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Contrasting invasive and native tree-water relations


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Created: Jan 27, 2026 at 6:01 a.m. (UTC)
Last updated: Jan 27, 2026 at 8:03 a.m. (UTC)
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Abstract

In the Pacific Northwest, two iconic trees—one native and one invasive—demonstrate opposing trends that may portend meaningful shifts in forest structure. Over recent decades, western redcedar (\textit{Thuja plicata}), characteristic of the region's ordinarily damp and productive coastal forests, has experienced a marked decline. Meanwhile, English holly (\textit{Ilex aquifolium}), known for its adaptability and vigor, has proliferated, and is now designated "invasive" by multiple government agencies. This contrast may reflect underexplored differences between the species' ability to access limited subsurface water supplies during intensifying summer droughts. To assess this possibility, we examined interlinked environmental and tree physiological metrics at two sites in coastal British Columbia. We measured soil moisture, groundwater level, tree shoot water potential and sap flow in the field during a drought period. We supplemented these field measurements with lab-based turgor loss point estimates and analysis of long-term hydroclimate patterns. Results reveal converging evidence of a water-relations advantage for the invasive species, including more sustained water uptake even as shallow soil moisture diminished. We also find that subsurface water was replenished early in the wet season, and significant indicators that wet-season precipitation meaningfully exceeds subsurface storage capacity. This limitation, alongside a widening seasonal moisture deficit, is likely to favor species with the best aligned hydrological niche, regardless of origin, with implications for stewardship.

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Coverage

Spatial

Coordinate System/Geographic Projection:
WGS 84 EPSG:4326
Coordinate Units:
Decimal degrees
Place/Area Name:
Coastal British Columbia
North Latitude
49.3131°
East Longitude
-122.1652°
South Latitude
48.8508°
West Longitude
-124.0823°

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How to Cite

Drucker, B. (2026). Contrasting invasive and native tree-water relations, HydroShare, http://www.hydroshare.org/resource/53488d7ba4ed48b296ac3801ef98dc6c

This resource is shared under the Creative Commons Attribution CC BY.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
CC-BY

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