Long‐Term Soil Moisture Patterns in a Northern Minnesota Forest

Dymond, Salli; Kolka, Randall K.; Bolstad, Paul V.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.

doi:10.2136/sssaj2013.08.0322nafsc

Cited by 16 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Regardless, if the decrease in soil moisture observed in response to increasing temperatures over the last century continues (Dymond et al. ), our results suggest the importance and intensity of crowding to individual tree growth may increase in the future, which has implications for forest management.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Succession, climate and neighbourhood dynamics influence tree growth over time: an 87‐year record of change in aPinus resinosa‐dominated forest, Minnesota,USA

Curzon

D’Amato

Fraver

et al. 2016

J Vegetation Science

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Question Resource availability and its influence on tree‐to‐tree interactions are expected to change over the course of forest stand development, but the rarity of long‐term data sets has limited examinations of neighbourhood crowding over extended time periods. How do a history of neighbourhood interactions and population‐level dynamics, including demographic transition, impact long‐term tree growth? Location Natural mature Pinus resinosa‐dominated forest in northern Minnesota, USA. Methods Using a spatially explicit data set of repeated diameter measurements recorded over an 87‐yr period, we modelled the influence of tree‐to‐tree interactions on growth as it varied over time. We also applied maximum likelihood estimation and simulated annealing to examine how inter‐ and intraspecific competition and the relative importance of neighbour size and distance varied over time and with different climatic conditions. Results Crowding had a consistent negative influence on growth, but crowding intensity and importance were dynamic over time and differed between trees that survived the entire study period compared to those that ultimately died. The scaling of neighbour diameter, neighbour distance, and neighbour species (inter‐ vs intraspecific competition) also varied as demographic transition occurred and longer‐lived species assumed greater dominance. Conclusions Given observed relationships with moisture stress (based on precipitation: potential evapotranspiration) and maximum temperature, crowding intensity and importance may increase if temperatures rise in the future and water become more limiting. Long‐term data sets, such as the record examined in this study, have immense value for testing assumptions about stand dynamics, particularly as forests respond to projected shifts in climate and disturbance regimes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Succession, climate and neighbourhood dynamics influence tree growth over time: an 87‐year record of change in aPinus resinosa‐dominated forest, Minnesota,USA

Curzon

D’Amato

Fraver

et al. 2016

J Vegetation Science

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“…More recently, studies have shown that the linkage between climate and tree growth is dynamic over time, with periods of increased stress on trees following drought or insect outbreaks (Itter, Finley, D'Amato, Foster, & Bradford, ). Given increasing temperatures and decreasing soil moisture levels at the MEF (Dymond et al, ), plant‐available water levels may drop even further in the region. An increase in dry periods and thus low water availability could have profound impacts on ecosystem productivity and health in the region (Briggs & Knapp, ; Graumlich, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Percent volumetric soil moisture was measured using a Troxler Series 4300 neutron probe moisture gauge (Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA) at a network of 27 sites across the MEF. The neutron probe technique was chosen so new soil moisture measurements could be compared with historical soil moisture records at the MEF that date back to 1966 (Dymond et al, , ; Sebestyen et al, ). These historical monitoring sites are predominately located in ridge aspen stands.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the United States, a prairie‐forest tension zone runs through central Minnesota that is strongly correlated with a sharp decrease in mean annual precipitation (Johnson, ). This region has already experienced significant warming and drying of soil moisture, despite no change in annual precipitation (Dymond, Kolka, Bolstad, & Sebestyen, ). The changes in temperature and thus water availability in this region have the potential to push these already sensitive ecosystems beyond their threshold of tolerance to natural climate variability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Topographic, edaphic, and vegetative controls on plant‐available water

et al. 2017

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Soil moisture varies within landscapes in response to vegetative, physiographic, and climatic drivers, which makes quantifying soil moisture over time and space difficult. Nevertheless, understanding soil moisture dynamics for different ecosystems is critical, as the amount of water in a soil determines a myriad ecosystem services and processes such as net primary productivity, runoff, microbial decomposition, and soil fertility. We investigated the patterns and variability in in situ soil moisture measurements converted to plant‐available water across time and space under different vegetative cover types and topographic positions at the Marcell Experimental Forest (Minnesota, USA). From 0‐ to 228.6‐cm soil depth, plant‐available water was significantly higher under the hardwoods (12%), followed by the aspen (8%) and red pine (5%) cover types. Across the same soil depth, toeslopes were wetter (mean plant‐available water = 10%) than ridges and backslopes (mean plant‐available water was 8%), although these differences were not statistically significant (p < .05). Using a mixed model of fixed and random effects, we found that cover type, soil texture, and time were related to plant‐available water and that topography was not significantly related to plant‐available water within this low‐relief landscape. Additionally, during the 3‐year monitoring period, red pine and quaking aspen sites experienced plant‐available water levels that may be considered limiting to plant growth and function. Given that increasing temperatures and more erratic precipitation patterns associated with climate change may result in decreased soil moisture in this region, these species may be sensitive and vulnerable to future shifts in climate.

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“…Water level data were recorded daily using Belfort model FW‐1 strip chart recorders with float and pulley systems. Total annual precipitation has not changed over the course of the 50‐year study period, although mean annual temperature has increased approximately 2.3°C from 1966 to 2012 (Figure ; Dymond et al, ). Monthly potential ET, or PET, was calculated at the MEF using the Thornthwaite method (Thornthwaite & Mather, ), and monthly changes in moisture were quantified using a cumulative moisture index (CMI), where CMI is equal to precipitation less PET (Hogg, ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Climatic controls on peatland black spruce growth in relation to water table variation and precipitation

et al. 2019

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Prior research has demonstrated the importance of water limitations and increasing temperatures on upland black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) tree growth, which is a dominant component of the North American boreal forest. However, little work has been done to investigate the connectivity between growth and hydro‐climate in peatland black spruce systems. The boreal forest is the largest global terrestrial biome and is highly threatened due to current and projected increases in temperatures for the northern latitudes. Here we explore the dynamics among annual black spruce growth, climate, and water table elevations using 45 years of in situ precipitation, temperature, and water table elevation coupled with dendrochronological analysis from six research peatlands at the Marcell Experimental Forest, MN, USA. From 1963 to 2010, we found weak relationships between water table elevation and black spruce growth at the six study sites. Instead, annual black spruce growth was most favourable during three climatic periods: (a) cool, moist conditions in mid‐summer; (b) warm mid‐spring temperatures; and (c) cool temperatures in the fall prior to the current growing season. The disconnect between black spruce growth and water table dynamics was surprising and suggests that either annual black spruce growth is minimally responsive to hydrological fluctuations at the timescale we analysed or there is great elasticity of black spruce growth to peatland water table and evapotranspiration dynamics under the range of hydrological fluctuations contained in our record.

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Long‐Term Soil Moisture Patterns in a Northern Minnesota Forest

Cited by 16 publications

References 51 publications

Succession, climate and neighbourhood dynamics influence tree growth over time: an 87‐year record of change in aPinus resinosa‐dominated forest, Minnesota,USA

Succession, climate and neighbourhood dynamics influence tree growth over time: an 87‐year record of change in aPinus resinosa‐dominated forest, Minnesota,USA

Topographic, edaphic, and vegetative controls on plant‐available water

Climatic controls on peatland black spruce growth in relation to water table variation and precipitation

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