Scaling Individual Tree Transpiration With Thermal Cameras Reveals Interspecies Differences to Drought Vulnerability
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- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS) Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
- Independent Researcher Flagstaff AZ USA
- Schmid College of Science and Technology Chapman University Orange CA USA
- Southwest Watershed Research Center USDA Agricultural Research Service Tucson AZ USA
- Department of Geography University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USA, NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder CO USA
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS) Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA, School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems (SICCS) Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Harvard University Cambridge MA USA
Abstract Understanding tree transpiration variability is vital for assessing ecosystem water‐use efficiency and forest health amid climate change, yet most landscape‐level measurements do not differentiate individual trees. Using canopy temperature data from thermal cameras, we estimated the transpiration rates of individual trees at Harvard Forest and Niwot Ridge. PT‐JPL model was used to derive latent heat flux from thermal images at the canopy‐level, showing strong agreement with tower measurements ( R 2 = 0.70–0.96 at Niwot, 0.59–0.78 at Harvard at half‐hourly to monthly scales) and daily RMSE of 33.5 W/m 2 (Niwot) and 52.8 W/m 2 (Harvard). Tree‐level analysis revealed species‐specific responses to drought, with lodgepole pine exhibiting greater tolerance than Engelmann spruce at Niwot and red oak showing heightened resistance than red maple at Harvard. These findings show how ecophysiological differences between species result in varying responses to drought and demonstrate that these responses can be characterized by deriving transpiration from crown temperature measurements.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-05CH11231
- OSTI ID:
- 2466247
- Journal Information:
- Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 20 Vol. 51; ISSN 0094-8276
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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