Growth of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) saplings is limited by elevated atmospheric vapour pressure deficits

Lendzion, Jasmin; Leuschner, Christoph

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2008.05.008

Cited by 100 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…Our study further showed that the atmospheric saturation deficit acts as a soil water-independent growth-influencing factor, as the growth-reducing effect of high VPD levels was evident at both high and at low soil water availability. In support of this result, Lendzion and Leuschner (2008) obtained similar results in a climate chamber experiment where the beech sapling were grown in hydroponic culture with unlimited soil moisture supply and also in an air humidity manipulation experiment in the field using open-top chambers. In our experiment, the VPD regime was also found to alter the response of beech productivity to soil moisture, temperature and nitrogen, i.e.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

“…Most studies found significant growth responses to these factors. Lendzion and Leuschner (2008) further investigated the growth response of beech saplings to altered air humidity regimes. While these studies provided valuable insight into the physiological response of young beech plants to these environmental factors relevant in the context of global change, the bulk of investigations were singlefactor studies which ignored that various factors will change synchronously with possible positive and negative interactions between these elements of global change.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multiple environmental control of leaf area and its significance for productivity in beech saplings

Fender

Mantilla-Contreras

Leuschner

2011

Trees

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Climatic change exposes temperate trees to the simultaneous alteration of various growth-relevant factors, among them increased temperatures, extended growing season length and rising atmospheric [CO 2 ], often in combination with more severe droughts and reduced air humidities in summer, and elevated atmospheric N deposition. We conducted a multi-factorial climate chamber experiment to search for interactive effects of temperature (T), soil moisture (h), water vapour saturation deficit (VPD) and N availability (N) on the growth of Fagus sylvatica saplings and for identifying the most relevant factors that control leaf area development and productivity under a future warmer and drier climate with continuing high N deposition. For each of the four factors, two levels were simulated, reflecting current and expected future conditions in Central European beech forests. All four factors (including VPD) had a significant effect on productivity; several factors (e.g. T 9 VPD) interacted in a synergistic way. Productivity was most tightly correlated with the number of leaves while leaf area was less influential and photosynthetic activity was of only minor importance. The number of leaves produced was most tightly correlated with h, N and VPD, while leaf area (leaf expansion) showed closest relation to temperature. We conclude that predictions about the growth response of trees to climate change and altered atmospheric N deposition need to consider a multitude of environmental factors and must account for positive and negative factor interactions.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple environmental control of leaf area and its significance for productivity in beech saplings

Fender

Mantilla-Contreras

Leuschner

2011

Trees

Self Cite

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“…The balance of this feedback loop varies among species depending on their specific eco-physiological requirements and strategies. Yet, some studies also report closed stomata in herbaceous plants and tree seedlings even when there was ample soil moisture, if the air was considerably dry and VPD consequently elevated (Leuschner, 2002;Lendzion & Leuschner, 2008;Kupper et al, 2011). Stomatal control and therefore photosynthetic efficiency are also influenced by levels of CO 2 in the air (Kramer & Boyer 1995), which is additionally released from the forest floor by decomposition processes and root respiration (Neufeld & Young 2003), particularly when soils are moist and warm (Deng et al 2010;Lloyd & Taylor 1994;Raich & Tufekciogul 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microclimate in forests with varying leaf area index and soil moisture: potential implications for seedling establishment in a changing climate

et al. 2013

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Summary1. Forest microclimate is crucial for the growth and survival of tree seedlings and understorey vegetation. This high ecological relevance contrasts with the poor functional and quantitative understanding of how the properties of forest ecosystems influence forest microclimate. 2. In a long-term (1998-2011) trial, we investigated how temporal patterns of microclimate below sparse and dense forest canopy related to those of nearby open areas and how this relationship was influenced by soil moisture and seasonality. Air temperature (T), vapour pressure deficit (VPD), soil matrix potential and leaf area index (LAI) were measured in a unique set-up of below-canopy and open-area meteorological stations at eleven distinct forest ecosystems, characteristic of subalpine and temperate climate zones. Data from these plots were analysed for the moderating capacity of the canopy, that is, the differences between below-canopy and open-area microclimate, with respect to (i) long-term means, (ii) dynamics within homogeneous moist-vs. dry-soil periods and (iii) diurnal patterns. 3. The long-term mean moderating capacity of the canopy was up to 3.3°C for daily T max and 0.52 kPa for daily VPD max , of which soil moisture status alone accounted for up to 1.2°C (T max ) and 0.21 kPa (VPD max ). Below dense canopy (LAI > 4), the moderating capacity was generally higher when soils were dry and increased during dry-soil periods, particularly in spring and somewhat less in summer. The opposite pattern was found below sparse canopy (LAI < 4). At the diurnal level, moderating capacity below dense canopy was strongest in mid-afternoon and during dry-soil conditions, whereas peak moderation below sparse canopy occurred in mid-morning and during moist-soil conditions. 4. Synthesis. Our results suggest a threshold canopy density, which is probably linked to sitespecific water availability, below which the moderating capacity of forest ecosystems switches from supportive to unsupportive for seedling establishment. Under supportive moderating capacity, we understand a stronger mitigation during physiologically most demanding conditions for plant growth. Such a threshold canopy density sheds new light on forest resilience to climate change. Climate change may alter forest canopy density in a way that precludes successful establishment of tree species and ultimately changes forest ecosystem structure and functioning.

