The validity of optimal leaf traits modelled on environmental conditions

Keith J. Bloomfield; I. Colin Prentice; Lucas A. Cernusak; Derek Eamus; Belinda E. Medlyn; Rizwana Rumman; Ian J. Wright; Matthias M. Boer; Peter Cale; James Cleverly; John J.G. Egerton; David S. Ellsworth; Bradley J. Evans; Lucy S. Hayes; Michael F. Hutchinson; Michael J. Liddell; Craig Macfarlane; Wayne S. Meyer; Henrique F. Togashi; Tim Wardlaw; Lingling Zhu; Owen K. Atkin

doi:10.1111/nph.15495

The validity of optimal leaf traits modelled on environmental conditions

Keith J. Bloomfield^*, I. Colin Prentice, Lucas A. Cernusak, Derek Eamus, Belinda E. Medlyn, Rizwana Rumman, Ian J. Wright, Matthias M. Boer, Peter Cale, James Cleverly, John J.G. Egerton, David S. Ellsworth, Bradley J. Evans, Lucy S. Hayes, Michael F. Hutchinson, Michael J. Liddell, Craig Macfarlane, Wayne S. Meyer, Henrique F. Togashi, Tim WardlawLingling Zhu, Owen K. Atkin

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

36 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The ratio of leaf intercellular to ambient CO ₂ (χ) is modulated by stomatal conductance (g _s ). These quantities link carbon (C) assimilation with transpiration, and along with photosynthetic capacities (V _cmax and J _max ) are required to model terrestrial C uptake. We use optimization criteria based on the growth environment to generate predicted values of photosynthetic and water-use efficiency traits and test these against a unique dataset. Leaf gas-exchange parameters and carbon isotope discrimination were analysed in relation to local climate across a continental network of study sites. Sun-exposed leaves of 50 species at seven sites were measured in contrasting seasons. Values of χ predicted from growth temperature and vapour pressure deficit were closely correlated to ratios derived from C isotope (δ ¹³ C) measurements. Correlations were stronger in the growing season. Predicted values of photosynthetic traits, including carboxylation capacity (V _cmax ), derived from δ ¹³ C, growth temperature and solar radiation, showed meaningful agreement with inferred values derived from gas-exchange measurements. Between-site differences in water-use efficiency were, however, only weakly linked to the plant's growth environment and did not show seasonal variation. These results support the general hypothesis that many key parameters required by Earth system models are adaptive and predictable from plants’ growth environments.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1409-1423
Number of pages	15
Journal	New Phytologist
Volume	221
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.15495
Publication status	Published - 1 Feb 2019

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Bloomfield, K. J., Prentice, I. C., Cernusak, L. A., Eamus, D., Medlyn, B. E., Rumman, R., Wright, I. J., Boer, M. M., Cale, P., Cleverly, J., Egerton, J. J. G., Ellsworth, D. S., Evans, B. J., Hayes, L. S., Hutchinson, M. F., Liddell, M. J., Macfarlane, C., Meyer, W. S., Togashi, H. F., ... Atkin, O. K. (2019). The validity of optimal leaf traits modelled on environmental conditions. New Phytologist, 221(3), 1409-1423. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.15495

@article{98483c7834ad43b8a5d2c7655fc0b5cd,

title = "The validity of optimal leaf traits modelled on environmental conditions",

abstract = " The ratio of leaf intercellular to ambient CO 2 (χ) is modulated by stomatal conductance (g s ). These quantities link carbon (C) assimilation with transpiration, and along with photosynthetic capacities (V cmax and J max ) are required to model terrestrial C uptake. We use optimization criteria based on the growth environment to generate predicted values of photosynthetic and water-use efficiency traits and test these against a unique dataset. Leaf gas-exchange parameters and carbon isotope discrimination were analysed in relation to local climate across a continental network of study sites. Sun-exposed leaves of 50 species at seven sites were measured in contrasting seasons. Values of χ predicted from growth temperature and vapour pressure deficit were closely correlated to ratios derived from C isotope (δ 13 C) measurements. Correlations were stronger in the growing season. Predicted values of photosynthetic traits, including carboxylation capacity (V cmax ), derived from δ 13 C, growth temperature and solar radiation, showed meaningful agreement with inferred values derived from gas-exchange measurements. Between-site differences in water-use efficiency were, however, only weakly linked to the plant's growth environment and did not show seasonal variation. These results support the general hypothesis that many key parameters required by Earth system models are adaptive and predictable from plants{\textquoteright} growth environments.",

keywords = "aridity, photosynthesis, stable isotopes, stomatal conductance (g ), temperature, water-use efficiency",

