Photosynthetic capacity of tropical montane tree species in relation to leaf nutrients, successional strategy and growth temperature

Photosynthetic capacity in middle-aged larch and spruce acclimates independently to experimental warming and elevated CO2

Photosynthetic acclimation to both warming and elevated CO2 of boreal trees remains a key uncertainty in modelling the response of photosynthesis to future climates. We investigated the impact of increased growth temperature and elevated CO2 on photosynthetic capacity (Vcmax and Jmax) in mature trees of two North American boreal conifers, tamarack and black spruce. We show that Vcmax and Jmax at a standard temperature of 25°C did not change with warming, while Vcmax and Jmax at their thermal optima (Topt) and growth temperature (Tg) increased. Moreover, Vcmax and Jmax at either 25°C, Topt or Tg decreased with elevated CO2. The Jmax/Vcmax ratio decreased with warming when assessed at both Topt and Tg but did not significantly vary at 25°C. The Jmax/Vcmax increased with elevated CO2 at either reference temperature. We found no significant interaction between warming and elevated CO2 on all traits. If this lack of interaction between warming and elevated CO2 on the Vcmax, Jmax and Jmax/Vcmax ratio is a general trend, it would have significant implications for improving photosynthesis representation in vegetation models. However, future research is required to investigate the widespread nature of this response in a larger number of species and biomes.

Leaf thermal safety margins decline at hotter temperatures in a natural warming 'experiment' in the Amazon

The threat of rising global temperatures may be especially pronounced for low-latitude, lowland plant species that have evolved under stable climatic conditions. However, little is known about how these species may acclimate to elevated temperatures. Here, we leveraged a strong, steep thermal gradient along a natural geothermal river to assess the ability of woody plants in the Amazon to acclimate to elevated air temperatures. We measured leaf traits in six common tropical woody species along the thermal gradient to investigate whether individuals of these species: acclimate their thermoregulatory traits to maintain stable leaf temperatures despite higher ambient temperatures; acclimate their photosynthetic thermal tolerances to withstand hotter leaf temperatures; and whether acclimation is sufficient to maintain stable leaf thermal safety margins (TSMs) across different growth temperatures. Individuals of three species acclimated their thermoregulatory traits, and three species increased their thermal tolerances with growth temperature. However, acclimation was generally insufficient to maintain constant TSMs. Notwithstanding, leaf health was generally consistent across growth temperatures. Acclimation in woody Amazonian plants is generally too weak to maintain TSMs at high growth temperatures, supporting previous findings that Amazonian plants will be increasingly vulnerable to thermal stress as temperatures rise.

Wood-density has no effect on stomatal control of leaf-level water use efficiency in an Amazonian forest

Forest disturbances increase the proportion of fast-growing tree species compared to slow-growing ones. To understand their relative capacity for carbon uptake and their vulnerability to climate change, and to represent those differences in Earth system models, it is necessary to characterise the physiological differences in their leaf-level control of water use efficiency and carbon assimilation. We used wood density as a proxy for the fast-slow growth spectrum and tested the assumption that trees with a low wood density (LWD) have a lower water-use efficiency than trees with a high wood density (HWD). We selected 5 LWD tree species and 5 HWD tree species growing in the same location in an Amazonian tropical forest and measured in situ steady-state gas exchange on top-of-canopy leaves with parallel sampling and measurement of leaf mass area and leaf nitrogen content. We found that LWD species invested more nitrogen in photosynthetic capacity than HWD species, had higher photosynthetic rates and higher stomatal conductance. However, contrary to expectations, we showed that the stomatal control of the balance between transpiration and carbon assimilation was similar in LWD and HWD species and that they had the same dark respiration rates.

Acclimation of photosynthetic capacity and foliar respiration in Andean tree species to temperature change

Climate warming is causing compositional changes in Andean tropical montane forests (TMFs). These shifts are hypothesised to result from differential responses to warming of cold- and warm-affiliated species, with the former experiencing mortality and the latter migrating upslope. The thermal acclimation potential of Andean TMFs remains unknown. Along a 2000 m Andean altitudinal gradient, we planted individuals of cold- and warm-affiliated species (under common soil and irrigation), exposing them to the hot and cold extremes of their thermal niches, respectively. We measured the response of net photosynthesis (A_net ), photosynthetic capacity and leaf dark respiration (R_dark ) to warming/cooling, 5 months after planting. In all species, A_net and photosynthetic capacity at 25°C were highest when growing at growth temperatures (T_g ) closest to their thermal means, declining with warming and cooling in cold-affiliated and warm-affiliated species, respectively. When expressed at T_g , photosynthetic capacity and R_dark remained unchanged in cold-affiliated species, but the latter decreased in warm-affiliated counterparts. R_dark at 25°C increased with temperature in all species, but remained unchanged when expressed at T_g . Both species groups acclimated to temperature, but only warm-affiliated species decreased R_dark to photosynthetic capacity ratio at T_g as temperature increased. This could confer them a competitive advantage under future warming.

