Seasonal Variation in the Carbon Isotopic Composition of Desert Plants

Ehleringer, James R.; Phillips, SL; Comstock, Jonathan P.

doi:10.2307/2389277

Cited by 141 publications

(84 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…These analyses were done in the Stable Isotope Research Facility for Ecological Research of the University of Utah (Salt Lake City, USA) using an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (Model delta S, Finnigan MAT, San Jose, CA). Detailed description of the procedures can be found in Ehleringer et al (1992).…”

Section: Leaf Characteristics and Water Relationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecophysiological characteristics of Avicennia germinans and Laguncularia racemosa coexisting in a scrub mangrove forest at the Indian River Lagoon, Florida

Sobrado

Ewe

2006

Trees

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The purpose of this work is to increase ecological understanding of Avicennia germinans L. and Laguncularia racemosa (L.) Gaertn. F. growing in hypersaline habitats with a seasonal climate. The area has a dry season (DS) with low temperature and vapour pressure deficit (vpd), and a wet season (WS) with high temperature and slightly higher vpd. Seasonal patterns in interstitial soil water salinity suggested a lack of tidal flushing in this area to remove salt along the soil profile. The soil solution sodium/potassium (Na + /K + ) ratio differed slightly along the soil profile during the DS, but during the WS it was significantly higher at the soil surface. Diurnal changes in xylem osmolality between predawn (higher) and midday (lower) were observed in both species. However, A. germinans had higher xylem osmolality compared to L. racemosa. Xylem Na + /K + suggested higher selectivity of K + over Na + in both species and seasons. The water relations parameters derived from pressure-volume P-V curves were relatively stable between seasons for each species. The range of water potentials ( ), measured in the field, was within estimated values for turgor maintenance

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Section: Leaf Characteristics and Water Relationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecophysiological characteristics of Avicennia germinans and Laguncularia racemosa coexisting in a scrub mangrove forest at the Indian River Lagoon, Florida

Sobrado

Ewe

2006

Trees

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“…In living plants, δ 13 C leaf values reflect the balance of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance and their coupled response to the environment (3). Edaphic factors (e.g., water availability, altitude, temperature) and plant attributes (e.g.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Edaphic factors (e.g., water availability, altitude, temperature) and plant attributes (e.g. phylogeny and leaf traits) can influence δ 13 C leaf values (4)(5)(6). The relative importance of these factors at the global scale is not known, nor is it clear how they might drive the variations in ancient δ 13 C leaf values recorded in either terrestrial organic carbon (δ 13 C TOC ) or δ 13 C values of plant biomarkers.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…phylogeny and leaf traits) can influence δ 13 C leaf values (4)(5)(6). The relative importance of these factors at the global scale is not known, nor is it clear how they might drive the variations in ancient δ 13 C leaf values recorded in either terrestrial organic carbon (δ 13 C TOC ) or δ 13 C values of plant biomarkers. During extreme climate events in the past, changes in the isotope ratio of atmospheric CO 2 (δ 13 C atm ) reflect perturbations in atmospheric C fluxes, therefore accurate estimates of δ 13 C atm are central to estimating past climate sensitivity to changes in pCO 2 (7).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Global patterns in leaf ¹³ C discrimination and implications for studies of past and future climate

Diefendorf

Mueller

Wing

et al. 2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

756

640

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Fractionation of carbon isotopes by plants during CO 2 uptake and fixation (Δ leaf ) varies with environmental conditions, but quantitative patterns of Δ leaf across environmental gradients at the global scale are lacking. This impedes interpretation of variability in ancient terrestrial organic matter, which encodes climatic and ecological signals. To address this problem, we converted 3,310 published leaf δ 13 C values into mean Δ leaf values for 334 woody plant species at 105 locations (yielding 570 species-site combinations) representing a wide range of environmental conditions. Our analyses reveal a strong positive correlation between Δ leaf and mean annual precipitation (MAP; R 2 ¼ 0.55), mirroring global trends in gross primary production and indicating stomatal constraints on leaf gas-exchange, mediated by water supply, are the dominant control of Δ leaf at large spatial scales. Independent of MAP, we show a lesser, negative effect of altitude on Δ leaf and minor effects of temperature and latitude. After accounting for these factors, mean Δ leaf of evergreen gymnosperms is lower (by 1-2.7‰) than for other woody plant functional types (PFT), likely due to greater leaf-level water-use efficiency. Together, environmental and PFT effects contribute to differences in mean Δ leaf of up to 6‰ between biomes. Coupling geologic indicators of ancient precipitation and PFT (or biome) with modern Δ leaf patterns has potential to yield more robust reconstructions of atmospheric δ 13 C values, leading to better constraints on past greenhouse-gas perturbations. Accordingly, we estimate a 4.6‰ decline in the δ 13 C of atmospheric CO 2 at the onset of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, an abrupt global warming event ∼55.8 Ma.biogeochemistry | ecophysiology | fractionation | PETM H uman perturbation of the global carbon (C) cycle is potentially far greater in rate and magnitude than variations in the recent past, pushing predictions of future climate beyond the calibration range of models based on modern and near-modern observations. Robust predictions of future impacts of rising CO 2 require not only extrapolation of ecological patterns along modern environmental gradients but also insights gained from changing ecological patterns at times of high CO 2 and hot climate in the geologic past (1 and 2). Global patterns of variation in leaf carbon isotope (δ 13 C leaf ) values potentially record climate-driven changes in modern plant physiology and biogeochemistry. An understanding of factors controlling plant fractionation (Δ leaf ) at the global scale will improve interpretations of past changes in climate and ecology recorded in ancient terrestrial sedimentary organic carbon (2). Patterns in δ 13 C leaf of living plants at the global scale, however, are unresolved in spite of abundant published data at smaller spatial scales.In living plants, δ 13 C leaf values reflect the balance of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance and their coupled response to the environment (3). Edaphic factors (e.g., water availability, alt...

