Vulnerability to xylem cavitation and the distribution of sonoran desert vegetation

Journal ArticleWe studied 15 riparian and upland Sonoran desert species to evaluate how the limitation of xylem pressure (Vx) by cavitation corresponded with plant distribution along a moisture gradient. Riparian species were obligate riparian trees (Fraxinus velutina, Populus fremontii, and Salix gooddingii), native shrubs (Baccharis spp.), and an exotic shrub (Tamarix ramosissima). Upland species were evergreen (Juniperus monosperma, Larrea tridentata), drought-deciduous (Ambrosia dumosa, Encelia farinosa, Fouquieria splendens, Cercidium microphyllum), and winter-deciduous (Acacia spp., Prosopis velutina) trees and shrubs

Bowen ratio versus canopy chamber CO2 fluxes on sagebrush rangeland

Because of their expansiveness, sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)-steppe rangelands could contribute significantly to the global carbon budget. However, it is important to determine if there are differences between methods for determining CO2 fluxes on these rangelands. The objective of this study was to compare the Bowen ratio-energy balance and canopy chamber techniques for measuring CO2 fluxes in a sagebrush-steppe ecosystem. A Bowen ratio-energy balance system was installed at a sagebrush-steppe site near Dubois, Ida., U.S.A to continuously measure the vertical gradients of air temperature, water vapor, and CO2 concentration in conjunction with associated micrometeorological characteristics. The canopy chamber technique, which employed a 1-m2 (1,020 liter) clear plexiglass/plastic film chamber in combination with a portable gas exchange system, was used periodically during May through August across 4 years (1996-1999) to obtain instantaneous measurements of CO2 fluxes across 3 replicate blocks during a 2-min. measurement period. For the same measurement dates and times across the 4 years of study, CO2 fluxes ranged from -0.22 to 0.55 mg m-2 sec-1 for the Bowen ratio-energy balance technique and from -0.18 to 0.48 mg m-2 sec-1 for the canopy chamber technique. Estimates of CO2 fluxes by the 2 techniques were not statistically different (P > 0.05) for the early (May) and mid-season (June to mid-July) portions of the growing season; however, fluxes measured by the 2 techniques were significantly different (P 0.05) for the late-season period (late-July to late-August). Despite this difference during the hot-dry, late-season period, flux estimates from the 2 techniques were significantly and positively correlated during the early (r2 = 0.71), mid- (r2 = 0.88), and late- (r2 = 0.72) season periods. Thus, both techniques showed similar patterns of CO2 fluxes at our sagebrush-steppe study site across 4 years of study, although caution should be used when the canopy chamber technique is used during hot, dry conditions.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202

Scaling up of Site Carbon Dynamics to Predict the Carbon Dynamics in Kazakhstan, Central Asia

Climate and management determine whether rangelands are net carbon sources or carbon sinks. Regional carbon dynamics of the Kazakh Steppe has not previously been documented. The objective of this study is to quantify the regional carbon flux dynamics of these extensive steppes

Quantification of CO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e Exchange in Grassland Ecosystems of the World Using Tower Measurements, Modeling and Remote Sensing

Grasslands cover significant areas in nontropical regions, perform essential biogeochemical functions and represent important natural and agricultural resource. Nevertheless, in contrast to forests and agroecosystems, no flux measurement-based global summary of their CO2 exchange, sequestration potential, and role in mitigation of the greenhouse effect were available