Abstract
Examined saplings of hackberry Celtis occidentalis, a mesic, late successional tree, and bur and chinquapin oak Quercus macrocarpa and Q. muehlenbergii, more xeric, early successional trees, during a dry summer. For all species, maximum stomatal conductance (gwv)(8.9-9.5 mm.s-1) was recorded early in the season when soil moisture was greatest. Seasonally, sunlit leaves generally had significantly higher gwv and leaf water potential (psi leaf) decreased during the season in each species, with minimum psi leaf values ranging from -2.13 to -2.48 MPa. Hackberry experienced the largest seasonal decrease in gwv in both shaded and sunlit leaves (69% and 78% reduction, respectively). A significant seasonal decline in 600 h psi leaf was shown. By season's end, hackberry had the lowest gwv and psi leaf values. Chinquapin oak had the highest late season gwv for sunlit leaves and psi leaf, suggesting that this species was better able to utilize late season precipitation. -from Authors
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 687-696 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Forest Science |
Volume | 32 |
Issue number | 3 |
State | Published - Jan 1 1986 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Forestry
- Ecology
- Ecological Modeling