulse velocity, 5–25 cm h⁻¹) detected during the day in soils that had a near zero water content at the surface indicated that all species had contact to groundwater. There was no evidence from sap flow data that plants had utilised flood water to increase maximum rates of transpiration under similar climatic conditions, and there was no evidence of a process to improve the efficiency of water or nutrient uptake, such as hydraulic redistribution (i.e. the passive movement of water from moist soil to very dry soil via roots). Measurements of plant water status, xylem sap nutrient status, foliar NRA and the concentration of osmotically active substances were also unaffected by flood irrigation. Our results clearly show that groundwater acts as the major source of water and nutrients for these plants. The inability of plants to utilise abundant surface soil–water or newly available nutrients following irrigation was attributed to the absence of fine roots in the topsoil layer.     

Seasonal variation of water uptake of a Quercus suber tree in Central Portugal

Hydraulic redistribution (HR) is the phenomenon where plant roots transfer water between soil horizons of different water potential. When dry soil is a stronger sink for water loss from the plant than transpiration, water absorbed by roots in wetter soil horizons is transferred toward, and exuded into dry soil via flow reversals through the roots. Reverse flow is a good marker of HR and can serve as a useful tool to study it over the long-term. Seasonal variation of water uptake of a Quercus suber tree was studied from late winter through autumn 2003 at Rio Frio near Lisbon, Portugal. Sap flow was measured in five small shallow roots (diameter of 3–4 cm), 1 to 2 m from the tree trunk and in four azimuths and at different xylem depths at the trunk base, using the heat field deformation method (HFD). The pattern of sap flow differed among lateral roots as soil dried with constant positive flow in three roots and reverse flow in two other roots during the night when transpiration ceased. Rain modified the pattern of flow in these two roots by eliminating reverse flow and substantially increasing water uptake for transpiration during the day. The increase in water uptake in three other roots following rain was not so substantial. In addition, the flux in individual roots was correlated to different degrees with the flux at different radial depths and azimuthal directions in trunk xylem. The flow in outer trunk xylem seemed to be mostly consistent with water movement from surface soil horizons, whereas deep roots seemed to supply water to the whole cross-section of sapwood. When water flow substantially decreased in shallow lateral roots and the outer stem xylem during drought, water flow in the inner sapwood was maintained, presumably due to its direct connection to deep roots. Results also suggest the importance of the sap flow sensor placement, in relation to sinker roots, as to whether lateral roots might be found to exhibit reverse flow during drought. This study is consistent with the dimorphic rooting habit of Quercus suber trees in which deep roots access groundwater to supply superficial roots and the whole tree, when shallow soil layers were dry.     

Hydraulic redistribution of foliar absorbed water causes turgor‐driven growth in mangrove seedlings

Although foliar water uptake (FWU) has been shown in mature Avicennia marina trees, the importance for its seedlings remains largely unknown. A series of experiments were therefore performed using artificial rainfall events in a greenhouse environment to assess the ecological implications of FWU in A. marina seedlings. One‐hour artificial rainfall events resulted in an increased leaf water potential, a reversed sap flow, and a rapid diameter increment signifying a turgor‐driven growth of up to 30.1 ± 5.4 μm. Furthermore, the application of an artificial rainfall event with deuterated water showed that the amount of water absorbed by the leaves and transported to the stem was directly and univocally correlated to the observed growth spurts. The observations in this process‐based study show that FWU is an important water acquisition mechanism under certain circumstances and might be of ecological importance for the establishment of A. marina seedlings. Distribution of mangrove trees might hence be more significantly disturbed by climate change‐driven changes in rainfall patterns than previously assumed.     

Transpiration of Pinus rotundata on a wooded peat bog in central Europe

Transpiration of a central European endemic tree species, Pinus rotundata Link, growing on a wooded peat bog in the Třeboň Basin, Czech Republic, was studied in 1999–2000. Transpiration was measured by sap flow techniques (heat field deformation method) on individual trees and scaled up to stand level. The radial patterns of sap flow density showed narrow peaks in the outer part of the xylem, sapwood accounted for 47–60% of the xylem radius and 72–84% of the xylem basal area. Adult trees tolerated well both short-term flooding during the growing season and drawdown of the water table to a depth of 60 cm below ground level. The maximum and mean daily transpiration rates were 3.0 and 1.8 mm per day, and were thus similar to published data for Scots pine. The seasonal total transpiration (25 April–20 October 2000, 180 days) amounted to 322 mm, or 62% of the potential evapotranspiration over this period. This canopy transpiration was compensated by 319 mm of precipitation. The difference between the accumulated precipitation and the accumulated transpiration (derived from seasonal sap flow measurements) closely mimicked the seasonal course of the water table.     

