Contribution of stem water storage to daily transpiration of three temperate trees in northeastern China

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.01310

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Stem water storage plays a significant role in maintaining a favorable leaf water and carbon balance and minimizing temporal imbalances between water supply and demand. Few measurements, however, have been made on the daily dynamics of discharge and recharge of stem water storage, especially for Chinese temperate trees. Our objectives were to (1) examine diurnal courses of stem water storage of three temperate trees with different characteristics in Northeast China, i.e., coniferous needle-leaved Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis), broadleaved diffuse-porous aspen (Populus davidiana) and ring-porous Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica), (2) quantify the contribution of stem water storage to the daily transpiration loss for these trees and (3) explore biotic factors influencing stem water storage.
Methods Sapflow was measured simultaneously at the crown base and trunk base with calibrated thermal dissipation probes from mid-August to late-September 2010. The daily stem water storage was calculated by comparing the diurnal patterns of trunk basal and crown basal sapflow for each of three replicated trees per species.
Important findings Crown basal sapflow started earlier than trunk basal sapflow in the morning for all trees, and a distinct time lag existed during the daytime. This suggested stem water storage was significant in regulating tree transpiration losses. The diurnal course of stem water storage was divided into four stages, i.e., full discharge, mainly discharge supplemented with recharge, mainly recharge supplemented with discharge, and saturated steady stages. However, the duration and pattern of each stage varied with species. The pine experienced two periods of discharge and recharge of stem water storage, while the two broad-leaved species experienced only one. The daily amount of water withdrawn from storage and subsequently replaced that was normalized to the mean sapwood volume (0.29 m³) was (3.4 ± 1.5), (2.4 ± 0.6) and (1.5 ± 0.4) kg·d ^-1 (mean ± SD) for the pine, aspen, and oak, respectively, accounting for 18.9%, 17.1% and 8.8% of the total daily water loss, respectively. Use of stem-stored water exponentially increased with daily water loss, and was positively correlated with the basal sapwood area and tree height. These results emphasize the effects of tree size (i.e., tree height and sapwood area) and timber properties on stem water storage and its contribution to daily water losses.

Key words: diurnal course, sapflow, transpiration, water storage, water use

JIN Ying, WANG Chuan-Kuan, SANG Ying. Contribution of stem water storage to daily transpiration of three temperate trees in northeastern China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2011, 35(12): 1310-1317.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.01310

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2011/V35/I12/1310

Figures/Tables 6

Table 1 Characteristics of the sampled trees for sapflow measurement (mean (SD), n = 3)

树种 Species	树高 Tree height (m)	冠基高度 Height of crown base (m)	冠幅 Crown width (m)	干基 (胸高) Trunk base (breast height)		冠基 Crown base
树种 Species	树高 Tree height (m)	冠基高度 Height of crown base (m)	冠幅 Crown width (m)	直径 Diameter (cm)	边材宽度Sapwood width (cm)	直径 Diameter (cm)	边材宽度 Sapwood width (cm)
红松 Pinus koraiensis	16.5 (0.5)	6.3 (0.5)	4.7 (1.2)	26.1 (3.1)	3.4 (0.8)	20.7 (2.8)	3.3 (0.9)
山杨 Populus davidiana	25.8 (1.9)	15.0 (0.6)	4.7 (0.3)	29.1 (1.2)	7.1 (1.5)	17.9 (0.7)	4.7 (1.9)
蒙古栎 Quercus mongolica	16.7 (0.8)	9.8 (2.3)	4.7 (1.6)	27.5 (4.7)	1.9 (0.6)	20.3 (5.2)	1.5 (0.6)

Fig. 1 Diurnal courses of the crown-basal and trunk-basal sap flow and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) for three tree species (mean ± SD). The sample sizes for Pinus koraiensis (HS), Populus davidiana (SY), and Quercus mongolica (ML) are 9, 16, and 12, respectively.

Fig. 2 Diurnal courses of discharge and recharge of stem stored water for three tree species (mean ± SD). The sample sizes for Pinus koraiensis (HS), Populus davidiana (SY), and Quercus mongolica (ML) are 9, 16, and 12, respectively.

Fig. 3 Discharge of stem stored water and its contribution to transpiration for three tree species (mean ± SD). WS n, normalized discharge of stem stored water; Trn, normalized transpiration; WSn/Trn, contribution of WSn to Trn. The sample sizes for Pinus koraiensis (HS), Populus davidiana (SY), and Quercus mongolica (ML) are 9, 16, and 12, respectively. a, b, and c stand for significant difference groups (α = 0.05).

Fig. 4 Relationships between discharge of stem stored water and transpiration for three tree species. HS, Pinus koraiensis; ML, Quercus mongolica; SY, Populus davidiana.

Fig. 5 Discharge of stem stored water in relation to basal sapwood area and tree height. HS, Pinus koraiensis; ML, Quercus mongolica; SY, Populus davidiana.

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