Tritiated Water as a Tool for Ecological Field Studies

Woods, Frank W.; O'Neal, D. L.

doi:10.1126/science.147.3654.148

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…The techniques to study soil water movement in the unsaturated zone with isotope tracers were developed in the 1960s when water, in well structured soils, was demonstrated to diffuse or disperse little vertically or horizontally, and to infiltrate the soil by layers (Zimmermann et al, , 1967aBlume et al, 1967;Kline and Jordan, 1968). Concurrently with these studies, a technique to distinguish potential sources of soil water for plants using tritium or deuterium concentrations in the soil/ plant continuum was also developed (Gonfiantini et al, 1965;Woods and O'Neal, 1965;Wershaw et al, 1970). However, the usefulness of this technique was not recognized fully until the late 1980s and early 1990s (White et al, 1985;Sternberg and Swart, 1987;Dawson and Ehleringer, 1991;Flanagan and Ehleringer, 1991;Walker and Richardson, 1991).…”

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Rainfall exclusion in an eastern Amazonian forest alters soil water movement and depth of water uptake

Romero‐Saltos

Sternberg

Moreira

et al. 2005

American J of Botany

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Deuterium-labeled water was used to study the effect of the Tapajós Throughfall Exclusion Experiment (TTEE) on soil moisture movement and on depth of water uptake by trees of Coussarea racemosa, Sclerolobium chrysophyllum, and Eschweilera pedicellata. The TTEE simulates an extended dry season in an eastern Amazonian rainforest, a plausible scenario if the El Niño phenomenon changes with climate change. The TTEE excludes 60% of the wet season throughfall from a 1-ha plot (treatment), while the control 1-ha plot receives precipitation year-round. Mean percolation rate of the label peak in the control plot was greater than in the treatment plot during the wet season (0.75 vs. 0.07 m/mo). The rate was similar for both plots during the dry season (ca. 0.15 m/mo), indicative that both plots have similar topsoil structure. Interestingly, the label peak in the control plot during the dry season migrated upward an average distance of 64 cm. We show that water probably moved upward through soil pores-i.e., it did not involve roots (hydraulic lift)-most likely because of a favorable gradient of total (matric + gravitational) potential coupled with sufficient unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. Water probably also moved upward in the treatment plot, but was not detectable; the label in this plot did not percolate below 1 m or beyond the depth of plant water uptake. During the dry season, trees in the rainfall exclusion plot, regardless of species, consistently absorbed water significantly deeper, but never below 1.5-2 m, than trees in the control plot, and therefore may represent expected root function of this understory/subcanopy tree community during extended dry periods.

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confidence: 99%

Rainfall exclusion in an eastern Amazonian forest alters soil water movement and depth of water uptake

Romero‐Saltos

Sternberg

Moreira

et al. 2005

American J of Botany

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“…The amount of tritium in the water depen ded greatly on the depth and on other factors [414]. Within four hours of placement at each depth, tritium was detected in the transpired water from nearby trees.…”

Section: Forestry and The Timber Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Radioactivity in Agriculture and Forestry

BRODA,

SCHÖNFELD

1966

The Technical Applications of Radioactivity

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“…In addition, the low energy level and short biological half-life make it relatively safe. Woods and O'Neal (1965) reported that transpired tritiated water was quickly blown from the microenvironment around a tree into the surrounding atmosphere. This rapid dispersion of tritium made the use of protective masks and clothing unnecessary.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In reviewing the two methods, Eckardt ( 1960) concluded that both contained errors. Woods and O'Neal (1965) developed a method utilizing tritiated water and polyethylene bags to study uptake by trees, and they stated that the method might be useful for isolating components that affect transpiration, such as temperature and air movement.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tritium Collection and Extraction Techniques for Plant‐Water Relationship Studies

Young¹,

Dodd²,

Ibert³

1970

Ecology

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Techniques are described for quantitatively determining water movement and loss in pricklypear plants with tritiated water. Transpired vapor from plants which were injected with tritium was collected with a system that passed dry air over the pad surface and into collecting vials. Water was extracted from tissue samples by a modified freeze—drying technique. Combustion of tissue samples following extraction showed that the method was efficient for tritiated water recovery from the plant material when the extraction time was 8 hours and a warm—water bath temperature of 55°C was maintained.

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Tritiated Water as a Tool for Ecological Field Studies

Cited by 14 publications

References 5 publications

Rainfall exclusion in an eastern Amazonian forest alters soil water movement and depth of water uptake

Rainfall exclusion in an eastern Amazonian forest alters soil water movement and depth of water uptake

Application of Radioactivity in Agriculture and Forestry

Tritium Collection and Extraction Techniques for Plant‐Water Relationship Studies

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