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We estimated daily use of stored water by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees growing in a temperate climate with the ANAFORE model (ANAlysis of FORest Ecosystems) and compared the simulation results with sap flow measurements. The original model was expanded with a dynamic water flow and storage model that simulates sap flow dynamics in an individual tree. ANAFORE was able to accurately simulate diurnal patterns of measured sap flow under microclimatic conditions that differ from those of the calibration period. Strong relationships were found between stored water use and several tree characteristics (diameter at breast height, sapwood area, leaf area), but not with tree height. Relative to transpiration, stored water use varied over time (between less than 1% and 44% of daily transpiration). On days when transpiration was high, trees were more dependent on stored water, indicating that the contribution of internal water to transpiration is not a constant in the water budget of trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil CO2 efflux (SR) is the second largest carbon flux on earth. We investigated the driving factors of the seasonal change and short-distance spatial variation in SR in a short-rotation plantation of willow (Salix viminalis Orm). Total annual SR ranged from 723 to 1149 g Cm-2 year-1. Both an exponential and a logistic model were fitted to the data, with soil temperature at a depth of 5 cm as the independent variable. The R² values for individual sampling points ranged from 0.83 to 0.95 and from 0.85 to 0.93 for the exponential and logistic models, respectively, indicating that soil temperature largely determined the seasonal variation in SR. Modeled soil SR at 10°C ranged from 1.22 to 1.95 µmol m-2 s-1, whereas modeled annual Q10 values were between 3.31 and 6.13. These high Q10 values were attributed to the absence of drought during the study in 2005. When the coefficients of the general SR models were replaced by linear dependencies on soil and vegetation- related characteristics, the resulting spatially explicit exponential and logistic SR models explained 85 and 86%, respectively, of the variability within the dataset. The analysis indicated that soil carbon concentration, leaf area index, soil pH and root biomass caused differences in SR at the short distances considered in this study. However, incorporating information on variables considered to account for spatial variability in the model did not result in a higher R² compared with a simple temperature function. When the general SR models were applied to independent datasets from the same plantation, the logistic model provided a better fit than the exponential model when drought occurred. Drought greatly reduced the annual Q10 values of SR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A young potted oak (Quercus robur L.) tree was subjected to drought by interrupting the water supply for 9 days. The tree was placed in a growth chamber in which daily patterns of temperature and radiation were constant. The effects of drought on the water and carbon status of the stem were examined by measuring stem sap flow rate, stem water potential, stem diameter variations, stem CO2 efflux rate (FCO2 ) and xylem CO2 concentration ([CO2* ]). Before and after the drought treatment, diurnal fluctuations in FCO2 and [CO2*] corresponded well with variations in stem temperature (Tst). Daytime depressions in FCO2 did not occur. During the drought treatment, FCO2 still responded to stepwise changes in temperature, but diurnal fluctuations in FCO2 were no longer correlated with diurnal fluctuations in Tst. From the moment daily growth rate of the stem became zero, diurnal fluctuations in FCO2 became closely correlated with diameter variations, exhibiting clear daytime depressions. The depressions in FCO2 were likely the result of a reduction in metabolic activity caused by the lowered daytime stem water status. Xylem [CO2*] showed clear daytime depressions in response to drought. When the tree was re-watered, FCO2 and [CO2*] exhibited sharp increases, coinciding with an increase in stem diameter. After resumption of the water supply, daytime depressions in FCO2 and [CO2*] disappeared and diurnal fluctuations in FCO2 and [CO2*] corresponded again with variations in Tst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calibration of a recently developed water flow and storage model based on experimental data for a young diffuse-porous beech tree (Fagus sylvatica L.) and a young ringporous oak tree (Quercus robur L.) revealed that differences in stem wood anatomy between species strongly affect the calibrated values of the hydraulic model parameters. The hydraulic capacitance (C) of the stem storage tissue was higher in oak than in beech (939.8 versus 212.3 mg MPa-1). Model simulation of the elastic modulus (ε) revealed that this difference was linked to the higher elasticity of the stem storage tissue of oak compared with beech. Furthermore, the hydraulic resistance (Rx) of beech was about twice that of oak (0.1829 versus 0.1072 MPa s mg-1). To determine the physiological meaning of the Rx parameter identified by model calibration, we analyzed the stem wood anatomy of the beech and oak trees. Calculation of stem specific hydraulic conductivity (ks) of beech and oak with the Hagen-Poiseuille equation confirmed the differences in Rx predicted by the model. The contributions of different vessel diameter classes to the total hydraulic conductivity of the xylem were calculated. As expected, the few big vessels contributed much more to total conductivity than the many small vessels. Compared with beech, the larger vessels of oak resulted in a higher ks (10.66 versus 4.90 kg m-1 s-1 MPa-1). The calculated ratio of ks of oak to beech was 2, confirming the Rx ratio obtained by model calibration. Thus, validation of the Rx parameter of the model led to identification of its physiological meaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, models for simulating sap flow dynamics in individual trees with a direct link to stem diameter variation include only the diameter fluctuation driven by a change in stem water storage. This paper reports results obtained with a comprehensive flow and storage model using whole-tree leaf transpiration as the only input variable. The model includes radial stem growth based on Lockhart’s equation for irreversible cell expansion. It was demonstrated that including growth is essential to obtaining good simulation results. To model sap flow dynamics, capacitance of storage tissues was assumed either constant (i.e., electrical analogue approach) or variable and dependent on the water content of the respective storage tissue (i.e., hydraulic system approach). These approaches resulted in different shapes for the desorption curve used to calculate the capacitance of storage tissues. Comparison of these methods allowed detection of specific differences in model simulation of sap flow at the stem base (F(stem)) and stem diameter variation (D). Sensitivity analysis was performed to select a limited subset of identifiable parameters driving most of the variability in model predictions of F(stem) and D Both the electrical analogue and the hydraulic system approach for the flow and storage model were successfully calibrated and validated for the case of a young beech tree (Fagus sylvatica L.). Use of an objective model selection criterion revealed that the flow and storage model based on the electrical analogue approach yielded better predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Monte Carlo technique can be used to propagate input variable uncertainty and parameter uncertainty through a model to determine output uncertainty. However, to carry out Monte Carlo simulations, the uncertainty distributions or the probability density functions (PDFs) of the model parameters and input variables must be known. This remains one of the bottlenecks in current uncertainty research in forest carbon flux modeling. Because forest carbon flux models involve many parameters, we questioned whether it is necessary to take into account all parameters in the uncertainty analysis. A sensitivity analysis can determine the parameters contributing most to the overall model output uncertainty. This paper illustrates the usefulness of the Monte Carlo simulation technique for ranking parameters for sensitivity and uncertainty in process-based forest flux models. The uncertainty of the output (net ecosystem exchange, NEE) of the FORUG model was estimated for the Hesse beech forest (1997). Based on the arbitrary uncertainty of ten key parameters, a standard deviation of 0.88 Mg C ha(-1) year(-1) NEE was found which is equal to 24% of the mean value of NEE. Sensitivity analysis showed that the overall output uncertainty of the FORUG model can largely be determined by accounting for the uncertainty of only a few key parameters. The results led to the identification of the key FORUG parameters and to the recommendation for a process-based description of the soil respiration process in the FORUG model.