This paper makes a case for coupling quantitative relationships between plant function and environment with an understanding of local hydrology as a basis for selecting species for recharge control and salinity management in the cropping zone (rainfall < 500 mm per year) of south western Australia, a region with a Mediterranean-type climate. This case is made in two parts: (a) A review of some physiological responses of trees to drought and trends in these responses in relation to the rainfall patterns across the natural distribution of species. In general low-rainfall species use less water during winter and early spring and have greater physiological activity during summer than high-rainfall communities. Trends in leaf water relations and stomatal responses to soil drying are consistent with this observation; species from lower rainfall environments have lower leaf water potential at the turgor loss point and weaker stomatal responses to soil drying than those from high rainfall areas, (b) A physiological growth model for Eucalyptus globulus is used to demonstrate how a quantitative description of key plant-environment interactions may be used to analyse the growth and mortality risk for combinations of site, climate and stand management.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences
Research Group:	Forestry sciences
Research Field:	Agroforestry
Objective Division:	Plant Production and Plant Primary Products
Objective Group:	Forestry
Objective Field:	Hardwood plantations
UTAS Author:	Battaglia, M (Dr Michael Battaglia)
UTAS Author:	Mummery, DC (Mr Daryl Mummery)
UTAS Author:	Beadle, CL (Dr Christopher Beadle)
ID Code:	29315
Year Published:	2003
Web of Science® Times Cited:	24
Deposited By:	Geography and Environmental Studies
Deposited On:	2003-08-01
Last Modified:	2004-05-25
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