Impacts of climate change on forests: physiological responses of Acer rubrum, Quercus rubra, and Populus grandidentata to variable air and soil moisture.

Abstract

As climate change continues, it is vitally important to understand the complex forest-atmosphere dynamics that significantly contribute to determining atmospheric conditions and global mean temperature so that climate models can become more accurate, and climate change can be more accurately projected and, thus, planned for. As temperatures warm and precipitation patterns change, plants will undergo more frequent and severe moisture stress. This study examines whether air or soil water content has a larger effect on plant physiology, as well as how different species respond to changes in water availability. Vapor pressure deficit of the air was found to be a greater driver of physiological responses than soil moisture. Oaks (an anisohydric species) demonstrated a higher degree of response than maples (an isohydric species) did, but it is still unclear how these two water use strategies compare during periods of severe water stress.