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Small-scale variability in water storage and plant available water in shallow, rocky soils

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Abstract

Background and aims

We quantified spatial variability in water storage and plant access to water in the rocky soils of a karst savanna dominated by Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei) and honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa).

Methods

In a 25 × 25 m grid with 5-m node spacing, water content and bulk density profiles were measured to a depth of 1.6 m by a combination of time domain reflectometry, neutron thermalization and gamma ray densitometry. Changes in water content were used to infer recharge and plant uptake of soil water. Predawn water potentials of trees were sampled periodically to evaluate individual differences in water access.

Results

Pore volume and maximum water storage varied between 0.24 and 0.42 m3 m−3, and 198 to 431 mm, respectively, across the 36 individual profiles. Porosity accounted for 19 and 20 % and depth for 35 and 61 % of the variation in uptake and recharge, respectively. Predawn water potentials were consistently different among individual trees over multiple dry seasons.

Conclusions

Unequal water status among trees was consistent with the variability of recharge and uptake in the rooting zone, suggesting that trees cannot fully compensate for spatial variability in soil properties by roots foraging for water.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by a grant from the southeastern region of the National Institute for Climate Change Research (NICCR) through the Office of Biological and Environmental Research, US Dept. of Energy. The excavation study was funded through a research enhancement grant from Texas State University. We would also like to thank J. P. Bach, Manager of Freeman Ranch, for his assistance in establishing and maintaining our research sites.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arid Land Research Center, Tottori Univeristy, Hamasaka, Tottori, 680-001, Japan

    Ieyasu Tokumoto

  2. Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2474, USA

    James L. Heilman, Kevin J. McInnes, Cristine L. S. Morgan & Ray H. Kamps

  3. Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA

    Susanne Schwinning

  4. Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Marcy E. Litvak

Authors
  1. Ieyasu Tokumoto
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  2. James L. Heilman
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  3. Susanne Schwinning
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  4. Kevin J. McInnes
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  5. Marcy E. Litvak
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  6. Cristine L. S. Morgan
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  7. Ray H. Kamps
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to James L. Heilman.

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Responsible Editor: Hans Lambers..

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Tokumoto, I., Heilman, J.L., Schwinning, S. et al. Small-scale variability in water storage and plant available water in shallow, rocky soils. Plant Soil 385, 193–204 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2224-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2224-4

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