Evaluating different soil and plant hydraulic constraints on tree function using a model and sap flow data from ponderosa pine

Relationships between tree size and physiological processes such as transpiration may have important implications for plant and ecosystem function, but as yet are poorly understood. We used a process‐based model of the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum to investigate patterns of whole‐tree sap flow in ponderosa pine trees of different size and age (36 m and ～250 years versus 13 m and 10–50 years) over a developing summer drought. We examined three different hypothetical controls on hydraulic resistance, and found that size‐related differences in sap flow could be best explained by absolute differences in plant resistance related to path length (hypothesis 1) rather than through different dynamic relationships between plant resistance and leaf water potential (hypothesis 2), or alterations in rates of cumulative inducement and repair of cavitation (hypothesis 3). Reductions in sap flow over time could be best explained by rising soil–root resistance (hypothesis 1), rather than by a combination of rising plant and soil–root resistance (hypothesis 2), or by rising plant resistance alone (hypothesis 3). Comparing hourly predictions with observed sap flow, we found that a direct relationship between plant resistance and leaf water potential (hypothesis 2) led to unrealistic bimodal patterns of sap flow within a day. Explaining seasonal reduction in sap flow purely through rising plant resistance (hypothesis 3) was effective but failed to explain the observed decline in pre‐dawn leaf water potential for small trees. Thus, hypothesis 1 was best corroborated. A sensitivity analysis revealed a significant difference in the response to drought‐relieving rains; precipitation induced a strong recovery in sap flow in the hypothetical case of limiting soil–root resistance (hypothesis 1), and an insignificant response in the case of limiting plant resistance (hypothesis 3). Longer term monitoring and manipulation experiments are thus likely to resolve the uncertainties in hydraulic constraints on plant function.     

土壤-根系统水分再分配:土壤-植物-大气连续体中的一个小通路

吸收和传导水分一直被视为植物根系最主要的功能之一,而人们对根系在某些情况下还可以向土壤释放水分的事实及其对植物生长和生态系统功能的影响了解得还很不充分,尽管这样的证据由来已久。土壤-根系统水分再分配(Hydraulic redistribution, HR)是近20年间被发现和证实的,指水分从土壤中较湿的部分经由植物的根系传导而运动到土壤中较干的部分,通常发生在蒸腾减弱的夜间,可以沿水势梯度下降的方向而在不同土层间向上向下或侧向运动。HR研究揭示了土壤-植物-大气连续体中有时会存在土壤-根-土壤的水流小通路,细化了土壤-根系统中水分储存和运输的时空动态和机制。土壤水分状况的连续监测、根木质部液流测量、稳定性同位素技术的使用构成了HR实验研究的三大手段。当土壤中深层水分充足的时候,HR可以提高根系吸收和传导水分的效率,有利于植物充分利用资源,延长了浅层土壤的水分可利用期,有利于维持植物组织的生理活性和水流传导;旱季后降水来临的时候,HR可以将一部分降水转移到深层土壤,增加了可利用性水分的总量。对于干旱半干旱的沙地和草原、季节性干旱的森林等类型,HR过程可能对生态系统水分循环产生重要影响。有必要在国内针对这些生态系统展开深入的实验研究,同时探索将HR过程适当结合到生态系统模型和水文模型中,从而更准确地研究和预测群落内植物水分关系和生态系统水分动态。此外,结合农林设计、植被恢复、生态需水量估算和农业节水等方面进行的HR研究也值得深入探索。     

Foliar water uptake: Processes,pathways, and integration into plant water budgets

