Photosynthesis, growth, and biomass allocation responses of two Inga species to contrasting light

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

“…(2021) conducted their measurements on seedlings and juveniles, respectively. The acquisitive life strategies, naturally fast growth rates and association with N‐fixing bacteria of many Inga species (Franche et al ., 2009; dos Santos Pereira et al ., 2019) may therefore be more accountable for the observed differences.…”

“…Life strategies may also elicit differences in photosynthetic and respiratory rates, and their responses to warming, between TMF species. Although our study focusses on mid‐successional species, Inga species are typically classed as pioneers, performing well in high light conditions and frequently involved in the early stages of forest restoration and regeneration (dos Santos Pereira et al ., 2019). Indeed, early‐successional species exhibit higher rates of photosynthesis than late‐successional species in elevation gradient studies in Rwanda (Vårhammar et al ., 2015; Dusenge et al ., 2021).…”

“…Our warm‐affiliated species are from Inga , a large neotropical genus that diversified from the warmer climes of Amazonia in the past 2–10 million yr, with phylogenetic analysis revealing that Inga persisted during this time period in far warmer temperatures than are currently experienced in Amazonia (Richardson et al ., 2001; Zachos et al ., 2008; Dick et al ., 2013). The genus is now distributed across South America in a variety of habitats (Richardson et al ., 2001; Endara & Jaramillo, 2011; Palow et al ., 2012; Nicholls et al ., 2015; dos Santos Pereira et al ., 2019), so considerable thermal plasticity may exist in Inga species. The two Inga species in our study exhibit their highest V cmax_25 at 26°C (home environment), indicating that their Rubisco may be optimised to warmer conditions, but they were able to downregulate this by 7.73 and 4.17 μmol m −2 s −1 °C −1 with 4°C and 12°C of cooling, respectively (Fig.…”

“…These disparities could not be explained by the higher photosynthetic capacities of younger trees (Kitajima et al, 2002), as Dusenge et al (2021) and Mujawamariya et al (2021) conducted their measurements on seedlings and juveniles, respectively. The acquisitive life strategies, naturally fast growth rates and association with N-fixing bacteria of many Inga species (Franche et al, 2009;dos Santos Pereira et al, 2019) may therefore be more accountable for the observed differences.…”

Variable thermal plasticity of leaf functional traits in Andean tropical montane forests

“…Taking these results together, our findings suggest that the cold‐affiliated species in Andean TMFs are naturally more conservative in their resource‐use at home temperature, whereas the warm‐affiliated species are more acquisitive. The behaviour of the latter could additionally be explained by how Ingas are often classed as pioneer species, owing to their strong performance in high‐light environments (dos Santos Pereira et al, 2019). This not only makes them ideal candidates for forest restoration projects, but suggests that they could be very capable competitors to native, cold‐affiliated TMF species if these taxa struggle to acclimate to warmer conditions in the long‐term.…”