Contrasting warming responses of photosynthesis in early- and late-successional tropical trees

The productivity and climate feedbacks of tropical forests depend on tree physiological responses to warmer and, over large areas, seasonally drier conditions. However, knowledge regarding such responses is limited due to data scarcity. We studied the impact of growth temperature on net photosynthesis (An), maximum rates of Rubisco carboxylation at 25°C (Vcmax25), stomatal conductance (gs) and the slope parameter of the stomatal conductance-photosynthesis model (g1), in ten early- (ES) and eight late-successional (LS) tropical tree species grown at three sites along an elevation gradient in Rwanda, differing by 6.8°C in daytime ambient air temperature. The effect of seasonal drought on An was also investigated. We found that warm climate decreased wet-season An in LS species, but not in ES species. Values of Vcmax25 were lower at the warmest site across both successional groups, and An and Vcmax25 were higher in ES compared to LS species. Stomatal conductance exhibited no significant site differences and g1 was similar across both sites and successional groups. Drought strongly reduced An at warmer sites but not at the coolest montane site and this response was similar in both ES and LS species. Our results suggest that warming has negative effects on leaf-level photosynthesis in LS species, while both LS and ES species suffer photosynthesis declines in a warmer climate with more pronounced droughts. The contrasting responses of An between successional groups may lead to shifts in species' competitive balance in a warmer world, to the disadvantage of LS trees.

Intra-canopy leaf trait variation facilitates high leaf area index and compensatory growth in a clonal woody encroaching shrub

Leaf trait variation enables plants to utilize large gradients of light availability that exist across canopies of high leaf area index (LAI), allowing for greater net carbon gain while reducing light availability for understory competitors. While these canopy dynamics are well understood in forest ecosystems, studies of canopy structure of woody shrubs in grasslands are lacking. To evaluate the investment strategy used by these shrubs, we investigated the vertical distribution of leaf traits and physiology across canopies of Cornus drummondii, the predominant woody encroaching shrub in the Kansas tallgrass prairie. We also examined the impact of disturbance by browsing and grazing on these factors. Our results reveal that leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf nitrogen per area (Na) varied approximately threefold across canopies of C. drummondii, resulting in major differences in the physiological functioning of leaves. High LMA leaves had high photosynthetic capacity, while low LMA leaves had a novel strategy for maintaining light compensation points below ambient light levels. The vertical allocation of leaf traits in C. drummondii canopies was also modified in response to browsing, which increased light availability at deeper canopy depths. As a result, LMA and Na increased at lower canopy depths, leading to a greater photosynthetic capacity deeper in browsed canopies compared to control canopies. This response, along with increased light availability, facilitated greater photosynthesis and resource-use efficiency deeper in browsed canopies compared to control canopies. Our results illustrate how C. drummondii facilitates high LAI canopies and a compensatory growth response to browsing-both of which are key factors contributing to the success of C. drummondii and other species responsible for grassland woody encroachment.

Rapid estimation of photosynthetic leaf traits of tropical plants in diverse environmental conditions using reflectance spectroscopy

Tropical forests are one of the main carbon sinks on Earth, but the magnitude of CO₂ absorbed by tropical vegetation remains uncertain. Terrestrial biosphere models (TBMs) are commonly used to estimate the CO₂ absorbed by forests, but their performance is highly sensitive to the parameterization of processes that control leaf-level CO₂ exchange. Direct measurements of leaf respiratory and photosynthetic traits that determine vegetation CO₂ fluxes are critical, but traditional approaches are time-consuming. Reflectance spectroscopy can be a viable alternative for the estimation of these traits and, because data collection is markedly quicker than traditional gas exchange, the approach can enable the rapid assembly of large datasets. However, the application of spectroscopy to estimate photosynthetic traits across a wide range of tropical species, leaf ages and light environments has not been extensively studied. Here, we used leaf reflectance spectroscopy together with partial least-squares regression (PLSR) modeling to estimate leaf respiration (R_dark25), the maximum rate of carboxylation by the enzyme Rubisco (V_cmax25), the maximum rate of electron transport (J_max25), and the triose phosphate utilization rate (T_p25), all normalized to 25°C. We collected data from three tropical forest sites and included leaves from fifty-three species sampled at different leaf phenological stages and different leaf light environments. Our resulting spectra-trait models validated on randomly sampled data showed good predictive performance for V_cmax25, J_max25, T_p25 and R_dark25 (RMSE of 13, 20, 1.5 and 0.3 μmol m^-2 s^-1, and R² of 0.74, 0.73, 0.64 and 0.58, respectively). The models showed similar performance when applied to leaves of species not included in the training dataset, illustrating that the approach is robust for capturing the main axes of trait variation in tropical species. We discuss the utility of the spectra-trait and traditional gas exchange approaches for enhancing tropical plant trait studies and improving the parameterization of TBMs.

