Changes in spatial variations of sap flow in Korean pine trees due to environmental factors and their effects on estimates of stand transpiration

It is difficult to scale up measurements of the sap flux density(J_S) for the characterization of tree or stand transpiration(E) due to spatial variations in J_S and their temporal changes.To assess spatial variations in the sap flux density of Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis) and their effects on E estimates,we measured the J_S using Granier-type sensors.Within trees,the J_S decreased exponentially with the radial depth,and the J_S of the east aspects were higher than those of the west aspects.Among trees,there was a positive relationship between J_S and the tree diameter at breast height,and this positive relationship became stronger as the transpiration demand increased.The spatial variations that caused large errors in E estimates(i.e.,up to 110.8 % when radial variation was ignored) had varied systematically with environmental factors systematic characteristics in relation to environmental factors.However,changes in these variations did not generate substantial errors in the E estimates.For our study periods,the differences in the daily E(E_D) calculated by ignoring radial,azimuthal and tree-to-tree variations and the measured E_D were fairly constant,especially when the daily vapor pressure deficit(D_D)was higher than 0.6 k Pa.These results imply that the effect of spatial variations changes on sap flow can be a minor source of error compared with spatial variations(radial,azimuthal and tree-to-tree variations) when considering E estimates.

Temporal Variation in Sap-Flux-Scaled Transpiration and Cooling Effect of a Subtropical Schima superba Plantation in the Urban Area of Guangzhou

Agriculture could suffer the water stress induced by climate change. Because climate warming affects global hydrological cycles, it is vital to explore the effect of tree transpiration, as an important component of terrestrial evapotranspiration, on the environment. Thermal dissipation probes were used to measure xylem sap flux density of a Schima superba plantation in the urban area of Guangzhou City, South China. Stand transpiration was calculated by mean sap flux density times total sapwood area. The occurrence of the maximum sap flux density on the daily scale was later in wet season than in dry season. The peak of daily sap flux density was the highest of 59 g m-2 s^-1 in July and August, and the lowest of 28 g m-2 s-1 in December. In the two periods （November 2007-October 2008 and November 2008-October 2009）, the stand transpiration reached 263.2 and 291.6 ram, respectively. During our study period, stand transpiration in wet season （from April to September） could account for about 58.5 and 53.8% of the annual transpiration, respectively. Heat energy absorbed by tree transpiration averaged 1.4×10s and 1.6×10s kJ per month in this Schima superba plantation with the area of 2 885 m2, and temperature was reduced by 4.3 and 4.7℃ s^-1 per 10 m3 air.