期刊
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
卷 90, 期 -, 页码 103-113出版社
ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2012.10.015
关键词
Grassland; Groundwater level; Hydraulic redistribution; Prosopis clearing; Sap flow; Transpiration model
资金
- Department of Environment Affairs, South Africa
Several Prosopis species have been introduced into South Africa in the last century and many of them have become invasive. This study investigates the water relations, effects of clearing, and the seasonal dynamics of groundwater use by invasive Prosopis trees. The trees were growing on deep sandy soils in the floodplain of an episodic river in the arid Northern Cape Province of South Africa. Data were collected on tree water uptake, evapotranspiration and water table depth over different seasons. Effects of tree clearing on groundwater were quantified by comparing data from a Prosopis invaded and an adjacent cleared area. Transpiration rates were less than 1.0 mm/d throughout the year and the trees showed structural and physiological adaptations to the combined low rainfall and low water holding capacity of the soils by developing very narrow sapwood areas and by closing their stomata. The trees abstracted groundwater as evidenced by the decline in borehole water levels in the Prosopis stand before the rainy season. Groundwater savings of up to 70 m(3)/month could be achieved in spring for each hectare of Prosopis cleared. The study suggests that clearing of invasive Prosopis would conserve groundwater in the arid parts of South Africa. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
作者
我是这篇论文的作者
点击您的名字以认领此论文并将其添加到您的个人资料中。
推荐
暂无数据