Limited thermal acclimation of photosynthesis in tropical montane tree species

The temperature sensitivity of physiological processes and growth of tropical trees remains a key uncertainty in predicting how tropical forests will adjust to future climates. In particular, our knowledge regarding warming responses of photosynthesis, and its underlying biochemical mechanisms, is very limited. We grew seedlings of two tropical montane rainforest tree species, the early-successional species Harungana montana and the late-successional species Syzygium guineense, at three different sites along an elevation gradient, differing by 6.8℃ in daytime ambient air temperature. Their physiological and growth performance was investigated at each site. The optimum temperature of net photosynthesis (T_optA ) did not significantly increase in warm-grown trees in either species. Similarly, the thermal optima (T_optV and T_optJ ) and activation energies (E_aV and E_aJ ) of maximum Rubisco carboxylation capacity (V_cmax ) and maximum electron transport rate (J_max ) were largely unaffected by warming. However, V_cmax , J_max and foliar dark respiration (R_d ) at 25℃ were significantly reduced by warming in both species, and this decline was partly associated with concomitant reduction in total leaf nitrogen content. The ratio of J_max /V_cmax decreased with increasing leaf temperature for both species, but the ratio at 25℃ was constant across sites. Furthermore, in H. montana, stomatal conductance at 25℃ remained constant across the different temperature treatments, while in S. guineense it increased with warming. Total dry biomass increased with warming in H. montana but remained constant in S. guineense. The biomass allocated to roots, stem and leaves was not affected by warming in H. montana, whereas the biomass allocated to roots significantly increased in S. guineense. Overall, our findings show that in these two tropical montane rainforest tree species, the capacity to acclimate the thermal optimum of photosynthesis is limited while warming-induced reductions in respiration and photosynthetic capacity rates are tightly coupled and linked to responses of leaf nitrogen.

Overlapping Water and Nutrient Use Efficiencies and Carbon Assimilation between Coexisting Simple- and Compound-Leaved Trees from a Valley Savanna

Identifying differences in ecophysiology between simple and compound leaves can help understand the adaptive significance of the compound leaf form and its response to climate change. However, we still know surprisingly little about differences in water and nutrient use, and photosynthetic capacity between co-occurring compound-leaved and simple-leaved tree species, especially in savanna ecosystems with dry-hot climate conditions. From July to September in 2015, we investigated 16 functional traits associated with water use, nutrients, and photosynthesis of six deciduous tree species (three simple-leaved and three compound-leaved species) coexisting in a valley-savanna in Southwest China. Our major objective was to test the variation in these functional traits between these two leaf forms. Overall, overlapping leaf mass per area (LMA), photosynthesis, as well as leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were found between these coexisting valley-savanna simple- and compound-leaved tree species. We didn’t find significant differences in water and photosynthetic nitrogen or phosphorus use efficiency between simple and compound leaves. Across these simple- and compound-leaved tree species, photosynthetic phosphorus use efficiencies were positively related to LMA and negatively correlated with phosphorus concentration per mass or area. Water use efficiency (intrinsic water use efficiency or stable carbon isotopic composition) was independent of all leaf traits. Similar ecophysiology strategies among these coexisting valley-savanna simple- and compound-leaved species suggested a convergence in ecological adaptation to the hot and dry environment. The overlap in traits related to water use, carbon assimilation, and stress tolerance (e.g., LMA) also suggests a similar response of these two leaf forms to a hotter and drier future due to the climate change.

Contrasting Dependencies of Photosynthetic Capacity on Leaf Nitrogen in Early- and Late-Successional Tropical Montane Tree Species

Differences in photosynthetic capacity among tree species and tree functional types are currently assumed to be largely driven by variation in leaf nutrient content, particularly nitrogen (N). However, recent studies indicate that leaf N content is often a poor predictor of variation in photosynthetic capacity in tropical trees. In this study, we explored the relative importance of area-based total leaf N content (N_tot) and within-leaf N allocation to photosynthetic capacity versus light-harvesting in controlling the variation in photosynthetic capacity (i.e. V _cmax, J _max) among mature trees of 12 species belonging to either early (ES) or late successional (LS) groups growing in a tropical montane rainforest in Rwanda, Central Africa. Photosynthetic capacity at a common leaf temperature of 25˚C (i.e. maximum rates of Rubisco carboxylation, V _cmax25 and of electron transport, J _max25) was higher in ES than in LS species (+ 58% and 68% for V _cmax25 and J _max25, respectively). While N_tot did not significantly differ between successional groups, the photosynthetic dependency on N_tot was markedly different. In ES species, V _cmax25 was strongly and positively related to N_tot but this was not the case in LS species. However, there was no significant trade-off between relative leaf N investments in compounds maximizing photosynthetic capacity versus compounds maximizing light harvesting. Both leaf dark respiration at 25˚C (+ 33%) and, more surprisingly, apparent photosynthetic quantum yield (+ 35%) was higher in ES than in LS species. Moreover, R_d25 was positively related to N_tot for both ES and LS species. Our results imply that efforts to quantify carbon fluxes of tropical montane rainforests would be improved if they considered contrasting within-leaf N allocation and photosynthetic N_tot dependencies between species with different successional strategies.

