Contrasting tree water use strategies along hillslopes in forested catchments in Luxembourg and Italy

Topography plays a major role in mediating subsurface water redistribution and ultimately water availability for tree transpiration. Trees located in valley bottoms commonly benefit from greater accessibility to groundwater and wetter soil from lateral redistribution of water compared to trees growing upslopes. However, water availability and movement in the subsurface may differ according to subsurface properties (permeability, soil texture, geology) and climatic regimes. The spatially and seasonally variable water accessibility along a hillslope affects species composition, stand structure,... Mehr ...