Nearly all plant families, represented across most major biomes, absorb water directly through their leaves. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as foliar water uptake. Recent studies have suggested that foliar water uptake provides a significant water subsidy that can influence both plant water and carbon balance across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Despite this, our mechanistic understanding of when, where, how, and to what end water is absorbed through leaf surfaces remains limited. We first review the evidence for the biophysical conditions necessary for foliar water uptake to occur, focusing on the plant and atmospheric water potentials necessary to create a gradient for water flow. We then consider the different pathways for uptake, as well as the potential fates of the water once inside the leaf. Given that one fate of water from foliar uptake is to increase leaf water potentials and contribute to the demands of transpiration, we also provide a quantitative synthesis of observed rates of change in leaf water potential and total fluxes of water into the leaf. Finally, we identify critical research themes that should be addressed to effectively incorporate foliar water uptake into traditional frameworks of plant water movement.     

How do leaf wetting events affect gas exchange and leaf lifespan of plants from seasonally dry tropical vegetation?

• Foliar uptake of dew is likely an important mechanism of water acquisition for plants from tropical dry environments. However, there is still limited experimental evidence describing the anatomical pathways involved in this process and the effects of this water subsidy on the maintenance of gas exchange and leaf lifespan of species from seasonally dry tropical vegetation such as the Brazilian caatinga.
• We performed scanning electron, bright‐field and confocal microscopic analyses and used apoplastic tracers to examine the foliar water uptake (FWU) routes in four woody species with different foliar phenology and widely distributed in the caatinga. Leaves of plants subjected to water stress were exposed to dew simulation to evaluate the effects of the FWU on leaf water potentials, gas exchange and leaf lifespan.
• All species absorbed water through their leaf cuticles and/or peltate trichomes but FWU capacity differed among species. Leaf wetting by dew increased leaf lifespan duration up to 36 days compared to plants in the drought treatment. A positive effect on leaf gas exchange and new leaf production was only observed in the anisohydric and evergreen species.
• We showed that leaf wetting by dew is relevant for the physiology and leaf lifespan of plants from seasonally dry tropical vegetation, especially for evergreen species.

     

广州地区荷木夜间树干液流补水的影响因子及其对蒸腾的贡献

明确树木夜间水分补充现象有助于提高总蒸腾量和冠层气孔导度估算的精确度,进一步认识冠层蒸腾与树干液流之间存在的时滞关系.本研究采用热消散探针法测定了广州地区的荷木树干液流密度,同步监测了主要的环境因子,从不同时间尺度分析了树干夜间液流的水分补充现象.结果表明:与白天相比,荷木夜间液流密度较小,旱季变化幅度比湿季大;夜间水分补充的时间段主要在前半夜(18:00-22:00);年内各季节夜间水分补充量之间没有显著差异,与环境因子之间的偏相关关系不显著,但与胸径、树高、冠幅、树干生物量、冠层生物量的回归曲线拟合很好,表明树形特征和生物量能更好地解释夜间补水的变化;各季节夜间水分补充量对总蒸腾量的贡献有显著差异,旱季明显高于湿季.     

大连4种城市绿化乔木树种夜间液流活动特征

夜间液流有助于树木物质运输及其体内水分的补充(water recharge), 它不仅对植物的生长发育具有重要的生理生态学意义, 而且对大尺度植物蒸腾耗水的估算可能产生重要影响。2008年6月1日至8月31日, 以热扩散探针(thermal dissipation probe, TDP)技术对大连市劳动公园内的雪松(Cedrus deodara)、大叶榉(Zelkova schneideriana)、丝棉木(Euonymus bungeanus)和水杉(Metasequoia glyptostroboides) 4种乔木树种的不同径阶样木树干边材液流进行了测定, 并结合同步土壤水分与小气候观测结果分析了树木夜间(18:00至次日5:00)液流特征。实验结果表明, 树木普遍存在可感夜间液流, 夜间液流总量占观测期液流总量的比例在样木个体间呈现显著差异, 其变化范围为0.44%-75.96%; 观测期雨天夜间液流波动活跃, 显著高于晴天, 其单日夜间液流总量可持平, 甚至高于日间液流。相关分析表明: 水汽压亏缺(vapor pressure deficit, VPD)和风速的变化与夜间蒸腾显著相关, 它们能够较好地解释液流变化(R² > 0.6); 树木夜间液流主要用于夜间蒸腾和自身水分补充, 夜间液流现象主要发生在前半夜, 后半夜液流平稳且极接近0, 夜间液流量与相应的日间流量(R² = 0.356, p = 0.00)及胸径(R²_Spearman > 0.80)显著相关, 说明植物本身的结构和生理特点也是影响树木夜间液流的重要因子。单株样木夜间液流占全天总蒸腾量的比例低于14.4%, 如不考虑夜间液流的影响, 根据日间液流通过尺度扩展推算的森林生态系统年蒸腾量可能偏低。     

