Effects of moisture stress on

Douglas-fir physiology and growth

Tom Hinckley, College of Forest Resources,
University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Content of January 29 meeting - 1

Sun:
Quantity,
vapor
pressure
gradient

Rain, cloud, &

fog: Quantity,
intensity, timing

Snow: quantity,
elevation, rainon-snow, etc.

Climate, climate change

Future
Jeremy Littell
Dave Spittlehouse
Past
Renee Brooks

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Content of January 29 meeting -2

Soil properties
Soil water content
Hydraulic Conductivity
Groundwater

Hydraulic redistribution
Frederick Meinzer
Soil moisture
Jeffrey McDonnell

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Content of January 29 meeting -3

Climate: Weather

Site: Microclimate & topography

Physiology & Growth
Tom Hinckley
Water Use Efficiency
Andy Black

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Outline
Context
Major physiological processes affected
by moisture stress
Methods for assessing tree moisture
stress
Water-use requirements
Soil water tensions and plant water
potential thresholds that result in growth
reductions to growth cessation
Does fertilization improve water-use
efficiency?

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Whole Plant Context

An integrated system
Water loss at foliage
level
Water transport
Water uptake
Important to note that
nitrogen stress has
been regarded as the
main control of growth
& productivity in
Douglas-fir in PNW

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Simple Model of How Trees Might

Abovegrd stress:
Respond to Stress light
ozone
herbivory
Carbon
Storage

Carbon
Production

Leaf Growth

Root Growth

Does the model work?

Water &
Nutrient
Utilization

Water &
Nutrient
Uptake

Belowgrd stress:
nutrients
water
oxygen

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Responses To Belowground Stress

Tree Scale

Reich et al. (1980. Forest Science 26: 590) Quercus spp.

Borchert (1975. Physiologia Plantarum 35: 152) Quercus spp.

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Individual Tree Response Cont.

Experiment with Douglas-fir and
nitrogen (Friend et al. 1990. Can. J. For.
Res.)
Nitrogen Stressed

Non-Stressed

Total of 6 Combined Tre

+N

-N

Micro-

-N

+N

environment

N Concentration

oliage

0.4 l

oliage

of Micro-

0.4 l

No N

environment

Severe N

2.5 l

oots

Stress (n)

oots

Stress (s)
Macroenvironment

r1 low

r2 high
r1 low

r2 high

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Stand Response

Changes with
Fertilization

Aboveground
Belowground

Site II-

Site IV+

Net Primary Productivity

Aboveground
Belowground

Site II-

Site IV+

Net Primary Productivity

Keyes and Grier (1981.CJFR): young and

high site 40-year-old Douglas-fir

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Broader Geographic Comparison

Pseudotsuga
menziesii

Tsuga
heterophylla

Lee et al. (2007. Forest Ecology &

Management 242: 195)

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Site Water Balance & Productivity

Soil depth & texture
Water holding capacity
Full April 1
Output: Pan AET
Input: PPT
Climate change
Pisi

Tshe
Psme Mixed

Grier and Running.

1977. Ecology

Juoc

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Take-home Messages
Water and nutrients intertwined in PNW
Young soils
Climatic regime
Water long enough, would change site class

Leaf area (tree/stand) sets the productivity

potential (species, site, length of time when
temperature/light + and water also+)
Climate change
Length of growing season
Shifts in distribution of snow pack, cloud and fog

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Methods
Scholander-Hammel Pressure Bomb
(PMS)
Leaf or stomatal conductance
Sap velocity, sap flux
Soil moisture
Canopy microclimate (eddy flux)
Remote sensing including air & groundbased LiDAR
Air spade, ground penetrating radar

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Physiological Processes Impacted

Warmer,
Stomatal longer,
closure drier summers:
Reductions in photosynthesis
Stomatal closure
Reductions
in growth(decreases in
carbon gain;
offset
partially by
Changes
in carbon
allocation
increases
in
CO
[WUE];
vpg
may
2
Senescence & abscission of foliage
increases,inhowever)
Decreases
nutrient uptake

Allocation
to
roots
Cavitation of conducting elements
Decreases in tree/stand leaf area
Die-back, mortality

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Water Used & Thresholds

Water used: 0 - 500 l (kg) per day

Water used: 0 - 5 mm per day
Winter desiccation
Wilting
Length of growing season.
Site
Height

Soil water holding capacity is often associated with nutrition

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Irrigation
Dale Cole: It makes no sense to irrigate
(PNW)
Re-examine that statement
Lessons from the SE
Series of studies conducted by T. Albaugh, L.
Allen, T. Dean, P. Dougherty, B. Ewers, E.
Jokela, K. Johnsen, L. Kress, T. Martin, R.
Oren, L. Samuelson, R. Teskey
Loblolly pine (FL, GA, LA, NC, OK)

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Leaf Area, Water & Fertilization

Water use: IF (1.8 mm), F (1.2 mm)*, I
and C (0.7 mm).
Growth efficiency (SMI/LAI): IF (2.9
Mg/hayLAI), F (2.7), I (2.4), C (1.9)
Soil water availability poor predictor of
productivity.
Soil nutrient availability much better
Understory control (nutritional)
Genetics/disease control
Genetic potential in its native range
Fertilization provides greatest gain
* Improved depth of rooting

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Summary
Site nutrient availability is critical
Water (or competition for) is critical
early for root establishment.
Water likely to become more critical in
the future
Unknowns

Orphaned Slides (not used in formal

talk
Experiment with corn and water (John
Boyer)
Leaf
4

Silk

Stem
Nodalroots

1.2

GrowingRegionWaterPotential(MPa)

0.8

0.4

Role of N mineralization on
fine root production
Grier et al. (1981. CJFR): young vs. oldgrowth Pacific silver fir
High
Percentage of
Total NPP
allocated to fine
roots

Includes
high & low
site Psme,
young and
old Abam
and young
Tshe

Low
N Mineralization

Preface Introduction Context Methods Impacts Water & Nitrogen

Whats new in Douglas-fir

water relations
Role of height (Bond, Meinzer, Ryan)
Role of storage (Bond, Cermak, Meinzer)
Role of hydraulic redistribution (Brooks,
Meinzer)
Role of night-time transpiration (Ferrell)
Role of roots - microorganisms - guild

Critical Role of Leaf Area in NPP

YL YH

Data from
Abam (cited
in Hinckley et
al. 1999.
Phyton). First
measures 80
- 82; foliage
re-measured
1995)