Water use and carbon assimilation respond differently to nitrogen supplementation in mid-rotation Eucalyptus nitens

Abstract

ABSTRACT Large amounts of nitrogen (N) fertiliser are often applied to commercial plantations in southern Australia to obtain high growth rates. The growth response to fertiliser can be realised through increased foliar N and hence improved leaf-level photosynthetic capacity, or through increased leaf area production, which in turn increases light capture and hence canopy-level photosynthesis. While extra leaf area is beneficial to a tree in this regard, extra leaves may also incur costs in terms of both carbon (C) and water. Since canopy water use scales with total leaf area, greater leaf area could cause stomatal closure in times of water shortage, reducing the C assimilation rate. Here, we used three factorial N × phosphorus fertiliser experiments in Eucalyptus nitens plantations across Tasmania, Australia, to assess the effects of 12 fertiliser treatments on C- and water-related gas exchange, foliar N and trunk shrinkage. As prior research in this system has demonstrated an increase in leaf area in response to high N, we investigated the potential physiological costs and benefits of this extra leaf area. N application appeared to have consequences for plant water use, as evidenced by greater trunk shrinkage and lower stomatal conductance. However, this varied by site and year, indicating that the response is dependent on environmental conditions. These results highlight the importance of considering site conditions when prescribing fertiliser application regimes because adding large amounts of N could have unintended consequences for growth due to increased leaf area and hence potential water use, especially in dry conditions.