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“…However, atmospheric demand for water, which is directly related to the atmospheric vapour pressure deficit (VPD), also affects G S and ET. Plants close their stomata to prevent excessive water loss when VPD is high [13][14][15][16] and thus, increases in VPD during periods of hydrologic stress represent an independent constraint on plant carbon uptake and water use in ecosystems.While the plant physiological community has long recognized the critical role of VPD in determining plant functioning, VPD is often overlooked in many fields of hydrologic and climate science. For example, precipitation manipulation experiments are frequently used to draw conclusions about ecosystem response to drought stress, even though VPD is unaffected by precipitation manipulation 10 .…”

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

The increasing importance of atmospheric demand for ecosystem water and carbon fluxes

et al. 2016

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Soil moisture supply and atmospheric demand for water independently limit-and profoundly a ect-vegetation productivity and water use during periods of hydrologic stress [1][2][3][4] . Disentangling the impact of these two drivers on ecosystem carbon and water cycling is di cult because they are often correlated, and experimental tools for manipulating atmospheric demand in the field are lacking. Consequently, the role of atmospheric demand is often not adequately factored into experiments or represented in models 5-7 . Here we show that atmospheric demand limits surface conductance and evapotranspiration to a greater extent than soil moisture in many biomes, including mesic forests that are of particular importance to the terrestrial carbon sink 8,9 . Further, using projections from ten general circulation models, we show that climate change will increase the importance of atmospheric constraints to carbon and water fluxes in all ecosystems. Consequently, atmospheric demand will become increasingly important for vegetation function, accounting for >70% of growing season limitation to surface conductance in mesic temperate forests. Our results suggest that failure to consider the limiting role of atmospheric demand in experimental designs, simulation models and land management strategies will lead to incorrect projections of ecosystem responses to future climate conditions. Ecosystem moisture stress is often characterized by changes in soil water availability 10,11 . Declining soil moisture impedes the movement of water to evaporating sites at the soil or leaf surface 12 , reducing the surface conductance to water vapour (G S )-a key determinant of carbon and water cycling-and thereby evapotranspiration (ET). However, atmospheric demand for water, which is directly related to the atmospheric vapour pressure deficit (VPD), also affects G S and ET. Plants close their stomata to prevent excessive water loss when VPD is high [13][14][15][16] and thus, increases in VPD during periods of hydrologic stress represent an independent constraint on plant carbon uptake and water use in ecosystems.While the plant physiological community has long recognized the critical role of VPD in determining plant functioning, VPD is often overlooked in many fields of hydrologic and climate science. For example, precipitation manipulation experiments are frequently used to draw conclusions about ecosystem response to drought stress, even though VPD is unaffected by precipitation manipulation 10 . Some terrestrial ecosystem and ecohydrological models do not permit stomatal conductance to vary with atmospheric demand 5,11 . Many models designed to capture these impacts rely on empirical parameterizations for soil moisture and VPD stress that promote compensating effects and model equifinality 5 , and/or use relative humidity instead of VPD as the primary driver, with significant consequences for projections of

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Growth of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) saplings is limited by elevated atmospheric vapour pressure deficits

Cited by 100 publications

References 70 publications

Multiple environmental control of leaf area and its significance for productivity in beech saplings

Multiple environmental control of leaf area and its significance for productivity in beech saplings

Microclimate in forests with varying leaf area index and soil moisture: potential implications for seedling establishment in a changing climate

The increasing importance of atmospheric demand for ecosystem water and carbon fluxes

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