Abstract
Sap flow research highlights new perspectives to study in situ root structure of large trees. Several examples demonstrate the ability of the Heat Field Deformation method, HFD, to do this under natural and experimental conditions. Within the latter, localized irrigation, sink- or source-severing trigger sap flow responses that help us to understand the belowground parts of a tree, such as the presence of anastomoses between roots of different trees. The vertical profile of root density, as well as root size around a tree, can be derived from the stem sap flow radial profile. Increase of stem flow due to localized irrigation may be used to distinguish root locations near the corresponding stem sector. Responses of root or stem sap flow when exposing roots using an air-spade or following the severing of roots or branches help us to understand the relationships between different sapwood conducting layers and paths of water between sources and sinks.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al Hagrey SAA, Michaelsen J (2002) Hydrogeophysical soil study at a drip-irrigated orchard. Portugal, Europ J Environ Engineering Geophysics 7:75–93
Amato M, Bitella G, Rossi R, Gomez JA, Lovelli S, Gomes JF (2009) Multi-electrode 3D resistivity imaging of alfalfa root zone. Eur J Agron. doi:10.1016/jeja.2009.08.005
Burgess SSO, Adams MA, Turner NC, Ward B (2000) Characterization of hydrogen isotope profiles in an agroforestry system: implication for tracing water sources of trees. Agric Wat Manage 45:229–241
Čermák J, Prax A (2001) Water balance of the floodplain forests in southern Moravia considering rooted and root-free compartments under contrasting water supply and its ecological consequences. Ann For Sci 58:15–29
Čermák J, Huzulak J, Penka M (1980) Water potential and sap flow rate in adult trees with moist and dry soil as used for assessment of the root system depth. Biol Plant 22:34–41
Čermák J, Matyssek R, Kučera J (1993a) Rapid response of large, drought stressed beech trees to irrigation. Tree Phys 12:281–290
Čermák J, Matyssek R, Kučera J (1993b) The causes of beech decline on heavy soils after sudden reduction of stand density (in Czech). Lesnictví-Forestry 39:175–183
Cermák J, Nadezhdina N, Meiresonne L, Ceulemans R (2008) Scots pine root distribution derived from radial sap flow patterns in stems of large leaning trees. Plant Soil 305:61–75
Clothier BE, Green SR (1997) Roots: the big movers or water and chemical in soil. Soil Sci 162:534–543
Conyers LB, Goodman D (1997) Ground penetrating radar. An introduction for archeologists. Altamira Press, a Division of Sage Publications, Inc. Walnut Creek, London, New Delhi
Dalton FN (1995) In-situ root extent measurements by electrical capacitance methods. Plant Soil 173:157–165
DesRochers A, Liefers VJ (2001) The coarse-root system of mature Populus tremuloides in declining sites in Alberta. Can J Veg Sci 12:355–360
Divos F, Szalai L (2003) Tree evaluation by acoustic tomography. In: Beall FC (ed) Proceedings of the 13th international symposium on nondestructive testing of wood. University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA, pp 251–256
Durand JL, Bariac T, Ghesquiere M, Biron P, Richard P, Humphreys M, Zwierzykovski Z (2007) Ranking of the depth of water extraction by individual grass plants, using natural 18O isotope abundance. Environ Exp Bot 60:137–144
Hirano Y, Dannoura M, Aono K, Igarashi T, Ishii M, Yamse K, Makita N, Kanazawa Y (2009) Limiting factors in the diction of tree roots using ground penetrating radar. Plant Soil 319:15–24
Hruška J, Čermák J, Šustek S (1999) Mapping of tree root systems by means of the ground penetrating radar. Tree Phys 19:125–130
Jenik J (1957) Root system of pedunculate and sessile oaks (in Czech). Rozpravy Československé akademie věd, řada matematických a přírodních věd. Academia, Praha, roč.67
Kostler JN, Bruckner E, Bibelricther H (1968) Die Wurzeln der Waldbaume. Paul Parey, Hamburg. pp 284
Kubát K, Hrouda L, Chrtek J jun., Kaplan Z, Kirschner J, Štěpánek J (2002) Klíč ke květeně České republiky. (Kye to the Flora of the Czech Republic). Academia, Praha
Larcher W (1995) Physiological plant ecology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Barcelona, Budapest, Hong Kong, London, Milan, Paris, Tokyo
Marshall DC (1958) Measurements of sap flow in conifers by heat transport. Plant Physiol 33:385–396
