Selecting tree species with high transpiration and drought avoidance to optimise runoff reduction in passive irrigation systems

JK Thom; SJ Livesley; TD Fletcher; C Farrell; SK Arndt; J Konarska; C Szota

Journal article

Selecting tree species with high transpiration and drought avoidance to optimise runoff reduction in passive irrigation systems

JK Thom, SJ Livesley, TD Fletcher, C Farrell, SK Arndt, J Konarska, C Szota

Science of the Total Environment | Published : 2022

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151466

Abstract

Rainfall in cities can generate large volumes of stormwater runoff which degrades receiving waterways. Irrigating trees with runoff (passive irrigation) has the potential to increase transpiration and contribute to stormwater management by reducing runoff received by downstream waterways, but the stochastic nature of rainfall may expose trees with high transpiration to drought stress. We hypothesized that for success in passive irrigation systems, tree species should exhibit i) high maximum transpiration rates under well-watered conditions, ii) drought avoidance between rainfall events, and iii) high recovery of transpiration with rainfall following a drought. We assessed 13 commonly planted..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Stephen Livesley Author

Tim Fletcher Author

Claire Farrell Author

Stefan Arndt Author

Related Projects (1)

Species traits, substrates and stormwater grates: improving the health of urban trees by using polluted stormwater as a resource

This project uses plant traits to select existing and novel tree species for glasshouse studies to quantify the uptake of stormwater and pol..

Grants

Awarded by Australian Government

Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant [LP140100885] with partner organisations including Moreland City Council, Melbourne Water, Nursery and Garden Industry Australia, City West Water, and Speciality Trees. Ms. JT was supported by an Australian Government RTP Scholarship. We thank those who assisted in the experimental set up: JoergWerdin, Paul Hanley, Frederic Cherqui, and Lachlan McMullin.