Journal article
The water balance and water sources of a Eucalyptus plantation over shallow saline groundwater
Paul M Feikema, Jim D Morris, Luke D Connell
PLANT AND SOIL | SPRINGER | Published : 2010
Abstract
Eucalypt plantations have been trialled in recent years as a control measure for shallow groundwater associated with secondary salinity. Uncertainty still remains as to the potential growth and water use of these plantations; these relate mainly to the problems associated with drought stress and accumulated solutes in the root zone resulting from saline groundwater uptake. This study investigates the water balance and identifies water sources of a 21 year old unirrigated Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden (flooded or rose gum) and E. camaldulensis Dehnh. (river red gum) plantation over shallow saline groundwater in the Shepparton Irrigation Region of northern Victoria, Australia. Water sou..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Prof Russell Mein, Dr Glen Walker and Alfred Heuperman for their input to this study, and Dr Ian Cartwright, Ms Mary Jane, Ms Kerryn McEwan, Ms Megan Eaterbrook, and Messrs Andrew Holub, Fred Leaney and John Dighton for assistance with stable isotope analysis. Ms Louise Mann provided technical support, and Peter Clayton assisted with obtaining twig samples from tree canopies. We thank Dr M. Bari and two anonymous reviewers for constructive comments on earlier drafts. The first author acknowledges the assistance of an Australian Postgraduate Award. This work was funded by the Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation, and Monash University.