Tritium analysis shows apple trees may be transpiring water several decades old

What is it about?

The age of water transpired by vegetation (particularly trees) has long eluded researchers, mainly because of limitations in available techniques. Assigning an “age” to root-mediated water, therefore, has relied on modeling approaches using tracers and user-defined (i.e. arbitrary) model parameters. Here we provide data on the age of water used by apple trees via direct measurement of tritium (3H) concentrations both within the tree and the soil. We offer a unique view into the use of 3H that heretofore was extremely limited in a “post bomb” world.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the age of “soil bound” water is demonstrated vis-à-vis ecohydrological separation – now recognized as a widespread, phenomenological observation.