Picea Sitchensis Trees Have a High Capacity for Foliar Water Uptake

Presentation Year

2019

College or Department

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Short Description of your Research or Creative Project (700 characters or less)

Some plants absorb water through foliage as well as roots. This is an important water acquisition strategy for many plants in the redwood forest ecosystem during dry California summers when fog is often the only water input for months. The goal of our study was to determine if Picea sitchensis trees have the capacity for foliar water uptake, and if they do, how they compare to other species in redwood forests. We also wanted to learn if capacity for foliar uptake increases with height in tree crowns and how it changes under increasingly negative water potentials. Our findings have important implications for P. sitchensis water use, physiology, and growth potential.

Permission to Publish Work

No