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Sopp SBD, Valbuena R. Vascular optimality dictates plant morphology away from Leonardo's rule. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2215047120. [PMID: 37722036 PMCID: PMC10523467 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2215047120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic scaling theory (MST) provides an understanding of scaling in organismal morphology. Empirical data on the apparently universal pattern of tip-to-base conduit widening across vascular plants motivate a set of generalized MST (gMST) relationships allowing for variable rates of conduit coalescence and taper and a transition between transport and diffusive domains. Our model, with coalescence limited to the distalmost part of the conductive system, reconciles previous MST-based models and extends their applicability to the entire plant. We derive an inverse relationship between stem volume taper and conduit widening, which implies that plant morphology is dictated by vascular optimality and not the assumption of constant sapwood area across all branching levels, contradicting Leonardo's rule. Thus, energy efficiency controls conduit coalescence rate, lowering the carbon cost needed to sustain the vascular network. Our model shows that as a plant grows taller, it must increase conduit widening and coalescence, which may make it more vulnerable to drought. We calculated how our gMST model implies a lower carbon cost to sustain a similar network compared to previous MST-based models. We also show that gMST predicts the cross-sectional area of vessels and their frequency along the relative length better than previous MST models for a range of plant types. We encourage further research obtaining data that would allow testing other gMST predictions that remain unconfirmed empirically, such as conduit coalescence rate in stems. The premise of energy efficiency can potentially become instrumental to our understanding of plant carbon allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. B. D. Sopp
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, BangorLL57 2UW, United Kingdom
| | - R. Valbuena
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, BangorLL57 2UW, United Kingdom
- Division of Remote Sensing of Forests, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, UmeåSE-901 83, Sweden
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Valbuena R, O'Connor B, Zellweger F, Simonson W, Vihervaara P, Maltamo M, Silva CA, Almeida DRA, Danks F, Morsdorf F, Chirici G, Lucas R, Coomes DA, Coops NC. Standardizing Ecosystem Morphological Traits from 3D Information Sources. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:656-667. [PMID: 32423635 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
3D-imaging technologies provide measurements of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems' structure, key for biodiversity studies. However, the practical use of these observations globally faces practical challenges. First, available 3D data are geographically biased, with significant gaps in the tropics. Second, no data source provides, by itself, global coverage at a suitable temporal recurrence. Thus, global monitoring initiatives, such as assessment of essential biodiversity variables (EBVs), will necessarily have to involve the combination of disparate data sets. We propose a standardized framework of ecosystem morphological traits - height, cover, and structural complexity - that could enable monitoring of globally consistent EBVs at regional scales, by flexibly integrating different information sources - satellites, aircrafts, drones, or ground data - allowing global biodiversity targets relating to ecosystem structure to be monitored and regularly reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Valbuena
- United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), 219 Huntington Road, CB3 0DL Cambridge, UK; Department of Plant Sciences in the Conservation Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3EA Cambridge, UK; School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Thoday Building, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK.
| | - B O'Connor
- United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), 219 Huntington Road, CB3 0DL Cambridge, UK
| | - F Zellweger
- Department of Plant Sciences in the Conservation Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3EA Cambridge, UK; Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - W Simonson
- United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), 219 Huntington Road, CB3 0DL Cambridge, UK
| | - P Vihervaara
- Biodiversity Centre, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - M Maltamo
- Faculty of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 111, Joensuu, Finland
| | - C A Silva
- Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - D R A Almeida
- Department of Forest Sciences, 'Luiz de Queiroz' College of Agriculture (USP/ESALQ), University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - F Danks
- United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), 219 Huntington Road, CB3 0DL Cambridge, UK
| | - F Morsdorf
- Remote Sensing Laboratories, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - G Chirici
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agrarie, Alimentari, Ambientali e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Firenze, via San Bonaventura 13, 50145 Florence, Italy
| | - R Lucas
- Earth Observation and Ecosystem Dynamics Research Group, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3DB, UK
| | - D A Coomes
- Department of Plant Sciences in the Conservation Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3EA Cambridge, UK
| | - N C Coops
- Department of Forest Resource Management, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
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Valbuena R, Hernando A, Manzanera J, Görgens E, Almeida D, Mauro F, García-Abril A, Coomes D. Enhancing of accuracy assessment for forest above-ground biomass estimates obtained from remote sensing via hypothesis testing and overfitting evaluation. Ecol Modell 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2017.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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