A study subjecting tamarisk from two distinct populations originating from areas with greatly varying soil salinities to a range of different salinities. Results showed dramatic differences between growth with the low salinity population accumulating 72% more biomass when grown at 4 ppt compared to 16 ppt, while the high salinity population produced 50% more biomass when grown at 16 ppt. Additionally, the high salinity population had a lower turgor loss point and exhibited greater stomatal control relative to the low salinity population.
Nagler et al. test the assumption that removing saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) will save water and create environments more favourable to these native species. They compared sap flux measurements of water used by native species in contrast to saltcedar, and compared soil salinity, ground water depth and soil moisture across a gradient of 200–1500 m from the river's edge on a floodplain terrace at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge (CNWR).
Glenn et al. measure transpiration and stomatal conductance to investigate the environmental constraints on an arid-zone riparian phreatophtye, saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima and related species and hybrids), growing over a brackish aquifer along the Colorado River in the western U.S. Depth to groundwater, meteorological factors, salinity and soil hydraulic properties were compared at stress and non-stressed sites that differed in salinity of the aquifer, soil properties and water use characteristics, to identify the factors depressing water use at the stress site.
In this 2014 poster, Ryan and Harris report preliminary results on a study of evapotranspiration (ET) at the Cibola National wildlife Refuge. They ask whether groundwater responds to a massive change in ET of surface vegetation and assess baseline well and evapotranspiration data as a proxy for the anticipated tamarisk beetle migration.
Bush et al. use a common garden experiment to study drought sensitivity in non-native tamarisk. They found some populations are more sensitive to soil water deficits than others and that freeze-thaw exposure reduces drought sensitivity.
Bush, S.E., Guo, J.S., Dehn, D., Grady, K.C., Hull, J.B., Johnson, E., Koepke, D.F., Long, R.W., Potts, D.L. and Hultine, K.R., 2021. Adaptive versus non-adaptive responses to drought in a non-native riparian tree/shrub, Tamarix spp. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 301, p.108342.
A prescription for drug-free rivers: uptake of pharmaceuticals by a widespread streamside willow
Carmen Franks, David Pearce, Stewart Rood
Abstract:
Using three different methods to examine evapotranspiration, this poster presents the findings from a study that examined groundwater levels pre- and post-fire in a tamarisk dominated area at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge.
This short paper describes different ET measurement techniques and the assumptions that are made for each technique.