author = "Bloomfield, {Keith J.} and Prentice, {I. Colin} and Cernusak, {Lucas A.} and Derek Eamus and Medlyn, {Belinda E.} and Rizwana Rumman and Wright, {Ian J.} and Boer, {Matthias M.} and Peter Cale and James Cleverly and Egerton, {John J.G.} and Ellsworth, {David S.} and Evans, {Bradley J.} and Hayes, {Lucy S.} and Hutchinson, {Michael F.} and Liddell, {Michael J.} and Craig Macfarlane and Meyer, {Wayne S.} and Togashi, {Henrique F.} and Tim Wardlaw and Lingling Zhu and Atkin, {Owen K.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 The Authors. New Phytologist {\textcopyright} 2018 New Phytologist Trust",

year = "2019",

month = feb,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1111/nph.15495",

language = "English",

volume = "221",

pages = "1409--1423",

journal = "New Phytologist",

issn = "0028-646X",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",

number = "3",

}

Bloomfield, KJ, Prentice, IC, Cernusak, LA, Eamus, D, Medlyn, BE, Rumman, R, Wright, IJ, Boer, MM, Cale, P, Cleverly, J, Egerton, JJG, Ellsworth, DS, Evans, BJ, Hayes, LS, Hutchinson, MF, Liddell, MJ, Macfarlane, C, Meyer, WS, Togashi, HF, Wardlaw, T, Zhu, L & Atkin, OK 2019, 'The validity of optimal leaf traits modelled on environmental conditions', New Phytologist, vol. 221, no. 3, pp. 1409-1423. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.15495

TY - JOUR

T1 - The validity of optimal leaf traits modelled on environmental conditions

AU - Bloomfield, Keith J.

AU - Prentice, I. Colin

AU - Cernusak, Lucas A.

AU - Eamus, Derek

AU - Medlyn, Belinda E.

AU - Rumman, Rizwana

AU - Wright, Ian J.

AU - Boer, Matthias M.

AU - Cale, Peter

AU - Cleverly, James

AU - Egerton, John J.G.

AU - Ellsworth, David S.

AU - Evans, Bradley J.

AU - Hayes, Lucy S.

AU - Hutchinson, Michael F.

AU - Liddell, Michael J.

AU - Macfarlane, Craig

AU - Meyer, Wayne S.

AU - Togashi, Henrique F.

AU - Wardlaw, Tim

AU - Zhu, Lingling

AU - Atkin, Owen K.

PY - 2019/2/1

Y1 - 2019/2/1

N2 - The ratio of leaf intercellular to ambient CO 2 (χ) is modulated by stomatal conductance (g s ). These quantities link carbon (C) assimilation with transpiration, and along with photosynthetic capacities (V cmax and J max ) are required to model terrestrial C uptake. We use optimization criteria based on the growth environment to generate predicted values of photosynthetic and water-use efficiency traits and test these against a unique dataset. Leaf gas-exchange parameters and carbon isotope discrimination were analysed in relation to local climate across a continental network of study sites. Sun-exposed leaves of 50 species at seven sites were measured in contrasting seasons. Values of χ predicted from growth temperature and vapour pressure deficit were closely correlated to ratios derived from C isotope (δ 13 C) measurements. Correlations were stronger in the growing season. Predicted values of photosynthetic traits, including carboxylation capacity (V cmax ), derived from δ 13 C, growth temperature and solar radiation, showed meaningful agreement with inferred values derived from gas-exchange measurements. Between-site differences in water-use efficiency were, however, only weakly linked to the plant's growth environment and did not show seasonal variation. These results support the general hypothesis that many key parameters required by Earth system models are adaptive and predictable from plants’ growth environments.

AB - The ratio of leaf intercellular to ambient CO 2 (χ) is modulated by stomatal conductance (g s ). These quantities link carbon (C) assimilation with transpiration, and along with photosynthetic capacities (V cmax and J max ) are required to model terrestrial C uptake. We use optimization criteria based on the growth environment to generate predicted values of photosynthetic and water-use efficiency traits and test these against a unique dataset. Leaf gas-exchange parameters and carbon isotope discrimination were analysed in relation to local climate across a continental network of study sites. Sun-exposed leaves of 50 species at seven sites were measured in contrasting seasons. Values of χ predicted from growth temperature and vapour pressure deficit were closely correlated to ratios derived from C isotope (δ 13 C) measurements. Correlations were stronger in the growing season. Predicted values of photosynthetic traits, including carboxylation capacity (V cmax ), derived from δ 13 C, growth temperature and solar radiation, showed meaningful agreement with inferred values derived from gas-exchange measurements. Between-site differences in water-use efficiency were, however, only weakly linked to the plant's growth environment and did not show seasonal variation. These results support the general hypothesis that many key parameters required by Earth system models are adaptive and predictable from plants’ growth environments.

KW - aridity

KW - photosynthesis

KW - stable isotopes

KW - stomatal conductance (g )

KW - temperature

KW - water-use efficiency

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055695430&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/nph.15495

DO - 10.1111/nph.15495

M3 - Article

SN - 0028-646X

VL - 221

SP - 1409

EP - 1423

JO - New Phytologist

JF - New Phytologist

IS - 3

ER -

The validity of optimal leaf traits modelled on environmental conditions

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