Contrasting acclimation responses to elevated CO2 and warming between an evergreen and a deciduous boreal conifer

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) concentrations may warm northern latitudes up to 8°C by the end of the century. Boreal forests play a large role in the global carbon cycle, and the responses of northern trees to climate change will thus impact the trajectory of future CO₂ increases. We grew two North American boreal tree species at a range of future climate conditions to assess how growth and carbon fluxes were altered by high CO₂ and warming. Black spruce (Picea mariana, an evergreen conifer) and tamarack (Larix laricina, a deciduous conifer) were grown under ambient (407 ppm) or elevated CO₂ (750 ppm) and either ambient temperatures, a 4°C warming, or an 8°C warming. In both species, the thermal optimum of net photosynthesis (T_optA ) increased and maximum photosynthetic rates declined in warm-grown seedlings, but the strength of these changes varied between species. Photosynthetic capacity (maximum rates of Rubisco carboxylation, V_cmax , and of electron transport, J_max ) was reduced in warm-grown seedlings, correlating with reductions in leaf N and chlorophyll concentrations. Warming increased the activation energy for V_cmax and J_max (E_aV and E_aJ , respectively) and the thermal optimum for J_max . In both species, the T_optA was positively correlated with both E_aV and E_aJ , but negatively correlated with the ratio of J_max /V_cmax . Respiration acclimated to elevated temperatures, but there were no treatment effects on the Q₁₀ of respiration (the increase in respiration for a 10°C increase in leaf temperature). A warming of 4°C increased biomass in tamarack, while warming reduced biomass in spruce. We show that climate change is likely to negatively affect photosynthesis and growth in black spruce more than in tamarack, and that parameters used to model photosynthesis in dynamic global vegetation models (E_aV and E_aJ ) show no response to elevated CO₂ .

Leaf Photosynthetic Capacity of Sunlit and Shaded Mature Leaves in a Deciduous Forest

A clear understanding of the dynamics of photosynthetic capacity is crucial for accurate modeling of ecosystem carbon uptake. However, such dynamical information is hardly available and has dramatically impeded our understanding of carbon cycles. Although tremendous efforts have been made in coupling the dynamic information of photosynthetic capacity into models, using “proxies” rooted from the close relationships between photosynthetic capacity and other available leaf parameters remains the popular selection. Unfortunately, no consensus has yet been reached on such “proxies”, leading them only applicable to limited cases. In this study, we aim to identify if there are close relationships between the photosynthetic capacity (represented by the maximum carboxylation rate, Vcmax) and leaf traits for mature broadleaves within a cold temperature deciduous forest. This is based on a long-term in situ dataset including leaf chlorophyll content (Chl), leaf nitrogen concentration (Narea, Nmass), leaf carbon concentration (Carea, Cmass), equivalent water thickness (EWT), leaf mass per area (LMA), and leaf gas exchange measurements from which Vcmax was derived, for both sunlit and shaded leaves during leaf mature periods from 2014 to 2019. The results show that the Vcmax values of sunlit and shaded leaves were relatively stable during these periods, and no statistically significant interannual variations occurred (p > 0.05). However, this is not applicable to specific species. Path analysis revealed that Narea was the major contributor to Vcmax for sunlit leaves (0.502), while LMA had the greatest direct relationship with Vcmax for shaded leaves (0.625). The LMA has further been confirmed as a primary proxy if no leaf type information is available. These findings provide a promising way to better understand photosynthesis and to predict carbon and water cycles in temperate deciduous forests.

Traits controlling shade tolerance in tropical montane trees

Tropical canopies are complex, with multiple canopy layers and pronounced gap dynamics contributing to their high species diversity and productivity. An important reason for this complexity is the large variation in shade tolerance among different tree species. At present, we lack a clear understanding of which plant traits control this variation, e.g., regarding the relative contributions of whole-plant versus leaf traits or structural versus physiological traits. We investigated a broad range of traits in six tropical montane rainforest tree species with different degrees of shade tolerance, grown under three different radiation regimes (under the open sky or beneath sparse or dense canopies). The two distinct shade-tolerant species had higher fractional biomass in leaves and branches while shade-intolerant species invested more into stems, and these differences were greater under low radiation. Leaf respiration and photosynthetic light compensation point did not vary with species shade tolerance, regardless of radiation regime. Leaf temperatures in open plots were markedly higher in shade-tolerant species due to their low transpiration rates and large leaf sizes. Our results suggest that interspecific variation in shade tolerance of tropical montane trees is controlled by species differences in whole-plant biomass allocation strategy rather than by difference in physiological leaf traits determining leaf carbon balance at low radiation.

Ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, biological activities, and therapeutic applications of Cedrela serrata Royle: A mini review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cedrela serrata Royle (C. serrata) is a medicinal plant not only used for constructions but also an important conventional medicine for the treatment of various diseases such as; diabetes, jaundice, liver diseases, diarrhea, fever, chronic infantile dysentery, intestinal worms, hypertension, skin and blood diseases.

AIMS

This review article documents and critically assesses, for the first time; up to date categorized information about C. serrata including its reported pharmacological activities, cultural uses, active compounds, and botanical description.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

s: All provided information about C. serrata was collected using the electronic databases (e.g. Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct and Springer Link), books (e.g. Trees of Pakistan and Herbalism, Phytochemistry, and Ethnopharmacology) and thesis.

RESULTS

Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical studies on C. serrata revealed the presence of important chemical constituents such as; flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, and cardiac glycosides. The phytochemicals showed various in vitro activities like antioxidant, anti-infective, antiglycation, cytotoxic activities. Major areas of research conducted on C. serrata are its antioxidant and anti-infective activities. Few historical uses of C. serrata are supported by modern in vitro pharmacological studies such as; antidiarrheal, antidiabetic, and leishmanicidal activity.

CONCLUSION

There were convincing evidence in in vitro studies supporting C. serrata antioxidant, anti-infective, anti-diabetic, anti-glycating, and cytotoxic activities. Nevertheless, all reported pharmacological activities were carried out in vitro and a gap in research i.e. preclinical and clinical investigation still exists. The authors emphasize the need for future in-depth research and clinical trials to investigate C. serrata pharmacological activity, clinical efficacy and safety. The potential chemical compounds with suggestive classes may need to be isolated and pharmacological activities must be established for these compounds. The plant has very limited information about pharmacological activities and the data available for supportive cultural uses needs proper validation.

Responses of photosynthesis and component processes to drought and temperature stress: are Mediterranean trees fit for climate change?

Global warming is raising concerns about the acclimatory capacity of trees and forests, especially in Mediterranean-type ecosystems. The sensitivity of photosynthesis to temperature is a key uncertainty for projecting the magnitude of terrestrial feedbacks on future climate change. While boreal, temperate and tropical species have been comparatively well investigated, our study provides the first comprehensive overview of the seasonal acclimatory responses of photosynthesis and its component processes to temperature in four Mediterranean climax species under natural conditions. We quantified seasonal changes in the responses of net photosynthesis (Anet), stomatal conductance (gs), mesophyllic conductance (gm) and electron-transport rate (Jcf), and investigated their sensitivity to drought and temperature stress in sunlit and shaded leaves of four Mediterranean tree species (Quercus ilex L., Pinus halepensis Mill., Arbutus unedo L. and Quercus pubescens Willd.). Sunlit leaves, but not shaded leaves, showed a pronounced seasonality in the temperature responses of Anet, gs, gm and Jcf. All four species and variables showed a remarkably dynamic and consistent acclimation of the thermal optimum (Topt), reaching peaks in summer ~29-32 °C. Changes in the shape of the response curves were, however, highly species-specific. Under severe drought, Topt of all variables were on average 22-29% lower. This was accompanied by narrower response curves above all in P. halepensis, reducing the optimal range for photosynthesis to the cooler morning or evening periods. Wider temperature-response curves and less strict stomatal control under severe drought were accompanied by wilting and drought-induced leaf shedding in Q. ilex and Q. pubescens and by additional branch dieback in A. unedo. Mild winter conditions led to a high Topt (~19.1-22.2 °C), benefitting the evergreen species, especially P. halepensis. Seasonal acclimation of Anet was explained better by gs and gm being less pronounced in Jcf. Drought was thus a key factor, in addition to growth temperature, to explain seasonal acclimation of photosynthesis. Severe drought periods may exceed more frequently the high acclimatory capacity of Mediterranean trees to high ambient temperatures, which could lead to reduced growth, increased leaf shedding and, for some species such as A. unedo, increased mortality risk.

Leaf-level photosynthetic capacity dynamics in relation to soil and foliar nutrients along forest-savanna boundaries in Ghana and Brazil

Forest-savanna boundaries extend across large parts of the tropics but the variability of photosynthetic capacity in relation to soil and foliar nutrients across these transition zones is poorly understood. For this reason, we compared photosynthetic capacity (maximum rate of carboxylation of Rubisco at 25 C° (Vcmax25), leaf mass, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) per unit leaf area (LMA, Narea, Parea and Karea, respectively), in relation to respective soil nutrients from 89 species at seven sites along forest-savanna ecotones in Ghana and Brazil. Contrary to our expectations, edaphic conditions were not reflected in foliar nutrient concentrations but LMA was slightly higher in lower fertility soils. Overall, each vegetation type within the ecotones demonstrated idiosyncratic and generally weak relationships between Vcmax25 and Narea, Parea and Karea. Species varied significantly in their Vcmax25 ↔ Narea relationship due to reduced investment of total Narea in photosynthetic machinery with increasing LMA. We suggest that studied species in the forest-savanna ecotones do not maximize Vcmax25 per given total Narea due to adaptation to intermittent water availability. Our findings have implications for global modeling of Vcmax25 and forest-savanna ecotone productivity.

