Articles | Volume 18, issue 15
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4603-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4603-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Temporal dynamics of tree xylem water isotopes: in situ monitoring and modeling
Stefan Seeger
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Hydrology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of
Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Markus Weiler
Hydrology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of
Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
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Cited
59 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Impact of Soil Tension on Isotope Fractionation, Transport, and Interpretations of the Root Water Uptake Origin T. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR034023
- On the urgent need for standardization in isotope‐based ecohydrological investigations C. Millar et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14698
- Water uptake dynamics in apple trees assessed by an isotope labeling approach A. Aguzzoni et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2022.107572
- Differences between stem and branch xylem water isotope composition in four tropical tree species M. Sohel et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.2547
- Unraveling the age-dependent water use strategy and its drivers in fast-growing balsa wood (Ochroma lagopus) plantations X. Yuan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111243
- Does high resolution in situ xylem and atmospheric vapor isotope data help improve modeled estimates of ecohydrological partitioning? C. Birkel et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110467
- Trait coordination and trade-offs constrain the diversity of water use strategies in Mediterranean woody plants F. Muñoz-Gálvez et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59348-3
- Using stable isotopes to inform water resource management in forested and agricultural ecosystems F. Scandellari et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121381
- Canopy structure modulates the sensitivity of subalpine forest stands to interannual snowpack and precipitation variability M. Berkelhammer et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-701-2025
- Technical note: Conservative storage of water vapour – practical in situ sampling of stable isotopes in tree stems R. Magh et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-3573-2022
- Tree‐ and stand‐scale variability of xylem water stable isotope signatures in mature beech, oak and spruce F. Bernhard et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.2614
- Increasing deep soil water uptake during drought does not indicate higher drought resistance D. Yin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.130694
- Modelling temporal variability of in situ soil water and vegetation isotopes reveals ecohydrological couplings in a riparian willow plot A. Smith et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2465-2022
- Parameterizing Vegetation Traits With a Process‐Based Ecohydrological Model and Xylem Water Isotopic Observations K. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022MS003263
- The Age of Evapotranspiration: Lower‐Bound Constraints From Distributed Water Fluxes Across the Continental United States W. Hahm et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR032961
- Xylem water in riparian willow trees (Salix alba) reveals shallow sources of root water uptake by in situ monitoring of stable water isotopes J. Landgraf et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2073-2022
- Assessing the impact of drought on water cycling in urban trees via in-situ isotopic monitoring of plant xylem water A. Ring et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.131020
- Estimating uptake and internal transport dynamics of irrigation water in apple trees using deuterium-enriched water N. Giuliani et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108532
- Root water uptake patterns are controlled by tree species interactions and soil water variability G. Demir et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1441-2024
- Dye-tracer-aided investigation of xylem water transport velocity distributions S. Seeger & M. Weiler https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3393-2023
- Identifying preferential flow from soil moisture time series: Review of methodologies J. Nimmo et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.70017
- Interaction between beech and spruce trees in temperate forests affects water use, root water uptake pattern and canopy structure L. Kinzinger et al. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpad144
- Tracing plant source water dynamics during drought by continuous transpiration measurements: An in‐situ stable isotope approach A. Kübert et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.14475
- Reverse Sap Flow from Fruit Y. Chai et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15010105
- Towards portable MRI in the plant sciences S. Blystone et al. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-024-01152-z
- Global Soil Water Stable Isotope Dataset J. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-07262-8
- Red maple tree root water uptake depths are influenced by neighboring tree species composition M. Sobota et al. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpaf049
- Mechanism of water and nutrient competition between shelterbelts and farmland under different irrigation patterns in the Hexi Corridor oasis area, China Y. Hao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2026.107284
