WATER-LOSS AND CANOPY RESISTANCE OF A YOUNG SITKA SPRUCE PLANTATION

Transpiration of a 7 m-high Stika spruce forest was investigated using measurments of net radiation, sensible heat and ground heat fluxes in an energy balance to give latent heat flux, and hence canopy resistance from the Penman-Monteith equation. Sensible heat flux was measured by the eddy-correlation method using a Fluxatron circuit. During six consecutive days of measurement in July/August, canopy resistance typically followed a decreasing trend from high values (≈150 s m-) at dawn to around 40 s m-1 at midday and then returning steadily to > 100 s m-1 at sunset. Transpiration was 3 mm day-1 on average over the period studied and changes in the rate within the day were significantly correlated with changes in net radiation. Comparisons are drawn with published data from other forest sites and the conclusion is reached that it is imprudent to generalise about transpiration rates and canopy resistances of different species at different sites from results gathered at one or two places. © 1979 D. Reidel Publishing Company.