Climate Sensitivity of Tropical Trees Along an Elevation Gradient in Rwanda

Elevation gradients offer excellent opportunities to explore the climate sensitivity of vegetation. Here, we investigated elevation patterns of structural, chemical, and physiological traits in tropical tree species along a 1700–2700 m elevation gradient in Rwanda, central Africa. Two early-successional (Polyscias fulva, Macaranga kilimandscharica) and two late-successional (Syzygium guineense, Carapa grandiflora) species that are abundant in the area and present along the entire gradient were investigated. We found that elevation patterns in leaf stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration (E), net photosynthesis (An), and water-use efficiency were highly season-dependent. In the wet season, there was no clear variation in gs or An with elevation, while E was lower at cooler high-elevation sites. In the dry season, gs, An, and E were all lower at drier low elevation sites. The leaf-to-air temperature difference was smallest in P. fulva, which also had the highest gs and E. Water-use efficiency (An/E) increased with elevation in the wet season, but not in the dry season. Leaf nutrient ratios indicated that trees at all sites are mostly P limited and the N:P ratio did not decrease with increasing elevation. Our finding of strongly decreased gas exchange at lower sites in the dry season suggests that both transpiration and primary production would decline in a climate with more pronounced dry periods. Furthermore, we showed that N limitation does not increase with elevation in the forests studied, as otherwise most commonly reported for tropical montane forests.

Photosynthesis of subtropical forest species from different successional status in relation to foliar nutrients and phosphorus fractions

The ecophysiological linkages of leaf nutrients to photosynthesis in subtropical forests along succession remain elusive. We measured photosynthetic parameters (Amax, Vcmax, Jmax, PPUE), leaf phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N), foliar P fractions and LMA from 24 species (pioneer, generalist, and climax). Amax was significantly related to N and P for the pooled data, while significant relationship between Amax and P was only found in climax species. The mixed-effect model including variables (N, P, and SLA or LMA) for predicting Vcmax and Jmax best fitted but varied remarkably across succession. Climax species had higher N: P ratios, indicating an increasing P limitation at later succession stage; photosynthesis, however, did not show stronger P than N limitations across all species. Nevertheless, climax species appeared to increase nucleic acid P allocation and residual P utilization for growth, thereby reducing the overall demand for P. Our results indicate that the scaling of photosynthesis with other functional traits could not be uniform across succession, growth variables (e.g. photosynthesis) and species trait identity (e.g. successional strategy) should be considered in combination with N: P ratio when we investigate P limitation in subtropical forests, and variations in P allocation state further influencing photosynthetic rates and P-use efficiency.

Mesophyll conductance does not contribute to greater photosynthetic rate per unit nitrogen in temperate compared with tropical evergreen wet-forest tree leaves

Globally, trees originating from high-rainfall tropical regions typically exhibit lower rates of light-saturated net CO₂ assimilation (A) compared with those from high-rainfall temperate environments, when measured at a common temperature. One factor that has been suggested to contribute towards lower rates of A is lower mesophyll conductance. Using a combination of leaf gas exchange and carbon isotope discrimination measurements, we estimated mesophyll conductance (g_m ) of several Australian tropical and temperate wet-forest trees, grown in a common environment. Maximum Rubisco carboxylation capacity, V_cmax , was obtained from CO₂ response curves. g_m and the drawdown of CO₂ across the mesophyll were both relatively constant. V_cmax estimated on the basis of intercellular CO₂ partial pressure, C_i , was equivalent to that estimated using chloroplastic CO₂ partial pressure, C_c , using 'apparent' and 'true' Rubisco Michaelis-Menten constants, respectively Having ruled out g_m as a possible factor in distorting variations in A between these tropical and temperate trees, attention now needs to be focused on obtaining more detailed information about Rubisco in these species.