Milburn JA, Crombie DS (1983) Sounds made by plants a novel applications of acoustic emission analysis. Bull Aust Acoust Soc 12:15–20
Nadezhdina N (1999) Woody plant behavior and stress assessment based on sap flow measurement. Application in forestry and horticulture. Associate Professor. Thesis at the Mendel University of Agricuture and Forestry in Brno, Czech Rep
Nadezhdina N, Cermák J (2000a) Responses of sap flow in spruce roots to mechanical injury. In: Klimo E, Hager H, Kulhavy J (eds) Spruce monocultures in Central Europe: problems and prospects, EFI Proceedings No 33, pp 167–175
Nadezhdina N, Cermák J (2000b) Responses of sap flow rate along tree stem and coarse root radii to changes of water supply. In: Stokes A (ed) Proceedings of the supporting roots of trees and woody plants: form, function and physiology. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 227–238
Nadezhdina N, Cermak J (2003) Instrumental methods for studies of structure and function of root systems in large trees. J Exp Bot 54:1511–1521
Nadezhdina N, Cermak J, Nadezhdin V (1998) Heat field deformation method for sap flow measurements. In: Čermak J, Nadezhdina N (eds) Measuring sap flow in intact plants. Proceedings of the fourth International Workshop, Zidlochovice, Czech Republic, IUFRO Publications, Brno, pp 72–92
Nadezhdina N, Tributsch H, Čermák J (2004) Infra-red images of heat field around a linear heater and sap flow in stems of lime trees under natural and experimental conditions. Ann For Sci 61:203–213
Nadezhdina N, Čermak J, Gasparek J, Nadezhdin V, Prax A (2006) Vertical and horizontal water redistribution within Norway spruce (Picea abies) roots in the Moravian Upland. Tree Physiol 26:1277–1288
Nadezhdina N, Cermak J, Meiresonne L, Ceulemans R (2007) Transpiration of Scots pine in Flanders growing on soil with irregular substratum. For Ecol Manag 243:1–9
Nadezhdina N, Ferreira MI, Silva R, Pacheco CA (2008) Seasonal variation of water uptake of a Quercus suber tree in Central Portugal. Plant Soil 305:105–119
Nadezhdina N, Steppe K, De Pauw DJW, Bequet R, Cermak J, Ceulemans R (2009) Stem-mediated hydraulic redistribution in large roots on opposing sides of a Douglas-fir tree following localized irrigation. New Phytol 184:932–943
Nadezhdina N, David T, David J, Ferreira I, Dohnal M, Tesar M, Gartner K, Leitgeb E, Nadyezhdin V, Čermak J, Jimenez MS, Morales D (2010) Trees nerver rest: the multiple facts of hydraulic redistribution. Ecohydrology 3(4):431–444
Nobel PS (1991) Physiochemical and environmental plant physiology. Academic, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers, San Diego, New York, Boston, London, Sydney, Toronto
Novak J (1975) Quantitative analyses by gas-chromatography. Marcel Dekker, New Jork, p 176
Rychnovska M, Cermak J, Smid P (1980) Water output in a stand of Phragmites communis Trin. A comparison of three methods. Acta Sci Nat (Brno) 14:1–27
Rudinsky JA, Svihra P (1970) Structures of sap flow in coniferous species and their ecological and phylogenetic relationships (in Czech). Struktury transpiracneho prudu vody ihlicnatych stromov a ich ekologicke a fylogeneticke vztahy. Lesnicky Casopis 16:143–156
Smiley ET (2001) Air Excavation to Improve Tree Health. Tree Care Industry, May 44–48
Steppe K, De Pauw DJW, Doody TM, Teskey RO (2010) A comparison of sap flux density using thermal dissipation, heat pulse velocity and heat field deformation methods. Agric For Meteorol 150:1046–1056
Stokes A, Fourcaud T, Bruska J, Cermak J, Nadezhdina N, Nadezhdin V, Praus I (2002) An evaluation of different methods to investigate root system architecture of urban trees in situ: ground penetrating radar. J Arboricult 28:1–9
Vite JP, Rudinsky JA (1959) The water conducting systems in conifers and their importance to the distribution of trunk-injected chemicals. Contrib Boyce Thompson Inst 201:27–38
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Nadezhdina, N. et al. (2012). Root Structure: In Situ Studies Through Sap Flow Research. In: Mancuso, S. (eds) Measuring Roots. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22067-8_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22067-8_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-22066-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-22067-8
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)