Impacts of long-term precipitation manipulation on hydraulic architecture and xylem anatomy of piñon and juniper in Southwest USA.

Hydraulic architecture imposes a fundamental control on water transport, underpinning plant productivity, and survival. The extent to which hydraulic architecture of mature trees acclimates to chronic drought is poorly understood, limiting accuracy in predictions of forest responses to future droughts. We measured seasonal shoot hydraulic performance for multiple years to assess xylem acclimation in mature piñon (Pinus edulis) and juniper (Juniperus monosperma) after 3+ years of precipitation manipulation. Our treatments consisted of water addition (+20% ambient precipitation), partial precipitation-exclusion (-45% ambient precipitation), and exclusion-structure control. Supplemental watering elevated leaf water potential, sapwood-area specific hydraulic conductivity, and leaf-area specific hydraulic conductivity relative to precipitation exclusion. Shifts in allocation of leaf area to sapwood area enhanced differences between irrigated and droughted KL in piñon but not juniper. Piñon and juniper achieved similar KL under ambient conditions, but juniper matched or outperformed piñon in all physiological measurements under both increased and decreased precipitation treatments. Embolism vulnerability and xylem anatomy were unaffected by treatments in either species. Absence of significant acclimation combined with inferior performance for both hydraulic transport and safety suggests piñon has greater risk of local extirpation if aridity increases as predicted in the southwestern USA.

Influence of seedling roots, environmental factors and soil characteristics on soil CO2 efflux rates in a 2-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation in the Virginia Piedmont.

To understand the role of managed forests in carbon sequestration an understanding of factors controlling soil CO2 efflux will be necessary. This study examined the influence of seedling roots, environmental factors, nutrient availability, and soil characteristics on soil CO2 efflux patterns in a 2-year-old pine plantation in the Virginia Piedmont. Efflux rates were measured both near the base of seedlings and midway between rows in plots that had received fertilization and mulch treatments in a factorial combination. Soil CO2 efflux rates were consistently higher near the base of seedlings, fertilization increased seedling growth with no significant effect on rates. and mulching increased winter efflux rates. In a regression analysis of seasonal soil CO2 efflux, soil temperature explained 42.2% of the variance followed by the interaction of soil temperature and moisture and of soil temperature and plot position, which together explained an additional 9.8% of the observed variance in seasonal rates. During March 2000 measurements, the spatial pattern of soil CO2 efflux between plots was most influenced by differences in soil nitrogen and pine root biomass. Furthermore, spatial differences observed in mean annual efflux rates were found to be highly influenced by the amount of soil coarse fragments in the upper soil profile.