- Oxygen isotope ratios of phosphates in the soil‐plant system: Limitations and future developments C. von Sperber et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13434
- Employing stable isotopes to reveal temporal trajectories of water travelling through the soil–plant-atmosphere continuum Z. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132058
- Continuous In‐Situ Water Stable Isotopes Reveal Rapid Changes in Root Water Uptake by Fagus sylvatica During Severe Drought L. Kinzinger et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70055
- Little vertical and circumferential variations in stem xylem water δ2H and δ18O in three tree species S. Younger et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-023-02431-3
- Tracing Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotope Signals From Water Sources to Tree‐Ring Compounds H. Diao et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15598
- Technical note: Discrete in situ vapor sampling for subsequent lab-based water stable isotope analysis B. Herbstritt et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3701-2023
- Distinct Responses of European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) to Drought Intensity and Length—A Review of the Impacts of the 2003 and 2018–2019 Drought Events in Central Europe S. Rukh et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/f14020248
- Hydrological processes in tropical Australia: Historical perspective and the need for a catchment observatory network to address future development C. Duvert et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2022.101194
- Delayed uptake and intra-tree distribution of 2H-labeled irrigation water after repeated experimental summer drought in mature spruce compared with beech B. Hesse et al. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpaf153
- Sub-daily stable water isotope dynamics of urban tree xylem water and ambient vapor A. Ring et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-6663-2025
- Evidence for variations in cryogenic extraction deuterium biases of plant xylem water across foundational northeastern US trees M. Sobota et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.15079
- Isotope Distribution Analysis in H₂18O Pulse‐Labeled Trees Frozen with Liquid Nitrogen Y. Xiang et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.14292
- Technical note: Lessons from and best practices for the deployment of the Soil Water Isotope Storage System R. Havranek et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2951-2023
- Interfacial hydrodynamic isotope fractionation of infiltrating rainfall in soil pore water is independent of evaporation P. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03195-7
- Comparative cryogenic extraction rehydration experiments reveal isotope fractionation during root water uptake in Gramineae H. Jiang et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18423
- Tree water uptake patterns across the globe C. Bachofen et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19762
- The natural abundance of stable water isotopes method may overestimate deep-layer soil water use by trees S. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-123-2023
- Seasonal variations in soil–plant interactions in contrasting urban green spaces: Insights from water stable isotopes C. Marx et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.127998
- Ectomycorrhizal fungi and root water uptake respond independently to water availability A. Rodríguez‐Uña et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/oik.10923
- Light-Dependence of Formate (C1) and Acetate (C2) Transport and Oxidation in Poplar Trees K. Jardine et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11162080
- Isotopic fractionation from stem and branch water significantly affects source water determination in Abies georgei var. smithii trees in Tibetan Plateau, China X. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-08153-4
- Flushing or mixing? Stable water isotopes reveal differences in arctic forest and peatland soil water seasonality F. Muhic et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14811
- Challenges in studying water fluxes within the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum: A tracer-based perspective on pathways to progress N. Orlowski et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163510
- Environmental drivers and correction methods optimization of isotope offsets in water source analysis of desert riparian Populus euphratica Q. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134482
- Cryogenic vacuum distillation‐induced deuterium isotope biases in leaf water and their ecophysiological implications W. Wen et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70857
- Snowmelt-mediated isotopic homogenization of shallow till soil F. Muhic et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4861-2024
- Technical note: A fast and reproducible autosampler for direct vapor equilibration isotope measurements J. Pyschik et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-525-2025
- De‐Coupled Water and Nitrogen Translocation From Subsoil to Canopy of Temperate Forest Trees K. Mrak et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70327
- Plant water uptake modelling: added value of cross‐disciplinary approaches M. Dubbert et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13478
- Precipitation fate and transport in a Mediterranean catchment through models calibrated on plant and stream water isotope data M. Sprenger et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4093-2022
- Soil water mixing dynamics and plant hydraulic regulation determine water transport time lags within the soil–plant continuum Z. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecofro.2025.09.012
