Measuring Transpiration of Irrigated Landscape Trees in a Semi-arid Urban Environment

The Heber Valley (Wasatch County, Utah) is a developing landscape where populations are projected to grow 90% by 2030 (Utah, 2014). I expect that afforestation will accompany population growth and urban expansion in this region, placing greater demand on the valley’s water resources. My study is aimed at understanding the influence of afforestation on water use in a built environment where water resources are limiting. I am currently collecting sap flux measurements on mature trees within this system with the following questions in mind: (1) Are there quantifiable species-specific differences in transpiration based on evolutionary lineage, where angiosperm and gymnosperm species have functionally distinct wood anatomy? Additionally, are there differences between native and introduced species as a function of local adaptation? (2) What impact does the transition from a rural to urban landscape, and the accompanying planting choices, have on water resource use? These questions have practical management applications in terms of tree selection and determining how much water should be allocated to irrigating urban landscapes.