Article (Scientific journals)
Potential and limitations of inferring ecosystem photosynthetic capacity from leaf functional traits
Musavi, T.; Migliavacca, M.; van de Weg, M. J. et al.
2016In Ecology and Evolution, 6 (20), p. 7352-7366
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Keywords :
FLUXNET; TRY database
Abstract :
[en] The aim of this study was to systematically analyze the potential and limitations of using plant functional trait observations from global databases versus in situ data to improve our understanding of vegetation impacts on ecosystem functional properties (EFPs). Using ecosystem photosynthetic capacity as an example, we first provide an objective approach to derive robust EFP estimates from gross primary productivity (GPP) obtained from eddy covariance flux measurements. Second, we investigate the impact of synchronizing EFPs and plant functional traits in time and space to evaluate their relationships, and the extent to which we can benefit from global plant trait databases to explain the variability of ecosystem photosynthetic capacity. Finally, we identify a set of plant functional traits controlling ecosystem photosynthetic capacity at selected sites. Suitable estimates of the ecosystem photosynthetic capacity can be derived from light response curve of GPP responding to radiation (photosynthetically active radiation or absorbed photosynthetically active radiation). Although the effect of climate is minimized in these calculations, the estimates indicate substantial interannual variation of the photosynthetic capacity, even after removing site-years with confounding factors like disturbance such as fire events. The relationships between foliar nitrogen concentration and ecosystem photosynthetic capacity are tighter when both of the measurements are synchronized in space and time. When using multiple plant traits simultaneously as predictors for ecosystem photosynthetic capacity variation, the combination of leaf carbon to nitrogen ratio with leaf phosphorus content explains the variance of ecosystem photosynthetic capacity best (adjusted R2 = 0.55). Overall, this study provides an objective approach to identify links between leaf level traits and canopy level processes and highlights the relevance of the dynamic nature of ecosystems. Synchronizing measurements of eddy covariance fluxes and plant traits in time and space is shown to be highly relevant to better understand the importance of intra- and interspecific trait variation on ecosystem functioning. © 2016 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Disciplines :
Earth sciences & physical geography
Author, co-author :
Musavi, T.;  Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
Migliavacca, M.;  Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
van de Weg, M. J.;  Amsterdam Global Change Institute, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Kattge, J.;  Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Wohlfahrt, G.;  Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
van Bodegom, P. M.;  Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
Reichstein, M.;  Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Bahn, M.;  Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
Carrara, A.;  Mediterranean Center for Environmental Studies (Foundation CEAM), Valencia, Spain
Domingues, T. F.;  FFCLRP-USP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
Gavazzi, M.;  Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center, USDA Forest Service, Raleigh, NC, United States
Gianelle, D.;  Department of Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems and Bioresources, Research and Innovation Center, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Trento, Italy, Foxlab Joint CNR-FEM Initiative, Trento, Italy
Gimeno, C.;  Mediterranean Center for Environmental Studies (Foundation CEAM), Valencia, Spain
Granier, A.;  UMR 1137 Ecologie et Ecophysiologie Forestierès, INRA, Champenoux, France
Gruening, C.;  European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, Italy
Havránková, K.;  Department of Matters and Energy Fluxes, Global Change Research Institute CAS, Brno, Czech Republic
Herbst, M.;  Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Braunschweig, Germany
Hrynkiw, C.;  National Hydrology Research Centre (NHRC), Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Kalhori, A.;  Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
Kaminski, T.;  The Inversion Lab, Hamburg, Germany
Klumpp, K.;  INRA, Grassland Ecosystem Research (UR874), Clermont Ferrand, France
Kolari, P.;  Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Longdoz, Bernard  ;  Université de Liège > Ingénierie des biosystèmes (Biose) > Echanges Ecosystèmes - Atmosphère
Minerbi, S.;  Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano Servizi Forestali, Bolzano, Italy
Montagnani, L.;  Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano Servizi Forestali, Bolzano, Italy, Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
Moors, E.;  Alterra Green World Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
Oechel, W. C.;  Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States, Department of Environment, Earth and Ecosystems, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Reich, P. B.;  Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Saint Paul, MN, United States, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
Rohatyn, S.;  Soil and Water Department, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Rossi, A.;  Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
Rotenberg, E.;  Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Varlagin, A.;  A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
Wilkinson, M.;  Environmental and Human Sciences Division, Forest Research, Alice Holt Lodge, Farnham, Surrey, United Kingdom
Wirth, C.;  Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany, Institute of Special Botany and Functional Biodiversity, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Mahecha, M. D.;  Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
More authors (25 more) Less
Language :
English
Title :
Potential and limitations of inferring ecosystem photosynthetic capacity from leaf functional traits
Publication date :
2016
Journal title :
Ecology and Evolution
eISSN :
2045-7758
Publisher :
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Volume :
6
Issue :
20
Pages :
7352-7366
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
European Projects :
H2020 - 640176 - BACI - Detecting changes in essential ecosystem and biodiversity properties – towards a Biosphere Atmosphere Change Index: BACI
Name of the research project :
TRY initiative on plant traits; National Sustainability Program I (NPU I), grant number LO1415
Funders :
UE - Union Européenne [BE]
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Czech Republic
CarboEuropeIP
NSF - National Science Foundation [US-VA]
CE - Commission Européenne [BE]
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