Fagaceae tree species allocate higher fraction of nitrogen to photosynthetic apparatus than Leguminosae in Jianfengling tropical montane rain forest, China

Variation in photosynthetic-nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE) is generally affected by several factors such as leaf nitrogen allocation and leaf diffusional conductances to CO2, although it is still unclear which factors significantly affect PNUE in tropical montane rain forest trees. In this study, comparison of PNUE, photosynthetic capacity, leaf nitrogen allocation, and diffusional conductances to CO2 between five Fagaceae tree species and five Leguminosae tree species were analyzed in Jianfengling tropical montane rain forest, Hainan Island, China. The result showed that PNUE of Fagaceae was significantly higher than that of Leguminosae (+35.5%), attributed to lower leaf nitrogen content per area (Narea, -29.4%). The difference in nitrogen allocation was the main biochemical factor that influenced interspecific variation in PNUE of these tree species. Fagaceae species allocated a higher fraction of leaf nitrogen to the photosynthetic apparatus (PP, +43.8%), especially to Rubisco (PR, +50.0%) and bioenergetics (PB +33.3%) in comparison with Leguminosae species. Leaf mass per area (LMA) of Leguminosae species was lower than that of Fagaceae species (-15.4%). While there was no significant difference shown for mesophyll conductance (gm), Fagaceae tree species may have greater chloroplast to total leaf surface area ratios and that offset the action of thicker cell walls on gm. Furthermore, weak negative relationship between nitrogen allocation in cell walls and in Rubisco was found for Castanopsis hystrix, Cyclobalanopsis phanera and Cy. patelliformis, which might imply that nitrogen in the leaves was insufficient for both Rubisco and cell walls. In summary, our study concluded that higher PNUE might contribute to the dominance of most Fagaceae tree species in Jianfengling tropical montane rain forest.

Stomatal CO2 responsiveness and photosynthetic capacity of tropical woody species in relation to taxonomy and functional traits

Stomatal CO2 responsiveness and photosynthetic capacity vary greatly among plant species, but the factors controlling these physiological leaf traits are often poorly understood. To explore if these traits are linked to taxonomic group identity and/or to other plant functional traits, we investigated the short-term stomatal CO2 responses and the maximum rates of photosynthetic carboxylation (V cmax) and electron transport (J max) in an evolutionary broad range of tropical woody plant species. The study included 21 species representing four major seed plant taxa: gymnosperms, monocots, rosids and asterids. We found that stomatal closure responses to increased CO2 were stronger in angiosperms than in gymnosperms, and in monocots compared to dicots. Stomatal CO2 responsiveness was not significantly related to any of the other functional traits investigated, while a parameter describing the relationship between photosynthesis and stomatal conductance in combined leaf gas exchange models (g 1) was related to leaf area-specific plant hydraulic conductance. For photosynthesis, we found that the interspecific variation in V cmax and J max was related to within leaf nitrogen (N) allocation rather than to area-based total leaf N content. Within-leaf N allocation and water use were strongly co-ordinated (r 2 = 0.67), such that species with high fractional N investments into compounds maximizing photosynthetic capacity also had high stomatal conductance. We conclude that while stomatal CO2 responsiveness of tropical woody species seems poorly related to other plant functional traits, photosynthetic capacity is linked to fractional within-leaf N allocation rather than total leaf N content and is closely co-ordinated with leaf water use.

Leaf-level photosynthetic capacity in lowland Amazonian and high-elevation Andean tropical moist forests of Peru

We examined whether variations in photosynthetic capacity are linked to variations in the environment and/or associated leaf traits for tropical moist forests (TMFs) in the Andes/western Amazon regions of Peru. We compared photosynthetic capacity (maximal rate of carboxylation of Rubisco (V_cmax ), and the maximum rate of electron transport (J_max )), leaf mass, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) per unit leaf area (M_a , N_a and P_a , respectively), and chlorophyll from 210 species at 18 field sites along a 3300-m elevation gradient. Western blots were used to quantify the abundance of the CO₂ -fixing enzyme Rubisco. Area- and N-based rates of photosynthetic capacity at 25°C were higher in upland than lowland TMFs, underpinned by greater investment of N in photosynthesis in high-elevation trees. Soil [P] and leaf P_a were key explanatory factors for models of area-based V_cmax and J_max but did not account for variations in photosynthetic N-use efficiency. At any given N_a and P_a , the fraction of N allocated to photosynthesis was higher in upland than lowland species. For a small subset of lowland TMF trees examined, a substantial fraction of Rubisco was inactive. These results highlight the importance of soil- and leaf-P in defining the photosynthetic capacity of TMFs, with variations in N allocation and Rubisco activation state further influencing photosynthetic rates and N-use efficiency of these critically important forests.

Photosynthetic acclimation to warming in tropical forest tree seedlings

Tropical forests have a mitigating effect on man-made climate change by acting as a carbon sink. For that effect to continue, tropical trees will have to acclimate to rising temperatures, but it is currently unknown whether they have this capacity. We grew seedlings of three tropical tree species over a range of temperature regimes (TGrowth = 25, 30, 35 °C) and measured the temperature response of photosynthetic CO2 uptake. All species showed signs of acclimation: the temperature-response curves shifted, such that the temperature at which photosynthesis peaked (TOpt) increased with increasing TGrowth. However, although TOpt shifted, it did not reach TGrowth at high temperature, and this difference between TOpt and TGrowth increased with increasing TGrowth, indicating that plants were operating at supra-optimal temperatures for photosynthesis when grown at high temperatures. The high-temperature CO2 compensation point did not increase with TGrowth. Hence, temperature-response curves narrowed with increasing TGrowth. TOpt correlated with the ratio of the RuBP regeneration capacity over the RuBP carboxylation capacity, suggesting that at high TGrowth photosynthetic electron transport rate associated with RuBP regeneration had greater control over net photosynthesis. The results show that although photosynthesis of tropical trees can acclimate to moderate warming, carbon gain decreases with more severe warming.

