Water use characteristics of bamboo (South China)

竹科植物广泛分布于热带和亚热带森林。特别是在亚洲，竹子由小农种植，越来越多地种植在大型种植园中。与树木相比，对竹子水分利用特征的可靠评估非常少。最近，我们测试了一套评估竹水利用的方法，并获得了初步结果。本研究的目标是：(1)进一步验证和完善方法；(2)比较不同竹种的水分利用情况；(3)分析不同竹种的水分利用与竹竿大小的关系；(4)评估竹竿密度对林分蒸腾的影响。这项研究将在竹子非常丰富的中国南方进行。它计划在一个普通花园（方法测试），一个植物园（物种比较，用水与大小的关系）和农场（茎密度的影响）中工作。方法测试将包括各种方法（热耗散探针，干热平衡，氘示踪和重力法），而后续步骤将基于热方法。研究结果有助于提高对竹材水资源利用特征的认识，并对竹材水资源进行更合理的管理。

Bamboos (Poaceae) are widespread in tropical and subtropical forests. Particularly in Asia, bamboos are cultivated by smallholders and increasingly in large plantations. In contrast to trees, reliable assessments of water use characteristics for bamboo are very scarce. Recently we tested a set of methods for assessing bamboo water use and obtained first results. Objectives of the proposed project are (1) to further test and develop the methods, (2) to compare the water use of different bamboo species, (3) to analyze the water use to bamboo size relationship across species, and (4) to assess effects of bamboo culm density on the stand-level transpiration. The study shall be conducted in South China where bamboos are very abundant. It is planned to work in a common garden (method testing), a botanical garden (species comparison, water use to size relationship), and on-farm (effects of culm density). Method testing will include a variety of approaches (thermal dissipation probes, stem heat balance, deuterium tracing and gravimetry), whereas subsequent steps will be based on thermal methods. The results may contribute to an improved understanding of bamboo water use characteristics and a more appropriate management of bamboo with respect to water resources.