Curios relationship revealed by looking at long term data sets—The geometry and allometric scaling of diel xylem sap flux in tropical trees

Abstract

Daily xylem sap flux values (daily Js) and maximum xylem sap flux values (max Js) from 125 tropical trees from different study sites in the Neotropics were compared. A cross species and study site relationship was found between daily and maximum values. The relationship can be expressed as daily Js = 6.5 x max Js. The geometrical relationship between the maximum xylem sap flux of a given day is thus defining the daily xylem sap flux rates. Assuming a bell-shaped diurnal sap flux course and a relatively constant day length the maximum xylem sap flux is the only possible changing variable to define daily fluxes. Further, this relationship is showing the inertia of the xylem sap flux as a physical object and highlights the delayed response to environmental changes and its subsequent inevitable susceptibility under environmental stress to hydraulic failure