Abstract
Context
The thermal dissipation method to measure sap flow in tree stems can be used with cyclic heating to reduce electricity consumption and/or to account for natural temperature gradients. Nevertheless, errors in sap flow estimation can be introduced because the thermal equilibrium has not been reached at the measurement time.
Aim
We propose a method to assess this error and to estimate sap flow density. It is based on Granier’s (Ann For Sci, 42:193–200, 1985) non-species-specific calibration.
Methods
This work was performed on silver fir trees (Abies alba Mill.) with low sap flux densities (maximum of 0.68 L dm−2 h−1). To estimate the error, we developed a calibration procedure using the experimental set-up in trees. This approach is based on a pair of sensors having similar temporal patterns in sap flux density, one being under cyclic heating while the other is continuously heated.
Results
Applying Granier’s calibration without correction led to large errors (relative error reached 200%). After correction, the error was greatly diminished; it was lower than 0.042 L dm−2 h−1 when using short heating cycles (0.5 h).
Conclusion
The correction was applicable to all silver fir trees monitored. However, this method can be easily repeated to investigate the validity domain of the correction.
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Acknowledgments
We thank G. Sappe and D. Gounelle for their help in constructing the sensors and B. Bes for his help in the field. The paper was significantly improved thanks to the remarks and suggestions from Dr. P. Lu and from an anonymous reviewer.
Funding
The research was funded by the Agence Nationale de Recherche (project ANR-06-VULN-004) and by the Office National des Forêts (ONF) by the bias of a PhD grant.
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Nourtier, M., Chanzy, A., Granier, A. et al. Sap flow measurements by thermal dissipation method using cyclic heating: a processing method accounting for the non-stationary regime. Annals of Forest Science 68, 1255–1264 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-011-0065-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-011-0065-3