Limitation of the Cavitron technique by conifer pit aspiration
type: Dataset
description: The Cavitron technique facilitates time and material saving for vulnerability analysis. The use of rotors with small diameters leads to high water pressure gradients (delta P) across samples, which may cause pit aspiration in conifers. In this study, the effect of pit aspiration on Cavitron measurements was analysed and a modified 'conifer method' was tested which avoids critical (i.e. pit aspiration inducing) delta P. Four conifer species were used (Juniperus communis, Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, and Larix decidua) for vulnerability analysis based on the standard Cavitron technique and the conifer method. In addition, delta P thresholds for pit aspiration were determined and water extraction curves were constructed. Vulnerability curves obtained with the standard method showed generally a less negative P for the induction of embolism than curves of the conifer method. Differences were species-specific with the smallest effects in Juniperus. Larix showed the most pronounced shifts in P(50) (pressure at 50% loss of conductivity) between the standard (-1.5 MPa) and the conifer (-3.5 MPa) methods. Pit aspiration occurred at the lowest delta P in Larix and at the highest in Juniperus. Accordingly, at a spinning velocity inducing P(50), delta P caused only a 4% loss of conductivity induced by pit aspiration in Juniperus, but about 60% in Larix. Water extraction curves were similar to vulnerability curves indicating that spinning itself did not affect pits. Conifer pit aspiration can have major influences on Cavitron measurements and lead to an overestimation of vulnerability thresholds when a small rotor is used. Thus, the conifer method presented here enables correct vulnerability analysis by avoiding artificial conductivity losses.
issued: 2026-05-05T21:31:45.886918
language: en
modified: 2026-05-05T21:31:45.886922
contact point: Organization
  fn: CCSD
keyword: embolism
keyword: hydraulic-conductance
keyword: infoeu-reposemanticsarticle
keyword: journal-articles
keyword: pressure-difference
keyword: sdvbvbotlife-sciences-q-biovegetal-biologybotanics
keyword: vulnerability
keyword: water-extraction
keyword: xylem-pressure
landing page: 0022-0957

Limitation of the Cavitron technique by conifer pit aspiration
type: Distribution
format: HTML
issued: 2026-05-05T21:31:45.892654
modified: 2026-05-05T21:31:45.876533
access URL: https://hal.science/hal-00964554

test_moissonnage_selune
type: Agent