Comparing Biophysical Parameters Controlling Evapotranspiration in Long Leaf Pine and Loblolly Pine Ecosystems across the Southeastern US
Abstract
Longleaf pine (LLP) restoration has been identified as one of the principal goals of forest management in the southeastern US due to its enhanced ecosystem benefits in comparison to loblolly pine (LOB) plantations. However, there is limited knowledge about the seasonal water use difference between LLP and LOB stands, thus the impact of restoration of the LLP on the regional water resource. In this study, we used high resolution remote sensing-based images between 2014 and 2020 for evapotranspiration related parameters from about 2,000 natural LLP and LOB dominated paired sites across the southeastern US to test whether there is a significant difference in each of the water use parameters between the paired stands. Accordingly, we found significant differences (p < 0.05, ~85% of paired sites) in normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), leaf area index (LAI), albedo, and land surface temperature (LST) between the LLP and LOB sites across the southeastern US. LOB sites tend to have a significantly higher annual mean NDVI and LAI but lower albedo and LST than LLP sites. During the peak growing season (June to September), the average albedo (0.13 ± 0.01) and LST (30.8 ± 1.8°C) of the LLP are significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those for the LOB stands (albedo = 0.12 ± 0.01 and LST = 30.1 ±1.3 °C), while the average NDVI of the LLP (0.79 ± 0.05) was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that for LOB stands (0.82 ± 0.03). Our study suggests the significant differences in ecophysiological parameters that control water use between LLP and LOB across the southeastern US. Accordingly, we hypothesize that evapotranspiration by LLP stands is lower than the LOB. Such information helps inform the likely hydrological response of longleaf pine restoration in the southeastern US.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2022
- Bibcode:
- 2022AGUFM.H54D..02L