Response of canopy stomatal conductance of forest to environmental driving factors

Abstract

Granier’s probes were applied to measure the sap flow of 14 sample trees in an Acacia mangium forest on the hilly lands in Heshan City, Guangdong, during the time period of October, 2003. The photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), air relative humidity (RH) and temperature of air (T) above the forest canopy were recorded. The sap flow measurement was used in combination with morphological characteristics of tree and forest structure to calculate the whole-tree transpiration (E), stand transpiration (E_t), and mean canopy stomatal conductance (g_c). Analyses on the relationships between tree morphological characters and whole-tree water use, and on the responses of g_c to PAR and vapor pressure deficit (D) were conducted. The results showed that whole-tree transpiration correlated significantly and positively with tree diameter at breast height (DBH) (p < 0.0001), with sapwood area (p < 0.0001), and with canopy size (p = 0.0007) logarithmically, but exponentially with tree height (p = 0.014). The analyses on the responses of canopy stomatal conductance showed that the maximum g_c (g_cmax) changed with PAR in a hyperbolic curve (p < 0.0001) and with D in a logarithmic one (p < 0.0001). The results obtained with sap flow technique indicate its reliability and accuracy of the methods of estimation of whole-tree and stand transpirations and canopy stomatal conductance.

Keywords

sap flow, whole-tree transpiration, canopy stomatal conductance, Acacia mangium, vapor pressure deficit