The dynamics of stem water storage in the tops of Earth's largest trees-Sequoiadendron giganteum.

Tree Physiology
Cameron B WilliamsTodd E Dawson

Abstract

Water stored in tree stems (i.e., trunks and branches) is an important contributor to transpiration that can improve photosynthetic carbon gain and reduce the probability of cavitation. However, in tall trees the capacity to store water may decline with height because of chronically low water potentials associated with the gravitational potential gradient. We quantified the importance of elastic stem water storage in the top 5 to 6 m of large (4.2-5.0 m DBH, 82.1-86.3 m tall) Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lindley) J. Buchholz (giant sequoia) trees using a combination of architectural measurements and automated sensors that monitored summertime diel rhythms in sap flow, stem diameter, and water potential. Stem water storage contributed 1.5 to 1.8% of water transpired at the tree tops, and hydraulic capacitance ranged from 2.6 to 4.1 L MPa-1 m-3. These values, which are considerably smaller than reported for shorter trees, may be associated with persistently low water potentials imposed by gravity and could indicate a trend of decreasing water storage dynamics with height in tree. Branch diameter contraction and expansion consistently and substantially lagged behind fluxes in water potential and sap flow, which occurred in sync. This...Continue Reading

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