New Zealand Journal of Botany abstract
Effect of soil moisture on Chionochloa australis, C. rubra,
and Festuca novae-zelandiae water-use
P. R. ESPIE
AgResearch
Invermay Agricultural Centre
Private Bag 50034
Mosgiel, New Zealand
Abstract The water-use of three widespread New Zealand
tussock species,
Chionochloa australis,
C. rubra, and
Festuca
novae-zelandiae, was compared at five soil moisture levels, ranging from
dry to waterlogged (19% to 106% relative saturation of porosity), in a
glasshouse study. Water-use for all species increased with soil moisture supply
until complete saturation, and was significantly related to live shoot biomass.
Chionochloa australis water-use per unit weight of live shoot tissue was
greater than that of the other species at low soil moisture supply. This is
consistent with its restricted distribution to the high-rainfall penalpine zone
of the South Island axial ranges and suggests the hypothesis that inability to
restrict transpiration loss may be a causal factor determining its range. The
water-use physiology of
C. rubra and
Festuca novae-zelandiae are
consistent with their wider ecological distributions.
Keywords soil moisture; Chionochloa australis;
Chionochloa rubra; Festuca novae-zelandiae; water-use;
B97051
Received 28 July 1997; accepted 23 December 1998
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