Water stress response and plant survival in four shrub willow varieties across three sites with varying soil substrates in central New York.

摘要

Seasonal water stress affects the physiology of woody plants and limiting their growth. Quantifying plant water status using stable carbon isotopes is a useful method for predicting suitability of plant species for cultivation, including short rotation crops used in restoration and biomass production. I used stable carbon isotopes to assess variation in long-term water status in annual tree rings among four clonal willow varieties in three sites in Central New York, two agricultural and one brownfield. At each site, I compared annual water status and biomass production at the end of a three-year rotation. Interannual water status varied significantly with site locations and plant age. Annual water status followed growing-season precipitation at the agricultural sites, not at the brownfield. Biomass production was not related to long-term water availability, thus surviving plants are not limited in biomass production. However, survival rates and plant water status were negatively correlated.