Effects of simulated changes in precipitation pattern on sap flux in two tree species in subtropical region

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2019.0128

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Over the past decades, the precipitation patterns in subtropical regions markedly changed in response to global climate change. The impacts of changing precipitation patterns on plant growths and forest water balance remain unclear. In this study, the effects of varying precipitation patterns on whole tree water were tested in a natural forest in South China.Methods The study was conducted in the Heshan National Field Research Station of Forest Ecosystem in Guangdong Province, from September 2012 to December 2014. Throughfalls were intercepted by installing rain-shelters underneath the tree canopy and transferred to a nearby water reservior in dry season (from October to March of the next year), which were then reapplied to the field plots in equal quantity of the interception in wet season (from April to September), to simulate changed rainfall pattern to drier dry season and wetter wet season (DD). Sap flux density was continually measured on two tree species, Schima superba and Michelia macclurei. Student t-test was used to determine the significance of differences in mean maximum sap flux density (¯J_S) between the two species in the control plots (AC), and between AC and DD treatments during the experiment.Important findings The average ¯J_S was (49.5 ± 1.7) mL∙m ^-2∙s ^-1in M. macclurei and (43.6 ± 2.0) mL∙m ^-2∙s ^-1 in S. superba in the AC treatment when the active photosynthetic radiation (PAR) was greater than 1 100 μmol·m ^-2·s ^-1. M. macclurei showed higher sensitivity to increasing PAR. The ¯J_S ratio (DD/AC) in both species initially increased significantly, followed by a short-term decrease. In S. superba, the ratio decreased from 0.74 to 0.68 in DD from October 2012 to March 2013, and then increased to 0.93 in March 2014 and 1.04 in November 2014. In M. macclurei, the ratio decreased from 1.00 to 0.94 in DD from October 2012 to March 2013, and then increased to 1.06 in March 2014. We found that S. superba could maintain higher ¯J_S in response to the increasing PAR and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) in the DD treatment. Our results showed that the short-term drought would lead to a decline in tree transpiration; but in the long run, plants tended to compensate for the drought induced growth loss by elevating the ¯J_S. Compared to M. macclurei, S. superba could maintain higher water transport capacity due to its more extensive ¯J_S plasticity in response to the extended drought.

Key words: changed precipitation patterns, water use strategy, sap flux density, water stress

ZHANG Zhen-Zhen, YANG Ke-Jia, GU Yu-Lu, ZHAO Ping, OUYANG Lei. Effects of simulated changes in precipitation pattern on sap flux in two tree species in subtropical region[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2019, 43(11): 988-998.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2019.0128

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2019/V43/I11/988

Figures/Tables 7

Fig. 1 Experimental designs for the “simulated seasonal changes in precipitation”. Throughfall exclusion from October to March of the following year (DD) and from April to May (ED). Reapplication of throughfall rainwater from June to September. AC, control; DD, drier dry season and wetter wet season; ED, extended dry season.

Table 1 The number of trees and tree diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height for different species in the drier dry season and wetter wet season (DD) and control (AC) treatments (mean ± SD) in each block in Heshan experimental station

		DD				AC
	物种 Species	I	II	III	IV	I	II	III	IV
数量 N	SS	3	1	3	0	3	1	2	3
数量 N	MM	0	3	3	6	3	5	4	3
胸径 DBH (cm)	SS	14.02 ± 0.93 (0.13)				12.93 ± 1.17 (0.15)
胸径 DBH (cm)	MM	19.02 ± 1.43 (0.09)				17.53 ± 1.35 (0.11)
树高 H (m)	SS	7.02 ± 0.48 (0.11)				7.04 ± 0.5 (0.10)
树高 H (m)	MM	13.59 ± 0.51 (0.12)				9.43 ± 0.64 (0.13)
边材厚度 Sapwood depth (cm)	SS	5.5-6.3
边材厚度 Sapwood depth (cm)	MM	3.5-4.2
边材密度 Sapwood density (g·cm^-3)	SS	0.61 ± 0.03 (0.05)
边材密度 Sapwood density (g·cm^-3)	MM	0.53 ± 0.03 (0.06)

Table 2 The excluded/irrigated precipitation in wet/dry season and the corresponding soil water content in the control and drier dry season and wetter wet season treatments

		补水量 Water input (mm)	土壤含水量 Soil water content (%)
		补水量 Water input (mm)	0-20 cm	50 cm
湿季增雨 Irrigated in wet season	DD1	370.56	35.12	39.34
	DD2	370.56	33.85	38.69
	DD3	370.56
	DD4	370.56
	AC1	0	34.98	37.79
	AC2	0	34.13	38.55
	AC3	0
	AC4	0
干季减雨 Excluded in dry season	DD1	-533.25	22.15	31.04
	DD2	-496.89	21.64	30.61
	DD3	-499.37
	DD4	-513.80
	AC1	0	29.59	33.91
	AC2	0	27.54	35.68
	AC3	0
	AC4	0

Fig. 2 Annual dynamics of mean maximum sap flux density (¯JS)(average values between 11:00-13:00, mean ± SD) in Michelia macclurei and Schima superba, and the fitted relationship of ¯JS as a function of the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) from the upper boundary of the boundary line analysis during 1 October 2013 and 31 March 2014.

Fig. 3 Annual variations of mean maximum sap flux density (¯JS)(mean ± SD) for trees in DD (red dot) and AC (black dot) groups in Michelia macclurei (n = 15) and Schima superba (n = 9). The shaded sections indicate the period of throughfall exclusion, and other sections the period of enhanced rainfall. AC, control; DD, drier dry season and wetter wet season.

Fig. 4 Linear fitting of the relationship of mean maximum sap flux density (¯JS)(mean ± SD) between control (AC) and drier dry season and wetter wet season (DD) treatments during different drought periods in Michelia macclurei (n = 15) and Schima superba (n = 9). The inserted figures show the ¯JS ratios (JS(DD)/JS(AC)) during different periods.

Fig. 5 Daily dynamics of mean maximum sap flux density (¯JS) and environmental drivers (VPD and PAR) in drier dry season and wetter wet season (DD) treatments during the second phase of dry season (from 14 to 18 October 2013) in Michelia macclurei and Schima superba (mean ± SD). The arrow lines indicate the direction of time series. PAR, photosynthetically active radiation; VPD, water vapor deficit.

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