Start Date

3-17-2025 12:00 AM

End Date

3-17-2025 12:00 AM

Abstract

Foliar water uptake (FWU) is a process trees use to uptake water vapor into their leaves, which alleviates water stress in plants, potentially mitigating overall urban landscape water stress. This study aims to model FWU of water vapor through the leaf stomata and cuticle, assuming both saturated and unsaturated leaf internal air space, to understand the impact FWU can have on mitigating drought and heat crises in urban environments. FWU is crucial for tree survival in drought periods, leading to decreases in urban temperatures, shown using leaf temperature modeling.

Rates of foliar water uptake are assessed using a soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) model, assuming that water can be taken up through the leaves by entering the substomatal cavity, where it condenses and is absorbed. The leaf cuticle is a hydrophobic layer that prevents water loss. During meteorological conditions such as dew formation and fog, the leaf may absorb water vapor through the cuticle, known as cuticular conductance. The values for these calculations and subsequent research are from Fagus grandifolia (American beech). Based on these results, the cuticle’s role in FWU appears passive and does not account for most water uptake in the leaf. Still, it is necessary to understand cuticular conductance, especially in unsaturated scenarios, to develop a nuanced model and understanding of FWU across different climates and conditions. FWU must be understood accurately to predict plant survivability in water-stressed environments such as the urban landscape and create more accurate predictions of water and carbon budgets during climate change.

Subjects

Climate Change, GIS / modeling, Hydrology, Plant ecology

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43104

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License.

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Mar 17th, 12:00 AM Mar 17th, 12:00 AM

Foliar Water Uptake Mitigation of Urban Drought Stress

Foliar water uptake (FWU) is a process trees use to uptake water vapor into their leaves, which alleviates water stress in plants, potentially mitigating overall urban landscape water stress. This study aims to model FWU of water vapor through the leaf stomata and cuticle, assuming both saturated and unsaturated leaf internal air space, to understand the impact FWU can have on mitigating drought and heat crises in urban environments. FWU is crucial for tree survival in drought periods, leading to decreases in urban temperatures, shown using leaf temperature modeling.

Rates of foliar water uptake are assessed using a soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) model, assuming that water can be taken up through the leaves by entering the substomatal cavity, where it condenses and is absorbed. The leaf cuticle is a hydrophobic layer that prevents water loss. During meteorological conditions such as dew formation and fog, the leaf may absorb water vapor through the cuticle, known as cuticular conductance. The values for these calculations and subsequent research are from Fagus grandifolia (American beech). Based on these results, the cuticle’s role in FWU appears passive and does not account for most water uptake in the leaf. Still, it is necessary to understand cuticular conductance, especially in unsaturated scenarios, to develop a nuanced model and understanding of FWU across different climates and conditions. FWU must be understood accurately to predict plant survivability in water-stressed environments such as the urban landscape and create more accurate predictions of water and carbon budgets during climate change.