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Transpiration increases during the dry season: patterns of tree water use in eucalypt open-forests of northern Australia

O'Grady, AP, Eamus, D and Hutley, LB (1999). Transpiration increases during the dry season: patterns of tree water use in eucalypt open-forests of northern Australia. Tree Physiology,19(9):591-597.

Document type: Journal Article
Citation counts: Scopus Citation Count Cited 97 times in Scopus Article | Citations

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Title Transpiration increases during the dry season: patterns of tree water use in eucalypt open-forests of northern Australia
Author O'Grady, AP
Eamus, D
Hutley, LB
Journal Name Tree Physiology
Publication Date 1999
Volume Number 19
Issue Number 9
ISSN 0829 318X   (check CDU catalogue open catalogue search in new window)
Scopus ID 2-s2.0-0033166034
Start Page 591
End Page 597
Total Pages 7
Place of Publication Victoria, Canada
Publisher Heron Publishing
HERDC Category C1 - Journal Article (DEST)
Abstract Australian savannas exhibit marked seasonality in precipitation, with more than 90% of the annual total falling between October and May. The dry season is characterized by declining soil water availability and high vapor pressure deficits (up to 2.5 kPa). We used heat pulse technology to measure whole-tree transpiration rates on a daily and seasonal basis for the two dominant eucalypts at a site near Darwin, Australia. Contrary to expectations, transpiration rates were higher during the dry season than during the wet season, largely because of increased evaporative demand and the exploitation of groundwater reserves by the trees. Transpiration rates exhibited a marked hysteresis in relation to vapor pressure deficit, which was more marked in the dry season than in the wet season. This result may be attributable to low soil hydraulic conductivity, or the use of stored stem water, or both. Tree water use was strongly correlated with leaf area and diameter at breast height and there were no differences in transpiration between the species studied. These results are discussed in relation to scaling tree water use to stand water use.
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/treephys/19.9.591   (check subscription with CDU E-Gateway service for CDU Staff and Students  check subscription with CDU E-Gateway in new window)
 
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