Justin TurlipJustin TurlipMELNHE REU Summer 2014MELNHE REU Summer 2014NYU ‘15NYU ‘15

Happy Trees have Ca!Happy Trees have Ca! An integral nutrient in forested ecosystemsAn integral nutrient in forested ecosystems

Maintains structural integrity and helps Maintains structural integrity and helps physiological function of treesphysiological function of trees

-stomatal regulation, cell division and -stomatal regulation, cell division and more more

Acid rain in Northern Hardwood Forests Acid rain in Northern Hardwood Forests over the last 60 years over the last 60 years (Likens and Borman 124). (Likens and Borman 124).

Calcium leaches from the soil at a net loss for Calcium leaches from the soil at a net loss for the ecosystemthe ecosystem

-Calcium becomes a limiting -Calcium becomes a limiting nutrientnutrient

Hubbard Brook 1999Hubbard Brook 1999 Whole watershed addition of Whole watershed addition of

wollastonite (CaSiO3) in wollastonite (CaSiO3) in Watershed 1Watershed 1-to bring Ca concentration to pre--to bring Ca concentration to pre-industrial levels industrial levels (1,000kg Ca/hectare) (1,000kg Ca/hectare) (Green et al 2013)(Green et al 2013)

HubbardBrook CaSiO3 Addition ResultsHubbardBrook CaSiO3 Addition Results From 1999 until 2002, From 1999 until 2002,

transpiration and primary transpiration and primary productivity increased in productivity increased in Watershed 1 Watershed 1 (Green et al 2013)(Green et al 2013)

In 2002, transpiration began In 2002, transpiration began to decrease in Watershed 1 to to decrease in Watershed 1 to pre-1999 levels pre-1999 levels (Green et al 2013)(Green et al 2013)

short-term rapid growthshort-term rapid growth

-- -xylem and root growth -- -xylem and root growth (enhanced water transport (enhanced water transport and increased productivity) and increased productivity) (Green et al 2013)(Green et al 2013)

Long-term increased stomatal Long-term increased stomatal efficiency? efficiency? (Green et al 2013)(Green et al 2013)

Not well understood!

2011 MELNHE CaSi Addition 2011 MELNHE CaSi Addition

Wollastonite addition in 5 plots of Wollastonite addition in 5 plots of experimental stands in the White experimental stands in the White Mountains, NH.Mountains, NH. Bartlett Experimental Forest (C1, C6, C8)Bartlett Experimental Forest (C1, C6, C8) Jeffers Brook (JBO, JBM)Jeffers Brook (JBO, JBM) Hubbard Brook (HBo)Hubbard Brook (HBo)

Attempt to better understand how CaSiO3 Attempt to better understand how CaSiO3 affects evapotranspiration and productivityaffects evapotranspiration and productivity

MethodsMethods

Sample soil moisture in all CaSi plots and Sample soil moisture in all CaSi plots and corresponding control plots at 3 depths (10cm, 30cm, corresponding control plots at 3 depths (10cm, 30cm, 50cm)50cm)

-compare soil moisture for leaf-compare soil moisture for leaf

on vs leaf off for each plot to show water use by plantson vs leaf off for each plot to show water use by plants

InstrumentsInstruments

-EC-5 soil moisture probes-EC-5 soil moisture probes

-Decagon EM-50 dataloggers-Decagon EM-50 dataloggers

HypothesisHypothesis

Soil moisture will be lower in wollastonite plots Soil moisture will be lower in wollastonite plots than corresponding control plots when there are than corresponding control plots when there are leaves on the treesleaves on the trees

ResultsResultsOnly C6 (30cm), HBo (10cm) and Only C6 (30cm), HBo (10cm) and

HBo (50cm) had usable dataHBo (50cm) had usable data

-C1Ca batteries had died shortly -C1Ca batteries had died shortly after last year’s Hubbard after last year’s Hubbard BrookMeetingBrookMeeting

-C8 control’s sensors had been -C8 control’s sensors had been removed prior to data removed prior to data collectioncollection

-Jeffers Brook data still being -Jeffers Brook data still being analyzedanalyzed

-various sensor cords had been -various sensor cords had been disconnected due to freeze disconnected due to freeze and and thawthaw

HBo at 10cm HBo at 50cm

C6 at 30cm

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Legend

Soil moisture in the control

Soil

moi

stur

e in

CaS

iO3

Soil

moi

stur

e in

CaS

iO3

Soil moisture in the control

Soil moisture in the control

Soil

moi

stur

e in

CaS

iO3

DiscussionDiscussion

C6 (30cm) analysis suggests that it was drier in the C6 (30cm) analysis suggests that it was drier in the wollastonite plot during the leaf on periodwollastonite plot during the leaf on period

However, HBo suggests that it is wetter in the However, HBo suggests that it is wetter in the wollastonite plot during the leaf on period. wollastonite plot during the leaf on period.

-There could be many other variables in effect, -There could be many other variables in effect, like differing hydrology between experimental like differing hydrology between experimental and control plotsand control plots

-HBo may simply be further along the timeline of -HBo may simply be further along the timeline of treatment results that the ‘99 HBEF experiment treatment results that the ‘99 HBEF experiment suggests suggests

In Summary…In Summary…

One dataset, C6 (30cm), showed this with statistical significanceOne dataset, C6 (30cm), showed this with statistical significance

-1999-2002 period soil dryness?-1999-2002 period soil dryness?

HBo showed drier soil with wollastonite, though with less statistical HBo showed drier soil with wollastonite, though with less statistical significancesignificance

-post 2002 period soil wetness?-post 2002 period soil wetness?

-We added wollastonite plots to the MELNHE Project to see if wollastonite causes increased evapotranspiration and lower soil moisture

Current Work and Future PlansCurrent Work and Future Plans

Complete characterization of soil depths for total Complete characterization of soil depths for total porosity and field capacityporosity and field capacity

Current Work and Future Current Work and Future PlansPlans

Troubleshoot sensors in current plotsTroubleshoot sensors in current plots

-Why is the JBO calcium logger a brick with -Why is the JBO calcium logger a brick with lights??lights??

Add more sensors to each plotAdd more sensors to each plot

Add moisture sensors to our other experimental Add moisture sensors to our other experimental plots (nitrogen, phosphorous, N+P)plots (nitrogen, phosphorous, N+P)

New logger in C8 control!New logger in C8 control!

Special Thanks To:Special Thanks To:

ReferencesGreen, Mark B., et al. "Decreased water flowing from a forest amended with calcium silicate." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110.15 (2013): 5999-6003. Hamburg, Steven P., et al. "Biotic control of calcium cycling in northern hardwood forests: acid rain and aging forests." Ecosystems 6.4 (2003): 399-406. Likens, Gene E., and Frederick Herbert Bormann. Biogeochemistry of a Forested Ecosystem. New York: Springer, 1994. Print.

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