59 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Impact of Soil Tension on Isotope Fractionation, Transport, and Interpretations of the Root Water Uptake Origin T. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR034023
- On the urgent need for standardization in isotope‐based ecohydrological investigations C. Millar et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14698
- Water uptake dynamics in apple trees assessed by an isotope labeling approach A. Aguzzoni et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2022.107572
- Differences between stem and branch xylem water isotope composition in four tropical tree species M. Sohel et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.2547
- Unraveling the age-dependent water use strategy and its drivers in fast-growing balsa wood (Ochroma lagopus) plantations X. Yuan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111243
- Does high resolution in situ xylem and atmospheric vapor isotope data help improve modeled estimates of ecohydrological partitioning? C. Birkel et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110467
- Trait coordination and trade-offs constrain the diversity of water use strategies in Mediterranean woody plants F. Muñoz-Gálvez et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59348-3
- Using stable isotopes to inform water resource management in forested and agricultural ecosystems F. Scandellari et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121381
- Canopy structure modulates the sensitivity of subalpine forest stands to interannual snowpack and precipitation variability M. Berkelhammer et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-701-2025
- Technical note: Conservative storage of water vapour – practical in situ sampling of stable isotopes in tree stems R. Magh et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-3573-2022
- Tree‐ and stand‐scale variability of xylem water stable isotope signatures in mature beech, oak and spruce F. Bernhard et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.2614
- Increasing deep soil water uptake during drought does not indicate higher drought resistance D. Yin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.130694
- Modelling temporal variability of in situ soil water and vegetation isotopes reveals ecohydrological couplings in a riparian willow plot A. Smith et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2465-2022
- Parameterizing Vegetation Traits With a Process‐Based Ecohydrological Model and Xylem Water Isotopic Observations K. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022MS003263
- The Age of Evapotranspiration: Lower‐Bound Constraints From Distributed Water Fluxes Across the Continental United States W. Hahm et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR032961
- Xylem water in riparian willow trees (Salix alba) reveals shallow sources of root water uptake by in situ monitoring of stable water isotopes J. Landgraf et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2073-2022
- Assessing the impact of drought on water cycling in urban trees via in-situ isotopic monitoring of plant xylem water A. Ring et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.131020
- Estimating uptake and internal transport dynamics of irrigation water in apple trees using deuterium-enriched water N. Giuliani et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108532
- Root water uptake patterns are controlled by tree species interactions and soil water variability G. Demir et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1441-2024
- Dye-tracer-aided investigation of xylem water transport velocity distributions S. Seeger & M. Weiler https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3393-2023
- Identifying preferential flow from soil moisture time series: Review of methodologies J. Nimmo et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.70017
- Interaction between beech and spruce trees in temperate forests affects water use, root water uptake pattern and canopy structure L. Kinzinger et al. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpad144
- Tracing plant source water dynamics during drought by continuous transpiration measurements: An in‐situ stable isotope approach A. Kübert et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.14475
- Reverse Sap Flow from Fruit Y. Chai et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15010105
- Towards portable MRI in the plant sciences S. Blystone et al. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-024-01152-z
- Global Soil Water Stable Isotope Dataset J. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-07262-8
- Red maple tree root water uptake depths are influenced by neighboring tree species composition M. Sobota et al. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpaf049
- Mechanism of water and nutrient competition between shelterbelts and farmland under different irrigation patterns in the Hexi Corridor oasis area, China Y. Hao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2026.107284
- Oxygen isotope ratios of phosphates in the soil‐plant system: Limitations and future developments C. von Sperber et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13434
- Employing stable isotopes to reveal temporal trajectories of water travelling through the soil–plant-atmosphere continuum Z. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132058
- Continuous In‐Situ Water Stable Isotopes Reveal Rapid Changes in Root Water Uptake by Fagus sylvatica During Severe Drought L. Kinzinger et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70055
- Little vertical and circumferential variations in stem xylem water δ2H and δ18O in three tree species S. Younger et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-023-02431-3
