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Tropical tree photosynthesis and nutrients: the model-data connection

November 30, 2016

Models of phosphorus-limited tropical forests may be improved through empirical relationships between photosynthesis and nutrients

The Science
Gas exchange and nutrient content data were collected from upper canopy leaves of 144 trees at two forest sites in Panama, differing in species composition, rainfall, and soil fertility. Relationships between photosynthesis, foliar N and P, and wood density were evaluated against mechanistic and empirical models.

The Impact
This study provides a basis for improving models of photosynthesis based on phosphorus nutrition and thereby increase the capability of models to predict future conditions in P-limited tropical forests.

Summary
The objective of this study was to analyze and summarize data describing photosynthetic parameters and foliar nutrient concentrations from tropical forests in Panama to inform model representation of phosphorus limitation of tropical forest productivity. Gas exchange and nutrient content data were collected from upper canopy leaves of 144 trees from at least 65 species at two forest sites in Panama, differing in species composition, rainfall, and soil fertility. The relationships between photosynthetic parameters and nutrients were of similar strength for nitrogen and phosphorus and robust across diverse species and site conditions. The strongest relationship expressed maximum electron transport rate (Jmax ) as a multivariate function of both nitrogen and phosphorus, and this relationship was improved with the inclusion of independent data on wood density. Models that estimate photosynthesis from foliar nitrogen content would be improved only modestly with the inclusion of additional data on foliar phosphorus, but doing so may increase the capability of models to predict future conditions in phosphorus-limited tropical forests, especially when combined with data on edaphic conditions and other environmental drivers.

Contact: Richard J. Norby, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, rjn@ornl.gov

Publications
J. Norby et al. “Informing models through empirical relationships between foliar phosphorus, nitrogen and photosynthesis across diverse woody species in Panama.” New Phytologist (2016). doi: 10.1111/nph.14319

Related Links
Data posted at http://dx.doi.org/10.15486/NGT/1255260

  • November 30, 2016

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