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Article

Responses of Water Use Strategies to Seasonal Drought Stress Differed Among Eucalyptus urophylla S.T.Blake × E. grandis Plantations Along with Stand Ages

1
College of Ecology and Environment, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
2
Research Institute of Fast-Growing Trees (RIFT), Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF), Zhanjiang 524022, China
3
Guangdong Zhanjiang Eucalyptus Plantation Ecosystem Research Station, Zhanjiang 524022, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Forests 2025, 16(6), 962; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16060962
Submission received: 28 April 2025 / Revised: 26 May 2025 / Accepted: 5 June 2025 / Published: 6 June 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Forest Carbon, Water Use and Growth Under Climate Change)

Abstract

Water use strategies reflect the ability of plants to adapt to drought caused by climate change. However, how these strategies change with stand development and seasonal drought is not fully understood. This study used stable isotope techniques (δD, δ18O, and δ13C) combined with the MixSIAR model to quantify the seasonal changes in water use sources and water use efficiency (WUE) of Eucalyptus urophylla S.T.Blake × E. grandis (E. urophylla × E. grandis) at four stand ages (2-, 4-, 9- and 14-year-old) and to identify their influencing factors. Our results showed that the young (2-year-old) and middle-aged (4-year-old) stands primarily relied on shallow soil water throughout the growing season due to the limitations of a shallow root system. In contrast, the mature (9-year-old) and overmature (14-year-old) stands, influenced by the synergistic effects of larger and deeper root systems and relative extractable water (REW), exhibited more flexibility in water use, mainly relying on shallow soil water in wet months, but shifting to using middle and deep soil layer water in dry months, and quickly returning to mainly using shallow soil water in the episodic wet month of the dry season. The WUE of E. urophylla × E. grandis was affected by the combined effect of air temperature (T), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and REW. WUE was consistent across the stand ages in the wet season but decreased significantly with stand age in the dry season. This suggests that mature and overmature stands depend more on shifting their water source, while young and middle-aged stands rely more on enhanced WUE to cope with seasonal drought stress, resulting in young and middle-aged stands being more vulnerable to drought stress. These findings offer valuable insights for managing water resources in eucalyptus plantations, particularly as drought frequency and intensity continue to rise.
Keywords: MixSIAR model; seasonal drought; stable isotope; water source; water use efficiency MixSIAR model; seasonal drought; stable isotope; water source; water use efficiency

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Wang, Z.; Xu, Y.; Zhu, W.; Huang, R.; Du, A.; Cao, H.; Xiang, W. Responses of Water Use Strategies to Seasonal Drought Stress Differed Among Eucalyptus urophylla S.T.Blake × E. grandis Plantations Along with Stand Ages. Forests 2025, 16, 962. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16060962

AMA Style

Wang Z, Xu Y, Zhu W, Huang R, Du A, Cao H, Xiang W. Responses of Water Use Strategies to Seasonal Drought Stress Differed Among Eucalyptus urophylla S.T.Blake × E. grandis Plantations Along with Stand Ages. Forests. 2025; 16(6):962. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16060962

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wang, Zhichao, Yuxing Xu, Wankuan Zhu, Runxia Huang, Apeng Du, Haoyang Cao, and Wenhua Xiang. 2025. "Responses of Water Use Strategies to Seasonal Drought Stress Differed Among Eucalyptus urophylla S.T.Blake × E. grandis Plantations Along with Stand Ages" Forests 16, no. 6: 962. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16060962

APA Style

Wang, Z., Xu, Y., Zhu, W., Huang, R., Du, A., Cao, H., & Xiang, W. (2025). Responses of Water Use Strategies to Seasonal Drought Stress Differed Among Eucalyptus urophylla S.T.Blake × E. grandis Plantations Along with Stand Ages. Forests, 16(6), 962. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16060962

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