- Tracing Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotope Signals From Water Sources to Tree‐Ring Compounds H. Diao et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15598
- Technical note: Discrete in situ vapor sampling for subsequent lab-based water stable isotope analysis B. Herbstritt et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3701-2023
- Distinct Responses of European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) to Drought Intensity and Length—A Review of the Impacts of the 2003 and 2018–2019 Drought Events in Central Europe S. Rukh et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/f14020248
- Hydrological processes in tropical Australia: Historical perspective and the need for a catchment observatory network to address future development C. Duvert et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2022.101194
- Delayed uptake and intra-tree distribution of 2H-labeled irrigation water after repeated experimental summer drought in mature spruce compared with beech B. Hesse et al. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpaf153
- Sub-daily stable water isotope dynamics of urban tree xylem water and ambient vapor A. Ring et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-6663-2025
- Evidence for variations in cryogenic extraction deuterium biases of plant xylem water across foundational northeastern US trees M. Sobota et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.15079
- Isotope Distribution Analysis in H₂18O Pulse‐Labeled Trees Frozen with Liquid Nitrogen Y. Xiang et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.14292
- Technical note: Lessons from and best practices for the deployment of the Soil Water Isotope Storage System R. Havranek et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2951-2023
- Interfacial hydrodynamic isotope fractionation of infiltrating rainfall in soil pore water is independent of evaporation P. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03195-7
- Comparative cryogenic extraction rehydration experiments reveal isotope fractionation during root water uptake in Gramineae H. Jiang et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18423
- Tree water uptake patterns across the globe C. Bachofen et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19762
- The natural abundance of stable water isotopes method may overestimate deep-layer soil water use by trees S. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-123-2023
- Seasonal variations in soil–plant interactions in contrasting urban green spaces: Insights from water stable isotopes C. Marx et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.127998
- Ectomycorrhizal fungi and root water uptake respond independently to water availability A. Rodríguez‐Uña et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/oik.10923
- Light-Dependence of Formate (C1) and Acetate (C2) Transport and Oxidation in Poplar Trees K. Jardine et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11162080
- Isotopic fractionation from stem and branch water significantly affects source water determination in Abies georgei var. smithii trees in Tibetan Plateau, China X. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-08153-4
- Flushing or mixing? Stable water isotopes reveal differences in arctic forest and peatland soil water seasonality F. Muhic et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14811
- Challenges in studying water fluxes within the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum: A tracer-based perspective on pathways to progress N. Orlowski et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163510
- Environmental drivers and correction methods optimization of isotope offsets in water source analysis of desert riparian Populus euphratica Q. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134482
- Cryogenic vacuum distillation‐induced deuterium isotope biases in leaf water and their ecophysiological implications W. Wen et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70857
- Snowmelt-mediated isotopic homogenization of shallow till soil F. Muhic et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4861-2024
- Technical note: A fast and reproducible autosampler for direct vapor equilibration isotope measurements J. Pyschik et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-525-2025
- De‐Coupled Water and Nitrogen Translocation From Subsoil to Canopy of Temperate Forest Trees K. Mrak et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70327
- Plant water uptake modelling: added value of cross‐disciplinary approaches M. Dubbert et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13478
- Precipitation fate and transport in a Mediterranean catchment through models calibrated on plant and stream water isotope data M. Sprenger et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4093-2022
- Soil water mixing dynamics and plant hydraulic regulation determine water transport time lags within the soil–plant continuum Z. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecofro.2025.09.012
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 09 Jun 2026
Short summary
We developed a setup for fully automated in situ measurements of stable water isotopes in soil and the stems of fully grown trees. We used this setup in a 12-week field campaign to monitor the propagation of a labelling pulse from the soil up to a stem height of 8 m.
We could observe trees shifting their main water uptake depths multiple times, depending on water availability.
The gained knowledge about the temporal dynamics can help to improve water uptake models and future study designs.
We developed a setup for fully automated in situ measurements of stable water isotopes in soil...
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