Five years of eddy-covariance and other measurements at a mature ponderosa pine forest and a nearby young plantation are used to contrast the carbon fluxes for long-term averages, seasonal patterns, diel patterns and interannual variability, and to examine the differing responses to water-stress. The mature forest with larger leaf area and wetter and cooler soils has a net uptake of carbon 3.3 times that of the young plantation. In the spring, photosynthesis is larger at the mature site as expected based on the difference in leaf area, however, another important factor is the reduction in springtime respiration at the mature site due to lower soil temperatures because of more shade from the canopy. Patterns of photosynthesis, inherent water-use efficiency (IWUE) and tree transpiration indicate that the young plantation responds to the seasonal drought sooner and to a more severe degree. Lower sensitivity to seasonal drought at the mature site is likely due to higher soil moisture reserves year round and a deeper root system that can access more water. Outside the seasonal drought period, the IWUE is the same at both sites, suggesting a species-specific value. Larger interannual variability at the plantation is associated with water-year drought and aggrading.
