Heat Pulse Velocity (heat + pulse_velocity)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


A comparison of heat pulse velocity and lesion lengths for assessing the relative virulence of mountain pine beetle-associated fungi on jack pine

FOREST PATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
A. V. Rice
Summary The mountain pine beetle (MPB) vectors three blue-stain fungi, Grosmannia clavigera, Ophiostoma montium and Leptographium longiclavatum, which contribute to the success of the beetles and the death of the trees. The utility of two methods, heat pulse velocity (HPV) and lesion length, for assessing the relative virulence of these fungi were compared on jack pine in central Alberta. The HPV monitoring apparatus failed to detect xylem sap flow in any of the trees and, thus, could not be used to assess fungal virulence. In contrast, measurement of lesion lengths was more sensitive and provided further evidence that G. clavigera and L. longiclavatum are more virulent than O. montium. The failure of the HPV apparatus to detect sap flow suggests that the study trees were moisture stressed, a factor likely to increase their susceptibility to MPB. Thus, this method is not appropriate for assessing the response of the most susceptible (i.e. drought stressed) trees to MPB and its associated fungi. [source]


An external heat pulse method for measurement of sap flow through fruit pedicels, leaf petioles and other small-diameter stems

PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 12 2009
MICHAEL J. CLEARWATER
ABSTRACT The external heat ratio method is described for measurement of low rates of sap flow in both directions through stems and other plant organs, including fruit pedicels, with diameters up to 5 mm and flows less than 2 g h,1. Calibration was empirical, with heat pulse velocity (vh) compared to gravimetric measurements of sap flow. In the four stem types tested (Actinidia sp. fruit pedicels, Schefflera arboricola petioles, Pittosporum crassifolium stems and Fagus sylvatica stems), vh was linearly correlated with sap velocity (vs) up to a vs of approximately 0.007 cm s,1, equivalent to a flow of 1.8 g h,1 through a 3-mm-diameter stem. Minimum detectable vs was approximately 0.0001 cm s,1, equivalent to 0.025 g h,1 through a 3-mm-diameter stem. Sensitivity increased with bark removal. Girdling had no effect on short-term measurements of in vivo sap flow, suggesting that phloem flows were too low to be separated from xylem flows. Fluctuating ambient temperatures increased variability in outdoor sap flow measurements. However, a consistent diurnal time-course of fruit pedicel sap flow was obtained, with flows towards 75-day-old kiwifruit lagging behind evaporative demand and peaking at 0.3 g h,1 in the late afternoon. [source]


Control of transpiration in an irrigated Eucalyptus globulus Labill. plantation

PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 2 2000
D. A. White
ABSTRACT Stomatal conductance and transpiration were measured concurrently in an irrigated Eucalyptus globulus Labill. plantation. Canopy stomatal conductance, canopy boundary layer conductance and the dimensionless decoupling coefficient (,) were calculated (a) summing the conductance of three canopy layers (gc) and (b) weighting the contribution of foliage according to the amount of radiation received (gc,). Canopy transpiration was then calculated from gc and gc, for , = 1 (Eeq), , = 0 (Eimp) and by weighting Eeq and Eimp using , (E,). Eeq, Eimp and E, were compared to transpiration estimated from measurements of heat pulse velocity. The mean value of , was 0·63. Transpiration calculated using gc and assuming perfect coupling (12·5 ± 0·9 mmol m,2 s,1) significantly overestimated measured values (8·7 ± 0·8 mmol m,2 s,1). Good estimates of canopy transpiration were obtained either (a) calculating E, separately for the individual canopy layers or (b) treating the canopy as a single layer and using gc, in a calculation of Eimp (, = 0). The latter approach only required measurement of stomatal conductance at a single canopy position but would be unsuitable for use in combined models of canopy transpiration and assimilation. It should however, be suitable for estimating transpiration in forests regardless of the degree of coupling. [source]