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Seasonal variation in soil and plant water potentials in a Bolivian tropical moist and dry forest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 July 2010

Lars Markesteijn ,
José Iraipi ,
Frans Bongers  and
Lourens Poorter
Lars Markesteijn*
Affiliation:
Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands Instituto Boliviano de Investigación Forestal, P.O. Box 6204, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
José Iraipi
Affiliation:
Instituto Boliviano de Investigación Forestal, P.O. Box 6204, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
Frans Bongers
Affiliation:
Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
Lourens Poorter
Affiliation:
Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands Instituto Boliviano de Investigación Forestal, P.O. Box 6204, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia Resource Ecology Group, Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Wageningen University (WU), P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
*
1Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract:

We determined seasonal variation in soil matric potentials (ψsoil) along a topographical gradient and with soil depth in a Bolivian tropical dry (1160 mm y−1 rain) and moist forest (1580 mm y−1). In each forest we analysed the effect of drought on predawn leaf water potentials (ψpd) and drought response (midday leaf water potential at a standardized ψpd of −0.98 MPa; ψmd) of saplings of three tree species, varying in shade-tolerance and leaf phenology. ψsoil changed during the dry season and most extreme in the dry forest. Crests were drier than slopes and valleys. Dry-forest top soil was drier than deep soil in the dry season, the inverse was found in the wet season. In the moist forest the drought-deciduous species, Sweetia fruticosa, occupied dry sites. In the dry forest the short-lived pioneer, Solanum riparium, occupied wet sites and the shade-tolerant species, Acosmium cardenasii drier sites. Moist-forest species had similar drought response. The dry-forest pioneer showed a larger drought response than the other two species. Heterogeneity in soil water availability and interspecific differences in moisture requirements and drought response suggest great potential for niche differentiation. Species may coexist at different topographical locations, by extracting water from different soil layers and/or by doing so at different moments in time.

Keywords

Acosmium cardenasiiAmpelocera ruiziiBoliviadroughtleaf water potentialsoil depthsoil water availabilitySolanum ripariumSweetia fruticosaTrema micrantha
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 26 , Issue 5 , September 2010 , pp. 497 - 508
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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