Abstract
Tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) is a halophyte with salt glands on its leaves and is an invasive riparian plant in the US. To increase our understanding of the effects of Tamarix on soil salinity, we conducted a year-long field investigation to evaluate the salt dynamics of a stand of Tamarix ramosissima along the lower Virgin River floodplain, NV, USA. We examined salt accumulation in the biomass and studied salt return to the soil by litter fall, throughfall and stemflow from September 2009 to September 2010. We also investigated soil salinity concentrations inside and outside of the stand where native shrub species was sparsely distributed. The average Na+ accumulated in the plant biomass was estimated at 23.4 g m-2. The Na+ returned to the soil through litter fall, throughfall and stemflow during the investigation was similar with that accumulated in the plant biomass. More than 90 % of Na+ leached to the soil was from throughfall and stemflow. Soil salinity was significantly lower inside than outside of the stand. Salt secretion from Tamarix is generally expected to increase soil salinity in stands. However, our results suggest that surface soil salinity does not necessarily increase in the Tamarix stand along the lower Virgin River floodplain that is subjected to occasional flooding.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 949-958 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Trees - Structure and Function |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 1 2013 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Forestry
- Physiology
- Ecology
- Plant Science
Cite this
Salt dynamics in Tamarix ramosissima in the lower Virgin River floodplain, Nevada. / Imada, Shogo; Acharya, Kumud; Li, Yi ping; Taniguchi, Takeshi; Iwanaga, Fumiko; Yamamoto, Fukuju; Yamanaka, Norikazu.
In: Trees - Structure and Function, Vol. 27, No. 4, 01.08.2013, p. 949-958.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Salt dynamics in Tamarix ramosissima in the lower Virgin River floodplain, Nevada
AU - Imada, Shogo
AU - Acharya, Kumud
AU - Li, Yi ping
AU - Taniguchi, Takeshi
AU - Iwanaga, Fumiko
AU - Yamamoto, Fukuju
AU - Yamanaka, Norikazu
PY - 2013/8/1
Y1 - 2013/8/1
N2 - Tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) is a halophyte with salt glands on its leaves and is an invasive riparian plant in the US. To increase our understanding of the effects of Tamarix on soil salinity, we conducted a year-long field investigation to evaluate the salt dynamics of a stand of Tamarix ramosissima along the lower Virgin River floodplain, NV, USA. We examined salt accumulation in the biomass and studied salt return to the soil by litter fall, throughfall and stemflow from September 2009 to September 2010. We also investigated soil salinity concentrations inside and outside of the stand where native shrub species was sparsely distributed. The average Na+ accumulated in the plant biomass was estimated at 23.4 g m-2. The Na+ returned to the soil through litter fall, throughfall and stemflow during the investigation was similar with that accumulated in the plant biomass. More than 90 % of Na+ leached to the soil was from throughfall and stemflow. Soil salinity was significantly lower inside than outside of the stand. Salt secretion from Tamarix is generally expected to increase soil salinity in stands. However, our results suggest that surface soil salinity does not necessarily increase in the Tamarix stand along the lower Virgin River floodplain that is subjected to occasional flooding.
AB - Tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) is a halophyte with salt glands on its leaves and is an invasive riparian plant in the US. To increase our understanding of the effects of Tamarix on soil salinity, we conducted a year-long field investigation to evaluate the salt dynamics of a stand of Tamarix ramosissima along the lower Virgin River floodplain, NV, USA. We examined salt accumulation in the biomass and studied salt return to the soil by litter fall, throughfall and stemflow from September 2009 to September 2010. We also investigated soil salinity concentrations inside and outside of the stand where native shrub species was sparsely distributed. The average Na+ accumulated in the plant biomass was estimated at 23.4 g m-2. The Na+ returned to the soil through litter fall, throughfall and stemflow during the investigation was similar with that accumulated in the plant biomass. More than 90 % of Na+ leached to the soil was from throughfall and stemflow. Soil salinity was significantly lower inside than outside of the stand. Salt secretion from Tamarix is generally expected to increase soil salinity in stands. However, our results suggest that surface soil salinity does not necessarily increase in the Tamarix stand along the lower Virgin River floodplain that is subjected to occasional flooding.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84880625557&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84880625557&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00468-013-0847-3
DO - 10.1007/s00468-013-0847-3
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84880625557
VL - 27
SP - 949
EP - 958
JO - Trees - Structure and Function
JF - Trees - Structure and Function
SN - 0931-1890
IS - 4
ER -