Real-time measurements of tree growth and transpiration
PI: Prof. Christian Ammer
Tree transpiration, the release of water vapor through leaves, is a central metabolic process and provides insights into drought stress. In the Digital Forest project, we used novel sensor technology to investigate in real time how different tree species respond to drought and the role that tree neighborhood plays.Our results show that the combined measurement of sap flow and stem diameter is a good tool for monitoring trees under drought conditions. The response of individual trees to drought is complex and is determined by various factors such as tree species, structural properties, and competitive conditions.