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“…The suggestion that during drought nonstomatal effects become important soon after begins to drop is not consistent, however, with data obtained in fluorescence studies, which indicate that leaf photochemistry is resistant to moderate drought stress (Sharkey and Badger, 1982;Genty et al, 1987;Cornic et al, 1989) and that during drought an increased flow of electrons to O, reflects decreasing ci (Cornic and Briantais, 1991). Integrated measures of ci, such as carbon isotope discrimination in leaves, also suggest that ci is lower in water-stressed plants (Smith and Osmond, 1987;Hubick et al, 1988;Ehleringer et al, 1992;Donovan and Ehleringer, 1994). This disparity between gas-exchange data and other measures of ci has been attributed to patchy stomatal closure in response to drought.…”

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Dynamics of Changing Intercellular CO2 Concentration (ci) during Drought and Determination of Minimum Functional ci

Brodribb

1996

Plant Physiology

147

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Nine conifer species with narrow (<5 mm), single-veined leaves were selected for the purpose of examining changes i n intercellular C O , concentration (ci) during drought. Due to the leaf morphology of the study piants, the confounding effects of nonhomogenous photosynthesis common t o most reticulate-veined angiosperms were largely avoided, giving a clear picture of ci dynamics under increasing drought. A characteristic biphasic response was observed in all species, with an initial stomatal control phase resulting in a substantial reduction i n ci as stomatal conductance (g,) decreased. As g, reached low levels, a strong nonstomatal limitation phase was observed, causing ci to increase as g, approached a minimum. This nonstomatal phase was linked to a concomitant rapid decrease in the fluorescence parameter quantum efficiency, indicating the onset of nonreversible photoinhibition. l h e ratio of interna1 to atmospheric CO, concentration (ci/c,) decreased from values of between 0.68 and 0.57 in undroughted plants to a minimum, (ci/c,)min, which was well defined i n each species, ranging from 0.1 O i n Actinostrobus acuminatus to 0.36 in Acmopyle pancheri. A high correlation was found to exist between (cJc,)min and leaf water potential measured at (ci/c,)min. Species developing high maximum intrinsic water use efficiencies (low [c,/c,lmin), such as A. acuminatus, did so at lower leaf water potentials (-4.5 MPa) than more mesic species (-1.75 MPa for A. pancheri). It is concluded that in the absence of patchy stomatal closure, (ci/c,)min gives a good representation of the drought tolerance of foliage.

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Seasonal Variation in the Carbon Isotopic Composition of Desert Plants

Cited by 141 publications

References 24 publications

Ecophysiological characteristics of Avicennia germinans and Laguncularia racemosa coexisting in a scrub mangrove forest at the Indian River Lagoon, Florida

Ecophysiological characteristics of Avicennia germinans and Laguncularia racemosa coexisting in a scrub mangrove forest at the Indian River Lagoon, Florida

Global patterns in leaf ¹³ C discrimination and implications for studies of past and future climate

Dynamics of Changing Intercellular CO2 Concentration (ci) during Drought and Determination of Minimum Functional ci

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Seasonal Variation in the Carbon Isotopic Composition of Desert Plants

Cited by 141 publications

References 24 publications

Ecophysiological characteristics of Avicennia germinans and Laguncularia racemosa coexisting in a scrub mangrove forest at the Indian River Lagoon, Florida

Ecophysiological characteristics of Avicennia germinans and Laguncularia racemosa coexisting in a scrub mangrove forest at the Indian River Lagoon, Florida

Global patterns in leaf 13 C discrimination and implications for studies of past and future climate

Dynamics of Changing Intercellular CO2 Concentration (ci) during Drought and Determination of Minimum Functional ci

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Global patterns in leaf ¹³ C discrimination and implications for studies of past and future climate