Wet- vs Dry- Season Transpiration in

an Amazonian Rain Forest Palm

Iriartea deltoidea

NAMA : FHENNY RAMA SHENTHAURY

NIM : D1A017012
KELAS : A (R-001)
 INTRODUCTION

The wet and dry seasons in tropical rain forest

can differ in precipitation, soil moisture, and
irradiance more significantly than often
assumed. This could potentially affect the
water relations of many tree species that may
exhibit either increased transpiration in the
dry season as a response to the increased
irradiance or decreased transpiration as a
result of decrease in soil moisture and
increases in atmospheric vapor pressure
deficit (VPD).
 METHODS
STUDY SITE
This research was conducted at Tiputini Biodiversity Station
(TBS)(0° 36’ S, 76° 27’ W), a 650-ha research facility located
within Yasuni National Park in eastern Ecuador
MICROMETEOROLOGICAL DATA
Air temperature and humadity were measured using a Vaisala
HMP45C temperature and relative humidity sensor located ca
20 m aboveground and attached to a canopy tower
SOIL MOISTURE DATA
In dry season, soil moisture data were collected by sampling
daily, 10-20 g of soil from ca 5 cm below the soil surface. In the
wet season, we assumed that the soils were more or less
saturated and soil hydraulic conductivity (K) at a maximum,
close to saturated condition
 RESULTS
Atmospheric data, soil moisture data and sap fluxes
in Iriartea deltoidea palms were measured in eastern
Ecuador during the wet and dry seasons. There were
no differences between total daily sap fluxes in I.
deltoidea palms during the wet and dry seasons;
however, evaporative demand was significantly
higher in the dry season and therefore, transpiration
was more restricted by stomatal closure during the
dry season than the wet season. This is likely the
result of larger atmospheric VPD during the dry
season compared with the wet season and possibly
the result of reduced soil moisture availability.
 RESULTS

Additionally, based on published tree abundances

in this area, measured sap fluxes in I. deltoidea
were scaled up to the hectare level. Transpiration
from I. deltoidea palms was estimated to be
around 0.03 mm/d, which could represent about
1 percent of total transpiration in this area of the
Amazon rain forest. If climate change predictions
for more lengthy tropical dry periods are realized,
greater stomatal control of dry-season sap flux
has the potential to become even more prevalent
in tropical species.