Seedlings of subtropical rainforest species from similar successional guild show different photosynthetic and morphological responses to varying light levels

Restoration using rainforest species in Australia and elsewhere has been limited to a small number of widely known species, mainly pioneer or early successional species, Using the presumed successional status as a guideline for species selection in reforestation should be taken with a caveat since a species' capacity to adjust to light gradients is not easily predicted. This study examined the photosynthetic and growth responses of four Australian subtropical rainforest species in the context of using late successional species in restoration programs. Since the selected species [Sloanea australis ((Benth.) F. Muell.), Cinnamomum oliveri (F. M. Bailey),Caldcluvia paniculosa ((F. Muell.) Hoogland) and Geissois benthamiana (F. Muell.)] are considered late-successional species, this study also discussed the possibility of separating these species according to their acclimation level towards light gradients. Seedlings of four species were grown under four light treatments using neutral density shade cloth (5, 33, 64 and 80% irradiance) during summer November 2014 to February 2015. All species demonstrated a narrow range of photosynthetic acclimation to different light levels, experienced photoinhibition and photodamage in 80% irradiance and allocated more biomass to leaves in 5% irradiance, supporting their classification as late successional species. Cinnamomum oliveri was the only species able to utilize higher irradiance, with a higher light saturated rate of photosynthesis than the other species. Canonical analysis of principal coordinates revealed that the degree of plasticity of each species in response to contrasting irradiance levels varied. This analysis separated the species into three light tolerance classes: obligate shade-adapted species (S. australis and G. benthamiana), high light-adapted species (C. paniculosa) and the generalist (C. oliveri). Overall, this study suggests that the four species can be planted and will grow well under 33-64% irradiance since either lower or higher irradiance inhibits growth, and additionally that C. paniculosa and C. oliveri can be possibly planted in early phase of restoration planting with other early-successional species.

Warming effects on photosynthesis of subtropical tree species: a translocation experiment along an altitudinal gradient

Ongoing climate warming induced by human activities may have great impacts on trees, yet it remains unresolved how subtropical tree species respond to rising temperature in the field. Here, we used downward translocation to investigate the effects of climate warming on leaf photosynthesis of six common tree species in subtropical China. During the experimental period between 2012 and 2014, the mean average photosynthetic rates (Asat) under saturating light for Schima superba, Machilus breviflora, Pinus massoniana and Ardisia lindleyana in the warm site were7%, 19%, 20% and 29% higher than those in the control site. In contrast, seasonal Asat for Castanopsis hystrix in the warm site were lower compared to the control site. Changes in Asat in response to translocation were mainly associated with those in leaf stomatal conductance (gs) and photosynthetic capacity (RuBP carboxylation, RuBP regeneration capacity). Our results imply that climate warming could have potential impacts on species composition and community structure in subtropical forests.

Balance between carbon gain and loss under long-term drought: impacts on foliar respiration and photosynthesis in Quercus ilex L

Terrestrial carbon exchange is a key process of the global carbon cycle consisting of a delicate balance between photosynthetic carbon uptake and respiratory release. We have, however, a limited understanding how long-term decreases in precipitation induced by climate change affect the boundaries and mechanisms of photosynthesis and respiration. We examined the seasonality of photosynthetic and respiratory traits and evaluated the adaptive mechanism of the foliar carbon balance of Quercus ilex L. experiencing a long-term rainfall-exclusion experiment. Day respiration (Rd) but not night respiration (Rn) was generally higher in the drought treatment leading to an increased Rd/Rn ratio. The limitation of mesophyll conductance (gm) on photosynthesis was generally stronger than stomatal limitation (gs) in the drought treatment, reflected in a lower gm/gs ratio. The peak photosynthetic activity in the drought treatment occurred in an atypical favourable summer in parallel with lower Rd/Rn and higher gm/gs ratios. The plant carbon balance was thus strongly improved through: (i) higher photosynthetic rates induced by gm; and (ii) decreased carbon losses mediated by Rd. Interestingly, photosynthetic potentials (Vc,max, Jmax, and TPU) were not affected by the drought treatment, suggesting a dampening effect on the biochemical level in the long term. In summary, the trees experiencing a 14-year-long drought treatment adapted through higher plasticity in photosynthetic and respiratory traits, so that eventually the atypical favourable growth period was exploited more efficiently.