出露基岩生境典型植物树干液流对自然降水和连续干旱的响应特征

以西南喀斯特地区常见的出露基岩生境为研究对象,针对该类生境典型乔木类植物菜豆树和圆叶乌桕,应用TDP热扩散探针技术,结合遮雨试验,分析了植物树干液流对自然降水和连续干旱的响应特征.结果表明:在生长季不同时期,降水后2树种液流密度较降水前均有一定程度的升高,但始终呈现落叶乔木圆叶乌桕高于半落叶乔木菜豆树的特征;连续2个月遮雨条件下,2树种液流密度均无明显降低的趋势,表明2树种均不依赖受近期降水主导的水源;通过对降水前后及连续干旱条件下2树种液流密度与环境因子的拟合关系研究发现,气象因素差异对水分环境变化条件下植物蒸腾耗水的影响较小.自然降水和短时期的连续干旱并未显著改变2树种的蒸腾耗水特征,这可能与出露基岩生境特殊的水分蓄持环境和乔木类植物依赖相对稳定的深层水源有关.     

华北落叶松夜间树干液流特征及生长季补水格局

在宁夏六盘山北侧半干旱区的叠叠沟小流域,采用热扩散探针法在2011年生长季监测了华北落叶松(Larix principisrupprechtii)人工林的树干液流速率,分析了夜间树干液流和补水量的变化特征及与气象、土壤水分等环境因子的关系.结果表明:树干液流速率日变化表现为典型的单峰宽峰曲线,且整个生长季均存在微弱的夜间液流,一般表现为逐渐减小,特别是在晴天,且晴天的变幅显著大于雨天.除生长季中期雨天夜间液流平均速率显著高于晴天,生长季初期及末期雨天与晴天的差异并不显著.生长季内,夜间树干补水总量为11.03 mm,占总蒸腾量的7.22％;5月份的树干补水量最大(4.19mm),其他月份的树干补水量明显减小,在0.9-1.7mm的范围波动.但不同月份间的补水贡献率存在明显差异,表现为生长季末期(9、10月)＞初期(5月)＞中期(6-8月).相关分析表明,日补水量与各气象因子关系不大,仅与降水量显著正相关(P＜0.05),与土壤含水率、日间蒸腾量、日蒸腾总量极显著正相关(P＜0.01).夜间补水的月蒸腾贡献率与月均土壤含水率、月均气温、月均日间蒸腾量、月总蒸腾量等显著相关(P＜0.05);而夜间补水的日蒸腾贡献率与日最高气温、日均气温、日间蒸腾量、日均饱和水汽压差、日总蒸腾量、日均太阳辐射强度、日最低气温、日均空气相对湿度、日降水量、土壤含水率等极显著相关(P＜0.01),经逐步回归分析建立了日补水量蒸腾贡献率与环境因子的多元线性模型.     

马占相思夜间树干液流的分配及其对整树蒸腾估算的影响

采用Granier热消散探针测定了马占相思(Acacia mangium)的树干液流,结合Li-6400光合测定系统测定的夜间叶片气孔导度和蒸腾,将夜间液流区分为夜间树干水分补充和叶片气孔蒸腾。叶片的蒸腾作用微弱,因此,夜间液流主要用于补充贮水部位的水分亏缺。马占相思夜间水分补充量年内和年际的变化不明显,树形特征的差异是解释夜间水分补充量变化的重要因子,夜间水分补充量对于整树蒸腾量的贡献因季节和树木径级的不同而有明显变化,但对整树总蒸腾量计算造成的误差可以忽略。