Seasonal variations in tree water use and physiology correlate with soil salinity and soil water content in remnant woodlands on saline soils

Macinnis-Ng, CMO; Zeppel, MJB; Palmer, AR; Eamus, D

Seasonal variations in tree water use and physiology correlate with soil salinity and soil water content in remnant woodlands on saline soils

Macinnis-Ng, CMO Zeppel, MJB

Palmer, AR

Eamus, D

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Arid Environments, 2016, 129 pp. 102 - 110
Issue Date:: 2016-06-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Macinnis-Ng, CMO	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Zeppel, MJB https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5510-0936	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Palmer, AR https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9179-2725	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Eamus, D https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2765-8040	en_US
dc.date.available	2020-05-25T19:06:24Z
dc.date.issued	2016-06-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Arid Environments, 2016, 129 pp. 102 - 110	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0140-1963	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/50191
dc.description.abstract	© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. Ecophysiological studies of remnant woodlands in saline environments are scarce. We investigated seasonal fluctuations in soil water and salinity together with leaf and branch traits (area-based maximum assimilation (Amax), foliar nitrogen, specific leaf area (SLA) and Huber value (Hv)) and sap velocities of Eucalyptus macrorhyncha at four semi-arid sites in south-eastern Australia. Summer and winter soil salinities (10 cm depth) were 15-35 dS m-1 and 8-10 dS m-1 respectively. Gravimetric soil water content in the upper 20 cm was 2-5% in summer and 7-23% in winter, resulting in a significant inverse correlation between soil water and soil salinity. We found significant correlations between soil conditions and plant traits and function across seasons. Soil water content was significantly correlated with foliar N, SLA, Hv and maximum sap velocity while soil salinity was significantly correlated with Amax, Hv and maximum sap velocity. Correlations indicate co-variation of soil conditions and plant physiology in response to environmental conditions such as solar radiation and vapour pressure deficit (D). E. macrorhyncha tolerates the dual stresses of high salinity and low soil water during summer. While the plants appeared unhealthy, our data show that remnant vegetation can remain functional even in close proximity to saline scalds.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Arid Environments	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.jaridenv.2016.02.011	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Ecology	en_US
dc.title	Seasonal variations in tree water use and physiology correlate with soil salinity and soil water content in remnant woodlands on saline soils	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	129	en_US
utslib.for	0602 Ecology	en_US
utslib.for	04 Earth Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	129	en_US

Abstract:

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. Ecophysiological studies of remnant woodlands in saline environments are scarce. We investigated seasonal fluctuations in soil water and salinity together with leaf and branch traits (area-based maximum assimilation (Amax), foliar nitrogen, specific leaf area (SLA) and Huber value (Hv)) and sap velocities of Eucalyptus macrorhyncha at four semi-arid sites in south-eastern Australia. Summer and winter soil salinities (10 cm depth) were 15-35 dS m-1 and 8-10 dS m-1 respectively. Gravimetric soil water content in the upper 20 cm was 2-5% in summer and 7-23% in winter, resulting in a significant inverse correlation between soil water and soil salinity. We found significant correlations between soil conditions and plant traits and function across seasons. Soil water content was significantly correlated with foliar N, SLA, Hv and maximum sap velocity while soil salinity was significantly correlated with Amax, Hv and maximum sap velocity. Correlations indicate co-variation of soil conditions and plant physiology in response to environmental conditions such as solar radiation and vapour pressure deficit (D). E. macrorhyncha tolerates the dual stresses of high salinity and low soil water during summer. While the plants appeared unhealthy, our data show that remnant vegetation can remain functional even in close proximity to saline scalds.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/50191