In this research the relative importance of leaf area and microclimatic factors in determining water use of tree lines was examined in sub-humid Western Kenya. Measurements of tree water-use by a heat-balance technique, leaf area, bulk air saturation deficit, daily radiation, and soil water content were done in an experiment with tree lines within crop fields. The tree species were Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden, Grevillea robusta A. Cunn. and Cedrella serrata Royle, grown to produce poles on a phosphorus-fixing Oxisol/Ferralsol with (+P) or without (-P) phosphorus application. Doubling the leaf area of Cedrella and Grevillea doubled water use in a leaf area (LA) range of 1-11 m2 per tree. The response of Eucalyptus water use (W) to increases in leaf area was slightly less marked, with W = LA n , n
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-005-6643-3Altmetric score:
Dimensions Citation Count:
Publication year
2006
Authors
Language
English
Keywords
cedrella serrata, crop fields, eucalyptus grandis, grevillea robusta, radiation, soil water content, transpiration, trees
Geographic
Kenya
