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Dynamics of willow tree (Salix matsudana) water use and its response to environmental factors in the semi-arid Hailiutu River catchment, Northwest China

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Abstract

Sap flow (SF)of a willow tree, meteorological variables, soil water content, and water table depth were measured during the growing period from mid-April to October, 2011 in the semi-arid Hailiutu River catchment, Northwest China. The measurements of SF showed diurnal fluctuations in sunny days and seasonal changes from 1.65 l/h in mid-April to 33 l/h in July. At hourly scale, SF is significantly correlated with net radiation, followed by air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. At daily scale, air temperature affects the dynamics of SF significantly. Daily SF correlates positively with net radiation and negatively with relative humidity. There is no correlation observed between daily SF and wind speed. The measurements of SF do not indicate water stress although the experimental period is dry. Correlation analysis shows that SF is strongly correlated with soil moisture and water table depth, indicating the willow tree uses both soil water and groundwater for transpiration.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the Asia Facility for China project “Partnership for education and research in water and ecosystem interactions”, the Groundwater Circulation and Rational Development in the Ordos Plateau project (1212010634204), Groundwater monitoring in the Ordos Basin, the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (4103752), Shaanxi Science and Technology Research and Development Program (2011KJXX56) and Honor Power Foundation. We would like to thank the three anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions that greatly improved the earlier version of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Xi’an Center of Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, No. 438, Youyidong Road, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Lihe Yin, Jinting Huang, Guangcai Hou, Xiaoyong Wang, Jiaqiu Dong & Jun Zhang

  2. UNSCO-IHE Institute of Water Education, P.O. Box 3015, 2601 DA, Delft, The Netherlands

    Lihe Yin, Yangxiao Zhou, Jochen Wenninger & Stefan Uhlenbrook

  3. Key Laboratory of Groundwater and Ecology in Arid and Semiarid Zones of China Geological Survey, No. 438, Youyidong Road, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Lihe Yin, Jinting Huang, Guangcai Hou, Xiaoyong Wang & Jiaqiu Dong

  4. Department of Water Resources, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5048, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands

    Jochen Wenninger & Stefan Uhlenbrook

  5. China Geological Survey, No. 45, Fuwai Street, Beijing, 100037, China

    Eryong Zhang

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  1. Lihe Yin
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  2. Yangxiao Zhou
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  9. Jun Zhang
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Correspondence to Lihe Yin.

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Yin, L., Zhou, Y., Huang, J. et al. Dynamics of willow tree (Salix matsudana) water use and its response to environmental factors in the semi-arid Hailiutu River catchment, Northwest China. Environ Earth Sci 71, 4997–5006 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2891-0

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