Lack of effect of admixture proportion and tree density on water acquisition depth for European beech ( Fagus sylvatica
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RESEARCH PAPER
Lack of effect of admixture proportion and tree density on water acquisition depth for European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) Alexandre Fruleux 1,2 & Marie-Béatrice Bogeat-Triboulot 1 & Catherine Collet 1 & Damien Bonal 1 Received: 11 June 2019 / Accepted: 5 March 2020 # INRAE and Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract & Key message In a mixed, Fagus sylvatica L.-Acer pseudoplatanus L., young plantation, trees of both species absorbed water from superficial soil layers despite the presence of roots and water in deeper layers. Admixture proportion and tree density were weak predictors of water acquisition depth, as well as fine root vertical distribution, although it might be due to distinct periods of root and isotope investigations. & Context Promoting mixed forests and reducing stand densities have been proposed as effective ways to maintain the productivity of temperate planted forest stands in a changing climate. & Aims The objective of this study was to analyse how stand density and the degree of admixture of European beech and sycamore maple interactively influenced the water acquisition profile of individual trees. & Methods We used a stable isotope (deuterium) approach to determine the profiles of soil water acquisition of both species in a 16-year-old plantation where trees had been planted along crossed gradients of tree density and species proportion. The profiles were then compared with the vertical distribution of fine root of these species in the plantation. & Results All the target trees mostly absorbed soil water from the first few centimetres of soil despite homogenous vertical water availability and the fact that a great part of the fine root biomass was located below 10 cm. Admixture proportion and tree density had negligible effects on soil water acquisition depth. & Conclusion No vertical differentiation of soil water acquisition between the two species was observed, suggesting that mixing these species does not promote reduction of belowground competition for resource acquisition. The vertical distribution of fine root may be a weak predictor of water acquisition depth. Keywords Belowground competition . Fine root distribution . Niche differentiation . Stable isotope
Handling Editor: Andreas Bolte Contribution of the co-authors Project preparation and experiment design: all authors. Experimental work: AF, DB and MBBT. Data analysis: all authors. Manuscript draft and editing: AF wrote the manuscript with the contribution of all authors. All authors gave final approval for publication. * Alexandre Fruleux [email protected]
Damien Bonal [email protected]
Marie-Béatrice Bogeat-Triboulot [email protected]
1
Université de Lorraine, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR Silva, 54000 Nancy, France
Catherine Collet [email protected]
2
Present address: Université de Picardie Jules Verne, CNRS, UMR Edysan, 80000 Amiens, France
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1 Introduction Stand density and admixture b
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